Octant. Colloquial spacer's term for a 50 day period (one-eighth of a star year). This has not replaced older terms such as the month (a 30 day period) or the week (a 7 day period) - though these old Earth periods have less significance on colony worlds with different year lengths. See Stardate

Oberon. Moon of Uranus, Sol System. Image

Odyssey, ESS. The famous Earther survey ship that completed the historic 60 year round trip to the centre of the galaxy.

Ogata, Dr Kiyaki: Dr Ogata is one of the foremost xenobiologists in Martian Space. Her knowledge of planetary fauna is legendary. In the early part of her career she single-handedly catalogued over 250,000 separate species. Currently well known for her off the wall theories about forerunner bio-genetic engineering techniques. Despite being offered a number of prestigious roles in the many new Forerunner study teams, she prefers to follow her own researches independently.

Old Calamity:  Independent colony Q8

Old London: A megacity on Earth, Sol System.

Old London, Treaty of: (3200) The seminal interstellar treaty finally pooling substantial forces, intelligence and command and control in defence of humanity against the Exterminator Threat. There is a regular Ministerial Summit under this treaty, at which the Big Eight interstellar powers discuss the progress of the war, and lately the remit has extended to general discussions about interstellar relations and other issues affecting the whole of humanity. This summit meets on a rotational basis at members' capital worlds.

Old Mars. The fourth planet of the solar system and the site of humanity's first and best exercise in planetary terraforming. Now home to some 900 million and a highly successful and valued part of the the Earth Empire. A few dissidents feel that the planet should be independent of Earth - and in the past there has been some unpleasantness over the issue. These days only a few minor criminal groups continue to use the pretence of a legitimate claim for self-determination as a cover for acts of terrorism and theft, but these have little support form the vast majority of Martians, both on and off Old Mars. (Orbital image)

Organian Atrocity 3174. The release of a virulent engineered genetic virus into the atmosphere of Organia 3 left 1.3 million dead and many more horribly mutilated and crippled. The subsequent international aid effort was the largest ever seen in Quadrant 4's history. The wanted criminal scientist Johannes Schmidt was trying, it appears, to threaten the government in a gigantic extortion plot. It went wrong, and the virus was released - resulting in about 90% of those exposed to the virus dying, the remaining 10% were horribly altered in some way - almost always severely debilitating. Organia's population of 'Jokers' as the virus survivors style themselves is very large and politically active. The conditions caused by the virus have so far proved difficult to reverse, a fact that has made most survivors exceptionally bitter.