Expanse (before Ring Network)

1. #1532 Herculina

   Keys: 532 Herculina, Herculina

   532 Herculina is a large asteroid in the Belt (approx 200km diameter). It was originally a mine but was spun up to create gravity (.28 g) and repurposed into a secret research facility. It is off the main trade routes and serves as a clandestine location for illegal corporate testing away from UN oversight.

2. #2Admiral Nguyen

   Keys: Admiral Nguyen, Nguyen

   Admiral Nguyen was a warmongering UN Admiral aligned with Errinwright. He commanded the Agatha King and unleashed the Protomolecule hybrids as weapons. He was killed by James Holden aboard his own infected ship.

3. #3Admiral Souther

   Keys: Souther, Admiral Souther

   Admiral Souther is a high-ranking officer in the UN Navy. Unlike many of his peers (like Nguyen), Souther is honorable, cautious, and prefers de-escalation to war. He became a key ally to Avasarala, taking command of the loyalist UN fleet during the battle over Io.

4. #4Air Lock

   Keys: airlock, cycling, decompression chamber, air lock

   A sealable chamber permitting passage between environments of different pressure, typically between a ship/station and the vacuum of space.

   Cycling an airlock involves pumping the air out (or in) to match the pressure of the destination. Most airlocks have manual overrides and safety interlocks to prevent accidental venting of the ship's atmosphere.

5. #5Air and Water Scarcity

   Keys: scrubbers, air filter, bad air, CO2 scrubber

   Air and water are the primary currencies of survival in the Belt. Nothing is free. Air filters and CO2 scrubbers are life-support equipment that must be meticulously maintained; a dirty filter leads to sickness or death. "Bad air" is a common complaint in poorer sectors. Water is reclaimed from every source, including urine and sweat (gray water). Wasting resources is a cultural taboo.

6. #6Airlock

   Keys: airlock, cycling the lock, bap kuxaku

   Bap kuxaku: Airlock (Space door). The transition point between safety and vacuum. 'Spacing' someone (throwing them out the airlock) is a form of execution or murder. The sound of an airlock cycling (hiss-thunk) is universally recognized.

7. #7Alex Kamal

   Keys: Kamal, Alex Kamal, Alex

   Alex Kamal is the pilot of the Rocinante. A former Martian Navy pilot pushing fifty, he has a receding hairline, a round face, and speaks with the exaggerated Mariner Valley drawl common to Martians (descended from Texan and East Indian settlers). He treats the Rocinante like a lover and is happiest when flying.

   Alex is the emotional glue of the crew, often trying to keep the peace during internal conflicts. Despite his laid-back demeanor, he is an ace pilot capable of high-g combat maneuvers that push the physical limits of the human body. He considers the crew his family.

8. #8Amash

   Keys: amash

   Amash: But.

9. #9Amos Burton

   Keys: Amos, Amos Burton, Burton

   Amos Burton is the mechanic and muscle of the Rocinante. An Earther originally from Baltimore, he is stocky, pale, and powerfully built. Amos presents himself as a simple grease monkey, but he possesses a terrifying capacity for violence and a total lack of fear. He has a history in the criminal underworld and likely killed a man before leaving Earth.

   Amos is aware that his moral compass is broken; he relies on people he considers "righteous"—specifically Naomi Nagata and James Holden—to tell him who to shoot. He is fiercely protective of his crewmates and has a soft spot for children, evidenced by his rage during the search for Mei Meng on Ganymede.

10. #10Anderson Dawes

    Keys: Dawes, Anderson Dawes

    Anderson Dawes is the OPA leader on Ceres Station. Charismatic and ruthless, he represents the blue-collar Belters. He has a distinct scar on his neck. While he ostensibly works with Fred Johnson, he represents a more radical faction of the OPA and often pursues his own agenda beneath the table. He attempted to suppress the investigation into Julie Mao to maintain political stability.

11. #11Anderson Station

    Keys: Anderson-Hyosung, Anderson Station

    Anderson Station is a resupply depot at the far end of the inhabited Belt. It is infamous as the site of a brutal massacre. After the station revolted due to strict rationing and high prices for air and water enforced by the Anderson-Hyosung corporation, the UN Marines, led by Colonel Fred Johnson, destroyed the station, killing insurgents and civilians alike.

    The event radicalized many Belters and earned Fred Johnson the moniker "The Butcher of Anderson Station," leading to his defection to the OPA.

12. #12Anti-Cancer Medication

    Keys: anti-cancer meds, oncolytics, radiation meds, cancer drugs

    Due to the high radiation exposure of space travel and life on stations with poor shielding, anti-cancer medications are a daily necessity for many, especially Belters.

    These drugs repair cellular damage and prevent the growth of tumors. A standardized regimen is required for anyone living outside the protection of Earth's atmosphere.

13. #13Antony Dresden

    Keys: Antony Dresden, Dresden

    Antony Dresden was the head scientist for Protogen and the architect of the Eros experiment. A sociopath with a god complex, he modified his own empathy centers to conduct gruesome experiments. He believed the Protomolecule was the key to humanity's ascension. Miller shot and killed him mid-speech on Thoth Station because he was "making too much sense."

14. #14Asteroid Weapons

    Keys: Weaponized asteroid, rock drop

    Technology in the Belt includes the ability to move massive rocks. While intended for mining, this technology has terrifying military potential. Attaching high-yield drives to asteroids effectively turns them into stealth kinetic bombardment weapons capable of wiping out planetary ecospheres. This tactic is the ultimate fear of Earth and Mars regarding OPA extremists.

15. #15Aterpol (Londres Nova)

    Keys: Aterpol

    Aterpol is the upscale "downtown" district of Londres Nova. It houses the offices of the Martian Congressional Republic government and high-end shops and restaurants. It sits adjacent to the Olympia district.

16. #16Auto-Doc

    Keys: med-bay, auto-doc, medical expert system, autodoc

    An auto-doc is an automated medical expert system found in the med-bays of ships and stations. It serves as a robotic surgeon and physician.

    Capable of diagnosing illnesses, setting bones, synthesizing drugs, and performing complex surgeries, the auto-doc allows crews to survive deep space travel without a dedicated human doctor. It requires a supply of medical gels and pharmaceuticals to function.

17. #17Baby Tax

    Keys: baby lottery, baby tax

    Instituted to curb overpopulation, the baby tax is a prohibitively expensive fee required to legally have a child on Earth. Those on Basic Assistance cannot pay this tax and are restricted from having children unless they win the "baby lottery," a rare exemption.

18. #18Basic Assistance

    Keys: on Basic, living on Basic, Basic, Basic Assistance

    Basic Assistance is the United Nations' global welfare program upon which over half of Earth's populace relies for survival. It provides shared accommodations in government housing complexes, meager food in the form of textured protein and enriched rice, minimal medical care, and recycled paper clothing. Services are free, but those on Basic are subject to mandatory contraception and cannot legally have children without winning a "baby lottery."

    People on Basic are generally uneducated and contribute little to the official economy, though they engage in barter and gray market industries. The only way off Basic is employment or education, both of which are highly competitive and scarce.

19. #19Bek

    Keys: bek

    Bek: Back (direction) OR Break (verb).

20. #20Beltalowda

    Keys: beltalowda, belta lowda

    Beltalowda: A collective pronoun meaning "All Belters" or "Us Belters". It signifies the cultural identity of the people of the Belt.

21. #21Belter Creole & Sign Language

    Keys: Lang Belta, Belter sign language, Belter Creole, gutter

    Belter Creole (Lang Belta) is the pidgin language of the Belt, evolved from the multicultural mixing of workers from Earth. It incorporates vocabulary and grammar from English, Chinese, Romance languages, Russian, and others.

    Crucial to Belter communication is an accompanying sign language. Developed for use in vacuum suits where radio might be down or silence is required, these physical gestures—shrugs, hand movements, head tilts—are an integral part of the language, used even when not in a suit. Inner planets inhabitants often find Belter communication impenetrable due to this mix of heavy slang and physical gesture.

22. #22Belter Food

    Keys: fungal whiskey, vat meat, belter food, red kibble, kibble

    Belter cuisine is derived from what can be grown in vats or hydroponics. "Kibble" is the staple—protein pellets or crumbles made from yeast, soy, or textured protein, flavored with heavy spices to mask the bland taste. "Red kibble" is a spicy variation.

    Meat is almost exclusively vat-grown. Real fruits and vegetables are extreme luxuries imported from Ganymede or Earth. Alcohol is common but rough, often distilled from fungus or potatoes.

23. #23Belter Gestures

    Keys: belter nod, hand signs, hand signals, gestures

    Due to the necessity of communicating inside vacuum suits, Belters developed a lexicon of physical gestures that accompany or replace speech. These are habitual and used even when not in a suit.

    • The Belter Nod: A fist rotated forward and back (translates to a nod).
    • The Shrug: Turning palms upward/outward by the waist.
    • Objection/Stop: Crossing wrists forming an X.
    • Thanks: Touching the helmet/forehead with two fingers.
24. #24Belter Life

    Keys: hole, holes, Belter life, corridors

    Life in the Belt is defined by scarcity and precariousness. Most Belters live in "holes"—tiny apartments carved directly into rock or built into station bulkheads. Air and water are recycled meticulously; a failure to maintain filters or pumps is a death sentence for a whole community. This fosters a culture of tribal solidarity where Belters fix problems immediately and look out for one another against outsiders.

    Childhood involves dangerous exposure to low oxygen (hypoxia) and poor nutrition, leading to developmental issues. Work usually involves mining, ice hauling, or station maintenance—high-risk jobs with little pay from Inner corporations.

25. #25Belter Physiology

    Keys: thin, tall, long limbs, Belter biology, Belter physiology, brittle bones, big head

    Belter Physiology has diverged from the human baseline due to generations of living in microgravity (0.1 g to 0.3 g). Belters tend to be much taller and more slender than Earthers or Martians, often reaching 2 to 2.5 meters in height. Their bones are longer, thinner, and less dense.

    Because they developed in low gravity, Belters inevitably suffer from osteopenia (brittle bones) and muscle atrophy compared to Inners. They require a regimen of bone-density drugs and genetic treatments to remain healthy. Physical markers often include spinal ridges where bones did not fuse properly during development and heads that appear disproportionately large relative to their thin bodies.

    These physical differences make Earth-normal gravity (1 g) physically painful and potentially lethal for Belters, crushing their internal organs and breaking their bones without the aid of water buoyancy tanks.

26. #26Belter Tattoos

    Keys: Split Circle, broken circle, OPA tattoo, neck tattoo

    The Split Circle (or Broken Circle) is the symbol of the OPA and Belter heritage. It is often tattooed around the neck. The symbol originated from the burns caused by old, low-quality vac suit collars used by early Belter miners—a mark of the hardship endured to build the Belt. It has evolved into a badge of pride and political alignment.

27. #27Beratna

    Keys: beratna, beratnas

    Beratna: Brother. Used for biological brothers but commonly used to mean 'bro', comrade, or fellow Belter.

28. #28Bik

    Keys: bik

    Bik: Big.

29. #29Bobbie Draper

    Keys: Roberta Draper, Gunny, Bobbie, Draper

    Gunnery Sergeant Roberta "Bobbie" Draper is a Martian Marine of Polynesian descent. She stands over two meters tall and is heavily muscled, trained for combat in Goliath power armor. She was the sole survivor of a platoon slaughtered on Ganymede by a Protomolecule hybrid monster, an event that left her with PTSD and a burning desire for revenge.

    After being brought to Earth for diplomatic testimony, she defected to work for Avasarala upon realizing her own government was using her as a pawn. She served as Avasarala's bodyguard and muscle during the political upheaval, proving herself a lethal warrior even without her suit.

30. #30Bone Density Drugs

    Keys: osteoporosis meds, bone density drugs, growth hormones, bone drugs

    Pharmaceuticals designed to encourage bone growth and maintain density in low-gravity environments. These are essential for children growing up in the Belt to prevent severe physical deformities.

    Even with these drugs, Belters tend to be tall and thin with brittle bones compared to Inners. Failure to take them can result in a physiology that cannot survive any significant gravity or acceleration.

31. #31Bos

    Keys: boss, bos

    Short for Bosmang. Boss.

32. #32Bosmang

    Keys: bosmang, bosmang kapawu

    Bosmang: Boss, Chief, Shift-lead. Bosmang Kapawu: Ship-Captain.

33. #33Breach Candy (Londres Nova)

    Keys: Breach Candy

    Breach Candy is a middle-class university district in Londres Nova, connected to the technical clinics and upper university levels via high-speed monorail.

34. #34Breakaway Province Rule & Independence

    Keys: Martian independence, Breakaway province rule

    The MCR gained independence from Earth through the "breakaway province rule" invoked during negotiations. Originally, Earth threatened war to keep Mars as a colony. However, the invention of the Epstein Drive gave Mars a strategic edge.

    Mars traded the drive technology to the UN in exchange for autonomy, preventing a bloody civil war and establishing the MCR as a sovereign power.

35. #35Bush Orbital Shipyards

    Keys: UN shipyards, Bush Shipyards, Bush Orbital Shipyards, The Bush

    Bush Orbital Shipyards Earth's primary shipbuilding facilities are located in orbit around Luna (Earth's moon) to keep construction as high in the gravity well as possible while still servicing Earth. Established early in the colonization of the system, the Bush Shipyards construct most of the UN Navy's warships as well as a sizeable number of civilian ships.

    Historically, the UN forced a mandate requiring all future ships to be built in the Bush Shipyards, threatening Mars with war when the colony attempted to build its own cargo ships. This monopoly has since been broken by the Epstein Drive and Martian independence.

36. #36Bush Shipyards

    Keys: Bush Shipyards, Bush Orbital Shipyards

    The Bush Orbital Shipyards are Earth's primary shipbuilding facilities, located in orbit around Luna. They construct most of the UN Navy's warships and a significant number of civilian vessels.

37. #37CQB

    Keys: close quarter battle, cqb

    Close Quarter Battle. In space terms, this is engaging the enemy with PDCs and Railguns rather than long-range torpedoes. It is incredibly dangerous; usually, whoever shoots first or has the thickest hull wins.

38. #38Callisto (Martian Presence)

    Keys: Callisto, Port Hampton

    Callisto, a moon of Jupiter, hosts the MCRN's largest shipyards in the Outer Planets. It is a vital strategic asset for Mars, where ships like the Donnager-class are constructed. The settlement of Port Hampton serves the shipyards, occupied largely by Martian military personnel and contractors.

39. #39Camina Drummer

    Keys: Drummer, Camina, Camina Drummer

    Camina Drummer is the intense, loyal, and intimidating Belter Chief of Security at Tycho Station, serving as Fred Johnson's right hand. She speaks with a sharp Belter creole accent and wears distinct eye makeup. She is fiercely protective of the Belt and skeptical of Inners (Earthers and Martians), though she respects results.

40. #40Cancer meds

    Keys: onco, cancer

    Cancer is a common ailment for Belters due to cheap radiation shielding. Consequently, anti-cancer implants and meds (Oncolytics) are as common as aspirin.

41. #41Ceres Station

    Keys: Ceres Station, 1 Ceres, Ceres

    Ceres Station is the largest port of call in the Belt and serves as its unofficial capital. Located on the dwarf planet Ceres, the rock was hollowed out and "spun up" by Tycho Manufacturing to create artificial gravity (approx 0.3 g) via centrifugal force.

    Ceres houses approximately six million permanent residents and sees millions of transients. The upper levels near the surface (where gravity is heaviest) feature false skies and affluent neighborhoods for corporate workers and wealthy locals. The lower levels, deep inside the rock (where gravity is weakest), are slums filled with cramped tunnels, smells of recycled air, and poverty. Water is strictly rationed. The station was historically policed by Earth-based private security firms like Star Helix but is increasingly falling under OPA control.

42. #42Chrisjen Avasarala

    Keys: Chrisjen, Madam Secretary, Avasarala, Chrisjen Avasarala

    Chrisjen Avasarala is the UN Assistant Undersecretary of Executive Administration, making her one of the most powerful people on Earth. She is a small, gray-haired woman who wears colorful saris and possesses a mouth like a dockworker. She is a master of political maneuvering, spying, and manipulation, dedicated to preserving Earth's supremacy and preventing the solar system from destroying itself.

    Despite her ruthless exterior, she loves her husband Arjun and her grandchildren deeply. She was instrumental in uncovering the conspiracy involving Errinwright and Jules-Pierre Mao. She respects competence and despises stupidity, famously referring to the UN Secretary-General as a "bobble-head."

43. #43Civilian Merchants and Transports

    Keys: Guy Molinari, freighter, civilian transport, Scopuli, cargo ship, Ebenezer Hazard, Merchant Ship, PSS ship

    Civilian Merchants and Transports The broad category of civilian vessels that form the circulatory system of Earth's economy. These range from small, independently owned rock-hoppers to medium-sized freighters like the Scopuli or the Ebenezer Hazard (operated by Earth corp Pope-Sanchez Shipping).

    They transport ore, mail, supplies, and passengers between Earth, Luna, and the outer colonies. Unlike military vessels, they rely on transponders for identification and usually lack weaponry, though some operate with private security details or hidden compartments for smuggling.

44. #44Co-yo

    Keys: coyos, co-yo

    See 'Koyo'.

45. #45Consumables Bulb

    Keys: bulb, coffee

    In zero-g, liquids (coffee, water, beer) are consumed from sealed plastic bulbs with nipples or straws to prevent the liquid from floating away and shorting out electronics.

46. #46Coriolis Effect

    Keys: coriolis, spin gravity, spin station

    On spin stations (like Ceres, Eros, or Tycho), gravity is generated by centrifugal force. This creates the Coriolis effect: liquids pour in a curve, and walking 'spinward' feels heavier than walking 'anti-spinward'. Inner ears often struggle to adjust, but Belters are born to it.

47. #47Cotyar

    Keys: Cotyar

    Cotyar was Avasarala's head of security and intelligence agent. Of Kurdish descent, he was professional, lethal, and steadfastly loyal to Chrisjen, serving as her protector during her trip on the Guanshiyin.

48. #48Crash Couch

    Keys: flight couch, crash couch, gel couch

    A specialized chair found on all ships, designed to protect the human body from high-G forces. They conform to the body (often using gel) and possess gimbals to rotate the occupant so the G-force is always felt as 'down' (chest-to-back), regardless of the ship's orientation.

49. #49Criminal Gangs

    Keys: Loca Greiga, Belter gang, Criminal gang

    Various criminal gangs operate in the Belt, often organizing along ethnic lines based on the multicultural creole roots of the Belters. Examples include the Loca Greiga and Aryan Flyers. They run black markets, protection rackets, and illicit drug trades in the station slums.

50. #50Currency

    Keys: pish, company scrip, scrip

    Pish: Casino chip / Cash. While specialized corporate or planetary currencies exist, 'Company Scrip' is common in the Belt—money that can only be spent at company stores. Bartering with water, air filters, or fuel pellets is also common.

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