The 17 central levels of Recreation Station 97, with spoke-like avenues converging on a central hub of terraced balconies, offering a stunning view of adjacent tiers. The various levels are accessed by a system of Up-and-Down-See-Daisys®, running through the hub. Restaurants, bars, theatres, casinos and clubs dotting the spoke-like avenues and winding cross-streets cater to middle-income and working-caste spacers. Entertainers and asteroid miners, backwater bumpkins and professional gamblers, vacationing Teoman and off-duty Brigaders, mercenary proldiers and adventurous families looking for something new, all mix and mingle on the Vale of Tiers. A warning printed in the official Guide to the Galaxy’s 467 Rec Stations states, “When visiting the Vale of Tiers on Rec 97, walk in a determined manner. Try to look as though you know where you are going. Don’t look up. Don’t look down.” Sound advice, indeed! For those thinking of starting or moving a business to the Vale, lot prices on the hub, where one is likely to get the most walk-ins, are quite high. On the outer wheel, where views look out onto nearby (relatively speaking) stars, they are astronomical.

Slang term for Vercadian Protector Android (see: Vercadian Protector Android).

The descriptive and more than usually accurate nickname for Vegorian Vitronus Khrome, wealthy space-hopper and ne’er-do-well nephew of RSVdG Bajar through his wife, Ambrosia Vitronia Khrome, Vegorian being the son of her twin brother, Ambrosius Vitronus Khrome. (Twins do seem to run in that family!) A notorious gossip and inveterate gambler, Vegorian had the dubious honor of having parted with more credit at the Rouliette tables of The Dome, Recreation Station 97, than had any other humanoid in the galaxy, before or since. Vegorian died mysteriously in Cycle 151 AE, having mistaken a Wrenchin face-eater for his favorite toupee, following a large gathering of friends and family to celebrate the anniversary of his birth. That one of the gathered had purposely made the old switcheroo, substituting the face-eater for the hairpiece, was something that could never be proved, owing to the large amounts of Kublacaine and other mind-altering substances imbibed at the fête. Vegorian’s was the first of a slew of similar deaths, the victims related in one way or another to the family Bajar, following the public disowning of the Baron RSVdG Bajar’s two adult children, during the trial of Brucilla the Muscle, 142 AE. One must surmise that the events were related.

Vegorian Vitronus Khrome

The only android culture (or batch) capable of premeditated assault on a sentient being… the Cyberphobe’s nightmare. They are incredibly expensive and incredibly dangerous. Vercadian Protector Androids were built in the earty Cycles of IER-CO by the Vercadian Andromedicones in an effort to 1) fulfill their programming by providing a nearly indestructible protector for its human owners, 2)  scratch an old itch, by providing humankind with yet another means of destroying itself, and 3) bring home the bacon. Lots and lots of bacon. Standard features include Atomo-Torch Power Gauntlets, thought-activated body shield, Pec-Flex Implosion-Head Destructo-Dart System, Rear Guard atomic cannon, Boot Up disemboweling horns, adjustable vanity mirror, Chakra Rocket Id-Seeking Quasar Bullets, and Switz Armsy Guards with gutting, slicing, and filleting knives (tweezers optional). The two best known and most feared of all Vercadian Protector Androids were Veep 7, the warrior poet, and 785, the gold-plated bodyguard of the Mayor of Casterbridge. An old children’s tale tells of Veep 7, the masterless droid, that he was once stared down by a chinchilla from the Yndokrin Mining Belts and so lost his arm guard.

Vercadian Protector Android

An extremely poisonous, three-eyed snake, native to the seventh moon of the planet Vinona in the Half-Way System, that system so named as it was “half way” between the two furthest ports frequented by the Merchant Spacers Fleet. The Vinonan Viper was largely responsible for thwarting MSF plans to turn the swamp-covered moon into an R-n-R resort for its longhauler member/owners to recover from two many nargons spent in space.

Usually defined as a spherical, personal meditation device. developed, marketed and distributed by Krystals ‘n’ Things, the Visioneering Sphere® is not exactly a device and is only roughly spherical. And though it would be true to say they’re marketed and distributed by Krystals ‘N’ Things (see: Krystals ‘n’ Things), Visioneering Spheres were hardly “developed” by anyone. In fact, it would be more correct to say that they were discovered, as they are naturally occurring Borinyum Krystal geodes, mostly found floating in the Mitochondrian Krystal belt amongst the other asteroids. In truth, Krystals ‘n’ Things’ entire contribution to the physical Visioneering Sphere® was to haul the Krystal-bearing asteroids back to their home planet to drill access holes in the geodes, so that purchasers might enter to place their posteriors in the one comfy seat KnT suspended in each geode’s center. This seat is needed, as sharp-edged, pointy Krystals prodding the Visioneer’s backside don’t provide much in the way of a meditation-inducing experience. Speaking of which, the use of the word “meditation” in the accepted definition of the VS is also a bit of a misnomer, as the experience delivered is something closer to being assaulted by visual and auditory—heck, let’s just say sensory—hallucinations. One need only read any history of the Mitochondrian Krystal Miners to understand the intensity of the experience, as well as potential side effects. In order to help their customers avoid said side effects, as well as to help Krystals ‘N’ Things avoid law suits, the company sells all Visioneering Spheres® with a 15-page religious tract titled Into the Light: Feeding Your Beastie for a Better Vision Experience. The tract first lays out the tenets of the religion of the Mitochondrian Krystal Miners, or “Beastie” religion, then explains the importance of having a religious context in which to “cushion” the visions/hallucinations that occur when the meditator is surrounded by the geode’s Krystals for any length of time. Casual use of Visioneering Spheres® for the purpose of partying is not advised. Such use after having eaten or imbibed Kublicaine, or any food or drink containing even small amounts of Kublicaine, may lead to insanity or death. Just sayin’.