.

BLACK LORD, The: Sandeman term for Lord Darth Vader, generally
regarded as villain of the classic Star Wars film trilogy. The
Sandemans see him as a symbol of their race: held in thrall by another
(Palpatine/the Shapers), but maintaining all honor possible during that
thralldom and eventually throwing it off to regain (or gain) full honor
for himself and his family (or the Sandeman race). Clan Vader, the
first clan formed after Overthrow, was named for him and is the arbiter
for the most delicate questions of honor. The ceremonial garb called
honor-black is derived directly from the Black Lord's armor and robes.

BLASTER: The standard Imperial sidearm, a plasma weapon.

BLAST RIFLE: A shoulder weapon, powered by a small fusion reactor pack,
which emits a plasma beam. Since their power packs are larger than
those of a hand-held blaster, they are correspondingly either more
powerful or more long-lasting, depending on the operator's preference.

BLOODMATE: A strong, possibly latent empath who has been changed by
the nosferatu pseudo-virus to an extremely capable blood donor, able to
supply all a Kin's needs. The primary adaptation is bone marrow
hyperactivity, which permits loss of blood with no harm to the
Bloodmate beyond fatigue and increased appetite. Other changes include
increased physical strength, though not to the extent of a Kin's, along
with heightened empathy and endurance, both of which exceed a Kin's.

Although Bloodmates appeared at the same time as Kins, their lack of
visible change meant that for more than two years they were thought to
be no more than unusually capable Donors. That changed when Marine
Captain Jase Thompson, who was extremely susceptible to the virus, was
changed and it was discovered that he literally had to donate at daily
intervals to remain physically and emotionally healthy. ["Teams"]
This allowed testing of the other unusually capable donors, and led to
the discovery that the approximate 10% who went through change with no
apparent effect had actually become Bloodmates.

BOND: A close physical/emotional tie between a Kin and a Bloodmate.
It is involuntary, very fast, and takes place when a Kin feeds on a
Bloodmate who is @'s complement. The empathic link between them is so
strong that each is always aware of the other's physical and emotional
state. This is usually quite pleasant, but if one is severely hurt or
killed, the other will suffer psychological and phy