Narc
Life Science / Society / Technology

A semi-synthetic narcotic composed of a natural drug, a synthetic drug, and a hallucinogen, engineered through supercomputer-aided drug design. Nicknamed "the drug". It is made by combining opium taken from black poppy pods with a pethidine-based synthetic drug, and then to that adding a hallucinogen containing lysergic acid derivatives obtained from ergot alkaloids. Mixing this particularly potent genetically engineered opium extract with a chemical structure nonexistent in the natural world produces a narcotic and hallucinogenic effect never before seen with any drug. It was popular among astronauts seeking to relieve the psychological strain that comes with being in outer space. It then spread quickly with the start of long-distance space flights and the completion of bases on the Moon and Mars, with people looking for a way to deal with the extended periods of time in space associated with such jobs.

The drug is so powerful that even a few milligrams can be fatal. This makes it difficult to detect in drug tests, as people take it in extremely small doses, meaning it does not become very concentrated in the body. Narc also attaches to opioid peptides, natural opiates that originate in the pituitary gland of the mammalian brain, doubling the effects of the morphine it contains.

Rumor has it that the mafia and certain other organizations are responsible for Narc. It is said that approximately 20% of adults on Beyond Coast have tried at least one illegal drug at some point in their life, a rate second only to America, which is still fighting its war on drugs.

negotiator
Society

Someone who negotiates with kidnappers for the release of their hostage(s). There are some who specialize in negotiating, but most negotiators also work as private investigators.

Although half of his work involves negotiating with kidnappers, Jonathan Ingram himself is a traditional private investigator as well.

negotiator privileges
Society

Police organizations on Earth, where kidnappings are frequent, eventually came to realize they were no longer able to deal with the kidnapping problem themselves. Certain states and regions now allow negotiators a certain level of police authority, such as entering houses related to investigations and possessing firearms the general public is normally not permitted to own. Negotiators are required to file annually with the authorities regarding any firearms they wish to own, and are also required to file a monthly report stating if, and how, they have used their privileges. However, many people in America have questioned this practice, with the country having yet to ratify the Koontz gun control bill. Critics argue such allowances only add to the gun problem.

Jonathan Ingram, who negotiates with kidnappers in his line of work, also has negotiator privileges.

neo immigrant
Culture and Sports / Outer Space

A refugee fleeing to outer space in an attempt to escape the various problems on Earth, such as overpopulation and the North-South problem. In particular, there has been a sharp increase in the number of day laborers who illegally enter Beyond Coast. Earth's mafia is known to support organizations who assist illegal immigrants, who, due to overcrowding, are just as much of a problem as legal immigrants. Not limited to just economic refugees, there are also many refugees fleeing regions of conflict on Earth.

News Order
Culture and Sports / Information and Communications / Society

BBC's premier news program. Anchor Karen Hojo's popularity, in part due to her hard-hitting attitude, has earned the show consistent high ratings. It has also received the award for Outstanding News Program from the Beyond Coast Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the last 3 years. Is broadcast live via satellite to the Moon and Earth as well.

non-malt beer
Society

A type of beer containing no malted barley. With the passing of the Liquor Tax Act of 2010 in America (the result of pressure from the temperance movement), the tax for beer was divided into an alcohol tax and a malt tax. The alcohol tax drove the standard price of any beverage with a 1% or higher alcohol content up to a minimum of $10, with some even calling it the return of Prohibition. The simultaneous taxing of malted barley, the main ingredient of malt beer, meant that traditional beer was now beyond the reach of the ordinary person. Non-malt beers avoid both these taxes by using cornstarch in place of malted barley, and by limiting their alcohol content to 0.99%.