Dakota System: Location of one of the most famous battles during the Age of Ascension, the Dakota System is also the location of Omega’s Sector Depot. Nearly 6,000 years ago the Third Rebel Fleet unwittingly stumbled into range of Admiral Nichii’s Grand Fleet (pro-Secretary faction) and was annihilated to the last warship. Admiral Nichii carried through and bombed Chaparral, the former sector capital, flat.

Devin MacDonald, High Secretary : Brought up as fourteenth in line of succession, Devin MacDonald was a second cousin to Ulric MacBannock and a student at Loyala University on Old Earth when Kona Tatsu agents arrived in his dorm room to tell the 22-year old that the Senate had elected him as the High Secretary. The sudden death of HS MacBannock in the Pike Civil War conflagration caused both shock and panic within the Pact's political parties, as they hadn't "elected" a High Secretary in over 400 years. Most High Secretary's determine their heir(chosen on basis of merit) well in advance, but the much-beloved 36-year-old MacBannock hadn't thought it necessary; resulting in the election by the Senate of Devin MacDonald after his untimely death. A noble leader, MacDonald's outstanding leadership, steady composure under intense pressure, and calm determination in the midst of the 19th Dionii Wave brought him much fame. Also, his personal care for the military wounded and concern for food, supplies, and comforts at the front lines made him the idol of his men. High Secretary MacDonald's growing knowledge of the inner workings of the Pact bureaucracy grew over time, but he often shunned the serious intellectual circles of Pact elitists for the crude, boisterous, and unruly Pact Marines that guarded his official residence. In 10,961 MacDonald at last had the opportunity to be involved in some military action as the 20th Dionii Wave heated up. A surprise ambush by Dionii forces trapped the High Secretary, who was being accompanied by Admiral Sels Farris(a Sime) on a tour of the front lines. Admiral Farris' courageous efforts saved the High Secretary's life, and for that MacDonald awarded him the Warlordship.

   Having married Elaine Gregory, MS MacDonald and his wife proceeded to have several children; Payne(18), Jillian(16), and Jory(8). His personal life remained quite private but in the aftermath of his death, many books will most likely be written about his personal lack of judgment in keeping High Admiral Viktor Nemasov in office after the Kona Tatsu reportedly brought evidence to HS MacDonald's attention about Nemasov’s plans, just days before the coup. Hopefully, the future will exonerate the man.....

Dhrak Wars: A race of large wolf-like aliens located in what is now Omega Cluster, the Dhrak fought the expanding Pact of Humanity from 9,793 to 10,640. The war was marked by massive bombardment of inhabited planets, ferocious fighting, and suicidal tactics during the 900 year conflict. The Dhrak's surprising technological innovation kept the more numerous Pact Navy on edge and out of Dhrak Space until the occupation of Dharwar, the Dhrak's primary military linchpin and operations base in 10,638. Despite the fall of the Dharwar System and the annihilation of the bulk of its battlefleet, the Dhraks fought on, only collapsing after their homeworld Dhrakia was nearly completely depopulated by orbital nuclear bombardment.

Dianus Plague: A virulent and deadly viral outbreak that occurred within the core worlds of the Pact of Humanity from 6,540 to 6,591 which virtually cut off the central worlds of the Pact from its colony worlds during the Quarantine. During this period, around twelve billion persons contracted the disease, all of who died horribly. This event forced the development of the Pact's initial bioweapons programs and the construction of the first Interlink system.

Dionii: The Dionii are a devastating hive mind race that has plagued the Pact of Humanity for nearly four thousand years. Their unique technology, high-population worlds, and genocidal tactics have withstood the Pact Navy’s best efforts to eliminate them. This race of man-sized intelligent insects seek to learn all Pact knowledge, especially orbital beanstalks, plasma guns, and fighter weapon technology. Unfortunately, they loathe humans and humanoids(as well as all animal life), using them for slaves, playthings, food, and experimentation. The Dionii’s cruelty is nearly as legendary as the Laowan Tyranny’s. These are devastatingly ruthless, methodical creatures that engage in the conflicts of war as a way of life.

   The Dionii are actually composed of four species of insects, combing to create a powerful warlike society bent on expansion and intergalactic dominance of all other life. The four insect species are the victors of a great interracial conflict, in which they proved to be the strongest of their peoples. As with all Dionii battles, there was no place for the weak: thus all other species(some 37 intelligent species) were annihilated. Total genocide.

   The four victorious types are: the Drone, Warrior Beetle, Scout, and Vanguard. All Dionii possess some type of natural body armor(exoskeleton) in addition to any artificial armor or protection them might employ. Compounded with their super physical endurance, strength, speed, and predatory instincts, they are some of the deadliest creatures in the galaxy. Their natural vision is also superior to most animals, being sensitive to ultraviolet and infrared spectrum as well as normal color vision. Dionii communicate with each other using an elaborate code of clicks and whines. These are transmitted into the super and subsonic and has a typical unenhanced range of one kilometer. Fortunately, the Dionii are devoid of any form of psionics.

Dionii Invasions:  The Pact has sustained nearly twenty Dionii regional invasions, each of which seriously threatened Pact space. Most invasions have been beaten off although two of these have caused significant civilian/military losses for the Pact. Combat Regions have been set up within Pact space to wear down and destroy these invasions, with entire planetary systems devoted to head-to-head warfare. These systems have to be seen to be believed, with devastating orbital forts, heavily armed spaces stations, and fantastically huge Planetary Defense Centers emplaced in every nook and cranny. The latest Dionii Invasion is taking place even now, forcing the Pact Navy into a precarious position, either fight in the civil war and restore the federal government and let the Combat Regions fall, or fight the Dionii and allow the Pact to fragment into mutually fighting Clusters.

Distributed Intelligence: An intelligent entity which is distributed over a large volume with no distinct center. This is the opposite strategy of concentrated intelligences. Distributed intelligences have much longer communications lags, but are more flexible in their structure and survive damage to their parts. Mainly left over from ancient wars across Pact space.

Dis Technology: Dis warheads, the bane of modern warfare, was banned eighty years ago at the Third Disarmament Conference between the Pact of Humanity and the Holot Empire. Dis is a devastating substance, the culmination of centuries of nanotech development and military research. The substance is composed of trillions of disassembling nanobots, microscopic in size and destructive in action. Dis dissolves organic materials, anything organic including human flesh with incredible rapidity. When a warship is hit with a dis warhead, the nanobots go to work immediately, disassembling the ship in minutes into a grayish goo. Dis achieves its greatest horror when used against planetary targets, dissolving everything on the planet’s surface; cities, oceans, and people. Quarantines must be maintained around dis-enveloped worlds, otherwise it spreads rapidly like a cancer across the star lanes. Since over 800 billion people have been killed and 33 worlds rendered uninhabitable, all stellar nations have permanently banned dis technology. Rumors of secluded warheads within the Pact for strategic deterrence have never been substantiated.

Dolist: Widely discredited party whose failure to elect a new High Secretary because of partisan fighting with the Socialists has led to the Civil War, and their fall from power. Also known as the Popular Party in many Clusters. Total registered voters for the Dolist Party is 4.5 trillion.

Drake Belgrano: A important reformer during the Bellevue System Revolt, this philospher-teacher encouraged the use of non-violence in political disputes with the Pact government after the rebellion was crushed. Nearly two dozen worlds were bombarded from space and hundreds of millions of lives were lost during the rebellion that was spawned in the Bellevue System. Now cherished and honored by billions of citizens, Drake Belgrano is a living legend, a man of peace and passion, a reformer and advocate of change through non-violence.

Drop Commandos: One of the most elite units ever conceived, Drop Commandos have very unique abilities, enabling them to conduct high-speed hit-and-run strikes, crippling an enemy in one blow. Individual Commandos have been surgically altered using nanotechnology, emplacing an anti-armor laser in their left leg, building computer interfaces throughout their bodies, and wide-spread bone/muscle augmentations. The first Drop Commando Academy was built at Roma, New Italia and since then their spectacular performance has been showed over and over. In several famous battles(Gorval III, Hainault, Old Nyorder, and the Magog Homeworld)  Drop Commandos have taken out their objectives with striking co-ordination and in the Gurayet System they annihilated the dreaded Planetary Disassembler, once the bane of Nyorder Cluster. Some of it’s most famous commander’s have been enshrined in Pact history, including Commander Mark Tolland (of New Grand fame), Conchata Ferel(of Case Bucknard), Francois de Mombuy (Neuquebec Raid), and Ibin Azrag(Sind Operation). The most dreaded Drop Commando units are the 101st(Terra), 321st(Urbanos), and 19th(Manticore), having been used recently in the latest Dionii Campaign. Although the 101st suffered severe damage in the Heinlein Combat Region, the Terran Governor has reconstituted it’s units and it is now a effective fighting force.