Boskonians

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Your refusal to acknowledge the dark side of humanity makes you prey to that dark side.

—Douglas Coupland, Shampoo Planet

Also known as Black Hats, the Dark Kingdom, Death Eaters, Pirates, Reavers, Shadows, Sith, or less-flattering things, depending on the faction of the person you’re asking.

Politely, Boskonians “don’t display the general ethics expected of Fen.” More realistically, the Boskonians are Fenspace’s criminal element. Drug-running, slaving, murder for hire... if it’s anti-social but profitable, there’s a Boskonian somewhere doing it for his or her own gain, and to hell with the rest of society.

They weren’t really an organized faction – at least, they weren't until the Boskone War. Now that they are, the rest of Fenspace wishes they still weren't; the organization of the criminal elements largely offsets their decrease in numbers between 2012 and 2014, leading to little difference in Fenspace life outside of the absence of slaving rings and large-scale drug running. The Boskonians have learned what the Fen will and will not tolerate, and largely respect those boundaries. (When they don't, the Space Patrol comes down hard on them.)

The term “Boskonian” comes from Lensman fandom, and has become the default term for this group. “Black Hats” is the Heinleinian term for the group, “Dark Kingdom” is what the Senshi call them, “Death Eaters” is the Wizarding World term, “Reavers” comes from the Jossies, "Shadows" are what they're called by the Fivers, and "Sith" is the Warsie name for them. (“Pirates” would have been the default term, except that that’s too similar to the Space Pirates.)

Known Subgroups

Blakes

Anarchists, nihilists, libertarians, socialists, terrorists, and “fellow travelers” who believe in Freedom. Most Fen lump them in with the other boskonians; they deny and resent this. They’ll fight each other as often as they fight their supposed oppressors. The name originates from the BBC SF series Blake's 7.

Turnerites

These sexist white-supremacists have their own article.

World Crime League

Information about the World Crime League will be revealed when the time is right.

(If you can't wait, ask the Blue Blazers; maybe they'll share what they know. Or ask Hanoi Xan... if you can find him.)

Zwilnicks

Drug-runners, pushers, and others connected with the illicit drug trade, much like their Earth-bound ilk. Some anonymous zwilnick was responsible for the creation of thionite.

Like "boskonian" itself, the term "zwilnick" comes from the Lensman stories.

Related Pages