Anything non-digital — old-technology, handwritten, or in-person transactions universal

Atmospheric management system controlling Meridian's weather and air quality — tiered by altitude universal

Corrupted data flowing back into a hacker's system during an intrusion — digital blowback Circuit, hacker

The slow degradation of stored data in neural augments — memories becoming corrupted over time Circuit, philosophical

Augmentations installed directly into the skeletal structure — the most permanent form of modification Circuit, medical

A low-level programmer who writes code without understanding its impact — a cog in the machine Circuit, dismissive

A neural backup device storing a copy of the user's personality — illegal for civilians Circuit, high-end

An encrypted, decentralized network running on salvaged hardware — the Circuit's underground internet Circuit, underground

A storage device containing a dead person's neural recordings, memories, or personality fragments Circuit, philosophical

An invasive augmentation diagnostic that reads everything — including data the owner thought was private Circuit, medical

The anxious moment during an augmentation update when you hope the code does not brick your implants Circuit, augmented individuals

A communication channel or frequency — describes both the technology and the social circle it represents Circuit

Newly installed augmentations — carries excitement and danger of untested hardware Circuit

A phantom signal from a deactivated or dead person's neural implant — the hardware does not know they are gone Circuit, unsettling

When a district's power infrastructure fails completely — no electricity, no augment charging, no surveillance universal

Two augmented individuals synchronizing systems for secure direct communication — intimate and trusting Circuit, augmented

Forcibly rebooting someone's neural augments by EMP or physical trauma — can cause memory loss Circuit, combat contexts

Intrusion Countermeasure Electronics — defensive programs protecting corporate networks from unauthorized access Circuit, hacker

A program designed to bypass corporate network defenses — the hacker's primary weapon Circuit, hacker

A physical location where you can connect to the dark mesh — hidden in walls, floors, market stalls Circuit

Connecting directly to a neural interface through an implanted port — the most intimate form of data access Circuit, tech community

A sudden, violent disconnection from a neural interface — causes disorientation and potential damage Circuit, hacker

Perceptible delay between a neural command and an augmented limb's response — sign of failing hardware universal

An augmentation several generations out of date but still functional — marks you as poor or stubborn Circuit

The physical world, as opposed to virtual or digital space — where bodies live and bleed Circuit

A relay point in the dark mesh network — often hidden in a public location routing encrypted traffic Circuit

A hacker who infiltrates corporate networks — navigating virtual space with neural interfaces Circuit, hacker

Pushing augmentations beyond rated capacity for a temporary boost — dangerous, addictive, effective Circuit, combat operators

The dreaded day when corporate firmware updates push to all registered augmentations Circuit, augmented

Software simulating sensation in an augmented limb to prevent psychological rejection tech community

Hidden processes running on your augmentations without knowledge — corporate backdoors siphoning data Circuit, paranoia-inducing

Complete administrative control of a system — the hacker's ultimate goal Circuit, hacker

A controlled environment where an augmentation can be tested before installation Circuit

A period when all electronic communications are cut — by surveillance sweep or deliberate shutdown Circuit, operational

An encrypted device that mimics another person's signal pattern — identity spoofing through radio frequency Circuit, operational

Augmentations that are purely cosmetic — no functional improvement, just appearance modification Circuit, judgmental

To illegally modify augmentation firmware, combining code from multiple sources for custom functionality Circuit, hacker community

A secure communication channel verified as unmonitored — the most valuable kind of connection Circuit, operational

The biological components of a human body, especially the brain — distinguished from hardware augmentations tech community, universal

A previously unknown vulnerability in corporate systems — the most valuable commodity in the Circuit Circuit, hacker