The Radiation Protection Division of Alaundril is dedicated to protecting the lives and well being of Vergers and Arrivers in the Tendril system. Tendril is a highly active star that sheds dangerous amounts of radiation. Through education and an aggressive program of prevention sentient beings in the Tendril system can go about their daily affairs without fear. The RPD also maintains warning devices throughout the system to signal the presence of a 'Burn'.

Roughly every 67 days Tendril begins a 12 to 14 day Burn. The electromagnetic radiation shed by the star during this period increases by a factor of 20, bombarding the star's planets and moons with deadly cosmic and ultraviolet rays. The Burn also has a major disrupting effect on electronic equipment. Sensor performance and communications are severely degraded.

All sentient beings are encouraged to wear radiation protection equipment suitable for the environment they are working in. Those on the moon Alaundril should wear polythericlene clothing. Water supplies in most major urban areas have been treated with Radilyn. This chemical builds a protective immunity in the body similar to anti-radiation serum. Check with local authorities to determine if it is being used. Radilyn is not immediately effective. It takes about 1 month to reach a high enough level in a host body to be fully effective.

During the high radiation part of the Burn cycle of Tendril, all sentient beings are urged to take extreme precautions. The best protection during these times is starship hulls and building walls. Outside activity should be limited and e-suits should be worn.

Electronic equipment must be carefully protected during a Burn. Unshielded electronics are guaranteed to fail or at the very least have their expected operating life degraded significantly. StarMech and Alaundril law require that all robotic units be properly fitted with shielding or remain in protected facilities for the duration of a Burn. Failure to comply can result in charges of Robo-Neglect or in extreme cases Robo-Murder.

Ionizing radiation is radiation that has sufficient energy to remove electrons from atoms. The major types of radiation emitted by the star Tendril are gamma rays and X rays.

Like visible light and x rays, gamma rays are weightless packets of energy called photons. Gamma rays often accompany the emission of alpha or beta particles from a nucleus. They have neither a charge nor a mass and are very penetrating. Gamma rays can easily pass completely through the human body or be absorbed by tissue, thus constituting a radiation hazard for the entire body. Several feet of concrete or a few inches of lead may be required to stop the more energetic gamma rays.

X rays are high-energy photons produced by the interaction of charged particles with matter. X rays and gamma rays have essentially the same properties, but differ in origin; i.e., x rays are emitted from processes outside the nucleus, while gamma rays originate inside the nucleus. They are generally lower in energy and therefore less penetrating than gamma rays. A few millimeters of lead can stop x rays.

Ionizing radiation affects people by depositing energy in body tissue, which can cause cell damage or cell death. In some cases there may be no effect. In other cases, the cell may survive but become abnormal, either temporarily or permanently, or an abnormal cell may become malignant. Large doses of radiation can cause extensive cellular damage and result in death. With smaller doses, the person or particular irradiated organ(s) may survive, but the cells are damaged, increasing the chance of cancer. The extent of the damage depends upon the total amount of energy absorbed, the time period and dose rate of exposure, and the particular organ(s) exposed.

Evidence of injury from low or moderate doses of radiation may not show up for months or even years. For leukemia, the minimum time period between the radiation exposure and the appearance of disease (latency period) is 2 years. For solid tumors, the latency period is more than 5 years. The types of effects and their probability of occurrence can depend on whether the exposure occurs over a large part of a person's lifespan (chronic) or during a very short portion of the lifespan (acute).

Chronic exposure is continuous or intermittent exposure to low levels of radiation over a long period of time. Chronic exposure is considered to produce only effects that can be observed some time following initial exposure. These include genetic effects and other effects such as cancer, pre-cancerous lesions, benign tumors, cataracts, skin changes, and congenital defects.

Acute exposure is exposure to a large, single dose of radiation, or a series of doses, for a short period of time. Large acute doses can result from accidental or emergency exposures or from special medical procedures (radiation therapy). In most cases, a large acute exposure to radiation can cause both immediate and delayed effects. For humans and other mammals, acute exposure, if large enough, can cause rapid development of radiation sickness, evidenced by gastrointestinal disorders, bacterial infections, hemorrhaging, anemia, loss of body fluids, and electrolyte imbalance. Delayed biological effects can include cataracts, temporary sterility, cancer, and genetic effects. Extremely high levels of acute radiation exposure can result in death within a few hours, days or weeks.