Strange Stars A-To-Z: "I" Is For Index

The Index is list of memes and memeplexes that the Instrumentality of Aom has determined are harmful to sophonts. In systems under their sway, the Instrumentlity monitors the local Metascape for these toxic memes in order to isolate, contain, and remove them from circulation.

While the Instrumentality is a proselytizing religion with expansionist ambitions, its syncretic practice of local orthodoxy emphasizes the importance of incorporating local beliefs and traditions rather than eliminating them. The Instrumentality is far more concerned with indexing and eliminating memeplexes that challenge Instrumentality doctrine or authority, undermine authority and order more generally, or promote anarchy, terror, and deviance.

Memeplexes on the Index vary from system to system, but most local instances of Index activity target:

• Aurogov personal improvement software, Aurogov Reps, and associated virtualities
• Information and virtualities featuring the Zurr, their artifacts, and beliefs
• Information on the Algosian torture cult, and the virtualities and clubs they frequent
• S'ta Zoku (Star Folk) meet-up and party virtualities
• Software for rapid evolution of radically new clades - particularly those that subvert chordate anatomy or sophont cognitive integrity
• The Eden Seeker heresy 
• Star charts featuring space anomalies
• Anything on the Necromancers
• Catalogs and descriptions of Tenebraean artifacts
• Information on The Slavers, and the virtualities and habitats that serve as their slave markets
• Information on the Sisterhood of Morrgna, their world, associated devices, and practices
• Information on Sirius A and B, Sraad music, poetry, and intership communications
• Dramas sensationalizing or romanticising the crimes of the Pharesmid Syndicate, Zao Corsairs and similar pirate brethren, and other terrorists (although such stories and virtualities are extremely popular and hard to stamp out)
• So-called "adult entertainment" virtualities featuring Hwuru and Thrax