Beards?

[Jagged]

Looking in the mirror this morning at my COVID-19 facial growth, I started to wonder where Alex's beard is?
Also: do the Loroi males grow beards?
And is wondering about the Loroi ladies shaving habits inappropriate?

[dragoongfa]

Word from God is that Alex has undergone a treatment that stops facial hair from growing, at least for a little while; good in a spaceship setting although I am sure that opinions may differ. In certain cultures men that don't have visible facial hair as seen as effete.

[Jagged]

Word from God ...

Arioch in this case?

[dragoongfa]

The only God whose word matters in Outsider

[Turrosh Mak]

Aww, I thought this was going to discuss/link to the old "Outsider but with beards" images. I kind of miss Beryl's goatee

[Arioch]

I expect that 2160 medical technology has semi-permanent depilatory treatments that prevent hair growth for those who don't want to have to shave every day... which I think would be a useful option for crewmembers on a long-distance scout mission.

[SaintofM]

I expect that 2160 medical technology has semi-permanent depilatory treatments that prevent hair growth for those who don't want to have to shave every day... which I think would be a useful option for crewmembers on a long-distance scout mission.

Does it involve lasers, like how superman does it in the cartoon?

[orion1836]

In modern day, beards are prohibited when you need to readily seal facemasks such as oxygen masks. It makes sense for a crew like that of the Bellarmine to undergo such a treatment while underway.

[Jagged]

I expect that 2160 medical technology has semi-permanent depilatory treatments that prevent hair growth for those who don't want to have to shave every day... which I think would be a useful option for crewmembers on a long-distance scout mission.

I'd be tempted tbh

What about the Loroi males? Do they grow beards at all?

I am imagining a scene a little while from now when the ladies start staring at Alex face wondering if it has sprouted some kind of mold?

[Krulle]

In modern day, beards are prohibited when you need to readily seal facemasks such as oxygen masks. It makes sense for a crew like that of the Bellarmine to undergo such a treatment while underway.

True, but in space a sealing mouth/nose mask will not do anyway, so they wear helmets, where facial hair is less of an issue, as long as it's short enough to not get into the neck seal (the same for long hair).

[Arioch]

What about the Loroi males? Do they grow beards at all?

No, Loroi males do not normally develop facial hair.

[spacewhale]

No doubt any beard will have to be reserved for a time-skip, where Alex is a seasoned Odysseus returning home to Earth.

[Clockwork Ninja]

Loroi females on the other hand are fully capable of growing luxurious facial hair. Sadly, these have had to be removed through similar means and for similar reasons to the humans. Another terrible sacrifice for the war.

[spacewhale]

Loroi females on the other hand are fully capable of growing luxurious facial hair. Sadly, these have had to be removed through similar means and for similar reasons to the humans. Another terrible sacrifice for the war.

Is this like the Klingon forehead ridges of Outsider? Though Talon had some pretty fierce sideburn-looking things in early art...

[Ithekro]

I don't know why exactly, but I am reminded on a British slang usage of the word "beard" as the taking of a wife by a homosexual man to cover up that he is a homosexual. The "beard" in this case being his wife, not facial hair. (I learned this watching "Doctor Who" of all things.)

Not sure why I thought of that context. Maybe some Loroi females taking a male to cover some females skinships going on in dark corners of the starship? I have no context for this and it is likely entirely irrelevant. I think its just the title being "Beards?" looks odd to me and reminded me of the odd British slang context.

[Jagged]

Not sure why I thought of that context. Maybe some Loroi females taking a male to cover some females skinships going on in dark corners of the starship?

I imagine a society where one gender has both the power and the numbers might have less hangups about what they do for fun and emotional support. I'd hope anyway

[Arioch]

There is no sex-based "partnership" in Loroi family culture; there would be no need for a homosexual Loroi to take a false spouse, since there is no marriage in Loroi culture.

[Mk_C]

Not sure why I thought of that context. Maybe some Loroi females taking a male to cover some females skinships going on in dark corners of the starship? I have no context for this and it is likely entirely irrelevant. I think its just the title being "Beards?" looks odd to me and reminded me of the odd British slang context.

Since pinky bois are the only ones who have beards, it's obvious that the word will inevitably enter Trade lexicon and stick in Loroi fleet lingo to TCA liaison officers attached to Imperial Fleet vessels, supposedly for advisory and diplomatic functions. Though as the practice gains unexpected popularity among Loroi commanders and spreads across the fleet, somebody might start noticing that while said officers can differ greatly in their tactical acumen and diplomatic ability, they all happen to be uniformly young, short of stature, handsome in appearance and timid in behavior.

TCA keeps their reports strictly classified due to "matters of national security", and refuses any comment on surprisingly active rotation of such officers, as well as the frequency with which they are assigned post-duty therapy under specialists of peculiar focus.

Now, certainly, most of them them would lack any actual beards, and will find themselves constantly trying to correct their Loroi comrades on the inaccurate use of the term - to absolutely no effect whatsoever.

[kiwi]

I see this topic has left the fairway and is rolling rapidly into the weeds

Owing to overly coy phrasing in the TCA Bureau of Personnel (BuPers, also known as ‘bloopers’) notes, a number of trans men were shipped out to liaise.

Despite one or two unfortunate cultural misunderstandings, these liaison officers were generally effective. The unofficial BuPers ‘Best Performance Review’ was authored by Mizol Parat Nightbloom: “We needed an adjustment period when Lieutenant Kaur came aboard, but the entire crew agrees he really knows his way around the position.”

Edit:
Lieutenant Kaur later overindulged at the bar during the unofficial after-debrief party in the Officers’ Mess. When a certain rear admiral slipped him a copy of the performance review he commented “Well, we know the Mizol are the most likely to engage in wordplay, but there were plenty of other cunning linguistic on board,” realised that half of the admiralty was in attendance, and swore to never drink again.

[Mk_C]

I see this topic has left the fairway and is rolling rapidly into the weeds

It rolls where it rolls.

Lieutenant Kaur later overindulged at the bar during the unofficial after-debrief party in the Officers’ Mess. When a certain rear admiral slipped him a copy of the performance review he commented “Well, we know the Mizol are the most likely to engage in wordplay, but there were plenty of other cunning linguistic on board,” realised that half of the admiralty was in attendance, and swore to never drink again.

What atrocious assumptions, Kiwi. Have some respect for the honor and beardhood of the brave men of TCA. For all our speculation, they could be performing all kinds of discreet duties for the Union, vital for maintaining effective defensive posture of the Imperial Fleet, not merely serving as ship's bicycle. Perhaps they are the mysterious ace in Azerein's sleeve, the secret weapon ensuring the uncontested superiority of Union's warfighing capabilities across the bubble. How? Maybe these illustrious Beards are all dressed up in the most dapper uniforms ever conceived, and made to put on mind-blowing performances of the most ancient human art of Disco on the ships' Long Range Plasma Dance-floors, invariably leaving their allies inspired to the core of their very souls, and their opponents devastatingly served beyond all repair, no survivors from the enemy's midst left to tell the tale. Makes sense that they are rotated with such alarming frequency - no man can live through regular displays of such funky power without eventually succumbing to Disco Fever, a barely treatable condition even for the advanced medical technology of the XXII century. Leaving them as Farseer's pink-ish counterparts with wings of heavens on their shoes, unsung heroes of humanity, valiantly breaking a leg for our common safety with no regard for themselves or any recognition aside from the one they find in the eyes of their crews, tear-filled from the sheer awe of what they've just witnessed. Tragic, if that is the case, truly tragic.

Though the truth of their purpose can be far more sinister than even the worst speculation. Just today, I considered that these Beards may be utilized by the Union as nothing more than a living, breathing source of

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