Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

[Arioch]

Most teachers of warriors are warriors themselves. Most sciences, history, and even some of the arts are considered military pursuits. Civilian proficiencies include manufacturing, agriculture, construction, land use, and many service industries.

Probably the major overlap between military and civilian would be in the manufacture of military hardware, in which warriors involved in design or procurement might have to work closely with civilians or even learn from them. In some culturally conservative areas, this might present a problem. Loroi are mostly pragmatic, but some warriors might balk at having to be taught by civilians... though persons with such sensibilities would probably not choose to involve themselves in that line of work.

[icekatze]

hi hi

Mentioning agriculture does make me wonder in an off-hand way, how does the military get its provisions? Do they just order the agricultural civilians to give them X amount of foods, and then they receive it some period of time later? Do civilians have to advise the military on what amounts and types of foods are going to be available, based on growing conditions?

I suspect that the Soia-liron crops are more resistant to seasonal fluctuations than our own, but I imagine there might still be a limit to how regular production can be. Do the civilians just go without if they have a shortfall one year?

[Grayhome]

Arioch can we get some lore about the Loroi that doesn't fill me with contempt/ depress me? Please?

Urg, these people are such downers. They would make North Korea look like best Korea.

[Arioch]

Mentioning agriculture does make me wonder in an off-hand way, how does the military get its provisions? Do they just order the agricultural civilians to give them X amount of foods, and then they receive it some period of time later? Do civilians have to advise the military on what amounts and types of foods are going to be available, based on growing conditions?

I suspect that the Soia-liron crops are more resistant to seasonal fluctuations than our own, but I imagine there might still be a limit to how regular production can be. Do the civilians just go without if they have a shortfall one year?

The Loroi have a managed market economy; there are some rules and quotas on certain types of production (especially now under martial law), but producers are paid in currency for their goods.

The Loroi population density is much lower than ours, and I don't think Loroi growers have any trouble producing a large food surplus. Hunger is only a problem in places where the war has caused a breakdown in the normal delivery of goods and services.

[icekatze]

hi hi

A few more questions about Loroi and their food, if you don't mind.

Given the separation between civilian and warrior castes, are the pre-packaged meals we see Alex eating the same basic things that civilians eat too? Or is there perhaps some lowly member of the warrior caste whose job it is to oversee their meal requirements?

And on that note, I wonder what the Loroi tendency to eat separately rather than communally does to their culture of recipes. Would an individual Loroi be expected to cook her own meals as well? Do they have a history of sharing recipes? And possibly, would fitting a ship with its own hydroponics for a long duration voyage be something they wouldn't readily consider?

[Arioch]

Given the separation between civilian and warrior castes, are the pre-packaged meals we see Alex eating the same basic things that civilians eat too? Or is there perhaps some lowly member of the warrior caste whose job it is to oversee their meal requirements?

And on that note, I wonder what the Loroi tendency to eat separately rather than communally does to their culture of recipes. Would an individual Loroi be expected to cook her own meals as well? Do they have a history of sharing recipes? And possibly, would fitting a ship with its own hydroponics for a long duration voyage be something they wouldn't readily consider?

Traditionally, most Loroi cuisine is very dull by our standards. Loroi only eat once per day, and while they do eat communally, it's not a celebratory social function, but rather a necessary biological function. Kind of like taking a shower with your squad-mates; it's communal, but not exactly a party. This together with the military nature of Loroi society means that the Loroi eat a lot of pre-prepared food: hardtack, dried meat, salted fish, pickled vegetables, etc. With increased technology comes an increase in the quality and variety of pre-packaged foods, and a reduced need to cook for oneself.

Loroi sub-cultures vary widely, and some (notably on Perrein) enjoy a wider variety of specialty foods and cooking techniques. Some Loroi do enjoy cooking for themselves and their friends, though this is considered to be an exotic hobby. However, on board a ship, with limited access to fresh or exotic ingredients and kitchen infrastructure, as well as limited free time, even an epicure such as Tempo finds herself mostly eating Hot Pockets.

The same goes for civilians, though they will often have much better access to fresh ingredients and more time and opportunity to prepare them, so they probably eat much better most of the time than warriors aboard ship do.

[dragoongfa]

For some reason I am starting to form a very clear picture about who will find a solution to the 'digestible food' issue which means that one of the three will have a clear head start on securing access to the sole human diplomat in Loroi space.

[Mr.Tucker]

Were the proto-Neridi and proto-Barsam markedly different from the modern day species?

[Arioch]

Were the proto-Neridi and proto-Barsam markedly different from the modern day species?

The differences between ancient and modern Neridi and Barsam are on the same order as the differences between Archaic Homo sapiens (H. heidelbergensis, H. rhodesiensis) and modern Homo sapiens sapiens; the sort of drift one would expect in half a million years.

[Sweforce]

For some reason I am starting to form a very clear picture about who will find a solution to the 'digestible food' issue which means that one of the three will have a clear head start on securing access to the sole human diplomat in Loroi space.

Reed have been feeding him various food to experiment with for some time but I strongly suspect she has been reporting her findings to someone.

[Turrosh Mak]

It was mentioned that most of the crew assigned to strike groups were allowed to mate/have children before going on assignment. Will we ever see pictures of the main cast's children? Chibi Beryl/Fireblade/Tempo/Ashrain would be so cute.

[Suederwind]

Will we see flashbacks from the main Loroi (Beryl, Tempo and Fireblade), too? Maybe something about their youth?

[Krulle]

It was mentioned that most of the crew assigned to strike groups were allowed to mate/have children before going on assignment. Will we ever see pictures of the main cast's children? Chibi Beryl/Fireblade/Tempo/Ashrain would be so cute.

I don't know why they turn out greenish but I found one impression:

[Turrosh Mak]

I don't know why they turn out greenish but I found one impression:

Oops, my mistake. I meant chibi in the baby/child sense, not in the cartoonish big eyes small mouth sense. I imagined a conversation like this:

Beryl: Captain Jardin, Loroi are permitted to mate before being assigned to a dangerous mission in order to preserve their genetics. Were you allowed this privilege before your mission?
Jardin: Um, human relationships are a bit more complicated
Beryl: (unphased) I have a daughter. Her name is Sapphire (whips out the baby pics) She is two years old. The crèche tenders inform me she is very smart.
Reed: (whips out baby pics) I have a two year old as well. She is strong and athletic.
Tempo: I have TWO daughters. My oldest just graduated from the academy (pic of younger version of Tempo in dress uniform)
(Fireblade glowers and goes to the back of the shuttle)
Jardin: Whats her problem?
Beryl: Fireblade was injured. It would require extraordinary effort to "make" a child for her
Jardin: What a shame
Beryl: Do not pity her, Captain. She would kill you if she thought you pitied her.

[Arioch]

It was mentioned that most of the crew assigned to strike groups were allowed to mate/have children before going on assignment. Will we ever see pictures of the main cast's children? Chibi Beryl/Fireblade/Tempo/Ashrain would be so cute.

Stillstorm's daughters that were killed in the Semoset collapse might be mentioned, but the other children of the major characters don't really figure into the story. Deployed Loroi fleet officers during wartime don't have much contact with their children.

Will we see flashbacks from the main Loroi (Beryl, Tempo and Fireblade), too? Maybe something about their youth?

Some of those characters' backstory is told, yes.

[Krulle]

@Turrosh Mak:
I did understand it as such. But I remembered I saw a Chibi-labelled picture somewhere, so I looked it up and linked it....
Nothing more to that.

And I am looking forward at the backstories to be told.

How many chapters will Outsider have, approximately?

[Arioch]

How many chapters will Outsider have, approximately?

Currently seven, not counting the prologue or epilogue.

[Krulle]

Cool. Thank you.

Looking forward to decades of entertainment! And suspense.

[GeoModder]

Cool. Thank you.

Looking forward to decades of entertainment! And suspense.

Decades?!

[Krulle]

Just simple extrapolation... :p (The cover of Chapter 2 was posted on 1 August 2011... - do your own calculation, even if this chapter is close to be finished, that took 4 years for this chapter alone, and we have 5 more to go, plus epilogue.)

Not that happy about it either, so I hope Arioch is older than me and interested in getting this story done when he goes into pension, and steps up then....

But this is passing into topics I don't know how comfortable this community is with....

Note: you joined this forum 4 years before me. I joined it within a week of having discovered Outsider....
Not noticing time passing is a common thing, but when you do calculations based on some events, you'll have difficulties wrapping your head around how much time...
A month ago I celebrated 20 years final exams with some friends from back then. My father couldn't believe his son is that long out of school. Yet he did notice that he has become a pensioner in the meantime.
My comment: yes dad, you became that old!