Page 98

[Arioch]

Reed is a Soroin security officer. The character design is new, so technically we haven't seen her before. (In the script, "Reed" was originally the officer standing right outside the cell door on page 36, but that design is too close to what Talon's eventually came out to be, so I came up with a new one.)

Combat armor is generally gray or camouflaged because it's meant for actual fighting. There are few differences between Soroin and Teidar versions, because there's no need to advertise to the enemy which are your death-dealing psionic officers. Though I suppose in Fireblade's case it's hard to miss. "Shoot the one with the biggest hairdo!" Some large units will have painted-on insignia, but in this case of a shipboard security unit it's really not needed -- they don't wear this stuff every day, and everybody knows everybody else.

Most Loroi helmets have pronounced peaks at the back to allow room for long hair, and many have an opening underneath so that the hair can hang down. In helmets that need to seal, that opening is an oculus that can draw closed. Optimally, the user will have time to stuff her hair into the helmet, but in a pinch the oculus will just seal around the hair. Obviously that's not ideal, but these aren't flight suits or EVA suits; they're not intended for long-duration vaccuum work.

Fireblade's helmet is customised because it has to enclose the amplifier, and must also deal with her signature mane of hair. Outrageously long hair is pretty common among Loroi heroes, so Fireblade is not the first to have to deal with this issue.

[Tempral_Imperial]

I think the better question is why exactly the security officer AND Fireblade are decked out in combat armor. Generally you don't wear combat armor like that unless you suspect the possibility of being shot at.

Umiak boarding? Or meeting up with the rendezvous ship?

[junk]

It all depends on the Loroi's individual abilities. For instance, Fireblade is supposed to have the ability to form a "bubble" in space, so strictly speaking she doesn't need a EVA suit.

Have fun doing that when you're knocked out

And i have to say, the Loroi seem like a very impractical species

[fredgiblet]

It all depends on the Loroi's individual abilities. For instance, Fireblade is supposed to have the ability to form a "bubble" in space, so strictly speaking she doesn't need a EVA suit.

I suspect that no sane Teidar would use that ability as Plan A.

I am surprised nobody mentioned, what Arioch said earlier, that Empress-Regnant Grey Wind likes to commnad *?rule? Nah! * the Loroi Union from her Flagship that serves as a royal palace of sort. What are the chances she also likes, as a former soldier and general/admiral, to command directly "from the front". Perhaps from the Azimol system currently? I have a feeling that Alex is about to meet this Queen-Bit*h of the Universe in person. Also Arioch created that wonderful image of Grey Wind, saying that it will appear in the next 3 updates. Hmmm. What do you think?

Don't forget how Greywind got her job, the previous emperor died when she and her personal guard blunted an Umiak attack threatening a breakthrough. If the Umiak was telling the truth and Azimol is under attack it's entirely possible that Greywind is there not out of vanity or desire for personal glory, but simply because the extra firepower she can bring is needed to hold the line.

[Karst45]

I'd kinda agree with Voitan - they're probably escorting him somewhere either off-ship, either to a base or another ship, or they're bringing him to meet a VIP/DP who just transferred onboard.

Welcome Rain?

I remember Arioch stating that there will be scenes on a shuttle*, so this will probably now.

True i remember that too, along with the part you said in small in hope no one would read it.

It all depends on the Loroi's individual abilities. For instance, Fireblade is supposed to have the ability to form a "bubble" in space, so strictly speaking she doesn't need a EVA suit.

Really? when was that told?

And i have to say, the Loroi seem like a very impractical species

who need to be Practical when your Sexy and awesome!

I tough i saw her on page 36 but the hair is not the right color :S

[icekatze]

hi hi

Thats one way to let someone know you mean business. I mean, the Loroi were on alert when Alex first arrived, but Fireblade didn't bother with the heavy armor. My guess is that this may be a partially a procedural thing, and if they were going to meet Greywind, it would make some bit of sense that they'd want to dress up fancy. (I was going to say that Reed looked kind of like the door guard on page 36, but her hair was the wrong color... but I guess maybe she was just dyeing it? )

If they were worried about being exposed to vacuum, the face plate could close, and they could have a capsule of sealant that would auto release on significant pressure changes and seal the gap for their hair. Apparently long hair is a badge of honor so I guess it makes sense that some loroi would want to display it even if its not practical.

[Karst45]

Is it possible that you saw her first in that "sketch" http://www.well-of-souls.com/gallery/im ... color2.jpg

[Arioch]

And i have to say, the Loroi seem like a very impractical species

I think it would be more accurate to say that the Loroi place importance on different things than Humans do.

It's easy to look at how Humans have done things throughout history and assume that this model is optimal for all places and all times (after all, Humans are damn clever), but I think that's probably not true in many cases... and it's certainly not desirable when considering the creation of a fictional alien culture in which, whenever possible, one would like to consider alternative paths to those that Western Humanity has taken.

Long hair was the norm -- and in some cases the badge -- of warrior culture in Earth history right up to the Industrial age, when "soldiers" began to replace "warriors." Read about the Spartan 300 at Thermopylae and their hair-care standards, if you're curious what a "warrior" culture thought about hair. Long hair was abandoned in Western militaries around the turn of the century, partially for hygiene reasons, but mainly for issues of the larger concept... the soldier, giving up his individuality for the good of the greater whole. This is what you need when the mechanics of combat require that being a soldier means standing up in lines at close range to be shot, and returning fire without complaint.

The Loroi, partially out of tradition, and partially because of the abilities of their Teidar lieutenants, completely skipped the early versions of ranged weaponry, and continued into the late-industrial era with infantry that was totally dependent on melee weapons and armor. They did not make the transition from "warrior" to "soldier" in this era, and by this time the petty concerns of hygiene in regards to long hair were of no serious concern -- they already had antibiotics and decent practices of hygiene.

Among the Loroi, it's the oldest and most exalted and powerful who have really long hair. I think it's only sensible to expect that they will treat this subject with what we might consider an undue amount of attention.

[Count Casimir]

I just wanna be myself and I want you to love/
me for who I am/
I just wanna be myself and I want you to know/
I am my hair!

Another thing I just realized:
"...no visitors except the security officers who were constantly trying to get me to eat."

Is it just me, or does that sound like the most adorable of all things?

[javcs]

I just wanna be myself and I want you to love/
me for who I am/
I just wanna be myself and I want you to know/
I am my hair!

Another thing I just realized:
"...no visitors except the security officers who were constantly trying to get me to eat."

Is it just me, or does that sound like the most adorable of all things?

Could just be me, but that sounds kinda, y'know, creepy. Of course, I realize that in context it's substantially less creepy, and, depending on how it went down, could be adorable, or at least cute or amusing, but if you remove the context and look at just that one line ...

[GeoModder]

It all depends on the Loroi's individual abilities. For instance, Fireblade is supposed to have the ability to form a "bubble" in space, so strictly speaking she doesn't need a EVA suit.

Really? when was that told?

I seem to recall this from one of Arioch's explanations on the nature of psychokinesis.
I just did a search of the forum quotes files, but couldn't find it.

[Trantor]

It all depends on the Loroi's individual abilities. For instance, Fireblade is supposed to have the ability to form a "bubble" in space, so strictly speaking she doesn't need a EVA suit.

Really? when was that told?

I seem to recall this from one of Arioch's explanations on the nature of psychokinesis.
I just did a search of the forum quotes files, but couldn't find it.

I recall somthing similar, but i´m maybe be wrong, too.

For sure i recall that Fireblade is able to kinda "propel" herself in the void. Comes in handy when your ship disintegrates in a battle, and was probably the cause why she survived so many ships.

[Michael]

oooo, new page!!

in the royal navy if the ship is entering a potential combat zone then all personal go to combat stations with all the gear they need, even if there's no real point, bridge crew will put on easily ID'd uniforms and fireproof stuff too, i guess the Tempest has entered a zone where fighting is expected, common sense then to put on some armour, especially on ship, explosive decompression make you fly through those corridors (like Alex did at the start) shrapnel will be flying around too, having that armour on might just save your life

[Solemn]

in the royal navy if the ship is entering a potential combat zone then all personal go to combat stations with all the gear they need, even if there's no real point, bridge crew will put on easily ID'd uniforms and fireproof stuff too, i guess the Tempest has entered a zone where fighting is expected, common sense then to put on some armour, especially on ship, explosive decompression make you fly through those corridors (like Alex did at the start) shrapnel will be flying around too, having that armour on might just save your life

I don't think that's an adequate explanation.

We've already seen Tempest in an actual battle, in a situation where they knew they were surrounded by an opponent who had the numbers and firepower on hand to destroy them, in the direct aftermath of a battle with said enemy.

Fireblade was not wearing this suit of armor.

And that was while she was standing guard over an unknown, unidentified alien life form with unknown abilities and powers in their medical center.

So she'd have had to have worn her armor during the battle that took place in the prologue, and then taken off her armor while confronting an unknown life form that they seemed to regard as a potential enemy and potential danger, while the entire rest of the bridge crew and all the other Teidar and Soroin and such on duty that we saw also removed their armor or neglected to wear their armor while on duty in a combat zone... it just doesn't add up, to me.

The Loroi, partially out of tradition, and partially because of the abilities of their Teidar lieutenants, completely skipped the early versions of ranged weaponry, and continued into the late-industrial era with infantry that was totally dependent on melee weapons and armor.

Wouldn't a large aperture for hair in the helmet be a huge point of vulnerability in hand-to-hand combat? "Insert axe here?"

[Atomic Aztec]

Lots of oddities in this page really. The combat armor is a big one. Are they expecting direct physical combat with something? Possibly ceremonial in some way?

Another strange thing is that the only people to visit with Alex were the security staff. During the whole span of time between this chapter and the last neither Tempo nor Beryl could find the time to either discuss the diplomatic situation or milk him for further information? I wonder what is going on? Are they in a running string of battles? Is there some sort of problem on the ship?

A third oddity is that they're always trying to get him to eat. Given the relative difference in food requirements, I would have expected that they'd be more likely to accidently under feed him than attempt the opposite. Also! I'm wondering about how they're going about this. It really could be running the entire spectrum from endearing to downright disturbing.

[fredgiblet]

Trying to fatten him up for the slaughter.

[Atomic Aztec]

Trying to fatten him up for the slaughter.

Nah, the entire ship is actually watching him on closed circuit TV. They were taking bets on what would make him throw up and how far the vomit would fly. Oddly enough, Fireblade is cleaning house at this game - something about being telekinetic gives you a deep understanding of projectile vomit physics.

[Trantor]

Wouldn't a large aperture for hair in the helmet be a huge point of vulnerability in hand-to-hand combat? "Insert axe here?"

An axe is of no concern for a Teidar. A bullet maybe a little more.

I´d rather just pull their hair.

[man_of_foul_tofu]

The free flowing hair yet tightly armoured bodies clashed with me on first viewing. However, if it's meaningful for the Loroi culturally and ritualistically, I look forward to this unfolding. But ... Hair ... it's so expressive. I await unfolding discoveries.

[Arioch]

Wouldn't a large aperture for hair in the helmet be a huge point of vulnerability in hand-to-hand combat? "Insert axe here?"

I don't think a medieval-style melee helmet would have such an aperture or need one. A typical medieval pot-helm with a lobsterback is no barrier to having long hair (and Earth melee fighters of this period typically did have long hair).