sunphoenix wrote:... the Loroi do NOT take Umiak prisoneers. THEY KILL THEM.
Where is this stated? It has been my impression that, while the nature of futuristic war does not leave many survivors to take prisoner, the Loroi will take prisoners if able. The Loroi are stated as being quite good at interrogation. (Although no prisoner can divulge information they don't know.)
QUOTE ~ "As the Loroi recaptured populated systems that had been previously lost to the Umiak, the worst of Loroi fears over the fates of those who had fallen under Umiak occupation were confirmed. For years, fierce and effective Loroi resistance had prevented the Umiak from making much use of the captured worlds; Teidar and Mizol could be devastating guerrilla fighters, and were nearly impossible to identify among the civilian Loroi population. After a few years of unsuccessful occupation, the Umiak concluded that pacification of the Loroi was impossible, and simply began extermination of the captive Loroi populations. Of the estimated 50 million civilian Loroi that had been trapped on Seren when it was lost to the Umiak six years earlier, fewer than 600,000 still remained alive on the planet when it was recaptured in 2145. The story was the same on every recaptured Loroi colony.
Following the recapture of Seren, thereafter the Loroi showed no mercy to any Umiak taken prisoner as the offensive pushed forward."
This first highlighted quote is about the Umiak's treatment of Loroi populations, and still doesn't equate to killing every single individual.
The second highlighted quote mentions showing no mercy, but showing someone no mercy is not the same as necessarily killing them. I can think of lots of cruel and merciless things that don't involve killing. In fact, the quote you highlighted specifically states that Umiak are still taken prisoner.
I believe the context implies that they don't ~ in similar fashion to the Umiak, try to take prisoners of Umiak but kill them outright! The Loroi seem VERY much to be an "eye for an eye" kind of society.. they still have honor duels.
And I'm not implying that this is a bad thing.. they do unto others as done to themselves.
What Followers of Outsider seem to push is a narrative that the Loroi are violently expressionistic and invade peaceful worlds for conquest.. and THAT is NOT stated ANYWHERE in the Insider Facts! They are what we on earth might consider a Totalitarian Government... but that does not automatically equate them with "Evil". There is NOTHING said in the Insider about them forcing their way of government upon their client states. I get the impression the Loroi rule their society their way and could care less about how other civilizations run their society and or government as long as they are willing to live peacefully with their neighbors.
Pre-war with the Umiak.. I'm getting the impression the biggest disputes the Loroi had with their neighbors was trade prices and technology. With the war with the Umiak and the clear threat the Umiak show in their willingness to bully unaligned nations to service their war efforts against the Loroi ~ which after the Loroi finally started taking back their once conquered worlds gave EVERY evidence to being a war of Extermination if the Umiak won ... I can Wholly understand their policy of No Neutrals! WE as humans would have done the SAME thing if our existence were threatened in such a fashion!
Neither the Umiak nor the Loroi have a prohibition against taking prisoners (Kikitik-27 did just recently ask Stillstorm to surrender), but neither side is bound by any established rules of conduct for treatment of prisoners. Both sides expect that they will not be treated well if captured, and so in most cases will either fight to the end or self-destruct rather than surrender. However, in cases where live prisoners can be taken, they can be very useful intelligence assets.
Umiak units in the field, however, are reluctant in many cases to take live Loroi prisoners, because Loroi can be very dangerous. Unless they are under specific directives to seek captives, many Umiak will kill Loroi on sight for fear that they might be Teidar or Mizol. In cases where they need to take prisoners, the Umiak will most likely sedate them and keep them sedated until they can be brought to a secure location.
I'm sure Tempo would like to get access to an Umiak with extensive knowledge of the Umiak core systems. But I suppose even if they did send one along on a raid, the high energy nature of space combat would make opportunities for capture pretty unlikely.
I can only imagine with an Umiak boarding party must think if they were ordered to secure the Highland-7.
How much would one wager
a Mizol or Teidar
are among the remains.
A star's dying heart,
into the deep we jump.
Looks like Alex will be fitted with an emergency suit.
I wonder how comfortable that thermal liner will be, considering that Alex has something few space-working Loroi have....
The Ur-Quan Masters finally gets a continuation of the story! Late backing possible, click link.
Noticed it on Talon's flight suit first and this one also seems to have it - what are the two black things on the sides Alex's lower jaw in the third drawing? Something like a Laryngophone?
Since it is an emergency vac suit, it probably is made to fit the shape of large or small Loroi. I'd assume it has some amount of stretch to it. But honestly, soft bits are the parts you really don't want to expand in a vacuum.
Perhaps, at some point, either Alex or Beryl might comment on the fact that his old jumpsuit could be getting a bit ripe. And they actually found a spare thermal suit that more or less fits him.
And then Talon shows up right in the moment of him changing clothes. And getting an eyeful. Of course Beryl would shove her away, none too gently.
As I think about it, I suspect that the tabs on the wearer's chin are hardpoints for the helmet so that it can track with the head without excessive rubbing against the face, rather than being fixed forward at the shoulders.
Zorg56 wrote:Wonder if this device will start automatically search for network and compromise their position.
GeoModder wrote:Depends whether it is a passive or active search.
Depends on the protocol it uses (active broadcast on boot/network interface activation, or waiting for the access points to tell them what's around to connect to), and how much energy it'd use for that. I doubt it'd give off enough energy that'd be detectable from the outside, unless someone is really close, and knows what to look for.
Barring that, it might have a physical switch to disable the radio equipment, just like on a lot of modern laptops.