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Which, burning them all at the Either is good.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 01:10 |
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# ? May 15, 2024 03:57 |
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C. It's not in our place to commit to wars we're not personally invested in.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 01:15 |
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ONE more development: we have discovered that the Darloks have a large and powerful neighbor, with Darlok territory wedged between their neighbor driftward and the Bulrathi Empire further spinward. This neighbor is the Meklar Combine, a collection of artificially-intelligent machines based upon a very unusual technological architecture. They have a fractious internal political society with heavy debate on many issues, but the Overseer of the 'Main Meklar Cycle'- a collection of static installed intelligences with networked communications- on the planet Meklon Prime serves as the ultimate authority for decisions over those resources that are collectively controlled in Meklar society. The Meklar Combine is at war with the Darlok Administration, so once again choosing friends also is likely to antagonise either side. Please discuss policy towards the Meklar Combine. E: For reference, a galactic map as of 2618. The three deep purple systems just driftward of Bulrathi space are the Darlok Administration, the large number of deep blue systems further driftward are the Meklar Combine. The three orange systems spinward of the Human Republic are the High Queendom of the Mrrshan, while the brown systems further spinward are Klackon territory, while the pale purple systems opposite the Human Republic are the Federation of Psilon Quanta. The Federation of Psilon Quanta has let slip they are in contact with yet another species the Human Republic has yet to meet, one evidently organised under a theocratic monarchy. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 01:23 on Jan 18, 2017 |
# ? Jan 18, 2017 01:16 |
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What's that? Novel intelligent life, and the only known species who doesn't conform to a carbon-based organic paradigm? And they're literally supercomputers? We have an incredible amount to learn from our new friends. Whether they somehow evolved naturally or were built by a precursor civilization, they're an absolute treasure trove of history, sociology, and science. gently caress those shady Darloks, cozying up to our robot Crazycryodude fucked around with this message at 01:23 on Jan 18, 2017 |
# ? Jan 18, 2017 01:21 |
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Between a fractious civil society that's open about its makeup and a closed, secretive one, I'd prefer to orient ourselves in a more friendly posture toward the Meklar. Even if they're less physically like us, their hierarchy sounds more similar. If trade and friendly diplomacy aren't possible with both sides, favor the Meklar.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 01:43 |
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IIA Preliminary Assessment: Technology, Economic Strength, and Population of Galactic Powers, 2620 All information presented here should be considered unconfirmed; IIA information on foreign powers is still limited. Nonetheless, a preliminary assement follows: Approximate Populations 1. Human Republic, ~100 billion persons. 2. Federation of Psilon Quanta, ~90 billion persons. 3. Meklar Combine, ~70 billion persons. 4. Klackons, ~50-60 billion persons. 5. Darlok Administration, ~40 billion persons. 6. High Queendom of the Mrrshan, ~30-40 billion persons. 7. Bulrathi Empire Remnants, ~13 billion persons. Unconfirmed reports from the FPQ Military Probing Agency indicate that the Sacred Kingdom of the Alkari may have a population comparable to the Human Republic. Economic Strength The Gross Domestic Product of the Human Republic is estimated to be approximately 25% greater than that of the FPQ, which is the next largest economy. FPQMPA reports indicate the Sacred Kingdom of the Alkari has an economy of approximately the size of the FPQ economy, while the Meklar Combine has an economy roughly 95% the size of the FPQ economy. Klackon and Darlok Administration economies are both estimated at somewhat less than two-thirds the size of the FPQ economy, while the High Queendom of the Mrrshan is somewhat more than one-third the size of the FPQ economy. The remnants of the Bulrathi Empire has an economy approximately one-tenth the size of the FPQ economy. Technological Advancement Estimating total technological advancement is an imprecise art at best, but nonetheless rough 'tiers' of advancement can be estimated. The Human Republic, Meklar Combine, and FPQ form the 'first tier' of technological advancement, followed by the Sacred Kingdom of the Alkari, Bulrathi Empire, Darlok Administration, and Klackon in the 'second tier'- it is possible that the Klackon trail the other second tier powers slightly in overall technical advancement. Finally, in the third tier, there is the High Queendom of the Mrrshan, which is still catching up to a relatively late start to its spacefaring era. Diplomatic Relations It appears that each spacefaring civilisation arose to prominence near another spacefaring civilisation, at first isolated from other groups by hyperspace instabilities. The pairs in question are the Human Republic and the Bulrathi Empire, the High Queendom of the Mrrshan and the Klackons, the Darlok Administration and the Meklar Combine, and the FPQ and the Sacred Kingdom of the Alkari. At least the first three of those pairs of civilisations eventually had wars triggered due to irreconcilable breakdowns of diplomacy between the governments involved. Only the Human Republic and the FPQ have begun exploration beyond the limits of unstable routes that bordered their region; the FPQ in the process has contacted the Meklar Combine and the Human Republic and has reasonably friendly relations with both.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 02:23 |
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My thoughts on the species we've encountered so far. Bulrathi: We're already working on destroying their empire, so I guess what I think isn't relevant. They already signed their own death warrants. Mrrshan: Yeah, they puffed up and ran off our ship, but hey: that was their turf and we were intruding. They were within their rights, and no shots were fired (I assume). No harm, no foul. We can still be friends! Klackon: Kinda weird, but they don't seem hostile. We're probably never really going to be best of friends, but I figure we can at least be on the level of "that weird neighbor you don't know well but occasionally make small talk with." Psilon: NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERDS. But being pals with nerds can bring great benefits. Let's be friends! Meklar: Robots! I don't know if they have the right drivers for frienship but I'm sure we can help them learn! We should do something to make them like us! Darlok: Bomb every single planet these shifty little fuckers infest into radioactive ash, then build giant engines on the glowing remains to shove it into the loving sun. We haven't met the Alkari yet, but let's make some birbfriends when we do.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 02:45 |
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Hopefully this assessment helps provide a general picture of how the different galactic powers compare, and starts to give members of the legislature ideas on what the eventual galactic political situation will look like.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 02:45 |
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Aliens: if we can't trade with them, burn 'em.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 02:53 |
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nweismuller posted:Economic Strength So if we're using the FPQ as the unit. Human Republic: 1.25 FPQ Sacred Kingdom of the Alkari: 1 FPQ Meklar Combine: .95 FPQ Klackon: .66 FPQ Darlok: .66 FPQ Mrrshan: .33 FPQ Bulrathi: .1 FPQ
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 03:02 |
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Rick_Hunter posted:So if we're using the FPQ as the unit. Approximately, yes. Maybe closer to .6 for the Klackon and Darlok Administration and more like .35-.4 for the High Queendom of the Mrrshan. E: My personal guess is that it's likely that the Sacred Kingdom and the FPQ are not at war, or, if so, have only gone to war recently- the much larger total population and economy of their pair of civilisations compared to everybody else suggests they've had a lot fewer resources bled off to fighting than everybody else. I can't confirm, but this is my suspicion. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 03:11 on Jan 18, 2017 |
# ? Jan 18, 2017 03:04 |
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nweismuller posted:Approximately, yes. Maybe closer to .6 for the Klackon and Darlok Administration and more like .35-.4 for the High Queendom of the Mrrshan. If you click on an alien race in the diplomacy menu you can see a web of their status with other nations and know who is at war with who. The game does not always announce changes.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 06:03 |
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Xenocides posted:If you click on an alien race in the diplomacy menu you can see a web of their status with other nations and know who is at war with who. The game does not always announce changes. You can, but only if you've met both sides of the relationship, and we've yet to meet the Alkari.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 06:24 |
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Xenorelations Council Report: the Mrrshan and the High Queendom of the Mrrshan, 2620 The Mrrshan are the second alien race Humanity has contacted, the native sapient race of Yileria, a planet in the Fieras system. Yileria has a roughly similar size and gravitational pull to Earth, but has significantly lower hydrographic coverage, with a relatively poor ecosystem concentrated in the rainy valleys surrounding Yileria's landlocked seas. The Mrrshan themselves are obligate carnivore predators native to the equatorial plains surrounding the largest sea on Yileria, who developed sophisticated cooperative behaviors to take down larger prey animals. Mrrshan eyesight and reflexes are superb, and still-powerful predatory instincts mean that recreational hunting on wildlife preserves, training stealth, tracking, and marksmanship, is an extremely common pasttime amongst Mrrshan. By now all the fertile regions of Yileria are inhabited by Mrrshan, with smaller towns even in the deep inland deserts of the planet. The High Queendom is a relatively recent historical innovation in Yileria, only being established in any form shortly before the start of the FTL travel era in Mrrshan history within the past three centuries. A wide array of differing nation-states dominated Mrrshan politics at the time, the most common form of which were monarchies of relatively limited internal power held in check by the historically-established pattern of revolt against abusive rulers. Despite the relatively light hand of these nation-states, interterritorial warfare was common, with rulers unwilling to accept slights from rivals and with strong popular support for vengeance against insults. An escalating cycle of warfare between multiple factions threatened to spill over into full-scale thermonuclear war, when the first of the High Queens, Selara, ruler of a hitherto minor nation which had thus far maintained good relations with its neighbors, developed a plan. Selara approached neighboring rulers, one by one, and offered this: a neutral and impartial court of appeal that could deliver justice, and arbitration of existing conflicts, lest current wars destroy Yileria's civilisation. Selara's unsurpassed reputation for honesty and fairness won surprising support amongst many rulers. Those who warred against Selara's vassals were forced to submit by her growing empire, held together by the trust its subject rulers had for the new High Queen. The contract of service and fealty for the member states of the High Queendom in exchange for protection and justice remains strong, with only the continued trust of the High Queen's vassals for their ruler holding the empire together. The current High Queen is High Queen Mirana, a direct matrilineal descendant of Selara, raised from a young age to take up her duty. Forced labor and slavery of any sort does not exist in the High Queendom, which has widespread popular support and an extremely broad-based pool of military-qualified individuals amongst the general population. Hunting and small-unit military games teach many relevant skills to the population, and Mrrshan sharpshooters, commandoes, and small-unit leaders are perhaps the finest in the known galaxy. Some military analysts believe that, person for person, Mrrshan surface forces are as dangerous as anything fielded by the Bulrathi Empire, and recruited from a far broader free population. Commerce is predominantly private, but the corporate form is uncommon, with most commercial ventures maintaining direct management by single owners who rely on developing bonds of personal loyalty with employees. Religion is varied, but the dominant religious tradition in modern days worships a polytheistic pantheon ruled by the Sun Goddess, viewed as one who grants life and renewal to the world. The High Queendom is hard-pressed by its war against the Klackons, who were earlier into space, control a somewhat wider territory, and have a formidable industrial base. Mrrshan border fortifications have been completely compromised, although Her Majesty's Royal Navy has thus far managed to hold Mrrshan territory and break blockades. Whether the situation is sustainable for the High Queendom remains uncertain, but the High Queendom still maintains hundreds of millions of armed Mrrshan willing to fight and die to protect their homes against invasion by the Klackon. Since the beginning of the war, the capital has been relocated from Yileria to Hrset, a planet in the Katab system further from the front lines. The Mrrshan start on an Arid homeworld rather than a Terran, and can eventually terraform Desert planets to 'Grassland' planets that are between Terran and Gaian planets in hospitability. They gain a 50% bonus to ground combat strength due to superior reflexes, marksmanship, stealth, and tactics, can support more troops per planet, and recruit surface troops more quickly than anybody else. They also gain a bonus to the diplomatic offers they make, making them more appealing to AI empires in negotiations. As Militarists, they start with the Engineering technology once they research Space Travel, so they immediately have access to destroyers and anti-missile rockets. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 09:29 on Jan 18, 2017 |
# ? Jan 18, 2017 08:55 |
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Any requests on who I do next? And thoughts on the Mrrshan, now that there's a full report? E: I can also field further questions about the Mrrshan, if people are curious. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 09:18 on Jan 18, 2017 |
# ? Jan 18, 2017 08:55 |
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Since the Klackon are mentioned in the above report, I request a report on them in order to provide greater context to their conflict. Any further details on Mrrshan society? Cultural values, interesting traditions, religion, that sort of thing.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 09:31 |
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To a far greater extent than Humans, Mrrshan prefer to place their trust in personal relationships and loyalties rather than in abstract institutions or ideologies, and almost all their societal arrangements reflect this. Even the priesthood of their gods is regarded less as a 'church' per se rather than as those who have pledged their primary loyalty to the gods and thus have a duty to advance the will of the gods. As a side-effect of this, personal reputation is of paramont value in Mrrshan society, which makes it of critical importance to see insults or injuries avenged. There is an elaborate dueling culture open to all Mrrshan, although in general trusting disputes to a judge of honor who can resolve insults before they come to violence is preferred. Nonetheless the single most common form of violent death internal to Mrrshan society is not the unlawful murder but rather the lawful killing of an enemy in a duel, most commonly with hunting rifles, less commonly with knives, less commonly-still with pistols or spears. A reputation for honesty, courage, and courtesy is frequently actively cultivated by Mrrshan. The Mrrshan have little real 'aristocracy' in the same sense as the Bulrathi, only truly having regional rulers and the High Queens themselves. Any Mrrshan ruler must be able to exhibit their worthiness to lead, because a Mrrshan leader who cannot cement personal loyalties will quickly be abandoned by disappointed followers who have little use for loyalties to abstract institutions. The Mrrshan admire artists, believing the pursuit of beauty adds meaning to life, although artistic success in itself is not sufficient to leadership positions. A leader who is also an artist, however, will win the affection of her followers. Inheritance of property is generally tied to the mother- although monogamous marriages exist, they are far from a universal rule, and only in the technological era has proof of paternity been possible. Attempts to enforce fidelity by males on females have historically ended poorly- although females are vulnerable during pregnancy, they do not have the same strength differential as exists between male and female humans, and the natural claws a Mrrshan has can be lethal weapons at close quarters. Formal gender equality with a tendency towards inheritance favoring female property-holders and leaders thus occurred far earlier in Mrrshan societies than Human societies.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 10:08 |
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I can admire another state that understands the usefulness of art.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 10:35 |
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I don't like the sound of bugs running rampant all over cat-space. Maybe we should think about tipping the scales a little bit?
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 15:02 |
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Xenorelations Council Report: the Klackon, 2620 The Klackon are the native sapient race of T'kak, a generally arid planet orbiting the star Kholdan. The Klackon are native to the scrub forests of the southern hemisphere fertile region, where they developed tunnel networks to house themselves, store food, and collect water beneath the surface safe from evaporation. The Klackon developed surface agriculture considerably earlier than any other known species, over two hundred and fifty thousand years ago, and have lived as a settled agrarian civilisation restricted to the surface of T'kak for almost this entire time. The Klackon are the only known natively telepathic species in the galaxy, although native Klackon telepathy has a poor resolution and primarily provides a broad background emotional channel to communications via language. Nonetheless, the combined telepathic influence of all Klackon on a planet creates a 'consensus effect' amongst Klackon. The Klackon 'Queen', K'kalak, is regarded as the spokesman for the 'hive mind' created by this consensus effect, an unusually telepathically-gifted individual who has a clearer sense of the hive consensus of the Klackon than most. She gives orders and other Klackon obey, viewing them as expressing desires they almost consciously apprehended on their own. When the 'Queen' dies, there is a temporary period of confusion and dislocation until the next individual who most clearly speaks for the 'hive mind' becomes obvious to the Klackon, usually within a period of months. The Klackon work tirelessly in service of the 'hive mind', which they conceive in quasi-religious terms of awe and adoration. They are, as such, very efficient workers at rote tasks, but unfortunately are individually mostly rather unintelligent and uncreative by the standards of the other sapient species of the galaxy. There are exceptions, and their technological progress has accelerated since the dawn of their modern era, but the sad fact is that extremely slow scientific, technological, and social progress has historically been the rule for the Klackon. Despite the intense communal nature of the Klackon and their unusual telepathic consensus, Klackon are not entirely without individual desires for satiety, rest, and pleasure, and traditions of mass entertainments of athletics and song and simple adornments to living areas or tools are common in Klackon society. Although Klackon will work industriously under conditions other species would regard as intolerably poor, being driven too hard will lead some workers to detach and withdraw, no longer applying themselves efficiently to their labors. Although these may be considered traditions of art and recreation, they are extremely simple and underdeveloped by the standards of any other species. The consensus effect of the Klackon 'hive mind' leads them to regard other sapient creatures that do not share in the 'hive mind' with unease. What the final conclusion of the Klackon on the proper place of other species is remains to be seen. Klackon start on an arid homeworld, and can eventually terraform arid worlds to 'cavernous' worlds with greatly improved quality. They gain a 50% bonus to food output from their agricultural population, but are Uncreative and, in addition to having the option they can take for technologies where there is a choice of application pre-determined, they suffer a 25% penalty to research. As Industrialists, they both gain a 25% bonus to industrial output from population and immediately gain knowledge of Physics once they research Space Travel. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 01:26 on Apr 22, 2017 |
# ? Jan 18, 2017 18:36 |
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I will take questions or suggestions on which species to profile next. I'd be interested to hear what people think now.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 18:36 |
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I'd be interested to hear about
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 20:55 |
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Now that I'm not phone-postin', I can fully appreciate Nweis's bejeweled sea horse avatar. That critter looks like it got rammed through every jewelry segment of QVC ever.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 20:57 |
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Oh my god I just realized I've been spelling Nweis's name wrong this entire time, I thought it was Nweiss (double s). Anyways, I've got a massive nerd crush on anything to do with digital consciousness, AI, and how a brain explicitly designed to be efficient (i.e. purpose-built computers made of futuristic materials guided by an intelligent designer instead of messy carbon kludges slapped together over millions of years by the blind hand of evolution) affects the cognitive paradigms and worldview of an ego running on it. (To be clear that means I'm excited to see your take on the meklar) Also, I know you're mainly writing about the aliens right now, but if it's ok I've got a question or two about Human society these days (it can wait until a dedicated "ask about humans" time, though).
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 21:08 |
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Give us some intel on our awesome ROBO BUDDIES or our less awesome and honestly just a little illuminati-esque RESIDENT MEN IN BLACK HOODS.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 21:49 |
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Nweis, you're making this stuff up as you go right? Because I haven't read anything that would make the Mrrshan obligate carnivores. Sure, earth cats are like that, but it would be a pretty strong coincidence that space cats developed the same way.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 22:37 |
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Rick_Hunter posted:Nweis, you're making this stuff up as you go right? Because I haven't read anything that would make the Mrrshan obligate carnivores. Sure, earth cats are like that, but it would be a pretty strong coincidence that space cats developed the same way. Pointed incisors, lithe bodies, & forward facing eyes are pretty strong evidence of it though.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 22:46 |
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Nevets posted:Pointed incisors, lithe bodies, & forward facing eyes are pretty strong evidence of it though. Yeah for tearing meat and being a predator. That does not necessarily make them obligate carnivores.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 23:25 |
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This is shaping up to be an even more thrilling debate than the Stellaris Collectivist/Individualist Wars.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 23:40 |
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Rick_Hunter posted:Yeah for tearing meat and being a predator. That does not necessarily make them obligate carnivores. It may however make them the subjects of dozens of viral Terran internet videos. I mean, come on. SPACE CATS. Some dumbass out there is going to try to see if they chase lasers, or roll around in catnip, or have a tendency to sit in circles.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 23:41 |
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Stormgear posted:It may however make them the subjects of dozens of viral Terran internet videos. This is poo poo I can get behind.
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 23:42 |
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This all started with that drat Sony gravity kitten video...
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 23:50 |
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Here's a possibly fun question that could be misinterpreted as a critique of lazy worldbuilding: how "alien" do these species consider each other? The Mrrshan, Bulrathi, and Humans are in an interesting situation, culturally, with respect to one another. They have very similar body plans (bipedal, four limbs, analogs to fat and hair for warmth) and it is easy to find high-level analogs between the three for many aspects of their physiology. Meanwhile, Sol seems to have been friendlier to liquid water than Fierias or Kholdan, and this may have translated into a broader biological diversity on Earth. As a result, Humans have some ready-made analogs for the Mrrshan and Bulrathi—who seem to be humanlike cats and bears—and a somewhat more tenuous analog for the Klackon (Earthly land arthropods never managed Klackon sizes). Meanwhile, the Darlok do not show their physical forms, the Meklar aren't "life" as Humans know it, and the Psilon have an unearthly body plan that is still at first glance quite close to the the meta-mammals. So here is my question: To what degree is this two-way? Humans bear very little resemblance to non-tool-using mammals and even non-tool-using primates, so actual evolutionary history isn't a reliable guide for this, but do the Mrrshan or Bulrathi consider Humans to be Mrrshanized/Bulrathized versions of one of their own native species? Have the decades of conflict between Human and Bulrathi altered any such metaphor? Does Kholdan even have mammalian-like life forms sufficient to provide these metaphors? FAKE EDIT: Man, and while I"m writing this up the Humans in the comments go wild with internet videos, so we know how Earth rolls...
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 23:52 |
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First off: I am indeed making this up as I go along. I take what the game gives me and I expand it. Second: Klackon reproduction occurs via small clutches of eggs laid by females after being fertilised by males. Although each clutch produces more young Klackon than comparable live births from Humans, there is a very slow turnaround between clutches by Klackon, and they do not have dramatically higher birth rates than Humans. Third: Human questions are fine. Fourth: let me just work on the Meklar report, then. Fifth: COLLECTIVIST/INDIVIDUALIST ARGUMENTS AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH drat IT STELLARIS FORUMS panics and runs blindly from the room
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# ? Jan 18, 2017 23:57 |
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I think we're over-analyzing what are basically rubber-forehead aliens. Trying to make actually alien aliens just isn't an artistic risk most game devs are willing to take. People are way more comfortable (and thus are more likely to buy products) with Space Cats/Bears/Ants/Birds, Scrawny Nerds, and Sexy Space Babes than they are with Starfish Aliens. It's why the cat queen has tits and a dress that shows off her legs, and the Space Ants have faces and opposable thumbs. Really good sci-fi pushes your boundaries and makes you think. Popular sci-fi makes money. I've found that the two very rarely overlap. Now, the Meklar on the other hand... nobody talks poo poo about my computer-bros. Even if they are lovely Cylons. Crazycryodude fucked around with this message at 00:03 on Jan 19, 2017 |
# ? Jan 18, 2017 23:58 |
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Do the Klackons have similar gender statistics & role breakdowns as eusocial Terran insects like ants and honeybees (loads of female workers per colony, significantly fewer unproductive male drones), or aside from the queenship, are males and females similarly situated in the economy and society at large? (okay i love bees n keep bees and dammit we only ever meet alien ants, not enough alien bees)
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# ? Jan 19, 2017 00:02 |
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ManxomeBromide posted:Here's a possibly fun question that could be misinterpreted as a critique of lazy worldbuilding: how "alien" do these species consider each other? I'm gonna go with the Star Trek answer: It's easier to portray alien races as humanoid because it's easy to slap make up or a suit on a human. This also probably started the trend of imagining alien species as humanoids because it's most comfortable to us. Same with taking a terrestrial species and humanifying(?) it for science fiction. Really though aliens could be whatever the gently caress because we haven't really encountered another species like us. Nweis: I was really just curious if you had source material that pointed all this stuff out. I realize you're writing a narrative LP so I'm all behind making it up as you go along to make an engaging story.
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# ? Jan 19, 2017 00:06 |
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The vast bulk of Klackon are hypothetically fertile females, but access to males is strictly limited and rationed to avoid overpopulating current resources, which is why the slow turnarounds between clutches. Males are smaller, weaker, shorter-lived, and quite honestly significantly stupider than females and serve only one purpose in their society.
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# ? Jan 19, 2017 00:07 |
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I question the likelihood of a species developing with such a point of failure. Terrestrial bees, for example, can quickly replace a lost queen by changing the diet of an immature female, but a Klackon group that lost most of its males would be stuck with a large gender imbalance until they could breed more.
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# ? Jan 19, 2017 00:18 |
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# ? May 15, 2024 03:57 |
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wiegieman posted:I question the likelihood of a species developing with such a point of failure. Terrestrial bees, for example, can quickly replace a lost queen by changing the diet of an immature female, but a Klackon group that lost most of its males would be stuck with a large gender imbalance until they could breed more. That's honestly how it works for the standard honeybee, more or less. The main difference is just that female workers can lay unfertilized eggs which will become drones if their egg-laying behavior isn't suppressed by the queen's pheromones. Every winter, all drones are evicted from hives and left to die. The period in which a fertilized worker egg can be reared into a queen replacement is actually quite brief, too, but the queen issue isn't a problem for the Klackons, it seems, since the "queenship" is actually about telepathic potential, not about reproductive development. :bees:
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# ? Jan 19, 2017 00:22 |