Traveller-digest       Sunday, August 15 1999       Volume 1999 : Number 964



(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.
All rights reserved.

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper
Re: Hot Gas Giants
Re: Books
Range of Sight?
Re: Alternate Game Mechanics - Cybertech
Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper
Re: Books
Re: Books
Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper
Re: Books
Re: Traveller props
Re: Human Origins
Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper
Re: Ship questions...
Re: Books
Re: Traveller props
Re: Endorphins...
Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper
Re: First In [OT]
Subject: Re: Endorphins...
Terraforming
Xenobiology 101 : The Viji (longish)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 13:24:45
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net>
Subject: Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper

At 12:46 PM 8/15/99 -0700, you wrote:

>>OOOOooooohhhhh!  Another-wuther toy to draw >:^D
>
>
>    Please don't tell me that Ditzie really doesn't talk like this.  Come
>on, at around 10 years old, she should be talking like a 10 year old, not a
>4 year old.

A hyper-intelligent ten year old on serious drugs?

Ditzie's always been written this way.
- -- 

Doug Berry             dberry@hooked.net
http://www.hooked.net/~dberry/index.html

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 13:32:26 -0700
From: "Bruce Macintosh" <bruce.macintosh@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Hot Gas Giants

>As for skimming, *I* wouldn't try it. They are *much* more massive than
>Jupiter. And being so close to their stars, you'll already be hotter
>than hell *before* you have to deal with friction heating from the
>skimming run.
They aren't necessarily more massive than jupiter; many of the ones found
so far are, but that's a selection effect (big planets are easier to find).
There should be about as many low-mass (Saturn or below) close-in
gas giants. Those would be skimmable in theory, but in practice, the
1000K temperatures in their atmospheres would strain a ship's ability
to radiate away waste heat. (Unless the ship had excess radiator
capacity - one might allow ships with some class of IR masking (EMM in
TNE, Advanced Masking in FF2, or its GURPS equivalent) to have a
chance of surviving.

Bruce

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 13:46:06 -0700
From: "Zane H. Healy" <healyzh@aracnet.com>
Subject: Re: Books

>How about the new Solar Queen books from Norton and co-writers? Are they
>worth >a read?
>
>Eris

"Solar Queen"?  Wouldn't that be the Trader series from Norton?  There are
new ones?

				Zane
| Zane H. Healy                    | UNIX Systems Adminstrator  |
| healyzh@aracnet.com (primary)    | Linux Enthusiast           |
| healyzh@holonet.net (alternate)  | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
|     Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing,    |
|                   and Zane's Computer Museum.                 |
|                 http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/              |

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 99 15:39:57 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Range of Sight?

I don't have a good number for this and I figure someone here will...

It's a clear day, you're standing on the shore looking out to open
sea.  How far out would you be able to sight the sails of a sailing
ship with your naked eyes?  With a simple telescope?  How much
further if you were standing at the top of a 20 m lighthouse?

My swag is 5 to 10 km. How far off am I?

Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 21:04:11 GMT
From: jzeitlin@cyburban.com (Jeff Zeitlin)
Subject: Re: Alternate Game Mechanics - Cybertech

On Sun, 15 Aug 1999 12:39:32 -0400 (EDT), SD Mooney
<dom@cybergoths.u-net.com> wrote:

>"Alan Bradley" <alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au> writes:

>>There are IIRC, three "Deathworld" books, by Harry Harrison.  They're
>>actually pretty average, but are very Travellerish.  I may even reread them
>>myself, now that I've thought about them.  The titles are very imaginative
>>- - "Deathworld", "Deathworld II", etc.

>Weren't several of the books released with individual names initially? I've
>one called _Homeworld_ in the stacks of books I've had to put away because
>of decorating, and I'm sure it says that it's part of the Deathworld
>trilogy...

>The hero in the first book is an engineer (hurrah!) in the ruling classes
>(boo! hiss!) who gets involved in the resistance against the state?

Nope, you're thinking of the same author's "To the Stars" trilogy
- - Homeworld, Wheelworld, Starworld.  Hero Jan Kulozhik.  

"Deathworld" I never knew if any of the books were released with
other titles (Deathworld, Deathworld II, Deathworld III; I have
the combined mass paper edition). Hero Jason dinAlt.


- --
Jeff Zeitlin
jzeitlin@cyburban.com

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 14:20:38 -0700
From: "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com>
Subject: Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper

From: Douglas E. Berry <dberry@hooked.net>
Subject: Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper

>>    Please don't tell me that Ditzie really doesn't talk like this.  Come
>>on, at around 10 years old, she should be talking like a 10 year old, not
a
>>4 year old.
>
>A hyper-intelligent ten year old on serious drugs?
>
>Ditzie's always been written this way.


    So, Doug, my man, what you are saying is the Ditzie is a junkie?  Come
on.  Lets have a reality check, I have a 10 yo niece I take care of one
weekend out of the month, and she is hyper-intelligent & she does not talk
like this.  And, if Ditzie has a speech problem, they would have gotten her
treatment by now.

Legate Legion
ICQ # 8973001
legate@futureone.com
http://www.futureone.com/~legate/index.htm

"A man may fight for many things; his country, his principles, his friends,
the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally, I'd
mudwrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a stack of
French porn." - Edmund Blackadder

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 17:12:35 -0400
From: Michael Peters <travelleri@home.com>
Subject: Re: Books

"Zane H. Healy" wrote:
> 
> >How about the new Solar Queen books from Norton and co-writers? Are they
> >worth >a read?
> >
> >Eris
> 
> "Solar Queen"?  Wouldn't that be the Trader series from Norton?  There are
> new ones?
> 
> 

Yep! THe author has allowed certain authorized writers to continue the
adventures. Haven't read all of them yet, but the first couple
non-Norton books have been pretty good. I feel they are very much in the
Traveller vein. Most of the differences are in technology, but even the
hyperdrive they use has started to act more like jump in the newer
series. 

The Freetrader vs. Corperate traders theme has some interesting
possiblities. Of course it is more acute in the Norton universe where
scouts and freetraders "sell" the information on newly explored worlds,
and there is government sponsored monopolies of trade that can be
purchased. I've lifted a couple of these ideas into MTU.

Humm, does this sound like I'm a bit of a fan? ;*>

Mike
- -- 
Mike Peters
travelleri@home.com

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 99 16:19:33 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Re: Books

On 08/15/99 at 01:46 PM,  "Zane H. Healy" <healyzh@aracnet.com> said:

>>How about the new Solar Queen books from Norton and co-writers? Are they
>>worth >a read?
>>
>>Eris

>"Solar Queen"?  Wouldn't that be the Trader series from Norton? 
>There are new ones?

Sure are!  New to me anyway, _Derelict For Trade_ and _Mind For
Trade_, Andre Norton and Sherwood Smith.  There's a third one too,
but it wasn't in the bookstore and I don't have it's name.  The
backcover blurb on _Derelict..._ sounded really good.

Heck, it soundedjust like the sort of thing I'd through at a ship of
PC's.  ;->

Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 99 16:22:10 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper

On 08/15/99 at 02:20 PM,  "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com> said:

>    So, Doug, my man, what you are saying is the Ditzie is a junkie? 
>Come on.  Lets have a reality check, I have a 10 yo niece I take care
>of one weekend out of the month, and she is hyper-intelligent & she
>does not talk like this.  And, if Ditzie has a speech problem, they
>would have gotten her treatment by now.

It was my understanding that was how Ditzie sounded *under* treatment...*her*
family is trey strange. ;->

Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 99 16:25:44 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Re: Books

On 08/15/99 at 05:12 PM,  Michael Peters <travelleri@home.com> said:

>> "Solar Queen"?  Wouldn't that be the Trader series from Norton?  There are
>> new ones?

>Yep! THe author has allowed certain authorized writers to continue
>the adventures. Haven't read all of them yet, but the first couple
>non-Norton books have been pretty good. I feel they are very much in
>the Traveller vein. Most of the differences are in technology, but
>even the hyperdrive they use has started to act more like jump in the
>newer series. 

>The Freetrader vs. Corperate traders theme has some interesting
>possiblities. Of course it is more acute in the Norton universe where
>scouts and freetraders "sell" the information on newly explored
>worlds, and there is government sponsored monopolies of trade that
>can be purchased. I've lifted a couple of these ideas into MTU.

I hadn't heard of this Sherwood Smith fellow, so I was a little
leary of plonking down six bucks a pop.  However, I think I'll get
the Derelict one tomorrow and see what I think.

Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 17:24:55 -0400
From: Michael Peters <travelleri@home.com>
Subject: Re: Traveller props

Don't know if anyone else noticed this but the new Star Wars
MicroMachines line is almost an exact match for 25mm (typical oversized
at about 30mm) I've already used the scout speeder bikes and storm
troopers in my games. They may not look quite as good as lead, but being
plastic makes them perfect for NPC use, IMHO.

Mike

Steven Hudson wrote:

>   25mm isn't too badly supported either - you can still find RAFM / TNE
> stuff, and Stone Mountain Miniatures has a figure line that's true 25mm
> dead-ringers for Zho's - and includes "Warbots"!
> 
>         Steven Hudson

- -- 
Mike Peters
travelleri@home.com

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 15:38:59 -0600
From: "Christopher B. Thrash" <thrash@io.com>
Subject: Re: Human Origins

Sherry Thrash sends:

>Return-Path: <RedTrowel@cs.com>
>From: RedTrowel@cs.com
>Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 16:55:15 EDT
>Subject: Re: Human Origins
>To: thrash@io.com
>
>All I can say about Elaine Morgan's Aquatic Ape Theory is that no one 
>involved with serious inquiry and study of human origins takes her seriously 
>*at all*.  Her theories sound very discrete and complete when looked at by 
>themselves.  They are not, however, founded on anything that can be shown in 
>the paleoecological record.  
>
>Catarrahine noses (the ones that open downward), loss of body fat, loss of 
>body hair, loss of estrous and several other factors are more simply 
>explained by the generally accepted paleoanthropological theories.  Occam's 
>Razor here...
>
>Sherry

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 14:45:24 -0700
From: "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com>
Subject: Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper

From: Eris Reddoch <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper


>On 08/15/99 at 02:20 PM,  "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com> said:

>It was my understanding that was how Ditzie sounded *under*
treatment...*her* family is trey strange. ;->


    Ah, a fellow heritic.  Look, I have read her families stuff & while they
maybe strange, is that the only gimic they have for her?  The speech paterns
of a 4 year old?  I have a 4 yo little daughter & she talks like Ditize, now
if Ditzie was a 4 yo, it would make sense, but Jesse's fine picture of her,
has her at about 10 yo, +/- 2 years.

Legate Legion
ICQ # 8973001
legate@futureone.com
http://www.futureone.com/~legate/index.htm

"A man may fight for many things; his country, his principles, his friends,
the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally, I'd
mudwrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a stack of
French porn." - Edmund Blackadder

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 15:48:05 -0600
From: "Christopher B. Thrash" <thrash@io.com>
Subject: Re: Ship questions...

>Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 08:37:13 -0600
>From: "Andrew Batishko" <abatish@cyberhighway.net>
>Subject: Ship questions...
>
>2) What kind of format do starship registration codes take? All
>numbers? How many digits?

There are a couple of canonical examples of ship's registry numbers; the
Beowulf's is one of these. Unfortunately, none of them are in the same format.

In GT: Far Trader, therefore, we said that ship's registries (a document,
like an ID for a ship) are issued by individual worlds rather than the
Imperium itself. The format varies from world to world, but the type of
information -- including some form of registration number -- is specified
by Imperial regulations. This parallels the process for individual
identification documents, as outlined in GT.

[In other words: it's up to the GM, just as others have said.]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 18:04:53 -0400
From: Michael Peters <travelleri@home.com>
Subject: Re: Books

Eris,

I think the order that the new ones were writen in is "Redline the
Stars", "derilict for Trade" and "Mind for Trade". The first book is a
bit slower thatn the Norton novels but has a neat plot to use on
players. The second book has some nice stuff too, including a darn good
discription of a trade startion/space habitat. Haven't read the third
yet. I think books 2 and 3 are more closely related to each other than
to 1, so if you can get those 2 it shouldn't spoil the first for you too
much!

Mike

Eris Reddoch wrote:
> 
> On 08/15/99 at 05:12 PM,  Michael Peters <travelleri@home.com> said:
> 
> 
> I hadn't heard of this Sherwood Smith fellow, so I was a little
> leary of plonking down six bucks a pop.  However, I think I'll get
> the Derelict one tomorrow and see what I think.
> 
> Eris
> --
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
> -----------------------------------------------------------

- -- 
Mike Peters
travelleri@home.com

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 19:00:33 EDT
From: AveNelso@aol.com
Subject: Re: Traveller props

In a message dated 8/15/99 5:34:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
travelleri@home.com writes:

<< 
 Don't know if anyone else noticed this but the new Star Wars
 MicroMachines line is almost an exact match for 25mm (typical oversized
 at about 30mm) I've already used the scout speeder bikes and storm
 troopers in my games. They may not look quite as good as lead, but being
 plastic makes them perfect for NPC use, IMHO.
  >>


    I've used an assortment of them as well, in combination with some old 
Airfix HO scale figures for large-number combat operations.  Hell, I've used 
Matchbox cars for vehicles too.

            Dave Nelson

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 16:13:54 -0700
From: "Kiri Aradia Morgan" <tiamat@tsoft.com>
Subject: Re: Endorphins...

>>Definitely non-SSC and a good plot device I must say.  If I get my
campaign running again, I may just use that.  Thank-you Kiri.
>    So will I.  Thank you, Kiri.

>
You're both very welcome.

>    Btw, I think we should try & get together for a weekend of BDSM &
Traveller.  *weg*
>
Well at the very least Traveller.  I don't play with anyone but Hiroshi
right now...  we're not terribly poly.  But it'd be fun to meet you and
Amber.

Kiri

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 15:56:29
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net>
Subject: Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper

At 02:20 PM 8/15/99 -0700, you wrote:

>    So, Doug, my man, what you are saying is the Ditzie is a junkie?  Come
>on.  Lets have a reality check, I have a 10 yo niece I take care of one
>weekend out of the month, and she is hyper-intelligent & she does not talk
>like this.  And, if Ditzie has a speech problem, they would have gotten her
>treatment by now.

It's supposed to be a *joke*, this mighty interstellar corporation, and the
R&D department is run by this manical pre-teen, living on uppers and
testing her new toys of the legal department.

We could of course, be sternly realistic about it, since science fiction
has never featured pre-teen girls who were smarter than the norm, and spoke
distinctively.  So from now on, all FS post should be delivered by
Corporate Suits.

Ditzie a junkie?  Guess that makes everyone whose ever popped caffeine
tablets washed down by coffee a junkie.
- -- 

Doug Berry             dberry@hooked.net
http://www.hooked.net/~dberry/index.html

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 16:17:40 -0700
From: "Justice Hypercleats" <eris@sierratel.com>
Subject: Re: First In [OT]

>>> They don't discount, though; they don't want to undercut their FLGS.
>>>
>>> Tom Schoene
>>>
>>What is "FLGS" and were can I find one online?
>
> FLGS stands for "Friendly Local Gaming Store".  You know, the one out there
> in the big room with the ceiling that's sometimes blue and sometimes black
> with little while lights? :)
>
> SJ Games has always encouraged people to buy from their local gaming stores
> instead of direct from them.  Warehouse 23 is supposed to be a weapon of
> last resort.


Greetings from Whanga,

Everyone has kindly informed me where I should be purchasing my Trav
materials, and their advice is correct.  However, where I live, there is no
"Friendly Local Gaming Store".  There is a gas station about 20 miles from
my house.  There is even a place to buy groceries about 40 miles away.  But
the nearest FLGS is over four hours drive, one way.

This is why I ask about online outlets.  There must be other people in
similar (NI, Ag, E-class) backwaters as myself.  The internet (and
UPS/FedEx) is my main source for purchasing items other than groceries or
gasoline.  I don't even have a choice for my ISP (small independant local
telco w/ old equipment)-- I had to go into business (a co-op, of sorts) with
other locals just to create our own ISP!  Not even the ubiquitous AOL can be
had out here (this is a feature, not a bug, btw).  So I just dropped $85 at
Warehouse 23 and another $50 at Titangames.com.

Other areas of interests have their own stores --  both real(tm) retail
stores and virtual(tm) website mail order stores.  I make my living
recording and producing digital audio.  There must be fifty online sites
where I can buy (at wholesale discount $$) various and sundry products for
my studio, from $3k tube microphones to .99-cent RCA adapters, to LVD RAIDs.
Hell, I have done my part for the e-commerce market: I've nearly gone
through five figures in a week upgrading my DAW, all online.  But for RPGs,
there isn't a lot to actually purchase online -- a lot of resources and
information, but not much I can get with a Visa card and have shipped to me.

SJ Games has a reasonable online pricing policy (to protect their FLGS), but
it is also an unnecessary penalty for those of us out here in the sticks (or
mountains or swamps or ice-caps) who happen to enjoy a rousing game of
Traveller now and then.

I wish there were game dealers out there who would put up a website, list
the products they have (or can get), and have a credit card form right there
for me to use.  If any FLGS wanted to provide shipping out to Whanga, I'd be
a customer.  And I think many other Whangoids would, as well.


J.H.
- - hailing from: C-Bar Ranch/Terra/Sol Sector (1827) E-867110-A

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 18:20:20 -0600
From: cos 90 <cos90@powersurfr.com>
Subject: Subject: Re: Endorphins...

>    Of course, BDSM, is about sexual acts, & it all depends upon who you are
>with.  

Could you please move this discussion off-list? It's starting to become
offensive.


     Glenn St-Germain  Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 
cos90@powersurfr.com  http://plaza.powersurfr.com/glenn
        "There is no longer any normal to be"
                                 -- Gary Numan

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 10:32:31 +1000
From: "Robert O'Connor" <robocon@ozemail.com.au>
Subject: Terraforming

Before 'First In', Traveller planetary generation often created
small worlds with substantial atmospheres.
	Could these be explained as incomplete terraforming efforts (in
the Imperial campaign, by either the Ancients <least preferable 
option>, the First Imperium, the Rule of Man or the 3I)?
	I recall that Leonard Erickson noted in a discussion on
gravitic construction a month or two ago that a body the size and
mass of Earth's moon *could* support an Earth standard atmosphere
for a couple of million years or so, time enough for humanity to
florish and eventually become extinct on the world.
	The tech level scales in 'First In' are the first that I've
seen that make limited Vilani or ROM terraforming possible (much more
likely than the 'traditional' sequences).

TTL	First In			MT
8	crude ecoremediation		early weather control*
9	limited terraforming (slight change to atmo/hydro?)
12	ecosystem reconstruction	'major terraforming'**
14	ecopoiesis [biosphere construction]
15	'radical terraforming'		'complex terraforming'

* common to both scales
** refined weather control tech common to both scales

	Given that the First Imperium lasted for over 10 millenia, I
would have thought that population and resource pressures [only a
small fraction of the matter and energy of a solar system is
exploitable at TTLs 9-11] may have been sufficient for the Ziru Sirka
to try limited terraforming, or build large artificial habitats on or
around otherwise hostile worlds (especially those systems on jump
mains, given the jump-2 limit).
	The ROM only lasted a few centuries. In the early days of the
Terran expansion into space, some experimentation with terraforming
or ecological engineering must have occurred ; but the incentive to
do so was probably less than that of the ZS. 
	[This ignores the crash programs in the Interstellar Wars 
period where bolt holes were being constructed to preserve the
proto-Solomani in the event of the Terran Confederation being
'steamrollered' by the First Imperium.]
	In the 3I era, worlds low in population but high in TL and
starport rating could be 'construction' sites, or worlds that
became marginal during the Long Night that were being 'eco-remediated'
with TTL 13-15 techniques.
	Comments?

Robert O'Connor
Medico, Gamer

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 10:33:18 +1000
From: "Robert O'Connor" <robocon@ozemail.com.au>
Subject: Xenobiology 101 : The Viji (longish)

1. Zeta 2 : Vilis/Spinward Marches 0919
UWP X6B0000-0
	Zeta 2 is a harsh, if not hellish, world by human standards.
The average surface temperature is 40 degrees Celsius. The atmosphere is
a thick yellow-orange soup of nitrogen, sulphur and fluorine compounds,
with surface atmospheric pressure a crushing eight times that of Terra
or Vland.
	The Zeta system is very unusual in that the abundance of
fluorine and sulphur are far above the average for Charted Space.
The relative excess of fluorine over oxygen is so marked on Zeta 2
that hydrogen fluoride plays the role that water does on more
"human friendly" worlds. Sixty percent of the world's surface is
covered with [relatively shallow] oceans of HF.
	The crust and mantle of the planet is predominantly made
up of silicon fluoride, hydroxyapatites, flurosilicates, 
thiosilicates and metal sulphates. Volcanism and plate tectonics are
present, but to a lesser extent than most rocky-metallic worlds due to
a lack of iron in the planet's mantle.
 	Due to this and the accelerated rate of erosion driven by the
corrosive properties of the atmosphere and abundant liquid HF, Zeta 2's
land surface is largely flat, scored by gullies and ancient riverbeds,
and punctuated with the odd chain of rolling hills or the very
infrequent tectonically or volcano-driven mountain chain.
	These aspects of Zeta 2's peculiar geology and
'hydrology' seized the interest of the research division of the Railen
Institute, a think tank set up by some of the "second-tier" mining
companies of the Spinward Marches.
	Much to the surprise of the research teams that have surveyed
the planet, life exists in these harsh conditions. Even more
surprising is that intelligence has independently arisen on Zeta 2.
	Lifeforms here are biochemically based on silicone polymers
dissolved in hydrogen fluoride. Metabolic processes depend on the
transformation of sulphur compounds for energy and play an important
part in the cycling of sulphur between atmosphere, biosphere, ocean
and rock.
	Zetan ecology is based on on two broad groups of producers.
The first exploit the temperature gradient between the atmosphere and
the deeper layers of soil. The larger 'temperate' varieties with their
irregular conical forms bear a passing resemblance to the nests of
certain Earthly species of ants and termites.
	The second type relies on an analog of photosynthesis, with
a blue-green magnesium based pigment capturing wavelengths in the near
infrared, and resemble horsetails.
	Zeta 2's high surface atmospheric pressure has led to the
development of 'superhumid' biomes, where HF partial pressures can
reach a standard atmosphere in certain 'tropical' areas.
	These locales of superhumidity have been variously termed
'steam jungles', 'steam sponges', 'steam reefs' and 'steam caves' by
the Railen Institute researchers.
	Steam jungles look much like a tropical rain forest, with large
numbers of producers and consumers forming multiple layered habitats.
Here, the 'conoid' producers sport radiator vanes and panels to limit
their heat absorption, covered with a fine network of circulatory
vessels to enhance heat transfer. These vanes also serve a respiratory
and feeding function in some species (gas exchange and trapping aerial
plankton - or unwary larger animals).
	Steam sponges are based in nutrient rich areas. Producer 
density is very high, with loss of the floor-mid-levels-canopy
differentiation of the steam forest. (a banyan tree with a higher 
density of trunks?).
	Steam reefs are similar to coral reefs, dominated by short
area producers and a diverse range of 'aerial plankton'.
	Steam caves are an oddity. Based in low valleys, sink holes and
cavern systems, the humidity levels are so high that the walls are 
covered with vibrant communities of producers and consumers, the latter
often building slime towers or webs into the central space.
	The closest terrestrial equivalent might be a sewer pipe or an
animal gut.
	Very large animals are found only in the oceans. On land, no
consumers bigger than a kilogram have been found ; insect-like forms
dominate.
	The Viji are the intelligent natives of Zeta 2. Their
ancestors were creatures similar to the bees or wasps of Earth. 'Each'
Viji is actually a hive made up of millions of tiny (0.1g) winged
insect-like creatures that communicate to each other with a 
combination of pheromones and weak electric currents.
	Each creature retains some small part of the knowledge and memories of
the whole. Viji live either in underground burrows, steam caves, or in
the surface parts of the larger conoids.
	Reproduction is hormonally regulated by a caste of 'controllers'
which ensures that the hive has enough members to maintain
sentience. New Viji are formed either by parthenogenesis or 'sexually'
by coalescence of swarms.
	The entire 'hive' takes flight every few days, gathering plant
and animal matter on which to feed. 
	It has been estimated that only a few thousand Viji exist,
their technological advancement limited to the hunter-gatherer
stage. (There is no evidence of large communities or agricultural
activity on Zeta 2).
	Considerable interest in the Viji has been expressed by the
financiers of the Railen Institute, given their suitability to certain
hostile environment surveying applications and mesoscale device
fabrication.
	The system is currently [as of 1116] being reviewed by the IISS with a
view to Red Zoning it to protect these peculiar sophonts.

Constructive criticism welcome.

Robert O'Connor
Medico, Gamer

------------------------------

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #964
**********************************

To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:

unsubscribe traveller-digest

in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.imagiconline.com".
If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is
coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that
address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe
"local-traveller":

subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net

A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to
subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"
in the commands above with "traveller".

Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com
