Pickings from the Khitty Litter - USS Khitomer

[+ Talia Ohnari]

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Dewitt: =/\= Ship’s systems are coming online… I don’t know how… or why…. It can’t just be our generator… =/\=

[Randal Shayne]

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Smiling, Talia had a bit of pride blossom through her. Her fellow doctor was such a good bean. 

Aw. 

[Randal Shayne]

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In that case, he might have the misfortune of losing consciousness.

Instead, he had the misfortune of keeping it.

Funny, biting and horrifying all at once- nicely done @Nolen Hobart.

[Randal Shayne]

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Michaels: Captain, Ensign Semara has raised a valid point. Have we considered why Eridani is attacking us? Have we done something to provoke an attack? Consider the problem from the other side. What would our response be if a ship of a design that we did not recognize came alongside and sent a boarding team onto our ship? Suppose that boarding team, though initially benign, forced their way into our engineering compartments and began to make alterations there. What would we assume was happening? A rescue mission even though we did not think we needed rescuing? An attack? I suspect that our response would be more along the lines of defending ourselves than simply watching to see what the invaders managed to do. Perhaps Eridani is simply defending itself. To Ensign Semara's point more directly, have we tried communicating with Eridani? It would cost us nothing. At worst, we would be ignored. At best, we might gain valuable information about what is happening.

Shayne: Response?

Lera turned back to Semara.

Michaels: On second thought, I will try a few of your ultraberries.

This is a great snippet- inventive dialogue and delightful characterization. Awesome stuff, Stephen! 

[Nolen Hobart]

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Matthews: So ready to get out of here before the ship goes zoom again. This has me jumpier than a virgin at a prison rodeo..

I... am not sure this is a real saying, but I'll be damned if it doesn't work.

[Richard Matthews]

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“....Act now and three easy payments of Nine ninety Nine and included in your order we’ll include a third set of…..”

Like, I laughed after cause it's funny, and cause it put me in the mind of Mike the TV. If you know, you know. But upon first read when the mind made the connection, and with the ship seeming a little crazy. I just read this as an allusion to Hexadecimal and was like. Oh shoot we are in trouble. 

But then I just started laughing again. 

[Randal Shayne]

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 He imagined at times, when Vanta was having a bout of vertigo or the ship shifted at a bad time, they looked not unlike a newborn Glowgrazer calf walking on its limbs for the first time.

Having just finished Dune (oy, what a homophobic but fascinating slog) I find myself appreciating worldbuilding references to the universe that may never be mentioned or contextualized again. Shawn has always done such a good job of this- he's taken the Kressari from background scene filler to fleshed out civilization, and it's through little snippets like these that he makes the world, its people and his character in particular take on a life of their own. Great stuff, Shawn. 

[Randal Shayne]

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One officer lay on their back near the top of the pile, their head craned awkwardly upward eyes wide and glassy. The expression etched on their face wasn’t horror, it was something worse: resignation.

Now that is disturbingly evocative. Well done again, Shawn! 

[Richard Matthews]

8 hours ago, Randal Shayne said:

Having just finished Dune (oy, what a homophobic but fascinating slog) I find myself appreciating worldbuilding references to the universe that may never be mentioned or contextualized again. Shawn has always done such a good job of this- he's taken the Kressari from background scene filler to fleshed out civilization, and it's through little snippets like these that he makes the world, its people and his character in particular take on a life of their own. Great stuff, Shawn. 

It's inspiring right? Like, seeing a writer getting into not just their character's backstory. But getting to do a little world building and lore building. Who else sees this and kind of wants to get a character from an obscure race to do this sort of stuff with? I'm eyeing those dinosaur officers now more and more. 

[+ Talia Ohnari]

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Shayne: True- but holograms glow under electromagnetic scans like a Risian mattress under a blacklight. 

[Richard Matthews]

On 12/26/2024 at 4:41 PM, Talia Ohnari said:

Not the same show - but an old cartoon reference with holograms has got me thinking. Hmmm. HMMMMMM It's showtime Kitty! That's all I'm saying. Muhahahaaha

[Nolen Hobart]

I love the visuals of this analogy by @Randal Shayne:

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The idea of permitting an alien entity to puppet around a dead starship like a hermit crab carrying a bottle cap struck Shayne in an ugly way, but Semara was right- they could wipe her transceiver code, set up buoys as needed, until the life form found a new home.