Playing with Aliens

Liv, could you make the More Scenes thread sticky? I can't seem to do that.

Done


New scene is of the nifty

Show of hands, who knew Cowboy was Colton?

Well we've all been reading the background stuff so yeah it was kind of obvious to me.

If I were to edit in a flashback, this would probably be the place to do it.

Gideon Shaw wrote:

Show of hands, who knew Cowboy was Colton?

That was my suspicion as well.

Gideon Shaw wrote:

“Well, you were involved in a rather traumatic even, first of all,” Gaal explained.

A traumatic even? That's kind of odd.

I would like to point out the decided lack of posts.

Agreed. These things don't write themselves, you know.

And as I told Steven, I loaned his book to a friend, and she a) loved it, and b) wanted more. So when the Terran Legion story/stories are done, people are clamoring for more Southern Magic.

Well, I didn't like what was there. Now, I've started something that should be better, that fits to my strong suits a bit more. So, read it and tell me what you think.

I have already said I like the 100 level scenes and I think it works just fine with what you were already writing. I think you can make good use of the 001 level scenes as flashbacks to explain how he became a legionnaire and who his buddies are. I don't think they'll even require much in the way of tweaking. You might want to chill out on the crush with the hot latina girl in the 001 level unless you want to explain what happened to her. Particularly since I get the feeling (because I know you and you always manage this) you will have Colt getting pretty close/friendly/friendlier with the Murphy/Beckett alike.

Also just my advice, but don't wast the characters you worked hard to create for the 0001 level scenes. They are interesting and likable. I was looking forward to seeing how they all adjusted to the life of a super soldier mercenary.

I get Beckett, but who's Murphy? I'm thinking RoboCop.

I like the new scene - though I certainly didn't dislike the previous iteration.

There was a Star Trek novel a while back called Spock's World. In it, the odd numbered chapters centered around Kirk and company trying to prevent Vulcan from seceding from the Federation. The even chapters gave a history of the planet, from the stone age proto-Vulcans up to Sarek and Amanda getting married and having Spock.

I liked the way the author (Diane Duane) did that, gradually giving you all the back story, while telling the main tale at the same time. Perhaps that format could be put to use here...

I may have the character name wing I was thinking of the cop friend from the Dresden files.

Oh! THAT Murphy!! I knew it was familiar, but it just wouldn't click.

Ok. Good. You had me convinced thatI had the name wrong.

Nope. This time the stupid was all mine. Good analogies, though. Got a feeling, though, after tomorrow night, you'll be able to add another female detective to the list. The CW 9pm, 10/11/12.

Enlisted Ranks
E-1 - Recruit/Legionnaire
E-2 - Legionnaire
E-3 - Legionnaire, First Class
E-4 - Corporal
E-5 - Sergeant
E-6 - Staff Sergeant
E-7 - First Sergeant
E-8 - Master Sergeant
E-9 - Sergeant Major

Officer Ranks
O-01 - Ensign*
O-02 - Lieutenant*
O-03 - Captain*
O-04 - Major*
O-05 - Commander*
O-06 - Colonel*
O-07 - Brigadier**
O-08 - General***
O-09 - Marshal***
O-10 - Legate General

*-All Myrmidon officers use the title "Centurion" no matter what their actual grade. So, a Myrmidon Ensign and a Myrmidon Commander would both be called "Centurion". Each Centurion wears the proper insignia of his actual rank when in "garrison" utilities or any level of dress uniform. In field operations, Myrmidons don't use any kind of rank insignia.

**-Myrmidons who achieve Brigadier rank carry the title "Tribune".

***-Myrmidons who achieve rank higher than Brigadier carry the title "Legate".

Works for me.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Technically, this is a concept drawing for a banth (Martian lion) from the John Carter movie, but it's shockingly close to the way I described the sleipnir canid.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

These primeval mustelids (ancestors of modern weasels, skunks, & ferrets) also contributed to Woola's appearance in my mind, especially the coloring of the lower one.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

And this proto-mammalian dinosaur is where I started imagining the sleipnir canid.

Sleipnir canid just takes what it wants...

I think wild sleipnir canids would be along the lines of packs of honey badgers.

The Ergrahthah, like humans, are made of many nations. The Makers managed to rescue representatives of fourteen different Ergrahthah nations (four major, ten minor).

The major nations are:

• Altwahneh

• Lwroosh

• Rytella

• Zog

The minor nations are:

• Binustri

• Gonnora

• Kym

• Leetoo

• Legrah

• Rimsun

• Shootlaw

• Traz

• Wael

• Zhihn

The most commonly spoken language among the Ergrahthah is Rytellan (or Rytellahk). It is the native language of six of the ten minor nations, all born as colonies of Rytella.

The ancient holy language Bistuti originated in Binustri, the holy land of Ergrahthah Goddess worshippers.

Some Rytellahk words that might pop up in conversation among Legionnaires who spend a great deal of time around Ergrahthah.

Bah - typically translated into English as "parent", modified by a suffix which indicates the parent's gender. The plural form is "bahdehn."

Ohbah - term of respect and affection for an omale parent. Typically translated as "father" or "other father" in English
Leybah - term of respect and affection for a female parent. Typically translated as "mother" in English.
Choobah - term of respect and affection for a male parent. Typically translated as "father" in English.

Doonah - indicates a grandparent. For example "doonah ohbah" would be an omale grandparent. The prefix "ibi" is added to indicate a great grandparent. For example "ibidoonah leybah" would be a great grandmother.

Nah - respectful/affectionate term for the siblings of one's parents or an older, respected cousin. Aunts and uncles get the same gender-related prefix as parents. Older cousins are addressed in the same manner with the added suffix of "chan" to indicate that they are cousins, as opposed to parental siblings. "Dehn" is added as an immediate suffix to indicate the plural (i.e. "nahdehn" is a group of related adults, "choonahdehnchan" is a group of cousin uncles).

Ohnah/ohnahchan - omale "uncle"
Leynah/leynahchan - female "aunt"
Choonah/Choonahchan - male "uncle"

Rahm - one's sibling. Plural "rahmdehn"

Ohrahm - omale "brother"
Leyrahm - female "sister"
Choorahm - male "brother"

Chan - the offspring of a parent's siblings, one's cousins. Plural "chandehn". Typically refers to cousins of one's own age or younger. Older pre-adult cousins also fall into this category. Adult cousins who fill a similar role as an aunt or uncle are addressed as "nahchan"

Ohchan - omale cousin
Leychan - female cousin
Choochan - male cousin

Zhaxhye nah - typically translated into English as "godparent" but can also be translated as "honorary uncle" or "honorary aunt". The zhaxhye nah is an unrelated adult who is considered a member of the immediate family. This is a Rytellan tradition that is popular throughout Ergrahthah culture. The zhaxhye nah has actual responsibilities within the family. He or she is expected to help the parents raise the children, to act as a teacher or guide to the young. In practice this "honorary uncle" is an adult that a child can turn to for advise or assistance when doing so with one's parents might prove embarrassing. The zhaxhye nah is often addressed as a nahchan (respected adult cousin).

The human members of the Terran Legion have adopted this tradition, too. Typically, the zhaxhye nah is a fellow Legionnaire or several different Legionnaires who have accepted responsibility for a comrade's dependents while that comrade is on active operations or stationed away from home for an extended period of time. Fostering one's dependents with a Legion-allied, non-Legion family is an extension of this tradition. The unofficial motto of the Terran Legion has been stated to be "we take care of our own."

102, early on

Quote :

The Persian sergeant returned in a minute with Spanish corporal

Needs to be some sort of article there. The, a, that, or something.

still reading 103

Take your time, Pat. Black Angus Thackery is taking all of mine this week.