Spacer Superstitions and other Quaint Customs
- Thread starter BRover
- Start date
Niven's Known Space had a similarly unsettling response to hyperspace, IIRC--only if you looked at it, you saw nothing. That is, your visual cortex in the brain shut down, and you got "trapped" until someone came along and moved you so some "normal" space was in your visual field, and you could see again.
She added the "h", IIRC, at her editor's suggestion, because in those days female science fiction authors were not the thing--and one named ""Cherry" would have been the kiss of death. Hence also going by her initials CJ to disguise her gender.
Leigh Bracket had the advantage of a first name not obviously female--but "Carolyn Janice Cherry" was a give-away. Wikipedia:
"Cherryh (pronounced 'Cherry') appended a silent 'h' to her real name because her first editor, Donald A. Wollheim, felt that 'Cherry' sounded too much like a romance writer. She used only her initials, C.J., to disguise that she was female at a time when the majority of science fiction authors were male."
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Another take on "Jump dimming" is similar to modern air-conditioned autos: when the accelerator is pushed, the air conditioning is cut out for a few minutes to give more power for accelerating the car. Most often, the cut out is so brief that the cooling is basically not affected.
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JMiskimen
SOC-6
I, too, have also adopted Niven's view of hyper/jump space, with some alterations.
There is some evidence of when viewing the apex of jumpspace, mental destabilization can occur, causing mental traumas or 'Space Madness'. This 'madness' covers illnesses across the board, however does seem to lean heavily toward psychopathic behavior. It is for this reason, all viewscreens and portholes/windows are deactivated or closed on many vessels during jump procedures.
Interestingly, a Travelling sect of Buddhist Monks find tranquility while gazing into the apex. They often trade their services for travel, which are greatly prized among spacers for their efficiency (and you don't have to pay them, said the grizzled old Merchant Captain ...) The only stipulation the Monks request is time to meditate before an open porthole during Jump.
It is also said that Zhodani are immune to the maddening effects of jumpspace; which begs the question is there a correlational between the meditative practices of the Monks and Psionics ability ...
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
My wife's '99 CR-V, approaching 300K miles: going up hills we turn off the AC to help. Better than my '91 MR-2: no A/C for the last 15+ years. but hey, it does have t-tops!
interestingly my mother-in-law's BMW actually turns off when you come to a complete stop, then restarts when you press the accellerator. It was disconcerting until I got used to it though you barely notice.
edit: forgot to post in MTU all ship captain's do the dimming thing, as well as the first meal of the jump is a very special occasion. For passengers/crew for their first jump, I've yet to come up with anything but I think that is my next evolution after reading this thread.
BRJN
SOC-12
Dedicated passenger liners have Game Night about two-thirds of the way through the trip. (About the time for children to get bored and start wandering around the ship looking for excitement.) The stewards have games like Sorry, Uno, Old Maid, &c (Monopoly for the older minors) that give an excuse to meet other passengers and spend time interacting with live people.
When possible crew-led games arrange for every child to win once. So they have something to be happy and excited about.
When possible crew-led games arrange for every child to win once. So they have something to be happy and excited about.
Only Buddhist monks? There are plenty of other monastic traditions running around. Many seem to have developed in the 5th Cent. BCE or thereabouts, for some reason . . .
What, no Cards Against Humaniti?
BackworldTraveller
SOC-13
Isn't that a K'kree game?
Monopoly must be one of Vland's favorites!
Uno...played by Grandfather?
Sorry - a game not played by the Imperial Family.
Old Maid - Ditto
JMiskimen
SOC-6
Sure; but these Monks are Buddhists.
Awww.I was hoping for some Cestus Dei-type monastic-crewed starship-abbeys.
More likely to see Opus Dei than Cestus Dei.
Or something modeled on SF orgs:
- The Order of St. Possenti (Rolf Nelson): Helping war veterans process their experiences and reintegrate with their family and community
- The Universal Brotherhood (E.C. Tubb): I'm twenty books in, and I'm convinced there's more under the bland UU surface...
One could always import some of the more interesting little tricks played on new crew in the Navy, like having someone go for a bucket of steam, or have him ask the engineer for an ID-10-T form.
MThompson016
SOC-12
3 meters of center line!
Otherwise, you would have sometype of ceremonies, like Crossing the Line, based on where you've gone, or what you've done.
The Deep Void for instance, for those who have completed deep space jumps.
Otherwise, you would have sometype of ceremonies, like Crossing the Line, based on where you've gone, or what you've done.
The Deep Void for instance, for those who have completed deep space jumps.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
That's why you install a doorbell camera.