Transhuman Traveller

[kafka47]

Going through TS, I am struck my how much this conforms with my (heretical) idea of the Solomani Sphere.

Think about it, the part of humaniti that believes strongly in racial purity is also the one that is most active in genetic engineering. Not so much to perfect or purify the race but to uplift and go forth into the Stars.

There is the elements of bigotry and ignorance in the Sphere, regarding what is meant by sentience and therefore the right to rule. But, there are also more liberal elements. Just like in TS, there is the tension between posthuman and human.

Solomani take to space and transform habitats into more Earth-like, whereas the Vilani take what is usable for their Empire and the Zhodani coexist with other sentients. Duncanites are alive and well, living in the Sphere. So clearly the Solomani are just their genetic decendants, afterall did not the Duncanites endorse use of clones. Just as the Solomani did to fight in the Interstellar War...

Also the tendency to exist a confederation rather than an Interstellar Empire is very much in tune with the continued balkanization of Terra that is present in TS. Solomani and Humans in TS really do not unite into monolithic blocs rather there exists a plurality of memes or civilizations under one rubric...

The integration of machine intelligences are present throughout Traveller but never fully discussed, save, for the Solomani reaction...SSM. Yes, this is where you say that Traveller and TS diverge. But, remember that in TS, AIs are contested territories. Some believe in accepting them...others do not. Clearly, by the founding of the SSM, the battle in the sphere has been resurected...

And, sure there is no Jump Drive in TS, yet...

Did anyone also catch that reference to humans living on 61 Virginis. Can anyone plot that onto the Traveller star map...I think you will find the Vilani have a presence... Or is it the racial memory of the Ancients abduction in prehistoric times...

TS also assumes that the future will be more individualism and less collectivism. Directly, in conforming with the notions of Solomani Liberty and Freedom...

So I ask you why not make TS the true basis of M2100?

Traveller is certainly filled with paradoxes and stranger things have been more than happenstance.

 

[EvilDrGanymede]

It's not on Chris Thrash's near star list... I think it's about 27 lightyears away, or about 8 or 9 parsec-sized hexes. It's a G5 V star very similar to the Sun, so it should be fairly noticeable (he says, knowing that several other obvious G-type stars near us aren't on the Traveller star map).

OK, let's see... checking
http://www.stellar-database.com/Scripts/search_star.exe?Name=61+Virginis

Handily, this gives galactic co-ordinates for the star, that can easily be related to spinward, rimward etc directions.

61 Vir is at galactic co-ords of 13.62, -14.77, 19.22, which means 13.62 ly to coreward, 14.77 ly to trailing, and 19.22 ly above the galactic plane relative to Sol. So (ignoring the z-axis) that puts it at 4 hexes coreward and 5 hexes trailing of Sol, at 2323 Solomani Rim. Which happens to be bang on Mukhaldim (Sol Subsector 2323 - B533413C Po Ni, owned by Ember for some reason, although Captive Government isn't listed). If you want the z-axis too, you have to go 6 hexes UP out of the page from there too.

So it could well be there in CT Canon anyway. IIRC it'd be right on the rimward border of the Ziru Sirka (I figured out where the border was for some discussion on the Interstellar Wars JTAS board).

 

[Solo]

Completely agree with you. In the campaign I'm presently running set just after the Interstellar Wars in the Solomani Rim I'm using a lot of TS to inspire background. The only thing of significance I'm writing out is AI, not because it can't be done but because Religous pressures in my TU have put it on the outside. But that doesn't mean they don't exist or that no one is trying...



-S.

 

[kafka47]

And, one more thing...Pluto is quantined in both games... Could it be that Shezbeth object is something more than a mini-Black Hole...

Let the Traveller-TS meme conspiracy begin...

 

[EvilDrGanymede]

Originally posted by kafka47:
And, one more thing...Pluto is quantined in both games... Could it be that Shezbeth object is something more than a mini-Black Hole...

Let the Traveller-TS meme conspiracy begin...

Slight correction: Pluto isn't quarantined in TS "canon" - at least not deliberately. It's just generally a bit too far out there for anyone to bother doing anything with.