“What, you think the Starcaster is only useful for shooting laser beams? It is literally a terraforming tool, AND can synthesise anything you can imagine from stardust.”
Maybe it can do all this miracle stuff with a mind-reading user interface. But there’s a long way from refining pure silicon out of a heap of sand with lots of impurities, sputter it with individual atoms of other type in a controlled fashion, then carve transistors into the layered material in the nanometer range, and assemble the resultin microprocessors into, say, a missing wing assembly on your ship with countless other complicated-to-make components while not being an expert in material science, aerospace engineering, etc. A miracle 3D printer with access to a virtually unlimited energy source ist only as… Read more »
as low as the stakes have been. I dont know about Mimions or cyborgs, but Cort could probably last at least a month without food. Water can be recycled to a degree onboard the ship, so its got to get desperately low before its becomes a real problem.
I think this particular starcaster’s previous owner was proof that it can’t just make food.
I suppose it is possible he died of old age or whatnot; who knows how long he was holed up in that temple… but it certainly seems unlikely.
Unless Speck extretes his acid, his buttcheeks alone will do the job of disposing waste! You may not like it but this is what peak efficiency looks like.
Nivium-weave TP? And here I thought leaves in the woods were rough.
(Actually agree that he probably dissolves it. Although I am confused what he even has going on internally…. his skin melts things, but why doesn’t he melt his own insides, beyond there not being a story if he did?)
The hag fish can absorb nutrients through its skin. Perhaps there is something similar going on here. Like a fly/eel. The acid liquifies the materials and the skin absorbs the good leaving the bad.
Speck dissolves stone and most metals nearly instantly, which is quite a bit more intense than slowly digesting something to break it down and absorb the nutrients.
Maybe we’ll get a montage of him grinding experience on some local fauna.
tiamattt
4 years ago
Meanwhile on Quel’s ship… Ensign: Sir, I…I think I did it! I think I found out where they are! 2nd in command: Great work ensign, we’ll jump right over once the Marshal gets back. Now show me their location. Ensign: Here sir. (points to a star chart exactly where our heroes jumped to) 2nd: ……Are you sure that’s the right location ensign? Ensign: Um…yes? Maybe? Is something wrong sir? 2nd: It’s a totally uninhabited area of space, if they go out there they’ll soon run out of supplies & starve to death. There’s no way anyone would go out there,… Read more »
Johnny 5
4 years ago
Welcome to Kharak.
Javada
4 years ago
Pretty sure there is an abandoned research facility or at least an Indian Jones-esque camp site you can “crash” at.
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“What, you think the Starcaster is only useful for shooting laser beams? It is literally a terraforming tool, AND can synthesise anything you can imagine from stardust.”
Maybe it can do all this miracle stuff with a mind-reading user interface. But there’s a long way from refining pure silicon out of a heap of sand with lots of impurities, sputter it with individual atoms of other type in a controlled fashion, then carve transistors into the layered material in the nanometer range, and assemble the resultin microprocessors into, say, a missing wing assembly on your ship with countless other complicated-to-make components while not being an expert in material science, aerospace engineering, etc. A miracle 3D printer with access to a virtually unlimited energy source ist only as… Read more »
Thats a good point, this would be a good chance for a low stakes attempt at learning how to control it. And maybe it leading them to an Aug temple.
I’m not sure about the stakes being low if they’re running out of food, water and fuel.
as low as the stakes have been. I dont know about Mimions or cyborgs, but Cort could probably last at least a month without food. Water can be recycled to a degree onboard the ship, so its got to get desperately low before its becomes a real problem.
Yeah, I imagine the food for most sentient beings tends to be other living beings such as plants or animals.
As for making resources, I could sees the Starcaster being able to make some raw material, even water, with a source of energy.
Of course the planet may not be barren and may have life on it so there could be a food source there.
I think this particular starcaster’s previous owner was proof that it can’t just make food.
I suppose it is possible he died of old age or whatnot; who knows how long he was holed up in that temple… but it certainly seems unlikely.
Well according to previous chapters – he was in there for about a century.
https://cad-comic.com/comic/the-starcaster-chronicles-05-11/
And also “limited rations”. That planet was also still pretty hostile, no terraformed little oasis.
Right; I meant before he died.
…toilet paper
Hmm I wonder what sort of toilet paper Speck could even use…
Unless Speck extretes his acid, his buttcheeks alone will do the job of disposing waste! You may not like it but this is what peak efficiency looks like.
Would he even need toilet paper? Any residue would be dissolved by the acid.
Nivium-weave TP? And here I thought leaves in the woods were rough.
(Actually agree that he probably dissolves it. Although I am confused what he even has going on internally…. his skin melts things, but why doesn’t he melt his own insides, beyond there not being a story if he did?)
The hag fish can absorb nutrients through its skin. Perhaps there is something similar going on here. Like a fly/eel. The acid liquifies the materials and the skin absorbs the good leaving the bad.
Our stomach (+ intestines) is able to dissolve meat.
Speck dissolves stone and most metals nearly instantly, which is quite a bit more intense than slowly digesting something to break it down and absorb the nutrients.
same reason a poison dart frog can’t
Stomach acid doesn’t hurt the stomach because it’s coated with snot; Speck most likely has a similar chemical composition for his skin and fur.
Anyone else wondering why a robot body needs a bandage on a severed arm?
It’s not a bandage, it’s a wrap. To contain the loose, severed wires and other bits.
“Whoops”
Rumor has it it used to be a nice planet, but then something happened and all that is left on the surface are these massive tarantulas…
I heard some weirdos will buy them, but only for some weird currency. Belts, maybe?
Or a bunch of barbarians who kill anyone foreign
You know there’s killer aliens………
Maybe we’ll get a montage of him grinding experience on some local fauna.
Meanwhile on Quel’s ship… Ensign: Sir, I…I think I did it! I think I found out where they are! 2nd in command: Great work ensign, we’ll jump right over once the Marshal gets back. Now show me their location. Ensign: Here sir. (points to a star chart exactly where our heroes jumped to) 2nd: ……Are you sure that’s the right location ensign? Ensign: Um…yes? Maybe? Is something wrong sir? 2nd: It’s a totally uninhabited area of space, if they go out there they’ll soon run out of supplies & starve to death. There’s no way anyone would go out there,… Read more »
Welcome to Kharak.
Pretty sure there is an abandoned research facility or at least an Indian Jones-esque camp site you can “crash” at.
Given the state of their ship, the “crash” might be literal
Not sure why, but I always imagine Speck sounding like Rocket Raccoon from the MCU.