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24

The Starcaster Chronicles 07.20

May 6, 2020 by Tim


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JanTuts
JanTuts
4 years ago

“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.”

Uhhhh, it's complicated
Uhhhh, it's complicated
4 years ago
Reply to  JanTuts

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 »

John Swift
John Swift
4 years ago
Reply to  JanTuts

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.

Kaitensatsuma
Kaitensatsuma
4 years ago
Reply to  John Swift

I’m not sure about the stakes being low if they’re running out of food, water and fuel.

Karrde
Karrde
4 years ago
Reply to  Kaitensatsuma

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.

Urazz
Urazz
4 years ago
Reply to  Karrde

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.

ChargersFan
ChargersFan
4 years ago
Reply to  JanTuts

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.

Pajuka
Pajuka
4 years ago
Reply to  ChargersFan

Well according to previous chapters – he was in there for about a century.

Shecky
Shecky
4 years ago
Reply to  Pajuka

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.

ChargersFan
ChargersFan
4 years ago
Reply to  Pajuka

Right; I meant before he died.

Lt. Kettch
Lt. Kettch
4 years ago

…toilet paper

Ian Nicholls
Ian Nicholls
4 years ago
Reply to  Lt. Kettch

Hmm I wonder what sort of toilet paper Speck could even use…

teawatermelon
teawatermelon
4 years ago
Reply to  Ian Nicholls

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.

Aeneas
Aeneas
4 years ago
Reply to  Ian Nicholls

Would he even need toilet paper? Any residue would be dissolved by the acid.

Steve
Steve
4 years ago
Reply to  Ian Nicholls

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?)

GarlynSav
GarlynSav
4 years ago
Reply to  Steve

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.

7eggert
7eggert
4 years ago
Reply to  Steve

Our stomach (+ intestines) is able to dissolve meat.

Steve
Steve
4 years ago
Reply to  7eggert

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.

Hahlp
Hahlp
4 years ago
Reply to  Steve

same reason a poison dart frog can’t

Michael
Michael
4 years ago
Reply to  Steve

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.

Clayton
Clayton
4 years ago

Anyone else wondering why a robot body needs a bandage on a severed arm?

Kaitensatsuma
Kaitensatsuma
4 years ago

“Whoops”

Shecky
Shecky
4 years ago

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…

Halosty
Halosty
4 years ago
Reply to  Shecky

I heard some weirdos will buy them, but only for some weird currency. Belts, maybe?

Leon
Leon
4 years ago
Reply to  Shecky

Or a bunch of barbarians who kill anyone foreign

Leon
Leon
4 years ago

You know there’s killer aliens………

ChargersFan
ChargersFan
4 years ago
Reply to  Leon

Maybe we’ll get a montage of him grinding experience on some local fauna.

tiamattt
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
Johnny 5
4 years ago

Welcome to Kharak.

Javada
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.

Pajuka
Pajuka
4 years ago
Reply to  Javada

Given the state of their ship, the “crash” might be literal

Alex
Alex
4 years ago

Not sure why, but I always imagine Speck sounding like Rocket Raccoon from the MCU.