I think the absolute best course of action Cort has here is to negotiate he will train under La’Ni to help the federation fire starcaster blasts at the Dranglex.
There was a lot of talk over all these issues about how if he goes with the Federation they’re going to want the starcaster.
His best plan is to create a scenario where they get use of the starcaster without disconnecting his living body from it.
I think it’s a huge “we don’t know” seeing as how they’re lost tech from a highly advanced precursor race, but everyone in universe seems to be treating them as mostly potentially equal.
Hell, they might not have even unlocked their final total potential
As the starcasters are originally made for terraforming, it is safe to say they are not used to the full potential. The power to destroy a planet is of course powerful, but to be able to terraform barren planets has a much higher and flexible potential.
On a separate note, with the power of a star in hand that can destroy or terraform a planet, you can probably do much more if you knew what you were doing. Create heavy elements, change bonds, power machinery… the true unlocked power is creation and adaptation, not destruction.
Probably mostly down to the user, along the lines of a gun being more efficient in the hands of a trained sniper versus a random layman. We know La’Ni is more experienced and thus was able to detect Cort’s usage of the starcaster.
They’re tied to specific stars, right? That suggests that there’s a hard cap for how much power each caster can draw down based on what kind of fusion cycle the host star is currently running. Under normal circumstances I have to imagine that it would be hard to ever reach that cap, but for something like fragmenting a planet… that requires a deceptively large amount of energy. I believe roughly equivalent to a week of our own sun’s typical output. So the only way for a starcaster to break up a planet over a period of seconds or minutes, as… Read more »
Got what you wished for, baby
9 months ago
…after all, you wanted to deliver the Starcaster to the Federation.
Stephen
9 months ago
She has a point, even if she’s now way too paranoid for comfort, but what are the alternatives for Cort? Keep on running? That just isn’t going to work now Blow things up and try to escape? I really, really doubt he has enough control to make an escape without risking sucking vacuum even if he would want to kill his fellow citizens and former colleagues The Federation didn’t chop off the Lance Major’s arm despite her being a refugee armed with a superweapon So how are they more likely to treat a citizen more harshly than a war refugee?… Read more »
When Cort asked how many died, all depressed like, I really thought he would be the one suggesting that maybe they should actually help them out, you know for the greater good. He still might. Then she comes out, completely stone cold, like she doesn’t care how many people die.
You’re right. Also consider the adjustment period. The federation might have people trained and ready to take up a starcaster just in case one is found/a wielder dies, but it clearly takes time to get used to it, let alone wield it. It looks like someone can go crazy while bonding to a starcaster even. Cort now has already a rudimentary ability to control it, and js past the initial adjustment period. It is in the Federation’s best interest to forgive any previous transgressions and give him a rich life without wanting, in return of hard training and use of… Read more »
Barmem
9 months ago
To be fair that other starcaster girl can probably track them down anyway like she just did.
Shouldn’t she be able to track down the Dranglaxe Starcaster then? If they Fed’s already have two, and a user who can track them, well, 2v1 and they only need one hit to kill the Prince…
First of all, she can only sense a Starcaster if she’s close enough to sense the power being drawn from a nearby sun when it’s activated. She was IN the same system as Cort when he flared up. If she’s in the same system as the Dranglaex when they use their Starcaster, chances are they’re already aware of it anyway. Second, even if she could sense it from a distance, what good would that be? The Dranglaex jumped into a system, fired the Starcaster for probably a minute or two, and then left. It’d be like hearing a gunshot in… Read more »
So the ability to sense a Starcaster is limited to being in the same system? That’s very interesting and good to know, it wasn’t mentioned before but I can understand how it works now. Up till now we all just thought the people with the Starcasters was able to sense each other through the device, BUT if it is a matter of being able to sense not the device but simply power being drawn from a start that makes far more sense, though it also raises some other questions and possibilities. For example does this mean they could sense if… Read more »
As far as sensing if a star is about to nova, it depends on how quickly that energy change happens. The gradual change in energy as a star burns its fuel would be so slow and gradual, you wouldn’t be able to notice it. The supernova of a collapsing star might happen so quickly you wouldn’t have time to react.
I can’t believe I never saw that page before O.o then again 2021 was kinda….kinda a bad year with a lot of stuff going on… I’ll need to do an archive dive now to see what else I missed lol
A star going supernova happens when the star starts to burn iron. At least the imminent danger should be obvious due to silicon being burned (hours to days early).
White dwarfs suddenly going supernova are different, they just collapse.
I don’t know what sense of scale you’re applying for distances, in this story. And of course, the story’s needs are above any realism. You haven’t detailed the scales so far, and I think that’s for the better in multiple ways. This is not meant as a scientific essay or even “hard sci-fi,” after all. (So far, you’ve established that starcaster-sensing range is pretty small on an interstellar scale. And that makes a lot of sense, since space is so BIG.) I highly suspect a supernova is very likely to happen, eventually. Unless voters change that, I assume that’s one… Read more »
Same, it’s like getting to sit in on a AMA with Okuda at a Star Trek convention ^^
7eggert
9 months ago
They do have a starcaster within reach so you need to make them see an easy way to get some use from it before they find an easy-enough way to reach the goal
Doesn’t matter, when it comes to war and this kind of situation the higher ups in any government require absolute control over every asset. It’s not enough to have someone willing to help, it has to be someone *they* approve and pick, even if that person is less qualified all that matters is the illusion of power and control.
They need to be using the sergeant-in-motion rule before the next level starts throwing sticks. The next higher rank needs to be told “They are already on a mission! Sorry we can’t reach them!”
Anything done by a committee (and that often applies in modern militaries), there’s a lot more going on than just tactical thinking or even strategic thinking, there’s many other factors in play. And egos sometimes. And alliances. And enemy-of-my-enemy and geopolitics and on it goes…
Lily
9 months ago
I like how her first reaction to hearing 400,000 innocent people died by the hands of her most hated enemy is, “Oh hell no, they better not ask us to help them.”
It seems like a cold reaction but when you think about what will happen next.. Federation manoeuvres them into fighting in the war because they won’t let the starcaster out of their sights and suddenly they’re responsible for the next 400k deaths. She can’t change the war but she can both prevent more deaths whilst fulfilling her task of being responsible for that starcaster.
There’s also self preservation at stake here, how exactly does the Federation plan on bringing their starcaster into the fold.. they don’t necessarily need Cort and team attached to it..
Still, if you want someone to be willing to help, you don’t throw them in jail, you put them up in the Presidential Suite with full minibar access. Honey vs vinegar.
They are stupid if they think this is about security. As noted in the comic he can cut his way right out of this cell (and frankly destroy the ship with a thought if he’s feeling suicidal) Speck can do it as well. This is about establishing dominance over him. They want to know if he will respect their authority. Frankly its an understandable position. He’s one of the 4 known most powerful things in the universe, but I tend to agree with the OP, it would be better to give him a uniform and a room next to Dani’s.… Read more »
They are giving him a chance if he breaks out and runs the next time it will be kill first sort it after. But they still want to keep eyes on him until something occurs.
I would agree in principle. But there are two factors to consider. The rulers have a twisted view of events. Not because they are necessarily evil. But because military officers decided to disobey orders and follow their gut. To forcibly arrest Cort instead of keep an eye on him and let Quel talk to him peacefully. The report back to them was that Cort got violent. With the evidence they have been given they have a right to disbelieve he is a safe choice to let hold onto a super weapon capable of breaking planets. Now if plan one out… Read more »
They tried honey at first, but Cort ran every time there was an attempt diplomacy. That’s why they’re currently on vinegar.
Obviously friendly approaches are more useful if someone is willing to help, but so far Cort has given them every indication that he’s not willing to help, and not even willing to discuss the possibility. For all the Federation knows Cort’s only here because La’Ni happened to catch him, not because he changed his mind about (not) running away.
I think Nyrah’s worry isn’t that they will press gang Cort into helping, it’s that they’ll have La’Ni disconnect Cort’s head faster than he can blink and sequester the starcaster for themselves.
It has been theorized in universe that the Aug used them to do their feats of galactic engineering, they were responsible for populating the galaxy with humanoids (which is why they all somewhat share biological characteristics like breathing and eating mostly the same chemicals.
I personally think there’s a commentary there that the starcasters are tools that could unlock a golden age of technology and advancement, but in the hands of these warring races they’re used simply as destructive weapons.
What is Nyrah’s gameplan here? This series has been pretty realistic so far with military power so two largely evenly matched powers are stuck in a sort of tie. Does she think a complete amateur and three man crew is going to take the whole thing down? Are they just going to run forever? Again, even if you don’t trust the Federation they are a million times better than team Delete All Life and at the very least you help take out the Drangalex while working on what’s next. She needs to stop being so obtuse
I think she’s just talking through her emotions. She got fucked by the Federation last time she turned herself in. I don’t think she’s asking Cort to blow a hole in the hull at this second. But if I was her I’d be a little freaked out they’re finally in the near complete custody and control of someone else. You can talk about how much you dislike your situation without having a clear goal or plan.
She’s also spent the last century or so imprisoned and tortured (unclear how much of that was spent in stasis, but probably not nearly enough) by factions willing to do anything to get their hands on the Starcaster. And spent every waking moment since then trying to get away from people trying to get their hands on the Starcaster. I think she has plenty of reasons to be worried about being in the power of a faction that can’t afford to let the Starcaster get away from them. Being better than the Dranglaex is not exactly a helpful milestone. There’s… Read more »
Not That Brian
9 months ago
You know, she’s come a long way from the idealistic naive person we met near the beginning.
10 episodes ago she’d have been the one counseling patience and trust in this situation. She has really grown and learned that the world is not black and white, but all sorts of weird colors.
Kevin Greenbaum
9 months ago
Maybe a compromise? Help them win the war, 3v1 Starcasters in the feds favor is a huge advantage. Once it’s taken care of he can be on like a monitored probation, or offered the option to return to marshal work so they don’t worry about a super weapon ending up in the wrong hands.
Crestlinger
9 months ago
Cort:”and I want all the $ and a FTL fast ship to take pot shots at them if we’re going this route, and my own ship fully repaired as a backup…”
Tri:”or we can let you live and train you.”
Cort: “or that, but had to at least ask while I have your ear. It Would be to your benefit after all to not have me blown up by them.”
24
I wouldn’t trust them but I’d at least hear them out…
I think the absolute best course of action Cort has here is to negotiate he will train under La’Ni to help the federation fire starcaster blasts at the Dranglex.
There was a lot of talk over all these issues about how if he goes with the Federation they’re going to want the starcaster.
His best plan is to create a scenario where they get use of the starcaster without disconnecting his living body from it.
Or his dead body either.
Are certain starcasters devicesmore powerful than others? Or are they all equally powerful and its strength depends on the user?
I think it’s a huge “we don’t know” seeing as how they’re lost tech from a highly advanced precursor race, but everyone in universe seems to be treating them as mostly potentially equal.
Hell, they might not have even unlocked their final total potential
As the starcasters are originally made for terraforming, it is safe to say they are not used to the full potential. The power to destroy a planet is of course powerful, but to be able to terraform barren planets has a much higher and flexible potential.
On a separate note, with the power of a star in hand that can destroy or terraform a planet, you can probably do much more if you knew what you were doing. Create heavy elements, change bonds, power machinery… the true unlocked power is creation and adaptation, not destruction.
It’s easier to destroy something than to make something
Maybe if the wearer is more or less skilled?
Probably mostly down to the user, along the lines of a gun being more efficient in the hands of a trained sniper versus a random layman. We know La’Ni is more experienced and thus was able to detect Cort’s usage of the starcaster.
They’re tied to specific stars, right? That suggests that there’s a hard cap for how much power each caster can draw down based on what kind of fusion cycle the host star is currently running. Under normal circumstances I have to imagine that it would be hard to ever reach that cap, but for something like fragmenting a planet… that requires a deceptively large amount of energy. I believe roughly equivalent to a week of our own sun’s typical output. So the only way for a starcaster to break up a planet over a period of seconds or minutes, as… Read more »
…after all, you wanted to deliver the Starcaster to the Federation.
She has a point, even if she’s now way too paranoid for comfort, but what are the alternatives for Cort? Keep on running? That just isn’t going to work now Blow things up and try to escape? I really, really doubt he has enough control to make an escape without risking sucking vacuum even if he would want to kill his fellow citizens and former colleagues The Federation didn’t chop off the Lance Major’s arm despite her being a refugee armed with a superweapon So how are they more likely to treat a citizen more harshly than a war refugee?… Read more »
When Cort asked how many died, all depressed like, I really thought he would be the one suggesting that maybe they should actually help them out, you know for the greater good. He still might. Then she comes out, completely stone cold, like she doesn’t care how many people die.
that was speck.
You’re right. Also consider the adjustment period. The federation might have people trained and ready to take up a starcaster just in case one is found/a wielder dies, but it clearly takes time to get used to it, let alone wield it. It looks like someone can go crazy while bonding to a starcaster even. Cort now has already a rudimentary ability to control it, and js past the initial adjustment period. It is in the Federation’s best interest to forgive any previous transgressions and give him a rich life without wanting, in return of hard training and use of… Read more »
To be fair that other starcaster girl can probably track them down anyway like she just did.
Shouldn’t she be able to track down the Dranglaxe Starcaster then? If they Fed’s already have two, and a user who can track them, well, 2v1 and they only need one hit to kill the Prince…
First of all, she can only sense a Starcaster if she’s close enough to sense the power being drawn from a nearby sun when it’s activated. She was IN the same system as Cort when he flared up. If she’s in the same system as the Dranglaex when they use their Starcaster, chances are they’re already aware of it anyway. Second, even if she could sense it from a distance, what good would that be? The Dranglaex jumped into a system, fired the Starcaster for probably a minute or two, and then left. It’d be like hearing a gunshot in… Read more »
So the ability to sense a Starcaster is limited to being in the same system? That’s very interesting and good to know, it wasn’t mentioned before but I can understand how it works now. Up till now we all just thought the people with the Starcasters was able to sense each other through the device, BUT if it is a matter of being able to sense not the device but simply power being drawn from a start that makes far more sense, though it also raises some other questions and possibilities. For example does this mean they could sense if… Read more »
Sensing the energy draw from a Starcaster is limited by proximity, yes. The degree of proximity would depend on the user. https://cad-comic.com/comic/the-starcaster-chronicles-08-11/
As far as sensing if a star is about to nova, it depends on how quickly that energy change happens. The gradual change in energy as a star burns its fuel would be so slow and gradual, you wouldn’t be able to notice it. The supernova of a collapsing star might happen so quickly you wouldn’t have time to react.
I can’t believe I never saw that page before O.o then again 2021 was kinda….kinda a bad year with a lot of stuff going on… I’ll need to do an archive dive now to see what else I missed lol
Also thanks for answering my questions 🙂
A star going supernova happens when the star starts to burn iron. At least the imminent danger should be obvious due to silicon being burned (hours to days early).
White dwarfs suddenly going supernova are different, they just collapse.
I don’t know what sense of scale you’re applying for distances, in this story. And of course, the story’s needs are above any realism. You haven’t detailed the scales so far, and I think that’s for the better in multiple ways. This is not meant as a scientific essay or even “hard sci-fi,” after all. (So far, you’ve established that starcaster-sensing range is pretty small on an interstellar scale. And that makes a lot of sense, since space is so BIG.) I highly suspect a supernova is very likely to happen, eventually. Unless voters change that, I assume that’s one… Read more »
I love it when you chime in with canon specific data!
Same, it’s like getting to sit in on a AMA with Okuda at a Star Trek convention ^^
They do have a starcaster within reach so you need to make them see an easy way to get some use from it before they find an easy-enough way to reach the goal
Doesn’t matter, when it comes to war and this kind of situation the higher ups in any government require absolute control over every asset. It’s not enough to have someone willing to help, it has to be someone *they* approve and pick, even if that person is less qualified all that matters is the illusion of power and control.
They need to be using the sergeant-in-motion rule before the next level starts throwing sticks. The next higher rank needs to be told “They are already on a mission! Sorry we can’t reach them!”
https://schlockmercenary.fandom.com/wiki/The_Seventy_Maxims_of_Maximally_Effective_Mercenaries
2. A Sergeant in motion outranks a Lieutenant who doesn’t know what’s going on.[2]
Anything done by a committee (and that often applies in modern militaries), there’s a lot more going on than just tactical thinking or even strategic thinking, there’s many other factors in play. And egos sometimes. And alliances. And enemy-of-my-enemy and geopolitics and on it goes…
I like how her first reaction to hearing 400,000 innocent people died by the hands of her most hated enemy is, “Oh hell no, they better not ask us to help them.”
It seems like a cold reaction but when you think about what will happen next.. Federation manoeuvres them into fighting in the war because they won’t let the starcaster out of their sights and suddenly they’re responsible for the next 400k deaths. She can’t change the war but she can both prevent more deaths whilst fulfilling her task of being responsible for that starcaster.
There’s also self preservation at stake here, how exactly does the Federation plan on bringing their starcaster into the fold.. they don’t necessarily need Cort and team attached to it..
Still, if you want someone to be willing to help, you don’t throw them in jail, you put them up in the Presidential Suite with full minibar access. Honey vs vinegar.
We know Cort might be willing to help. The higher ups don’t. He’s still a rogue element so no, security is the first play.
They are stupid if they think this is about security. As noted in the comic he can cut his way right out of this cell (and frankly destroy the ship with a thought if he’s feeling suicidal) Speck can do it as well. This is about establishing dominance over him. They want to know if he will respect their authority. Frankly its an understandable position. He’s one of the 4 known most powerful things in the universe, but I tend to agree with the OP, it would be better to give him a uniform and a room next to Dani’s.… Read more »
They are giving him a chance if he breaks out and runs the next time it will be kill first sort it after. But they still want to keep eyes on him until something occurs.
Point of order – there’s actually 6 known starcasters in the universe, but we didn’t get to find out where the other two are when Nyrah cut off Speck mid-sentence. https://cad-comic.com/comic/the-starcaster-chronicles-01-22/
I would agree in principle. But there are two factors to consider. The rulers have a twisted view of events. Not because they are necessarily evil. But because military officers decided to disobey orders and follow their gut. To forcibly arrest Cort instead of keep an eye on him and let Quel talk to him peacefully. The report back to them was that Cort got violent. With the evidence they have been given they have a right to disbelieve he is a safe choice to let hold onto a super weapon capable of breaking planets. Now if plan one out… Read more »
They tried honey at first, but Cort ran every time there was an attempt diplomacy. That’s why they’re currently on vinegar.
Obviously friendly approaches are more useful if someone is willing to help, but so far Cort has given them every indication that he’s not willing to help, and not even willing to discuss the possibility. For all the Federation knows Cort’s only here because La’Ni happened to catch him, not because he changed his mind about (not) running away.
I think Nyrah’s worry isn’t that they will press gang Cort into helping, it’s that they’ll have La’Ni disconnect Cort’s head faster than he can blink and sequester the starcaster for themselves.
It’s military in a war. They have very specific ideas of how to help them.
Has there ever been an exploration of where the Starcasters came from in the first place?
The Aug, an ancient species predating the current ones created them. How and for what purpose hasn’t been mentioned.
It has been theorized in universe that the Aug used them to do their feats of galactic engineering, they were responsible for populating the galaxy with humanoids (which is why they all somewhat share biological characteristics like breathing and eating mostly the same chemicals.
I personally think there’s a commentary there that the starcasters are tools that could unlock a golden age of technology and advancement, but in the hands of these warring races they’re used simply as destructive weapons.
Terraforming is among them IIRC
What is Nyrah’s gameplan here? This series has been pretty realistic so far with military power so two largely evenly matched powers are stuck in a sort of tie. Does she think a complete amateur and three man crew is going to take the whole thing down? Are they just going to run forever? Again, even if you don’t trust the Federation they are a million times better than team Delete All Life and at the very least you help take out the Drangalex while working on what’s next. She needs to stop being so obtuse
I think she’s just talking through her emotions. She got fucked by the Federation last time she turned herself in. I don’t think she’s asking Cort to blow a hole in the hull at this second. But if I was her I’d be a little freaked out they’re finally in the near complete custody and control of someone else. You can talk about how much you dislike your situation without having a clear goal or plan.
She’s also spent the last century or so imprisoned and tortured (unclear how much of that was spent in stasis, but probably not nearly enough) by factions willing to do anything to get their hands on the Starcaster. And spent every waking moment since then trying to get away from people trying to get their hands on the Starcaster. I think she has plenty of reasons to be worried about being in the power of a faction that can’t afford to let the Starcaster get away from them. Being better than the Dranglaex is not exactly a helpful milestone. There’s… Read more »
You know, she’s come a long way from the idealistic naive person we met near the beginning.
10 episodes ago she’d have been the one counseling patience and trust in this situation. She has really grown and learned that the world is not black and white, but all sorts of weird colors.
Maybe a compromise? Help them win the war, 3v1 Starcasters in the feds favor is a huge advantage. Once it’s taken care of he can be on like a monitored probation, or offered the option to return to marshal work so they don’t worry about a super weapon ending up in the wrong hands.
Cort:”and I want all the $ and a FTL fast ship to take pot shots at them if we’re going this route, and my own ship fully repaired as a backup…”
Tri:”or we can let you live and train you.”
Cort: “or that, but had to at least ask while I have your ear. It Would be to your benefit after all to not have me blown up by them.”