SPOILER - Political/Security Changes via Treecat

if the 'cats can't shoot, then Honor's arms men wouldn't let her arm Nimitz. They can shoot once they understand the process. Honor used a laser pointer to get the idea across. Current treecats can't use armor or other powered weapons. Once the current crop of youngsters grow up around these tools and tech, they may well learn to use battle armor designed for them. It's all a matter of their learning to use tools early enough.

Now we toss in Raoul's mental abilities growing up around Sam's kits. He learns a new concept and shares some of that understanding to the kits. Honor and Nimits share more than just emotions, just not true telepathy. I suspect Raoul will get closer but still not reach true telepathy with the kits. What they will share can open a much deeper understanding into how each species thinks.

Only towards the end of UH are they getting ready to return to Grayson, when they arrive it will be the first time the children will come into contact with the kits, who by the time they meet will be more or less full grown. There will be no human children growing up around 'cat children, unless new kits are born in the few months following the end of UH.

George J. Smith wrote:Only towards the end of UH are they getting ready to return to Grayson, when they arrive it will be the first time the children will come into contact with the kits, who by the time they meet will be more or less full grown. There will be no human children growing up around 'cat children, unless new kits are born in the few months following the end of UH.

Actually we don't really know all that much. There were a lot of treecats around Honor. There might have been more coming after the initial group and THOSE cats might had kittens.

Not quite sure how old Sam's kits are nor how mature that is relative to humans. 'Cats live as long naturally as prolong treated humans. Their mental development is as complex if not more so than human children's. These facts argue or a maturation rate comparable to humans if not longer.

Those kits will be around with many children on Grayson. IIRC, Grayson was experiencing a baby boom when they emigrated to Harrington. Wouldn't be surprised to find out they either experienced human schooling or tutoring the other household children experienced. When they return to live with their parents and Honor's children, they should have been exposed to much of what Raoul will be exposed to already. The second look and Raoul's mental abilities should better "explain" many of the concepts.

George J. Smith wrote:Only towards the end of UH are they getting ready to return to Grayson, when they arrive it will be the first time the children will come into contact with the kits, who by the time they meet will be more or less full grown. There will be no human children growing up around 'cat children, unless new kits are born in the few months following the end of UH.

PeterZ wrote:if the 'cats can't shoot, then Honor's arms men wouldn't let her arm Nimitz. They can shoot once they understand the process. Honor used a laser pointer to get the idea across. Current treecats can't use armor or other powered weapons. Once the current crop of youngsters grow up around these tools and tech, they may well learn to use battle armor designed for them. It's all a matter of their learning to use tools early enough.

I already explained--you can't user laser sights in combat because you don't know whose laser dot you're looking at. Nimitz understood the objective, he just was no good at it without the laser dot.

Thus 'cats can use pulsars in individual combat, they can't fight in mass combat.

Loren Pechtel wrote:

PeterZ wrote:if the 'cats can't shoot, then Honor's arms men wouldn't let her arm Nimitz. They can shoot once they understand the process. Honor used a laser pointer to get the idea across. Current treecats can't use armor or other powered weapons. Once the current crop of youngsters grow up around these tools and tech, they may well learn to use battle armor designed for them. It's all a matter of their learning to use tools early enough.

I already explained--you can't user laser sights in combat because you don't know whose laser dot you're looking at. Nimitz understood the objective, he just was no good at it without the laser dot.

Thus 'cats can use pulsars in individual combat, they can't fight in mass combat.

totally agree, you never use a laser sight like that in combat.

Loren Pechtel wrote:

PeterZ wrote:if the 'cats can't shoot, then Honor's arms men wouldn't let her arm Nimitz. They can shoot once they understand the process. Honor used a laser pointer to get the idea across. Current treecats can't use armor or other powered weapons. Once the current crop of youngsters grow up around these tools and tech, they may well learn to use battle armor designed for them. It's all a matter of their learning to use tools early enough.

I already explained--you can't user laser sights in combat because you don't know whose laser dot you're looking at. Nimitz understood the objective, he just was no good at it without the laser dot.

Thus 'cats can use pulsars in individual combat, they can't fight in mass combat.

Not arguing about lasers. I am saying lasers are a training tool, not the final solution to 'cats aiming.

PeterZ wrote:

Loren Pechtel wrote:I already explained--you can't user laser sights in combat because you don't know whose laser dot you're looking at. Nimitz understood the objective, he just was no good at it without the laser dot.

Thus 'cats can use pulsars in individual combat, they can't fight in mass combat.

Not arguing about lasers. I am saying lasers are a training tool, not the final solution to 'cats aiming.

I don't think it's just a training tool--the 'cats don't seem to have the ability to aim that humans do.

I think a laser creates a straight line the 'cats can see. Not the laser itself but how the pulsar orients to shoot the dart on the highlighted target. The sights do the same thing, but just how it does it may be tough to understand the nuances. Using holographic sights are the next step, once lasers have been mastered. Those sights don't confuse the shooter in combat like lasers.

So, yeah, lasers can teach 'cats how to shoot in combat.

PeterZ wrote:I think a laser creates a straight line the 'cats can see. Not the laser itself but how the pulsar orients to shoot the dart on the highlighted target. The sights do the same thing, but just how it does it may be tough to understand the nuances. Using holographic sights are the next step, once lasers have been mastered. Those sights don't confuse the shooter in combat like lasers.

So, yeah, lasers can teach 'cats how to shoot in combat.

For security, the cats are more invaluable as lie detectors. Close up, their claws do a good job. I think one thing that will cut down on problems is that with the Sollies gone, there sort of is only one enemy left.