Treecat Counter

cthia wrote:Sigh

Sometimes my notions seem to be a bit too cerebral, and it perplexes me. Running to the litter box and hunger pains is a far cry from a mate who has just fallen into mortal danger and who is most likely about to kill, and, or, die. Especially when the Cat's life itself is directly dependent upon the bond. If his mate dies, he dies. A bonded pair discussing the possibility of succumbing to compulsion is one thing, but if it actually happens it might turn out to be quite another.

Applying the notion to the intense and unprecedented bond which exists between Honor and Nimitz, I'd imagine the notion is greatly exacerbated. Nimitz may be able to see the actual imagery that Honor is about to kill the Queen. Nimitz might become paralyzed by the more intense imagery of what he actually sees—being closer to the heart of the matter and closer to the surface of the emotions of her horror—than what is generally experienced by a regular Cat outside of "a" bond.

And, if what Nimitz feels and sees is the actual horror which Honor is feeling because he is the trigger and target would have to be a copper-plated bitch of a moral decision for Nimitz; who also may be simultaneously bombarded by both the emotions of Beth's Cat, Ariel, and the Queen's own bodyguards' copper-plated decision of possibly having no other available option but to kill her.

In case it isn't clear, I'm not positing a physical effect on the Cat, but an intensely emotional one.

I like book discussions guys. And I don't like leaving any stone unturned. S'times the author will say there's nothing under the stone. Oftentimes the stone is in the next book.

The resultant shock wave of extreme emotions emanating from the minds of Ariel, the Queen's own bodyguards, Honor's bodyguards, and mixing with the horror induced emotions from Honor that she is about to kill someone she loves dearly. . .may be paralyzing to Nimitz. I Imagine it would approach or even exceed what was felt by the Cats at the appalling Yawata Strike.

I still think several or more conditioned subjects activating all at once would confuse a Cat, or rather, distract him long enough for the main assassin to strike. The main assassin's trigger being the startling war cry of the Cat.

cthia wrote:I still think several or more conditioned subjects activating all at once would confuse a Cat, or rather, distract him long enough for the main assassin to strike. The main assassin's trigger being the startling war cry of the Cat.

Cats do have a problem of long-term strategic thinking. The concept was alien to them, at least until deeper contacts with two-legs. For them, there are only two kinds of enemies: those who are dead and those who still need to be dealt with. Why anyone would leave an enemy alive is inconceivable to them. But again, they can learn -- they learnt agriculture just by observing humans.

But they are predators, if not exactly apex predators. They may be able to distinguish which danger is the most immediate and prioritise, coming up with an attack plan. Nimitz was of great help to Honor when the Maccabeans attacked Protector Benjamin in HotQ (he even moved first, IIRC).

That doesn't mean they'll have all the information necessary to make the correct decision. But that's true for humans too.

Now that this thread is dying down, I can mention without risking derailing interesting discussions that when I first saw the thread subject, I thought you were asking about a device to help execute a census of treecats.

That is, counting treecats[i], not [i]countering treecats.

Do treecats need a census?

ThinksMarkedly wrote:Now that this thread is dying down, I can mention without risking derailing interesting discussions that when I first saw the thread subject, I thought you were asking about a device to help execute a census of treecats.

That is, counting treecats[i], not [i]countering treecats.

Do treecats need a census?

For government funding? LOL

I'd think their social dynamics and their mind voodoo allows them to account for themselves within their own clan. Can Treecats count?

cthia wrote:Do treecats need a census?

For government funding? LOL

I'd think their social dynamics and their mind voodoo allows them to account for themselves within their own clan. Can Treecats count?[/quote]

Sure, but not sure how much above "hands of hands" you can get.

BTW, treecats have 6 limbs, four of which end in hands with opposable thumbs, and each hand or foot has three digits. That means they have a total of 18 digits. Does that mean one hand of hands is 3 * 18 and a hand of hands is 18 * 18 = 324?

LOL

Anything other than base 10.

Nobody seems to have mentioned the Manticorian government providing any direct aid to the Treecats except as supporting cats bonded to perhaps Forestry Service people and veterinary aid as requested/required.
Not sure what the treecats would have been wanting although there was some natural disaster reliefe in the Stephany series plus ongoing research projects but it wasn't as if the treecats were swapping information for things.
Post the Yaweta Strike, there are all sorts of needs and that was disaster relief and medical support.
On the other hand, now there is a large active involvement of treecats at bodyguards for people all over the place on several planets so I suspect that there would be some level of need to offset the loss of those indivduals from their Clans. I would also suspect that some level of agreement has been reached between the Crown (it's officials anyway with the concurance of the Queen) and the various treecat Clans for a variation of pay for service. If nothing else, Elizabeth and anyone involved with treecats would want to see such pay at least be held in escrow for the Clans - in addition to any regular contributions or budgeting for treecat related things (like Forestry Service). While the treecats may not need human things, there are some that are going to need to be provided to them. Things like the skinsuites designed for cats who are going off planet (and that probably should include any bonded to RMN and allied navies) and or versions of the life pods Honore had for Nimitz.
An increase of exobiology vets specializing in Treecats would also be indicted.

At this point, it is probable that -if asked and the request explained- the cats might provide a census total but how that would be broken down is a different question. Quite possibley they wouldn't want to give the locations of each Clan and it's home range. Not a lot of people have been to the Clan home locations and I can see the cats wanting to restrict that information as I can see the Crown wanting it kept secret.

Brigade XO wrote:Nobody seems to have mentioned the Manticorian government providing any direct aid to the Treecats except as supporting cats bonded to perhaps Forestry Service people and veterinary aid as requested/required.
Not sure what the treecats would have been wanting although there was some natural disaster reliefe in the Stephany series plus ongoing research projects but it wasn't as if the treecats were swapping information for things.
Post the Yaweta Strike, there are all sorts of needs and that was disaster relief and medical support.
On the other hand, now there is a large active involvement of treecats at bodyguards for people all over the place on several planets so I suspect that there would be some level of need to offset the loss of those indivduals from their Clans. I would also suspect that some level of agreement has been reached between the Crown (it's officials anyway with the concurance of the Queen) and the various treecat Clans for a variation of pay for service. If nothing else, Elizabeth and anyone involved with treecats would want to see such pay at least be held in escrow for the Clans - in addition to any regular contributions or budgeting for treecat related things (like Forestry Service). While the treecats may not need human things, there are some that are going to need to be provided to them. Things like the skinsuites designed for cats who are going off planet (and that probably should include any bonded to RMN and allied navies) and or versions of the life pods Honore had for Nimitz.
An increase of exobiology vets specializing in Treecats would also be indicted.

At this point, it is probable that -if asked and the request explained- the cats might provide a census total but how that would be broken down is a different question. Quite possibley they wouldn't want to give the locations of each Clan and it's home range. Not a lot of people have been to the Clan home locations and I can see the cats wanting to restrict that information as I can see the Crown wanting it kept secret.

I can see the cats asking for some specialized hardware. Treecat sized Vibroknives, advanced ropes and netting materials, knock down greenhouses and adv. botany classes. sensor systems, etc.

You will probably find some clans stay in the past with traditional ways, some move to a modern rural living, and some go modern. if so, each will have their own unique wants and needs.

Theemile wrote:I can see the cats asking for some specialized hardware. Treecat sized Vibroknives, advanced ropes and netting materials, knock down greenhouses and adv. botany classes. sensor systems, etc.

I agree, but that's for their "civilian" use. They also have to be careful on becoming dependent on two-legs for their needs. This must have been an important concern until recently. As they've become more integrated in the Manticoran society and especially have come to have a stake in its future, the needs affecting the concern may change.

But skinsuits and pulsers should be provided for any treecat that is on ship or bodyguard duty, respectively, just like a spacer don't need to pay for their skinsuit or an engineer for their toolkits.

You will probably find some clans stay in the past with traditional ways, some move to a modern rural living, and some go modern. if so, each will have their own unique wants and needs.

Amish Treecats?