United Earth Powers. Aka Terra United, aka UTP for United Terran Powers, etc. There's a lot of regional and language variation. There still isn't a standard language for humanity, though you only really find a couple of languages with spacers at this point.
So this council, it's just for Earth? Or is it more of a United Nations type deal, but with various planets? Is there a standard language throughout space?
It's just Earth. There aren't that many other spacefaring societies out there, turns out, and we all kind of keep to ourselves. Like if a human ship ends up in a Skrikar port, generally they get either sent away, escorted away, or chased away with guns, depending on the circumstances and the local Skrikar's mood.
It's not that there's NO mixing but it's really hard for aliens to understand each other and get along and space is big enough for all of us. I know there's some trading of colonies that happens, if one species has a rock somewhere that's more suitable for another species but needs a lot of terraforming for them, trades happen.
Our relationship with them is actually pretty good, as they go. At least on the human side. Their value system is very different but we can at least basically grasp it and predict what they'll do, and vice versa. More than you can say for some
Not a lot of conflict, no. I'm not even sure I could find a nonhuman port if I wanted to. There's one or two deep-space hubs where you find more mixing but even then we kind of naturally divide into sectors. Not least because we don't all breathe the same air.
Well, that's definitely something. Sounds like you both know how to communicate and respond to one another, that's a start, and better than nothing, at least.
That's fascinating. How many space hubs have you been to? Do you have a favorite?
Oh, I don't even know. The ship I grew up on hauled cargo so we went to a lot of places. My ship is smaller, but we do basically the same thing. We don't have a home base, per se, though technically I think we fly out of Spishanrah. We don't really go there much.
My favorite is a place called Shangri La. It wanders. They put this experimental system on it that failed so they can only get warning when it's about to jump, they can't control it. You've got to know the right people or meet someone who was there recently to get the coordinates. Some people don't even think it's real.
That's really cool! It's always nice to get a chance to explore other places. So you run a cargo ship across space? Haul anything in specific, or just general cargo?
See, now, hearing all of that? Just makes me want to try and find that place even more. I love a good challenge! It sounds like trying to find the lost city of Atlantis, or El Dorado.
Whatever someone's got that we're suited for, and that they'll pay us enough for. We can't transmit goods long-distance or synthesize them in any way other than traditional manufacturing, like some people here, so someone's got to pick stuff up and move it.
You might not want to go to Shangri La. Despite the name, it's not the...gentlest place in the verse.
[The amount of dissembling involved to just avoid admitting she's a pirate is getting comical.]
It happens, but not very often. I mean, pretty much all cargo these days is insured to the gills, so if someone comes after it, it's usually the best option to just let them have it and not have a crew get themselves killed. Cargo is replaceable, you're not, etc.
Well, there are legit places and then there are "unlisted" places. Shangri La is unlisted. So it's not exactly fair to compare it to any random hub a tourist might find, but there are unlisted ports where you go for tax-free cigarettes and there are unlisted ports you don't go to without a damn good reason.
I have. Not in awhile, I haven't really been able to pick up activity yet since my kid was born. I was infuriatingly in the middle of the process when I ended up here.
[Part of Carol isn't sure that she believes that whole 'time is frozen while you're gone,' thing; after all, it sounds exactly like the kind of thing a city hellbent on keeping its citizens in line would say to placate said citizens.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
no subject
no subject
It's not that there's NO mixing but it's really hard for aliens to understand each other and get along and space is big enough for all of us. I know there's some trading of colonies that happens, if one species has a rock somewhere that's more suitable for another species but needs a lot of terraforming for them, trades happen.
no subject
I take it the situation with humans and Skrikar is a delicate one?
So do you run into a lot of conflict, then? If different societies mostly keep to themselves and do little trading?
no subject
Not a lot of conflict, no. I'm not even sure I could find a nonhuman port if I wanted to. There's one or two deep-space hubs where you find more mixing but even then we kind of naturally divide into sectors. Not least because we don't all breathe the same air.
no subject
That's fascinating. How many space hubs have you been to? Do you have a favorite?
no subject
My favorite is a place called Shangri La. It wanders. They put this experimental system on it that failed so they can only get warning when it's about to jump, they can't control it. You've got to know the right people or meet someone who was there recently to get the coordinates. Some people don't even think it's real.
no subject
See, now, hearing all of that? Just makes me want to try and find that place even more. I love a good challenge! It sounds like trying to find the lost city of Atlantis, or El Dorado.
no subject
You might not want to go to Shangri La. Despite the name, it's not the...gentlest place in the verse.
no subject
What's Shangri La really like? Does it have more than its fair share of rough edges?
no subject
It happens, but not very often. I mean, pretty much all cargo these days is insured to the gills, so if someone comes after it, it's usually the best option to just let them have it and not have a crew get themselves killed. Cargo is replaceable, you're not, etc.
Well, there are legit places and then there are "unlisted" places. Shangri La is unlisted. So it's not exactly fair to compare it to any random hub a tourist might find, but there are unlisted ports where you go for tax-free cigarettes and there are unlisted ports you don't go to without a damn good reason.
no subject
And I'm guessing Shangri La is one of those places you don't go to unless you have a damn good reason?
no subject
[lol.]
Exactly. It's a rough place.
no subject
Have you been there often?
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
[Part of Carol isn't sure that she believes that whole 'time is frozen while you're gone,' thing; after all, it sounds exactly like the kind of thing a city hellbent on keeping its citizens in line would say to placate said citizens.]