ANLASHOKER
Mongoose
If the shadows use telepaths to control thier ships, are any of the actual shadows needed? Seems like not too many would die in a war.
shadows
- Thread starter ANLASHOKER
- Start date
dorward
Mongoose
Well, they use "lesser races" rather then specifically telepath members of them. The telepath plan was as a way to get around their vulnerability to interferance from teeps.
I don't think it was ever made entirely clear how much control the being used as the CPU has. Certainly at least one book (I think it was the "What happened to Anna" one) had a few scenes from the perspective of the CPU, I seem to recall it being somewhat animalistic, which might suggest you need some Shadows along to issue the orders and make decisions because the ships are too instinctive.
I don't think it was ever made entirely clear how much control the being used as the CPU has. Certainly at least one book (I think it was the "What happened to Anna" one) had a few scenes from the perspective of the CPU, I seem to recall it being somewhat animalistic, which might suggest you need some Shadows along to issue the orders and make decisions because the ships are too instinctive.
lastbesthope
Mongoose
Season 3, episode 14, "Ship of Tears"
We see Carolyn, Bester's lover, come out of suspension and start to take over the Medlab, given that during the incidents she fires at the Psi COrpo insignia, even though she knows and wants Bester to help her, I would suggest that there is only a limited amount of control given to the host, other programming is given to them to operate. they are literally just a CPU, they 'crunch the numbers', there is an OS or other software using the brain as it's CPU to an extent.
LBH
We see Carolyn, Bester's lover, come out of suspension and start to take over the Medlab, given that during the incidents she fires at the Psi COrpo insignia, even though she knows and wants Bester to help her, I would suggest that there is only a limited amount of control given to the host, other programming is given to them to operate. they are literally just a CPU, they 'crunch the numbers', there is an OS or other software using the brain as it's CPU to an extent.
LBH
lastbesthope
Mongoose
You assume that the book and I are not one and the same :lol:
Mayhap I'm the 'Data Storage' for the PC they're writing it on.
It nwould certainly explain the IDE cable at the back of my neck :lol:
LBH
Mayhap I'm the 'Data Storage' for the PC they're writing it on.
It nwould certainly explain the IDE cable at the back of my neck :lol:
LBH
ShadowScout
Mongoose
Well, the Technomage Trilogy sheds some light on this shady matter.
Basically, no Shadows are needed on their ships, as those ships are controlled by the CPU (=younger race sentient) which in turn is conditioned through the implants (those things on their heads) to follow the commands of a gigantic fleet-control installation on Z'ha'dum called "The Eye" (and to attack any indication of telepaths, like Psi Corps insignias, because teeps can jam the connection between CPU and ShadowShip). The Shadows give the commands, The Eye relays them to their fleets, and only expendable lesser beings die in space combat (and that was why Sheridan's nuke attack on Z'ha'dum shocked them so - that must have been the first Shadows to die in this war! And quite possibly more dead Shadows then in a dozend of their wars before that!).
Of course, if a Shadow needs transportation, he/she/it can take command of a ShadowShip quite easily. Even a technomage with fully activated implants can control a shadowship without any severe side-effects (unlike normal "cores" like Bester's girlfriend...)
In the times of AoG, when I was a member of the "Council of Ancients", we also had some ideas about ShadowShips... mainly that these "B5-era" ShadowShips were built "quick and dirty" because the Shadows no longer risked their own lives, and the "primordial-era" Shadow-crewed ShadowShips (called a "Shadow Battlecruiser" as combared to the modern "Shadow Cruiser") had a much longer construction time, but also were tougher and much harder-hitting...
Basically, no Shadows are needed on their ships, as those ships are controlled by the CPU (=younger race sentient) which in turn is conditioned through the implants (those things on their heads) to follow the commands of a gigantic fleet-control installation on Z'ha'dum called "The Eye" (and to attack any indication of telepaths, like Psi Corps insignias, because teeps can jam the connection between CPU and ShadowShip). The Shadows give the commands, The Eye relays them to their fleets, and only expendable lesser beings die in space combat (and that was why Sheridan's nuke attack on Z'ha'dum shocked them so - that must have been the first Shadows to die in this war! And quite possibly more dead Shadows then in a dozend of their wars before that!).
Of course, if a Shadow needs transportation, he/she/it can take command of a ShadowShip quite easily. Even a technomage with fully activated implants can control a shadowship without any severe side-effects (unlike normal "cores" like Bester's girlfriend...)
In the times of AoG, when I was a member of the "Council of Ancients", we also had some ideas about ShadowShips... mainly that these "B5-era" ShadowShips were built "quick and dirty" because the Shadows no longer risked their own lives, and the "primordial-era" Shadow-crewed ShadowShips (called a "Shadow Battlecruiser" as combared to the modern "Shadow Cruiser") had a much longer construction time, but also were tougher and much harder-hitting...
Shadow Queen
Mongoose
She said "The symbol hurts us."
lastbesthope
Mongoose
Reborn said:
Indeed, I may have inadvertantly glossed over that, the implants were not just an interface, they obviously had some programming in them, enough at least to let the CPU install itself and give it basic programming like "Kill Psi Corps members".
As for the great machine, it predates IDE cables, I have an RS232 port up my backside for that one :shock:
:lol:
LBH
lastbesthope
Mongoose
Indeed :shock:
LBH
LBH
ShadowScout
Mongoose
True.
Basically there is no definite info on exactly when the Shadows started growing their "drone" ships.
However, it IS known that at the start of the Kirishiac war all the ancients had their "Primoridal" ships (which include the more powerful ShadowShip versions still piloted by them personally) and by the end of that war the "Ancient" ship designs had entered service (including the drone-type ShadowShips we know).
It is also known that during the first encounters between Kirishiac and Shadows (which happened during a latter stage of that war, as the Kirishiac first took territory the Walkers claimed but weren't really paying attention to - long story...) the Shadows already had their drone ships, yet still also their own ships.
And during their time as "shepherds" the Shadows seem to have abandoned their own ships for drone fleets entirely - probably because they no longer felt the need to risk their own lives (especially since it almost seems as if regular "defeats" of their fleet had been part of their "kick over the anthill" plan...).
Basically there is no definite info on exactly when the Shadows started growing their "drone" ships.
However, it IS known that at the start of the Kirishiac war all the ancients had their "Primoridal" ships (which include the more powerful ShadowShip versions still piloted by them personally) and by the end of that war the "Ancient" ship designs had entered service (including the drone-type ShadowShips we know).
It is also known that during the first encounters between Kirishiac and Shadows (which happened during a latter stage of that war, as the Kirishiac first took territory the Walkers claimed but weren't really paying attention to - long story...) the Shadows already had their drone ships, yet still also their own ships.
And during their time as "shepherds" the Shadows seem to have abandoned their own ships for drone fleets entirely - probably because they no longer felt the need to risk their own lives (especially since it almost seems as if regular "defeats" of their fleet had been part of their "kick over the anthill" plan...).
Shadow Queen
Mongoose
mthomason said:He's still in there. All we see is a projection
Who is there to dust him off????
lastbesthope
Mongoose
Shadow Queen said:mthomason said:He's still in there. All we see is a projection
Who is there to dust him off????
10 Zathrii :lol:
LBH
Shadow Queen
Mongoose
lastbesthope said:Shadow Queen said:mthomason said:He's still in there. All we see is a projection
Who is there to dust him off????
10 Zathrii :lol:
LBH
Male or female?
