MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1008 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: trek salute/rebel Companions/goodbye for now by Eleonora 2) Origins of Vulcan Hand Sign / Lower Classes by Shdwflt-+AT+-aol.com 3) Magic... books by Ian Macdonald 4) Re: religious folks/ SB SPOILER by "JAIME HATHAWAY" 5) (Fwd) help me, please. by "JAIME HATHAWAY" 6) Re: YMMV/sysadmin/Miss Saigon/duane/WoFate by SEANSQ-+AT+-aol.com 7) Ooooops by SEANSQ-+AT+-aol.com 8) Ahrodie /emily /rebel Companions /greetings /SB spoiler by Lee <97jsalaz-+AT+-jasper.uor.edu> 9) Companions/field trip/Trekkie or Trekker/loneliness/joint by myktshr-+AT+-ldd.net (miyako hirao) 10) Lackey/Arkenstone/RenFaire by LCM46-+AT+-aol.com 11) Re: ArkenstoneCD by SEANSQ-+AT+-aol.com 12) Re: Bondbirds vs Companions/ Tropics/ Priest/ Skif/ LHM and UK covers/ subliminal messages/ Miss Saigon/ Xmas songs/ stuffed dragon/ McCaffrey stuff by "Romylee A. Ejercito" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 07 Dec 1996 20:26:06 -0300 From: Eleonora To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: trek salute/rebel Companions/goodbye for now Message-ID: <32A9FD0E.19BA-+AT+-distrinet.com.uy> Brigth the day, listibs! I just have a quick comment, and then I won't be able to follow the thread because I am leaving Uruguay between tomorrow evening and Dec. 20. I would like to wish all of those who are celebrating it a beautiful Chanukah, and I also want to thank Kory and his friends for the detailed explanation they gave me :) Actually I have not been able to read the whole of the mail these last days, so If I am omitting any replies I may have had to make I apologise. I'll try to catch up with these and the digests from the period I'll miss when I get back in less than two weeks. Wintershard: a quick note for you. I am going to New York City for the first time in my life, and I intend to do a lot of sightseeing. Could you make sure I don't freeze to death, my beloved weather demon? Don't worry about my wanting you to be a radish anymore. All my ill-feeling is now directed towards a bureaucrat who has almost managed to scr** up my trip, and has made it necessary for me to make myself available for a conference call. Grrrrrrrrrrrr. Cennydd, my beloved master, could you make sure SHE instead of Wintershard ends up as a radish? Or better yet, something still lower in the scale? Thy humble priestess will reward you with your favorite chocolate eclairs and I'll design for you a virtual chocolate-flavored drink with a molecule that will behave as you would like caffeine to behave. Hth. wrote: > I just have to act as a liaison briefly for my absent heartsister, who > once had a very cool idea about Companions. Seeing as how they're > people and can make mistakes (or so we're told), they probably have a > few human motivations, even the less wonderful ones. What if the > Companions were to get a bit cocky after having ruled Valdemar in peace > and prosperity for all those centuries, and what if they didn't *want* > mages coming in? I can't believe I am actually going to disagree with HTH, but here I go (I promise to read all the digests when I return, so that I know what your reply was in case you don't reply before tomorrow afternoon, HTH) Even though I am willing to admit to human reactions in Companions (such as Gala's spur-of-the-moment repudiation of 'Lendel and Gwena's stubborness regarding a predetermined path for Elspeth - although in Gwena's case there is no issue of a HUMAN reaction) I cannot reconcile Companions not wanting mages to come in with their making sure Elspeth could get off kingdom to get the training she needed. Also, IIRC there is no objection to Elspeth importing mages from k'Sheyna. Sorry, but I don't have time to go find textevd. HTH also wrote: > Anyone ever been on a committee? How about that dreaded phrase: "But > we've never done it that way before" or its corrolary "But we've > *always* done it that way." If people can get rigid and inflexible, why > can't Companions, just one time? My dear, I've been there (my soon-radish-to-be bureaucrat heads one of those committees and one of her arguments in favor of upholding some absurd ideas is that she has had the same ideas for over 20 years) but I don't think Companions would be rigid and inflexible. Think of the whole adjustment they must have to make to even come back as horse-shaped individuals. Am I making any sense? I apologise for the brief and somewhat disorganised post but I am in the middle of a VERY long to-do list I have to complete by tomorrow afternoon. WTTW, Ele Priestess of Karma LotPW Dame of the OAM ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 18:38:26 -0500 From: Shdwflt-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Origins of Vulcan Hand Sign / Lower Classes Message-ID: <961207183748_573620451-+AT+-emout01.mail.aol.com> All right. I'm on digest, and Digest 1007 had this in it, with no answer: Heather Watson wrote: <> Yes! *putting on his Real Trekkie (tm) Beanie* Leonard Nimoy is Jewish. The V shape sign is a Jewish rabbinical blessing. He used it first in the episode Amok Time, I believe. Take a look at.. *thinking.. which book was it?* STAR TREK MEMORIES supposedly written by William Shatner but actually written by Chris Kreski. =================== Vix wrote: <> But we do get a glimpse of some of the lower sections of Valdemarian society, don't we, in the Arrows books? At least the first one, with Talia and her upbringing. Jake ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 23:53:34 +0000 (GMT) From: Ian Macdonald To: Herald mailing list Subject: Magic... books Message-ID: Does any one know if the magic books are still in print, I lent one to someone over the summer and I haven't heard from her since. So I am down one book thanks Ian ps, if you want to see the uk version of the covers they are now on line at www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~ism/lackey/publishers/millennium/index.millennium.html ian -- < all of a sudden a whisper of sound occurs then the sound of a body hitting a keyboard. "Good thing we had darts", one of the white coated men said to the other as they dragged ian's body from the terminal.> < ism-+AT+-tardis.ed.ac.uk > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 18:02:54 CST From: "JAIME HATHAWAY" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: religious folks/ SB SPOILER Message-ID: <23044570F1-+AT+-future.judson.edu> > ----------------- > SB Spoiler: > > > > > > > Jacquelle wrote: > >I think Need will come back as a Companion and Choose Florian. > > Oh my! if Need came back right away, imagine the trouble that she, Savil > and Kerowyn would cause :) But, if Need did return as a companion, I > think then the kitty would be out of the bag as to what the companions > truly are. I don't think that she would be able to keep the info secret > if it ever came to an important situation. > Kawryathen Wait...isn't the kitty already out of the bag? there's a quote from the book that flatly comes out and says that Companions are reincarnated humans...I thought that was genneral knowledge by now for everyone. Besides, Need doesn't have to identify herself as Need, if she even remembers, which I'm sure she would. Oh, and on another SB thingy...I was really...disenchanted...by Elspeth's attitude toward her mother. I know she sheltered her as a child and was over-protective--my mother is too, but I couldn't imagine not wanting her to be my mother anymore. And even though Elspeth does remind Selenay of El's father, she's still her daughter, and there's textevd in Winds that Selenay loves Elspeth. I guess it's just another of those weird elspeth things that misty does.> Jacquelle Ex astris, scientia ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 19:22:53 CST From: "JAIME HATHAWAY" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: (Fwd) help me, please. Message-ID: <2459447F3F-+AT+-future.judson.edu> ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Date: Sat, 07 Dec 1996 19:28:55 -0800 From: freakola Reply-to: freakola-+AT+-geocities.com To: JAIME HATHAWAY Subject: help me, please. I hope you're still online. My account that has my normal mailing address (the one with the subscription to the list) on it has locked up, and the guy on the help line was clueless. So, anyway, could you please forward this to the list for me? Thanks. Forwarded care of Jacquelle. Subject:Re:Trek Salute/Companions/The People Heather (glad you're still talking) said: >>>But who knows the origin of the Vulcan hand sign, the famous V shape with the fingers? What does it represent? Ark ark. *Now* we'll see who the real Trekkies are.<<< I know that one! Leonard Nimoy told about it on a show (I don't remember which, I wasn't a Trekk** at the time, just friends with them). Apparently, there's this one part of the service at his synagogues where everyone closes their eyes and the priests (or whatever they're called -- I mean no disrespect) blessed the congregation. Well one day, little Lennie peeked, and saw that the priests were doing the V thing with both hands, holding their arms out in front of them. The image stuck in his mind, and he did it once, and it was liked a lot. Err... I just checked, and Jake answered it, too. Well, just so you know, I had written before that message got onto the mailing list homepage. (yes, I'm online throughout the whole process of writing this so that I can talk to you all.) >>> I just thought it would be interesting to see the Companions screw up for once, instead of being the All Wise Spirits looking over their Chosen's shoulders, checking for mistakes. And that's one pretty reasonable way it could happen, not because the Companions suddenly turn evil, but because they've gotten used to running things their way.<<< I think that's so cool. I can really see it happening, too. Remember how Gwena pushed and pushed Elspeth along the path the Companions had chosen? vix said: >>>(btw, I thought you and woodlark were really separate, too--sneaky! Maybe you should be a Demon, too, of Decietful Aliases or something. ;))<<< Oh, dear. I'm really starting to grow a list of titles(nothing like Kory's, of course :P). I just might do that, too. Actually, I was considering bidding for Goddess of Multiple Personalities (or something like that), but Demon has a nice ring. I'll finally be able to discover whether Demons are necessarily evil by definition(through first-hand experience, of course!) >>>So I guess it's still a tithe, huh?<<< I'm not complaining. At this rate, we might actually pay the construction workers for last year's work. On the other hand, I think we might need to replenish the library... >>>deniz said: > mean, if we're going to say that the Companions are the one enforcing > the don't-think-or-talk-about-real-magic compulsion, then wouldn't it > be tiddlywinks to make themselves perceived as good? Well, I'm not sure. The one is a simple squelching of a particular thought, the other would involve actually implanting feelings. i kind of feel like it would be easier to keep something from coming up than it would be to make something happen.<<< Well, I'm thinking that the I-am-good message would be sent subliminally, and the person wouldn't actually be aware of it. On the other hand, squelching the magic stuff is definitely happening to conscious thoughts, which leads the Companions to make the person forget it ever happened because people would get suspicious if they could remember not being able to talk/think about magic. Elspeth had to take notes and force herself to pay attention to the books, and Gwena probably *wasn't* trying to stop her. Lee said: >>>gee, thanks, now I feel less alone--hungover *and* procrastinating on a take-home test...<<< ouch. I hate having the sun wake me up when I'm hungover at 9:00 in the morning. I love showers. I'm going to say one thing for the record right now. I felt stupid last night. I'm glad I have RL friends who'll remind me of that. >>>He first got scared about the monastery thing because he was afraid it would make a convenient method for getting him out of the line of inheritance--that in fact Withen was shipping him off to Savil so that Van would be out of the way while Withen looked for an appropriate monastery.<<< Thanks! Now I feel much better. >>>deniz said: "Have you been abml'ing? I'm starting to wonder when the chocolate cream pies will appear." and vix replied: "(what's abml'ing--then I can answer)" ooh, ooh, let me guess! alt.books.mercedes-lackey'ing?<<< You, my dear lady, win a prize! SPLAT! Tasty, isn't it? If you feel like more of the same, check out abml! >>>vix also said: "I'd *still* like to see somebody disliking the Heralds, whether it was a fluke or a widespread movement." erm, Lord Orthallen?<<< Yes, but he was one of those "evil/bad guy" characters. You know, a power-hungry b*st*rd. How about a more normal person who isn't twisted by this dislike, but rather it's somebody you would like and could possibly forgive them that one fault for(ooh, dangling participle!). Oh, woodlark took me up on that offer of a nice chair by the fireplace with a good book and all, and guess what she decided to drink? That stuff somebody offered her(can't remember the name or access my e-mail, sorry.) You know, the stuff that Darkwind and Elspeth had upon whose taste you can't agree? Well, just before she passed out, she said, "it trancends taste." Then again, she was even more hungover than me(it was a choir party, after all), so there could have been some funny things happening there, too. That's it for now! Hopefully I'll be back at my own address tonight, and talking as much as ever. And Woodlark might feel up to telling you about the concert and subsequent party. If she comes to... By the way, new sig. What do you think? __ __ ___________________________________________________________________ /_|\ Gotta Run! Love, dsarik-+AT+-PO-Box.McGill.CA =[ | ]_* ============Deniz Sarikaya============freakola-+AT+-geocities.com=== __0--0__________http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/9359/_______________ "You broke your little ships." Lily to Picard Star Trek: First Contact ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 21:23:48 -0500 From: SEANSQ-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: YMMV/sysadmin/Miss Saigon/duane/WoFate Message-ID: <961207212347_1852286538-+AT+-emout12.mail.aol.com> Special Note to Emily the invisible who is not feeling well. Hope you're feeling better soon - and I'll add you to my prayer list as of tonight. How about mega-doses of Vitamin C??? Has anyone else received the new Firebird catalog?? Do you know anything about the CDs of David Arkenstone and Misty "Quest of the Dream Warrior" and "In the Wake of the Wind" ? They each include a story by Misty and David and it looks like songs to go with the story. And how about those Herald Whites? I embarassed my husband enough last year by going to the Renaisance Fair at Sterling Forest, New York with my stuffed dragon on my shoulder (of course I was talking to him - the dragon-as I walked along). What a kick to go in Whites! Maybe I'd meet one of you! ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 21:40:45 -0500 From: SEANSQ-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Ooooops Message-ID: <961207214045_1919395056-+AT+-emout10.mail.aol.com> I'm still getting the hang of this Email stuff. When I just sent off that message in response to Emily's plea for positive healthy thoughts and prayers, I forgot to change the Subject line. Oh well. By the way, just got my copy of SB today from the SFBC and noticed a book listed on the timeline page after the Mage Storms Trilogy called Owlflight. Anyone know anything??? Meg .....who muttles thru somehow. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 18:52:34 -0800 (PST) From: Lee <97jsalaz-+AT+-jasper.uor.edu> To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Ahrodie /emily /rebel Companions /greetings /SB spoiler Message-ID: Kawry said: "Do y'all think that maybe Aphrodie (Dirk's Companion?) had something to do with making her Chosen go to the border? Something like she knew that Dirk would be needed to save Talia and all of Valdemar." It's certainly possible, but I wouldn't think it was necessary to manipulate a man with an unacknowleged lifebond into going toward his lifebonded. ----- to Emily the invisible (who wishes that she was a telekinetic so she could move all the gook out of her lungs): pneumonia is BAD. try not to have it. ok, so there may not be much you can do about it, but that doesn't stop me from wishing you better (what I do instead of prayer). About the gook in your lungs--you *can* get some of it out, by piling up pillows underneath the small of your back and lying on your stomach & back 5-10 minutes each (with a bowl or pan to cough into), 2-3 times a day. A bit icky, but a great excuse for squeezing in another 20-30 minutes of pleasure reading each day. And if your lungs make noise when you breathe, *describe the noises to the doctor*. (sez she who comes down with pneumonia frequently.) ------- Hth. wrote about Companions: "Seeing as how they're people and can make mistakes (or so we're told), they probably have a few human motivations, even the less wonderful ones. What if the Companions were to get a bit cocky after having ruled Valdemar in peace and prosperity for all those centuries, and what if they didn't *want* mages coming in?" To which Ele replied: "Even though I am willing to admit to human reactions in Companions[snip] I cannot reconcile Companions not wanting mages to come in with their making sure Elspeth could get off kingdom to get the training she needed." hm. Could you interpret Gwena's Grand Destiny for Elspeth as compensation for the Companions' inability to make Ancar go away? I mean, the Companions could have figured out (and it would have taken them, what, ten years since Talia brings the news that Ancar is/has mages?) that they couldn't fix the problem with Hardorn permanently and they needed magic back...so they took charge of Elspeth's mission; controlling things in order to feel that bringing mages in doesn't make them incompetant. Although Companions are well-intentioned, I don't see why they would be immune to subconsciously selfish motivations. ----- Jake quoted from me: <>> and said: "Hey you, Lee! Yeah, you! This is the God of Humor and Top Ten Lists/Avatar of Humor (self-appointed Demigod of Forgetfulness) here. My hazy mist of memory thinks that I appointed you something..[snip]" yep, you appointed me *something*, though I'm not sure what (Jake continued) "Cheer up, you! *grin* I may not know you personally, but don't let things like this get you down. There's a whole big bright beautiful bodacious world out there just waiting for you to pounce upon it and take your share. Don't build that ice wall too high or thick, or we here on the list will just have to use this.. *pats flamethrower* to get you back to your bad self.[snip]" erm, Jake? this had me a little confused and worried...("have I erred in some way? why yes, I committed an unclear attribution, probably") and then it seemed a bit comic...thanks for your concern, but I was quoting Vix's unhappiness in order to send her the emoticon & hug. (Comic, because those words would be so out of character in my mouth--"Me? mourn over an ex? ha ha ha!"--even though I can understand & sympathize with people in a broken-hearted, determined-to-relearn-bachelorhood, isolated position, I would never ever ever voluntarily barricade myself in...have spent too much of my life behind a metaphoric one-way mirror against my will; I could never go back...) I'm appropriately warmed by your friendly flamethrower--I needed something to light the fireplace with ;) "Boy, you set my hearth on...FIIIIRRRE!" (see what comes of living across the hall from an obsessed Doors fanatic?) --but anyhow, Vix is probably reading your message to me rather confusedly at her end of the line. ----------------- SB Spoiler Space: Jacquelle wrote: >I think Need will come back as a Companion and Choose Florian. Kawryathen replied: Oh my! if Need came back right away, imagine the trouble that she, Savil and Kerowyn would cause :) But, if Need did return as a companion, I think then the kitty would be out of the bag as to what the companions truly are. I don't think that she would be able to keep the info secret if it ever came to an important situation." Why not? Florian could give her a name ("Florian's Runs-Fast in Bright Fields" or something) and she could say that she's one of those Companions who knows something about magic. The info about her past would only become important if she had special knowlege or abilities; I don't think she would have special abilities, and her knowlege she could probably bring up in a way that doesn't make anyone suspect she was Need. --Lee-- 97jsalaz-+AT+-uor.edu -- www.geocities.com/Athens/4709/ "What time is it?"--Dekker, P. / Knight of the OAM, Spreader of Humor, Self-Appointed User of 5-point Vocabulary Words Such As "Panegyric" ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 21:45:11 +0000 From: myktshr-+AT+-ldd.net (miyako hirao) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Companions/field trip/Trekkie or Trekker/loneliness/joint Message-ID: <199612080337.VAA06097-+AT+-cdale3.midwest.net> On the difference between a Companion and a horse: In Magic's Promise when Van goes home and tells his father to let Yfandes feed on her own, Withen mentions something about how horses eat and drink too much after traveling if no one's looking after them. Then Van says 'Fandes won't do that because she's a Companion and *not* a horse. And in that same book, 'Fandes doesn't want to be around that "Shin'a'in" horse and is trying desperately to fend off his advances. So we know that Companions don't seek the COMPANY (as in the company of that Companion with the charming ... nose) of Horses and they don't interbreed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kory wrote: >>>Weird, huh? You got a field trip to a musical? lucky lucky lucky lucky lucky--we've had one field trip, this year. And it was to a marine sciene public access tv show.<<< Yes, it is *very* weird. I wish I could go to TIP at Kansas so maybe I could meet you and see what's *really* going on with your head . But the field trip was limited to Drama club/Speech and Debate/Choir students, with a limit of 33. I was the first to sign up, so I got really lucky, I guess. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kory wrote: >>>BTW, can anyone suggest a good two-person dialogue in some play that take around 5 minutes to read aloud?<<< "Death Knocks" by Woody Allen. It is hilarious, but it may be a little long if you do the whole mini-play -- it's around 10 minutes. But I bet you can cut it down a bit. It is *very* good. Two of my best friends are doing that for the next Speech tournament for Duet Acting. They're really great at it, even if it's been adapted to suit them. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the END OF THE WORLD: "It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine!" HEHEHEHE... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mylee wrote: >>> Oh wait, I just remembered something about Dawnfire losing herself in her hawk's fury when the gryphons got attacked. Hmm. <<< That's because she was in a trance, seeing through the hawk's eyes and sitting in its mind. So her "mind" was actually with the hawk when the gryphons were attacked. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On Heather's Speech about the Trekkie/Trekker controversy: BRAVO! FABULOUS! I have seen the light! It's not a matter of what you call yourself as a Trek fan, but that you understand the purpose and the ideals of it. I had the same reaction when I saw the Search for Spock in my living room about three weeks ago as the Trekkies in the theater on its first showing. I actually cried when Spock was resurrected and walked over to Dr. McCoy and Jim Kirk. And I got a little misty-eyed at Dr. McCoy's line "take me home ... take me to Mount Seleya." Most Trek fans I know say they had the same reaction, and the ones who really get into it say they have some sort of a reaction whenever they see that. The Trekkies stood by the crew, watching their every move, concentrating on their every word, every facial expression, every raised eyebrow... I was shocked to hear William Shatner tell the Trekkies to "get a life." We do have a life, and I'm sorry that William Shatner, the man behind the legendary James Tiberius Kirk, cannot understand our fascination. I think that's how this whole business of "Sophisticated Star Trek Fans" started -- by a man who is a huge part of All Things Trek. When I went to see First Contact, I heard some booing at Admiral Hayes (the idiot who appeared or was mentioned in some TNG episodes -- always is an idiot, always has been), the gasps at the sight of the Borg cube, the gasps and the "no, they can't do that!" when Picard initiated the self-destruct sequence, and the sudden wave of silence and anticipation when Data fired the quantum torpedoes at the Phoenix ... we were one and united. And Heather, you have made me see that no fan is more sophisticated than another, that we are united in this love for All Things Trek. I am proud to be a Trekkie. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kory wrote (about Les Miz): >yeppers! I mean..do you really *cry* when wosshername dies in Ms. Saigon? > Now..do you when Eponine or Gavroche does? eh? eh? see?;> I cried, and I haven't seen Les Miz. So from what you tell me, I guess I'll be supplying the whole state of Missouri with water for the next year if I do get to see it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wintershard wrote (on loneliness as one of his/her kind): >>>For example, I'm sure that with his emotion chip, Data now feels lonely at being the only android in existence (which reminds me, whatever happened to the two worlds of robots in the original series?). He yearns for another of his kind. <<< In one of the fan-fic versions of FC, Data regrets having dismantled his brother Lore, even if Lore presented a threat to the Federation. He probably does feel lonely, and I bet he is just now grieving the loss of his dauter, Lal (ST:TNG The Offspring). But I agree with Wintershard on how lonely it can get for someone when he/she is alone too long. Look at what happened to Van! First, he doesn't have any friends at home, so he closes himself off to the world, he does the same thing in Haven until Tylendel comes along. And when Tylendel dies, Vanyel wraps himself up into self-pity, tries to kill himself despite his bond with Yfandes, and he sends himself into a guilt-trip. He's lonely for many years, even though he has some friends and Yfandes, because he missed the company and the mere presence of Tylendel. So one *can* lose oneself in loneliness. On that race of androids (the one with Harry Mudd? Is that what you're talking about?), I guess they died out, but in ST:Voyager, there was an episode (Prototype) where B'Elanna Torres works with a race of sentient androids, and then is kidnapped to their ship so she could show them how to build more of their kind. She ends up destroying the prototype because she realizes that those androids killed their creators because the creators wanted to shut them down at the end of the war. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mat wrote: >>>> Dunno 'bout Valdemar, but I liked the way McCaffrey joined her Ships > world to the Crystal singer one. ML has never talked of oceans, has she? She did that? Huh. Well, I've only read 3 or so Ship books, and the first Crystal Singer one. <<< Killashandra and Lars board a brainship on their way to investigate a strange planet in Crystal Line (last book -- good, but the end seemed a little "tacked on"). There is mention of Helva, the Ship who Sang. I have yet to read all of the Ship books -- I'm thinking of getting them when I get some money. My Pern books came in yesterday, and I'm on the process of re-reading Dragonriders Trilogy. I'm also reading Renegades of Pern and Chronicles of Pern: The First Fall. BTW, has anyone noticed if McCaffrey ties in any of her other worlds to the Pern universe? I think Pern and the Telepath worlds could be tied in together sometime. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Christmas Carols: In chamber choir, we're doing this Christian song in Latin called "Gaudete." It's absolutely awesome -- it sounds almost like a medieval chant, it's fast paced, and it is absolutely beautiful. Anyone heard of it? But something bugs me: We're also doing "Glory to God in the Highest," and I have a problem with that because I'm not a Christian, and the song doesn't have much to do with Christmas, which is widely accepted and celebrated, even if it's a seasonal event. I look at the Birth of Christ story with an eye of "legends and mythology, work of literature". So I don't mind singing Christmas carols. But the religious songs we do in choir ("Glory to...", "May the Lord Bless You and Keep You", "Sunrise", etc.) really bug me. Does anyone else have this problem? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Vix wrote: >>>And to all those talking Trek, Live long and prosper. (And what is the appropriate response? Hmm? Anyone?) Saw First Contact opening night, waited three hours for tickets--all worth it. But has anyone else noticed just how easily we blew up those Borg ships? Half a dozen shots and Blooey! Of course, if they'd been as hard to destroy as portrayed in earlier shows I guess it would've been a darned short movie, huh? <<< Then Mat wrote: >>>Wait. Isn't "live long and prosper" a response to "peace and long life"? Or is it the other way around?<<< "Peace and Long Life ". Got it from _Sarek_ by A.C. Crispin. It can be used either way; one person says one, and the other person responds with the other. If A.C. Crispin got the Vulcan greetings right . I still haven't forgiven how William Shatner made Data look like a complete idiot in The Return. It was easy to destroy those Borg ships because Picard clearly remembered the weakness of them. IIRC, Data says that the coordinates Picard gave don't seem to be a vital part of the ship, and Picard says, "Trust me, Data. Fire at my mark." The Federation now has an edge, and IMNSHO, Admiral Hayes was an idiot for not letting Picard near the Borg attack in Sector 001 (although I'm thankful that they didn't use the "Enterprise is the only ship guarding Sector 001" gimmick.) TINAF -- I'm just a nitpicker. Hth wrote: >>>But who knows the origin of the Vulcan hand sign, the famous V shape with the fingers? What does it represent? Ark ark. *Now* we'll see who the real Trekkies are.<<< Leonard Nimoy improvised that for the TOS second season opener "Amok Time." It was not a scripted move. This is also the first time we hear "Live Long and Prosper." Spock gives the salute to T'Pau, the matriarch of his house. (did I get it right??? I hope I did -- I don't want Kory panicking and screaming "The world's coming to an end! The world's coming to an end!") More Trek Trivia: Who was "Number One" in TOS's pilot episode, The Cage? Who are the two Saaviks in three of the Trek films? What Trek "device"(as in part of the episode -- not necessarily machine) from "Trouble with Tribbles" actually existed in RL circa 1954? Who was the last person to pilot Enterprise-D? Chocolate covered sheep to anyone who can answer all three of them! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All rightey -- I'm done! Whew that was long. So, without further ado... Live Long and Prosper! Love and Logic, Summersong & Spiffy the Cat ************************************* Akiko Hirao "Captain, I believe I speak for everyone here when I say ... To hell with our orders!" -- Lt. Cmdr. Data from Star Trek: First Contact ************************************* ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 22:50:28 -0500 From: LCM46-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Lackey/Arkenstone/RenFaire Message-ID: <961207225027_1487866463-+AT+-emout18.mail.aol.com> I have the first cd--"quest", whatever--I gave it a listen, read the little story, didn't like it, left it for a bit, tried it again, and put it way in back of the cd pile--if anyone wants it--let me know, 'cause I don't. (first come, first served! e-mail me privately please) SEANSQ-+AT+-aol. wrote concerning the RenFair at Sterling, NY----I LOVE THAT PLACE---I don't take my husband, as he spoils my fun--so don't take yours! (I let the kids come with me--they really enjoy it---although I don't dress as a villager (it's too damn hot for me to want to wear "extra" clothing--I'd have a major hot flash and keel over) Last July, as we were taking a "food break", HRH stopped and "decreed" "eat up, a healthy England is a strong England", so we all replied "Yes, your majesty", she walked on, and we finished our food. I have some wonderful music I purchased there several years ago, but was disappointed to find that the "Gypsy Guerilla Band" was not in attendance this past summer--I really enjoy their numbers. Emily------get well soon! Lorraine Goddess of Domesticity/Laundry But I'm not dead yet! MP/Holy Grail ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 23:38:30 -0500 From: SEANSQ-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: ArkenstoneCD Message-ID: <961207233830_1718922579-+AT+-emout18.mail.aol.com> Lorraine, you said you didn't like that Arkenstone CD..have you heard the other CD's of the K&T and Valdemar stories? What did you think of those. I liked some (actually most) of them, although the last one Lovers, Lore & Loss was pretty depressing.. I can't be in the dumps when I play it. I especially like the songs of the Shin'a'in and Tayledras. Once I play it I can't get it out of my head for the whole day. My staff will often ask me what I'm humming, and I have to come up with a reasonable answer. Meg (who humms while she works) guess it's better than whistling. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 8 Dec 1996 01:29:34 -0500 (EST) From: "Romylee A. Ejercito" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Bondbirds vs Companions/ Tropics/ Priest/ Skif/ LHM and UK covers/ subliminal messages/ Miss Saigon/ Xmas songs/ stuffed dragon/ McCaffrey stuff Message-ID: First of all, a tithe to Mat, God of Procrastination (am i worthy enough to be your acolyte o great one?). I turn to Misty after several hours of words like parabromobenzene, aromatic and aliphatic compounds, and the absorption maximum of alkenes and non-conjugated dienes are at wavelengths below 200 nanometers because it takes more energy to jump from the HOMO to the LUMO. I have concluded that anyone taking organic chem will go insane, and anyone who willingly takes it already is insane. ~~Bondbirds vs. Companions Lady Windsong: I always thought the Companion bond was like the bond between Dragon and Dragonrider (Pern) Mylee: That's it! And the bondbird is a "mere" firelizard. I think the _bond_ is stronger, but emotions are a somewhat different thing. In Pern for instance (sorry to non-Pern fans), I've never seen a rider get lost in his dragon's emotions (except during mating flights) but the ones with firelizards _feel_ the lizards' panic (like the Two-Faced Mountain in ATWOP). This would probably because the dragons can think and reason and are more intelligent, so they can control their distress/emotions, and the lizards can't. BUT, when the emotions are very intense (like during the mating flight), the dragon loses that control and so the human gets caught up in the dragon's emotions. Same with bondbirds and Companions. Companions can choose to let their emotions show (like Gwena showing Elspeth that she's not happy about not going on to Quenten's uncle or something), but they can control it, unless the emotions are very intense. Whereas with the bondbirds, any intense emotions (e.g. rage) can be felt by the bonded human b/c the bird doesn't think of controlling these. ~~END~~ ~~Tropics~~ Esmeralda:We know there's deserts and hot places, but what about tropical climates? Arctic? Mylee: Well, I always assumed that the Vales were tropical. Not their surroundings, but the Vale itself. I mean, the Vales have hot springs, huge trees with spreading branches, warmth.... It seems tropical enough to me. ~~END~~ ~~Priest in Vows and Honor~~ >Deniz: Remember the priest we met with T&K? I would *love* to read a story about him and his order. They seemed pretty cool, and how'd they get the level of magic they do have, and stuff like that. Mylee: Yeah! I wonder what ever happened to Thalkarsh? I'd also want to hear more about the Goddess that Need served in her days as a human. Did any derivation from that religion ever survived? Or maybe a pre-Magewar story.... ~~END~~ ~~Skif~~ >Vix: And Skif! Poor Skif. I always liked him. Does he ever get into a real, solid relationship with anyone, in any book, that lasts more than a few days? Mylee: Wasn't that in Winds? /me says nothing more in case Vix is reading it for the first time. ~~END~~ ~~LHM and covers~~ >Ian: Does any one know if the magic books are still in print Mylee: Well, I bought mine about four months ago, so it should still be in print. Also, the Science Fiction Book Club still has copies of it. >Ian: see the uk version of the covers Mylee: I went and looked and, um, why does Skan look like a chicken? And why is Windsong (I'm assuming it's Windsong) wearing this Grecian/Amazon tunic dress thing? I think I like the US covers better (alien giant squid thing and all), but it may be coz I'm just more used to them. ~~END~~ ~~subliminal messages~~ >Jacquelle (I think): Well, I'm thinking that the I-am-good message would be sent subliminally Mylee: Wouldn't this count as unethical? I mean, Heralds aren't supposed to enter people's minds without permission, so it would be kind of hypocritical of the Companions to go ahead and do it. And Vanyel came down hard on Stefan b/c S played for this gem merchant and S might have been asked to send a message subliminally, so they would buy the gems. ~~Miss Saigon~~ Emily: Oh, and for everyone who is bashing Miss Saigon, take a look at the source material and _then_ bash it. Mylee: I do like MS, esp. "I Still Believe" and "Fall of Saigon" and "Please" b/c I already knew the ending. LM was just more powerful, possibly because it was on a grander scale than MS. Personal opinions, I guess. And I've sorta read about M. Butterfly, MS is definitely better. I need to watch more musicals! Maybe I can go to New York again during Spring Break. The tickets are soooo expensive though, around, um $60? And the bus costs $40. /me sighs. Someday, when I'm rich.... ~~END~~ ~~Xmas songs~~ vix:I especially love those glorious dark old Catholic mass pieces, all in Latin with eerie harmonies Mylee: That's what we're doing in choir now. There's this one piece that I love, it's not in Latin, but it's great. It's a lullaby (of death?) sung to the innocents who were killed as per Herod's instructions. ~~END~~ ~~stuffed dragon~~ >SEANSQ (didn't catch the name, sorry): And how about those Herald Whites? I embarassed my husband enough last year by going to the Renaisance Fair at Sterling Forest, New York with my stuffed dragon on my shoulder (of course I was talking to him - the dragon-as I walked along). Mylee: I haven't done anything like that, but I'd definitely do it. I've gotten some funny looks from my non-fan friends though, when I start rhapsodizing about Pern or Velgarth or Trek. And I'd love to get a stuffed dragon. ~~END~~ ~~Re:McCaffrey stuff~~ >Mat wrote: >>>> Dunno 'bout Valdemar, but I liked the way McCaffrey joined her Ships > world to the Crystal singer one. ML has never talked of oceans, has she? She did that? Huh. Well, I've only read 3 or so Ship books, and the first Crystal Singer one. <<< Mylee: I'm the other way around. I've read the Crystal Singer books, and I'm only starting on the Ship books. Esme: Mind you, McC's names don't exactly trip off the tongue do they - T'gellan, Rannartly (or some such), F'lessan) The F'l ones aren't bad, they just sort of glide. The ones that are hard to pronounce are Groghe (I'd never have figured this out if it weren't for the pronunciation guide), Brekke, and, um, I forgot the name but he was this Oldtimer Weyrleader from the North (Telgar or Igen) whose name started with a G. Hmm, if a dragonrider had a one-syllable name, how would he get elided? (ooops, non-Misty, sorry) >Summersong: BTW, has anyone noticed if McCaffrey ties in any of her other worlds to the Pern universe? I think Pern and the Telepath worlds could be tied in together sometime. Mylee: I don't know if she would though. For the fanfic clubs, she hasn't allowed anyone to have Pern discovered by other humans, and no ties between her Pern and other worlds. But has anyone ever read this short story that was a cross between Pern and Darkover? It's in one of the Darkover anthologies, and a rider named S'poon and his dragon (Broth) came over to Darkover. It was a two or three-page story, and was pretty funny. ~~~~~~~~ Mylee Ejercito aka Quicksilver, acolyte (maybe) of the God of Procrastination rejercito-+AT+-wesleyan.edu http://www.dragonfire.net/~kaiserina ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1008 **********************************