[LMB] Re: Haut reproduction and communism

[Damien R. Sullivan]

On Thu, Feb 28, 2002 at 09:00:37PM -0500, Betsy Hosler wrote:

> Also, from the evidence in _Cetaganda_, at least some of the time the
> Empress *is* the Emperor's mother (depends on relative generation time). Or
> was this only true for this case because this particular EmpressMother had
> lived so long? (I think it's mentioned that she was long-lived even for a

Actually I think it's the reverse, and Mia said the Empress is usually
the new Emperor's mother.  A non-Imperial son can't become Emperor, but
a daughter can become Empress, by mothering someone who becomes the
Emperor.  Of course, if you run out of mother you have to try something
else, a la Rian.

> one of the other women might take over as EmpressMother? How is the next
> Emperor selected anyway? EmperorCurrent names a successor, and successor's

Not clear about that.

> So I'm not sure where the question about "hive" sort genetics goes, when I
> don't think the initial premise of non-vulnerability in a single son is
> correct.

The sexual vulnerability is just the lead particular  idea, easily
discardable.  The generalized connection between the fact that genetics
are centrally controlled and the suggested communism of the haut
remains on the table.  As does an observation that while humans evolved
through male sperms and female eggs and assorted paraphernalia competing
with each other and every which way, the haut do not have that sort of
genetic competition.  This should lead to differences.  If I knew more
evolutionary theory I could pontificate more.

-xx- Damien X-)