Not sure if this has already been asked/answered somewhere, but...

[granath]

On Callisto, all the other Talents, with Afra as the strongest at T-4, didn't come close to approximating the strength of another Prime.

Mauli and Mick approximated the strength of another Prime, but when the Rowan came back on duty, everyone felt the difference.

[draconichybrid]

D. M. Domini: None of that necessarily precludes homogeneity. IIRC, there is evidence that in a merge, some strength is 'lost' (used to maintain the merge). It's a common enough system, after all.

granath: Actually, Afra was T-3 at the start of the Hiver War. ( nitpicky pedants for the win! ) Also -- if I'm remembering correctly and some strength gets dedicated to the merge -- that would figure.


Quasi-off-topic: That would also go a long way towards explaining why Damia's catalytic Talent was such a prize -- (some of) the extra strength would essentially "offset" the strength lost naturally to a merge.

[draconichybrid]

Another thought: Actually, given that Talent as a process is quantum mechanical, some strength must be consumed by the mechanics of the merge. That is, the nonfocus mind(s) have got to be sending power to the focus mind.
This energy must first be directed outside the 'drone' mind, then 'beamed' at the focus mind, and finally redirected by the focus mind into useful work (that's 'work' as defined by physicists, mind)

By the second law of thermodynamics... in any natural process -- and IIRC all real processes are natural -- some energy is going to be converted to a less useful form (ie, "lost" or "degraded"). Naturally enough, this loss is referred to as "energy degradation"... and there are at least three processes involved as soon as linking comes into play. :P

[Multi-Facets]

Sorry to bring this up so late, but Rowan showed a little microkinetic ability when her puhka Purza was destroyed, and Jeff later remarked "She's figured out how to do that" when Afra told him Rowan was going to have a girl.

[Brenda]

ALso, the "metamorphic massage" Rowan uses when Jeff is injured, seems to be something like Amareeyah's ability - perhaps not such direct healing, though.

[ghost8772]

The metamorphic massage, sounded more like internal energy flow, accupressure and similar oriental ideals.

[granath]

Indeed it did, I agree with you ghost. Although that doesn't preclude some sort of healing on a subconscious level.

[Brenda]

Seems like Rowan is imagining breaking up blockages... that part never made much sense to me, really.

[Multi-Facets]

Energy blockages from the shock, I think.

[D. M. Domini]

I never really understood the metamorphic massage thing, nor the fact that Afra and Capellans "don't believe in it".

[granath]

You would expect Afra to start believing in it, since it so obviously saved Jeff's life. He doesn't seem like the sort of guy who'd disbelieve the evidence of his own eyes.

There is some kind of Eastern healing where you massage certain spots on a person's foot and it's supposed to affect the rest of the body. Or if you say, have a problem with your liver, a certain spot on the sole becomes more sensitive than usual to a firm touch. I can't remember what this treatment is called, but it sounds a lot like metamorphic massage.

[ghost8772]

or vice versa,

ran a google search, it listed accupressure as a homeopathic remedy, which struck a chord of memory within the tower and hive area of memory. In that time as well as currently, homeopathic remedies have a dubious reputation. So, put the two together, mapping of energy paths in the body, and ability to believe that they perceive whats happening, backed by Talent, gives the process power in orders of magnitude, like the difference between striking a match, and detonating a nuclear weapon.

[Cheryl]

Granath, I think that's reflexology.

[Kath]

Originally Posted by ghost8772

or vice versa,

ran a google search, it listed accupressure as a homeopathic remedy, which struck a chord of memory within the tower and hive area of memory. In that time as well as currently, homeopathic remedies have a dubious reputation. So, put the two together, mapping of energy paths in the body, and ability to believe that they perceive whats happening, backed by Talent, gives the process power in orders of magnitude, like the difference between striking a match, and detonating a nuclear weapon.

Homeopathy != accupressure/accupuncture

Both are so-called 'alternative' medicines, but while the latter has demonstrably been proved effective beyond the placebo level (even if we don't understand WHY), homeopathy most certainly has not.

[ghost8772]

Originally Posted by Kath

Homeopathy != accupressure/accupuncture

Both are so-called 'alternative' medicines, but while the latter has demonstrably been proved effective beyond the placebo level (even if we don't understand WHY), homeopathy most certainly has not.

well, physically, likely not, but on a psychological level, people HAVE felt better after the treatments.

[granath]

And that's the placebo effect. The same thing that happens when somebody has a headache and you give them a calcium tablet rather than Tylenol. Or for that matter most faith healing.

That said, acupuncture has been shown to work in stringent scientific studies, and you can get it on the NHS here. Not so for homeopathic treatments.

[Brenda]

Slightly Off Topic...

Homeopathy != accupressure/accupuncture

Kath, did you intend to have an exclamation point there? Is that supposed to be "not equal to"? I saw it as a typo at first. (I would have expected to see it like this =/=)


Pray continue! I hadn't thought about acupuncture/acupressure - I hadn't really heard of the latter but it sounds pretty familiar!

[D. M. Domini]

!= does mean "not equal". I use it sometimes. I want to say it's either math or programming that uses it that way.

[granath]

Acupressure is used in some methods of relieving labor pains, for example.

I've seen != but I'm more familiar with =/=.

[K'vin]

Sorry I'm getting into this so late but Afra was able to tell Rowan was pregnant with Jeran because of her Aura. The Tower and the Hive US May 2000 Ace paperback ed pg 213 states “… and in an unusual display of affection, Stoked her head. His hand stopped and wrinkled in surprise.” Kincaid told him Laria was carrying his child and Afra stated it was very recent because he could barely detect the physical changes.

Earth Prime Reidinger increased Afra's T rating from 4 to 3 just from pathing him when Rowan was on Deneb bringing Jeff back in Damia US Feb 1993 Ace paperback ed pg 70 This was when Afra was about 20. In Damia’s Children US Feb 1993 Ace paperback ed pg 13 he’s listed as a T2 and he would be about 59 because Laria was 15 and Damia was 35 because she was about 20 when Laria was born. There was also mention that Afra was as close to Prime as he cared to be.

[Rianne]

(quote)(Someone who has a real background in biology feel free to kick my butt if I'm grossly mistaken anywhere here. I know I'm explaining it poorly. I had 6 semesters of biology in high school, but yeah, it was high school biology, with additions from the popular science magazines here and there, so I might well have some gaping holes in my argument!)(unquote)


seems to agree with what i learned in 7th grade biology!

[GinnyStar]

Originally Posted by D. M. Domini

<snip>

Only Ruth from the Pegasus books has been shown to have the kinetic ability to manipulate genes, and even then it only kicked in during conception of her children, when they were only one cell big. One change, and boom, the effect is carried into all the rest of the cells as the embryo grows and develops. Damia has never shown any micro-kinetic ability of this type. Afra has more micro-kinetic ability than she does, what with his ability to know when the women around him are pregnant before they know. (Unless we count this one as a form of clairvoyance, which I don't think it is.)<snip>

Also Amariyah from Pegasus in Space