Okay, first things first. My in-laws get here tomorrow for my wife's college graduation the day after and will be here until the following day, at which point there will be much partying to celebrate my Permanent Residency Status and wife graduating with honours, away from the watchful eyes of Mormon in-laws.
I *will* still be coming on tomorrow night to help start things and hopefully the night after depending on the length of family dinners and Skype chats. The only night that I may not be on is Saturday night. So I *might* be absent Saturday night. Friday and Saturday at the very most. I figured I should give everyone a heads up.
NOW: Lengthy history lesson.
The year is 2072, almost exactly 72 years since the disappearance of most of the surviving Animorphs in 2010 and 10 years since the Earth and many homeworld's mourned the passing of the last known living Animorph, Cassie, who died peacefully in her sleep.
Much has changed on Earth. Technology has continued to progress at such a rate that each new generation hardly registers any significant technological marvel to grace the market until they are in their prime and their childhood toys have become 'retro'. Earth, as always, is a Corporate hub for all things regarding to tourism, business, commerce, technology and culture. Many of the companies of the early 21st century are, surprisingly, still present today, having taken great advantage from the massive influx of knowledge and technology to their respected areas once the galactic community was opened up to them.
Apple computers has recently released the iLight 9, a personal computing device that employs both holographic and force field technology coupled with quantum storage capacity. The device itself, a small as their archaic iPod Nano, emits what Apple call a 'hard-light touch screen' that can be as small as the palm of your hand or as large as a 21" monitor, whilst storing up to 16 terabytes worth of music, documents, games, or other relevant data. The iLight 10, boasting the first ever petabyte storage capacity on a personal device is expected for release in 2074.
General Motors has similarly cashed in on galactic commerce, having established itself as a key supporter and backing company for deep-space hydrogen fuel mining expeditions, hydrogen having become the fuel-source of choice on earth. While cars are still restricted to ground travel, the latest '72 model vehicles boast the highest in safety standards, with front and side air-bags, front, side and rear shields and the latest in inertia control technology.
Architecture is similarly on the rise on earth, if you'll pardon the pun. Most structures on earth are now high-rise, including living quarters, as a means of freeing up more land space and allowing the ecosystem to recover from the last 300 years. This is not to say that human living is more compact. Most living quarters are now advertised as containing a bed, bath, lounge and garden room, a marvel of human blending of extra-planetary colonization technology and self contained environments, providing almost every home or apartment with an 'indoor backyard'.
This has also led to a maze of weaving high-rise roads and highways, anchored to the sides of these buildings and supported by the latest in anti-gravity stabilizers.
Culturally, earth is still just as vain. Galactic culture greatly influences the fashion and media industries and the latest genetic technology has given rise to a whole new market of body modification, with the latest guarantee that "90% of all genetic modifications will not become hereditary" doing little to quell popular public opinion on the matter. Forked tongues are now akin to wisdom teeth coming through, as are sixth or seventh fingers, prehensile tails, natural hair colours of every shade as well as bone-horns.
The third world still exists, albeit now at a level more akin to the early 2000's, still using fossil fuels as a means of fuel and power. It is is generally hoped that the third world will be brought up to a cultural, medical and technological synchronicity within the next 100 years.
On the Galactic side, much has also changed. Galactic tourism is booming, with much of the general Andalite public flocking to earth via Virgin and Qantas space-flight to sample the delights of taste. Earth, after assisting the Andalites in numerous missions and expeditions of negotiations and peace, has become a trusted ally of their people. It is even rumored that the new CEO of Apple is an Andalite
nothlit.
The Taxxons, while those present on earth and a small number on their homeworld flocked to become snake
nothlits, were divided in their decision. A faction developed between those willing to become
nothlits and those who wanted to retain their homeworld, and civilization, while ridding themselves of their cursed hunger. Their answer came with the use of Yeerk genetic technology. The Yeerks went on to discover lost Arn technology on the Hork-Bajir homeworld, using the oppurtunities it opened up to them to become a ruely symbiotic race.
With this technology, the Yeerks were able to combine the DNA of the Taxxon with that of the snakes of earth, allowing their offspring to retain their intelligence as well as their Taxxon appendages, while also freeing them of their cannibalistic hunger but leaving them with their Taxxon tunneling abilities, even if they are hampered by their new found ability to become full. Because of this ability, Taxxons are the employees of choice within General Motors when it comes to deep-space mining.
The Yeerks have perhaps changed more than any other species in the galaxy. Those who did not become
nothlits of other, sentient or non-sentient species have gone on to utilise Arn genetic technology to alter their very first hosts, the Gedd, as well as their own bodies.
The Yeerk homeworld is now home to a race who prefer to refer to themselves as the "Yedd".
Their Gedd hosts are now completely bipedal, no longer the hunched over Gedd of their past. Their bodies a covered in short, coarse, blue fur, their upper torso sporting two strong arms ending in slender, four long-fingered hands with opposable thumbs, while also posessing two stong legs ending in four-toed, webbed feet for traversing the muddy terrain of their homeworld as well as a prehensile tail in order to maintain balance.
The Yeerks have also heightened the senses of smell and taste within the Gedd, senses they lack in their natural forms.
On a whole, the Gedd are almost completely similar to their previously beloved Class 5 host species, Humans, in terms of upper body strength, movement speed and eyesight and hearing, with their only improvements being with smell and taste.
As a means of avoiding another Yeerk-Andalite war, the Yeerks have modified their bodies to require a certain enzyme that only modified Gedd biochemistry can provide, which seems to be toxic to almost all other species. On top of this, Gedd skin cells are now capable of converting solar energy into Kandrona radiation, making the Yeerks completely reliant on Gedd hosts, essentially making the Yedd one species.
The Hork-Bajir have similarly undergone a great deal of change. Those who liberated their homeworld have become content with re-seeding the world with lush plant life, as was their intended purpose when created by the Arn.
The Hork-Bajir that remained on earth, however, have become recognised as refugees with no birth home and have become a recognised state on earth, the Hork-Bajir state of Yellowstone.
These Hork-Bajir are a far cry from the Hork-Bajir of their homeworld. Under the guidance of their seers, the late Toby Hamee and their newest seer, Sadee Jerath, the Yellowstone Hork-Bajir have become recognised for their incredible insight on all things agricultural and have even established a agricultural schooling system recognised as one of the most prominent in the galaxy.
While it is true that Hork-Bajir, save for seers, lack the mental capacity to learn to read or write, they have long established a familiarity with "learning by doing" and an apt memory for recognising past mistakes and using what works best. In this regard, the Hork-Bajir are at a disadvantage when it comes to learning, but are in their element when it comes to
remembering, with all of their history and teachings being oral and passed down through folklore to be remembered and incorporated.
Hork-Bajir schooling typically involves briefly being told what to do, the right and wrong way to do it and then immediately putting it to practice in the fields.
Admission into Hork-Bajir schooling usually involves achieving a certain level in a series of memory excercises.
The Leeran's have changed perhaps least of all, being most comfortable on their aquatic homeworld of Leera. Their people and world has become recognised as the hub of galactic politics and negotiations since, on Leera, there are no secrets. The furthest any Leerans appear to travel is to earth to assist with deep-sea expeditions and research, although most of the general public do tend to avoid a Leeran out of self-conscious fear of exposure and vulnerability.
Ironically, however, not much else is known about Leera or it's people, not so much because the Leerans are not forthcoming with information or have something to hide, but because they are yet unfamiliar with the concept that there are races out there that don't know what they're thinking. The Leeran's literally expect you to be a mind-reader.
There we go. History Lesson over. More will be added as it comes to light in-game.
Post Merged: December 15, 2010, 02:45:51 PM
I'm assuming humans have energy weapons now right?
Yep. But there are still projectile based weapons, too.
