Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

[Grayhome]

I didn't include increased G tolerance (or reduced life support) in the GURPS version of Loroi because I think they're minor advantages and not the multiple-times-human-capacity GURPS versions of the advantages. People with smaller bodies and a lower center of gravity (like human women) tend to have slightly higher G-tolerance than larger, top-heavy men. It is like this for the Loroi but more so; a typical Loroi female might have 10-20% better G-tolerance than a similar-sized human female.

The Loroi emphasis on manned fighters has more to do with their preferences and attitudes rather than their G-tolerance; the Loroi Tenoin pilots have traditionally been very willing to train hard in the use of the liquid breathing mediums, and to put their lives at risk, perhaps more than many other races would. The Umiak, who are very G-intolerant, prefer to use larger gunboats that can have inertial dampers instead of fighters.

Really! That is... quite surprising! That information has a considerable affect upon my view of the Loroi as a people.

Also I am DL'ing DC Universe Online, going to make a Fireblade and possibly other Outsiderverse characters for fun and post screenshots. Recently found out there is a "Mental" (i.e. Psionic) class in the game, so seems like a fun way to kill spare time. Fireblade cannot fly, correct? Does she possess amazing acrobatic abilities augmented by her Psionic powers or does she just run around like a boring old human?

[CrimsonFALKE]

I didn't include increased G tolerance (or reduced life support) in the GURPS version of Loroi because I think they're minor advantages and not the multiple-times-human-capacity GURPS versions of the advantages. People with smaller bodies and a lower center of gravity (like human women) tend to have slightly higher G-tolerance than larger, top-heavy men. It is like this for the Loroi but more so; a typical Loroi female might have 10-20% better G-tolerance than a similar-sized human female.

The Loroi emphasis on manned fighters has more to do with their preferences and attitudes rather than their G-tolerance; the Loroi Tenoin pilots have traditionally been very willing to train hard in the use of the liquid breathing mediums, and to put their lives at risk, perhaps more than many other races would. The Umiak, who are very G-intolerant, prefer to use larger gunboats that can have inertial dampers instead of fighters.

Really! That is... quite surprising! That information has a considerable affect upon my view of the Loroi as a people.

Also I am DL'ing DC Universe Online, going to make a Fireblade and possibly other Outsiderverse characters for fun and post screenshots. Recently found out there is a "Mental" (i.e. Psionic) class in the game, so seems like a fun way to kill spare time. Fireblade cannot fly, correct? Does she possess amazing acrobatic abilities augmented by her Psionic powers or does she just run around like a boring old human?

I am certain that in a fighter to fighter match a human drone/AI would out match a loroi pilot. The only reason my universe has manned weapons is liquid O2 directly injected into a human's spine. And if humans do make manned fighters given enough time I am sure they'd match the loroi and maybe out perform them. hell their condescending attitudes towards men as soldier may make things like that even easier.

[Absalom]

She is not above some mischievousness as seen in the lift

I don't think that was being mischievous, I think she was just trying to display her authority, territorialism/posturing/establishing dominance/etc. She hasn't shown any signs of acting domineering, but I can buy the idea that she has at least some Alpha personality traits.

I'm not sure what my name means, my first name mean protector, my middle name means wolf , and my last means person who lives by thicket. but together I got nothing anyone got a suggestion.

If you had to translate it into Trade then you'd probably need to use "Delrias" or a translation of something like "wild hunting animal" to translate the Wolf bit. Unless you wanted a talking point, in which case don't translate that part at all!

On the subject of names i'm afraid i'm on the more unimpressive side of the list.

or and i shit you not "It's lonely to be gay".

??? This leads to questions which can mostly be summed up with "Why bother", "long string of gobbledygook", and "ancestors teased about their name".

to be quite honest, the loroi strike me as practical creatures, and since 'personal transports' in any decently urbanized environment is inefficient as bloody hell, the traffic jams in most large cities across the globe should prove that, probably quite well developed community transport systems(buss/subway/trams/etc.) is what i would expect,

Assuming that the city-states (or at least fortified cities) lasted fairly long, then this would surely be even more accentuated than it is here on Earth right now.

rural life however requires 'personal transports' and other vehicles.

For farm vehicles, yes, but if you're willing to require all rural housing developments to be at intermittently designated points on a rail line (possibly with a signalling button that you have to press to request that a soon-to-pass train make a stop), and are willing to run enough lines (note that you could have high-speed feeder lines connected to lower-speed large-area lines), then you might not need very many transports equivalent to our modern cars.

well loroi cities may have cars like a public cab that is meant for quick use I mean really the problem with cars in cities is mostly bad driving and the wrong car for the city. So loroi males just fuck I mean shit it doesn't so so bad until you realize just how valuble you are to the continuation of your species. I mean it really takes the fun out of a nice hard f***, do they have some sort of xtra-strength viagra mixed into their food? I mean frequent mating encounters being vital for your well being sounds like a perfect plan to f*** away your pripism. Hell in my matriarchies the men either just do all the science and inventions under the protective eye of the women. These Loroi seem more like they have animals than men.

I suspect that you overestimate the needs and sexual activity levels of the men. Also, watch the cussing and punctuation, it makes you sound less intelligent than you are.

I didn't include increased G tolerance (or reduced life support) in the GURPS version of Loroi because I think they're minor advantages and not the multiple-times-human-capacity GURPS versions of the advantages. People with smaller bodies and a lower center of gravity (like human women) tend to have slightly higher G-tolerance than larger, top-heavy men. It is like this for the Loroi but more so; a typical Loroi female might have 10-20% better G-tolerance than a similar-sized human female.

The Loroi emphasis on manned fighters has more to do with their preferences and attitudes rather than their G-tolerance; the Loroi Tenoin pilots have traditionally been very willing to train hard in the use of the liquid breathing mediums, and to put their lives at risk, perhaps more than many other races would. The Umiak, who are very G-intolerant, prefer to use larger gunboats that can have inertial dampers instead of fighters.

Really! That is... quite surprising! That information has a considerable affect upon my view of the Loroi as a people.

Also I am DL'ing DC Universe Online, going to make a Fireblade and possibly other Outsiderverse characters for fun and post screenshots. Recently found out there is a "Mental" (i.e. Psionic) class in the game, so seems like a fun way to kill spare time. Fireblade cannot fly, correct? Does she possess amazing acrobatic abilities augmented by her Psionic powers or does she just run around like a boring old human?

I am certain that in a fighter to fighter match a human drone/AI would out match a loroi pilot.

I doubt that it would matter in this setting. I would expect that the pilots often just set targeting priorities on-the-fly, so that they can get the best fire-rates and timing that they can manage regardless of their own abilities.

The only reason my universe has manned weapons is liquid O2 directly injected into a human's spine.

That sounds like a really good way to get someone killed, since oxygen apparently won't stay liquid above a certain temperature (I forget what, exactly, but it was a good deal below 0 Fahrenheit). First their spines freeze, then their vertebral column explodes when the oxygen warms up enough. "Great" for recruiting, just about as good for job performance.

And if humans do make manned fighters given enough time I am sure they'd match the loroi and maybe out perform them. hell their condescending attitudes towards men as soldier may make things like that even easier.

I'm not so certain of that. In a liquid breathing medium, human G-tolerance apparently maxes out in either the hundreds, or the thousands of Gs, purely because differential tissue densities lead to e.g. your bones separating from your muscles. I would expect the Loroi to have comparable traits. Add on to that the fact that the Loroi would have plenty of time to come to grips with us, with the fact that they aren't stupid, and you're likely to see them take our combatants seriously long before our fighter pilots get access to comparable hardware. Hitler underestimated the US and Soviet Union purely because he didn't understand the power of the Zerg rush.

[Arioch]

Fireblade cannot fly, correct? Does she possess amazing acrobatic abilities augmented by her Psionic powers or does she just run around like a boring old human?

Fireblade has more than enough power to lift her own body, but not fine enough control to fly safely... in the same way that she roughly "shoved" Alex in the elevator because she did not have fine enough control to simply catch him. If she found herself in a dangerous situation, she could chuck herself into the air, but she'd have a difficult time making a safe landing.

[saint of m]

Fireblade cannot fly, correct? Does she possess amazing acrobatic abilities augmented by her Psionic powers or does she just run around like a boring old human?

Fireblade has more than enough power to lift her own body, but not fine enough control to fly safely... in the same way that she roughly "shoved" Alex in the elevator because she did not have fine enough control to simply catch him. If she found herself in a dangerous situation, she could chuck herself into the air, but she'd have a difficult time making a safe landing.

So basically she's an albatross. She does a really great job getting into the air, not so much landing.

[After she vacates a damaged escape pod]. "I'm alright, I'm alright (looks down) This is going to hurt."

[sunphoenix]

I don't think that was being mischievous, I think she was just trying to display her authority, territorialism/posturing/establishing dominance/etc. She hasn't shown any signs of acting domineering, but I can buy the idea that she has at least some Alpha personality traits.

I said mischievous merely because of her expression. She was not scowling or directly following it up by stepping close to 'enforce' her intimidating presence. Fireblade may not be able to 'read' Alex's emotions but his expressions and speech are a sure marker he is already plenty scarred of his situation. There is no Reason whatsoever to infer from any of Alex's spoken words or body language that he has ANY illusions of 'trying to make a break for it'. Where would he go? His recognition of the weapons the other Loroi Soroin were carrying about I'm sure is not lost on Fireblade. Fireblade could have easily just side stepped Alex in the elevator he would have reflexively caught himself with his hand against the wall... there was no need for Fireblade to clout him with TK force. And considering Ariochs description of Fireblade's TK control...
.

Fireblade has more than enough power to lift her own body, but not fine enough control to fly safely... in the same way that she roughly "shoved" Alex in the elevator because she did not have fine enough control to simply catch him. If she found herself in a dangerous situation, she could chuck herself into the air, but she'd have a difficult time making a safe landing.

... It was possible she could have certainly hurt Alex. Her expression afterward as she Sanzai's a reply to Beryl says to me she was at least being chastised for being so forceful. Part of her intention yes was to show her hidden danger... but I don't think it was a direct attempt to scare Alex... he's obviously scared of his situation. At least it seems that wasy to me. Fireblade has not bothered to menace Alex... I don't think she's a bully or cruel.

That would make her akin to an Earth Officer Ranked Marine bullying a rescued from being ship-wreaked at sea lone unarmed tall foreign woman by his deployed missile cruiser.

She is no threat... so why be mean? So I am assuming she is being mischievous.

well loroi cities may have cars like a public cab that is meant for quick use I mean really the problem with cars in cities is mostly bad driving and the wrong car for the city. So loroi males just fuck I mean shit it doesn't so so bad until you realize just how valuble you are to the continuation of your species. I mean it really takes the fun out of a nice hard f***, do they have some sort of xtra-strength viagra mixed into their food? I mean frequent mating encounters being vital for your well being sounds like a perfect plan to f*** away your pripism. Hell in my matriarchies the men either just do all the science and inventions under the protective eye of the women. These Loroi seem more like they have animals than men.

I think your mistaking Loroi for humans. We may look similar but we are not the same. Human males are NOT smaller on average than human females.. Loroi males on the average are smaller than Loroi females. There is definitely something hormonally different going on there between human males and Loroi males. Beryl is Listel - Scientist caste... not Dorazor-Engineer caste. When she says Loroi males need regular sexual stimulation to be healthy I take her at her word. They are not human males.

Males in Loroi society have been at least described in the Insider as being scholars and sages... perhaps valuable intelligence Gathering Farseers! Certainly not condescended to! I'm sure the Lorio women love their men as well! Technically, 'male' is almost a Caste of its own... but without the solid strictures of Tenonin, Soroin, Teidar, Listel, Dorazor, Torrai, Mizol. They almost seems free to delve into a combination of Listel, Dorazor, Mizol, possible Torrai aspects in one caste of 'Male' {all in non-combat capacities of course}. But I expect the majority of Loroi males are classified as civilians.

I am certain that in a fighter to fighter match a human drone/AI would out match a loroi pilot.

I think perhaps your missing some of the point on the superior tech of the loroi in this field. The reason humans don't have serious spacefighters is because of the size requirements for their current engine designs. They haven't bothered to design smaller spacefighter craft because of the size and maneuver limits. Spacefighters are no more survivable against their current warship designs to be cost effective! Human 'spacefighters' can't carry enough drives, counter-missile munitions and missile or direct laser energy weapons to make them an efficient enough option against a larger warship of current human design. Once they design a vehicle 'spacefighter' craft with sufficient weapons, drives and anti missile fire countermeasures to actually survive long enough in an engagement with any current human designed warship to be cost effective... its big enough and expensive enough then to not bother with it in the first place! Might as well build a full warship!

Until humans get better miniturazation of and Waaay more efficient maneuver drives, power systems, weapons and counter-weapons systems... they will not be build 'wasting' resources on building space fighters.

Plus in space combat its more fire and forget than even air combat. You activate drives you have a signature, you fire an ordinance weapon you have a signature you fitre a beam weapon you have a signature, you scan with active sensors you have a signature... its EASY to target that long range long before you see a foe. Maneuvering for best possible target aspect is really the name so the game. With humans woefully inefficient drives compared to the major stellar races will keep them out of that game for some time... not to mention the weapons dissimilarity.

As for drones they would be STILL limited to humans limited space tech... not efficient enough drives, not a long enough range for weapons, might as well build a full warship as make such an expensive 'disposable' drone big enough to actually be a threat.

Though I'm sure they could build drones of sufficient efficiency to be a real cost-effective danger to... human warships.

[CrimsonFALKE]

Absalom liquid O2, being injected into the spine is not done so in the capacity of which you seem to think, so please don't make assumptions. I merely store liquid O2, then have it processed into a gas and injected at given times such as a near black out. Its meant to function as an emergency back up to prevent blackouts. As for the Loroi males I am merely quoting what the loroi made light of in the comics they exist for sex that's all. As for fighters you do realize that the biggest limiting factor for aircraft performance is a pilot. On "Zerg rush", you really are forgetting the biggest thing in WW2 was that it basically took 1000+ planes to hit a football field sized building. In desert storm the Iraqi’s used Zerg Rush tactics and were butchered. Although if you mean massed munitions like MIRVs and steal rain then yes that is effective. I will also leave as much of my own world where humans are probably equal to the Loroi for the most part out of the forums here.

[CrimsonFALKE]

I don't think that was being mischievous, I think she was just trying to display her authority, territorialism/posturing/establishing dominance/etc. She hasn't shown any signs of acting domineering, but I can buy the idea that she has at least some Alpha personality traits.

I said mischievous merely because of her expression. She was not scowling or directly following it up by stepping close to 'enforce' her intimidating presence. Fireblade may not be able to 'read' Alex's emotions but his expressions and speech are a sure marker he is already plenty scarred of his situation. There is no Reason whatsoever to infer from any of Alex's spoken words or body language that he has ANY illusions of 'trying to make a break for it'. Where would he go? His recognition of the weapons the other Loroi Soroin were carrying about I'm sure is not lost on Fireblade. Fireblade could have easily just side stepped Alex in the elevator he would have reflexively caught himself with his hand against the wall... there was no need for Fireblade to clout him with TK force. And considering Ariochs description of Fireblade's TK control...
.

Fireblade has more than enough power to lift her own body, but not fine enough control to fly safely... in the same way that she roughly "shoved" Alex in the elevator because she did not have fine enough control to simply catch him. If she found herself in a dangerous situation, she could chuck herself into the air, but she'd have a difficult time making a safe landing.

... It was possible she could have certainly hurt Alex. Her expression afterward as she Sanzai's a reply to Beryl says to me she was at least being chastised for being so forceful. Part of her intention yes was to show her hidden danger... but I don't think it was a direct attempt to scare Alex... he's obviously scared of his situation. At least it seems that wasy to me. Fireblade has not bothered to menace Alex... I don't think she's a bully or cruel.

That would make her akin to an Earth Officer Ranked Marine bullying a rescued from being ship-wreaked at sea lone unarmed tall foreign woman by his deployed missile cruiser.

She is no threat... so why be mean? So I am assuming she is being mischievous.

well loroi cities may have cars like a public cab that is meant for quick use I mean really the problem with cars in cities is mostly bad driving and the wrong car for the city. So loroi males just fuck I mean shit it doesn't so so bad until you realize just how valuble you are to the continuation of your species. I mean it really takes the fun out of a nice hard f***, do they have some sort of xtra-strength viagra mixed into their food? I mean frequent mating encounters being vital for your well being sounds like a perfect plan to f*** away your pripism. Hell in my matriarchies the men either just do all the science and inventions under the protective eye of the women. These Loroi seem more like they have animals than men.

I think your mistaking Loroi for humans. We may look similar but we are not the same. Human males are NOT smaller on average than human females.. Loroi males on the average are smaller than Loroi females. There is definitely something hormonally different going on there between human males and Loroi males. Beryl is Listel - Scientist caste... not Dorazor-Engineer caste. When she says Loroi males need regular sexual stimulation to be healthy I take her at her word. They are not human males.

Males in Loroi society have been at least described in the Insider as being scholars and sages... perhaps valuable intelligence Gathering Farseers! Certainly not condescended to! I'm sure the Lorio women love their men as well! Technically, 'male' is almost a Caste of its own... but without the solid strictures of Tenonin, Soroin, Teidar, Listel, Dorazor, Torrai, Mizol. They almost seems free to delve into a combination of Listel, Dorazor, Mizol, possible Torrai aspects in one caste of 'Male' {all in non-combat capacities of course}. But I expect the majority of Loroi males are classified as civilians.

I am certain that in a fighter to fighter match a human drone/AI would out match a loroi pilot.

I think perhaps your missing some of the point on the superior tech of the loroi in this field. The reason humans don't have serious spacefighters is because of the size requirements for their current engine designs. They haven't bothered to design smaller spacefighter craft because of the size and maneuver limits. Spacefighters are no more survivable against their current warship designs to be cost effective! Human 'spacefighters' can't carry enough drives, counter-missile munitions and missile or direct laser energy weapons to make them an efficient enough option against a larger warship of current human design. Once they design a vehicle 'spacefighter' craft with sufficient weapons, drives and anti missile fire countermeasures to actually survive long enough in an engagement with any current human designed warship to be cost effective... its big enough and expensive enough then to not bother with it in the first place! Might as well build a full warship!

Until humans get better miniturazation of and Waaay more efficient maneuver drives, power systems, weapons and counter-weapons systems... they will not be build 'wasting' resources on building space fighters.

Plus in space combat its more fire and forget than even air combat. You activate drives you have a signature, you fire an ordinance weapon you have a signature you fitre a beam weapon you have a signature, you scan with active sensors you have a signature... its EASY to target that long range long before you see a foe. Maneuvering for best possible target aspect is really the name so the game. With humans woefully inefficient drives compared to the major stellar races will keep them out of that game for some time... not to mention the weapons dissimilarity.

As for drones they would be STILL limited to humans limited space tech... not efficient enough drives, not a long enough range for weapons, might as well build a full warship as make such an expensive 'disposable' drone big enough to actually be a threat.

Though I'm sure they could build drones of sufficient efficiency to be a real cost-effective danger to... human warships.

Well wouldn't the humans be given some sort of tech boost to help fight the war? Historians maybe or the Loroi?

[Zakharra]

Some sort of tech boost yes, but it would take time to make use of it. On the average of several years really to get any large facilities on line and functioning in a reasonable fashion. Remember the Loroi are about 1-2 tech levels above humanity and the Historians even more so. we are also way the hell out in the boondocks of space from the combatants and on the other side of Loroi space from the Historians. It's going to take some time just to let the High command know there are Humans out there.

[GeoModder]

It's going to take some time just to let the High command know there are Humans out there.

I assume the Diadem Council is just a few interstellar 'telesent' messages away...

[wasp609]

i wonder what a loroi mre would look like, also among the loroi weapons is there a shotgun equivalent.

[Random Person]

Fireblade cannot fly, correct? Does she possess amazing acrobatic abilities augmented by her Psionic powers or does she just run around like a boring old human?

Fireblade has more than enough power to lift her own body, but not fine enough control to fly safely... in the same way that she roughly "shoved" Alex in the elevator because she did not have fine enough control to simply catch him. If she found herself in a dangerous situation, she could chuck herself into the air, but she'd have a difficult time making a safe landing.

The glories of ballistic flight, you're going about as fast when hit the ground as when you launched, assuming similar elevations. She could just "chuck" herself again to land.

[Arioch]

Fireblade cannot fly, correct? Does she possess amazing acrobatic abilities augmented by her Psionic powers or does she just run around like a boring old human?

Fireblade has more than enough power to lift her own body, but not fine enough control to fly safely... in the same way that she roughly "shoved" Alex in the elevator because she did not have fine enough control to simply catch him. If she found herself in a dangerous situation, she could chuck herself into the air, but she'd have a difficult time making a safe landing.

The glories of ballistic flight, you're going about as fast when hit the ground as when you launched, assuming similar elevations. She could just "chuck" herself again to land.

Sure, but she can't finely control whether the second "chuck" is not too small (to properly soften the landing) or too hard (to propel her back into the air). That's what she'd do if she had no choice, but it's not a practical form of transportation.

There are other Teidar with both sufficient power and skill to levitate themselves, and they can "fly."

[JQBogus]

It also makes you an easy target, if done in any sort of threat situation.

Is practical personal flight something that can be done technologically by the Loroi? Or is it a case of artificial gravity tech not being able to be made small enough, while any sort of reaction thruster either requires too much reaction mass to be practical, or puts out exhaust at a temperature/velocity that is a wee bit too destructive for everyone around the flier?

[discord]

JQ: in the field, usually yes, BUT in a urban setting the ability to rapidly ascend(or descend, even if fireblade lacks that part) can be very useful tactically.

there are a few situations where 'great leaping power' could be very useful, such as getting over obstacles quickly, or getting over a minefield/barbed wire or just simple ravine, some times speed outweighs slow and steady as the safer way to go, even in the field.

[saint of m]

It also makes you an easy target, if done in any sort of threat situation.

Is practical personal flight something that can be done technologically by the Loroi? Or is it a case of artificial gravity tech not being able to be made small enough, while any sort of reaction thruster either requires too much reaction mass to be practical, or puts out exhaust at a temperature/velocity that is a wee bit too destructive for everyone around the flier?

If not full flight, what about "jump packs" such as with Warhammer 40,000 or Halo: Reach?

[discord]

saint: same problems as a true flight pack, best compromise i have heard of that might actually work is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGRm4IzK1SQ
but would be difficult as bloody hell to control, and designing a working system would be almost as difficult, but still easier compared to a jump or flight system,unless you get a decent power armor thing working, that could make jump/flight possible.
and in a realistic setting you would NEVER get that kind of mobility. but something similar could be damned useful, and being worked on it seems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWrEfczSNE8 <---- guys prototyping.

edit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yolum7_0UCA <---- almost there....
/edit

[sunphoenix]

Loroi have blue blood, why does Sonnidezi blush purple

I figure that when the blood collects at the surface of the skin the hue is darker than normal hue as capillaries contract. Loroi are not white skinned.. they actually are blue toned in their skin. So more blue blood close to the surface of the skin I would think take a darker hue..otherwise it would not be possible to see them blush at all.

I'm Black and its very hard to see me blush. Caucasians are white skinned so its easy to see red blood collect at the surface of their skin when they blush. If Caucasians were say red in skin tone it would hard to see them blush unless their skin took a more dark magenta hue.. I would think.

As I've never seen a blue-skinned being blush... this is what I'd best describe what a loroi looks like when they blush.

So Arioch... wanna chime in on this? If its not a spoiler... what hue do Loroi blush in since their skin is blue?

[Arioch]

Loroi have blue blood, why does Sonnidezi blush purple

I figure that when the blood collects at the surface of the skin the hue is darker than normal hue as capillaries contract. Loroi are not white skinned.. they actually are blue toned in their skin. So more blue blood close to the surface of the skin I would think take a darker hue..otherwise it would not be possible to see them blush at all.

I'm Black and its very hard to see me blush. Caucasians are white skinned so its easy to see red blood collect at the surface of their skin when they blush. If Caucasians were say red in skin tone it would hard to see them blush unless their skin took a more dark magenta hue.. I would think.

As I've never seen a blue-skinned being blush... this is what I'd best describe what a loroi looks like when they blush.

So Arioch... wanna chime in on this? If its not a spoiler... what hue do Loroi blush in since their skin is blue?

As with humans, Loroi skin coloration is partly due to pigmentation, and partly due to the color of the blood. The pigment (which serves the same purpose as melanin in humans: protection against solar radiation) is a grayer, browner blue than the pure blue of the blood. As with humans, the more pigment a Loroi has, the less noticeable color changes due to blood will be (both blushing and "going pale"). If she's very dark, you probably won't notice the blush at all. But a pale-skinned Loroi will blush blue in the same way that a pale-skinned human blushes red, and for the same reason.

[fredgiblet]

*snipping discussion about the elevator scene*

Because the reader doesn't know Fireblade's motivations, she may seem capricious or even brutal... and that's an appropriate misconception for the reader to have at this point. There were two ways the elevator scene could go... either Fireblade could step out of the way and let him fall to the floor, or she could use her PK to stop him. Catching him physically is not an option.... Fireblade would not allow Alex to stumble into her, for a variety of reasons. The best option for Fireblade (and for the story) is to use her PK, because it is a demonstration for Alex of her ability. This demonstration is in some ways in Alex's best interest, because (from her point of view) the fact that she is unarmed seems to embolden him, and he needs to know that when they reach the bridge (which is their destination), if he makes any sudden unexpected movements, she may be forced to kill him on the spot... she needs to make Alex believe that she can and will do it. Unfortunately, gently stopping Alex's stumble with PK was also not an option... Fireblade does not have fine control with her PK (especially with the amplifier on), and so she has essentially two force levels with which to shove things: "really hard" and "lethal". And she's a professional soldier, not a diplomat... she couldn't care less if Alex's ego is bruised. The Loroi have substantial reason to mistrust Alex at the moment (some of which will be revealed shortly). For all she knows, he was trying to stumble into her on purpose.

As I mentioned before, in the first draft of the page I had Fireblade stepping out of the way instead, because I was worried that a sudden confrontation between Alex and Fireblade would derail the current conversation with Beryl. But I was able to find a way to write it such that there was only a single page of interruption (with Beryl essentially continuing as if nothing had happened, apologizing as if it had been her fault), so I went with the PK shove.