Questions and Answers with House Path

by AlaskaIsCold

9

Another question crackled in over the speakers. “So is anyone from Chakona or any other planet planning to join House Path?”

Free waved a claw breezily. "Getting into the House is the easiest thing in the world! Just ask Alexa. All you have to do is marry into the House. Next question."

Path jabbed a hoof into Free's side, but although he had anticipated the rebuke, Free was a tad slow with his block. If Path had intended to chastise the griffon, he was unsuccessful as Free laughed uproariously from his position sprawled on the floor.

Path sighed then turned back to the audience. "The tenets of House Path are clear on this subject. Any sapient being, regardless of race, can apply to be a warrior/scholar. There have been several expressions of interest by members of Federation races, and the House is currently developing revised procedures and testing criteria. We will also be recruiting specialists from the Stellar Federation to augment our current curricula. While many Federation Talents appear to be the equivalent of Equestrian magic abilities, they are subtly different. For example, changelings can read any being's current emotional state with great accuracy, but only Federation Empaths can project emotions to others and those with a strong talent can form a permanent psychic bond with another being that links them irrespective of distance."

"Did the Federation find out where did the Swarm got its huge supply of nullstone?
And what they and\or us are planning to do with it?”

Pif let out a long sigh. “We are still trying to figure that out. But the best we can come up with is that somewhere in the universe the conditions are right to create deposits of the incredibly dense material with properties that approximate what we call nullstone. We have no idea what those conditions might be or where they are. We’ve asked for Federation help and have given them samples for them to analyze. Commander Rosepetal theorized that nullstone contains significant quantities of a form of crystalline carbon called Lonsdaleite which has a hexagonal arrangement of atoms, unlike diamond which has a tetrahedral structure. We will publicize the results of any findings.”

The next questioner was a unique sight, even for the well-travelled House Path. The speaker was a bear-morph with white and black fur and wore a wide red tunic. “This question is for all present House Path members. If you could would you settle on another planet? Now that there is the possibility and that we have contact to a large union of other inhabited worlds would you leave this planet for good?”

Path smiled. “Some House Path members already on Chakona have chosen to stay and start a new life there. Exploration and settlement is one of House Path’s goals, so more worlds will have pioneers from the House as soon as appropriate worlds and resources become available. There are already a large number of Equians excited at the prospect of going out into the greater universe, whether to live on an established world like Raksha or Chakona, join in the efforts to reclaim some of the Swarm-ravaged colonies, or start a completely new colony. As for us personally, no – we may do some exploring, but we are happy to live here.”

The ball was next caught by an older white with blue spots unicorn with a red horn. "I am Counter Culture, Professor of Xenobiology, University of Canterlot. You explained about the mana beasts, for which I hope a better name can be found, but now I am asking about the Swarm itself. Not the controllers or overminds, but the insectile members themselves. How are they faring, now that they are no longer dominated by their controllers?"

Pif glanced at Path and got a nod before turning to answer the speaker. “Because they have been conditioned to not receive any orders, the Swarm drones would act in a similar manner to the two captured drones that were on the Pegasus and cut off from their controller – moving around without purpose. Those two died of starvation in a couple of weeks and we expect the same thing happened throughout the Swarm territory. Further, without the drones or the manta, the controllers and overseers will be powerless to move off of the few planets where they still survive. And as we mentioned before, those planets where the Swarm had subjugated a native sapient race will likely be exterminated by their former slaves. Swarm planets with no other intelligent life will likely be left alone.”

Free cleared his throat and the other three looked at him. “I mean you say that… but from the reports we are getting back, Sanguis and her forces are dead set on eradicating all controllers and overseers. I don't expect they would stop until they are destroyed. Sanguis, Princess Fidelitas, and General Karneth ap Norless na Trisk seem pretty hell-bent on it….” He shrugged. “But that's just things that I hear via reports every now and then.”

Comments

[celtcath74]

Will Long Path and Free Agent do a question and answer with members the Stellar Federation?

[AlaskaIsCold]

9038576
Sure!
The federation has the capacity to "phone in" and ask a question!

[Kevin Lee]

Free waved a claw breezily. "Getting into the House is the easiest thing in the world! Just ask Alexa. All you have to do is marry into the House. Next question."
Path jabbed a hoof into Free's side, but although he had anticipated the rebuke, Free was a tad slow with his block. If Path had intended to chastise the griffon, he was unsuccessful as Free laughed uproariously from his position sprawled on the floor.

Path: "Of course, that's only true if you were already a member of House Path before marrying into House Path, like Free did. Next question? "
*there was silence for several hours*