Copperfox
Well-known member
On the surface of Riggblit, south of the equator, Hakstabkyll was conferring with Yathmol, a purple-skinned, long-snouted female sapient native to a planet within Imperial space; and with Trubsocto, the most reasonable and cooperative male among the Barnsmell. These two shared the virtue of knowing a bit about spacecraft systems, and would be of some use operating the one spaceship available to the Mintcandybarri diehard.
At this moment, however, the subject of their talk was a sort of self-hypnosis practiced by the brutal Barnsmell.
"This mental exercise," Trubsocto explained, "was how we restrained ourselves from killing people who were useful to us alive. When we go into the ultra-calm state, no one can detect any hostile intent from us, because we literally don't have any hostile intent."
"But Lord Hakstabkyll," Yathmol put in, "how can you be sure of coming out of this condition, to be able to attack the intruders now loitering in our star system?"
"I can't be sure, Yathmol. Can't even be sure that we'll find circumstances in which attacking them would have any hope of success. But I'm playing the long game. Since we probably CAN'T kill them, there's nothing to lose by being --ugh-- peaceful toward them."
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At this moment, however, the subject of their talk was a sort of self-hypnosis practiced by the brutal Barnsmell.
"This mental exercise," Trubsocto explained, "was how we restrained ourselves from killing people who were useful to us alive. When we go into the ultra-calm state, no one can detect any hostile intent from us, because we literally don't have any hostile intent."
"But Lord Hakstabkyll," Yathmol put in, "how can you be sure of coming out of this condition, to be able to attack the intruders now loitering in our star system?"
"I can't be sure, Yathmol. Can't even be sure that we'll find circumstances in which attacking them would have any hope of success. But I'm playing the long game. Since we probably CAN'T kill them, there's nothing to lose by being --ugh-- peaceful toward them."
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