Fwurg

[Shadow of War]

"True, I do have a few. Though we call them Anti-Gravitational generators or quantum spacial thrusters. Quantum spacial thrusters work a bit different and can do a bit more than act as repulsorlifts but are a lot more expensive and things like that.

You're correct that droids are not creative. But I don't think droids aren't capable of performing assembly work on different models. Then again what do I know. I'm an Astrian, only a hand full of us can even drive a hovercar. No body sells them, much less produce."

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Why do ya need more th'n liftin'? Repulsorlift get ya of the ground, thr'sters get ya movin'.

'nd why don't ya drive c'rs? How can ya get to work? Sur'ly ya cannot walk as fast as a hovercar?

Ya know, we hav' this nice p'blic tr'nsport s'stem, but only in the more dense areas. Outside the large c'ties ya c'n better take the car to work, 's p'blic transport 's not as r'liable there 'nd to 'xpens've to keep up 'll the time."

[Shadow of War]

"Using hovercars is difficult if you have to watch out for the ceiling. You see streets on Stellaria are covered to protect people from the harsh summers.

As a result our public transport system spans the entire planet and you can reach any location on the planet in under two hours. Like I said I'm no expert but I don't think a hovercar can manage that."

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Well, that d'pends on the type of car, 'nd the l'cations. I dunno how deep the cr'stal mines are in the Ragator mount'ns, but it wouldn't s'rprise me if 't takes two ours to get out of th'se mines alone. 'nd then ya h've to get over the mount'ns, or through, I dunno how they do that there.

So ya sain' that the trains of ya're goin' more than ten thous'nd k'lometres p'r our? That must be pretty exp'nsive trains then. I wouldn't stick my head out of w'ndow fr'm such a train."

[Shadow of War]

"Only the long distance trains reach those speeds. We had a while to perfect the system. They ride in specially built vacuum tunnels, to reduce energy consumption and wear from friction.

It takes a lot of people to keep the system running safely and smoothly. Not to mention keeping it running without any delay twenty-four seven. Perhaps the fact that Astrians don't have a species wide day-night cycle helps. Not having a rush-hour makes things less hectic.

Wait, you say your people mine crystals?"

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Yeh, we've some nice mines in the m'ny mount'ns. Ya sound surpris'd don't ya, the ACA, mine for crystals?"

[Shadow of War]

Shadow got a bit annoyed with the man's accent. Why the man couldn't speak normal civilized galactic was beyond him. However he displayed no sign whatsoever of this annoyance.

"We grow crystals, in the past they only grew in the summer, but now we can grow them all year around. At the right temperature this happens naturally, then it's just a matter of harvesting the right amount at the right time.

I'm not saying one is better than the other, I just find mining them strange.

May I ask why you call them 'nice' mines? Aren't most mines rather dangerous and filthy?"

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"That sounds cool, must be som' pr'tty impress've labroro... ra.. la-bo-ra-to-ries then." It was clear Fecta Irgo had little experience with the word 'laboratory'. "'nd ehm.. yeh, nice 's just a w'rd ya know. Our mount'ns 've lots of crystals wh'ch we can mine wh'ch 's nice. I would love to vis't our mining mach'nes som'time, they're freak'ngly huge, but I don't th'nk my fact'ry Consult would ever let me do so."

[Shadow of War]

"They're more factories then laboratories. Though I suppose that depends on your definition.

How do the Teprogrenaians protect the environment of your planet from civil and industrial development?"

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Wha? Talk n'rmal dude," Irgo said like he had no idea what Shadow of War was talking about, "I dunno, I'm just a simple fact'ry work'r. I'm happy if I can make the pr'duction quota 'nd am able to att'nd the Consult meet'ngs. I don't have time to th'nk 'bout en-vi-ron-men-tal 'ssues. That's som'thing fr'm the past, like 3000 years 'go past."

[Shadow of War]

"Please don't call me 'dude'.

Environmental issues are an ongoing problem you know. My people take care not to harm the natural habitats of rare animals and plants. We consider this our duty as a higher intelligence. I just wish to know how your people think about this.

And if anything expanding your overall knowledge is a good thing, you should really try to expand your horizon. It can benefit you greatly."

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Sorry, Shadow of War.

I've no idea what m'sures we've in place. Wait, I rem'mber a meeting we once had. The envir'nment is import'nt b'cause we l've in it, ther'fore we m'st make sure that we're not harm'd by our actions. Ther'fore, cuttin' down the for'sts is bad. Destroyin' the Saksa Mount'ns or clearin' the oceans of f'sh is not.

Somet'mes we want to learn 'nd see new thin's, but we simply don't h've the time for that, we need to work. A'though we oft'n get the option to f'llow extra l'ssons and cours's 'bout technol'gies 'nd 'bout cars 'nd paintin' techn'ques. To keep up w'th the lat'st dev'lopments."

[Shadow of War]

"Surely there is a subject that isn't related to cars and painting cars that you find interesting, right?

There must be something you like to do in your free time. Like reading certain books, playing hologames or something else you enjoy doing?"

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"We like grav-ball 'nd pod racin'. Wh'n was that race ag'n guys?" Irgo asked to his friends, "Oh yeh, turn 23 of 52 A.U." he continued after his friends replied. "Ther' was th's pod race on the Saxx moon in the Tirbu System where Jargo crash'd in a coll'sion with Estabar, they took 12 p'ple with them, 9 died. That was pretty exitin'.

Now we're followin' the qual'ficat'n rounds leadin' up to the great UGA Grav-ball champ'nship. W're pretty much fan of the Headhunters. What's ya fav'rite team?"

[Shadow of War]

"You find nine people dead to be exiting?" Shadow said, thinking that was rather barbaric.

"I'm not really a sports fan. The only things I really follow are the runner championships and the solar sailing races held in the Novalia system by the ACA."

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Well, yeah," Irgo said like it was plain obvious, "the main reas'n to watch pod racin' is b'cause of the crash's. Those're the most spectac'lar. 'nd b'sides, those where all outworlders.

What're runner champ'nships? Never heard of those."

[Shadow of War]

"Sounds barbaric to me. They may not be from the same planet but they are still people, probably with friends and family.

The runner championships is a sport in the ACA. Competitors, or runners as they are called, run from one point to another. With a large number of obstacles they need to find a package along the way and take it with them. Often the course leads from one rooftop to another. There is no single way to get where the runners need to go, every route is is allowed. It requires a lot of the runners. Not just physical prowess, but a keen eye and a sharp mind as well.

It's very thrilling and very exciting to watch."

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Well, they d'cided to partic'pate in the pod-race. Everyb'dy knows the risk of pod-racin'. It's not like they've been kill'd by p'rates or by robb'ry or so.

Do ya people use jet-packs in the runner champ'nships? 'nd how oft'n 'nd severe're there acc'dents? Like, do people die b'cause they fall of a rooftop?"

[Shadow of War]

"No jet-packs are forbidden. It would remove some of the most important aspects of the game.

Accidents are rare, at least in the professional league. The runners are all skilled athletes, so most injuries are minor injuries from bad landings. There are special safety systems in place to catch anyone who falls from high altitude, though you are immediately disqualified if you need to be caught.

It's probably the most popular sport in the ACA. Do the Teprogrenaians have any unique sports?"

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"We've mount'n golf wh'ch some people like to do to be 'lone for a mom'nt. 'nd there's cyberball wh'ch looks like a l'ttle like grav-ball but's not in a zero-g envir'nment and with tw'lve players on each team. But now'days grav-ball 'nd pod-racin' are the most pop'lar sports to watch.

Oh 'nd I know a lot of people who likes to play 'spot the alien'. It's a drinkin' game ya play on the couch w'th friends. Ya zapp through the holo-channels in t'rns 'nd ev'ry time ya spot an alien ya've to drink. Ya're tot'lly screwed when ya get UCN-news or the Union M'sic Holo-channel. But this's not really a sport though." From the way he talked about it, Irgo sounded that he had a lot of fun with his friends with this drinking game

[Shadow of War]

"Unfortunately, I have never understood how people enjoy committing slow suicide. But I suppose that is partially because I never understood why someone's death can be entertaining.

Would you care to explain it to me?"

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"...euh... what ya talkin' about? How'd we reach su'cide? I mean, su'cide is fuckin' retard'd 'nd unb'lievable selfish. I mean, when ya kill yaself, ya cause so much trouble. Ya friends've to clean ya stuff, they'll be really sad 'nd if ya so stup'd to jump from a buildin' , ya block a whole part of the street as ya've to be clean'd up by others."

[Shadow of War]

"Alcohol destroys organ and brain cells. A slow process that eventually leads to death. Technically speaking excessive alcohol consumption is a form of suicide.

You say podracing is exciting because of crashes where people die. It seems to me you find death entertaining.

But death is very serious event. Life is precious and it's end is a terrible thing. To find that amusing is barbaric at the very least." Shadow's voice had turn from it's normal tone to a stern one.

"Does that answer your question, Mister Irgo?"

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Ah, but the weak brainc'lls will die first, makin' room for the stron' on's, makin' ya brain smart'r. Surv'val of the fittest he he. Sayin' drinkin' alcohol's deadly is the sam' as sayin' that breathin' air in the c'ty is deadly, as ya slo'ly breath all kinds of m'cro part'cles.

But don't mistake takin' entert'nment in a crash the same of entert'nment in death. If some bothan podracer crash's in a giant deadly f'reball, that's pr'tty funny. But if 117 Teprogrenaian Childr'n die b'cause of an accid'ntal plasma gr'nade, that's horrible."

[Shadow of War]

"That isn't how survival of the fittest works. And no it isn't the same, micro particles don't enter your bloodstream. The vast majority doesn't even make it to your lungs, that's the whole point of the mucus membrane.

More importantly, I'm insulted by your blatant disrespect of the dead. The fact you find entertainment in any aspect leading to it is appalling. The only deaths you seem to have any sympathy for are those of your own race. Are you prejudice, Mister Irgo?" Anger had made it's way into Shadow's voice.