RE: Cannibalism (and yes it was on topic)

This is how I had pictured the Sa'Vasku constructs. 

The SV constructs are basically an energy sponge. They absorb EM
radiation
(gravitic? Could be), convert and store it with little loss of energy.
For
biomass (biomass is not defined as organic (carbon base), just living
mass),
they skim gas giants, and atmosphere from smaller worlds; and eat
asteroids
and comets for heavier elements. The constructs are not predators (kill
for
food), but may take advantage of a situation using the method they
employ to
eat asteroids (destroyed/damaged ships are a good source for metals that
do
not need to be purified). They use very little chemical energy in
comparison
to Humans (or other known organisms), most energy is stored as
electrical,
gravitic, tachyon, or some other energy (unknown to Humans). The SV
construct cells absorb power from fields generated by the power
generation
organs located throughout the SV construct, thus do not need blood or
other
chemical movement paths. Heavier elements are transferred by symbiotic
mites
(bio-equivalent to nanites) that build or repair the SV construct as it
takes damage.

Of course, if you wanted to stretch it, the SV may be denizens of
Jumpspace
reacting to our intrusions. The SV may gain their power from that
source.
Alt. Jumpspace Theory: Even with fusion and our limited anti-matter
plants
(nod to the Alarshi), ships do not have the power to open a window to
another dimension. It is theorized that the primary power source is
drawn
directly from jumpspace and that our jump engines only weaken the fabric
of
our space to allow jumpspace to punch through and envelop a ship before
the
rift is repaired .

-----
Brian Bell
bkb@beol.net	   
-----

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Beth Fulton [SMTP:beth.fulton@marine.csiro.au]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 8:29 PM
> To:	gzg-l@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU
> Subject:	Re: Cannibalism (and yes it was on topic)
> 
[snip]

> Not a bad idea, though I wouldn't necessarily restrict it to other 
> 'bioships', if they live in space I seriously doubt they have to eat
other
> 
> living matter as food, much more likely to 'filter' feed hydrogen
atoms, 
> skim planetary atmospheres or even the outer edges of stars or engulf 
> asteroids... so a starship shouldn't be too far off what they could 
> tolerably ingest. Given the amount of energy they'd have to produce to

> support themselves I'd go for something like...
> "While know to consume solid matter, asteroids and the odd unlucky 
> starship, as a means of boosting or supplementing their uptake in the
> short 
> term, the Sa'Vasku are thought to be primarily radiosynthetic.
Apparently 
> they absorb free gases or actively skim planetary and stellar
atmospheres 
> absorbing the gaseous forms of the nutrients required as apart of
their 
> radiosynthetic metabolism. It is theorised that they use wavelengths
from 
> all parts of the electro-magnetic spectrum to create a usable energy
> source 
> in much the same way terrestrial plants use the visible wavelengths
for 
> photosynthesis. There is some suggestion that they're actually 
> graviosynthetic (that is they use gravity, not radiation during
> synthesis), 
> but there is little support for this view currently."
> 
> Just a thought
> 
> Beth
[snip]
> email: beth.fulton@marine.csiro.au