LMB Quote Game

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

That I can remember, there are several personal weapons mentioned in the Nexus stories:
daggers, swords, swordsticks, shock-sticks, stunners, Cetagandan narcotic spray guns, Cetagandan biological weapons, (auto-)needlers, nerve disrupters, plasma arcs, needle grenade launchers, modified rivet guns, and maybe some I forgot.

These weapons can be categorised in two broad classes.

What is the distinction between these two classes?

Bonus question: Give book and speaker of when this is explained.

HINT: Are there questions when using the weapons?

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

That I can remember, there are several personal weapons mentioned in the Nexus stories:
daggers, swords, swordsticks, shock-sticks, stunners, Cetagandan narcotic spray guns, Cetagandan biological weapons, (auto-)needlers, nerve disrupters, plasma arcs, needle grenade launchers, modified rivet guns, and maybe some I forgot. Ah, yes. A stunner's shorted power-pack, a cavalry lance, a vibra-knife and a fast-penta hypo-gun.

These weapons can be categorised in two broad classes.

What is the distinction between these two classes? I know of three instances (in different Vorkosigan books) where the distinction is implied/explained.

Bonus question: Give book and speaker of when this is explained. One instance suffices.

HINT: Are there questions when using the weapons?

HINT 2: Is "peaceful weapon" always an oxymoron?

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

... I suspect I know what the answer you're looking for is ...

Go ahead, shoot.

[SPetty]

It's said at least three times that a stunner isn't a weapon with real authority. Once in Shards of Honor when Aral recounts the person he knew who was killed because he just had a stunner (kicked to death after the enemy rushed him), and I think it's reprised in Cordelia's head when she drops down into engineering to take care of Aral's mutiny problem (the guy at the bottom points a nerve disruptor at her). Weapons with authority are also referenced in Diplomatic Immunity when Admiral Vorpatril is recounting the assault on Graf Station. I think Miles mentions it somewhere, too, but it's not coming to me off the top of my head. I've been re-reading the series (except I missed Miles, Mystery and Mayhem somehow), and I was surprised at how often the stunner/weapon with authority concept came up. I think it might have even have been mentioned between Roic and Taura in Winterfair Gifts.

When you first made your list, my initial impulse was ranged and melee weapons, but that's mostly because I live with a bunch of people who play video games, and lethal/non-lethal is a pretty uncommon theme (since most of them let you revive yourself if you die). Though I think those are generally easier to quantify than lethal/non-lethal. As is mentioned several times in the books, stunners have the possibility to kill if the person has an unknown heart problem. And Kou is a pretty good example of a non-lethal nerve disruptor hit (though still life-changing).

If that's not what you're looking for, however, I'm at a bit of a loss.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

It's said at least three times that a stunner isn't a weapon with real authority. ...

Yes, Spetty, you are quite correct and with two kinds of division.

In short:
1. "Shoot first, ask questions later." (the division I thought of at first)
or
2. "The target is irrevocably dead."
---
Warning. The following may contain spoilers, unless you have read ALL Vorkosigan stories.

Spoiler: show

1. One class of weapons is non-lethal, except when accidentally combined with aggravating medical conditions (heart disease, fast-penta allergy).

In Brothers in Arms:

Ah, the stunner, weapon of choice for all uncertain situations, the one weapon with which you really could shoot first and ask questions later.

In Shards of Honor:

"On the other hand, nobody hesitates to fire a stunner," said Cordelia suggestively. "And it gives you a margin for error."

In Cetaganda:

One was a tiny silvery pointed thing with a bulb on the end. The haut Pel waved it under her lovely nose, sniffing. "Ah. This is it. No, he's in no danger. It will wear off harmlessly. He'll be very sick when he wakes up, though."

In Diplomatic Immunity:

“I have the most horrible headache. It was some sort of drug mist. Icy cold. It didn't smell like anything, but it tasted bitter. He sprayed it in our faces. Bel yelled, 'Don't breathe, Garnet!' but of course had to breathe to yell. I felt Bel go all limp, and then everything sort of drained away. When I woke up, I was so sick I almost threw up, ugh!”

In Komarr:

Riva's hand was to her mouth; there was no hive or red streak on the inside of her arm. Well and good. Miles returned to the table and picked up the hypospray. ... His left hand guarded his right as in knife-play; the hypospray darted in to touch her neck even as she turned and began to rise from her chair. ... He stared into Riva's eyes as her pupils dilated and she sank back limply in her chair. He didn't bother with the standard opening litany of neutral questions while waiting for the drug to cut in, but merely watched her lips. Their thin tension slowly softened to the stereotypical fast-penta smile.

And in all the other instances you mentioned, Spetty.

2. Only brain destruction is irrevocably fatal. All other wounds are either reversibly lethal, IF cryochambers and medical technology are available, OR non-lethal if very precisely inflicted to non-critical tissues.

Cordelia has a permanently numb spot on a thigh and Koudelka was a paraplegic. Lieutenant Vorberg recovered his legs though somewhat shorter. Elli Quinn has her face restored. Need I mention Miles himself?
Larry Niven has a similar trick. Carlos Wu's auto-doc restored and revived Beowulf Shaeffer from just his cut-off head and Nessus used it to revive a fatally wounded Sigmund Ausfaller.

The revivification in computer games isn't applicable. You can continue/restart the game, but rereading the book doesn't help. Unless you plan to ask Lois to write additional revised versions to revive Bothari and Beatrice.

I'll increment your Sherlock score with 1.5 points and wait patiently for your next quote/question.

[SPetty]

I wouldn't mind those revivals, but I'd prefer revivals of the people mentioned in Cryoburn. If only the Duronas researched a little faster.

Anyway,next quote:

"They're going to clean us out in another hour, at this rate."

Which book?
Who is speaking?
What is going to be gone in an hour?

Bonus: What is special about this particular quote?

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

"They're going to clean us out in another hour, at this rate."

Which book?
Who is speaking?
What is going to be gone in an hour?
Bonus: What is special about this particular quote?

I very quickly recognised the quote.
But concerning the bonus I have no idea ... yet.
It'll probably dawn on me while I'm washing the dishes ...

[Ghost]

Civil Campaign
Ma Koski (? spelling)
Butter Bug Mead

Bonus: That it was Mile's idea.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

It'll probably dawn on me while I'm washing the dishes ...

Bonus: That it was Mile's idea.

Have you been washing the dishes?

[SPetty]

Correct, on all but the bonus. While the Maple Ambrosia was indeed Miles' idea, it's only tangentally related to the quote in question. Though now that you mention it, I might be wrong about my bonus assertion. And I'm not finding the book to confirm. Bleh. I think I'm staying out of asking bonus questions from now on. I'll check my copy tomorrow, and post what I thought was the answer to the bonus if it turns out that I was mistaken.

Still, The Sherlock for the quote is yours, and you are up for the next quote!

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

... While the Maple Ambrosia was indeed Miles' idea, it's only tangentally related to the quote in question. ...

I'll have a go at the bonus (I assume I'm allowed now).

Though Ma Kosti was an important culinarily supporting character to Miles's romantic campaign - he might say tactically supporting - she usually stayed in the background.

But in the Ambrosia scene she took front and center if only for a few seconds. If I remember correctly (though I'm not washing any dishes), the quote is particular in that it is the only sentence we "heard" Ma Kosti actually speak.

Am I right?

[Ghost]

“Well, then. Your question answers itself.”

Book, Speaker, and what was the question.

[SPetty]

... While the Maple Ambrosia was indeed Miles' idea, it's only tangentally related to the quote in question. ...

I'll have a go at the bonus (I assume I'm allowed now).

Though Ma Kosti was an important culinarily supporting character to Miles's romantic campaign - he might say tactically supporting - she usually stayed in the background.

But in the Ambrosia scene she took front and center if only for a few seconds. If I remember correctly (though I'm not washing any dishes), the quote is particular in that it is the only sentence we "heard" Ma Kosti actually speak.

Am I right?

Exactly what I was looking for, yes. Though I can no longer remember who said that the Maple Ambrosia was Miles' idea... (would have thought I would have checked that before posting the bonus, but my book has disappeared, so I can't verify at the moment). If nothing else, it's certainly the first time we hear Ma Kosti speak, so it still works as a somewhat significant quote, right?

I'll go post your half sherlock for the bonus. Congrats! And now back to your regularly scheduled quote game:

“Well, then. Your question answers itself.”

Book, Speaker, and what was the question.

[voralfred]

Miles, in _CC_
The question was

"Should the note be handwritten? Or should I just send it on the comconsole?"

The answer is in the word "just" and is:
handwritten and sealed with blood...
about the letter to Ekaterin that would eventually change his life...

BTW, I am back....

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

I am back....

That's what Arnie Schwarzenegger said when he became governor.
Do you have political ambitions too?

BTW. I think your answer points to a similar dialogue but is not quite exactly right.

[Ghost]

Miles, in _CC_
The question was

"Should the note be handwritten? Or should I just send it on the comconsole?"

The answer is in the word "just" and is:
handwritten and sealed with blood...
about the letter to Ekaterin that would eventually change his life...

No, sorry wrong on all counts.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

“Well, then. Your question answers itself.”

Book, Speaker, and what was the question.

<large crowd rhythmically chanting> Hint ... hint ... HINT!
Hint! ... Hint! ... HINT! </chanting>

"My kingdom for a hint!"

PLEASE!

[voralfred]

“Well, then. Your question answers itself.”

Book, Speaker, and what was the question.

<large crowd rhythmically chanting> Hint ... hint ... HINT!
Hint! ... Hint! ... HINT! </chanting>

"My kingdom for a hint!"

PLEASE!

I concur.

[Ghost]

“Well, then. Your question answers itself.”

Not in the VOR series. I can try to give the line before or after if this doesn't help.

[voralfred]

“Well, then. Your question answers itself.”

Not in the VOR series. I can try to give the line before or after if this doesn't help.

Well, really after realizing my first answer was wrong, I did suspect very strongly it was not in the Saga,... but still did not find it. One more line would be more than welcome....
Thanks!

[Ghost]

“Well, then. Your question answers itself.”
She opened her mouth, and closed it.

[Caroline Tredez]

It was Cazaril to Betriz in CoC, in the beginning, when dy Sanda manifested his animosity and Cazaril refused to present himself as a target. Betriz asked a bit angrily to Cazaril why he tolerated dy Sanda so calmly, and he answered something along the lines of "if I answered back, would he be happier ?" to which Betris said "Clearly, yes !"

[voralfred]

Well, usual etiquette says one should wait for the poster to confirm.
But it has been three days already, and this quote was rather long to find, the game has been stalled already quite a long time.
Moreover, after you posted, it was easy to go and check that you are indeed right.
So I suggest you don't wait anymore, Caroline, and put up a new quote now. Ghost can update your 's later, or, eventually, I will..

[Caroline Tredez]

I'm not in a hurry ^^ but to prevent any boredom, here's a (I hope) hard one :

"[...] Those are valuable, but they're not what we seek."

What are "those", who are "we", and what do they seek ?

[voralfred]

A hard one, indeed...

A hint, please?