I found the Tumblr answer a day after commenting; I love how much thought you put into the translation issues. (Translation convention and sci-fi: something I think about more-or-less all the time, and something I so rarely see made explicit!)
Also I am pleased at your "mammalish animals on Alternia" thoughts, because YES, everything Nepeta kills has red blood, and often has a name that parallels to an Earth mammal! My interest was mainly in Karkat's knowledge particularly, since he doesn't hunt, RP, or have a weird obsession with any of those Alternian animals that we know about; how much does the average wiggler learn about Alternian fauna, beyond "kill it before it eats you"? If BT!Karkat knows their reproductive strategy/grouping behaviour, is there some kind of very basic Guide To Alternian Species covered in schoolfeeding, geared toward "kill this kind first, watch for more of them with this kind, watch for more of these only in these seasons, leave this kind alone because they kill the other"? It's always interesting trying to work out what a species would and wouldn't consider an educational necessity when 100% of the young leave the planet and never return, and they're all practical Darwinists who regard the planet as a testing ground...
I DON'T GET IT WHATEVER WHEN IN TROLL ROME ETCETERA
Snerk! Poor Karkat, they keep 'explaining' and nothing ever really gets any clearer. :D :D :D Oooh, and now he has yet another adult-themed revelation to be shocked by, when the "Dad-lusus has TWO wigglers" conversation happens! (Also, mwahaha, 'John's lusus is ALSO a paleslut!')
ALL THE THINGS ahoy!
Have I mentioned how much I love it when Rose gets a chance to laugh and just enjoy something? ♥ My love for Rose, yes, it is a thing. She pulled him up! He was shy! All the layers and cross-layers of misunderstood but well-meaning gestures!
I am pretty sure I've mentioned how much I enjoy John's Pale Gangbang Scenes! Karkat is really going to end up horribly desensitised if he's with them any length of time! Although since it also drives home the idea that John Is Really Dangerous, uh. I am a terrible person for enjoying his discomfort but not wanting him to be afraid, I fear. Although honestly, I'd figure on ALL the alien mech-pilots being super dangerous; they're clearly elites with powerful political pull and extremely well-trained fighting skills.
I started thinking about that, actually, and how Equius isn't a mech pilot, but Nepeta is, and began wondering: are all the mech pilots lowbloods? Maybe it's cheaper to 'build' a bio-mech than a real one, so they pick lowbloods with no other options instead of highbloods. Maybe highbloods are needed (well, 'needed') in the higher-echelon, lower-risk areas, as commanders of lowbloods/direct underlings of the Empress, and/or they have the clout to keep their lusii alive and seek opportunities with more prestige; it's glamourous being a pilot, maybe, but it doesn't put you in command except in temporary situations like escort duty, so it might not suit highbloods very well. (Plus, tempers could be risky when the nearest thing to wreck is their own mech?) Or is it a pretty random mix of highblood and lowblood pilots, and if so, does that affect their fighting in any way? Anyway I wonder what Eridan is doing.
Also I wonder a lot about how Karkat will take the revelation that they're gengineered; is that why they're so pale for each other (allmutantstogether? or is there a pale-feeling gene stuck in there to keep them calm/bonded/useful?) What does it do to their colours status? Just how different does it make them from the rest of their species? Should I pity John for it?
Karkat thinks John and Rose hugging!happyfeels is cute! I almost died of feelings overload. :D Are all trolls just natural shippers, or is it a Karkat thing?
What else? OH YEAH THE CULLING JANE CONVERSATION! Egad, I love Karkat's bluntness (because duh, that's not something he would have any idea was insensitive), and the way he... not defends, just explains, "because she's hurting/broken" which sounds as much like mercy killing as it does ruthlessness (no longer useful); Alternian propaganda, and/or actual thinking? I love hints that they're not complete sociopaths, because hey, they couldn't have a coherent society if they were! They do form emotional bonds to each other, even bonds that are not quadrants, and everyone we've seen has some concept that others have feelings. And given their social milieu is harsh and violent, they really might feel that removing someone from it permanently when they'll never again be able to cope is a kindness... Poor John, though, having that suggested to him right then. *winces*
Oh, hey, does calling in the lusus mean that John just gained decency points for NOT PAPPING EVERYONE AROUND HIM? (I fear he lost them again as soon as he 'reunited' with Rose, but.) *grin*
You asked for all the things! This may or may not be all
Also I am pleased at your "mammalish animals on Alternia" thoughts, because YES, everything Nepeta kills has red blood, and often has a name that parallels to an Earth mammal! My interest was mainly in Karkat's knowledge particularly, since he doesn't hunt, RP, or have a weird obsession with any of those Alternian animals that we know about; how much does the average wiggler learn about Alternian fauna, beyond "kill it before it eats you"? If BT!Karkat knows their reproductive strategy/grouping behaviour, is there some kind of very basic Guide To Alternian Species covered in schoolfeeding, geared toward "kill this kind first, watch for more of them with this kind, watch for more of these only in these seasons, leave this kind alone because they kill the other"? It's always interesting trying to work out what a species would and wouldn't consider an educational necessity when 100% of the young leave the planet and never return, and they're all practical Darwinists who regard the planet as a testing ground...
I DON'T GET IT WHATEVER WHEN IN TROLL ROME ETCETERA
Snerk! Poor Karkat, they keep 'explaining' and nothing ever really gets any clearer. :D :D :D Oooh, and now he has yet another adult-themed revelation to be shocked by, when the "Dad-lusus has TWO wigglers" conversation happens! (Also, mwahaha, 'John's lusus is ALSO a paleslut!')
ALL THE THINGS ahoy!
Have I mentioned how much I love it when Rose gets a chance to laugh and just enjoy something? ♥ My love for Rose, yes, it is a thing. She pulled him up! He was shy! All the layers and cross-layers of misunderstood but well-meaning gestures!
I am pretty sure I've mentioned how much I enjoy John's Pale Gangbang Scenes! Karkat is really going to end up horribly desensitised if he's with them any length of time! Although since it also drives home the idea that John Is Really Dangerous, uh. I am a terrible person for enjoying his discomfort but not wanting him to be afraid, I fear. Although honestly, I'd figure on ALL the alien mech-pilots being super dangerous; they're clearly elites with powerful political pull and extremely well-trained fighting skills.
I started thinking about that, actually, and how Equius isn't a mech pilot, but Nepeta is, and began wondering: are all the mech pilots lowbloods? Maybe it's cheaper to 'build' a bio-mech than a real one, so they pick lowbloods with no other options instead of highbloods. Maybe highbloods are needed (well, 'needed') in the higher-echelon, lower-risk areas, as commanders of lowbloods/direct underlings of the Empress, and/or they have the clout to keep their lusii alive and seek opportunities with more prestige; it's glamourous being a pilot, maybe, but it doesn't put you in command except in temporary situations like escort duty, so it might not suit highbloods very well. (Plus, tempers could be risky when the nearest thing to wreck is their own mech?) Or is it a pretty random mix of highblood and lowblood pilots, and if so, does that affect their fighting in any way?
Anyway I wonder what Eridan is doing.Also I wonder a lot about how Karkat will take the revelation that they're gengineered; is that why they're so pale for each other (allmutantstogether? or is there a pale-feeling gene stuck in there to keep them calm/bonded/useful?) What does it do to their
coloursstatus? Just how different does it make them from the rest of their species?Should I pity John for it?Karkat thinks John and Rose hugging!happyfeels is cute! I almost died of feelings overload. :D Are all trolls just natural shippers, or is it a Karkat thing?
What else? OH YEAH THE CULLING JANE CONVERSATION! Egad, I love Karkat's bluntness (because duh, that's not something he would have any idea was insensitive), and the way he... not defends, just explains, "because she's hurting/broken" which sounds as much like mercy killing as it does ruthlessness (no longer useful); Alternian propaganda, and/or actual thinking? I love hints that they're not complete sociopaths, because hey, they couldn't have a coherent society if they were! They do form emotional bonds to each other, even bonds that are not quadrants, and everyone we've seen has some concept that others have feelings. And given their social milieu is harsh and violent, they really might feel that removing someone from it permanently when they'll never again be able to cope is a kindness... Poor John, though, having that suggested to him right then. *winces*
Oh, hey, does calling in the lusus mean that John just gained decency points for NOT PAPPING EVERYONE AROUND HIM? (I fear he lost them again as soon as he 'reunited' with Rose, but.) *grin*