Telepathic method

[Christian Soldier]

I wanted to run my method of telepathy by you guys to see if it's plausible. Here's some back ground:

In my world, the speed of light is bypassed by ripping a hole in normal Space/Time. I'm using the original name of "Hyper-Space" to describe this place. Now within Hyper-space the rules of space/time are warped and not constant. There are places where FTL(Faster Than Light) speed are impossible. Others where slower than light is impossible. Even the complex instruments work sporadically or not at all. There is, however, a solution.

Telepathy and Telekinesis work regardless. While a telepath cannot read the minds of non-telepaths, they can detect minds. Plus they can communicate with each other over incredible distances instantaneously. Telekinetics can also shore up the shields, deflect missiles, etc. depending on the individuals strength.

Now Human beings are not natural telepaths. Projects to force telepathy on the Human mind have resulted in near instantaneous death. Some died via heart attacks, strokes, some even exploded. Regardless, the Human mind simply cannot handle the complexity of Telepathy.

The answer was found less than a year after the Human tests stopped. The animal tests had continued in the hopes of finding the fault either in the Human genome or the method of delivery. The tests were continuing on the felinus domisticus: the common house cat. When the final injection was made, the feline in question immediately formed a bond with the researcher nearest him. That first bonding was quickly followed by more bondings.

In time, the method to the madness came into the light. Humans cannot be telepathic, but they can focus the talent of another being. The feline mind, almost as though it were designed to do so, sought out a focusing agent immediately upon gaining the Gift. In return for gaining controlled telepathy, the cats gained sentience.

Let me know what you think! --CS

[mongoose]

I like. I think one of my friend's fav. authors did something with telepathic feline like creatures. I have yet to read that series.

But what does the telepathy have to do with the hyper-space, other than allowing the passengers of ships in hyper-space to communicate with each other?

[Jeff Gerke]

Yes, I like it, too. I like the idea that every serious, spacefaring warship would need a little kitty cat to make the jumps. (You've got to admit the idea could have comic uses.)

Also check out Startide Rising by David Brin. Sentient animals used in partnership with humans to make spaceflight possible.

Jeff

[Christian Soldier]

Oooo. David Brin is awesome!

Mongoose, the Telepaths/Telekinetics are used to detect oncoming obstacles and ships. If they're strong enough, they can also "transmit" an image of blank space to confuse the enemy. Mind you, it won't work all the time. Certainly not in normal space where sensors could show the ship anyway, but it's a handy trick nonetheless.

The concept of sentient felines has always fascinated me. My cat(s) look me in the eyes and I wonder what's going on in there. Admittedly, probably nothing, but I still wonder. Then there's always the one who gets in your lap and talks and trills. I've always wondered what they're saying. Is she telling me about her day? Is she expressing her affection for me? Is she explaining why I have to die? Or that the world will end tomorrow so that they can put a highway through here?

*Shrug* Okay so I'm the wierd cat guy of the forum. So sue me.

In Christ, CS

[Jeff Gerke]

I think it's great. And building from that deadly serious, and somewhat carnivorous, look cats give us is a wonderful idea. They DO look intelligent.

Yeah, I'm a cat person, too.

Jeff

[Christian Soldier]

Cat people of the world UNITE!! Muwahahahaaaha..ha..ha......ha..Why is everyone staring at me?

[Christian Soldier]

Hey! I just found a bit of research I need to look into. Check out 100 Cats Who Changed Civilization: History's Most Influential Felines by Sam Stall . I just read an article based on it in a magazine. Interesting stuff. Definitely something my characters would want. They are, of course, based on real cats.

[Teskas]

There's a ton of first hand experience behind this synopsis which would make it a good read(See other thread). I can see this book making the rounds of a barracks or a college dorm already.

I read somewhere that it isn't necessary to explain how something works in sci fi. In other words, it is enough that the cat can lend telepathic powers to a human; there is no need for a long digression into hyperspace mechanics. There's no need to explain the physics that can allow telepathic cats to happen.

I think as a reader I'd want to know how a soldier, with his life on the line and flooded with stress hormones, is likely to allow a cat in his life at that particular moment in his existence. Is he on the edge of breakdown? (I'm about to teach my granny to suck eggs here. Apologies in advance.) Men in combat stress can often live on the edge of breakdown, but find the courage to keep it together. So is that where he is? I guess what I am saying is that I'd like to know about the soldier, not the cat. That's what would keep me reading.

Okay, maybe he is a cat-lover, but that isn't going to be enough to explain it--unless you are telling the reader the situation in which the unit finds itself isn't all that dangerous. And I don't believe you'd want the reader to believe that.

But being a totally unpublished writer, what would I know?

Best wishes with your story, CS. It's got body to it.

[Teskas]

As far as the actual concept of telepathy/telekenesis in hyperspace is concerned, I believe you have a workable idea.

Since nobody knows how hyperspace behaves, your guess is as good as anyone's. I certainly like the description you have given of its different properties.

As far as the cat is concerned, what you are conceptualizing is the sci-fi equivalent of the canary in the mine. Coal miners used to take a canary in a cage with them when they went down the mines. If the canary keeled over, they knew there was a build up of methane and carbon monoxide gases, which had toxic properties and/or could cause explosions.

The cat concept has the additional twist of the creature being able to convey information without being harmed, but it is still a creative variant on the canary.

Yes, the cat idea would definitely work.

[Christian Soldier]

Thanks for the input! I can;t say as I ever considered the analogy of cats and canaries, but I think you are correct. How odd that I didn't notice that myself? Well, that's why posted the idea. BTW, for those interested in some of the back history, check out "Testing 1..2..3" on my Website.

Thanks again! CS

[kouter]

Hey, I know this is an old thread but it caught my eye. This concept reminds me of an anime called Gunbuster. If you haven't seen it yet, it's must find. It can be corny at times, but it is a sci-fi that handles the science of space travel in a very detailed manner. They travel at light speed and experience time dialation, they use warp to travel through sub-space much like CS was describing. In the last episode, their technology advanced to a point where the propulsion mechanism did not use newtonian physics. The ship didn't move, but literally bent time and space around it and like CS's idea, they used ESPers for navigation, physics and dolphins. It was pretty cool!

Anyway all that to say, good idea! ;D

[Christian Soldier]

Thanks, Kirk!

[myrthman]

I have another use for cats in a spaceship. Mostly humorous, but who knows? And BTW, this is not original, but I can't remember where I first saw it, so until someone else claims it as lost and found, it's mine!

The Three Laws of Space Travel On A Budget:
1. Cats ALWAYS land on their feet
2. Buttered bread ALWAYS lands buttered side down
3. Red sauce is ALWAYS drawn to white shirts

The Application:

Mount a slice of buttered bread to the back of a cat and because both of the above laws must be met, the cat will defy gravity and float. Have enough buttered-bread-cats in a confined space and viola! an antigravity field is generated. Have enough such confined spaces placed strategically within your vessel and you can break away from Earth's gravity.

Now for propulsion: Cover the exterior of your craft with white shirts. Now, mount a giant squeeze ketchup bottle on a swivel (for steering your spacecraft). Squeeze once to get going and again to keep going. The red sauce will be drawn to the white fabric and now you're moving! Any kind of shirt will do as long as it's white, but if you want to break the light barrier, they must be recently washed and pressed dress shirts, the newer the better.

How's that for cheap spaceflight? Now get to exploring! Don't forget to stock up on free ketchup packets at your nearest fast food joint before leaving the galaxy...wouldn't want to run out of fuel in the Deep Empty.

[waldenwriter]

Your telepathic method sounds very interesting. But I always thought the whole concept of telepathy was that a telepath could read anyone's mind, regardless of whether the person whose mind was being read was telepathic or not.

I'm reminded of the recent film Race to Witch Mountain where Sara, the girl alien, says that Earthlings are capable of mental powers too (like her own telepathy and telekinesis) but they just don't use enough of their brain power for the powers to manifest. It's an interesting thought.

[newburydave]

Old threads never die. . .

My take on telepathy is that it is the naturally created means by which all creatures directly experience the mind of God, and the communion of sentient beings. This was how Adam and Eve communicated with the animals in the prefall world of Eden.

When man chose to take his own selfish way (sin) he closed his mind-ears to God's voice and became a "mind recluse". When God cursed the human race one of the things that was permanently broken in us was the ability to hear or speak the telepathic voice common to all creatures.

The only way to partially recover the telepathic ability (the Yah-voice) is by being saved and filled with the Spirit. The communication that we have with God and sometimes with each other through God is a temporary recovering of the Yah-voice. I take this from the experience of the church and the passage in Roman's 8 about the Spirit helping us to pray as we ought to.

Telepathic communication is instantaneous over any distance in the created universe because it is transmitted through the mind of God and God is present "Everywhere" and "Everywhen" in the universe.

That is how I have constructed my "Biblically based" theory of telepathic communication in my Guardianship universe.

Re: cats;

The cats we've had have all been rather mindless creatures. One came up to the standard of intelligence of a dog.

However I think the idea of a cat as a telepathy focusing symbiote for specially gifted humans is a good one. I use a concept similar to that, but my telepathy symbiotes for the spirit filled humans are tiny, meter long dragons.

SGD

dave