Questions

So I thought I would create this so people could ask questions and if CS cannot answer maybe someone else can.

OK. I have to ask. Why is the alliance conscripting people? As far as we know there are no wars going on to justify this? Also, why was Reah unaware of spawn? IIRC during the meeting Lissa had to attend, Ry'ak attacked the meeting, swallowing Queen Twylenda? It was broadcast to every alliance world. Plus, during the first solar red invasion we see on Rezifan they were there eating people in the streets during the "festival" Again, televised.

Back to the conscriptions. Is royalty immune to conscriptions? If so wouldn't she be released? I could see Norian bypassing this tho. Oh and what about vamps? Are they forced into this? They are strong but I don't know if it would work since they are...ugh...flammable. Of course this didn't stop pple from using Lissa

Welcome, glad to have you here. Let's see if I can help you out a bit. Once again this is only my opinion so take it for what it's worth.

1) Government employees are not immune to conscription, they just make sure their sons / daughters are in school during the years they are eligible to be conscripted or have a "chronic" condition that exempts them ... basically buying exemptions.

2) The Ra'Ak and their spawn are probably ignored via the it's somebody else's problem phenomenon - i.e. if they are not here I don't care. Which probably helps explain why the Ra'Ak have not been exterminated yet.

3) Conscription is not always during war, several countries use the same type of conscription described in the books, everybody of a certain age range is eligible for the draft for a set length of service. This allows the country (or in this case worlds) to have a significant percent of the population, that has the training and necessary skill sets, to field a larger military in an emergency than it could support under normal circumstances.

4) Vampires - more than likely they are a wee bit past the age of eligibility (by a few centuries ... lol).

5) Royalty - government employees ... only more so. There are probably exceptions because some royalty take their obligations seriously but the spoiled royalty ... meh.

6) Reah - Conscription is funny thing if you can avoid it ... so be it ... but once they get you ... you are owned for the length of the conscription barring exceptional service; save enough people or person important enough, you can get a get out of jail free card.

Thanks for the answers, Larry. They all make sense to me.

I also received a personal sense of joy from your use of the word "meh". It's a favorite of mine!

For those who don't know this word, I think it's best described as a virtual shrug with a bit of sarcasm or rolling eyes thrown in.

Concerning question number six: Reah was conscripted in her brother's place (due to her Father)and this fact is known to the military. Since Reah is now royalty, which everyone knows, I think this is a good defense to use in releasing her from any further military obligation. I agree with Larry - Reah should get a get out of jail free card on this.

Pony wrote: Concerning question number six: Reah was conscripted in her brother's place (due to her Father)and this fact is known to the military. Since Reah is now royalty, which everyone knows, I think this is a good defense to use in releasing her from any further military obligation. I agree with Larry - Reah should get a get out of jail free card on this.

This comes up later in the books in another form though - Reah's Royalty is from a non-alliance world, so no get out jail free card for her.

Now as I re-read the series I find another anomaly- near the end where Nods and the former rangers see Reah, How does Nods recognized Reah? Aurelius had used power to make her look like a young male recruit? that how Nods should remember her/him... Bel and the other rangers would know her, but not Nods.