Battleprep is often referred to as a berserker state, but that is only partially correct. The prepped warrior is only marginally, if at all, aware of pain and wounds; blood clots quickly to minimize loss; speed and strength are heightened on the same order as that of someone of average strength who can suddenly lift a car to save an infant. Beyond this, however, the berserker analogy breaks down, because the warrior retains his full intelligence and judgement. This combination makes a battleprepped warrior one of the most dangerous beings in the known universe.
At home, or on any Sandeman-controlled world, a warrior is in no danger of overload unless very unusual circumstances arise. There are always warriors and w'women around. And except in hostile-alien territory, where need is a weakness that must be concealed, keeping even an enemy warrior from dying in overload is as ingrained as their politeness. It is honorable to kill him, imprison him, even torture him for information--but if he goes into active need, he gets treatment. If no w'woman is available or willing, there is a ritual offering of non-hostile life-combat by one or more of the imprisoning clan's warriors.
The need cycle can be disrupted by serious injury or illness; the disruption will last from the time of the injury or illness until the warrior regains near-normal health.
Shaper experiments show that the need cycle can be permanently ended by removal of the need gland; this turns the warrior into an Other man with combat skills but none of the other warrior advantages. Naturally, Sandemans find this idea both repulsive and obscene.
NEEDLER: Sandeman energy handgun. Although it has less raw power than a blaster, the beam is much more finely adjusted, so it has equal or greater effective power. While the narrower beam requires more careful aim, Sandemans prefer its greater precision, most considering the blaster's wider beam unacceptably sloppy.
NEMRA:
Sector: 13, Crater Year:
Subsector: B, Inanna Day:
System: Gilgamesh Gravity:
Settled/established: Axial tilt:
By: Oxygen:
Satellites: % Water:
Ident code prefix: NEM Continents:
Ruled by:
General: Site of the abortive rebellion led by Count Jonathan Kaplan's
son Robert, in which Ranger Esteban Tarlac was injured and David
Scanlon earned his Life Dukedom.
NEPHTHYS, Subsector 15-B:
No. systems: 197 Sector: Auriga
with 3 inhabited planets: 4 Ruled by:
with 2 inhabited planets: 11
with 1 inhabited planet: 22
NEW BAVARIA: