Lexxplorations - Brunnis and the Brunnen-G

Brunnis and the Brunnen-G

Yes, that does include Kai.........

Windlily:
OK - here's a question for you.... Is Kai's walk the assassin walk, or typical of the Brunnen-G? I've read of a similar stride amongst North American Indians. One foot in front of the other instead of the separated walk most people use. It was used for stalking and hunting and is supposed to be very quiet if you do it right, and leaves very little trail. I'd assume, therefore, that it was the assassin walk and has now become habit.... I wish we knew a bit more about the Brunnen-G background.

Flare:
That sounds good to me. It actually looks very much like the way Raptor (one of the cats who own me) stalks down the garden after seeing off yet another of the neighbourhood tomcats - definitely a hunter's walk....

Windlily:
And how in the hell does Kai fire his wrist brace? He just aims it and off it goes...sometimes...again, begs the point...is the thing semi-sentient? Or has it be grafted to Kai and is an integral part of his being now? He just 'thinks' at it to launch it? huuum...thoughts?

Flare:
Well, I've always assumed it has some sort of small trigger underneath: to fire it he has to flex his arm and bend his hand slightly backwards, which raises a bump on the wrist which could operate a sensitive trigger.

Windlily:
Huum... [Windlily plays around with her wrist and with the idea.....] ...huum...I don't know...

Flare:
It clicks when he 're-holsters' it, so I assume its spring-loaded. Of course, that doesn't explain why in IWHS it could boomerang (maybe that could have been just for the purpose of the story - it's far too useful a thing to be able to do, so maybe it was conveniently "forgotten" about in subsequent films.......)

Windlily:
huum...wasn't it in 'boomerang' free flight in EP when he beheaded Whist in the Pattern-making room?

Flare:
....while in the others it's on the end of that extendible shaft. The grafted idea is intriguing, and a viable option - but I doubt it's semi-sentient. Then again.....!! [Flare groans silently at the thought of having to watch Eating Pattern again and tries to avoid the subject.....]

Windlily:
Huum...well, I'm undecided.... [laugh] Oh, and what did you make of that bit in IWHS where New Brunnis gets toasted and Kai 'hears' the populaces death scream - when the surviving of the six wasps have flown the first attack by HDS flagship and I assume they are banking to fire again, but it is too late and the last energy blast is released that blows New Brunnis. Was it just a case of a good, sympathetic imagination, or perhaps something else?

Flare:
Thanks for pointing this out - I missed it before... OK..... I'm undecided. Kai's expression could simply come from the fact that he SEES it happen.... his homeworld, his family, all he's ever known has just been destroyed. (And the scream could be his own, mental, cry - except that I don't think it is!)

Windlily:
yeah...I'm in the same place...sympathetic imagery...he imagines the sound of them all screaming as he watches it happen....

Flare:
It could also be the weapons impacting (yes, I know they don't make sounds in space, but the others did!!).

Windlily:
Nah...I have to disagree with you on that. That was a large set of definite human voices there. It was very different from the high pitched snarl of HDS's energy weapon being fired, neh?

Flare:
It could be his people....... but somehow I can't see the Brunnen-G behaving like that.........

Windlily:
Huum...why not? They appear to be a very passionate people...

Flare:
Of course, it could also just be the soundtrack!!..... I'm still not sure. Maybe I'll think on. (It would be fun to think that the Brunnen-G were telepaths, and Kai really did 'hear' the screams of the populace - but in that case he's unlikely to have needed to communicate vocally with his small fleet...)

Windlily:
And why only 6 little ships to battle the Divine Order? Have the Brunnen-G become such homebodies that they don't have the ships any more? You'd think that there would be quite a few off and about. Unless they had lost all space capabilities - which doesn't make much sense. Maybe the 6 wasps were all they could muster/re-grow in time....?

Flare:
Well, it may be that there were only 6 left. If the Brunnen-G had colony worlds (and I don't see why they wouldn't...) maybe the rest of the ships went there. Or maybe they were systematically destroyed by the DO's forces as the Foreshadow made its way to the homeworld (which would add that extra edge of desperation to Kai's fleet...) Or maybe, as I suggested elsewhere, they really have lost (or destroyed, or recycled) their weaponry. I like the idea of them only having the time to regrow 6, though. Somehow they seem to throw themselves whole-heartedly into everything they do - I can imagine them deciding - Right!. That's it! No more weapons - let's make love instead..... and thus being caught horribly unprepared when the DO made its move. After all, we've no idea how far advanced the campaign against them was by the time Kai sought out the Time Prophet, only that the forces were growing stronger and the Brunnen-G no longer had the technology to defeat them....
I've just had a horrible thought. You don't think that they took the Time Prophet's words for granted and therefore, secure in the belief that they would survive, didn't bother to take adequate preparations, do you?... On second thoughts, probably not. The Time Prophet also said that the Brunnen-G would be destroyed at the hands of the DO... Maybe the battle with the Foreshadow was a token gesture of resignation instead. No, I can't see the Brunnen-G behaving like that. Kai certainly wasn't!

Windlily:
Kai's costume...what do you think...it's a dark mockery of: a Brunnen-G flight suit, or, a military uniform, or, a dress military uniform, or...? Any suggestions?

Flare:
I would say definitely a mockery of a Brunnen-G suit Flight suit (if that's what the wasp pilots were wearing at the start of IWHS) - and it's exactly the sort of thing HDS would do. Of course, we haven't seen any other assassin uniforms, but it sure doesn't look like the costumes of the rest of his forces........

Windlily:
I agree totally! And here's another thought.....
I dared to say that Kai wasn't dead, and immediately found myself in the free-fire "dead or alive" war zone. To me, Kai isn't dead. Yes, he was killed and resurrected (I'm surprised someone hasn't taken off on the Messianic theme of that....

[Flare grins and says - They will now!!]

....OK - so his body is different from what it was....so? His memories, his essence, his soul, is still intact and ongoing. What makes us what we are? To quote a famous Jedi Master, "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter!" Kai hasn't ceased being a distinct, functioning individual with a conscious will, interacting with his environment, even if his body isn't as it was. To me, that is alive. Dead is dead. Ashes to ashes. Hasta la vista, baby......

Flare:
I'm sorry I can't argue with you. I agree entirely. As long as the mind, the psyche, the 'essence' is still there, the individual is still alive.
(Deep and possibly dangerous waters here, of course. How would society define a human clone grown, without a brain, for the purposes of obtaining transplant organs? According to the foregoing criteria, is such a thing alive or dead? How is the paraplegic in a coma, with minimal brain activity and no hope of ever retaining consciousness - as far as is currently known, anyway - to be considered? And who actually makes the decision, anyway? Science? Religion? Society? Politics?...... Sorry, probably the wrong place to mention it, but since the subject is going to be considered in Shadow Dancing, we may as well introduce it at this point! )

[Flare rubs hands together and grins. My favourite bit comes next!]

Brunnis, Poetman and the 'burst of life'....

Flare:
So exactly what did happen to Poetman? How long do you think he waited before setting up his 'trap' - and what happened afterwards? Did he die of old age? Decide he couldn't bear the loneliness and commit suicide?

Windlily:
I really don't know. Sounds like he went slightly nuts - or perhaps, more nuts than he already was.... Begs another question: just how sentient are Poetman's holograms? They don't really seem to be very 'aware' in some scenes, but are in others. Very vexing. I hadn't really thought about it much other than being slightly annoyed by it... but now you have me off on that tangent [laugh]... But back to the original thought. I imagine he died of old age considering that more than two thousand years have elapsed since the Brunnen-G left Brunnis. And he did imply that he had considered suicide but chose not to go that way... Yes, I know we don't know how long a Brunnen-G lives, but they are human and even with top notch medical advances (replacement of worn-out organs seems to be common in Stan and Zev's time) I doubt the normal rank and file humans would get past the 200-250 mark. And Brunnis would have much older tech, right?

Flare:
It certainly looks like it!...

[Flare pauses as a figure waves from the other side of the Tea Room, and she and Windlily wave back. As Newkate approaches, Flare pulls up another chair....]

Newkate:
Hello!! It's nice to meet you! Flare - first of all I must say that your way of LEXXPLORATION is very unusual and just fascinating! Speaking of LEXX so seriously ... more seriously than of real life - because reality sure doesn't deserve to be taken seriously! - finding here more than creators of LEXX themselves could imagine! I love it. And, struggling heroically with my, erm, not perfect English, I'd like to take a part in this discussions....

[Flare and Windlily grin at each other, and nod...]

....I wonder why nobody ever mention such an obvious thing? As for me, I'm quite sure that Zev's burst of life was shared by Kai!!! Of course, we've been given her vision of it, but, attached to the next table, couldn't he see the same dream? OK, here's my arguments. First of all - there are two tables in the room. It is absurd if burst of life is designed as an individual experience! Oh, I can imagine the old Brunnis couples who came here to join in the last love dream... To see themselves young and full of passion as they still are deep inside... To die together... It goes quite well with all we know about Brunnen' G! Of course, we never saw Kai acting this way. But burst of life could free his spirit from the bonds of death and all he's been through for that 2000 years. He felt himself alive - isn't it his secret desire, not for himself, but for Zev's sake! And as living man he was very emotional. Look as he acts and talks in the opening flashback - his voice is trembling with rage and anger. Why couldn't it tremble with passion and tenderness? And I think men are always more romantic than they try to pretend... Isn't Kai the last of "romantic dreamers" at least?

[Slightly startled silence as Flare and Windlily digest this - it simply hadn't occurred to either of us, but Newkate is absolutely right!]

Another evidence - his rainbow outfit. Where could Zev get this image? Only in Kai's mind! And his wish to spend the rest of his protoblood with her? It's because she's trying so hard to help him? Because he appreciate how she feels about him? Of course not! He loves her in most romantic and desperate way. And in the burst of life he couldn't hide it as he usually manages to....

Flare:
       You're right!! There's no other way Zev could have known about Kai's original outfit. And it's true that the 'burst of life' would free him from 2,000 years of distress. Maybe that's why he didn't struggle. We already know Kai is very strong - he would probably have been able to break through those bonds if he had really tried. But he didn't even try....... That's beautiful and very sad - perhaps wanting his last memory to be of himself dancing with Zev.....
       I firmly believe that the machine was not working properly, and the "welcome" speech should have happened before the "burst of life" dream. It would be very cruel the other way round - having the dream first and then being told you were going to be sliced in half while you were fully conscious! What do you two think?
       And I agree that Kai is capable of enormous passion - or was, at least. His body has been mutilated by the bio-scholars, and since we don't know exactly what was done, we have no way of knowing if he can still act passionately (physically, I mean...)

Newkate:
I do not remember Kai using his strength. When was it?

Flare:
In the first film: he grabs Giggerota around the throat with his wrist weapon and, straight-armed, throws her over his head and into the bottom of the Lexx! (Of course, we see more proof later - he pulls Stan up into the top part of the memory catacombs with one hand, a little while after the "burst of life" scene, but the scene with Giggerota on the Lexx bridge was the first.)

Newkate:
I've always been wondering why he doesn't struggle, doesn't try to do something. But I hate to think he was so broken that he'd let Zev die after him! Could be another explanation? What do you think?

Windlily [re: Flare's comment]
I disagree with that first bit. I think Zev is every bit as strong as Kai (hey, she held Stan dangling over the edge of the bridge with one hand and then pulled all his dead weight up with no effort at all) - and she was struggling as hard as she could and couldn't get those restraints to budge. Though it is very interesting that he didn't even make the attempt. I will agree with the last bit though, given that the last memory he gave up was a very large one of Zev.... And as for his being broken up - I hadn't looked at it from that angle. I suppose he is rather 'broken' emotionally and mentally.... Perhaps he was just in shock....

Flare [re: Newkate's comment]:
Hmmmm........... You have a point: it's not really the sort of thing he would do, is it?

Newkate:
Now as far as I understood, being conscious is necessary for memory taking technology. That speech was awful! It must be said before the dream of course - before deciding to enter the room!

Flare:
This is a difficult question and not one we've really thought about too hard, yet. I agree it would be much less cruel if people were told about what would happen before entering the room - but then, the "burst of life" and the memory catacombs were built by and for the Brunnen-G: they would know all about it before entry. (The female on the little screen above the machine says "You have chosen death" - Brunnen-G wouldn't enter the room by accident.) It's Zev's curiosity that leads her and Kai through the bird-door, and she wouldn't know anything about the "burst of life". And at that point, Kai hasn't fully regained his memory...... I agree it does seem necessary for the 'victim' to be conscious in order for the memory-storage device to work; I've now remembered what is said. I'll think about it a little more.....

[Flare goes very quiet while pondering this whole situation....]

Windlily:
Something we haven't addressed and is so obvious and annoying that I have ignored it, though I have come up with an explanation...[laugh]...Kai's uniform (what would you call it? I haven't answered that yet...it seems to be based on what he was wearing when HDS killed him). Why isn't it in tatters by now? It seems to self-regenerate also...so, is it like...[wait for it...]...HDS cloak? [Evil chuckle I hope you know the difficulty Flare and I are having coming up with an explanation for that 'cloak thing'!!!] I don't really think so, though it could be. I'm just assuming that it is some kind of self-repairing fabric...thoughts?

Newkate:
This suit should not have the same nature as HDS cloak, because it's essential feature of essence carrier and because I do not want it to be! [Newkate grins. Windlily laughs.] I've always been wondering where this suite came from. But that's my current idea:
Kai looks like Brunnen-G, even for Thodin, who knows of this race only from the ancient legends. Just after the Brunnen-G defeat, than the memory about them was fresh in the Light Universe, any heretic would recognize the origin of his killer... That's why - as a part of punishment beyond death - HDS did not change Kai's hairdo, didn't remove a mark from his cheek, and made him to wear a uniform that looks for me like some combination of Brunnen-G battle suit and uniform of HDS warriors..... ( Don't you think so?)

Windlily:
Well, I think it looks pretty much just the same as his original flight suit, just in shades of black..... And yes, I agree with your thinking here. It is very Shadow, to do such a thing!

Newkate:
Just to make the whole Universe know that the last of the glorious ancient race is his obedient servant... And to remind all heretics what might happen to them... About the fabric. Kai's body is decarbonised. He is not protein-based any more....

Windlily [grumbling]:
I'm still having a problem with that, but will accept it for the nonce...

Newkate:
I think that protoblood is responsible only for re-animation, and regeneration is a feature of the body itself. I did not see anything in the series that could prove it wrong... And you?

Windlily:
Yup! Though as I think on it, it seems to be a combo of two things...protoblood, which comes from the Gigashadow revives dead flesh. Yottskry and the other clerics proved that...and HDS essence...Yottskry still had his wounds unhealed until the essence of HDS entered him, then they all sparkled and went away...huum...I don't think I like where this thought is heading, but...y'all wanna poke some holes in it?

Flare [distractedly]:
       I'd suggest 3 things, just for consideration (as if we needed any more!!): - protoblood (and there seem to be 2 different sorts - the thinner stuff HS uses in the assassins, and the super-fuel direct from the GigaShadow) which seems to affect just the body (HS bled ordinary blood, after all......), the swirly purple shadow essence (seems to affect the mind - at any rate, it replaced HS brain!!!!), and the stuff that forms the cloak, which doesn't seem to affect either mind or body (didn't stop either of the last 2 HS's from getting killed) but is representative of the whole spiritual evil of the IC. Or am I trying to fit tripartite earthly symbolism where it don't really go?! Anyway, Kai has the first, and an element of the second, but none of the third. Maybe. Unless his outfit is made of it...... Hmmmm....
       AND - I think I've got the 'burst of life' problem sorted out - bear with me....
       If I'm right, the sequence should go like this: person(s) decide they've had enough of life, want to add their memories to the 'library', and go to the 'burst of life' room. The female Brunnen-G welcomes them, tells them exactly what she tells Zev about their experiences becoming their memories etc etc - and then goes into the speech: "Your death will not be quick. It will be played out, to allow your thoughts, your knowledge, your memories, to spill out at a rate that may be properly absorbed. But you will feel no pain, embraced as you are in your burst of life........." And at that point, their fantasy begins........

       HOWEVER - In Zev (and Kai's) case, it reads differently - the fantasy comes first, then the fantasy dissolves into a derelict room, then they come to to find themselves strapped to the slab...... and THEN they get the "Your death will not be quick....." speech.... And then they're sliced slowly in two.........
       It's all out of sequence. And WHY? Because Poetman has messed around with the machinery, that's why! Examine the evidence........
       "... But you will feel no pain, embraced as you are in the burst of life." And if at that point you slide into the best fantasy, the most intimate wish of your life, you really will die happy. However, Zev and Kai (and maybe others - he may have laid this as a trap just in case others came to Brunnis........) are rudely awoken before they die..... They find themselves strapped to the slab, unable to escape. And the female says her speech........ ".....But you will feel no pain, embraced as you are in the burst of life....." And then Poetman's malicious, grinning face appears! "So you're on the slab, and you've chosen to be sliced in two. Congratulations!!"

What a complete bastard...........!

Windlily:
...Yup! That's pretty much how I figured it also! You get sliced while your in your fantasy and so no fear, no pain, nothing but a wonderful waltz into the greatest adventure..... okay, that explains the major malfunction...and since he did seem to have gone a bit nuts, I could see him doing it just for something to do!

Newkate:
OK Flare I vote for this scenario too, it's very logical and it goes pretty well with my idea about sharing the 'burst of life' with another! Really, no matter how well you both are prepared to death, watching your beloved being sawed in two SO SLOWLY hardly could bring peace into your soul. Even if it is painless... And maybe it should be painless only because you're suppose to be dreaming at this moment? We agreed that Kai can not feel pain at all. Maybe, when it would be Zev's turn... Oh, poor Zev... Well, Poet messed the 'burst of life' machine just for his wicked pleasures, shame on him. But if he did not, we wouldn't see the most romantic moment of all series - Zev is crying, watching Kai's memories slowly flow away... And among all this vague images - the last, the most bright and vivid - her face.....
But, on the other hand... If Poet would not wake them up, the fantasy dance could come much further! Who knows that we could see then...

Flare [grinning widely]:
And now you're going to hate me...... Windlily, you remember the discussion we had about whether Kai still had "the equipment" to make Zev happy? (Your answer was along the lines of - well, he still has a mouth and lips and fingers, doesn't he!!!!). Well, if his 'slice of life' in the Memory Catacombs is anything to go by, he hasn't!! Look at the male 'slices of life' in the catacombs - obvious male genitals. Look at Kai's - no genitals......... And no split male genitals in either half of his sliced-in-two body, either.....
Yes, OK - I know even Lexx might have problems showing such a thing on TV!! But you have to admit I'm right!

Newkate:
It seems to me we have no choice and really should admit that. But, you know, it's not the kind of things I would agree with! The man of my dreams does not have... That's awful!!! Disaster, if you ask me! Sure, it was no possibility to show on TV "equipment" of MM, even sliced-in-two. If they could do this, it would certainly surpass the shower scene!
And poor Kai even has enough optimism to half-smile in every third episode! I think this is very serious question. I'm really concerned about it. Maybe we should make on Billbored the topic "Do not read this if you are under 21!" and shock other female fans with your discovery?

Windlily:
I'll have you know I scurried to re-watch that part and...[gasp, pout, stomp around in fury] you are right! [ Waaaailll How mean! And uncalled for! *opalescent dragon zaps into existence in Kai's memories and starts hissing and stalking HDS memory*: You! Yes, you! We are going to have words, you vile mound of Cluster Lizard crap!....]

Well, still, I don't see the problem...[laugh]...ask any lesbian couple and they'll tell you that male genitalia isn't at all necessary or needed to please...
And they didn't have problems with showing the other template/slices naughty bits, so...yes. I admit it. You are right!

Flare:
Believe me, I take no pleasure in the fact. And while I take Windlily's point about male genitalia not being actually necessary for pleasure-giving (let's face it, sometimes its just a wet and sticky nuisance!!), the thought that Kai is lacking is really tragic. Not only forced to kill for an evil Order for thousands of years, not only mutilated and deprived of 'mammalian' life, but now deprived of any means of re-establishing his species......

Do we really think the Beans would be so cruel?.....

See also:-

Taking Tea with the Dragon

Doing Lunch in the Dark Zone.

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