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"The Wrath of Achilles"

Developments

• Da'an and Lili grow closer during their ordeal in the wilderness. Da'an subsequently shares his essence with Lili.

Backstory

Lili Marquette

• Lili carries a personal locator built into her cigarette lighter, which bears the Marines motto "Semper Fi."

Da’an

• Da’an has read human reference materials, learning about Native American peoples of the Appalachian region and how to make a campfire.

The Taelons

• There are Taelon Headquarters in Lisbon (Portugal), Mexico City (Mexico), Moscow (Russia), Ottawa (Canada), Santiago (Chile), Singapore (Singapore), Sydney (Australia), and India, as well as a Taelon research hospital in Tel Aviv (Israel). There are more than 46 Taelon Headquarters worldwide.
• Culture
  • The Taelons have fire on their home world, but use it only for aesthetic pleasure.
• Physiology
  • The Taelons do prefer a certain (undetermined) temperature for their comfort.
  • A Taelon can direct all of his energy to one part of his body. Da’an says that this energy contains all that defines a Taelon.
• Psychology
  • Of the Taelon Commonality Da’an says, “We are all present to each other on a multitude of levels. We are never alone in our thoughts.” He says that any Taelon could leave the Commonality if he chose, but none ever does. He admits that they are perhaps afraid to face their thoughts alone.
• Technology
  • The Taelon Headquarters building is a living organism with the capability to defend itself with energy pulses. There is a central processor for the building’s systems located deep inside its ‘body.’
  • The Homeship is capable of interdimensional flight and is apparently very large. Somehow people all over Earth were able to see the vessel when it appeared over Washington D.C.

Miscellaneous

• U.S. President Thompson’s first name is Daniel.
• The Secretary General of the United Nations is named Sonya Alondez.