Rasyr wrote Howdy all!! I am new to the forums!! First of all, I want to say thanks to the authors for producing such a wonderful series of books. I enjoy them immensely. Unfortunately for me, I won't be able to pick up book 12 (actually just finished rereading the first 11 & Point Blank) until the paperback comes out (due to finances - bleh). However, I have seen a couple of references to somethings (both in the books and mentioned here) that I would like to ask about. First of all, I have seen several references to the secret of the skinks being out. Could somebody please tell me tell me how that happened? (I don't care about spoilers -- they spoiler nothing for me -- the journey is often more enticing than the destination) :) And on to the skinks themselves..... (and yes, I know that I will most likely get speculation from folks) The skinks culture seems to be heavily resemble that of feudal Japan. So much so that I often find myself speculating if there is some connection to ancient feudal Japan and the skinks. There have also been references about how the skinks encountered humans before (before the encounter on Waygone). Especially since they knew humans would eventually come to investigate, and so forth.. I have also occassionally wondered if the skins were just a human colony who got lost in the shuffle, and then began experimenting on themselves - eugenics sort of thing... Or perhaps the skins have been visiting the humans for a long while (though not frequently. And no, I am not discounting he possibility of raids against other Behind outposts. I noticed that a lot of equipment was missing and understand that they could have learned from that. That provides another potential explanation for the skinks -- they were encounted by an early BEHIND mission, whose make up was heavily japanese (mostly so). The skinks captured and wrung them for everything they knew. I remember Top Myers speech about when ancient japanese culture first met with western cultures -- and the situation with the skinks could be a massive replay of that sort of turmoil. Any ideas? comments?

FINALLY!!!!;)  Someone actually agrees with my theory. I thought I was the only one who saw the resemblense (resemblence?) I think Japan was experimenting on lizards on the fringes on human space and a Skink was born. Then the japanese were so afraid of the creation, they left it on a planet. And they left some films and books on Japan's history of war and culture with the Skinks. Then the Skinks took that culture and made that they're own.  Or maybe I'm just high on chocolate ( I love that stuff;) ) Just wondering, when the invasion of the Skink  Home World finally happens, will it be a repeat of the Invasion of Klendathu from the book "Starship Troopers"? Not the movie, that movie was crap. Man, I can't wait for "Recoil" to come out.