Post by ShadowReine on Dec 18, 2008 23:59:26 GMT -5
Between is cold. Riders are protected from the excessive cold by..yes...their dragons. The heat that leaks from the dragon creates a gradient that means that instead of freezing solid, they're just cold. Very cold.
Remaining between for longer than eight seconds can easily, even with protective gear, result in hypothermia (hence Lessa's bad condition after her 400 turn time jump). However, no space jump of any distance takes longer. Only a rider timing it faces this particular danger.
There are, however, still two things of which riders must be careful. A fighting rider during Fall or drills can be in and out of between many times in a minute, facing a temperature oscillation that, really, is not that good for even humans accustomed to it.
Because of this, riders wear protective gear...heavy, fleece-lined leathers that also provide a tiny bit of protection against Thread. Riders also wear goggles to protect their eyes from firestone sparks.
There remain two concerns.
First of all, the shock of the temperature oscillation can weaken a rider's immune system. Generally, this is compensated for by their extreme fitness and healthy lifestyle. In fact, riders tend to fall ill less often than holders, mostly because they don't pack together as closely and sleep in their isolated weyrs.
However, it is normal practice for any rider showing respiratory symptoms (except for known allergies) to be excused from Fall and drills. Fighting Thread with a cold...makes the cold worse, and greatly increases the risk of bronchitis or other secondary infections.
Riders diagnosed with more serious illnesses such as flu or firehead (meningitis) are generally grounded by the healers and absolutely forbidden from going between at all.
The second concern is unique to female riders. The shock of repeated trips between has a negative effect on the human female reproductive system. Specifically, it tends to cause a fertilized egg to fail to implant in the uterine lining, or to become detached.
As a result, female riders of fighting dragons, and to an extent queen riders during Passes, tend to face reduced fertility. For the first trimester of pregnancy, going between carries a high risk of miscarriage. In fact, 'taking a trip between' is the polite Pernese way of referring to an abortion. It is the safest way the Pernese know to deliberately induce a miscarriage if a woman does not want a child or if it would be dangerous for her to carry to term.
Because of this, female riders in the first trimester are grounded from fall. In the second trimester, the risk is significantly reduced. Some women at this point do choose to fly, but they are restricted to the Queen's Wing (considered a safer duty).
In the third trimester, the temperature shock carries a high risk of premature labor. In the seventh month, women are grounded from fall; in the eighth and ninth (even if they can get on their dragon), they are forbidden to go between at all.
Going between has no effect on male fertility. It does not affect *conception*, only *implantation* and is by no means a sure thing.
However, many female riders elect not to have children, especially as they seldom have the time to raise them. (The other polite euphemism for abortion is 'The greenrider's remedy').
Remaining between for longer than eight seconds can easily, even with protective gear, result in hypothermia (hence Lessa's bad condition after her 400 turn time jump). However, no space jump of any distance takes longer. Only a rider timing it faces this particular danger.
There are, however, still two things of which riders must be careful. A fighting rider during Fall or drills can be in and out of between many times in a minute, facing a temperature oscillation that, really, is not that good for even humans accustomed to it.
Because of this, riders wear protective gear...heavy, fleece-lined leathers that also provide a tiny bit of protection against Thread. Riders also wear goggles to protect their eyes from firestone sparks.
There remain two concerns.
First of all, the shock of the temperature oscillation can weaken a rider's immune system. Generally, this is compensated for by their extreme fitness and healthy lifestyle. In fact, riders tend to fall ill less often than holders, mostly because they don't pack together as closely and sleep in their isolated weyrs.
However, it is normal practice for any rider showing respiratory symptoms (except for known allergies) to be excused from Fall and drills. Fighting Thread with a cold...makes the cold worse, and greatly increases the risk of bronchitis or other secondary infections.
Riders diagnosed with more serious illnesses such as flu or firehead (meningitis) are generally grounded by the healers and absolutely forbidden from going between at all.
The second concern is unique to female riders. The shock of repeated trips between has a negative effect on the human female reproductive system. Specifically, it tends to cause a fertilized egg to fail to implant in the uterine lining, or to become detached.
As a result, female riders of fighting dragons, and to an extent queen riders during Passes, tend to face reduced fertility. For the first trimester of pregnancy, going between carries a high risk of miscarriage. In fact, 'taking a trip between' is the polite Pernese way of referring to an abortion. It is the safest way the Pernese know to deliberately induce a miscarriage if a woman does not want a child or if it would be dangerous for her to carry to term.
Because of this, female riders in the first trimester are grounded from fall. In the second trimester, the risk is significantly reduced. Some women at this point do choose to fly, but they are restricted to the Queen's Wing (considered a safer duty).
In the third trimester, the temperature shock carries a high risk of premature labor. In the seventh month, women are grounded from fall; in the eighth and ninth (even if they can get on their dragon), they are forbidden to go between at all.
Going between has no effect on male fertility. It does not affect *conception*, only *implantation* and is by no means a sure thing.
However, many female riders elect not to have children, especially as they seldom have the time to raise them. (The other polite euphemism for abortion is 'The greenrider's remedy').