Solstice wrote:
The problem, then, is how to reconcile the one-step rule with people's different levels of strength. Someone already suggested that someone holding your hand as you link would link with you, and this obviously isn't possible due to the one-step rule. However, what if you were carrying someone on your shoulders? This would mean that for some (kids, old folks, or weak/sick people), the one-step rule would not allow for them to carry much with them, whereas a healthy adult in their position WOULD be able to bring along anyone they were strong enough to carry. This MUST be the case, since there are burial ages and somehow the dead body has to link through with someone.
Actually, I think I might be on to something--manual labor and heavy lifting must have been a necessity in D'ni culture, despite their advantage in being able to link instead of relying mostly on vehicular shipping/transportation. If you can only link with what you can carry, exceptionally strong workers would be a necessity. This, in turn, would help to determine social position based on one's physiology...though I'm sure that there are high-gravity ages where people could be groomed for service.
Actually, for burial ages... They touched the dead person's hand to the panel, I believe. Appearantly the recently deceased were "alive" enough to link.