On Thu, Jul 30, 2015 at 10:04 AM, Phil Pugliese (via tml list) <xxxxxx@simplelists.com> wrote: > The aslan in question, the sector duke, was very elderly when he dies of old age. >I just can't see how he could die w/o an heir. I suppose it's theoretically possible but >I still just can't see it actually happening. You're assuming this was a biological malfunction of some sort. He could be gay. He could have consciously decided to avoid having children for outright political reasons. Queen Elizabeth 1, for example- never married, presumably for political reasons, since a husband would have, by law and custom, outranked her and taken control of the country. When she died, the throne went to her nieces and nephews. (She could have been gay, too.)(So could Victoria, which would explain a lot...) He could have had heirs, and they could have all died before he did, accidents, duels, military service, fighting wildfires on some frontier planet, other dangerous occupation. He could have had heirs, and the males all died as a result of political intrigue, internal or external. They may have killed each other discretely, in an attempt to eliminate competition. It could have been a personal choice to not have children, driven by his own preferences, or by a feeling of obligation to his duties, or concern that cubs would be used as political tools against him. Norris never had children, either. (I know a fair number of people who hare reached or exceded child bearing years while remaining determinedly single and childless. Or in some cases, married and childless.) -- "Any sufficiently advanced parody is indistinguishable from a genuine kook." -Alan Morgan
