The 10,000-year thing tripped the writers up a LOT. *g* I often got the impression that they had no idea how long 10,000 years actually is, or how much a society or group of societies would change in that length of time. The difference between Earth circa 8000 BC vs. Earth today is just staggering -- the amount of cultural drift, the rising and falling of civilizations in that time.

Of course the Asurans aren't human, so it wouldn't work quite the same. But I'm finding you guys' discussion completely fascinating, particularly since I think you two have put more thought into Asuran society in a few LJ comments than the writers did in the entire process of creating the episode. :D