I knew they were close. Wasn't sure they were THIS close, though.
But this is the first I've noticed the scar by Irene's mouth. Looking back at previous pages, I can see it in some panels. It's there if you look. But usually she's either looking away or it's not a close-up.
Now that I think about it, Irene's scar looks similar to Calli's scar. Not identical, but similar. They're both on the same side of the face, even. The coincidence almost feels a bit uncanny.
But don't they have the medicine to remove scars? Do nanites leave scars behind?
Nova roma does have some cosmetic surgery.. but not as much as New Troy Calliope intentionally never had the scar removed. to remind herself.. and belive it or not most facial injurys in combat always happen on the dominate side of the body .. right handed .. most of the time.
No Sheela... That did NOT happen. Douchebag is still able to walk. I can guarantee you that if Douchebag had done that for yucks, everyone that encountered him after that would be - YUCK! Because he would be worse off than Prince Humperdinck if Westley had had his way with him. :-)
As Acantha noted, Maxus is more or less married to his job. It's also easier to keep their relationship on the down-low and out of public record this way, which is arguably safer for Irene.
There is virtually nothing at which Maxus would balk to protect Irene.
I thought CentComm commented that Irene wasn't his wife, Rash. Or his Mom. Lover wasn't discussed though. It keeps her out of the DIRECT glare of Maxus' enemies and allows her to live more protected than she would be in the Palace.
Yeah Rose. Someone like Maxus protects those he cares about. Anyone threatening someone on Maxus' protected list will wish they were never born. Anyone harming them better pray that they get killed by something else before HE catches up to them. It would NOT be pretty.
They are kind of an odd couple. I mean, Irene is just about small enough that Maxus could carry her around in a pocket. :-D
I've seen some size differences in couples before but Maxus and Irene are right up there with any of them. :-D I think Maxus could make 3 or 4 of Irene. :-)
I can forsee what would happen if DEci did try something with here.....
Max: Tiem for a training seesion my lord
1 minute later in the training room
Max: Oh no Kali come quick the prince's safety equipment has failed and he's broken his neck. He's alive and aware but unable to speak or move....we should get his to the preists at once......
*Outside there is a sudden Trafic jam of troop movements preventing priests arrival til.....the damage is irreversible and deci spends rest of life eating through a straw and pooping into a diaper without bowel control
Decimus knows Irene exists, but even Decimus knows better than to push that particular button. Maxus is loyal to the throne. Putting that loyalty in conflict with his feelings for Irene is the sort of thing that would probably end with, as Rashala suggests, Decimus having A Terrible Terrible Accident involving oxygen-deprivation-induced brain damage and irreversible spinal trauma.
Random Gene-Priest: But it's not irreversible, really, we can--
Maxus: IT IS IRREVERSIBLE. AND I HEAR IT'S CONTAGIOUS. *STARE*
Random Gene-Priest: . . . . . . Oh dear, I was mistaken, so very sorry, I need to go . . . sort the trepanation drills . . .
Rashala, If Centcomm rates as God level,what levels are Kali and Rose? Mind you, I am not questioning where you rated them, I like living as opposed to death slow or quick, but...
Well Centcomm's goddess hood only extends as far as....Well her city and its weapon systems. Kali.....Subtler much more...terrifying ways and rose.....
WEll I refuse to finish that thought because I am not SURE she can read my mind but I rather not think it just in case she takes offense and makes my head explode
Sorry Rash, I would have to say DEMI-goddess for CentComm. She is too limited to be a full fledged GODDESS. :-)
And yes, Tokyo Rose can be plenty scary. And she has an even longer reach and fewer scruples then CentComm so I don't have a problem with her ranking. Kali is pretty scary, but I don't think she WANTS to be as scary as she has been MADE to be by being chained to Douchebag. :-p
Most (i.e., nearly all) vehicles in Datachasers have at least one fusion power plant, correct?
Is it hot fusion (the kind that recreates stellar temperatures), or some type of cold or "low" temp fusion? If it was the former, then a reactor leak (such as in the downed S&R craft) should cause a catastrophic heat explosion.
More importantly, what kind of fuel do vehicles run on? If it's fusion, is it the traditional deuterium or tritium (hydrogen isotopes) in gas or pellet form? Is it heavy water that the vehicle breaks down? Perhaps some other isotope? Or maybe Phlebotinum or Unobtainium?
Also, is this stuff obtained from terrestial or off-planet mining or water processing? Or from a "refinery" ship in orbit around a gas giant?
Most all vehicles in DC run off of what are called "safe fusion power plants" they have dozens of safeys to stop the reaction in a breach situation the other power source is "fusion batterys" that are able to discharge a lot of power over a long period. and finally some vehicles have cracking plants .. and effectively run on water. any water.
The explosion from the S&R craft was a combination of energy release from capacitors in the magna drive and weapons and shields. the power plant did not detonate. if it had there would be nothing left of TD or Ada or Dr Demark.
It sounds pretty clear that the fusion power in DC is the traditional "hot fusion" (the kind scientists are trying to create today). I had to ask, because some sci-fi seems to be pretty loose with the science. Some works must use something like "cold fusion" (which was debunked) as they don't all cause crater-type explosions when they're breached.
Still, you did not really answer on what type of fuel they use, other than saying SOME vehicles have cracking plants that can run on water. I would assume, then, that the rest must use hydrogen isotopes in some pre-cracked form, such as in gas form or somehow suspended or dissolved in a liquid?
I actually avioded the question .. the Story really isnt about science . its cool and all and I dont mind discussing it but im not a physist .. although I think Mister Black - our resisdent engineer is working up a responce,
Did you know that we already have nuclear powered buoys ?
They are basically a bunch of highly radioactive waste material in a small steam turbine.
There's not enough material for it to go boom, and the steam can only hold so much material.
They are very stable and lasts for a long time.
Offcourse, there are better ways of getting energy from radiation, such as the Beta Voltaic cell, and thermal converters.
Mr. Black wrote this out in an email, but hasn't posted it himself, so I'm doing so on his behalf.
On the issue of safety, fusion powerplants aren't going to explode at the slightest provocation (Mr. Stackpole aside). They are, unlike fission plants, fail-safe systems. In blunt English, the problem is keeping the damned thing lit, not containing it when something goes wrong.
"Conventional" fusion, using a deuterium-deuterium cycle, is only going to happen at extraordinary temperature and pressure. If the containment vessel ruptures, the pressure will drop as plasma leaks out, and the nuclear fire goes out. Contrast with a fission pile, where the 'fire' can keep going for days/weeks/years after a failure. Said plasma will initially be *very* hot (around 1,000,000,000C), but (and it's a BIG but) there won't be very much of it at any given time. A D-D reactor capable of providing power for the entire city of Los Angeles (as of 2005) would require fuel input of ~5,000 gallons/minute. That's 10,667 ounces per second, which sounds like, and IS, a lot... but that's to power one of the bigger cities on Earth. Scale that down by a few orders of magnitude to get the power needed for, say, Nice Personality, or the family car, and the amount of actual fusing plasma becomes nearly, or literally, microscopic. Thus, the plasma jet from an exploding vehicle reactor isn't going to have much more *total* energy than, say, an exploding LP tank. Not trivial, by any stretch, but not the Apocalyptic event some folks seem to expect.
There's also the polywell option. Polywell fusion is an odd bird in a lot of ways... it's not "cold fusion", which is a pile of bantha-poo that nobody's been able to reproduce in a lab, but it IS potentially very low in radiation. It also has the advantage of using boron as fuel. Why is that an advantage in the DCU? Because boron silicate is a rare and difficult to find source of boron. It's also known as SAND.
If I were a betting person, I'd wager that all three types of plants are running in different places. Continuous D-D (or higher-order) fusion plants are probably the plant of choice for fixed installations with access to lots of water, like the city-states, and large vehicles that have to run for extended periods, such as Nice Personality and her ilk. Short-haul, smaller vehicles and fliers, like medium and small grav-haulers or S&R service flitters, as well as smaller cities, will probably use pulsed-fusion plants. Places in the real middle of nowhere, arid regions, and individual homesteaders would be the natural market for polywell rigs.
Maxus has a legitimate reason being there to make sure the girls are ok. Just following up on his 2 charges if the Prince asks. Irene is the cookie he earns for doing his job so thoroughly. (snicker)
Hmmm... and there is something obviously wrong with Irene. This could be a valid scenario, John. I think you might be onto something with your comment.
I wonder if Maxus has the skull mounted on the wall somewhere or if he has it as tankard is my only question. If someone caused Irene's condition they are nothing but worm food that is for sure.
But this is the first I've noticed the scar by Irene's mouth. Looking back at previous pages, I can see it in some panels. It's there if you look. But usually she's either looking away or it's not a close-up.
Too cute :D
...and yeah, I did not see the scar either.
But don't they have the medicine to remove scars? Do nanites leave scars behind?
Let's just say that this remark is going to fall squarely into the territory of "Harsher in Hindsight" in the not-too-distant future.
EDIT - NOTE FROM THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE: Told you.
... yeahh ... that would spoil things a little.
Personally, I think Maxus would be more likely to tear out his own heart than he would be to harm Irene.
He's probably CAPABLE of destroying the whole villa without resorting to explosives; however, Maxus is a protector not just a murderous thug.
For all we know, prince douchebag had him in a chemically induced berserker rage.
Just for fun, y'know ?
There is virtually nothing at which Maxus would balk to protect Irene.
Yeah Rose. Someone like Maxus protects those he cares about. Anyone threatening someone on Maxus' protected list will wish they were never born. Anyone harming them better pray that they get killed by something else before HE catches up to them. It would NOT be pretty.
I've seen some size differences in couples before but Maxus and Irene are right up there with any of them. :-D I think Maxus could make 3 or 4 of Irene. :-)
Max: Tiem for a training seesion my lord
1 minute later in the training room
Max: Oh no Kali come quick the prince's safety equipment has failed and he's broken his neck. He's alive and aware but unable to speak or move....we should get his to the preists at once......
*Outside there is a sudden Trafic jam of troop movements preventing priests arrival til.....the damage is irreversible and deci spends rest of life eating through a straw and pooping into a diaper without bowel control
Random Gene-Priest: But it's not irreversible, really, we can--
Maxus: IT IS IRREVERSIBLE. AND I HEAR IT'S CONTAGIOUS. *STARE*
Random Gene-Priest: . . . . . . Oh dear, I was mistaken, so very sorry, I need to go . . . sort the trepanation drills . . .
#10 Ceci. (cause she just too cute to mess with)
#9 Ada (cause she's friends with Tedee)
#8 Dr Silver (cause she is one scarey Doc)
#7 Dolly. Just ask those Gutters why Oh wait... they are all dead ....
#6 TEdee (I like my spine its Current Non pretzsel shape)
#5 MArcus (Sob's Freaking nuts and uses Fist therapy to help subordinates)
#4 Maxus (Cause permanent paralysis if contagious*
#3 Centcomm actual (you do NOT screw with A god.)
#2 Kali (Do I REALLY need to give a reason?!?)
And of course.......
#1 WITH A PLASMA STRIKE.......
TOKYO ROSE. (You Do NOT SCREW with Rose)
WEll I refuse to finish that thought because I am not SURE she can read my mind but I rather not think it just in case she takes offense and makes my head explode
And yes, Tokyo Rose can be plenty scary. And she has an even longer reach and fewer scruples then CentComm so I don't have a problem with her ranking. Kali is pretty scary, but I don't think she WANTS to be as scary as she has been MADE to be by being chained to Douchebag. :-p
Is it hot fusion (the kind that recreates stellar temperatures), or some type of cold or "low" temp fusion? If it was the former, then a reactor leak (such as in the downed S&R craft) should cause a catastrophic heat explosion.
More importantly, what kind of fuel do vehicles run on? If it's fusion, is it the traditional deuterium or tritium (hydrogen isotopes) in gas or pellet form? Is it heavy water that the vehicle breaks down? Perhaps some other isotope? Or maybe Phlebotinum or Unobtainium?
Also, is this stuff obtained from terrestial or off-planet mining or water processing? Or from a "refinery" ship in orbit around a gas giant?
The explosion from the S&R craft was a combination of energy release from capacitors in the magna drive and weapons and shields. the power plant did not detonate. if it had there would be nothing left of TD or Ada or Dr Demark.
It sounds pretty clear that the fusion power in DC is the traditional "hot fusion" (the kind scientists are trying to create today). I had to ask, because some sci-fi seems to be pretty loose with the science. Some works must use something like "cold fusion" (which was debunked) as they don't all cause crater-type explosions when they're breached.
Still, you did not really answer on what type of fuel they use, other than saying SOME vehicles have cracking plants that can run on water. I would assume, then, that the rest must use hydrogen isotopes in some pre-cracked form, such as in gas form or somehow suspended or dissolved in a liquid?
They are basically a bunch of highly radioactive waste material in a small steam turbine.
There's not enough material for it to go boom, and the steam can only hold so much material.
They are very stable and lasts for a long time.
Offcourse, there are better ways of getting energy from radiation, such as the Beta Voltaic cell, and thermal converters.
On the issue of safety, fusion powerplants aren't going to explode at the slightest provocation (Mr. Stackpole aside). They are, unlike fission plants, fail-safe systems. In blunt English, the problem is keeping the damned thing lit, not containing it when something goes wrong.
"Conventional" fusion, using a deuterium-deuterium cycle, is only going to happen at extraordinary temperature and pressure. If the containment vessel ruptures, the pressure will drop as plasma leaks out, and the nuclear fire goes out. Contrast with a fission pile, where the 'fire' can keep going for days/weeks/years after a failure. Said plasma will initially be *very* hot (around 1,000,000,000C), but (and it's a BIG but) there won't be very much of it at any given time. A D-D reactor capable of providing power for the entire city of Los Angeles (as of 2005) would require fuel input of ~5,000 gallons/minute. That's 10,667 ounces per second, which sounds like, and IS, a lot... but that's to power one of the bigger cities on Earth. Scale that down by a few orders of magnitude to get the power needed for, say, Nice Personality, or the family car, and the amount of actual fusing plasma becomes nearly, or literally, microscopic. Thus, the plasma jet from an exploding vehicle reactor isn't going to have much more *total* energy than, say, an exploding LP tank. Not trivial, by any stretch, but not the Apocalyptic event some folks seem to expect.
There's also the polywell option. Polywell fusion is an odd bird in a lot of ways... it's not "cold fusion", which is a pile of bantha-poo that nobody's been able to reproduce in a lab, but it IS potentially very low in radiation. It also has the advantage of using boron as fuel. Why is that an advantage in the DCU? Because boron silicate is a rare and difficult to find source of boron. It's also known as SAND.
If I were a betting person, I'd wager that all three types of plants are running in different places. Continuous D-D (or higher-order) fusion plants are probably the plant of choice for fixed installations with access to lots of water, like the city-states, and large vehicles that have to run for extended periods, such as Nice Personality and her ilk. Short-haul, smaller vehicles and fliers, like medium and small grav-haulers or S&R service flitters, as well as smaller cities, will probably use pulsed-fusion plants. Places in the real middle of nowhere, arid regions, and individual homesteaders would be the natural market for polywell rigs.
I wonder if Maxus has the skull mounted on the wall somewhere or if he has it as tankard is my only question. If someone caused Irene's condition they are nothing but worm food that is for sure.