Seems the target may be Maxus, however it seems Noctis has a loophole fairly sure that Kali is aware of it as well. Also it would seem that with Maxus out of the way control of Lynns future would default to SFB who most probably plans on offering her two choices marry him willingly or serve as a pleasure slave for his bully boys.
I do like the editorial commentary provided by Malati.
I think there are multiple targets, though it sure sounds like Maxus is one of them. I'm thinking some of the Senate are the rest. Trying to cut off supporters of Acantha was my first thought.
Speaking of Rules Lawyers and GMs:
A classic (if not 'fun') example of this are Genies. GMs have a whole lot of wiggle room to interpret wishes, usually allowing them to twist a benign wish into a nightmare. But, alas, I've never been part of a campaign that involved a wish. Perhaps wishes are a big pain to GM for? Though, I thought they'd do it just for the 'fun' factor.
Speaking from the world of D&D 3.X/ Pathfinder wishes have a set of "safe" limits, in other words an outline of what wish can specifically accomplish in terms of comparative effects and gold values, and rules as written and as intended anything within said limits should work fine and happen un messed around with.
Everytime a DM offers me a wish, I politely turn it down. Wishes never go right and are nothing but trouble. They are just a way for the DM to screw you.
Rotary engines are superior to reciprocating piston engines... in theory. They produce more HP per cubic cm, better mileage, and less emissions. In practice? There are reasons why we don't hardly see them in autos anymore. They're often more trouble than they're worth. And few mechanics will work on them. Or so I've heard (from mechanics).
She's also been thinking long and hard on how to work around the orders, and she knows Malati is always up to try her theories out - If nothing else, then for the kicks.
I also suspect that of all the Cassians, Kali have had to punish Malati the most .. for shenanigans, mostly.
Actually, I can think of a few loopholes which smart and conniving androids could use to get Douchie in a whole world of trouble.
Think: All they have to do is follow their orders to the letter. But there are a LOT of things they COULD do which neither Dec nor their programming prohibits them from doing.
Max is in front of an assembly of Douche's most loyal troops, in walk the Deadly Viper A.... Er, the Cassians. They announce their intentions medieval joust style, then inform Max that it'll take about half an hour to hew through the witnesses as per orders. They ask him to stay *right there.*
Of course, there could be a TV host everyone but Douche loves, and their orders could be to end New Rome's equivalent of the Colbert Report. That's the fun with insane dictators.
To a Degree she can She may have to face the consequences of such a refusal As Kali said .. she could be Deactivated. this could get very messy .. quickly.
She does have a inhibitor but as Minx said .. it can only do so much to control a Androids behavor. it cant MAKE them think a certain way. it can only punish things that the controller doesn't like.
Besides, Malati has a bit of rebellius streak within her, don't she just ?
Not to mention she could be throwing her underwear at a blond haired musclebound gladiator right about now, so she's not happy about the whole situation.
We-ell, since we haven't seen or heard the exact orders yet, it would be difficult for we poor readers to spot any weasel out ways in them. But I'm sure our feckless heroines have, perhaps to the point of achieving the exact opposite of what the Douchemeister had in mind. (Eliminating witnesses can involve making sure they all went to the movies before hand so they couldn't see anything.)
She looks like an adorable anime girl! How could she be suspected of anything but the purest of intentsssffffppphhh yeah couldn't get that out with a straight face.
He he he ... Tokyo Rose the character *also* don't fire on all the cylinders, she only fires cruise missiles with Hello Kitties painted on them. :)
Frankly, it seems that Tokyo Rose the character has done her darn best to come across as the most crass person she could possibly be, but at the same time relatively honest and loyal. An odd mix, to be certain.
I just realized that the way Kali is looking at Noctis in that last panel has all the earmarks of, "What unbelievably convoluted and dangerously close to but not quite insubordination are you about to drag me into". I think Kali prefers facing the more straight up "this is BS" challenge to the "I'm not going to win this one am I" approach.
She can't, the language she *actually* wants to use, has been outlawed in Nova Roma by Kali .. after Malati used it once.
Yes, Malati has created an entire language of profanity, just for occasions like that.
Only very few people can actually use the language, since it includes several binary insults.
It is *so* profrane, that Centcomm's servers once had to reboot when she heard it.
TeeDee is ofcourse a master at it and Tokyo Rose has distributed it far and wide, just for the lulz. :)
Somehow, in a language that consists entirely of "on" and "off", Malati managed to find a "fuck you" and an "I don't give a shit", much to everyone's surprise.
No, no, no, it's not abstract ... it's more like ... despite someone using only words that are *not* banned on television, they still manage to say something utterly despicable! A sort of .. creative use of something that already is, twisted in a brilliant way to make it utterly foul!
It would probably shake his faith in how the Cassians are NOT CAPABLE of betraying him due to their controls. Then he'd try to purge them. Which would be REALLY interesting.
Looks like Noctis is what we called a 'Barracks Lawyer'. One who knows all the in's, out's and get-arounds of interpreting an order to ones best advantage. I'm still goin' with the premise that Prince Douchebag's issuing orders that violate the governing rules of the Nova Roma State and is therefore, subject to punishment.No one is above the State.
I do like the editorial commentary provided by Malati.
I think you may be right.
A classic (if not 'fun') example of this are Genies. GMs have a whole lot of wiggle room to interpret wishes, usually allowing them to twist a benign wish into a nightmare. But, alas, I've never been part of a campaign that involved a wish. Perhaps wishes are a big pain to GM for? Though, I thought they'd do it just for the 'fun' factor.
*sage nod*
But most of them have actually been solved, which is one of the reasons they are quite popular in light aircraft.
As for the machanics, well, if you only educate a few, you will only have a few available. kinda simple.
I also suspect that of all the Cassians, Kali have had to punish Malati the most .. for shenanigans, mostly.
I can't handle the anticipation!
Think: All they have to do is follow their orders to the letter. But there are a LOT of things they COULD do which neither Dec nor their programming prohibits them from doing.
Max is in front of an assembly of Douche's most loyal troops, in walk the Deadly Viper A.... Er, the Cassians. They announce their intentions medieval joust style, then inform Max that it'll take about half an hour to hew through the witnesses as per orders. They ask him to stay *right there.*
Of course, there could be a TV host everyone but Douche loves, and their orders could be to end New Rome's equivalent of the Colbert Report. That's the fun with insane dictators.
Decimus is a witness, thus he must be killed!
before you open the gun ports.
She does have a inhibitor but as Minx said .. it can only do so much to control a Androids behavor. it cant MAKE them think a certain way. it can only punish things that the controller doesn't like.
Not to mention she could be throwing her underwear at a blond haired musclebound gladiator right about now, so she's not happy about the whole situation.
Slow rivers runs deep and silent, I guess.
Too bad Tokyo Rose the character isn't very good at, well, exactly that ?
Frankly, it seems that Tokyo Rose the character has done her darn best to come across as the most crass person she could possibly be, but at the same time relatively honest and loyal. An odd mix, to be certain.
.... relatively ...
XD
I could imagine that, really.
It would ofcourse be banned by all the authorities, which would make it an instant bestseller on the black market. :)
Yayyy, you go, Noctis...
I knew I liked her...
YAY MALATI! YOU GO GIRL!!!!
Yes, Malati has created an entire language of profanity, just for occasions like that.
Only very few people can actually use the language, since it includes several binary insults.
It is *so* profrane, that Centcomm's servers once had to reboot when she heard it.
TeeDee is ofcourse a master at it and Tokyo Rose has distributed it far and wide, just for the lulz. :)
Somehow, in a language that consists entirely of "on" and "off", Malati managed to find a "fuck you" and an "I don't give a shit", much to everyone's surprise.
Something like this, really.
"Oh gods, they're getting emotional!! I just cannot STAND it when women get emotional!!" *facepalm* "Doctor!! Get me my medication!!"
Why, someone might misinterpret what they said!