Aeneas is going to have to step up to his "A Game" real fast otherwise the Armageddon Options are gonna do a number on the green hills of earth. Either that or Kyle is gonna have to step in and save the day.
(Bonus points to the first person to cite the reference.)
The books of RAH that made the MOST impact on me as a kid. Have Spacesuit Will Travel, Citizen of the Galaxy, Podkayne of Mars, Space Cadet, Between Planets, Tunnel in the Sky. As a teenager, Starship Troopers, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Friday, Farnham's Freehold, Stranger in a Strange Land, Job: A Comedy of Justice, add in Asimov's Foundation Series, and I was hooked on Sci-Fi.
One book however that actually helped me in a time when I really was in a bad place was Armor by John Steakley. Felix and his "Engine" got me through a very bad time in my life.
Seconded, Felix is cool. Based on the above list, I'm guessing I don't need to recommend Dickson's 'Childe Cycle' to you. (I.e., the Dorsai books) But I will anyway, just in case. ^_^ Or Moon's "Deed of Paksennarion".
Dorsai, et Dorsai!!;) And I have Paks on my cellphone with McCaffrey, Bujold, Asaro, Weber, Ringo, Corriea, Lackey, Sanderson, Holt, Williamson, Niven, Modesitt, Foster, Asprin and I could go on and on. I have over 500 novels, shorts, novellas just on my phone. On my computer, thanks to Archive.org, Librevox.org and Gutenberg.org I have well over 3000 books. And I still have about 25-30 boxes of books in my mothers attic.
Apropos of nothing in particular then, for those who know Dorsai, like filk, but haven't stumbled across this before, I give you The Ballad of Jacques Chretien.
I was a big Andre Norton and H Beam Piper person myself. Unfortunately most of my SciFi Paperback were lost in a storage unit fire in Atlanta about 5 years ago.
Ursula Le Guin (I still have a first print of "Lathe of Heaven"), Asprin, Weber, Alan Dean Foster, A first print of McCaffrey's "Crystal Singer" (which I thought was better than the Pern series).
I'm also a huge fan of C S Lewis (if you think he's just children books, read "The Screwtape Letters").
As much as I like "the green hills of earth" there was another story in that compilation I liked more, "The long watch."
Actually a very appropriate story for this segment I think...
According to the side-arc with the hybrid (I don't remember he or the arc's name), Cent-comm was originally one or more war AIs that decided that the best way to win a war was to take matters into her own hands.
Today's forecast is an 80% chance of steel rain, with 20% sarin humidity, and light to heavy shelling. The weekend forecast includes a 100% chance of nuclear Armageddon, high winds, high temperatures, and radioactive fallout carrying on through next week.
Seriously, ladies! You are great story tellers. But why must you keep drawing out these crises and ramping up the tension and anxiety without giving us a respite? It's killing us. (It doesn't help that I have definite risk factors for an anxiety disorder.)
BTW: I always felt that Freytag's Pyramid is way overused in modern fiction, whether it be written, broadcast, or film. I tend to favor stories that are entirely one-sided - where there is very little doubt that the protagonists will win. (Among others, the "Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There" anime comes to mind.) It may be a matter of preference and opinion, but I do not find the tendency for such stories to lack tension and be more-or-less predictable to depreciate the entertainment value. Not one bit.
To be fair, if you read it one page a week, everything is slow.
If you read it like a normal comic book, ie. about 2-3 pages a minute, it wouldn't seem drawn out.
You may have a point. However, even read at a rate of about 2-3 pages a minute, that wouldn't change how the next page very often ramps up the tension from the previous page. Too tense is still too tense. :P
I don't find this to be too tense. If you do, you should definitely not read "Reality Dysfunction," by Peter Hamilton.
The other half of my mind wants me to add that if you are two tents you should go camping with friends. I need to end this comment now because I am a bicycle...eg...two tired.
Do all the people who mentioned the hammer and nail quote previously get a gold star?
(Gate was great, but have you read the manga version? A bit different)
Three or four weeks ago? Hmm, that might mean that the *next* three or four weeks are already uploaded. I wonder if the secret stash can be found on ComicFury somewhere... bwaha. Kyle? Oh, Kyle! I have a side project for you, if you can spare a few cycles...
Yes, I have read the Gate manga. And I will agree that it is a bit different. Though, really, the main difference is that, for some strange reason, the anime clearly left out the best and most hilarious scenes and lines.
Uh, no, they haven't confirmed that. All they've confirmed is that he knows about them. And that Rose thinks he's sufficiently repaired to hold off the knife that CentComm is trying to stab him with.
If they've confirmed anything regarding his ability to stop the contingencies, it sounds to me more like he *can't*.
Well, the contingencies, as described, really only seem to relate to the end of Nova Roma as we know it. No one has established that SAMSON possesses world-destroying MAD force when unleashed against Roma's neighbors. Especially if they got some warning so they could launch pre-emptive strikes of their own. We are probably talking about the total loss of Nova Roma and the millions (tens of millions? hundreds of millions?) of souls therein, but certainly not the end of civilization everywhere. (I'm just assuming that there are that many people living in Nova Roma. I suppose there could be only a couple thousand living there, but it didn't seem like it.)
Or, you know, someone could make a phone call.
Rose and the three treasures are apparently using 'ssh', or the equivalent to work from home. Someone could always call CentComm up and let her know "Your clandestine sabotage device has, through a strange combination of circumstance, become a WMD, and you're about to become a monster all over again to rival your good-old pre-armistice days -- not to mention murdering one of your peers. You think you could help us shut it down?" It probably wouldn't do any good, for some very important reason, and all the phones to Calliope Taylor are currently mysteriously out, but ... it's a thought. Maybe the feeling is that CentComm wouldn't help because it's been a while since she got to add any significant numbers to her score and they know she'd hate to waste the opportunity?
(Much of the above is probably unfair to CentComm, who previously did express some regret about the possibility of being used to murder millions of people but, who nonetheless did pull the trigger on the Black Angel that is about to murder millions of people. However, there does seem to be some expectation among those who know her best that this is the way she would want things to go, so why even bother trying to get her involved in changing things. I don't know ... maybe she has a bad reputation or something?)
Being a cyberpath, Tokyo Rose could probably disable the contingencies ... if she had the time for it.
What annoys me, is that she haven't done that already.
Frankly, that would have been a priority to me, if I was her, and it's been years since Decimus came to power.
I get the impression that the contingencies are not a centralized package, like a single, ticking time bomb. They appear to be a diverse, distributed collection of malware, all linked to a common, multiply redundant trigger. So, Tokyo Rose could probably easily disarm any one of them, thereby saving Power Substation #14, or the residents of Residential Block #87, but such efforts would have a negligible overall effect in the event that the contingencies trigger.
Okay, now I'm totally confused. Did CentComm purposely have Lynn captured, thereby allowing 'her' to send a rescue team into New Troy that contained a ringer (CeCi) intending to destroy Aeneas and the city/state? I guess 'she' considers Lynn, Dolly and the others collateral damage in the greater goal of eliminating New Troy. I'm wondering why all the dancing around? Why didn't Cent just nuke the place off the map if 'she' considered it a threat?
I would guess Centcom don't want other cities and her own human population to go against her on eliminating another city.
If a broken AI where to blow up his city none would be surprised or all that angry about it. So perfect scape goat even if the other AI's find out it's unlikely they would/could act on it.
I don't think she let Lynn be captured but rather that her capture is a major part of blowing up New Troy. Seem's Lynn got some kind of core access to the AI so if discovered by someone else CentCom would be put on a leash. So Lynn is better dead than in the hands of an enemy.
Every time I try this, I end up showing my inability to read between the lines, but there are windmills out there, so here I go ...
CentComm is/was a military defense A.I., so the best way to figure what it will or will not do seems to be to imagine a military think-tank tasked (currently) with ensuring the security of New Troy. This implies that it is war gaming various situations all the time. (This is counterintuitive for some people who freak out when the press asks the Pentagon "Does the U.S. Have plans to invade Canada?" The U.S. has plans to invade everyone, and plans to defend against an invasion from anyone. They just don't ever expect to use any of these plans. Hopefully we never dust off the folder labeled "Operation: Great White North". ^_^)
So, here CentComm is, blissfully running its war simulations and it reaches the conclusion: The neighboring city state of Nova Roma has a 30 percent chance of launching a conventional strike at New Troy within the next ten years, with the intention of gaining control of the civilian population and military equipment. This strike is 92 percent likely to fail, with only 25 percent loss of defense forces and a further 15 percent loss of civilian population. Any plan to prempt this strike by effecting regime change has a 65 percent chance of failure, with even more negative consequences. Recommended action: wait.
No problem. As time passes, the numbers float up and down a bit, but the conclusion remains essentially the same.
Then Lynn gets kidnapped.
Now the numbers say Decimus is coming within two years. Plus, having control of Lynn, there is now a far greater chance that he can successfully gain control of New Troy through diplomatic means, or with limited military action. The numbers now say: Don't wait! Immediate action is required!
CentComm could start with a pre-emptive military strike, but her own civilian controllers probably wouldn't stand for it, and the cost would be high. There's very little downside to trying a clandestine recovery operation first. And, if she's going to do a covert op anyway, might as well add in the opportunity to significantly reduce or eliminate the future Nova Roma threat. Things are already worse than they were before the kidnapping, and a failed recovery attempt doesn't make much further difference but a successful recovery event brings things back to acceptable risk levels, and destruction or acquisition of the Nova Roma A.I.S. architecture represents a potential long-term strategic improvement. So, the teams get sent. Dolly gets lied to because that's how CentComm calculates Dolly is most likely to act as desired in order to fit into the overall plan.
So, CentComm doesn't need to be complicit with the kidnapping in any way, but can still have put the entire complex plan into action as a result of the kidnapping. And, of course, the fact that Tokyo Rose has her own clandestine, complicated plan which was further rushed into action as a result of Lynn's kidnapping has just complicated matters even further. (Remember, Miraiko claimed she was originally put in place to extract Acantha, but she was being retasked to go after Lynn.)
And all the plans encounter different awkward aspects of reality of which their planner was unaware, causing actions with unintended consequences and the need to improvise and people bumping into each other and shooting each other and stabbing each other ... and that's how you get "Lost In Translation"! ^_^
Has everyone overlooked the fact that Centcomm accually tasked CiCi with preventing Dolly from even getting to nova roma in the first place and sabotaged their transport as well.
If CeCi had managed to stall Dolly entirely, then CECI's Aeneas programming wouldn't have become active.
However, Centcomm knew that Dolly was resourceful and would eventually reach New Rome, so she just tried to stall her.
She probably wanted Dolly to capture Dari as well, because Dari was a nasty loose end.
All in all, that part of the plan went almost perfect for Centcomm ... but then Dolly became more resourceful than she expected and still beat her strike team to New Rome. Probably a somewhat vexing state of affair for Centcomm. :D
Back in college we discovered that if you coat the head of the nail with ammonium tri-iodide it acts like reactive armor when you hit it. It can be rather dangerous for all concerned though.
Forgive me, this has been bugging me since I first mentioned it the other day. (When the muse hits..)
Picture yourself in an inner dimension,
With manga style avatars and anime eyes.
Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly;
A girl with mechanical arms.
Digital backgrounds of binary forms
Towering over your head;
Look for the girl with the mask on her face,
And she’s gone.
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ah...
Follow her up through a hole in the ether, Where digital people fight wars for control.
Everyone stares as you drift past the star bursts
That glow so incredible bright.
Virtual fireworks appear on the walls,
Trying to get in the away.
Step through a hole in the world that you see,
And you’re gone.
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ah...
Picture yourself on a tram in a tunnel,
With guardian androids and heirs to a throne.
Suddenly, someone is there at the blastdoor:
The girl with the mask on her face.
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ah...
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ah...
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ah...
(Bonus points to the first person to cite the reference.)
Robert Heinlein made a serious impression on me. I adore "Friday" and Stranger in a strange land as well as many of his books.
One book however that actually helped me in a time when I really was in a bad place was Armor by John Steakley. Felix and his "Engine" got me through a very bad time in my life.
(Now who knows where that came from?)
I'm also a huge fan of C S Lewis (if you think he's just children books, read "The Screwtape Letters").
Actually a very appropriate story for this segment I think...
-Robert Heinlein
Or am I thinking of something talked about in comments?
BTW: I always felt that Freytag's Pyramid is way overused in modern fiction, whether it be written, broadcast, or film. I tend to favor stories that are entirely one-sided - where there is very little doubt that the protagonists will win. (Among others, the "Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There" anime comes to mind.) It may be a matter of preference and opinion, but I do not find the tendency for such stories to lack tension and be more-or-less predictable to depreciate the entertainment value. Not one bit.
If you read it like a normal comic book, ie. about 2-3 pages a minute, it wouldn't seem drawn out.
The other half of my mind wants me to add that if you are two tents you should go camping with friends. I need to end this comment now because I am a bicycle...eg...two tired.
(Gate was great, but have you read the manga version? A bit different)
Poor A...
Is Kusanagi's mission to 'mend and defend'? In private, unguarded moments, does she call her sword 'Widget'?
Assuming he lives long enough to do it...
If they've confirmed anything regarding his ability to stop the contingencies, it sounds to me more like he *can't*.
and I feel fine...
Or, you know, someone could make a phone call.
Rose and the three treasures are apparently using 'ssh', or the equivalent to work from home. Someone could always call CentComm up and let her know "Your clandestine sabotage device has, through a strange combination of circumstance, become a WMD, and you're about to become a monster all over again to rival your good-old pre-armistice days -- not to mention murdering one of your peers. You think you could help us shut it down?" It probably wouldn't do any good, for some very important reason, and all the phones to Calliope Taylor are currently mysteriously out, but ... it's a thought. Maybe the feeling is that CentComm wouldn't help because it's been a while since she got to add any significant numbers to her score and they know she'd hate to waste the opportunity?
(Much of the above is probably unfair to CentComm, who previously did express some regret about the possibility of being used to murder millions of people but, who nonetheless did pull the trigger on the Black Angel that is about to murder millions of people. However, there does seem to be some expectation among those who know her best that this is the way she would want things to go, so why even bother trying to get her involved in changing things. I don't know ... maybe she has a bad reputation or something?)
What annoys me, is that she haven't done that already.
Frankly, that would have been a priority to me, if I was her, and it's been years since Decimus came to power.
Help me out here. I'm confoozled.
If a broken AI where to blow up his city none would be surprised or all that angry about it. So perfect scape goat even if the other AI's find out it's unlikely they would/could act on it.
I don't think she let Lynn be captured but rather that her capture is a major part of blowing up New Troy. Seem's Lynn got some kind of core access to the AI so if discovered by someone else CentCom would be put on a leash. So Lynn is better dead than in the hands of an enemy.
CentComm is/was a military defense A.I., so the best way to figure what it will or will not do seems to be to imagine a military think-tank tasked (currently) with ensuring the security of New Troy. This implies that it is war gaming various situations all the time. (This is counterintuitive for some people who freak out when the press asks the Pentagon "Does the U.S. Have plans to invade Canada?" The U.S. has plans to invade everyone, and plans to defend against an invasion from anyone. They just don't ever expect to use any of these plans. Hopefully we never dust off the folder labeled "Operation: Great White North". ^_^)
So, here CentComm is, blissfully running its war simulations and it reaches the conclusion: The neighboring city state of Nova Roma has a 30 percent chance of launching a conventional strike at New Troy within the next ten years, with the intention of gaining control of the civilian population and military equipment. This strike is 92 percent likely to fail, with only 25 percent loss of defense forces and a further 15 percent loss of civilian population. Any plan to prempt this strike by effecting regime change has a 65 percent chance of failure, with even more negative consequences. Recommended action: wait.
No problem. As time passes, the numbers float up and down a bit, but the conclusion remains essentially the same.
Then Lynn gets kidnapped.
Now the numbers say Decimus is coming within two years. Plus, having control of Lynn, there is now a far greater chance that he can successfully gain control of New Troy through diplomatic means, or with limited military action. The numbers now say: Don't wait! Immediate action is required!
CentComm could start with a pre-emptive military strike, but her own civilian controllers probably wouldn't stand for it, and the cost would be high. There's very little downside to trying a clandestine recovery operation first. And, if she's going to do a covert op anyway, might as well add in the opportunity to significantly reduce or eliminate the future Nova Roma threat. Things are already worse than they were before the kidnapping, and a failed recovery attempt doesn't make much further difference but a successful recovery event brings things back to acceptable risk levels, and destruction or acquisition of the Nova Roma A.I.S. architecture represents a potential long-term strategic improvement. So, the teams get sent. Dolly gets lied to because that's how CentComm calculates Dolly is most likely to act as desired in order to fit into the overall plan.
So, CentComm doesn't need to be complicit with the kidnapping in any way, but can still have put the entire complex plan into action as a result of the kidnapping. And, of course, the fact that Tokyo Rose has her own clandestine, complicated plan which was further rushed into action as a result of Lynn's kidnapping has just complicated matters even further. (Remember, Miraiko claimed she was originally put in place to extract Acantha, but she was being retasked to go after Lynn.)
And all the plans encounter different awkward aspects of reality of which their planner was unaware, causing actions with unintended consequences and the need to improvise and people bumping into each other and shooting each other and stabbing each other ... and that's how you get "Lost In Translation"! ^_^
Next up: Ranger Logrin. :)
(no, we have'n't forgotten about him, OR the eggs, yet)
However, Centcomm knew that Dolly was resourceful and would eventually reach New Rome, so she just tried to stall her.
She probably wanted Dolly to capture Dari as well, because Dari was a nasty loose end.
All in all, that part of the plan went almost perfect for Centcomm ... but then Dolly became more resourceful than she expected and still beat her strike team to New Rome. Probably a somewhat vexing state of affair for Centcomm. :D
Picture yourself in an inner dimension,
With manga style avatars and anime eyes.
Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly;
A girl with mechanical arms.
Digital backgrounds of binary forms
Towering over your head;
Look for the girl with the mask on her face,
And she’s gone.
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ah...
Follow her up through a hole in the ether, Where digital people fight wars for control.
Everyone stares as you drift past the star bursts
That glow so incredible bright.
Virtual fireworks appear on the walls,
Trying to get in the away.
Step through a hole in the world that you see,
And you’re gone.
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ah...
Picture yourself on a tram in a tunnel,
With guardian androids and heirs to a throne.
Suddenly, someone is there at the blastdoor:
The girl with the mask on her face.
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ah...
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ah...
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ceci in the sky with crystals!
Ah...
now the question is, which version of the song are we hearing? the Beatles, Elton John, or William Shatner?
Very nice. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing. That was amazing.
Keep up the good work, everyone!!!!