" Noctis has a strict hierarchy of directives.".
No... i wood say loose,, cuz if it fixed/strict, there would be no interpretation, it all would be black/off an white/on.. where as we have seen her loosely translate a clear direct order to soot her ends...
the ONLY fixed rule "PROTECT ROME.".. (i think. this is why she is so good at comms..)she listens to the order ,THEN determines what is good for Rome..
No, I didn't mean rigid directives. That would be bad. What I mean is the hierarchy, or 'order of importance', priotity. That is very strict. At the top, are the well-being of Nova Roma and the Throne, and directives pertaining. Going down, one would expect to find directives pertaining to the citizens of Nova Roma, and so on. The order of importance would have to be very well defined. Because of that, the would-be kidnappers should have had no chance to actually get Noctis to obey them, because they did not have any authority within her directive structure to be successful.
Or they had what they thought was a good enough mock up of a voice synthesizer to give vocal commands but forgot she'd take visual appearance as an indicator too and they failed because she knew (or was in actual contact at the time with) whoever's voiceprint they used had zero chance of being in the area. Given that Cassians also served as the Royal Family's personal bodyguards, their command verification system must be pretty robust and nothing short of a cyberpath would have much of a chance of having false orders accepted. Taking steps to track those orders to their ultimate source and dealing with it would be pretty much SOP, I'd think. Gutters missed the part where comms go both ways ;)
Or possibly, they were using a standard Cassian comm frequency with a verification code that might have worked if Tennyo hadn't changed all the codes as a precaution once she took over...that's generally SOP for ComSec once there's a new command structure or the old one may have been compromised due to the 'disappearance' of a high level order giver.
I don't think it has to do with comms. There was a confusion about how the message/directive/orders were delivered. Rose clarified it on this page, in the A/N, and in the comments, that someone physically approached Noctis. That's how I interpreted it anyway. :D
Or maybe Maxus and Tennyo are running a little scheme to leak some false inteligence on Cassians to select Senators to see where it ends up ? Maybe with Setorius's help ? That certainly sounds like something he'd get a lot of enjoyment from watching.
The dialogue balloons in the shop seemed to infer spoken rather than 'wireless' communication, although a voice synthesizer could be working on frequencies only Androids can hear, which might technically make it a form of 'comms' just not 'squeak speech' since that wasn't indicated.
What puzzles me is how that was expected to get past voice and speech pattern recognition, let alone VisIdent, and seems to me to be something that nobody in their right mind would be willing to test out on a live Cassian of all things, certainly not Noctis in full paranoid bodyguard mode. I'm pretty sure every gutter in the wastes knows who she is and while they're generally as dumb as hammers, even Gavin would be asking a lot of questions about this plan...
No, something is a little fishy "Down, Sheela, wait until you're given some" in old New Troy and we may or may not find out what it is next episode, the Terrible Twosome is really making us work for this one, which is great.
This is gonna be as long a wait as the last one, I hope someone's hero in CoH gets turned to a villain and hunted down by their former allies who know their secret identity if the next episode is a scene change, even to Feelie :P
That's kind of what I had said on a different page; I'd be reluctant to give her orders even if I were authorized, let alone trying to pull a stunt like that. Noctis is going to remember this.
This seems like a component in a bigger plan. Either that, or it was an isolated stupid move.
(What would McGuyver do? Probably use the cardboard tube to make some sort of explosive for *reasons*)
Of course...the tube is cardboard, made of cellulose and you just know there's some nitric acid lying around so instant (almost instant) nitrocellulose/guncotton guaranteed to clean and sanitize as well as get rid of painful piles;)
Noctids is now the Princeps of the Cassians, Kali's old position http://datachasers.thecomicseries.com/comics/1424 but Noctis doesn't (or at least so far as we know, she doesn't) have the 'extra' directives Valerius personally gave Kali reference prince douchewaffle but he's dead so they're sort of moot anyway.
Acantha was quite impressed with Kali's putting Noctis in charge of douchebag's direct supervision while she and Lynn were at Irene's, saying "that should make him aware of his own mortality". http://datachasers.thecomicseries.com/comics/1046/
All in all, given that normally the commander of a force has access to protocols and directives the rank and file don't, I'd think that Noctis right now answers to Maxus and Acantha alone and nobody else andwhile Tennyo is in an 'acting' capacity, she's still the Princeps, even in New Troy.
What might be intriguing would be if there were some 'pretender' to the throne, a cousin maybe or a distant relative who's been led to believe that all Cassians will take orders from anyone of the House of Livius...if so, they're sadly mistaken, especially in Noctis' case, and about to find out they were fed incorrect information, possibly by a Senator who's backing them for their own purposes ?
One thing's for sure, this story has more twists and turns and overlapping strands than a bowl of spaghetti...all created by two spicy meataballs...
I mostly agree. Here's the thing, though. Maxus isn't officially ratified as Lord Regent, so he doesn't technically hold the Throne. Acantha is only 16, and too young to hold it. By that logic, no one is really seated, and Nova Roma is essentially 'rulerless'. (Is that even a word?) Noctis is acting out of her own personal loyalty, not by constraint, because no one has the official authority; out of courtesy, one might say. Technically she doesn't currently have a commander. Also, she now has the role of Princeps, but that, too, is tentative, since Maxus promoted her, but doesn't really have official authority. I don't know if the Senate has any direct authority over the Cassians, but I would think not. Even if they did, it would probably move at a glacial pace, and any orders they might want to give would be moot by the time they acted.
There is a lot on Noctis' shoulders right now when you think about it.
It has crossed my mind about 'some 'pretender' to the throne', or popssibly an attempted coup by a group within the Senate, which might have a deleterious effect on the fragile rulership Nova Roma has right now.
So yeah, many avenues for twists and turns, to be sure :D
as i sed... by law Noctis answers to the throne.. since no one is there Noctis answers to Noctis... she told Maxus that she don't follow his orders,, but will for the good of Rome.!
an Acantha,, since Noctis thinks Acantha will make a great Queen. Noctis swore fealty too Acantha, to make sure Acantha sits on the throne... and since Noctis Commands the Cassians,, that means Acantha indirectly controls the Cassians... (till she sit's on the throne..)
I'm thinking that Nova Roma might be set up along the lines of a constitutional monarchy but in reverse, where instead of the elected members running the country and the monarch being a mere figurehead, in this case the monarch has a great deal of control over the 'elected' members some if not all of whom are likely appointed, much like the Senate here where the Senators aren't elected but appointed by the PM or in this case, the Imperator; and who serve for life or a very long time, making changing his edicts difficult, or at least he had a hand in making sure only the people he wanted survived the election campaign...some things we see douchewaffle as having absolute or at least unchallenged authority over, others it's hinted the Senate has to be brought onside for.
I'd think the line of succession would go more like "the King is dead, long live the Queen" and instant transfer of power, the only fly in the ointment here is that Acantha is underage, which has never stopped the British Monarchy...yes, a Regent does have to be approved, but the pending ascendant to the Throne has a lot of say in their acceptance, as much as their advisors...
I could link to the wiki entry for that but as much as it's educational, it's completely irrelevant here because we've never been told exactly how the political system in Nova Roma works and I get the feeling there are more than a few twists and turns to come out of that when it fits into the storyline(s)...the Devious Duo aren't going to give us that much info until they need to and while it's fun to speculate, ruminate and pontificate, it's still their story, we're just spectators...mouthy spectators, but spectators none the less :) and the show is well worth the watching.
Re the stomach flu, Rose? I'll take that tip under advisement! in the meantime, best advice I can offer is to get some rest, and find something that helps you de-stress.
OK, everything I said on the last page regarding security risk, Kingdom Crashing problem, etc....
no no.. with the half data we had,, i wood we were going the right way...
.. i still think that Cassian inhibitor should be direct access (no remote),, an at least Noctis should have the cyberpath fail safe.!!
ok,, went back an read Cassian inhibitor.. boy do we have it wrong...
they are direct access ,, no remote .. so yeah a short list of people , or a very good imitation..
the point of the problem is NOT the inhibitor .. it is the M.A.C.C.S. ... the inhibitor just says "quit it " bizzit, ouch... the maccs if controlled turns you into a puppet.. an Cassians don't have that access ...
Or maybe it's just so simple that these gutters are dumb enough to think that in Nova Roma, given their dislike of androids, any human can give orders to any android ?
Food poisoning is usually caused by the waste products of various microbes. The botulism toxin (Botox) can kill by paralysis. An immigrant stored his “frozen” potatoes on a shelf instead of a freezer. One bite, that he then spit out, put him in an iron lung for months. If you have ever wondered why a hang over feels so bad, it is because you have been drinking the waste product of such a microbe (yeast). That is to say Itsy bitsy critter urine.
Salmonella, Botulism, Listeria, 'Ptomaine', Norovirus, a number of strains of E. Coli, and any of a vast number of other various bugs and beasties can cause symptoms that match what people assume is 'stomach flu'.
It's estimated in some studies that as many or more than 75% of 'stomach flu' cases aren't caused by 'flu' viruses but something else that's decided to use our gut for a vacation resort.
Every day there are recalls and advisories for various food products both for potential and actual instances of contamination or illness. That's one problem we make ourselves by importing a lot of fresh produce from countries where their farm fertilizer comes from the sewer...
The good part is that 'food poisoning' usually clears up faster than the flu...small blessing.
Hopefully our spiky ball of hate is well and enjoying herself as much as we enjoy reading what she writes and the art it goes with.
Seriously, though, this seriously looks like unacceptable risk-taking. By the time the shuttle parked, the raiders had to be almost in position. Centy should have had the place covered and locked down (with the raiders inside) before the first guns came out.
she probably did, any real visitors were 'politely' escorted away so the park could be 'cleaned' and you don't see the snipers, plasma diffusing fields and hidden shield generators that would be used if Cella didn't use hers for some reason...good security is layers upon layers and the best security is the layer you don't even know is there
Gigi.. she has a name . :)
an quick eye check,, red eyes,,, do NOTHING that she would remotely think would a hostile act...
don't even bleed loud..
so yeah, CentComm knew ,, an was using bait.. but as soon as they even hinted hurting the girls , she dropped the anvil.!!
Or follow the tried and true 'down home' cure-all...
Pour out the contents of a bottle of black rum, mix with a small drop of hot water, not too much, some lemon, cloves and cinnamon.
Set the empty bottle on the end of the bed
Drink until you see four bottles
'Rest'
When you wake up, you'll feel right as rain
Guaranteed...me mudder's granny's neighbour's cousin's friend swears by it
If this GiGi uses the same coloured word balloons as CeCi did, does that mean she's a black angel too ?
If she is, then it stands to reason that there must also be a BiBi, a Deedee and a FiFi...etc.
Do we get to see 'DeeDee' as a vote incentive ? ;)
I don't know which one of you is responsible for this or if it was a joint effort, but it's EEEeeee-VIL and applaudable...
*hammers head on desk in quiet applause*
I took the 'C' from CeCi an the 'G' from 'GiGi' and extrapolated them into an alphabetical list of black angels, which, CentComm being CentComm would probably do ;)
So I just picked the easiest ones between B and G, (A and E were both expended on missions).
In no way did I have this comic in mind when I came up with that...
*sigh* and on rereading that section, the other girl in the strip is named....wait for it.... 'FiFi'...and yes, they're named as you'd expect *facepalms*
http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/well-you-know
I'm definitely starting to get 'oldtimers' syndrome...
just so you know...
DD an I cross over.. so Didi an Ieie would be the same.. (or twins) :)
IE: 48DD Us, crosses over to 122I cm, Eu. (partner's size..)
You know, Oldarmourer, there are a lot of good names after GiGi... there's HaiHai, JayJay, Kiki, Lily, Mimi, Nina, but then it starts going downhill from there...
***** One fine day in the Black Angel Production Facility *****
Inspector B: "THAT'S IT, I'M DONE!!! I'm getting a beer!"
Inspector A: "What's the problem?"
Inspector B: "It's these 4 androids... They all failed final inspection, and I'm DONE with them! You wanna know more? Ask them yourself!!!"
Inspector A: "*sigh* ok. so, I see this one has a fluid leak, but that's fixable... what's your designation?"
Android A: "It's PeePee, Sir"
Inspector A: "(shakes head) head on through there, they'll fix you right up..."
Inspector A: "This one though, violates maximum breast size, and... "
Android B: "Hey, My Eyes are up here!"
Inspector A: "Sorry... we'll get you fixed up and get those reduced. what's your Designation?"
Android B: "It's TaTa, sir"
Inspector A: "oohkay then, moving on... What about you young lady, you look fine to me. what's the problem?"
Android C: "I don't want to be a black angel, life is too shooooort, and we should all just live happily together... What I really wanna be is a CHEERLEADER!!!"
Inspector A: "and your designation is?"
Android C" "It's RaRa, sir... YEAY!"
Inspector A: "Of course it is... What have we here, why are you in a male android body? What's your designation?"
Android D: "it's WeeWee, sir..."
Inspector A: "Hold up, I think I'll join you for that drink!"
@Tokyo Rose, I am sorry you were feeling poorly, and hope for your continued recovery.
This was a nice page in many ways. The art is good, story is solid, dialogue entertaining. One suggestion I might offer is that the first panel seemed a little jarring and inadequately foreshadowed. I have always said that one of the strengths of DataChasers is its dynamics, both in art and in writing. I just didn't get the sense of the security robot being 'revealed' so much as just 'appearing'. I went back to see if there had been any Predator-like stealth-field 'ripple' on the previous page, and if it was there, I didn't spot it. Comparatively minor, I suppose -- and I know you need to balance providing enough breadcrumbs to 'play fair' with the audience and the risk of spoiling the surprise prematurely. Just sharing my impression. Still very nice work, overall and I am glad to see things progressing.
wouldn't be much of a 'stealth field' if anyone could spot it, would it ?
I kind of like the "we were watching you all the time, fools" sudden reveal and while I suspected hidden assets in the park I never stopped to think of the simple sci-fi expedient of cloaking devices and now I wonder just how many of those sentries are scattered around the city on a daily basis...
Truth be told, the Artist tried something as a joke that would have absolutely made no sense in-universe, and after it was kiboshed, she swapped in the security robot so that she could re-shoot the panel on short notice.
BTW, very, very nice work on *stifles a giggle* 'GiGi's armour and the kidnappers' gun belt in the first panel. Very realistic.
The pink haired death droid's face in the fourth panel came out top notch too, the switch to 'red-eye' mode is a nice touch.
The dialogue in the last panel had me smiling like a fool as well, really good work by all involved...
Something looks a little odd about Lynn and Acantha in the third panel and also on the last page, I just can't put my finger on it, maybe their scaling ? or the angle ? It still looks good, just a little different than they did before...or maybe my eyes are just going wonky, who knows ?
Ah...Acantha's right forearm and both girl's legs seem a little 'stretched'. Trivial at best, and completely irrelevant to the rest of the page or the story in general, but at least my new glasses work :)
just noticed.. we might haz a new player in the mix... or might be another commando..
but 3rd panel over Lynn's shoulder ..
2 bad gals,, 1) is in front, getting jaw broke.. 2) is in back getting tazed (blue ball)..
now there is a 3rd silhouette...
I think the one in panel 1 is the same one in panel 3 getting tazed. The one right over Lynn's shoulder is another Black Angel or robot or commando? I don't think it's another kidnapper.
Going by the silhouette and the angle (expendable potential songbird #2 is getting zapped from her left side in the first panel, I'd say we're seeing her to the right on our screen and the robot zapping her on our left..
short version: it's panel #1 seen from the opposite direction.
and I'm thinking these two will indeed become very loud and prolific songbirds (provided they don't have any 'unknown to them' self-destruct devices set to command detonate)
I can see Cent-Comm's opulent 'visitor's discussion lounge' now...each rubber hose, jumper cable and waterboard all painted in a nice calming shade of hot pink.
I agree with you, @robnot, that we have what appears to another piece on the board. In the third panel, we see the spokesperson facing 'page right' and what appears to be the shock-stick coming in to zap her from the right edge of the page. There also appears to be another security robot behind said spokesperson towards 'page-left'. (Just over Lynn's left shoulder.) But, by this point, as several others have speculated, I am sure there are also several other security forces positioned in multiple places around the Square. Until @Tokyo Rose stirs herself to give each and every one of them lines of immortal dialogue, I will not overly concern myself with them. ^_^
My fave trick when stomach disasters happen: Good Milk Chocolate.
Even if you can't keep anything down, small pieces can be sucked on, and they melt slow enough that you should be able to keep that down at least. :) (Plus, hey, chocolate!)
My fave trick when stomach disasters happen: Good Milk Chocolate.
Even if you can't keep anything down, small pieces can be sucked on, and they melt slow enough that you should be able to keep that down at least. :) (Plus, hey, chocolate!)
I wonder if Gigi is an upgraded black angel with new software fixes to keep her from destabilizing. In order to properly test the software and design changes. If so, Cent may have purposely made her personality as close to Ceci as possible.
Cent may have incorporated something like Silver's emergency patch.
If she is indeed a field test prototype, she will need as much field testing and social interaction as possible. Like maybe some sparing with Noctis?
This would make for a very fun story arc. As always, you two have me on the edge of my seat.
Good work! :)
I dunno, apart from the hair and speech ballon colours she looks nothing to me like CeCi, but I do see her as virtually a dead ringer for the sprite body Cent-Comm 'loaned' TeeDee, who knows what a determined AIS with a little payback on her mind can fit into that size chassis ? :)
my under standing.. Black Angel's are not free roaming..
made for mission,, do mission ,, come back , recycled..
you do NOT want a free roaming Armageddon , that suddenly glitches.. also you do not want 'them' figuring out all the toys...
an yeah,, Centy might have 1 or 2 base models on ice (storage) for just this purpose.. an i wood say as soon as OP is dun,, BACK on ice.!
This one might be a different version, intended to be more combat purposed and less administratively oriented than a white angel but not as single mission purposed as a black angel...maybe a'pink angel' ?
Or possibly the equivalent of a SWAT team attached to the NTPD ?
Or a VIP rapid reaction detail ?
Or maybe it's just pinky messing with Teedee's old body to see what she can use it for ;)
Speculating and coming up with new ideas is one reason the comments section here is so huge and it's more fun here than most anywhere else, the team certainly does do their part to give us a lot of reasons to question and requestion our own observations and I think they secretly enjoy watching us debate amongst ourselves :)
I'm wondering if maybe Cent Comm also has what would be termed a Gray Angel. One that has some of the capabilities of a Black Angel, but is used more like a White Angel for administration or Personal Protection duties inside New Troy.
How Cent com will get these 2 to talk
Introduce them to Dolly
tell them what she did to Daria for kidnapping Lynn
Inform them they just tried the same thing
Then in a sweet voice ask would you rather answer her questions or mine?
I believe ugnh translates from shattered jaw to English as I surrender unconditionally mid powerful beautiful and lethal lady, please don't hurt me any more I have soiled myself.
My most interesting question at this point is why did these ... people ... think they were able to march into new Troy and kidnap Acantha Livius and Lynn Taylor?
Aside from being in the direct line for control of their respective states (arguably in Lynn's case but she's of the line of Helios and Centy cares about that) these two are currently at the center of the biggest and snarliest and pointiest diplomatic tangle in the last couple of centuries. The idea that Centcomm's security forces wouldn't be making an extra-special effort would be a bit silly.
And come on. This is Centcomm. The guardian of New Troy. Sure, she seems genuinely dedicated to that task, but she has a deep, rich history of bloodshed and not giving a shit who she has to kill or how much she has to make it hurt in order to do that job.
This isn't something you just decide to do on a whim because you know, it might turn out to be easy.
They clearly intended to turn a Cassian. I don't know if that would be anywhere near enough in the current situation, but I kind of doubt it. So, bad judgment. But they clearly believed they could.
Why?
Who sold them the bill of goods? Or the Gonkulator, or whatever it was? When did somebody get something that would be credibly believed of having that capability? Did they "salvage" something from the body Ophelia left behind? Did they try to exploit some standing order that quit standing when Decimus exploded?
Clearly they thought they had *SOMETHING* or this was nothing but suicide. So what did they think they had?
A) gutters aren't all that bright
B) they believed the sales pitch
C) there's a lot more to this than meets the eye
D) the Devious Duo are doing it to us again ;)
That's basically what I've been asking myself all along. There are very few who could walk up to a Cassian and start issuing orders, and expect obedience. Add to that, they actually believed Noctis' feigned obedience. Something is still afoot, methinks.
Well going back an reading cast/tech page.. 3 .. 3 had access, plus Max but it would have to a military order while supporting an OP..
oh 2 of the 3 are DEAD.. (dickmus & Kali) an the 3rd (very limited access) would be the tech/doc, while being repaired...
now. only Noctis, then Max when he is regent,, And Acantha cuz Noctis gave it to her (sorrts)..
There...finally made an account, now I can fix typos, brain farts and general dumbness...
or try to, some things just can't be fixed...
and that only makes me subscriber 465 ? should be a few more digits to that :(
I really, really, really hate to do this to you poor people
Especially on Shabbat, G-d forgive me
but...you get two in a row this time, they're sort of a set :)
Might want to get the tune for the first one in your head first, I don't think it was big in the US...
and it really doesn't scan like poetry or have a steady time signature,
you need to hear the tune first or it won't read right.
Stuck in a storm, I'm at a Waster bar
'Cause that pink haired bitch set us up to fail
Ceci looked around and saw that Dari girl
Then nothing else in the damned place mattered
Oh-oh-oh-oh, I want this one dead
Oooohhh-oh-oh, a beating'll do
I know you'll talk once I kick your head off
'Cause I'm ready, willing and able
Yes, I'm ready, teeth meet the table
Ohhh-oh-oh, a boot to the head
Oh-oh-oohhh, a broken arm too
Too bad she had to fall down so fast
'Cause I'm ready, willing and able
Yes, I'm ready, Dari's disabled
Down to the basement we dragged her
To a cold cell to hold her 'til morning
Ceci had an apple and I drowned my damn brains
So I tried to give a hummer but passed out on Breaker
Ooohhhh-oh-oh, the pain in my head
Oh-oh-oh, if Lynn only knew
I hope these gutters go down real quiet
But I'm ready, willing and able
Yes, we're ready, killing them's a favour
Hey, I'll take your rifle and even the tank, baby
Too bad your head's kind of hollow
Ready, willing and able
Yes, We're ready, willing and able
'Cause we're ready, Guardian and Angel
Ceci's ready, and kind of unstable
But she's ready, her fight mode's enabled
even if I'm sorry for the first one, I'll still have to apologize to 'ol Willie for this one
And as a complete aside and for Tokyo Rose's research, this is something like what a true Nova Roman or a 'proto' Nova Roman ? would sound like before they went Latin and never looked back ;)
And if you want the local accent, just watch a few episodes of Trailer Park Boys :)
I used to play a half orc redneck bard, who had an oversized steel banjo with spikes on it .. so that if he met another orc, they could fight it out wether his music was "good" …. or "bad" !
The steel banjo was surprisingly sturdy, and could be usued as a warhammer. 😁
enemies have to make a morale check vs stunned disbelief when he 'plays', allies have to make one at -1 because they've heard it before and know what's coming next :)
yes.!!!
when the eyes go red, that means they just went full combat mode..
so Gigi not making a smoking stump for her head , shows lots o restraint ..
the tv qoute,, "shoot first, shoot later, shoot some more and then when everybody's dead try to ask a question or two.." really applies to Black Angels...
Or as I was once briefed and have briefed others...
"As long as you can produce one more empty casings than there are holes in the body, the warning shot's covered...Oh, Yeah, the word "Halt" should be in there somewhere too" doubt that counts with lasers, just charges left and scorch marks ;)
Not surprised at all, that Centcomm had security troops following the group around, Frankly, she's a War-AI, I would be surprised is she didn't !
The kidnappers never stood a chance, and I bet Lynn knew that deep down, or she wouldn't have been so contrary … then again, she might have.
Also happy to see that Noctis wasn't truly subverted.
She and Centcomm can now get hugs from Athena. 🤣
Like hugging a cat that's trying to slink away.
speaking of slinking away, Athena did slide out just before all this happened....
but I prefer to think that was a means of getting her out of the way so she didn't spot what was going on and warn them, she's been dealing with plots, plans and duplicity on an inter-planetary scale for far too long...that and if she ended up a hostage or otherwise then Luna would get involved ;)
But with our Devious Duo involved, who can say for sure ?
Athena getting a call and leaving was basic tactics on Centy's part. She got a call about a developing situation on the ground with three potential high-value targets (The diplomat, The princess, and the Little Girl who carries the DNA key that could turn Centy back into a monster).
The first thing you want to do is separate the potential targets so that, whichever they're going after, the others are not at risk when it happens. That simplifies the tactical situation for whatever assets you deploy (fewer "blue" targets to keep out of the downrange when you're lining up "red" in the sights).
And you know where the danger is *intended* to be coming from so you know that it's not following anyone you separate from Noctis. And you have reason to believe Athena isn't the enemy objective (or at least not the primary objective) in this incursion.
The Diplomat is easy to separate. She gets a call and has to fly. There is no way you're separating Acantha from Noctis without arousing suspicion. Cella is a powerful asset whose protection of Lynn is at least in the same league as the threat the interlopers expect to use and no longer has to split her attention between Lynn and Athena. So getting Athena out of there strengthens Centy's tactical position.
As does alerting Gigi and New Troy Security, who are taking a hand here.
Betcha GiGi was around looong before someone tried to subvert Noctis.
Heck, for all we know, Centcomm knew about this whole affair *before* someone approached Noctis.
And calling Athena away, reduces the people in the firing line.
Heck, Centcomm probably have a whole host of issues Athena could work on, ranging from "Your husband got his hand stuck in a maids cleavage, and he still doesn't want to impregnate her, go smack him over the head and tell him to do his duty.", to "There are kittens in the First ward that needs hugging".
Or she could invent some totally bogus story as well.
'Tony' would be her hired puke-bucket and hair holder and designated mouth wiper...
Makes it easier to play CoH if you don't have to get up and run to the bathroom every few minutes ;)
Come to think of it, she'd need a second one just to hold her hair...
And if I were Mr Black, I'd gladly be paying both of them to do it instead of me...
Come to think of it , it'd take two just to hold her hair...elves in brocaded gold and red full livery with knee breeches, stockings and buckled shoes, nothing but the best for the most exalted keeper of the curse words ;)
@Oldarmourer: IF I was in Mr. Blacks shoes.. I would be there,. an not paying anyone. (sickness & health.!)..
BUT. I'm not Mr. Smoot.. i can't say what he would do.. tho I think he would..
duct taping the kid to the wall facing the TV with a garbage bag fastened around their waist works too...I forget which android that was attributed to in DC, maybe TeeDee ?, but I seriously considered it some 35 years ago...
We called it 'gun tape' it was dark green and slightly stickier but less shiny than the 'duck' brand...oddly enough, one brand was called 'Tuck Tape'... been retired from the military for 25 years now and still have a few rolls left, still as good as new, stuff will outlast the Universe....
It was originally called Duck tape because it was made out of duckcloth - one of the better types of canvas.
And duckcloth was originally called that because it had a nice tight weave, and unlike canvasses with a looser weave, could be made watertight if you rubbed linseed oil into it.
Still curious how they thought they could subvert her and why it failed?
No... i wood say loose,, cuz if it fixed/strict, there would be no interpretation, it all would be black/off an white/on.. where as we have seen her loosely translate a clear direct order to soot her ends...
the ONLY fixed rule "PROTECT ROME.".. (i think. this is why she is so good at comms..)she listens to the order ,THEN determines what is good for Rome..
Or possibly, they were using a standard Cassian comm frequency with a verification code that might have worked if Tennyo hadn't changed all the codes as a precaution once she took over...that's generally SOP for ComSec once there's a new command structure or the old one may have been compromised due to the 'disappearance' of a high level order giver.
What puzzles me is how that was expected to get past voice and speech pattern recognition, let alone VisIdent, and seems to me to be something that nobody in their right mind would be willing to test out on a live Cassian of all things, certainly not Noctis in full paranoid bodyguard mode. I'm pretty sure every gutter in the wastes knows who she is and while they're generally as dumb as hammers, even Gavin would be asking a lot of questions about this plan...
No, something is a little fishy "Down, Sheela, wait until you're given some" in old New Troy and we may or may not find out what it is next episode, the Terrible Twosome is really making us work for this one, which is great.
This is gonna be as long a wait as the last one, I hope someone's hero in CoH gets turned to a villain and hunted down by their former allies who know their secret identity if the next episode is a scene change, even to Feelie :P
This seems like a component in a bigger plan. Either that, or it was an isolated stupid move.
(What would McGuyver do? Probably use the cardboard tube to make some sort of explosive for *reasons*)
Acantha was quite impressed with Kali's putting Noctis in charge of douchebag's direct supervision while she and Lynn were at Irene's, saying "that should make him aware of his own mortality". http://datachasers.thecomicseries.com/comics/1046/
All in all, given that normally the commander of a force has access to protocols and directives the rank and file don't, I'd think that Noctis right now answers to Maxus and Acantha alone and nobody else andwhile Tennyo is in an 'acting' capacity, she's still the Princeps, even in New Troy.
What might be intriguing would be if there were some 'pretender' to the throne, a cousin maybe or a distant relative who's been led to believe that all Cassians will take orders from anyone of the House of Livius...if so, they're sadly mistaken, especially in Noctis' case, and about to find out they were fed incorrect information, possibly by a Senator who's backing them for their own purposes ?
One thing's for sure, this story has more twists and turns and overlapping strands than a bowl of spaghetti...all created by two spicy meataballs...
There is a lot on Noctis' shoulders right now when you think about it.
It has crossed my mind about 'some 'pretender' to the throne', or popssibly an attempted coup by a group within the Senate, which might have a deleterious effect on the fragile rulership Nova Roma has right now.
So yeah, many avenues for twists and turns, to be sure :D
an Acantha,, since Noctis thinks Acantha will make a great Queen. Noctis swore fealty too Acantha, to make sure Acantha sits on the throne... and since Noctis Commands the Cassians,, that means Acantha indirectly controls the Cassians... (till she sit's on the throne..)
I'd think the line of succession would go more like "the King is dead, long live the Queen" and instant transfer of power, the only fly in the ointment here is that Acantha is underage, which has never stopped the British Monarchy...yes, a Regent does have to be approved, but the pending ascendant to the Throne has a lot of say in their acceptance, as much as their advisors...
I could link to the wiki entry for that but as much as it's educational, it's completely irrelevant here because we've never been told exactly how the political system in Nova Roma works and I get the feeling there are more than a few twists and turns to come out of that when it fits into the storyline(s)...the Devious Duo aren't going to give us that much info until they need to and while it's fun to speculate, ruminate and pontificate, it's still their story, we're just spectators...mouthy spectators, but spectators none the less :) and the show is well worth the watching.
OK, everything I said on the last page regarding security risk, Kingdom Crashing problem, etc....
..."Never mind"
.. i still think that Cassian inhibitor should be direct access (no remote),, an at least Noctis should have the cyberpath fail safe.!!
they are direct access ,, no remote .. so yeah a short list of people , or a very good imitation..
the point of the problem is NOT the inhibitor .. it is the M.A.C.C.S. ... the inhibitor just says "quit it " bizzit, ouch... the maccs if controlled turns you into a puppet.. an Cassians don't have that access ...
It's estimated in some studies that as many or more than 75% of 'stomach flu' cases aren't caused by 'flu' viruses but something else that's decided to use our gut for a vacation resort.
Every day there are recalls and advisories for various food products both for potential and actual instances of contamination or illness. That's one problem we make ourselves by importing a lot of fresh produce from countries where their farm fertilizer comes from the sewer...
The good part is that 'food poisoning' usually clears up faster than the flu...small blessing.
Hopefully our spiky ball of hate is well and enjoying herself as much as we enjoy reading what she writes and the art it goes with.
Seriously, though, this seriously looks like unacceptable risk-taking. By the time the shuttle parked, the raiders had to be almost in position. Centy should have had the place covered and locked down (with the raiders inside) before the first guns came out.
an quick eye check,, red eyes,,, do NOTHING that she would remotely think would a hostile act...
don't even bleed loud..
so yeah, CentComm knew ,, an was using bait.. but as soon as they even hinted hurting the girls , she dropped the anvil.!!
nice one - I vaguely suspected as such but did not dare to hope for that outcome...
well done...
Pour out the contents of a bottle of black rum, mix with a small drop of hot water, not too much, some lemon, cloves and cinnamon.
Set the empty bottle on the end of the bed
Drink until you see four bottles
'Rest'
When you wake up, you'll feel right as rain
Guaranteed...me mudder's granny's neighbour's cousin's friend swears by it
You do realize you've just sparked the seeds of something I was really hoping I could keep dormant for a lot longer.....
Well done ladies, everyone's musings from the last mega-page satisfied in one swell foop and in style :)
If she is, then it stands to reason that there must also be a BiBi, a Deedee and a FiFi...etc.
Do we get to see 'DeeDee' as a vote incentive ? ;)
I don't know which one of you is responsible for this or if it was a joint effort, but it's EEEeeee-VIL and applaudable...
*hammers head on desk in quiet applause*
So I just picked the easiest ones between B and G, (A and E were both expended on missions).
In no way did I have this comic in mind when I came up with that...
http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/do-i-have-enough-talent
I'm losing my grasp, it simply didn't register until just now ;)
http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/well-you-know
I'm definitely starting to get 'oldtimers' syndrome...
DD an I cross over.. so Didi an Ieie would be the same.. (or twins) :)
IE: 48DD Us, crosses over to 122I cm, Eu. (partner's size..)
Inspector B: "THAT'S IT, I'M DONE!!! I'm getting a beer!"
Inspector A: "What's the problem?"
Inspector B: "It's these 4 androids... They all failed final inspection, and I'm DONE with them! You wanna know more? Ask them yourself!!!"
Inspector A: "*sigh* ok. so, I see this one has a fluid leak, but that's fixable... what's your designation?"
Android A: "It's PeePee, Sir"
Inspector A: "(shakes head) head on through there, they'll fix you right up..."
Inspector A: "This one though, violates maximum breast size, and... "
Android B: "Hey, My Eyes are up here!"
Inspector A: "Sorry... we'll get you fixed up and get those reduced. what's your Designation?"
Android B: "It's TaTa, sir"
Inspector A: "oohkay then, moving on... What about you young lady, you look fine to me. what's the problem?"
Android C: "I don't want to be a black angel, life is too shooooort, and we should all just live happily together... What I really wanna be is a CHEERLEADER!!!"
Inspector A: "and your designation is?"
Android C" "It's RaRa, sir... YEAY!"
Inspector A: "Of course it is... What have we here, why are you in a male android body? What's your designation?"
Android D: "it's WeeWee, sir..."
Inspector A: "Hold up, I think I'll join you for that drink!"
*Applause*
Rose, I do hope you're feeling better!
This was a nice page in many ways. The art is good, story is solid, dialogue entertaining. One suggestion I might offer is that the first panel seemed a little jarring and inadequately foreshadowed. I have always said that one of the strengths of DataChasers is its dynamics, both in art and in writing. I just didn't get the sense of the security robot being 'revealed' so much as just 'appearing'. I went back to see if there had been any Predator-like stealth-field 'ripple' on the previous page, and if it was there, I didn't spot it. Comparatively minor, I suppose -- and I know you need to balance providing enough breadcrumbs to 'play fair' with the audience and the risk of spoiling the surprise prematurely. Just sharing my impression. Still very nice work, overall and I am glad to see things progressing.
I kind of like the "we were watching you all the time, fools" sudden reveal and while I suspected hidden assets in the park I never stopped to think of the simple sci-fi expedient of cloaking devices and now I wonder just how many of those sentries are scattered around the city on a daily basis...
The pink haired death droid's face in the fourth panel came out top notch too, the switch to 'red-eye' mode is a nice touch.
The dialogue in the last panel had me smiling like a fool as well, really good work by all involved...
Something looks a little odd about Lynn and Acantha in the third panel and also on the last page, I just can't put my finger on it, maybe their scaling ? or the angle ? It still looks good, just a little different than they did before...or maybe my eyes are just going wonky, who knows ?
but 3rd panel over Lynn's shoulder ..
2 bad gals,, 1) is in front, getting jaw broke.. 2) is in back getting tazed (blue ball)..
now there is a 3rd silhouette...
short version: it's panel #1 seen from the opposite direction.
and I'm thinking these two will indeed become very loud and prolific songbirds (provided they don't have any 'unknown to them' self-destruct devices set to command detonate)
I can see Cent-Comm's opulent 'visitor's discussion lounge' now...each rubber hose, jumper cable and waterboard all painted in a nice calming shade of hot pink.
I am paranoid that way...
Even if you can't keep anything down, small pieces can be sucked on, and they melt slow enough that you should be able to keep that down at least. :) (Plus, hey, chocolate!)
Hope you feel better soon!
Even if you can't keep anything down, small pieces can be sucked on, and they melt slow enough that you should be able to keep that down at least. :) (Plus, hey, chocolate!)
Hope you feel better soon!
Cent may have incorporated something like Silver's emergency patch.
If she is indeed a field test prototype, she will need as much field testing and social interaction as possible. Like maybe some sparing with Noctis?
This would make for a very fun story arc. As always, you two have me on the edge of my seat.
Good work! :)
made for mission,, do mission ,, come back , recycled..
you do NOT want a free roaming Armageddon , that suddenly glitches.. also you do not want 'them' figuring out all the toys...
an yeah,, Centy might have 1 or 2 base models on ice (storage) for just this purpose.. an i wood say as soon as OP is dun,, BACK on ice.!
Or possibly the equivalent of a SWAT team attached to the NTPD ?
Or a VIP rapid reaction detail ?
Or maybe it's just pinky messing with Teedee's old body to see what she can use it for ;)
Speculating and coming up with new ideas is one reason the comments section here is so huge and it's more fun here than most anywhere else, the team certainly does do their part to give us a lot of reasons to question and requestion our own observations and I think they secretly enjoy watching us debate amongst ourselves :)
Introduce them to Dolly
tell them what she did to Daria for kidnapping Lynn
Inform them they just tried the same thing
Then in a sweet voice ask would you rather answer her questions or mine?
That is a rough translation
Aside from being in the direct line for control of their respective states (arguably in Lynn's case but she's of the line of Helios and Centy cares about that) these two are currently at the center of the biggest and snarliest and pointiest diplomatic tangle in the last couple of centuries. The idea that Centcomm's security forces wouldn't be making an extra-special effort would be a bit silly.
And come on. This is Centcomm. The guardian of New Troy. Sure, she seems genuinely dedicated to that task, but she has a deep, rich history of bloodshed and not giving a shit who she has to kill or how much she has to make it hurt in order to do that job.
This isn't something you just decide to do on a whim because you know, it might turn out to be easy.
They clearly intended to turn a Cassian. I don't know if that would be anywhere near enough in the current situation, but I kind of doubt it. So, bad judgment. But they clearly believed they could.
Why?
Who sold them the bill of goods? Or the Gonkulator, or whatever it was? When did somebody get something that would be credibly believed of having that capability? Did they "salvage" something from the body Ophelia left behind? Did they try to exploit some standing order that quit standing when Decimus exploded?
Clearly they thought they had *SOMETHING* or this was nothing but suicide. So what did they think they had?
B) they believed the sales pitch
C) there's a lot more to this than meets the eye
D) the Devious Duo are doing it to us again ;)
Most definitely NOT a closed book...
oh 2 of the 3 are DEAD.. (dickmus & Kali) an the 3rd (very limited access) would be the tech/doc, while being repaired...
now. only Noctis, then Max when he is regent,, And Acantha cuz Noctis gave it to her (sorrts)..
or try to, some things just can't be fixed...
and that only makes me subscriber 465 ? should be a few more digits to that :(
… also, we have cookies. 🍪😃
Especially on Shabbat, G-d forgive me
but...you get two in a row this time, they're sort of a set :)
Might want to get the tune for the first one in your head first, I don't think it was big in the US...
and it really doesn't scan like poetry or have a steady time signature,
you need to hear the tune first or it won't read right.
Dolly's Decisions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOwlwVlmEDI
Stuck in a storm, I'm at a Waster bar
'Cause that pink haired bitch set us up to fail
Ceci looked around and saw that Dari girl
Then nothing else in the damned place mattered
Oh-oh-oh-oh, I want this one dead
Oooohhh-oh-oh, a beating'll do
I know you'll talk once I kick your head off
'Cause I'm ready, willing and able
Yes, I'm ready, teeth meet the table
Ohhh-oh-oh, a boot to the head
Oh-oh-oohhh, a broken arm too
Too bad she had to fall down so fast
'Cause I'm ready, willing and able
Yes, I'm ready, Dari's disabled
Down to the basement we dragged her
To a cold cell to hold her 'til morning
Ceci had an apple and I drowned my damn brains
So I tried to give a hummer but passed out on Breaker
Ooohhhh-oh-oh, the pain in my head
Oh-oh-oh, if Lynn only knew
I hope these gutters go down real quiet
But I'm ready, willing and able
Yes, we're ready, killing them's a favour
Hey, I'll take your rifle and even the tank, baby
Too bad your head's kind of hollow
Ready, willing and able
Yes, We're ready, willing and able
'Cause we're ready, Guardian and Angel
Ceci's ready, and kind of unstable
But she's ready, her fight mode's enabled
even if I'm sorry for the first one, I'll still have to apologize to 'ol Willie for this one
Dari's cryin' out in pain
Lying on Breaker's floor I see her
Blue Hair's beating me again
When she kicked my jaw she broke it
Now I'll never speak again
The very next thing I remembered
This pink haired git was babbling on
Then I realized quite plainly
Mommy's kid is half insane
Now I'm in a Cassian cellblock
All alone and still in pain
At least Gavin's not here watching
Malati taunting me again
you sir are a Bard.!!
Could be worse, I was trying to rework this Canadian Classic for the Major and Doc Silver ;)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw8S_Kv89IU
And if you want the local accent, just watch a few episodes of Trailer Park Boys :)
L'ard Tundrin' Moses
And I don't have a horse and lasso to round up the DC version ;)
The steel banjo was surprisingly sturdy, and could be usued as a warhammer. 😁
enemies have to make a morale check vs stunned disbelief when he 'plays', allies have to make one at -1 because they've heard it before and know what's coming next :)
when the eyes go red, that means they just went full combat mode..
so Gigi not making a smoking stump for her head , shows lots o restraint ..
the tv qoute,, "shoot first, shoot later, shoot some more and then when everybody's dead try to ask a question or two.." really applies to Black Angels...
Or as I was once briefed and have briefed others...
"As long as you can produce one more empty casings than there are holes in the body, the warning shot's covered...Oh, Yeah, the word "Halt" should be in there somewhere too" doubt that counts with lasers, just charges left and scorch marks ;)
The kidnappers never stood a chance, and I bet Lynn knew that deep down, or she wouldn't have been so contrary … then again, she might have.
Also happy to see that Noctis wasn't truly subverted.
She and Centcomm can now get hugs from Athena. 🤣
Like hugging a cat that's trying to slink away.
but I prefer to think that was a means of getting her out of the way so she didn't spot what was going on and warn them, she's been dealing with plots, plans and duplicity on an inter-planetary scale for far too long...that and if she ended up a hostage or otherwise then Luna would get involved ;)
But with our Devious Duo involved, who can say for sure ?
The first thing you want to do is separate the potential targets so that, whichever they're going after, the others are not at risk when it happens. That simplifies the tactical situation for whatever assets you deploy (fewer "blue" targets to keep out of the downrange when you're lining up "red" in the sights).
And you know where the danger is *intended* to be coming from so you know that it's not following anyone you separate from Noctis. And you have reason to believe Athena isn't the enemy objective (or at least not the primary objective) in this incursion.
The Diplomat is easy to separate. She gets a call and has to fly. There is no way you're separating Acantha from Noctis without arousing suspicion. Cella is a powerful asset whose protection of Lynn is at least in the same league as the threat the interlopers expect to use and no longer has to split her attention between Lynn and Athena. So getting Athena out of there strengthens Centy's tactical position.
As does alerting Gigi and New Troy Security, who are taking a hand here.
Heck, for all we know, Centcomm knew about this whole affair *before* someone approached Noctis.
And calling Athena away, reduces the people in the firing line.
Heck, Centcomm probably have a whole host of issues Athena could work on, ranging from "Your husband got his hand stuck in a maids cleavage, and he still doesn't want to impregnate her, go smack him over the head and tell him to do his duty.", to "There are kittens in the First ward that needs hugging".
Or she could invent some totally bogus story as well.
@Centcomm "a tony bit better"? I think you meant "tiny". :-)
i think is was mentioned ,,, but Mr. Smoot's first name is NOT Tony.!!!
Makes it easier to play CoH if you don't have to get up and run to the bathroom every few minutes ;)
Come to think of it, she'd need a second one just to hold her hair...
And if I were Mr Black, I'd gladly be paying both of them to do it instead of me...
Maybe Tony is one of Mr. Blacks nicknames ?
Ah well, I guess we'll never know if Tony's bits make Rose happy.
BUT. I'm not Mr. Smoot.. i can't say what he would do.. tho I think he would..
That doesn't mean you don't love them, it just means you don't want to end up being too sick yourself to care for them when they need you ;)
That's my story and I'm sticking with it....
an useless knowledge strikes again... :)
And duckcloth was originally called that because it had a nice tight weave, and unlike canvasses with a looser weave, could be made watertight if you rubbed linseed oil into it.