Gunnerkrigg Court 5: Bismuth as Usual

[eee]

WHEE! Rey should have said "Here, hold my beer and watch THIS!" first.

That's a bit risky, though, jumping speedboats into Zimmingham when there might be students down below in the impact zone. On the other hand, what options did Rey and the robots (which would be a good name for a rock band) have?

And we still haven't seen Zimmy. I'm getting worried. This was not your average Zimmy 'blip', this was a full blown reality rip. I hope she's all right... (concerned)

[Marnath]

Wow, there's a physical, open tear in the border between Zimmingham and the real world. They didn't just get sent there, it's actually been made coterminous with the Prime Material.

[Emperordaniel]

Wow, there's a physical, open tear in the border between Zimmingham and the real world. They didn't just get sent there, it's actually been made coterminous with the Prime Material.

Well, it was a Level 6 etheric distortion instead of the (presumably) lower-level distortions we've seen in the past.

Wild Spec: What if the arrow that killed Jeanne's lover caused a similar sort of high-grade etheric distortion? We do know that it had enough power to actually physically rip through the Realm of the Dead (and several other departments).

[Marnath]

Well, it was a Level 6 etheric distortion instead of the (presumably) lower-level distortions we've seen in the past.

Wild Spec: What if the arrow that killed Jeanne's lover caused a similar sort of high-grade etheric distortion? We do know that it had enough power to actually physically rip through the Realm of the Dead (and several other departments).

It doesn't count as wild speculation if it's a completely reasonable theory based on existing precedent.

[EvilAnagram]

Possibly the only speedboat jumps I've planned into Gunnerkrigg.

[Emperordaniel]

From now on, it's going to be completely spontaneous speedboat jumps!

[Ibrinar]

From now on, it's going to be completely spontaneous speedboat jumps!

I can imagine it:
Big dramatic scene Coyote finally did something nefarious and now has a showdown with Annie and co in the forest. Suddenly a Speedboat crashes between them ridden by Eglamore.
Author comment: "I gave Eglamore a Speedboat to make it easier to recognize him.
The guy in the boat is Eglamore."

[Emperordaniel]

I can imagine it:
Big dramatic scene Coyote finally did something nefarious and now has a showdown with Annie and co in the forest. Suddenly a Speedboat crashes between them ridden by Eglamore.
Author comment: "I gave Eglamore a Speedboat to make it easier to recognize him.
The guy in the boat is Eglamore."

Now I want this to happen so, so much. It will be glorious.

[eee]

Of course the ship's robots are spiderlike puppets. Of course they are.

And plushie Rey continues to prove the mind is the plaything of the body.

I wonder where the Seraphs are...

[Marnath]

Kind of strange how easy it is to forget that Rey can be really inappropriate sometimes. He knows very well that there's no chance she's old enough for him to say something like that, not that it would have been appropriate under these circumstances anyway.

[AdmiralCheez]

Kind of strange how easy it is to forget that Rey can be really inappropriate sometimes. He knows very well that there's no chance she's old enough for him to say something like that, not that it would have been appropriate under these circumstances anyway.

If I recall right, Rey experiences personality shifts in his different forms, with the doll form being the more inappropriate one. I think he's just spent a lot more time in wolf form recently. But yeah, I completely forgot he does things like that from time to time.

[Marnath]

I'll admit, I wasn't expecting that to be the reason she called Rey. It seems counter intuitive that he should be able to break a ward like that since he's been trapped inside one the whole comic. On the other hand, he is a member of the local Pantheon. I suppose few other spirits can match his power, not that we've really seen much of his potential.

[eee]

I HOPE Rey knows what he's doing. And that removing the ward isn't going to set the fire elemental free and she's going to start screaming about vengeance and frying all Ship robots in sight.

I'm getting a definite West Side story vibe off the robot fight. "When you're a Jet you're a Jet all the way..."

Thank GOODNESS robots don't have children. Because Robot's robot probably couldn't, now.

[Landis963]

I'll admit, I wasn't expecting that to be the reason she called Rey. It seems counter intuitive that he should be able to break a ward like that since he's been trapped inside one the whole comic. On the other hand, he is a member of the local Pantheon. I suppose few other spirits can match his power, not that we've really seen much of his potential.

I thought it was just the property thing that kept him "warded." His actual power is untouched beyond that, without usage of Anja's computer.

EDIT:

[Math_Mage]

I thought it was just the property thong that kept him "warded." His actual power is untouched beyond that, without usage of Anja's computer.

I quirked an eyebrow at that. Thanks for the mental images.

[Coidzor]

I quirked an eyebrow at that. Thanks for the mental images.

Yeah, making canines wear human underwear is bad enough, but you should at least give them something with a fly like boxers or briefs or boxer-briefs so they have somewhere to put the tail through.

[Emperordaniel]

Thank GOODNESS robots don't have children. Because Robot's robot probably couldn't, now.

Looks to me like he was kicked in the robo-stomach.

[Marnath]

It's amazing how much more accepting the kids have become of Annie's power now that she's using it to save the day, huh?

[eee]

Scratch two Ship's robots. I hope she doesn't have to wind up paying for those.

I am impressed that Janet and Winsbury were able to subdue a robot on their own. And Janet doesn't even have her flute ("Thou base villain!" THUNK "Thou churl!" THUNK "Thou foul miscreant!" THUNK "Thou unappreciater of fine music!" ka-WHAM!!)

[memnarch]

It's amazing how much more accepting the kids have become of Annie's power now that she's using it to save the day, huh?

I would say more accepting of Annie; they seemed happy enough with the blinker-fire, but rather awkward talking to her or around her.

It's been awhile since i've got through the archives; are there any examples of them not liking her abilities that I'm forgetting?

[Coidzor]

I always figured it was her cold fish demeanor towards mundanes due to them boring her or something.

[Emperordaniel]

I am impressed that Janet and Winsbury were able to subdue a robot on their own. And Janet doesn't even have her flute ("Thou base villain!" THUNK "Thou churl!" THUNK "Thou foul miscreant!" THUNK "Thou unappreciater of fine music!" ka-WHAM!!)

Bonus page material?

[SylvanAuctor]

Do we know if anyone bothered to contact Bud? If I remember correctly, he is powerful with the ether and might be able to help here... And he at least deserves to know that his wife is being stalked by a determined, ether-skeletal ship!

[eee]

I suspect Jack wants to wait until they find Zimmy, make sure she's OK, and get she and Gamma together again. Who knows what all this has done to Zimmy-Zimms, or what just popping the ether bubble will do further.

Do we know if anyone bothered to contact Bud? If I remember correctly, he is powerful with the ether and might be able to help here... And he at least deserves to know that his wife is being stalked by a determined, ether-skeletal ship!

I doubt they've even told Lindsey yet. There hasn't been time, and they don't know where she is.

[Coidzor]

I doubt they've even told Lindsey yet. There hasn't been time, and they don't know where she is.

You'd hope she'd have some ability to contact and be contacted by the court without having to use the ship's radio, though.

And she was nearby, so either she got sucked into this hellscape too, or she's been near enough by that she probably has noticed the horrible tear in the fabric of reality. As for where Bud is.... I dunno. I'd hazard a guess that there's some way he attaches to Lindsey though.

[eee]

Oh yeah. That's bad. The Seraphs have got to go. For threatening Paz AND looking so creepy.

I wonder where the on/off switch on the top of their heads went.

Kat hasn't awaken to possibilities yet. I would suspect she could have the Ooze form hands and crush the Seraphs, if she thought of it and were willing to go offensive.

[Emperordaniel]

Looks like the Seraphs are officially Nightmare Fuel now.

[banthesun]

Oh yeah. That's bad. The Seraphs have got to go. For threatening Paz AND looking so creepy.

I wonder where the on/off switch on the top of their heads went.

Kat hasn't awaken to possibilities yet. I would suspect she could have the Ooze form hands and crush the Seraphs, if she thought of it and were willing to go offensive.

Just a reminder that the seraphs are people. Terrifying metal bird people, but still people.

It's okay for Annie to blast the ship terminals as much as she likes, but even if Kat can make goo hands I doubt she'd kill a robot that isn't asking for it.

[eee]

Just a reminder that the seraphs are people. Terrifying metal bird people, but still people.

It's okay for Annie to blast the ship terminals as much as she likes, but even if Kat can make goo hands I doubt she'd kill a robot that isn't asking for it.

The Seraphs have kidnapped a boat load of students and, by strong-arming Zimmy - which in itself is a pretty dangerous move, both to the universe and her - taken them all to a hostile alternative realm where infection by alien spiders - or worse - is possible. They're forcing her to use her experiment to create a body for what may be a deranged robot. AND they're threatening Paz. Not to mention, if she looks ahead far enough, the only way the robots are going to be able to get away with this is if there are no living witnesses.

WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO DO TO BE ASKING FOR IT???

I'd have had the Ooze doing the Watusi on their mangled bodies by now.

[Coidzor]

Just a reminder that the seraphs are people. Terrifying metal bird people, but still people.

Before they were bad guys. Now they're Taken by being bad guys and willingly going to Zimmyheim.