Schlock Mercenary VII: A T.A.D. Too Much Dialogue These Days

[PraetorDragoon]

Oh right, the angry god plot. I almost forget about it.

[Xanyo]

Possibility: Iafa has migrated back into the main station systems. The systems on the ship were important, so she did lose important functions, but now she can play the same role Chinook did as a Tagii imprint on Ennesby, but with backup, and a bigger, more maze-like, system. May be able to invade Long Gun systems and prevent Chinook from using them. May also encounter some ancient and unusual parts of herself, as she may wander the metaphorical alleyways, and that's where some of her memories are.

[Max_Killjoy]

I'm still wondering if they'll find out that it's the hardware that's broken in some way. At least for AIs we know about, those installed in "the can's" hardware are 2 out of 2 on going off the deep end.


Of course, Tagii/Chinook is 2 out of 2 on going off the deep end, too.

.

[factotum]

I'm still wondering if they'll find out that it's the hardware that's broken in some way. At least for AIs we know about, those installed in "the can's" hardware are 2 out of 2 on going off the deep end.

Um, the first one who went off the deep end did so because they'd been alone for millions of years of real time, which is equivalent to billions for an AI. In fact, that's also the same reason that Tagii went off the rails. Since Chinook is just Tagii renamed then her stability wasn't guaranteed to start with.

[HandofShadows]

I think Chinook may WANT to go off the deep end.

[factotum]

OK, so it seems that Putzho's hack was rather more successful than it appeared at first sight...which makes you wonder what this charade with Iafa was all about?

[memnarch]

OK, so it seems that Putzho's hack was rather more successful than it appeared at first sight...which makes you wonder what this charade with Iafa was all about?

Well, Putzho is currently not a focus of CrazyChinook, and now after the charade, Iafa is as well. Now they can both try and either save Chinook or wrest control of the station away once they know more about what's going on in the eina-afa infosphere. Putzho might be able to make some things, but I doubt he'd be able to build anything substantial without getting shot again. Iafa has a lot of experience in that infosphere, so they'd theoretically be able to puzzle things out on either of those goals with Iafa as "knowledge" and Putzho as "muscle".

[factotum]

OK, this is starting to get interesting. We're presumably about to see some memories that Iafa blocked off because they're not pleasant...wonder what they're going to be?

[Kornaki]

I think iafa's fake death was for exactly the reason she stated; Chinook was eventually going to decide it wasn't worth the effort of saving the humans, and giving herself up was the only way to save them.

[Xanyo]

Possibility: Iafa has migrated back into the main station systems. The systems on the ship were important, so she did lose important functions, but now she can play the same role Chinook did as a Tagii imprint on Ennesby, but with backup, and a bigger, more maze-like, system. May be able to invade Long Gun systems and prevent Chinook from using them. May also encounter some ancient and unusual parts of herself, as she may wander the metaphorical alleyways, and that's where some of her memories are.

Does "I was right twice" dance

[Lvl 2 Expert]

Did anyone else read today's (Sunday's) strip and think "Evasive maneuvers!"?

[factotum]

OK, I can't help but think here that the last three strips could easily have been combined into one--why do we need three full strips to tell us that Chinook has missed with three long gun shots? I think one six-panel strip would have told us that just as well, and that's even assuming we didn't get the message that something is messing with her targeting after *two* misses.

[hajo]

three long gun shots .. something is messing with her targeting

I'm wondering who/what is providing the targeting-data in the first place.

[Narkis]

OK, I can't help but think here that the last three strips could easily have been combined into one--why do we need three full strips to tell us that Chinook has missed with three long gun shots? I think one six-panel strip would have told us that just as well, and that's even assuming we didn't get the message that something is messing with her targeting after *two* misses.

It needed two strips at a minimum to demonstrate that his wasn't an isolated incident. The third is a bit superfluous, I grant you, but it drives home the fact that she fires on anyone with a long gun and keeps missing.

[factotum]

It needed two strips at a minimum to demonstrate that his wasn't an isolated incident. The third is a bit superfluous, I grant you, but it drives home the fact that she fires on anyone with a long gun and keeps missing.

But why did it need to be three separate strips and not, say, three panels of a single strip?

[Max_Killjoy]

But why did it need to be three separate strips and not, say, three panels of a single strip?

One thing might be that Howard writes and formats the strip with the eventual book in mind... he may have a reveal page in mind that only works if he does it this way.

[Kantaki]

„Does the problem go away if I chamber antipersonnel rounds instead of syringes?”

I like that robot.
Kinda reminds me of HK-47.

[PraetorDragoon]

Now thats a good robot.

[Kornaki]

To be honest, I can't really imagine the disaster because the last time we heard elf talk it was in March. I barely remember who she is talking to, let alone what she said.

[memnarch]

To be honest, I can't really imagine the disaster because the last time we heard elf talk it was in March. I barely remember who she is talking to, let alone what she said.

The gist of it is that the ship had been stolen by some of the kitten cowards, the Toughs took over the ship, then one of the Toughs ships got blown up by what seemed to be a long gun blast, which caused a bunch of issues, including them fighting the government for a bit, then running away.

[Kornaki]

The gist of it is that the ship had been stolen by some of the kitten cowards, the Toughs took over the ship, then one of the Toughs ships got blown up by what seemed to be a long gun blast, which caused a bunch of issues, including them fighting the government for a bit, then running away.

So they're worried about the kitten government learning about the ship being stolen?

[Rockphed]

So they're worried about the kitten government learning about the ship being stolen?

If the kitten government learns that the ship was stolen, and thus the Uuplechan Free Navy (or whatever absurd name Srabben Shipthief was flying under) are pirates, the UFN will find themselves hunted to extinction.

[HandofShadows]

It just occurred to me. Is Schlock not eating people anymore? Killing, yes of course.

[factotum]

It just occurred to me. Is Schlock not eating people anymore? Killing, yes of course.

Um, what makes you think he didn't just eat the two kitties behind the glass? The third panel of yesterday's strip definitely showed him as having engulfed the one on the left.

[Max_Killjoy]

I love how quickly Ellen figures it out for herself, and again, the deadpan makes me smile.

[Gnoman]

Wait, I just got something. These are felinoids, and one of Schlock's favorite foods is live kittens. I'm going to be disappointed if this doesn't get mentioned.

[HandofShadows]

Well, he was eating them, but stopped when he figured out an easier way. So are they dead or KOed?

Now this brings up another question. For how long has Schlock been a chemistry set of death? We now he could eat almost anything, but this is different.

[NEO|Phyte]

Well, he was eating them, but stopped when he figured out an easier way. So are they dead or KOed?

Now this brings up another question. For how long has Schlock been a chemistry set of death? We now he could eat almost anything, but this is different.

We've known he's a chemistry set for a long while, but I'm pretty sure this is the first instance of it being actively used outside of ingestion. Or possibly second, if you consider that time he acid bath'd to clean the smell of decomposition off himself and ennessby back in Haven Hive or whatever it was called.

[Onyavar]

If the kitten government learns that the ship was stolen, and thus the Uuplechan Free Navy (or whatever absurd name Srabben Shipthief was flying under) are pirates, the UFN will find themselves hunted to extinction.

Will they? Really? So far, I can't remember having seen an Uuples who was genuinely happy to work with "aliens". To me it looks, like their entire society
- is xenophobic in general, but flexible enough to recognize when there are benefits in suppressing the phobia
- is repressed/cowed under the powerful outside influence
- is insufficiently armed to be openly hostile

Whenever we have been shown cooperative Uuples, they were outmatched by aliens, or in dire need. However, all Uuples who had advantage of numbers or even power, have been shown as increasingly hostile or at least unresponsive to cooperation. They do have distinctive personalities and thresholds, sure - but I'm not convinced if even the cute blue kitten who is currently a nice little assistant, would welcome the mercenaries if he had a guaranteed means to drive them off without consequences.

I see them as similar to the Ob'enn with the difference that they don't have a warfleet to back up their xenophobia. So they can't go on a extermination war against all foreign influence in their system, because that would have dire consequences.
That also means that, given proof of the UFN war crimes, they would only condemn them publicly, while still silently support "their patriots". On that premise, the "Hunting them to extinction" will only happen if the Uuplechan military is faced with a threat of extinction itself.

Actually, the Uuplekittens are a lot like humans. Imagine our society in a friendly first contact with 4m tall ugly space driders covered in slime. They have shown up, peacefully purchased an area in the Brasil jungles in exchange for a lease of technology so that we can go and colonize our solar system. They have done nothing that makes them untrustworthy, except... they are still huge aliens two times taller than an average human, who look like ugly driders and are covered in slime. Given the basic human fear of spiders: would we tolerate them as neighbors and coworkers in our space stations, unless absolutely necessary?

Well, he was eating them, but stopped when he figured out an easier way. So are they dead or KOed?

Now this brings up another question. For how long has Schlock been a chemistry set of death? We now he could eat almost anything, but this is different.

I figured that Schlock looked up what chemical they don't like, raided a supply store of that, and injects them on the go.

My guess is also that he only ate the ones that he overheard plotting murder or framing or suppressing the truth. But he KO'ed all others because he has basic morals now and he can't know if they are all hostile.

[Xanyo]

Teff(blue kitty) is lending a hand in fixing up a cyborg space serpent and was working on a refinery with plenty of xenos. I think he's chill with all the aliens.
The kitty captain "in charge" of the resuscitation project is pro immigration, so it's definitely not all of them that are xenophobic. Just a significant majority.

P.S. I garuntee that some humans would go out of their way to work with the hypothetical drider aliens.