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Post by Elysium on Sept 8, 2014 7:01:16 GMT
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Post by Gotolei on Sept 8, 2014 7:03:22 GMT
One would think that Annie has tried to remove the tag by now, right..?
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Post by arf on Sept 8, 2014 7:06:03 GMT
I'd say it's definitely time to blink on and see where Lindsey fits into this scheming.
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Post by csj on Sept 8, 2014 7:13:02 GMT
One would think that Annie has tried to remove the tag by now, right..? If it was that easy, we'd know by now. That said, really surprised they can't contact the shore; all they'd need is a decent longwave radio which has near-worldwide coverage. Provided there's no deliberate jamming (e: longwave is rarely jammed these days due to most communication using far higher frequencies), those can transmit extremely long distances. That said, even MF radios would be able to transmit a maritime distress call far enough. Not even going to touch on satellites, or the even cooler moon-bouncing. |
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Post by fwip on Sept 8, 2014 7:18:22 GMT
Two things: Annie seems to be taking command, possibly guided by her role as a medium and by the fact that she is the most senior and possibly the most powerful ethericite there. The robots seem to be acting entirely on their own initiative at this point. Relevant: gunnerkrigg.com/?p=894I can't wait to see how this plays out. It's great to see the students pulling together as a team. |
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Post by philman on Sept 8, 2014 7:24:29 GMT
One would think that Annie has tried to remove the tag by now, right..? If it was that easy, we'd know by now. That said, really surprised they can't contact the shore; all they'd need is a decent longwave radio which has near-worldwide coverage. Provided there's no deliberate jamming (e: longwave is rarely jammed these days due to most communication using far higher frequencies), those can transmit extremely long distances. That said, even MF radios would be able to transmit a maritime distress call far enough. Not even going to touch on satellites, or the even cooler moon-bouncing. One would have assumed the ship would have thought of that already. However cue montage of the students avidly planning? Also, what about Jenny's power? She wasn't in the room to be tagged. |
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Post by SilverbackRon on Sept 8, 2014 7:28:53 GMT
However cue montage of the students avidly planning? Also, what about Jenny's power? She wasn't in the room to be tagged. Neither Jenny nor Jack have been tagged yet. Hopefully Jack still has some abilities left that may be useful. And they can try to warn any other students that weren't in the dance hall at the time to avoid getting tagged. |
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Post by eightyfour on Sept 8, 2014 7:31:10 GMT
So this is where Annie finally gives Jack the Blinker, making their couple status kinda official?  I'm guessing being shut down like this is going to have a boosting effect on her abilities afterwards, because right now she has to focus extra hard. It's like athletes go to training camps on high altitudes, where the air is thin, to get their bodies used to work a bit harder. |
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zirka
Full Member
I have become one with my anime and appear in backgrounds looking confused
Posts: 101
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Post by zirka on Sept 8, 2014 7:31:55 GMT
I'm really disturbed by how easy it seems to be to shut off all the etheric powers! That just doesn't sit right with me  I really hope Tom explains what's up with those papers and that they're not as simple as they seem. |
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Post by The Anarch on Sept 8, 2014 7:35:47 GMT
Also, what about Jenny's power? Behold her amazingly powerful powers of controversy!Or maybe now would be a really good time for her to do that whole Gamma/Zimmy-conglomeration-from-the-future reveal. |
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Post by csj on Sept 8, 2014 7:59:20 GMT
If it was that easy, we'd know by now. That said, really surprised they can't contact the shore; all they'd need is a decent longwave radio which has near-worldwide coverage. Provided there's no deliberate jamming (e: longwave is rarely jammed these days due to most communication using far higher frequencies), those can transmit extremely long distances. That said, even MF radios would be able to transmit a maritime distress call far enough. Not even going to touch on satellites, or the even cooler moon-bouncing. One would have assumed the ship would have thought of that already. Quite unlikely; the problem with LF isn't jamming so much as being really, really rare. Primarily due to being either old, or only used for special purposes. It also tends to take up a lot more space than those little two-way radios people use. MF is more frequently used though, making it a likely jamming target. So this is where Annie finally gives Jack the Blinker, making their couple status kinda official? Given he can do " that magical crap", I'd say this'd be the most probable way for them to phone home right now. He'll need some practise though, and the moment bots find the blinker stone, they might try to confiscate it. |
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Post by rafk on Sept 8, 2014 8:06:30 GMT
OK, at this point I'm starting to think that this is basically Residential: Advanced.
The Court loves this stuff. First the Dr Disaster scenarios- the students know they're scenarios, they're fairly basic but still require tactical planning and teamwork. Then Residential, which is also a scenario but without telling the students in advance. To keep it from being too traumatic it was in reasonably friendly environs and has laser cows. Now the students are older, and the powered students are way more in control of their powers, so the Court has to really ramp up the apparent danger AND suppress the powered students in order to make it a challenging exercise.
As with Residential, I suspect that the combination of Annie, Jack and co (especially since Jack apparently escaped the de-powering and Annie with blinker stone is able to resist it at least a little bit) is going to turn the tables on the scenario. Because the tables involve Zimmy, however, it will not surprise me if this goes to a much darker place than the staff stranded out in a field on the wrong side of a laser cow fence.
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freeman
Full Member
That 70's Coyote!
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Post by freeman on Sept 8, 2014 8:28:17 GMT
If it was that easy, we'd know by now. That said, really surprised they can't contact the shore; all they'd need is a decent longwave radio which has near-worldwide coverage. Provided there's no deliberate jamming (e: longwave is rarely jammed these days due to most communication using far higher frequencies), those can transmit extremely long distances. That said, even MF radios would be able to transmit a maritime distress call far enough. Not even going to touch on satellites, or the even cooler moon-bouncing. One would have assumed the ship would have thought of that already. However cue montage of the students avidly planning? Also, what about Jenny's power? She wasn't in the room to be tagged. Well, it's quite unlikely that any student would have brought a portable amateur radio along. The thingn is, GSM has much shorter range, so normally cruise ships have their own base station, it's easy to imagine that the ship could disable that along with all the rest of the communication equipment it has. (I don't know how that base station keeps in touch with rest of the cellular network as it moves, maybe through a satellite link?) |
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Post by zimmyzims on Sept 8, 2014 8:35:35 GMT
So, while everybody else was attacked by robots, these two got busy. I guess you can forgive a couple of teenagers taking their time to sort out their priorities.
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Post by csj on Sept 8, 2014 8:47:20 GMT
Also, what about Jenny's power? Behold her amazingly powerful powers of controversy!Or maybe now would be a really good time for her to do that whole Gamma/Zimmy-conglomeration-from-the-future reveal. Nah, we all know that Jenny is a Blank. |
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Post by keef on Sept 8, 2014 8:50:30 GMT
Not even going to touch on satellites, or the even cooler moon-bouncing. There are of course always other possibilities, like flares and smoke to alert Lindsey. So this is where Annie finally gives Jack the Blinker, making their couple status kinda official? Problem: He is with another girl now... OK, at this point I'm starting to think that this is basically Residential: Advanced. The way they organise themselves now also made me think of Residential (and the weird situation of having not one adult on board.) But... ...the Court must be well aware that Zimmy's powers are to dangerous to toy with. |
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Post by rafk on Sept 8, 2014 9:15:58 GMT
Jones was willing to basically turn Zimmingham on and off like a light in order to resolve the Jack situation. They are probably confident they can fix the situation if they need to. Student safety is not priority 1 around here, anyway.
Mind you, containing Zimmy in the event of disaster is a good reason to do this at sea, miles from anywhere and surrounded by water.
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Post by Elysium on Sept 8, 2014 9:21:04 GMT
Jones was willing to basically turn Zimmingham on and off like a light in order to resolve the Jack situation. They are probably confident they can fix the situation if they need to. Student safety is not priority 1 around here, anyway. It is, Jones turned on Zimmygham precisely to seva a student (Jack), it was the only way to resolve the situation. Here the Seraphs want to turn on Zimmygham to turn a boat with a whole year of students in it, it's not comparable. |
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Post by rafk on Sept 8, 2014 9:30:35 GMT
If student safety was job 1,they wouldn't be on a boat with Zimmy and noone but robots to supervise (robots who seem to mostly exist for smart kids to learn to bypass, and as we've seen teachers like Donny and Anja know that and haven't changed the system, you know it's meant to be that way).
Nor would Jones have used students to chase Jack down the spider hole. Nor would Annie have been allowed in harm's way in the Forest. Nor would the students have been left to fend for themselves in Residential. Nor would they have allowed Zimmy to wander the Court having occasional episodes.
The Court is willing to risk breaking eggs to train up more resourceful, brilliant omelettes.
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Post by Elysium on Sept 8, 2014 9:47:04 GMT
If student safety was job 1,they wouldn't be on a boat with Zimmy and noone but robots to supervise It was the ship's job to supervise the students, unfortunately the ship stabbed the court in the back. Nor would Jones have used students to chase Jack down the spider hole. Again, Jack's condition was a threat for him as well as everyone else, and the only silution was to get to the source. Nor would Annie have been allowed in harm's way in the Forest. Medium training. Nor would the students have been left to fend for themselves in Residential. Controlled and harmless environnement. Nor would they have allowed Zimmy to wander the Court having occasional episodes. Because locking her up and cause her stress to warp the Court to Zimmygham ? Plus her ethersink Gamma is always with her. She's free to wander because surveillance put her on edge, and Zimmy on edge spells trouble. The Court is willing to risk breaking eggs to train up more resourceful, brilliant omelettes. No, not like that. |
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Post by TBeholder on Sept 8, 2014 9:52:52 GMT
In light his last statement... how much hope there is that Jack is going to help with resolving this situation rather than add one more problem? One would think that Annie has tried to remove the tag by now, right..? If it was that easy, we'd know by now. That said, really surprised they can't contact the shore; all they'd need is a decent longwave radio which has near-worldwide coverage. Provided there's no deliberate jamming Provided what they have isn't all powered by the same ship. Also, what about Jenny's power? She wasn't in the room to be tagged. Good point! Heh, with Tom we are alert not just for guns over fireplace, but for vaguely gun-shaped spots suspiciously free of dust anywhere in the room. :] So this is where Annie finally gives Jack the Blinker, making their couple status kinda official? Right next to his current girlfriend?! Tsk, tsk. I'm really disturbed by how easy it seems to be to shut off all the etheric powers! That just doesn't sit right with me I really hope Tom explains what's up with those papers and that they're not as simple as they seem. Why? It's just another tool. It means nothing to be able to transport yourself anywhere, if you are a fool in all places.
- Jasra Here's a hope that Parley isn't... Given he can do " that magical crap", I'd say this'd be the most probable way for them to phone home right now. How? He'll need some practise though, and the moment bots find the blinker stone, they might try to confiscate it. They certainly might try. So... Annie can try a little underflow exploit on those robots? |
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Post by eightyfour on Sept 8, 2014 10:14:42 GMT
So this is where Annie finally gives Jack the Blinker, making their couple status kinda official? Problem: He is with another girl now... Right next to his current girlfriend?! Tsk, tsk. Are you really thinking this thing he has with Jenny is serious?  |
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Post by todd on Sept 8, 2014 10:42:57 GMT
If the Court *is* behind this as a scenario, then I'd be in favor of having every faculty member who agreed to the plan sacked - and maybe also placed on trial for child endangerment. Playing around with Zimmy's abilities is irresponsible and dangerous.
But in light of all the build-up about the religion Robot's been preaching and how increasingly sinister his sermons have been getting, I think that this is supposed to be the real-deal - the dark blossoming of that arc, the consequences of Robot's teachings. It wouldn't have as much significance if this was just a Court scheme with the robots only pretending to be fanatics.
(I've probably said this already in earlier threads, but I think that Zimmy's nightmare world will be the real problem here, not the robot takeover. I wouldn't be surprised if the robot takeover was this chapter's version of the guy who unleashes some terrible ancient force, thinking that it can help him achieve his goals - and is promptly annihilated by it.)
Incidentally, while we know what the ship's motivation is (and as I said, it must be a fool to think that Lindsey is going to overlook its treatment of her charges - would you endanger a group of children on a field trip to win the affections of their chaperone?), but what's the Seraph robots' reason for doing this? Apart, of course, from having become converted to Robot's "Creator Kat" proselytizing.
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Post by sidhekin on Sept 8, 2014 11:01:53 GMT
Playing around with Zimmy's abilities is irresponsible and dangerous. Zimmy at the Court is irresponsible and dangerous. ... if held to ordinary standards. The Court is involved in a dangerous and (at least seemingly) irresponsible scheme already, and has been for centuries. To the Court's standards, it may be that avoiding Zimmy and the risks involved, would be more irresponsible in the long run. Which is not to say that I think the Court is involved in this current situation. It doesn't fit their MO. For starters, it is a quite unlike Residential, which was a recurring game, unrelated to the students involved, while this is a unique situation, tailored to students Kat and Zeta. But irresponsible and dangerous? That's the Court, all right. |
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Post by keef on Sept 8, 2014 11:05:51 GMT
Problem: He is with another girl now... Right next to his current girlfriend?! Tsk, tsk. Are you really thinking this thing he has with Jenny is serious? That's the spirit! Ship it till it sinks.. I do think Annie and Jack will end up together, but not yet.. |
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Post by todd on Sept 8, 2014 11:08:02 GMT
... if held to ordinary standards. The Court is involved in a dangerous and (at least seemingly) irresponsible scheme already, and has been for centuries. Too true, unfortunately, and it seems odd that people like the Donlans, Eglamore, and Jones (who area all highly capable and responsible) should be on the staff of a school that would, if subjected to an inspection, be shut down or heavily reorganized in a hurry (except, of course, that the Court is apparently autonomous). But the evidence we have indicates that they're not part of the "inner circle" that runs the place, such as the Headmaster (who looks so cadaverous and worn-out that it's creepy). That might be part of the problem. |
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Post by Jelly Jellybean on Sept 8, 2014 11:08:21 GMT
The robots are shuffling all the students out of ballroom except Kat and Paz. The SailorBot in the second panel is definitely blocking Kat because she is required for their plan. But it doesn't look like they are forcing Paz to stay or go. Paz appears to be staying because she is hanging onto Kat. This is in contrast to all other students who were not tagged as threats and were still told to leave.
Perhaps I am wrong and the Bots will keep Paz in the ballroom if she tries to leave because they know they can use Paz to control Kat. But that is a very human approach and I don't know if the Bots would really think like that. I really think the Bots are obeying Kat's order to keep away from Paz and will continue obeying Kat's orders as long as it doesn't directly conflict with their plan.
I am a little surprised that we don't see Kat conflicted about whether Paz should stay with her or go with Annie. It might be safer for Paz to be as far away from Zimmy and the experiment, and as close to the lifeboats, as possible.
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Post by philman on Sept 8, 2014 11:18:32 GMT
If the Court *is* behind this as a scenario, then I'd be in favor of having every faculty member who agreed to the plan sacked - and maybe also placed on trial for child endangerment. Playing around with Zimmy's abilities is irresponsible and dangerous. Welcome to Gunnerkrigg Court, we let our students associate with immensly powerful and dangerous god-beings in the forest, are host to a staggaring array of strange and wonderful machinery, and have many students who can bend reality to their will at any time: Which is of course incredibly safe in hormonal teenagers... I agree with you here though, the ship is hopelessly misguided if it thinks this will win it Lindsey's affection. However at least it has a decent motive. The serephs are much more dangerous. They did not convert to Robot's religion, they tried to destroy him for it. They only decided to protect the Creator Kat when they saw and heard her directly. I wonder if they have their own motives that don't link up with Robot's at all. |
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Post by philman on Sept 8, 2014 11:21:35 GMT
... if held to ordinary standards. The Court is involved in a dangerous and (at least seemingly) irresponsible scheme already, and has been for centuries. Too true, unfortunately, and it seems odd that people like the Donlans, Eglamore, and Jones (who area all highly capable and responsible) should be on the staff of a school that would, if subjected to an inspection, be shut down or heavily reorganized in a hurry (except, of course, that the Court is apparently autonomous). It wouldn't surprise me if the UK government knows about the Court, but chooses to overlook many of it's aspects in return for them dealing with anything weird and supernatural that occurs. It's been said before the Court got involved on the Allies side in WW2, so presumably that was at the behest of the UK government. |
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Post by csj on Sept 8, 2014 11:29:14 GMT
Given he can do " that magical crap", I'd say this'd be the most probable way for them to phone home right now. How? He'll need some practise though, and the moment bots find the blinker stone, they might try to confiscate it. They certainly might try. So... Annie can try a little underflow exploit on those robots? Really simple. The blinker stone can be used effectively as an etheric flare, alerting lindsey at the very least to trouble brewing. Not to mention the blinker stone allowing communication with lindsey without leaving the ship. Annie might not have the power left over to do this, but Jack might. Which leads me to think those tags work by draining etheric force. They're seemingly non-invasive and based on annie's wording, suppress rather than stop the use of etheric abilities. |
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I'm guessing being shut down like this is going to have a boosting effect on her abilities afterwards, because right now she has to focus extra hard. It's like athletes go to training camps on high altitudes, where the air is thin, to get their bodies used to work a bit harder.
I really hope Tom explains what's up with those papers and that they're not as simple as they seem.
