It even predicted the need for a medium...

[drmemory]

"It [Omega] even predicted the need for a medium around the time I first came to Gunnerkrigg."

Ah, but did it predict who that medium should be?  Jones recommended Annie for the position.  When he appointed Andrew, Jones said "Jonathan, you are hiding something. This course of action makes no sense otherwise."  Hiding direction from Omega?  Was it Omega who didn't want Annie to be the medium?  Jones could see it didn't make sense, and thus had to be due to some external factor or hidden information.

Then the Headmaster got mad when Coyote offered her the Forest medium position instead.  Mad because it was going against what Omega wanted or predicted?  He even tried to threaten her, but everyone else lined up behind Annie (metaphorically).

So Smitty was Omega's choice, and Annie was Coyote's choice.  I wonder if this was another instance of Coyote throwing a wrench into the Court's plans, just because it would be funny?    Maybe, at least in part - he always has plans within plans though.

If you want logic, I'd speculate that Omega wanted Smitty to help bring the forest under control and make it less wild and unpredictable.  He certainly didn't want someone with strong etheric powers doing the job!  Maybe he even thought Andrew's luck powers would be an advantage somehow.

Also, don't count out Jones!  She was almost certainly made suspicious by this and may well have been watching things all this time, trying to figure out what's going on.  I wouldn't be surprised if she showed up in the NP compound soon.

[Isildur]

Why describe Omega as a he? So far it seems like some sort of machine (operated by the court) with no will of its own (that we're aware of).

[warrl]

Apr 5, 2022 20:00:28 GMT Isildur said:

Why describe Omega as a he? So far it seems like some sort of machine (operated by the court) with no will of its own (that we're aware of).

Well, in the sort of deterministic universe the Court is apparently trying to create, one can't really say that ANYTHING has a will of its own, because either (a) nothing you do matters at all, or (b) your choices of what to do are predetermined.

[drmemory]

Apr 5, 2022 20:00:28 GMT Isildur said:

Why describe Omega as a he? So far it seems like some sort of machine (operated by the court) with no will of its own (that we're aware of).

Because I don't have the energy to keep saying "he, she, or it".  I'm fairly old and when I was young, male was the default gender for things, if there wasn't already a contrary tradition (such as feminine pronouns for ships).  Honestly, I mean nothing by it, and figured defaulting to "he" until we know otherwise was safe enough.  It is, or was, a computer or computer program... or maybe something closer to a specialized robot.

Also, I think it likely that Omega is sentient.  That's why I keep talking about him (sigh) as either working for the court or causing the court to follow his will/directions.  So I suppose I've sort of anthropomorphized Omega.  I regret nothing!

[atteSmythe]

Apr 5, 2022 15:26:34 GMT drmemory said:

"It [Omega] even predicted the need for a medium around the time I first came to Gunnerkrigg."

Ah, but did it predict who that medium should be?  Jones recommended Annie for the position.  When he appointed Andrew, Jones said "Jonathan, you are hiding something. This course of action makes no sense otherwise."  Hiding direction from Omega?  Was it Omega who didn't want Annie to be the medium?  Jones could see it didn't make sense, and thus had to be due to some external factor or hidden information.

Then the Headmaster got mad when Coyote offered her the Forest medium position instead.  Mad because it was going against what Omega wanted or predicted?  He even tried to threaten her, but everyone else lined up behind Annie (metaphorically).

So Smitty was Omega's choice, and Annie was Coyote's choice.  I wonder if this was another instance of Coyote throwing a wrench into the Court's plans, just because it would be funny?    Maybe, at least in part - he always has plans within plans though.

If you want logic, I'd speculate that Omega wanted Smitty to help bring the forest under control and make it less wild and unpredictable.  He certainly didn't want someone with strong etheric powers doing the job!  Maybe he even thought Andrew's luck powers would be an advantage somehow.

Also, don't count out Jones!  She was almost certainly made suspicious by this and may well have been watching things all this time, trying to figure out what's going on.  I wouldn't be surprised if she showed up in the NP compound soon.

It could be that the headmaster was trying to disprove Omega - Omega said that Annie would be the medium. Jonathan chose Smitty instead, as a demonstration that Omega didn't work. That could be why Jones said it didn't make sense - she could be privy to Omega's predictions.

When Coyote offered Antimony the position, he could have unwittingly satisfied the prophecy. Jonathan could have been upset because Omega worked, and he simply misinterpreted the output.

[maxptc]

Apr 7, 2022 19:36:11 GMT atteSmythe said:

Apr 5, 2022 15:26:34 GMT drmemory said:

"It [Omega] even predicted the need for a medium around the time I first came to Gunnerkrigg."

Ah, but did it predict who that medium should be?  Jones recommended Annie for the position.  When he appointed Andrew, Jones said "Jonathan, you are hiding something. This course of action makes no sense otherwise."  Hiding direction from Omega?  Was it Omega who didn't want Annie to be the medium?  Jones could see it didn't make sense, and thus had to be due to some external factor or hidden information.

Then the Headmaster got mad when Coyote offered her the Forest medium position instead.  Mad because it was going against what Omega wanted or predicted?  He even tried to threaten her, but everyone else lined up behind Annie (metaphorically).

So Smitty was Omega's choice, and Annie was Coyote's choice.  I wonder if this was another instance of Coyote throwing a wrench into the Court's plans, just because it would be funny?    Maybe, at least in part - he always has plans within plans though.

If you want logic, I'd speculate that Omega wanted Smitty to help bring the forest under control and make it less wild and unpredictable.  He certainly didn't want someone with strong etheric powers doing the job!  Maybe he even thought Andrew's luck powers would be an advantage somehow.

Also, don't count out Jones!  She was almost certainly made suspicious by this and may well have been watching things all this time, trying to figure out what's going on.  I wouldn't be surprised if she showed up in the NP compound soon.

It could be that the headmaster was trying to disprove Omega - Omega said that Annie would be the medium. Jonathan chose Smitty instead, as a demonstration that Omega didn't work. That could be why Jones said it didn't make sense - she could be privy to Omega's predictions.

When Coyote offered Antimony the position, he could have unwittingly satisfied the prophecy. Jonathan could have been upset because Omega worked, and he simply misinterpreted the output.

Omega: WHEN ANNIE IS MADE MEDIUM THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FORREST AND COURT WILL GROW EVER CLOSER

Headmaster: Well I just won't name her medium then.

Omega: I UNDERSTAND

[rafk]

Apr 7, 2022 19:36:11 GMT atteSmythe said:

Apr 5, 2022 15:26:34 GMT drmemory said:

"It [Omega] even predicted the need for a medium around the time I first came to Gunnerkrigg."

Ah, but did it predict who that medium should be?  Jones recommended Annie for the position.  When he appointed Andrew, Jones said "Jonathan, you are hiding something. This course of action makes no sense otherwise."  Hiding direction from Omega?  Was it Omega who didn't want Annie to be the medium?  Jones could see it didn't make sense, and thus had to be due to some external factor or hidden information.

Then the Headmaster got mad when Coyote offered her the Forest medium position instead.  Mad because it was going against what Omega wanted or predicted?  He even tried to threaten her, but everyone else lined up behind Annie (metaphorically).

So Smitty was Omega's choice, and Annie was Coyote's choice.  I wonder if this was another instance of Coyote throwing a wrench into the Court's plans, just because it would be funny?    Maybe, at least in part - he always has plans within plans though.

If you want logic, I'd speculate that Omega wanted Smitty to help bring the forest under control and make it less wild and unpredictable.  He certainly didn't want someone with strong etheric powers doing the job!  Maybe he even thought Andrew's luck powers would be an advantage somehow.

Also, don't count out Jones!  She was almost certainly made suspicious by this and may well have been watching things all this time, trying to figure out what's going on.  I wouldn't be surprised if she showed up in the NP compound soon.

It could be that the headmaster was trying to disprove Omega - Omega said that Annie would be the medium. Jonathan chose Smitty instead, as a demonstration that Omega didn't work. That could be why Jones said it didn't make sense - she could be privy to Omega's predictions.

When Coyote offered Antimony the position, he could have unwittingly satisfied the prophecy. Jonathan could have been upset because Omega worked, and he simply misinterpreted the output.

This seems very reasonable to me.