Wapsi Square Forum

Atsali must have just remembered that part.

"Thank you for initiating the self destruct device! Self-destruct starts in ten, nine..."

EDIT: You only got me because I screwed up the subject.

Well, that sounds like an "Oops!"

Run. Away. Now.

The information Atsali picked up "en passant" does explain a good deal, both directly and indirectly... but somehow I doubt that Katherine is going to find it particularly comforting in the short term.

A naturally-nuclear-powered self-destruct. Paul, as Friday cliffhangers go, this is definitely one of your better ones!

Aaand, it sounds as if those folks really hadn't learned much from the destruction of Lanthis, and were (expletive deleted) crazy even before they contracted Tagii syndrome. I wonder if they're truly gone, or just hiding out in a USB data stick in the corner and hoping to sneak out in somebody's pocket (or hindbrain).

Maybe they should try to find the cancellation button?

"Counting down. Ten. Nine. Eight. Six."
"Six?! What happened to seven?!"
"Just kidding."

Love Atsali's expression in the final panel.

"

Let's see if I'm understanding this.

"... Self Destruct IF the crystals are ever emptied."

Which is to say if anyone attempts to revive the (now, if not previously, insane) Lanthians/Anasazi, the whole place goes Boom to stop the attempt.

Er -- who set that up again?

OK, no problem. Just turn on the stargate and GTFO. Watch the news later to see the aftermath.

MerchManDan wrote:OK, no problem. Just turn on the stargate and GTFO. Watch the news later to see the aftermath.

"I'm sorry, unable to activate stargating function. System reserve power has been rerouted on a priority basis to the implosion initiation array, and will be unavailable until shortly after implosion commences. If you feel you have reached this recording in error, please stand by... a customer service representative from the Lakhenaten undersea dome will be with you shortly. The current call wait time is approximately 20 minutes."

*click*

(Music-on-hold begins)

"Tamper implosion in 15 seconds. Please extinguish all smoking materials."

Okey Dokey. Does this all mean she just now dumped all the crystal contents, or were they already dumped long before? I think it means she just dumped them because she brought up the self destruct if they were ever emptied. Way to go, Atsali; Destroyer of Thousands. Poke in something you should not have touched and kill off an entire civilization. Of course, she just finished the job Brandi started. In the final analysis, it's all on her shoulders. Unless, of course, hundreds of thousands of individuals now reside in Atsali. Seems unlikely though.

If they were "awake" while in the crystals, it's little wonder they went crazy. um, crazier. An army of golems? Seems like just a few would do the trick.

Ruh-roh Raggy....

Where is Sydney Poiter when you need him?

Why do I get the feeling that Kath and Atsali are going to look like Jin and Monica during their island searching phase at the end of this trip? Scraped, bruised and slightly singed around the edges...

*Drops an oddly shaped Schwarovsky Crystal in the pun slot...*

Atomic wrote:Let's see if I'm understanding this.

"... Self Destruct IF the crystals are ever emptied."

Which is to say if anyone attempts to revive the (now, if not previously, insane) Anasazi, the whole place goes Boom to stop the attempt.

Er -- who set that up again?

....oh. Oh dear. Ms. Oduya takes the term "scorched-earth policy" to a new height. Or depth, as the case may be.

Kath: Such a shame, the complete loss of two ancient cultures, ancient technology, ancient knowle....Did, you just say 'self destruct device'?

I do not think it will be a nuke. I think the 'natural' uranium deposit will be artificially enriched to create an unstopably molten mass that 'China Syndromes' it's way down until it reaches a magma chamber, then bango, we got a new volcano in Mapimi!

Edit: Evidence of this was discovered in 1972 in Gabon, Africa - I remember reading an article about it in Scientific American Magazine while I was in high school. (I graduated HS in 1974) The natural ones haven't ever (far as we know) China Syndromed before, but this sounds like a perfect way to dispose of the evidence.....

Atsali, prioritize your information! Self-destruct is much more important than crazy people go bye-bye...

DilyV wrote:Why do I get the feeling that Kath and Atsali are going to look like Jin and Monica during their island searching phase at the end of this trip? Scraped, bruised and slightly singed around the edges...

In Atsali's case, the situation gives new meaning to Dr. Venkman's angry "Ok. This chick is toast!"

Unfortunately, unlike real toast, I don't think you can just scrape the burned bits off of a Siren

You can. But it will not be pleasant for either of you.

Dave wrote:

MerchManDan wrote:OK, no problem. Just turn on the stargate and GTFO. Watch the news later to see the aftermath.

"I'm sorry, unable to activate stargating function. System reserve power has been rerouted on a priority basis to the implosion initiation array, and will be unavailable until shortly after implosion commences. If you feel you have reached this recording in error, please stand by... a customer service representative from the Lakhenaten undersea dome will be with you shortly. The current call wait time is approximately 20 minutes."

*click*

(Music-on-hold begins)

"Tamper implosion in 15 seconds. Please extinguish all smoking materials."

Atomic wrote:Let's see if I'm understanding this.

"... Self Destruct IF the crystals are ever emptied."

Which is to say if anyone attempts to revive the (now, if not previously, insane) Lanthians/Anasazi, the whole place goes Boom to stop the attempt.

Er -- who set that up again?

Probably Brandi.

Now for the bad thoughts. If the self destruct is to stop the revival then it will have to happen quickly! It doesn't take that long to store them, and should take the same time to decant them. Sali has been talking during the time the self destruct should be counting down. I doubt there is even a count down as this appears to be a doomsday device for ultimate catastrophe. So the boom is not far off in time.

Now naturally occurring concentrated uranium is rare and is not prone to explode. A chain reaction will need to be started so a triggering device is needed to start the process. Usually a slow neutron source with high density of them. The other way is plutonium which is how the first bombs were built. Setting off a nuke in the zone is going to draw all sorts of unwanted attention. Plus naturally occurring uranium is U235 which can go off but not as well as U238 will. The only way to get pure U238 is separating it out of uranium deposits. With a mix the reaction is slowed down and a lot of the force is lost.

Final question where did the crazies go after they escaped? That could be crucial to what happens next.

..uh, oh... And not a good mine-cart in sight.

Oh, wait. This is going to be a melt-down. Seems better to get rid of the crystals forever. A big badaboom would only spread them around I guess.

Ohkay. better get-out the marshmallows I think, orr..like.. RUUUUUUUUNNNNN! and *plop* through the stargate. Where Brandi is probably waiting, wanting to hear if her complex plan to get rid of the obsessive-compulsive golem-makers, worked.

You now have ..... minutes to reach minimum safe distance.