Follow Her Lead 2013-06-10

[Timotheus]

Yeah, I was following that discussion when it first came up. I also have the three volume set of Get Medieval.

[Julie]

First of all, can I just say I was exceptionally pissed yesterday when Wapsi wouldn't load for me...which also meant I couldn't get to the forum...which means I'm only just now getting to see yesterday's page.

"Until all that was left was a SMILE. - Cheshire Cat Brandi.
Wow talk of Cold-blooded .... I mean ...... damn.
What about Kathy, Acacia and Atsali? Did that B**ch send her freinds to thier death?

I don't think SDO had any idea Bud was there. Sending Bud there doesn't further her plan. The anti-poiting is likely her work, but as a generic contingency, not specifically to handle Bud.

After all, Bud survives this.

Oh, and Kath and Atsali? No friends of hers. Monica will mourn Kath, but she won't know Brandi staged it. As far as she knows, all Brandi did was go looking for them, on Library's errand.

Except, Bud survives this ... and with a bit of quick thinking, should be able to save Kath and Atsali. And they can expose SDO.

(Then there's Tsillah and the Library itself. They know Brandi's brain is one of the stakes here. If they know anything about what Brandi has prepared, Bud's diverted poiting may well have been their work. On the other hand, they seemed to be missing info ("on the lost tribe"), so I'm unsure how deep their knowledge of Brandi's machinations is. On the gripping hand, someone diverted Bud ...)

I actually think that Bud being there was a part of her plan (since she told Kat to go to Mapimi to find her answers)...or maybe the Library's plan (since the Library was all about getting helping out some "lost" people per Tsillah's comment after playing operator). Bud's arrival and comment about being on her way somewhere else then getting misdirected is what led to Atsali unleashing some of her newfound knowledge and exposing the fact that Kat is the amalgamation of the six Etheitian babies. It's possible this would have come up eventually, but without Bud, there's not a chance for Atsali and Kat to survive the meltdown/explosion...so the arrival of Bud was necessary. Therefore someone planned it.

And I'm very firmly in the "doesn't like SDO" camp at this point. I want my Brandi back!

[Sidhekin]

I don't think SDO had any idea Bud was there. Sending Bud there doesn't further her plan. The anti-poiting is likely her work, but as a generic contingency, not specifically to handle Bud.

I actually think that Bud being there was a part of her plan (since she told Kat to go to Mapimi to find her answers)...or maybe the Library's plan (since the Library was all about getting helping out some "lost" people per Tsillah's comment after playing operator).

My (unstated) assumption is that SDO wants an end to the "looney" Etheitians. On that assumption, it would seem counter-productive to send someone in to save Atsali, through whom the Etheitians have escaped. Odd plan, even for a chessmaster.

On the other hand, if that's not her motivation, and she doesn't mind the Etheitians being rescued, then (a) colour me confused, and (b) that makes the entire anti-poit, self-destructive, no-other-way-out complex as pointless as it is poitless, methinks.

Someone diverted Bud. I'm not sure how much of it was planned, but someone put Bud right where she was needed.

The Library is my prime suspect, but unless it is misleading Tsillah, it is too short on info to be able to plan much. Of course, who knows what games it plays? Alternetively, the Library (or its agents) may have registered a seismic event building up (if they had sensors close enough) and acted quickly.

Atsali, the emerging human computer siren brain is my second suspect. She/it/they would remember that Acacia had expressed a calling to protect them, and subconsciously acted to divert her poit, probably through some of the complex functions controllable by the computer.

SDO is about on the bottom of my list. Though perhaps some other aspect of Brandi? Nah, too deus-ex-machina at this point: We have seen a Brandi who seemed aware of (and not liking) SDO, but there has been no sign of her during this adventure. Half-joking, but I consider Oscar a better candidate.

[Mark N]

And I'm very firmly in the "doesn't like SDO" camp at this point. I want my Brandi back!

I get the feeling so will Bud.

[Dave]

Half-joking, but I consider Oscar a better candidate.

I see what you did there!

[Julie]

I don't think SDO had any idea Bud was there. Sending Bud there doesn't further her plan. The anti-poiting is likely her work, but as a generic contingency, not specifically to handle Bud.

I actually think that Bud being there was a part of her plan (since she told Kat to go to Mapimi to find her answers)...or maybe the Library's plan (since the Library was all about getting helping out some "lost" people per Tsillah's comment after playing operator).

My (unstated) assumption is that SDO wants an end to the "looney" Etheitians. On that assumption, it would seem counter-productive to send someone in to save Atsali, through whom the Etheitians have escaped. Odd plan, even for a chessmaster.

On the other hand, if that's not her motivation, and she doesn't mind the Etheitians being rescued, then (a) colour me confused, and (b) that makes the entire anti-poit, self-destructive, no-other-way-out complex as pointless as it is poitless, methinks.

Someone diverted Bud. I'm not sure how much of it was planned, but someone put Bud right where she was needed.

The Library is my prime suspect, but unless it is misleading Tsillah, it is too short on info to be able to plan much. Of course, who knows what games it plays? Alternetively, the Library (or its agents) may have registered a seismic event building up (if they had sensors close enough) and acted quickly.

Atsali, the emerging human computer siren brain is my second suspect. She/it/they would remember that Acacia had expressed a calling to protect them, and subconsciously acted to divert her poit, probably through some of the complex functions controllable by the computer.

SDO is about on the bottom of my list. Though perhaps some other aspect of Brandi? Nah, too deus-ex-machina at this point: We have seen a Brandi who seemed aware of (and not liking) SDO, but there has been no sign of her during this adventure. Half-joking, but I consider Oscar a better candidate.

Oh I see what you're saying. This does tend to lead more towards the idea that The Library was behind Bud's diversion and the saving of Atsali and Kat...which was my original thought process before trying to think like a Chess Master got my mind all muddled. The Library wants the information on the lost tribe, so it would endeavor to save the person who downloaded all of the people's memories/knowledge.

I just really want SDO to not be as anger-inducing as she's turning out to be...so I'm hoping (but not holding my breath) that she planned for the escape route too.

[bmonk]

Follow her lead and dance to the tune she plays.

God damn, she's devious.

And just how many moves ahead does she plan?

I'm not sure I can count that high. The brilliance of her thinking is entirely beyond the pale.

OTOH:

Many years ago, the mighty Capablanca engaged in a rough and tumble chess game with a New York expert. ... Capa lost! ... "How far ahead do you think over the chessboard?" one of [the spectators] asked the Champion. And, as befitted the titleholder, the impressive reply came back: "Ten moves!"
"How far do YOU think ahead?" the winner of this particular contest was asked. And he replied, "I think one move ahead - but it is always the best move!"

[bmonk]

... images and suchlike ...

Solution.png

So, as little as I like to say it: in this case, it may be true that the Venn justifies the means.

(Deposits a complete set of sets that do not contain other sets of sets, into the Pun Jar. Fortunately the Jar's polydimensional nature prevents it from imploding.)

Just don't try to add sets that may, or may not, contain themselves. Or we might have to Gödel someone there's an incompleteness in the jar. On the other hand, has the jar ever been that consistent?

<Deposits a dog-eared copy of Principia Mathematica in the jar.>

[bmonk]

Diagrams notwithstanding, here is something I found a while back that SDO should read: "A choice between two evils is a flawed premise. There is always a choice which excludes evil. It's up to you to find it."

:like: :like: :like:

[Dave]

Just don't try to add sets that may, or may not, contain themselves. Or we might have to Gödel someone there's an incompleteness in the jar. On the other hand, has the jar ever been that consistent?

Awards that one a painful wince as if I'd bumped an inconsetent cyst.