Endtown by Aaron Neathery for May 29, 2012

  1. Wally avatar
    JanBic Premium Member almost 12 years ago

    So the ship AI controls the dittos?!

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  2. 3goddessxxxx
    dirtyoldlady1  almost 12 years ago

    What one ditto knows they all know?? The message was already broadcast? Flask looks scared. I love the way that ditto churned up the dust to get away.Blessed BE

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  3. Idano
    Ida No  almost 12 years ago

    “I’m hoping the AI has the ditto rejoining the group because the work to be done is the salvation of Blackie!”Well, to accomplish that, it’s probably going to need Marx’s help, because right now the ship is enabling Flask’s more destructive side. Run, little ditto, run!

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  4. Wally avatar
    JanBic Premium Member almost 12 years ago

    Yeah, I had that thought as well.

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    GreyAcumen  almost 12 years ago

    Still confused why an ai that was supposedly designed by ridiculously cutthroat race would have such a pleasant demeanor.

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  6. Lh 50
    Level_Head  almost 12 years ago

    The ship is related, it seems: Ditto-kind? The dittos have smarts, too. But what sort of mind? The ship face is ditto-like; that much is plain But is it a hive mind, or is there a brain? Flask is uneasy, and gripping the chair Look at her face; trauma’s visible there She can be symathetic, but if I had my druthers I’d see her cause rather less trauma to others! =|====/ Level Head Vote for Endtown 2.0 And for Doc Rat, too The Endtown Forum Charter member of the Consortium to get Aaron a Tablet

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  7. Docrat logo avatar
    Jenner Premium Member almost 12 years ago

    This feels… really creepy. Flask is paralysed with nihilistic catatonia. She is driving the ship towards destruction, and the aritificial intelligence is trying to administer emergency psychotherapy in the hope she may countermand her order. So, it is starting to probe and massage her, to stimulate her and….it makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.Racing through the skies to genocide. Will there be enough time for a climactic, tormented flashback that will change her mind and save the day?Indeed, can Captain Flask be healed?Wally can’t change the scarring past he has lived through, and the people who committed atrocities in his name may well all be dead now, certainly out of his reach. His only recourse is never to give the satisfaction of victory that kind of person. To stay sane, he can never help Flask for her own advantage, But one way or another, he may have to.Petey loved Flask, but now she has grown away from him . He knows her secrets. The secrets are the key to the horrors of what she is doing. The horrors must be stopped, ergo the secrets must come out. Linda hates being alive in her new form, and she hates the Topsiders who betrayed her, but the one thing left to her that she can understand any sense in doing is to protect her son. The ship is on its way to kill him.Marx seemed omniscient and omnipotent, certainly feckless and dismissive. Now, his cocksureness could possibly be starting to look misplaced. As was once said: “One of these days you’re going to make a mistake, and I want to be around when it happens.” Oh, Mister Neathery, you have put all the pieces in place on the board, now comes the end play. And it is exquisite!Write on!

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  8. Docrat logo avatar
    Jenner Premium Member almost 12 years ago

    Flask doesn’t have to crash the ship into the city dome. She only has to reverse the pic-up chutes anddrop some junk on it. Then she can move on to the next one.I wonder how Petey would react if she tried to drop the transporter?

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  9. Tamandua walkies
    crookedwolf Premium Member almost 12 years ago

    Someone throw cold water on Gatocat. Icy cold water.

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  10. Erroll for ror
    celeconecca  almost 12 years ago

    I’m so creeped out right now.

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  11. Comic pipe
    Targuman.org Premium Member almost 12 years ago

    I don’t think they are dittos….

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    Storm F-1/4  almost 12 years ago

    We are definitely not in Kansas anymore…..So would one ditto be a datto?

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  13. Version 2
    dwandelt Premium Member almost 12 years ago

    No doubt the dittos have been enlisted for a specific task: displaying ship status and control information. The ones that have gone with AM are perhaps renegades.They’re not supposed to have independent minds! I hate to say how familiar that sounds!!

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  14. Version 2
    dwandelt Premium Member almost 12 years ago

    DOL1— Not sure “scared” is what I’d call that look. More like lost in a storm of “nothing to lose” emotion.

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  15. Formal cat
    JusSayin  almost 12 years ago

    Blackie is just speeding away Thought she was James Dean for a day Then I guess she had to crash Valium would have helped that bash Said, “Hey, babe Take a walk on the wild side” I said, “Hey, honey Take a walk on the wild side”Does this to do with Flask call for Thorazine or Ketamine darts? Better fetch the Orange Ketamine.(Most of the lyrics by Lou Reed, before he went over to the mild side and selling Vespa Scooters.)Namaste Ya’ll

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  16. Formal cat
    JusSayin  almost 12 years ago

    Does Flask know Aaron Marx controls dittoes? She saw his magic tricks and disappeared and was replaced by dittoes but was exploring while Holly and Wally were exposed to Marx’s ditto holodeck.I am interested in finding if they actually approaching a city or if all but Marx have to share the illusion of a giant holodeck for Flask’s healing to work. I suspect Linda will sober up enough to deal with Flask to bring the shared m maternal loss. Or not. Buckle up and make sure your seats and trays are in a locked and upright position.Namaste Ya’ll

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  17. Missing large
    ConstanzeN  almost 12 years ago

    I meant….You can catch more flies with honey then with vinegar. No (you) between Then and With. Sorry about that. :o)

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  18. A racoon
    relwod  almost 12 years ago

    Not sure about the “Pleasant demeanour” the last two panels look rather menacing to me…

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  19. Deficon
    Coyoty Premium Member almost 12 years ago

    Assuming the Lucranians are aliens and the dittos are Lucranian technology, then Sparkplug’s neighborhood may be a Lucranian salvage claim and the dittos are there to protect the investment from claim jumpers. They may have gone feral if they were neglected.As psychically driven data structures, the dittos appear to emulate their “owners”, reflecting their id. They are Id monsters. As the closest independent mind, Sparkplug’s id would most influence the dittos in his neighborhood. The Lucranians may not have expected any intelligences to still be living in the area.Marx’s pool of dittos, possibly his “keys” or “manual”, might not have had contact with the ship’s dittos since he got them, so the ship may not know he’s the new owner instead of Flask. It may have got a notice that a new captain was coming aboard, but as stowaways in the latest acquisition, Flask and company were not expected. Marx got to them before getting to the bridge, and Flask got to the bridge before he could establish his credentials. He might not have bothered to consult the “manual” to learn how to operate his new vehicle, leading to all the confusion.Or Shipface is just an evil rogue AI.

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  20. Me on trikke 2007    05
    pam Miner  almost 12 years ago

    Dittos can go feral? What do they do when they go feral? Is the ship’s conscience the main thing that is in control?

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  21. Kilo icon
    WelshRat Premium Member almost 12 years ago

    I’m now worried for a ditto.Annoyingly good writing!

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  22. Missing large
    ConstanzeN  almost 12 years ago

    A Ditto evolving into a Ditti..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25e1oRbJAb4..

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  23. Rori poster
    SapphireDragonStudios  almost 12 years ago

    Oh my. =o

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  24. Docrat logo avatar
    Jenner Premium Member almost 12 years ago

    The winners of the Ursa Major Awards will be announced at Califur, June 1-3. I don’t know which date exactly the award announcements will be. http://www.califur.com/2012/

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