67||0|4682|5|yes
0|0|0|||1||Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||18:49:44|07/05/2006|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jul-05-06 AT 07:43 PM (EDT)]Things are kind of slow in Eyrie-land right now%2C for a variety of reasons.  So%2C since I haven%27t got much of anything fresh for you to read right now%2C I%27ll take your questions.  Go for it.  Seriously.  Ask anything you like.  Except in cases involving overly personal information or stuff I literally %5Bi%5Dcan%27t%5B%2Fi%5D answer%2C I%27ll answer.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bb%5DFair warning%3A%5B%2Fb%5D It seems likely %28in fact%2C it appears it%27s already happened%29 that people will ask for spoilers for upcoming EPU work in here.  If you don%27t want those%2C %5Bb%5Ddon%27t read this thread.%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
1|1|0|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|mdg1||19:32:02|07/05/2006|Two stories%2C one about UF%2C the other RL%0D%0A%0D%0AThe UF question%3A Who is CARDINAL%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AThe other%3A What genre %28fantasy%2Fsci-fi%2Fanime%29 project are you most looking forward to%3F%0D%0A
2|2|1|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||19:42:26|07/05/2006|%3EThe UF question%3A Who is CARDINAL%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ANo-op.  CARDINAL is not a %22who%22.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EThe other%3A What genre %28fantasy%2Fsci-fi%2Fanime%29 project are you most %0D%0A%3Elooking forward to%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AOf my own%3F  Or upcoming from some mass-market source%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
3|3|2|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|mdg1||19:55:41|07/05/2006|%3E%3EThe UF question%3A Who is CARDINAL%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ENo-op.  CARDINAL is not a %22who%22. %0D%0A%0D%0AInteresting...%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%3EThe other%3A What genre %28fantasy%2Fsci-fi%2Fanime%29 project are you most %0D%0A%3E%3Elooking forward to%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EOf my own%3F  Or upcoming from some mass-market source%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AThe latter.  Tho if you feel like answering the former too%2C go for it. %3A%29
4|4|3|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||20:41:17|07/05/2006|%3E%3E%3EThe other%3A What genre %28fantasy%2Fsci-fi%2Fanime%29 project are you most %0D%0A%3E%3E%3Elooking forward to%3F %0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EOf my own%3F  Or upcoming from some mass-market source%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EThe latter.  Tho if you feel like answering the former too%2C go for it.%0D%0A%0D%0AHmm.  Tough to say... %0D%0A%0D%0AThis will probably come as a shock to some folks out there%2C but I don%27t really %5Bi%5Ddo%5B%2Fi%5D anime any more.  I think the last show I tried to follow in any depth was %5Bi%5DHeat Guy J%5B%2Fi%5D%2C and I only got about halfway through that.  No%2C I lie.  I tried to get into %5Bi%5DFull Metal Alchemist%5B%2Fi%5D on the Cartoon Network at one point and made it about four episodes.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere%27s no single reason for this.  It%27s not even that %5Bi%5DJ%5B%2Fi%5D or %5Bi%5DAlchemist%5B%2Fi%5D are bad shows - heck%2C I liked %5Bi%5DJ%5B%2Fi%5D enough to steal some stuff from it.  I just got tired of a lot of the tropes%2C the obligatory flourishes%2C and the cliches in the material and in the fandom itself.  It got to the point where it was kind of like listening to my fourth-grade teacher play the piano.  She knew a lot of songs%2C but she managed to make every one of them sound pretty much the same.%0D%0A%0D%0ADitto for fantasy - it%27s not really my cup of tea.  Sure%2C I read the original %5Bi%5DDragonlance Chronicles%5B%2Fi%5D trilogy in high school%2C and a few of the early %5Bi%5DForgotten Realms%5B%2Fi%5D novels - and a bunch of early %5Bi%5DConan%5B%2Fi%5D%2C which I suppose counts%2C and is if anything more legit than the rest because it%27s not based on somebody%27s game diaries - but by and large that genre doesn%27t do much for me.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat leaves sci-fi.  Hmm.  Specific projects I%27m looking forward to...  Sadly%2C I think I%27ve reached the point where most%2C if not all%2C of my favorite SF authors are dead%2C and%2C as such%2C there really aren%27t any upcoming projects to look forward to on that front.%0D%0A%0D%0AStill%2C %22sci-fi%22 covers some pretty wide territory.  I%27m sure there%27s %5Bi%5Dsomething%5B%2Fi%5D in the works I%27ve heard about lately and been at least a bit excited about%2C but not so excited that anything jumps out at me.  The relentless tide of comic-book movies continues.  The trailer for %5Bi%5DGhost Rider%5B%2Fi%5D looks like it might not be terrible%2C but I wouldn%27t really say I%27m looking forward to it so much as figuring I%27ll probably catch it when it comes out.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn the world of actual comics%2C all is sadness and desolation%2C except possibly %5Bi%5DInvincible%5B%2Fi%5D%2C and even that%27s kind of edging toward the shark tank at this point%3B Kirkman%27s been doing too much work for Marvel%2C it%27s poisoning his synapses.%0D%0A%0D%0ATV-wise%2C I need to catch up on %5Bi%5DDoctor Who%5B%2Fi%5D - I%27ve fallen five or six episodes behind the UK airings - but what little has filtered through my shields about the eps since %5Bi%5DThe Idiot%27s Lantern%5B%2Fi%5D doesn%27t exactly fill me with eagerness.  Which is a shame%2C since the series started with such promise.  Maybe I%27ll be pleasantly surprised%3B I need to get around to finding out one of these days.  Apart from that... I dunno%2C are they even still %5Bi%5Ddoing%5B%2Fi%5D sci-fi on TV any more%3F%0D%0A%0D%0ASo yeah%2C I%27m not really %5Bi%5Ddoing%5B%2Fi%5D much genre-wise these days.  I%27ve been mostly reading non-fiction lately.  On that front%2C I think I%27m most eagerly awaiting %5Bi%5DThe Mutineer%5B%2Fi%5D%2C the third compilation of the late Hunter S. Thompson%27s correspondence%2C but that%27s not due out until January 1%2C 2007%2C so I have some time to wait.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
5|1|0|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|sideways||23:23:15|07/05/2006|All right%2C I%27ll bite%3A Where did the Dark Lord of the Sith get his body regenerated%3F Who in their right mind would do it%3F I mean%2C it%27s not like he%27s going to trust his body to people who %2Aaren%27t%2A in their right minds. He can tell.%0D%0A%0D%0AMike Thedford%0D%0ACollege Town%0D%0AShopkeep at Large
7|2|5|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||00:37:26|07/06/2006|%3EAll right%2C I%27ll bite%3A Where did the Dark Lord of the Sith get his body %0D%0A%3Eregenerated%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AJyurai.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
9|3|7|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|sideways||01:37:06|07/06/2006|%3EJyurai. %0D%0A%0D%0AMoo hoo ha ha. Oh%2C that%27s brilliant. The trees must have had a collective cow.%0D%0A%0D%0AMike Thedford%0D%0ACollege Town%0D%0AShopkeep at Large
6|1|0|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|WengFook||23:23:16|07/05/2006|%0D%0AI got one%2C are there days where you feel like giving up writing in EPU%3F%0D%0Ain other words%2C do you ever feel burnout%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A_________________________________%0D%0AWe few. We happy few. We band of buggered.%0D%0A%0D%0A
8|2|6|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||00:44:52|07/06/2006|%3EI got one%2C are there days where you feel like giving up writing in %0D%0A%3EEPU%3F %0D%0A%3Ein other words%2C do you ever feel burnout%3F %0D%0A%0D%0APretty much all the time these days%2C actually.  The warning buzz of incipient burnout has been my more or less constant companion for the last couple-three years.  It%27s hard to tell how much of that stems from real-life pressures%2C as opposed to the actual possibility that things here are reaching the end of the road.  I still have quite a few ideas%2C and a number of long-planned things it%27s been my hope for quite a long time to get to%2C but often lately I go to the well and there%27s nothing there.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27ve felt that way before and good things have come along eventually%2C and I have no statistical evidence to back me up%2C but it %5Bi%5Dfeels%5B%2Fi%5D as if the moments when that happens are getting fewer and farther between%2C especially as regards Symphony 5.  I wrote in my LiveJournal when %5Bi%5DInterlude at Vortigern%27s Lake No. 2%5B%2Fi%5D came out that I hoped it wouldn%27t give readers a false sense of ending%2C like the fourth season of %5Bi%5DBabylon 5%5B%2Fi%5D did to me%2C leaving me uninterested in watching season 5 at all.  I hadn%27t counted on the possibility that it would have a similar effect %5Bi%5Don me%5B%2Fi%5D%2C but there you are...%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
10|3|8|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|BLUE||16:26:45|07/06/2006|%3E%3EI got one%2C are there days where you feel like giving up writing in %0D%0A%3E%3EEPU%3F %0D%0A%3E%3Ein other words%2C do you ever feel burnout%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EPretty much all the time these days%2C actually.  The warning buzz of %0D%0A%3Eincipient burnout has been my more or less constant companion for the %0D%0A%3Elast couple-three years.  %0D%0A%0D%0ADid the not-so-recent loss of Redneck and and recent loss of Doc Mui from the creative team have an impact on your writing%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A
11|4|10|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||17:48:36|07/06/2006|%3EDid the not-so-recent loss of Redneck and and recent loss of Doc Mui %0D%0A%3Efrom the creative team have an impact on your writing%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AHmm... tough one.  I mean%2C I%27m sure there%27s been some effect%2C there%27s always an effect when things get changed around in any organization%2C but I don%27t think there%27s been a %5Bi%5Ddirect%5B%2Fi%5D one.%0D%0A%0D%0ATheir absence doesn%27t contribute to my feelings of burnout%2C if that%27s what you%27re getting at.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
12|1|0|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Matrix Dragon||18:13:16|07/06/2006|What is Mia doing with the Order of the Dark Rose%2C and have any of her friends suspected sopmething%27s happened to her%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AHow did Akio contact Saionji to %27recruit%27 him%2C and what convinced him he could be trusted%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AMatrix Dragon%2C J. Random Nutter
15|2|12|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||20:34:02|07/06/2006|%3EWhat is Mia doing with the Order of the Dark Rose%2C and have any of her %0D%0A%3Efriends suspected sopmething%27s happened to her%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AIt%27s the Order of the Black Rose%2C and she%27s trying to figure out what the hell Saionji is up to.  As to her friends suspecting%2C probably not%3B Mia has a habit of vanishing for indefinite periods like that%2C since she%27s a Ranger and all.  They get sent on secret missions quite often - especially the ones who are being groomed for eventual advancement within the organization.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EHow did Akio contact Saionji to %27recruit%27 him%2C and what convinced him %0D%0A%3Ehe could be trusted%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ASaionji found %5Bi%5Dhim%5B%2Fi%5D%2C and what makes you think he %5Bi%5Dis%5B%2Fi%5D trusted%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
24|3|15|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Matrix Dragon||21:19:58|07/07/2006|%3E%3EHow did Akio contact Saionji to %27recruit%27 him%2C and what convinced him %0D%0A%3E%3Ehe could be trusted%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ESaionji found %5Bi%5Dhim%5B%2Fi%5D%2C and what makes you think he %5Bi%5Dis%5B%2Fi%5D %0D%0A%3Etrusted%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AOkay%2C not so much %27trust%27 as %27not have him killed the moment he saw him%27. But I suspect that falls under Akio%27s attitude of using everyone for his own goals.%0D%0A%0D%0AMatrix Dragon%2C J. Random Nutter
26|4|24|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||01:26:28|07/08/2006|%3E%3E%3EHow did Akio contact Saionji to %27recruit%27 him%2C and what convinced him %0D%0A%3E%3E%3Ehe could be trusted%3F %0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3ESaionji found %5Bi%5Dhim%5B%2Fi%5D%2C and what makes you think he %5Bi%5Dis%5B%2Fi%5D %0D%0A%3E%3Etrusted%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EOkay%2C not so much %27trust%27 as %27not have him killed the moment he saw %0D%0A%3Ehim%27. But I suspect that falls under Akio%27s attitude of using everyone %0D%0A%3Efor his own goals. %0D%0A%0D%0ACircle gets the square%21%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
13|1|0|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|O_M||18:21:44|07/06/2006|Oh...now y%27see%2C I maybe SHOULD take this potential for spoilers kicking and screaming%2C but I probably won%27t. Director%27s commentary owns a dark pact on my soul.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn your opinion%2C what was probably the most obscure reference you%27ve used in EPU%3F%0D%0A%0D%0ADo you have a moment that you occasionally think back to and think %22THAT is why I do this%22%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AIn the same vein%2C is there any one moment in EPU you%27re particularly proud of%3F Or a top three%2Ffive if you can%27t decide on a single%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A..okay%2C I can%27t resist spoilers entirely.%0D%0A%0D%0AWho exactly were represented by the flaming cross on Surtur%27s chessboard in Twilight%3F Likewise the exoskeletal %27slavemasters over slavemasters%27 from the same%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A-OM
14|2|13|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||20:31:39|07/06/2006|%3EIn your opinion%2C what was probably the most obscure reference you%27ve %0D%0A%3Eused in EPU%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AAnswering that would require me to %5Bi%5Dknow%5B%2Fi%5D all the references I%27ve used%2C which is pretty well impossible.  If I had to guess%2C and I pretty much do%2C I%27d say it was probably some buried cameo of some little-known comic character%2C so buried and so little-known that even I%27ve forgotten I did it%2C or something of that nature.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EDo you have a moment that you occasionally think back to and think %0D%0A%3E%22THAT is why I do this%22%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AYeah%2C there are moments like that%2C though they get rarer as the years go by.  There will be moments when a couple of things drawn from completely disparate sources suddenly fit together in a way I hadn%27t considered before%2C everything dovetailing just as it should%2C that give me a little chill and make me think %5Bi%5DAha%2C there%27s where the beauty in this method is.%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EIn the same vein%2C is there any one moment in EPU you%27re particularly %0D%0A%3Eproud of%3F Or a top three%2Ffive if you can%27t decide on a single%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AThat%27s kind of like asking someone which of his children is his favorite%2C but yeah%2C there are a few bits and pieces I go back and look at and think %5Bi%5DYeah%2C if I do say so myself%2C that was nicely done.%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AIn no particular order%2C and understanding that this is not a comprehensive list%2C I feel that way about%3A%0D%0A%0D%0A - Raven%27s %22rebirth%22 in %5Bi%5DBlood Ties%5B%2Fi%5D %233 %28and%2C really%2C pretty much any time I have an excuse to have her say%2C %22The weed of crime bears bitter fruit.%22%29%3B%0D%0A - The scene in which everything goes pear-shaped in the prologue to %5Bi%5DLast Transport%5B%2Fi%5D %28%22Delta Green%2C Delta Green.  Abandon your evac routes and form on us.  Emergency spacefold in one minute... %5Bi%5Dmark.%5B%2Fi%5D%22%29%3B%0D%0A - The fight scene at the end of %5Bi%5DBlades%5B%2Fi%5D%3B%0D%0A - %5Bi%5DInterlude at Bancroft Tower No. 1 in D Minor%5B%2Fi%5D %28the whole thing%27s pretty much one scene%29%3B %0D%0A - %5Bi%5DThis will be a good life... damn good.%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EWho exactly were represented by the flaming cross on Surtur%27s %0D%0A%3Echessboard in Twilight%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AKris wrote that scene%2C so there are a few of the players I%27m not entirely sure of myself%2C but I believe the flaming cross represents the radical militant elements of the Church of Man.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ELikewise the exoskeletal %27slavemasters over %0D%0A%3Eslavemasters%27 from the same%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AThe Pfhor%2C an infamous race of slave-takers%2C are themselves slaves%2C though they do not know it.  The creatures mentioned there are their unseen masters.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
16|1|0|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|BZArcher||08:15:16|07/07/2006|Hopefully you%27re still game for one more question...%0D%0A%0D%0AThe asteroid race in %5Bi%5DA Day At The Races%5B%2Fi%5D in Symphony 3 - %0D%0A%0D%0AWho placed in the top 5%3F
20|2|16|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||12:55:58|07/07/2006|%3EThe asteroid race in %5Bi%5DA Day At The Races%5B%2Fi%5D in Symphony 3 - %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EWho placed in the top 5%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AHmm.  Y%27know%2C I%27m not sure I know that.  Wedge is doing development work on %5Bi%5DA Day at the Races%5B%2Fi%5D now%2C and I don%27t think either one of us has actually decided the finish order yet.%0D%0A%0D%0AChad%2C am I right about that%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
21|3|20|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|BZArcher||13:01:55|07/07/2006|%3E%3EThe asteroid race in %5Bi%5DA Day At The Races%5B%2Fi%5D in Symphony 3 - %0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EWho placed in the top 5%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EHmm.  Y%27know%2C I%27m not sure I know that.  Wedge is doing development %0D%0A%3Ework on %5Bi%5DA Day at the Races%5B%2Fi%5D now%2C and I don%27t think either one of %0D%0A%3Eus has actually decided the finish order yet. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EChad%2C am I right about that%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E--G. %0D%0A%0D%0ANeat%21%0D%0A%0D%0AI feel vaugely like I just stumped the Schwab.%0D%0A%0D%0AHm...backup question%2C then...%0D%0A%0D%0AFavorite car of yours that%27s ever shown up in the various EPU series. %3AD
22|3|20|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Wedge||13:18:42|07/07/2006|%3E%3EThe asteroid race in %5Bi%5DA Day At The Races%5B%2Fi%5D in Symphony 3 - %0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EWho placed in the top 5%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EHmm.  Y%27know%2C I%27m not sure I know that.  Wedge is doing development %0D%0A%3Ework on %5Bi%5DA Day at the Races%5B%2Fi%5D now%2C and I don%27t think either one of %0D%0A%3Eus has actually decided the finish order yet. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EChad%2C am I right about that%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AYeah%2C the finish of the final heat is still mostly up for grabs.%0D%0A%0D%0AI know who %2Awins%2A%2C mind%2C but I%27m not spoiling that. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable border%3D%220%22 cellspacing%3D%220%22 cellpadding%3D%220%22%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.gweep.net%2F%7Ewedge%2Fufchad_ficon.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btd%5DChad Collier%0D%0ASmirking Kilrathi%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%230000CC%5DThe Captain of the Gravy Train%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D
23|4|22|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|BZArcher||13:47:02|07/07/2006|Sounds like it will be a lot of fun%2C then. %0D%0A%0D%0AI%27ll be looking forward to it%21
31|4|22|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Star Ranger4||11:28:08|07/12/2006|YES%21%0D%0A%0D%0AThat was the one peeve I%27ve had about the Unfinished Symphony...  I can live without most of the rest of it but I darn well hoped that Day at the Races would make it out someday%21
17|1|0|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|sideways||11:56:01|07/07/2006|It took me a few days%2C but I finally feel I have a worthwhile question.%0D%0A%0D%0AHow do you keep track of your various scrips and scraps of story and research and whatnot%3F Have you got a filing system%3F Do you try to remember how they%27re all interrelated%3F I%27m pretty sure not flowcharts.%0D%0A%0D%0AMike Thedford%0D%0ACollege Town%0D%0AShopkeep at Large
18|2|17|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|BZArcher||12:22:13|07/07/2006|Usul%2C we have Flowcharts the likes of which even God has never seen%21
19|2|17|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||12:54:50|07/07/2006|%3EHow do you keep track of your various scrips and scraps of story and %0D%0A%3Eresearch and whatnot%3F Have you got a filing system%3F Do you try to %0D%0A%3Eremember how they%27re all interrelated%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AIt%27s mainly in my head and those of my cohorts.  Drafts of stories being worked on have chunks of notes and background in them%2C a lot of the time%2C until the parts of the narrative that cover what the notes are on gets written.  There %5Bi%5Dshould%5B%2Fi%5D be an overall master plan for the UF universe%2C but there isn%27t.  The closest we ever got was a projected timeline compiled 10 years or so ago%2C and that almost immediately slipped fabulously out of date.%0D%0A%0D%0AWe%27ve also got ream upon ream of chat log from the studio channel that contains stuff we thought of and were determined not to forget%2C but in many cases have forgotten.  Ardie or Truss are usually our trusty researchers on those matters.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
25|3|19|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Ardaniel||21:49:07|07/07/2006|Actually%2C that usually means I ask Slarti to check his logs.  Photographic memory only goes so far....%0D%0A%0D%0AArd Sumhenner%0D%0Athat Janice chick%0D%0AUsual Suspect and general menace
27|1|0|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|WyrdDragon||04:22:33|07/11/2006|Have you considered writing any sword and sorcery type fiction that stands alone from those elements in UF%3F
28|2|27|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||12:03:49|07/11/2006|%3EHave you considered writing any sword and sorcery type fiction that %0D%0A%3Estands alone from those elements in UF%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ANope.  Not really my cup of tea all on its own.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
29|3|28|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|juniper||14:59:48|07/11/2006|%3E%3EHave you considered writing any sword and sorcery type fiction that %0D%0A%3E%3Estands alone from those elements in UF%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ENope.  Not really my cup of tea all on its own. %0D%0A%0D%0A%28There is at least one Usual Supect who does that kind of thing%2C though. %3A%29
30|4|29|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|mdg1||17:27:16|07/11/2006|The %22sword%22 part is fairly easy.  OTOH%2C the %22sorcery%22 part is a serious challenge%2C given that you want it powerful enough to be interesting%2C but not a walking %5Bi%5Ddeus ex machina%5B%2Fi%5D.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m still working on that bit. %3A%29
37|5|30|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|juniper||22:22:58|07/13/2006|%3EThe %22sword%22 part is fairly easy.  OTOH%2C the %22sorcery%22 part is a %0D%0A%3Eserious challenge%2C given that you want it powerful enough to be %0D%0A%3Einteresting%2C but not a walking %5Bi%5Ddeus ex machina%5B%2Fi%5D. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EI%27m still working on that bit. %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0ADoes it serve the purposes of the story%3F  Does it derail the story%3F  Sorcery should answer %27yes%27 to the first question and %27no%27 to the second.  I have been known to think of it as a toolkit.  It may be the most versitile toolkit you%27ve ever set eyes on%2C but people %5Bb%5Dwill%5B%2Fb%5D forget to put the screwdriver back after they%27re finished dealing with the kitchen drawer%2C and sometimes you have the wrong kind of caulk%2C and if you forgot to charge the batteries in the flashlight%2C well%2C you%27re not working in any dark places very well for a while%2C are you%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AThe story comes first.  Magic is a side effect.%0D%0A%0D%0APeople in LARPs %28and sometimes stories%29 like to think that magic is the answer to everything.  It%27s much more interesting when it%27s NOT.  %28And then you get to have your characters bitch about%2C %22Well what good is it then%21%3F%22 which is always fun. %3B%29
38|6|37|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|mdg1||08:28:01|07/14/2006|I don%27t want to derail this thread too much %28if you%27d rather start a new thread%2C I can understand%29 but I did want to comment on this.%0D%0A%0D%0AMagic shouldn%27t be a side-effect%2C but an integral part of the universe you are building.  And that means that you need to know exactly what it can or cannot do%2C even if the reader doesn%27t.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe main problem%2C to me%2C is consistency.  It%27s what I call the Superman Paradox.  If you have a character who can go toe-to-toe with alien gods%2C an ordinary man with a weapon shouldn%27t be much of a threat.  So you have to set those limits.  You can make them high %28%22Darkness beyond twilight...%22%29 or low %28%22I am called the Great Skeeve%22%29 but they need to be set. %3A%29
32|4|29|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|WyrdDragon||03:42:19|07/13/2006|I%27ve some sword and sorcery trying to get out of my head%2C but at best I%27 think it will be like my sci-fi... fragmentary.
33|1|0|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|StaticdashPulse||13:36:21|07/13/2006|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Dec-21-11 AT 03:12 PM (EST)]If you%27re still taking questions%3A back in a BPGD entry%2C when Robin was describing Kid Flash and Stargirl%2C he mentions that Stargirl almost took Slade an the Sky Raiders down.  For that kind of small character reference%2C do you usually write out the scene in your head or do you just stick in the reference because it sounds cool%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso%2C just how technologically inclined is Captain Photon%3F  Is he Stark-level%2C Scott Lang smart%2C or something else%3F
34|2|33|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||14:26:02|07/13/2006|%3EIf you%27re still taking questions%3A back in a BPGD entry%2C when Robin was %0D%0A%3Edescribing Kid Flash and Stargirl%2C he mentions that Stargirl almost %0D%0A%3Etook Slade an the Sky Raiders down.  For that kind of small character %0D%0A%3Ereference%2C do you usually write out the scene in your head or do you %0D%0A%3Ejust stick in the reference because it sounds cool%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AI don%27t usually write scenes in my head before committing them to bits%3B what I have in my head is usually either akin to an animation sequence or a comic page.  %28Which can be very frustrating%2C since I%27m no artist.%29  When things like that crop up in BPGD files%2C they%27re usually just thrown in because it adds flavor%2C but I can%27t say something like %22Stargirl nearly brought down the leader of the Sky Raiders%22 without at least picturing generally how it went.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn this case%2C I must point out that%2C though Slade%27s armor and fighting skills make him a tough nut to crack in hand-to-hand combat and his jetpack makes him elusive%2C anybody with a flight power and a beam weapon has a better-than-average chance of taking him on and%2C if not prevailing%2C at least surviving.  The trick is to cut him off from backup and prevent his escape%2C and then not to listen to anything he says while you%27re fighting him. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%28As one of us in the lab paraphrased from %5Bi%5DFear %26 Loathing in Las Vegas%5B%2Fi%5D after whichever episode it was in which Slade temporarily turned%2C what%2C his third or fourth Titan to evil - you know%2C after the writers %5Bi%5Dcompletely ran out of ideas%5B%2Fi%5D - %22Few people understand the psychology of dealing with a manipulative archvillain.  Your average teen hero will panic and immediately offer himself up to the service of evil.  This is wrong.  It arouses contempt in the Slade-heart.  %5Bi%5DMake the bastard chase you.%5B%2Fi%5D  He %5Bi%5Dwill%5B%2Fi%5D follow.%22 %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAlso%2C just how technologically inclined is Captain Photon%3F  Is he %0D%0A%3EStark-level%2C Scott Lang smart%2C or something else%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AI like to think of Cap as an inspired tinkerer%2C a rung or two below the likes of Tony Stark on the techie ladder.  He builds his own gadgets for his secondary powers %28Devices%29 and at least one of his Power Pool sets %28Medicine%29%2C which means he can make some pretty esoteric stuff - Targeting Drones%2C Web Grenades%2C that gizmo that does all the Medicine powers%2C and so on - but his technological skills%2C or at least his level of from-scratch engineering ability%2C are probably not high enough that he could build new %5Bi%5Dprimary%5B%2Fi%5D powers if he lost his mutant ones for some reason.  %28For that matter%2C he%27s not wealthy enough to build anything really esoteric%2C like tech-based replacement Energy Blast powers or what have you.%29%0D%0A%0D%0AThe closest Marvel comparison%27s probably Peter Parker.  Pete built his secondary powers%2C and they%27re very clever%2C but without his innate spider-powers he%27s just some schmo with a pair of web shooters and a miniature camera. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
35|3|34|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|StaticdashPulse||15:10:49|07/13/2006|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Dec-21-11 AT 03:12 PM (EST)]%3E ...and then not to listen to anything he says while you%27re fighting him. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AI do believe you%27ve managed to turn Courtney stubborn nature into a bonafide superpower.  Anti-Slade Snubbing Powers%21  Bravo%2C good sir.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E The closest Marvel comparison%27s probably Peter Parker.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat%27s a cool answer.  Thank you.%0D%0A%0D%0AIf you don%27t mind my asking one more%2C and if you%27ll excuse a pretty banal one%3A are%2Fwere there plans for Stargirl to show up after %5Bi%5DLast Transport%5B%2Fi%5D%3F
36|4|35|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||15:25:03|07/13/2006|%3EIf you don%27t mind my asking one more%2C and if you%27ll excuse a pretty %0D%0A%3Ebanal one%3A are%2Fwere there plans for Stargirl to show up after %5Bi%5DLast %0D%0A%3ETransport%5B%2Fi%5D%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ANot as such%2C but she%27s part of Kara%27s circle of friends%2C and Kara%27s part of the Chief%27s household%2C so it%27s unlikely that she%27ll never appear again.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
39|1|0|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|ro||11:17:37|07/14/2006|This offer came at the perfect time%2C Gryphon%2C since I just finished rereading all of the Symphony%2C and the following questions came to mind%3A%0D%0A%0D%0AIn S1M7%3A Reflections in Transition%2C Kate took her test of advancement for mastery in Katsujinkenryuu.  Since your avatar couldn%27t have been given the exact same test after he attained mastery%2C what did Henzo Takanaka have your avatar do for his Trial%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AIn S3%3A Entr%27acte%3A Gunboat Diplomacy%2C Kate had a dream where she was piloting a giant robot.  Was this prophetic%3F  I%27m hoping so%2C because the idea of Kate at the helm of Great Mazinger shouting%2C %22Mazin GO%21%22 is an awesome one.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn S4%3A Interlude on Titan in F %28For Tomorrow%29%2C Corwin had a dream that helped him decide to accept fathering Anthy%27s child.  What was the dream%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AIn S4M7%3A The Revolution Will Be Televised%2C we saw in Epilogue II that Kate was finally free of her stuttering.  What were the circumstances surrounding that%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AIf you can answer any of these questions%2C I%27d be most grateful%21%0D%0A%0D%0A- ro
40|2|39|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||12:04:54|07/15/2006|%3EIn S1M7%3A Reflections in Transition%2C Kate took her test of advancement %0D%0A%3Efor mastery in Katsujinkenryuu.  Since your avatar couldn%27t have been %0D%0A%3Egiven the exact same test after he attained mastery%2C what did Henzo %0D%0A%3ETakanaka have your avatar do for his Trial%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ADetails are sketchy%2C but I believe it involved the rental of most%2C if not all%2C of one of Tomodachi%27s several ninja-clans-for-hire.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EIn S3%3A Entr%27acte%3A Gunboat Diplomacy%2C Kate had a dream where she was %0D%0A%3Epiloting a giant robot.  Was this prophetic%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AI doubt it%2C but I can%27t entirely rule it out%2C given the circles Kate travels in.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EIn S4%3A Interlude on Titan in F %28For Tomorrow%29%2C Corwin had a dream that %0D%0A%3Ehelped him decide to accept fathering Anthy%27s child. What was the dream%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m not sure of this - Corwin%27s future-dreams tend to be pretty incoherent%2C leaving him with something more on the order of an instinctive response or impression than intelligible imagery%2C and when I wrote that scene I was much more focused on this particular dream%27s effect than its content.  Possibly he saw their daughter as an adult %28or teenager%2C given her parents%27 tendency toward early achievment%29%2C doing Important Things.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EIn S4M7%3A The Revolution Will Be Televised%2C we saw in Epilogue II that %0D%0A%3EKate was finally free of her stuttering.  What were the circumstances %0D%0A%3Esurrounding that%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AShe%27s not quite free of it%2C but she%27s much better at controlling it%2C to the point where it now only tends to emerge in times of unusual stress.  This has to do with certain meditative%2Fchi-focus techniques learned from Sumire Kanzaki during Kate%27s stay on Ishiyama - techniques peculiar to the Kanzaki family%27s martial form.  %28There was also quite a lot of red wine involved%2C as per Starfire%27s musings in %5Bi%5DBlood Ties%5B%2Fi%5D %232%2C but that was probably not directly involved in Kate%27s progress.%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
41|3|40|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|ro||12:45:28|07/15/2006|So tests of mastery in Katsujinkenryuu seem to involve a panoply of skilled opponents.  If it ever comes to print%2C I look forward to reading how Juniper%27s Trial will go. Anyway%2C thanks again for the replies%2C Gryphon%21%0D%0A%0D%0A- ro
42|1|0|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Provos||12:19:25|07/17/2006|If you could%2C what would you say to yourself in 1991 before posting uf to usenet%3F
43|2|42|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||12:48:42|07/17/2006|%3EIf you could%2C what would you say to yourself in 1991 before posting uf %0D%0A%3Eto usenet%3F %0D%0A%0D%0A%22One toke%2C you poor fool%3F  Wait%27ll you see those goddamn bats%2C man.%22%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%28alternately%2C %22Always... uh... never... forget to check your references.%22%29%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
44|1|0|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|VA_Wanderer||10:33:49|07/24/2006|Okies. Pre-Largo-f%27s-everyone-and-Exile-happens%2C become a Detian was one of the highest rewards the best of the best would recieve.%0D%0A%0D%0AOf course%2C some of them got killed anyway. Worse%2C some were corrupted.%0D%0A%0D%0ABut Lensmen are supposedly about as incorruptible as it comes. Is the Detian process still available to Gryphon%2C and is it ever offered to those who pass the Test of Light%3F Or was access lost somewhere along the line and I missed it%3F It%27s been retro-engineered at least once from a Detian%2C so it can%27t be impossible to refine%2C right%3F
45|2|44|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Star Ranger4||12:50:00|07/24/2006|%3EOkies. Pre-Largo-f%27s-everyone-and-Exile-happens%2C become a Detian was %0D%0A%3Eone of the highest rewards the best of the best would recieve. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EOf course%2C some of them got killed anyway. Worse%2C some were corrupted. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0ADefine corrupted here.  Certainly%2C you had to perform acts equal to or greator than what would get someone todays congressional medal of honor%2C but that doesnt mean that they%27re still not people.  Apply the right pressure and you can convince them to see things your way.  Certainly LaPlante qualifes.  Once upon a time he was a shining good guy%2C but later on he decided being a bad guy paid better.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EBut Lensmen are supposedly about as incorruptible as it comes. Is the %0D%0A%3EDetian process still available to Gryphon%2C and is it ever offered to %0D%0A%3Ethose who pass the Test of Light%3F Or was access lost somewhere along %0D%0A%3Ethe line and I missed it%3F It%27s been retro-engineered at least once %0D%0A%3Efrom a Detian%2C so it can%27t be impossible to refine%2C right%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AI%27ll defer to G on this one%2C but my take on it is that yes%2C Detianization is still possible for people who truely qualify%2C but at this point in time we dont really see it because most Lensmen either have already qualified for Detianization before they became Lensmen or have access to an alternate form of life extension.%0D%0A%0D%0A
46|2|44|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||13:22:45|07/24/2006|%3EBut Lensmen are supposedly about as incorruptible as it comes. Is the %0D%0A%3EDetian process still available to Gryphon%2C and is it ever offered to %0D%0A%3Ethose who pass the Test of Light%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AWell%2C this question%27s answer is kinda complicated%2C so here goes.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe Order of the Eternal Knight%2C as the honor which comes with the Omega-2 retrovirus is known%2C is a Wedge Defense Force decoration.  As such%2C it%27s normally available only to members of the WDF or one of its affiliated organizations %28such as the 3WA or the militarized part of UPNS%29%2C or to people who%2C though not members%2C have done a great service to one of said organizations.  It is still awarded%2C on average%2C about three times per year in wartime and once every three to five years in peacetime.%0D%0A%0D%0AHere%27s the catch%2C though%3A the International Police Organization isn%27t part of or affiliated with the WDF.  It%27s the enforcement arm of the Babylon Foundation%2C which the WDF is a voting member of%2C but there%27s no direct connection between the two forces - they share no administrative structure or common charter%2C beyond the  Pact Babylonica.  As such%2C IPO members aren%27t eligible for the OEK in the everyday course of things%3B they%27d have to be working on something involving the WDF in some fashion%2C and pull off something spectacular that benefits the WDF.  This has happened%2C but the circumstances allowing for it are quite rare.%0D%0A%0D%0ASo no%2C there%27s no direct connection between Lensmen and Eternal Knights%2C and becoming one does not automatically imply the other.%0D%0A%0D%0ANow%2C as to the literal wording of your first question - %22Is the Detian process still available to Gryphon%3F%22 - there are legal technicalities involved there%2C but yes%2C he does have access to a supply of the retrovirus.  He%27s no longer part of the WDF%2C so he has no authority to bestow the OEK honors%2C but in rare cases entirely depending on his personal discretion%2C he can make someone a Detian.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EIt%27s been retro-engineered at least once %0D%0A%3Efrom a Detian%2C so it can%27t be impossible to refine%2C right%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ATechnically%2C Omega-2 %5Bi%5Dis%5B%2Fi%5D supposed to be impossible to refine from a Detian%27s blood or tissue.  It does its work and then dies off%2C departing the system and leaving only the modifications it wrought in its wake%2C and those are supposed to be too complicated and specialized for someone to reverse-engineer the retrovirus from its effects.  What Li Kohran did in that flashback in %5Bi%5DAegis Florea 2%5B%2Fi%5D was%2C according to everything known by the galaxy%27s finest biochemists and retrogeneticists of the twenty-fifth century%2C impossible - and doubly so because%2C despite her undeniable brilliance with machinery%2C Kohran is neither a biochemist nor a retrogeneticist.%0D%0A%0D%0AOf course%2C what those people - and Kohran - don%27t know is that Kohran is touched by the divine%3B she%27s one of Skuld%27s Chosen Engineers%2C and when the timing is right and the goddess%27s fortune smiles upon them%2C the Chosen can do the impossible.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
52|3|46|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|StaticdashPulse||00:18:22|07/25/2006|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Dec-21-11 AT 03:13 PM (EST)]%3E Skuld%27s Chosen Engineers%0D%0A%0D%0AI so like your S.C.E. better than %5Bi%5DStar Trek%5B%2Fi%5D%27s.
47|1|0|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Peter Eng||17:14:50|07/24/2006|%22...when the timing is right and the goddess%27s fortune smiles upon them%2C %28Skuld%27s Chosen Engineers%29 can do the impossible.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AAm I correct in assuming that Li is not going to be able to duplicate Mr. Gene Resequencer%2C barring another life-threatening emergency%3F  %28And maybe not even then.%29%0D%0A%0D%0AOh%2C and how many of the Chosen have been %22on screen%22%3F%0D%0A%0D%0APeter Eng%0D%0A--%0D%0AI%27m only a Charter Member because of the DCForum upgrade%2C and because there%27s no rank below %22Clueless F%21wit.%22
49|2|47|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||21:14:55|07/24/2006|%3E%22...when the timing is right and the goddess%27s fortune smiles upon %0D%0A%3Ethem%2C %28Skuld%27s Chosen Engineers%29 can do the impossible.%22 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EAm I correct in assuming that Li is not going to be able to duplicate %0D%0A%3EMr. Gene Resequencer%2C barring another life-threatening emergency%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m sure she can build a perfectly serviceable gene sequencer at any time - but she can build them all month and put in anything she likes%2C she%27s probably never getting Omega-2 out of them again.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EOh%2C and how many of the Chosen have been %22on screen%22%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AHmm.  Let me think a minute.  Three%3F  Maybe four%3F  Not counting the dead ones in the World-Engine scene in %5Bi%5DTwilight%5B%2Fi%5D...%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
48|1|0|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|StaticdashPulse||18:04:22|07/24/2006|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Dec-21-11 AT 03:13 PM (EST)]Hope it%27s okay for a second question%3A what do%2Fdid you think of the second Blue Beetle%2C Ted Kord%3F  You meantioned thinking what happened as being %22abominable%22 in the What I Like thread%2C which is the first time I%27ve ever considered you even knowing B.B. existed.
50|2|48|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||21:24:07|07/24/2006|%3EHope it%27s okay for a second question%3A what do%2Fdid you think of the %0D%0A%3Esecond Blue Beetle%2C Ted Kord%3F  You meantioned thinking what happened %0D%0A%3Eas being %22abominable%22 in the What I Like thread%2C which is the first %0D%0A%3Etime I%27ve ever considered you even knowing B.B. existed. %0D%0A%0D%0AAt his best %28i.e.%2C by Ditko%29%2C the Blue Beetle was a great character%2C sort of a high-speed combination of Tony Stark and Spider-Man - a gadget-oriented but not gadget-dominated%2C acrobatic hero who got by on guts%2C skill%2C technical prowess and witty quips.  The fast-paced quipster is one of my favorite kinds of super-hero%2C which is why I%27m fond of Ditko characters like Spider-Man%2C Blue Beetle II%2C and the Creeper - all of whom have since been Done Very Wrong by later artists and writers%2C although none moreso than the Creeper.%0D%0A%0D%0AAt his worst %28i.e.%2C by Giffen%29%2C the Blue Beetle was... well%2C kind of a retard%2C actually%2C but he still didn%27t deserve to get his head exploded by Max friggin%27 Lord.%0D%0A%0D%0AI was%2C I must confess%2C not a big fan of the Wacky Justice League.  I like for superheroes to enjoy what they do%2C yeah%2C but taking the flagship super-team title of the whole DC universe and making it %5Bi%5Dcampy%5B%2Fi%5D was a bit much for me.  The whole Booster Gold%2FBlue Beetle - Bill%2FTed dynamic just grated on my nerves%2C as did playing Guy Gardner%27s moronic fratboy routine for laughs %28which is%2C I think%2C directly responsible for the fact that he still %5Bi%5Dhas%5B%2Fi%5D his moronic fratboy routine%2C and has never been restored to what he was like before his%2C what was it%2C bus accident%29.  Part of that%27s because I was never particularly fond of Booster.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat said%2C I%27m in kind of a quandary about what %5Bi%5Dbecame%5B%2Fi%5D of the Wacky Justice League.  %5Bi%5DI Can%27t Believe It%27s Not the Justice League%5B%2Fi%5D took the goofy%2C stupid things from the original Giffen run and made them %5Bi%5Dcreepy%5B%2Fi%5D and stupid %28I%27m looking at you%2C Child Molester Guy Gardner - I hate Guy and I still think that was repellently out of character%29%2C and the fact that Johns used that era of the League%27s history as the linchpin for %5Bi%5DCountdown%5B%2Fi%5D%2C the %22oh look%2C Max Lord%27s been a villain all along%22 plot%2C and various other crimes against humanity doesn%27t sit well with me.  I didn%27t particularly like the comedy League%2C but perverting it into a gore show was just %5Bi%5Dwrong%5B%2Fi%5D%2C and I imagine it was a backhanded smack to anyone who really liked that version of the League.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
51|3|50|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|StaticdashPulse||00:15:47|07/25/2006|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Dec-21-11 AT 03:13 PM (EST)]%3E At his best %28i.e.%2C by Ditko%29%2C the Blue Beetle was a great character%2C sort of a %0D%0A%3E high-speed combination of Tony Stark and Spider-Man - a gadget-oriented but not %0D%0A%3E gadget-dominated%2C acrobatic hero who got by on guts%2C skill%2C technical prowess %0D%0A%3E and witty quips.%0D%0A%0D%0A%2Anods%2A%0D%0A%0D%0AAmazing how they could let that kind of character go to waste.  %22Yeah%2C we%27ve got an Iron Man analogue%2C but wouldn%27t it be better if we just shot him%3F%22
53|1|0|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|CdrMike||00:59:35|07/25/2006|Been awhile since I asked any questions%2C probably for good reason%2C considering my first try could qualify as one of my most embarrasing online posts ever.  But%2C as they say%2C you live and learn%2C so I thought I%27d give it another shot.%0D%0A%0D%0AFirst is sort of a rehash of an old question%2C but bear with me.  I%27ve seen the Stargates referred to both as %22artifacts%22 %28for example%2C Fuu referred to it as both an %22alien artifact%22 and it belonging a %22lost civilization%22 in %5Bi%5DReflections in Transition%5B%2Fi%5D%29%2C while other references have been made to them being created by the IPO.%0D%0A%0D%0ASo%2C are the gates artifacts that the IPO found and adapted for their own uses or were they created by the IPO and the %22alien artifact%22 story created to keep people from asking too many questions about their origins%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd as a sort of follow-up%2C going on the conjecture that the whole Babylon 4 disappearance mirrors the same disappearance in the TV series%2C is it possible that there%27s a gate or even a series of gates out there that are %22not on the map%22%3F%0D%0A%0D%0ANow%2C to switch gears%2C does the IPO have its own fighter squadrons%3F  Or does it rely on ships from Babylon Foundation member fleets %28WDF%2C Starfleet%2C Salusians%2C etc%29 to provide fighter craft when needed%3F  %0D%0A%0D%0AAnd last for now%2C did you hear that the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has officially been dubbed the %22Lightning II%22 by the US Air Force%3F  I guess%2C in a round-about way%2C that the %22Lightning III%22 and %22Lighting IV%22 are once again valid names.
54|2|53|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||01:13:07|07/25/2006|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jul-25-06 AT 01:17 AM (EDT)]%3EFirst is sort of a rehash of an old question%2C but bear with me.  I%27ve %0D%0A%3Eseen the Stargates referred to both as %22artifacts%22 %28for example%2C Fuu %0D%0A%3Ereferred to it as both an %22alien artifact%22 and it belonging a %22lost %0D%0A%3Ecivilization%22 in %5Bi%5DReflections in Transition%5B%2Fi%5D%29%2C while other %0D%0A%3Ereferences have been made to them being created by the IPO. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ESo%2C are the gates artifacts that the IPO found and adapted for their %0D%0A%3Eown uses or were they created by the IPO and the %22alien artifact%22 %0D%0A%3Estory created to keep people from asking too many questions about %0D%0A%3Etheir origins%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ASort of both.  The original pair of stargates were found artifacts.  The rest of the IPO network%27s gates are new construction%2C reverse-engineered by Skuld and her team at the IPO Technical Division%27s Special Weapons and Devices Research Facility %28the same place prototype testing for Project BRIGHTEST DAY is now underway as of 2410%29.  So the principle is ancient alien found technology%2C but it%27s well enough understood by the IPO that they can now make their own.  %28They%27re very expensive%2C though%2C and they have the disadvantage that the one at the remote end has to be hauled there by hand%2C so setting up the network is costly%2C time-consuming%2C and requires quite a bit of manpower.%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAnd as a sort of follow-up%2C going on the conjecture that the whole %0D%0A%3EBabylon 4 disappearance mirrors the same disappearance in the TV %0D%0A%3Eseries%2C is it possible that there%27s a gate or even a series of gates %0D%0A%3Eout there that are %22not on the map%22%3F %0D%0A%0D%0APossible%2C but considered unlikely.  The original pair of gates were discovered in the same facility%2C indicating to the xenoarcheologists involved that the technology had just been invented by the civilization that originally created it%2C which then fell before they could be emplaced wherever they were intended to go.  That%27s the current working hypothesis%2C anyway.  The beings who originally created the gates appear to have been extinct since the waning days of the Padishah Dynasty on what is today Zardon%2C and that was%2C oh%2C 10%2C000 years ago or thereabouts.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ENow%2C to switch gears%2C does the IPO have its own fighter squadrons%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AThe Tactical Division maintains some aerospace fighter assets%2C but the Space Force doesn%27t have carriers.  Space Force ships have to team up with allied vessels if they need fighters or bombers for some reason.  That kind of operation is a bit outside their usual bailiwick%2C so it doesn%27t come up that often.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAnd last for now%2C did you hear that the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter %0D%0A%3Ehas officially been dubbed the %22Lightning II%22 by the US Air Force%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AI hadn%27t heard that%2C no.  I haven%27t been paying much attention to the JSF project%2C since I suspect it%27s going to fail embarrassingly.  They%27re trying to make it too many things to too many people.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn the UF universe%2C %22Lightning II%22 was the name of the Lockheed%2FIncom SF-22B%2C Earth%27s first operational aerospace fighter.  Intriguingly%2C the SF-22B began life as the early 1990s%27 YF-22%2C which was promoted as and expected to be a last-generation atmospheric jet fighter by Lockheed.  The Incom team developed the aerospace version in secret%2C applying advanced versions of technologies originally developed in the 1980s for their covert joint project with Subpro of Salusia %28the one that produced the Z-95 Headhunter%29%2C and unveiled it after First Contact in 1999 made it obvious that Earth%27s armed forces were going to need space fighters fast.  The timing of the projects worked out such that the atmosphere-only F-22A never saw production - they went straight from the prototypes to the space-capable B model.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
55|3|54|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|CdrMike||02:54:05|07/25/2006|%3E%3EFirst is sort of a rehash of an old question%2C but bear with me.  I%27ve %0D%0A%3E%3Eseen the Stargates referred to both as %22artifacts%22 %28for example%2C Fuu %0D%0A%3E%3Ereferred to it as both an %22alien artifact%22 and it belonging a %22lost %0D%0A%3E%3Ecivilization%22 in %5Bi%5DReflections in Transition%5B%2Fi%5D%29%2C while other %0D%0A%3E%3Ereferences have been made to them being created by the IPO. %0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3ESo%2C are the gates artifacts that the IPO found and adapted for their %0D%0A%3E%3Eown uses or were they created by the IPO and the %22alien artifact%22 %0D%0A%3E%3Estory created to keep people from asking too many questions about %0D%0A%3E%3Etheir origins%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ESort of both.  The original pair of stargates were found artifacts.  %0D%0A%3EThe rest of the IPO network%27s gates are new construction%2C %0D%0A%3Ereverse-engineered by Skuld and her team at the IPO Technical %0D%0A%3EDivision%27s Special Weapons and Devices Research Facility %28the same %0D%0A%3Eplace prototype testing for Project BRIGHTEST DAY is now underway as %0D%0A%3Eof 2410%29.  So the principle is ancient alien found technology%2C but %0D%0A%3Eit%27s well enough understood by the IPO that they can now make their %0D%0A%3Eown.  %28They%27re very expensive%2C though%2C and they have the disadvantage %0D%0A%3Ethat the one at the remote end has to be hauled there by hand%2C so %0D%0A%3Esetting up the network is costly%2C time-consuming%2C and requires quite a %0D%0A%3Ebit of manpower.%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AI kinda figured it%27d be something like that.  Did Skuld and the gang have to %22MacGyver%22 their own dialing system%2C or did they have the good fortune to find a working unit with the gates%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EAnd as a sort of follow-up%2C going on the conjecture that the whole %0D%0A%3E%3EBabylon 4 disappearance mirrors the same disappearance in the TV %0D%0A%3E%3Eseries%2C is it possible that there%27s a gate or even a series of gates %0D%0A%3E%3Eout there that are %22not on the map%22%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EPossible%2C but considered unlikely.  The original pair of gates were %0D%0A%3Ediscovered in the same facility%2C indicating to the xenoarcheologists %0D%0A%3Einvolved that the technology had just been invented by the %0D%0A%3Ecivilization that originally created it%2C which then fell before they %0D%0A%3Ecould be emplaced wherever they were intended to go.  That%27s the %0D%0A%3Ecurrent working hypothesis%2C anyway.  The beings who originally created %0D%0A%3Ethe gates appear to have been extinct since the waning days of the %0D%0A%3EPadishah Dynasty on what is today Zardon%2C and that was%2C oh%2C 10%2C000 %0D%0A%3Eyears ago or thereabouts. %0D%0A%0D%0AWell%2C I guess that%27d make sense%2C since even if somebody did find a gate other than the two prototypes%2C they%27d probably have no idea where to start on reproducing them%2C let alone the time or resources to spend putting together a complicated network that%27d be worth the time and effort.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E%3ENow%2C to switch gears%2C does the IPO have its own fighter squadrons%3F%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EThe Tactical Division maintains some aerospace fighter assets%2C but the %0D%0A%3ESpace Force doesn%27t have carriers.  Space Force ships have to team up %0D%0A%3Ewith allied vessels if they need fighters or bombers for some reason.  %0D%0A%3EThat kind of operation is a bit outside their usual bailiwick%2C so it %0D%0A%3Edoesn%27t come up that often. %0D%0A%0D%0AI assume that%2C like the Swordfish II or the Getter prototypes%2C that Space Force ships could carry fighters if necessary%2C but don%27t due to both the space requirements %28which might be better served filled by shuttles and transports%29 and the operational hassle of carrying pilots who%27d have little to do on most missions a police force would be called upon to handle.  A bit like the ships of Starfleet %28Star Trek version%29 don%27t typically carry fighters%2C but can carry a wing or several wings %28depending on the ship%29 in times of war.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EAnd last for now%2C did you hear that the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter %0D%0A%3E%3Ehas officially been dubbed the %22Lightning II%22 by the US Air Force%3F%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EI hadn%27t heard that%2C no.  I haven%27t been paying much attention to the %0D%0A%3EJSF project%2C since I suspect it%27s going to fail embarrassingly.  %0D%0A%3EThey%27re trying to make it too many things to too many people.%0D%0A%0D%0AYeah%2C I%27d agree.  The F-35 is%2C for all intents and purposes%2C now the ideological descendant of the same %22master plan%22 which brought the F-111 Aardvark into existance.  Like the F-111%2C the F-35 came about as several unrelated projects brought together not outta similarity by out of budgetary voodoo%2C with too much emphasis put on one customer %28the Air Force%29 at the cost of creating an aircraft that%27ll be a disaster with the other customers.  %0D%0A%0D%0AAnd while the F-111 end-product was basically what the Air Force wanted%2C it ended up costing more and being more of a pain than had they simply gone with their original program.  And the Navy had to drop out%2C simply because their variant was too heavy and cumbersome to work out as a dedicated fighter. The good thing to come out of the F-111 experience is that the Navy%2C through Grumman%2C managed to develop one of the greatest fighters in history%2C the F-14 Tomcat.  Sadly%2C this time%2C not only will the Navy suffer%2C but the Marines and the Royal Navy as well.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EIn the UF universe%2C %22Lightning II%22 was the name of the Lockheed%2FIncom %0D%0A%3ESF-22B%2C Earth%27s first operational aerospace fighter.  Intriguingly%2C %0D%0A%3Ethe SF-22B began life as the early 1990s%27 YF-22%2C which was promoted as %0D%0A%3Eand expected to be a last-generation atmospheric jet fighter by %0D%0A%3ELockheed.  The Incom team developed the aerospace version in secret%2C %0D%0A%3Eapplying advanced versions of technologies originally developed in the %0D%0A%3E1980s for their covert joint project with Subpro of Salusia %28the one %0D%0A%3Ethat produced the Z-95 Headhunter%29%2C and unveiled it after First %0D%0A%3EContact in 1999 made it obvious that Earth%27s armed forces were going %0D%0A%3Eto need space fighters fast.  The timing of the projects worked out %0D%0A%3Esuch that the atmosphere-only F-22A never saw production - they went %0D%0A%3Estraight from the prototypes to the space-capable B model. %0D%0A%0D%0AI always suspected that Lockheed was getting help from somewhere else.  Wonder if the boys at Boeing know that their rivals were cheating%3F
56|4|55|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||03:12:23|07/25/2006|%3EI kinda figured it%27d be something like that.  Did Skuld and the gang %0D%0A%3Ehave to %22MacGyver%22 their own dialing system%2C or did they have the good %0D%0A%3Efortune to find a working unit with the gates%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ANo%2C pretty much nothing was working in that lab.  It took a bit of screwing around just for the research team to figure out what the hell the things were %5Bi%5Dfor%5B%2Fi%5D%2C let alone how to operate them.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EI assume that%2C like the Swordfish II or the Getter prototypes%2C that %0D%0A%3ESpace Force ships could carry fighters if necessary%2C but don%27t due to %0D%0A%3Eboth the space requirements %28which might be better served filled by %0D%0A%3Eshuttles and transports%29 and the operational hassle of carrying pilots %0D%0A%3Ewho%27d have little to do on most missions a police force would be %0D%0A%3Ecalled upon to handle.%0D%0A%0D%0AThey could%2C but it wouldn%27t be very practical - in addition to the points you note%2C most ships of the Space Force fleet haven%27t got the infrastructure for handling things like fighter armaments.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
57|1|0|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|BlackAeronaut||17:14:01|07/27/2006|On the subject of IPO and space fighters...  I understand that you said that if the IPO Space Forces - being the sort of beast it is - ever needs such forces that they would draw them from another force such as the WDF.%0D%0A%0D%0AWhat sort of fighters does the Tactical division maintain%2C anyways%3F  I know that some IPO officers have their own %28i.e.%3A Utena and her Swordfish%29.%0D%0A%0D%0AWould the IPSF ever maintain space fighters%3F  I could only really see them fielding a highly flexible multi-role fighter...  Something that has a modular chassis and could therefore be custom tailored to a mission within an hour%2C maybe even minutes if some sort of automated component-locking mechanism is used.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd%5D%5Bhr%5D%5Bfont size%3D%222%22 face%3D%22Arial Narrow%22%5D%5Bb%5DBlack Aeronaut Technologies%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0ACreative aerospace solutions for the discerning spacer%0D%0A%5Bi%5D%22What%3F  Under the dorsal guiding feathers%21%3F%22%5B%2Fi%5D%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D
60|2|57|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||18:04:43|07/27/2006|%3EWhat sort of fighters does the Tactical division maintain%2C anyways%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AMost TacDiv aerospace units use Lightning IVs.  The Babylon 6 Station Security Wing%2C which - like the rest of the station security force - is a joint force of Tac Div%2C Starfleet Security%2C and Royal Salusian Security Service elements under the overall command of the station command staff%2C uses the GENOM TIE Avenger %28as seen in %5Bi%5DA Day of Infamy%5B%2Fi%5D%29%2C because they%27re more space-efficient %28not needing conventional launch%2C recovery%2C or storage facilities%29.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EWould the IPSF ever maintain space fighters%3F%0D%0A%0D%0APossibly%2C but at present the Space Force%27s mission doesn%27t really call for them%2C and there isn%27t a single craft that would meet all the likely requirements.  The closest out there right now is probably either the Incom T-65 or GENOM%27s Alpha-class gunboat%2C and they%27re both too big.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
58|1|0|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|kridengaged||17:23:17|07/27/2006|if you could have a cookie%2C any cookie%2C what kind of cookie would it be%3F%0D%0A%0D%0Awhat%27s the %27cranberry bogs%27 joke%3F%0D%0A%0D%0Awhat is babylon 5%2F6 colour joke%3F%0D%0A%0D%0Acan i have a cookie%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A...cookies%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A-KridEngaged
59|2|58|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||17:50:59|07/27/2006|%3Eif you could have a cookie%2C any cookie%2C what kind of cookie would it %0D%0A%3Ebe%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AOatmeal chocolate chip%2C probably.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Ewhat%27s the %27cranberry bogs%27 joke%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AYou know%2C I%27m not sure I remember precisely where it came from originally.  It became a kind of running gag in GweepCo back in the old days.  I %5Bi%5Dthink%5B%2Fi%5D it came from the cover of a computer programming textbook.  Why %5Bi%5Dthat%5B%2Fi%5D had a sign saying %22Beware%21  Cranberry bogs%21%22%2C I don%27t know.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Ewhat is babylon 5%2F6 colour joke%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m mildly surprised by how many people didn%27t get this%2C especially given that it%27s not actually my joke - I just continued one that JMS started on the %5Bi%5DBabylon 5%5B%2Fi%5D TV show.  See%2C here%27s the thing.  The spectrum of visible light is nowadays customarily broken up into six main colors%3A red%2C orange%2C yellow%2C green%2C blue%2C and violet.  Babylon 5%2C as seen on TV%2C has blue trim%3B blue is the fifth color of the spectrum.  OK%2C could be a coincidence%2C %5Bi%5Dbut%5B%2Fi%5D - in the episode %22Babylon Squared%22%2C we saw the previous Babylon station%2C Babylon 4.  It was green.  Green is the fourth color of the spectrum.%0D%0A%0D%0ASo when Derek and Garibaldi renumbered Babylon 5%2C they knew what they had to do.%0D%0A%0D%0ANow%2C here%27s where it gets a bit subtle.  Six is the usual number of colors taught in elementary schools nowadays%2C at least around here%2C but not so long ago there was a seventh.  Or rather%2C violet was the seventh and there was a sixth%2C indigo%2C in between blue and violet.  It%27s basically a dark purplish shade of blue%2C which is why modern%2C um%2C colorologists%3F... tend to argue that it%27s not a proper primary color and leave it out of the list.%0D%0A%0D%0ADerek knew that%2C but he also knew that most modern 25th-century observers wouldn%27t get it %28or even really notice%29 if he turned the station... darker blue.  But he couldn%27t just leave it %5Bi%5Dout%5B%2Fi%5D.  So he split the difference.  The special radiation-activated thermocoat they used to set up the %22B6 turns purple%22 joke was%2C before activated%2C a somewhat darker blue than the original color.  Not many people noticed%2C but Fuu Hououji did.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Ecan i have a cookie%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ANot before dinner.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
61|1|0|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Meagen||01:01:46|07/28/2006|Have you seen Utena%2C Anthy and Corwin%27s daughter in action yet%3F Do you have a clear picture of what she%27ll look like when she grows up%3F
62|2|61|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||03:00:02|07/28/2006|%3EHave you seen Utena%2C Anthy and Corwin%27s daughter in action yet%3F Do you %0D%0A%3Ehave a clear picture of what she%27ll look like when she grows up%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AYes%2C yes indeed.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
63|1|0|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|clg||16:38:51|07/30/2006|How does Saionji%27s having taken Anakin as a student affect his Katsujinkenryuu training%3F I remember from early in SotS that it wouldn%27t be appropriate for a journeyman to %22learn and teach%22. We see from Blades that Anakin stays around%3B does this mean that Saionji isn%27t in the Asagiri school anymore%3F Maybe it%27s okay because he%27s not actually training Ani in Katsujinkenryuu.%0D%0A%0D%0A - Chad%0D%0A
64|2|63|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||22:02:51|07/30/2006|%3EHow does Saionji%27s having taken Anakin as a student affect his %0D%0A%3EKatsujinkenryuu training%3F I remember from early in SotS that it %0D%0A%3Ewouldn%27t be appropriate for a journeyman to %22learn and teach%22. We see %0D%0A%3Efrom Blades that Anakin stays around%3B does this mean that Saionji %0D%0A%3Eisn%27t in the Asagiri school anymore%3F Maybe it%27s okay because he%27s not %0D%0A%3Eactually training Ani in Katsujinkenryuu. %0D%0A%0D%0AWell%2C uh%2C I don%27t know if you%27ve noticed%2C but Saionji has %5Bi%5Djoined the enemy camp%5B%2Fi%5D.  It may be inferred from that action%2C perhaps%2C that he doesn%27t really give a crap about the Asagiri school%27s rules of rank and conduct.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
65|3|64|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|WengFook||22:48:39|07/30/2006|Okay given the cutoff at 50-60 posts unwritten rule.... do we get another %0D%0A%22Go ahead%2C ask me anything thread%3F%22 %3AP%0D%0A%0D%0A_________________________________%0D%0AWe few. We happy few. We band of buggered.%0D%0A%0D%0A
66|4|65|||1||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|Gryphon||23:33:09|07/30/2006|%3EOkay given the cutoff at 50-60 posts unwritten rule.... do we get another %0D%0A%3E%22Go ahead%2C ask me anything thread%3F%22 %3AP %0D%0A%0D%0ASheesh%2C I swear%2C I gotta do everything around here some days.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
67|3|64|||||RE%3A Go ahead%2C ask me anything|clg||02:12:19|07/31/2006|%3E%3EHow does Saionji%27s having taken Anakin as a student affect his %0D%0A%3E%3EKatsujinkenryuu training%3F%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EWell%2C uh%2C I don%27t know if you%27ve noticed%2C but Saionji has %5Bi%5Djoined %0D%0A%3Ethe enemy camp%5B%2Fi%5D.  It may be inferred from that action%2C perhaps%2C %0D%0A%3Ethat he doesn%27t really give a crap about the Asagiri school%27s rules of %0D%0A%3Erank and conduct.%0D%0A%0D%0AOh%2C I noticed. I just assumed%2C going from Anne%27s email in %5Bi%5DBlades%5B%2Fi%5D%2C that Saionji had rejoined the Light %28er%2C so to speak%29 and that joining the Black Rose was a bit of deception on his part. It wasn%27t really clear to me what could have been inferred from Saionji%27s actions. But your response makes it clear that he%27s not rejoining the Asagiri%2C which is what I wanted to know%2C so OK.%0D%0A%0D%0A - Chad%0D%0A