Battle of Spindle Aftermath

It is really not all that hard to shoot your self in the back of the head with a pistol. Looking straight ahead, put you right finger up to your right ear. Now turn your head as far to the left as you can. Bam, shot yourself in the back of the head.

Bill Woods wrote:Maybe an interrogation team with a treecat will take an interest?

Yeah. They might have a chance of knowing something from that. Of course, if they find no assassins on the flag bridge, that still leaves suicide and (more likely) nano-suicide.

crewdude48 wrote:It is really not all that hard to shoot your self in the back of the head with a pistol. Looking straight ahead, put you right finger up to your right ear. Now turn your head as far to the left as you can. Bam, shot yourself in the back of the head.

Perhaps. But from MoH:

"Well, there's no question it was her pulser, Your Majesty, and it was in her hand when Admiral Gold Peak's Marines recovered her body. Judging from the Admiral's report, there's no forensic evidence to suggest anyone else fired the fatal dart, for that matter. Unfortunately, there aren't any witnesses who actually saw her do it, either, which is pretty suspicious in its own right. And given the fact that everyone on her flag bridge was skinsuited, there probably wouldn't be any forensic evidence, even under ideal conditions."

See bold words above. Yes, you can contort yourself to shoot yourself in the back of the head--but then hold onto the weapon? I think that would be a pretty tough trick-but never having shot myself, I could be wrong.

Hutch wrote:
See bold words above. Yes, you can contort yourself to shoot yourself in the back of the head--but then hold onto the weapon? I think that would be a pretty tough trick-but never having shot myself, I could be wrong.

Again, it happens in the real world, why not in fiction?

And as already stated, no need for contortionist tricks. Or do you really count turning your head as contorting yourself? If so, what would you call it if a circus contortionist performs? Illusions?

Yes it´s not usual with either, but again, it happens in the real world.

How can they be sure it was her own pulser? They are using standard pulser right? Killer shoots her with his/her own pulser. Takes Crandall's pulser, fires a shot into a damaged area, puts pulser in Crandall's hand (maybe dip the tip into some of the blood to 'fake' the blood spatter on the weapon).

Rakhmamort wrote:How can they be sure it was her own pulser? They are using standard pulser right? Killer shoots her with his/her own pulser. Takes Crandall's pulser, fires a shot into a damaged area, puts pulser in Crandall's hand (maybe dip the tip into some of the blood to 'fake' the blood spatter on the weapon).

We don't know how they can be sure. But we can assume they know how to do proper forensic analysis, and we know they were suspicious so we can be sure they tried to do a good job. The results of that analysis is:

Well, there's no question it was her pulser, Your Majesty, and it was in her hand when Admiral Gold Peak's Marines recovered her body. Judging from the Admiral's report, there's no forensic evidence to suggest anyone else fired the fatal dart, for that matter.

Rakhmamort wrote:How can they be sure it was her own pulser? They are using standard pulser right? Killer shoots her with his/her own pulser. Takes Crandall's pulser, fires a shot into a damaged area, puts pulser in Crandall's hand (maybe dip the tip into some of the blood to 'fake' the blood spatter on the weapon).

Way overly complicated for "nobody saw a thing"? Also as far as how difficult it is – if it’s “possible” the nanites don’t care how difficult (or painful) the contortion would be. Maybe it was in the “back” just to force her to contort into a painful position (just because we can) while she knows she’s not in control. Like Rajampet having no choice but stand there & watch his own gun being put in his mouth & not being able to do anything about it. “So you like contortion with our slaves Admiral? How do you like this contortion, Slave?” Personally, I think the forensics was wrong – it was out not in the back of the head.

I’m more curious about Vice Admiral Yountz. How did he break his neck? Was it a real accident (a red herring for us to see conspiracy when one actually wasn’t there)? Was there a plan to kill him but he died of an actual accident beforehand? Or did Capt. Gweon do it with his own hands? Or did the nanites do it somehow? If they did, then how? Can the muscles in the human neck produce enough torque on their own to break your own neck (assuming piddly things like pain & self-preservation were removed from the equation) or can someone reach up & twist their own neck around with their hands (like they do in the movies)? I don’t see how the nanites could “arrange” for someone to fall “just right” to hit their head and break their neck.

MAD-4A wrote:I’m more curious about Vice Admiral Yountz. How did he break his neck? Was it a real accident (a red herring for us to see conspiracy when one actually wasn’t there)? Was there a plan to kill him but he died of an actual accident beforehand? Or did Capt. Gweon do it with his own hands? Or did the nanites do it somehow? If they did, then how? Can the muscles in the human neck produce enough torque on their own to break your own neck (assuming piddly things like pain & self-preservation were removed from the equation) or can someone reach up & twist their own neck around with their hands (like they do in the movies)? I don’t see how the nanites could “arrange” for someone to fall “just right” to hit their head and break their neck.

It probably was a lot simpler than that. Something as simple as having someone show up, appearing to be pool maintenance, who is actually a skilled assassin in the MAlign's pay (and no, doesn't know who is really paying him or her). One <name-your-martial-art> throw later, he lands on the back of his neck, he dies. Assassin uses software to modify any recordings monitoring the pool to make it appear he died after the pool guy left, and leaves. If he is found dead in the pool, getting a time-of-death is a lot less accurate. And if the video shows he died accidentally, there won't be an investigation.

robertamgottlieb wrote:It probably was a lot simpler than that. Something as simple as having someone show up, appearing to be pool maintenance, who is actually a skilled assassin in the MAlign's pay (and no, doesn't know who is really paying him or her). One <name-your-martial-art> throw later, he lands on the back of his neck, he dies. Assassin uses software to modify any recordings monitoring the pool to make it appear he died after the pool guy left, and leaves. If he is found dead in the pool, getting a time-of-death is a lot less accurate. And if the video shows he died accidentally, there won't be an investigation.

That’s the thing – if it was a normal assassination there would be “fingerprints” (not literal but figurative) to that effect. He was an Admiral in charge of an intelligence branch Where was his security? It’s not like some plumber slipped in the tub. He had to-of had a staff & security. If it was somehow possible to “make” him do it with nano’s then the security cameras may show an “accident” & no investigation – or it was an accident before an actual assassination was scheduled to happen?