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Another out of sequence snippet

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Re: Another out of sequence snippet
Post by roseandheather   » Sat Aug 20, 2016 2:20 pm

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I mean, I could say something, but Nimue already said it for me. :mrgreen:
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Re: Another out of sequence snippet
Post by Kakai   » Sat Aug 20, 2016 2:34 pm

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Ed130 The Vanguard wrote:Interesting that it is Nimue advocating a an OBS style attack on a target in Zion.

You would think something like that would trigger some sort of alarms, not to mention the religious implications and what happens when they need to reveal the Truth.


I don't think she's arguing for something like OBS attack. Note that she says "a little of Dialydd Mab's medicine". Unless Mab's tactics change radically in ATST, this means mass assassination rather than anything overly high-tech.
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Re: Another out of sequence snippet
Post by OrlandoNative   » Sat Aug 20, 2016 3:22 pm

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Duckk wrote:So they drop a hypersonic air lorrie filled with rocks on the Temple? :)

Would that actually hurt it? The Temple is at least sheathed, if not built, out of battle steel. I doubt most rocks, even fast moving ones, would hurt it unless it was moving at relativistic speeds.
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Re: Another out of sequence snippet
Post by OrlandoNative   » Sat Aug 20, 2016 3:25 pm

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Kakai wrote:I don't think she's arguing for something like OBS attack. Note that she says "a little of Dialydd Mab's medicine". Unless Mab's tactics change radically in ATST, this means mass assassination rather than anything overly high-tech.

Yes, but remember while Merlin has been in Zion many times, he's always shied away from the Temple itself, in case some sensors noted his artificial nature and "woke something up".

So whatever plan they might come up with isn't too likely to involve Merlin or Nimue getting too close to the Temple. And, of course, no "flesh and blood" could be anywhere even close to as good an assassin as they would be.

I guess they could try some ultra long range sniping, though.
"Yield to temptation, it may not pass your way again."
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Re: Another out of sequence snippet
Post by Ed130 The Vanguard   » Sat Aug 20, 2016 3:37 pm

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Kakai wrote:
Ed130 The Vanguard wrote:Interesting that it is Nimue advocating a an OBS style attack on a target in Zion.

You would think something like that would trigger some sort of alarms, not to mention the religious implications and what happens when they need to reveal the Truth.


I don't think she's arguing for something like OBS attack. Note that she says "a little of Dialydd Mab's medicine". Unless Mab's tactics change radically in ATST, this means mass assassination rather than anything overly high-tech.


I was basing it after the second sentence, that Clyntahn would have trouble explaining away an attack "by what has to be one of Langhorne’s own Rakurai".

They've already destroyed a target with high explosives delivered to the Fist of God, Nimue seems to be advocating for a massive escalation as something capable of being mistaken for a Rakurai strike is far beyond the current tech level.
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Re: Another out of sequence snippet
Post by DMcCunney   » Sat Aug 20, 2016 3:57 pm

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I suspect the proximate cause will be what was revealed in an earlier snippet, when the Inquisition captures one of Mistress Marzho's Helm Cleaver cell in Zion. We can assume Aivah Parsahn will not take that well, and her reaction may be what motivates Nimue. (And may also be the catalyst for another hint of things to come David dropped at a con, about a closer relationship between Aivah and Merlin.)

The notion of a Rakurai strike may not be a reference to the OBS. Remember, Clyntahn has his own mortal "Rakurai" strikes doing suicide bombing. A little "turnabout is fair play" seems indicated, but without the suicide.

I'm wondering when Dailydd Mab will get an opportunity to take out Archbishop Wylbur in Lake City, preferably with a note that says "I'm coming for you, Grand Fornicator!" left at the scene. The reaction that would produce in Clyntahn would be interesting. What if he actually gets more folks to subject to the Punishment in the Plaza of Martyrs, bute he's too terrified to come out of the Temple to watch in person?

"And the Dialydd Mab will get you if you don't watch out!" :P
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Re: Another out of sequence snippet
Post by Kakai   » Sat Aug 20, 2016 4:03 pm

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Ed130 The Vanguard wrote:I was basing it after the second sentence, that Clyntahn would have trouble explaining away an attack "by what has to be one of Langhorne’s own Rakurai".

They've already destroyed a target with high explosives delivered to the Fist of God, Nimue seems to be advocating for a massive escalation as something capable of being mistaken for a Rakurai strike is far beyond the current tech level.


Like DMcCunney said above, it could be a reference to Clyntahn's suicide bombers.

Could the seijins use some sort of Terran Federation-level explosive? I bet Owl can cook up something that far outpowers whatever Safehold has right now. "Clear" pocket nuke? That'd be quite an escalation. And even if they didn't want to use a nuke, I'd bet that whatever futuristic C4 TF has could wipe out church's worth of people with a pocket-sized chunk.

Again, that reference to Mab has me rather puzzled. Did he use any explosives in the last book? As far as I remember, his MO so far was guns, blades and terror.

On a vaguely-related note, I shall now add to my list of "stuff I want to see in ATST" Mab moving with his act to Zion proper.
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Re: Another out of sequence snippet
Post by Randomiser   » Sat Aug 20, 2016 5:12 pm

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runsforcelery wrote:“But just as important, I think it’s time we gave these sick sons-of-bitches a little of Dialydd Mab’s medicine closer to home!” Nimue snarled. “Let Clyntahn and Rayno try to explain why their precious Inquisition’s just been hit by what has to be one of Langhorne’s own Rakurai right in the middle of Zion!”

:twisted: :twisted:


Guys let's read the snippet. I refers to Langhorne's Rakurai , not Clyntahn's. It is going to be something they will have great trouble explaining away because it will imply God's anger. They have already 'explained away' a church being blown up in Zion, ergo it's something different/bigger. IMHO Dialydd Mab's medicine is clear payback with extreme prejudice - removing the Inquisition's assumption of impunity - whatever method is used. It is specifically the Inquisition she wants to hit, not some general high-ups. The Inquisition headquarters/prison is attached to the Temple complex with the torture area underground.

Is there any reason she can't mean a small-ish rock from orbit with enough force to take out the said Inquisition headquarters? What would it take to produce say a 100ft crater?
Could this be a reaction to the other out of order snippet as suggested above. After all, posters there were wondering how to mercifully kill the person who had been captured! One suggestion over there was that it might be Nynian on her long delayed trip to Zion - sufficient reason for Nimue to blow a fuse?

Mind you, I think the previous poster who said she is going to get argued out of it is probably right.
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Re: Another out of sequence snippet
Post by runsforcelery   » Sat Aug 20, 2016 5:23 pm

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All I'll say is that the Inquisition has more than one facility in Zion and that the biggest and most important to them is not in the Temple or attached to the Temple Annex. It isn't even the one they hauled Gwyllym's men off to.

And, yes, whatever else may be true about the snippet, Nimue is definitely arguing for a boom. A great BIG boom delivered air express. Precisely what the nature of the boom may be remaineth classified.


"Oh, bother!" said Pooh, as Piglet came back from the dead.
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Re: Another out of sequence snippet
Post by OrlandoNative   » Sat Aug 20, 2016 5:39 pm

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Randomiser wrote:
Is there any reason she can't mean a small-ish rock from orbit with enough force to take out the said Inquisition headquarters? What would it take to produce say a 100ft crater?

The biggest reason is simply the same one that has kept Merlin from merely marching through the Temple and slaughtering all the Vicars - namely, that what kind and capability of sensors might have been set up when the Temple was built.

It's quite possible that while a Federation-style aircar might be considered "ok"; it's also quite possible that something dropping out of orbit on a targeting trajectory would not. I doubt the Charisian side would want to wake anything sleeping up. Also, there's no telling just what kind of weapons emplacements might have been incorporated into the Temple's design. There might be energy weapons or hypervelocity missles automatically programmed to destroy natural or "man made" meteor strikes.

We don't have precise information as to the orbital array's orbit either. If it's geosynchronous and not over the horizon from the Temple, it might have space based interceptors that could take out a "smallish rock" just as it did Merlin's missiles when he investigated it in the beginning. And we *know* it's sensors are up and running.
"Yield to temptation, it may not pass your way again."
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