If I remember properly, Violet bee herself, who we know to be gold-bug and mr. Green, stated that even she reported to someone if anyone asks me for the link all I can tell you is that it’s at the end of the saint Charlie mission. Seeing as I don’t know how to link.
On a completely unrelated note, Shannon and Jeff; I grew up reading this story and while I appreciate that it ran for 10 years I am disappointed to see it finally begin the endgame. I may be a young man but even I know when things come to a head the story tends to end
I do hope that I’m wrong and that you’re going to write this for another 10 years though.
At the time, and in the context, I thought that Violet was referring to the drone itself reporting up (to its operator). Going back and re-reading it, I still get the same impression. I did not get the idea that she was hinting at anyone above Mr. Green.
Sorry, I’m having a hard time reading it that way. The operator just spoke from operator POV. To cast that one sentence as if it was from the POV of the drone doesn’t work for me.
But it’s not just that one sentence. Up to that mission, everyone believed that Violet was a person, so everything Mr. Green said while using the drone had to be said from the drone’s POV, to maintain the illusion that Violet was her own person. Besides Nick and Virginia, everyone else had only known for an hour or two that Violet was, in fact, just a drone.
But Violet is NOT just a drone. Violet is the operator controlling the drone(Or, if you prefer, the name for the operator/drone complex). And the only agent here is the operator.
I kind of understand where you are going. An analogy would be of an actor speaking either “in character” or “out of character”. And having the the character say something like “That depends on what (actor’s name) thinks I should do”. But I don’t get that feeling at all.
Note that I CAN buy the idea that Mr. Green was hiding the fact that he was the operator by giving the idea he has superiors. That would make some sense to me.
Great job invalidating Mrs. Apis’ chosen identity, Virginia. I know you have a checkered past, but that’s no reason to give up on yourself. Fulfill your destiny and take your place at Ira’s side for good! That is, for goodness. The other way almost sounds sinister.
Strictly, she hasn’t, because bees are Order Hymenoptera, whilst bugs are Order Hemiptera. But Dr Lee is clearly prepared to sacrifice the little things when the situation demands. A true mad genius…
Loosely speaking, people tend to refer to all insects (and even spiders and other arthropods) as “bugs”. I would say that the average person doesn’t even know that true bugs are only a subset of all arthropods.
I’m pretty sure that Dr. Lee has always been a mad scientist, but like how some have thematics from different time periods, her thematic is “sane, normal scientist”. This is distinct from not being a mad scientist, but less so than you’d expect.
I have believed from the beginning that Dr. Lee was already Mad, and merely in denial about it. She calls herself sane, but she doesn’t act like a sane scientist, and she grasps Mad science inventions like only another Mad scientist can. Even at least Sergio and Sweetheart questioned her sanity, and they don’t have the semi-omniscient viewpoint that we as readers have.
Oh great, she went there.
I love Virginia: that pun was epic.
But with such joy!
“Yay, I finally get to use that one!”
Service is my only joy!
The original computer bug:
http://www.computerhistory.org/tdih/september/9/
You can see from the note that this isn’t really the original — the term was already in use, and Hopper is basically making the same joke Virginia is.
Dude, don’t harsh the myth.
Indeed, the OED dates the usage of “bug” to mean “a defect or fault in a machine, plan, etc.” to the late 19th century.
I was more impressed that Adm. Grace Hopper (before she made rank of course) was the one making the report.
That lady was AWESOME!
Durn tootin’. Helen and Dave’s daughter Rosalind agrees.
COBOL 4EVER!
Virginia is a “Special” kind of genius.:>)
BWAH
I think Virginia is soon going to find her head filled with a swarm of ideas and then will be leaving this simulacrum behind …
You are waxing poetic
That pun stings.
If I remember properly, Violet bee herself, who we know to be gold-bug and mr. Green, stated that even she reported to someone if anyone asks me for the link all I can tell you is that it’s at the end of the saint Charlie mission. Seeing as I don’t know how to link.
On a completely unrelated note, Shannon and Jeff; I grew up reading this story and while I appreciate that it ran for 10 years I am disappointed to see it finally begin the endgame. I may be a young man but even I know when things come to a head the story tends to end
I do hope that I’m wrong and that you’re going to write this for another 10 years though.
Narbonic ended; Skin Horse began.
If Skin Horse ends, I’ll trust that in time something else will come along.
And it will be awesome. People will laugh! THE MASSES SHALL BOW DOWN BEFORE SHAENON AND HER STORYTELLING!
…um. I mean, it’ll be great.
Well said!
^^ This right here…. Totally true.
Agreed. Something new shall rise from the ashes. Like a… zombie.
Aw, thank you so much!
At the time, and in the context, I thought that Violet was referring to the drone itself reporting up (to its operator). Going back and re-reading it, I still get the same impression. I did not get the idea that she was hinting at anyone above Mr. Green.
http://skin-horse.com/comic/good-at-reading-3/
Sorry, I’m having a hard time reading it that way. The operator just spoke from operator POV. To cast that one sentence as if it was from the POV of the drone doesn’t work for me.
But it’s not just that one sentence. Up to that mission, everyone believed that Violet was a person, so everything Mr. Green said while using the drone had to be said from the drone’s POV, to maintain the illusion that Violet was her own person. Besides Nick and Virginia, everyone else had only known for an hour or two that Violet was, in fact, just a drone.
But Violet is NOT just a drone. Violet is the operator controlling the drone(Or, if you prefer, the name for the operator/drone complex). And the only agent here is the operator.
I kind of understand where you are going. An analogy would be of an actor speaking either “in character” or “out of character”. And having the the character say something like “That depends on what (actor’s name) thinks I should do”. But I don’t get that feeling at all.
Note that I CAN buy the idea that Mr. Green was hiding the fact that he was the operator by giving the idea he has superiors. That would make some sense to me.
It’s established that Gavotte thought Mr. Green was a big humbug. Hmm…
Or, maybe the Crown can cause this sort of disassociation. Does Dr Lee know about the Crown?
Great job invalidating Mrs. Apis’ chosen identity, Virginia. I know you have a checkered past, but that’s no reason to give up on yourself. Fulfill your destiny and take your place at Ira’s side for good! That is, for goodness. The other way almost sounds sinister.
Nah, Mrs. Apis’ last remark here strongly implies that she sees the end of the ruse coming fast.
I’m pretty sure there is not a ruse here. With the hive-mind shattered, the pieces think themselves independent.
Strictly, she hasn’t, because bees are Order Hymenoptera, whilst bugs are Order Hemiptera. But Dr Lee is clearly prepared to sacrifice the little things when the situation demands. A true mad genius…
Loosely speaking, people tend to refer to all insects (and even spiders and other arthropods) as “bugs”. I would say that the average person doesn’t even know that true bugs are only a subset of all arthropods.
And yes, I am well aware that Virginia is so far above average that she ruins the curve.
Well, _somebody_ has to define the endpoints.
Ba-dumph CHING!
She was a buzzing girl
In the Skin-Horse way.
Now she’s been divided!
Somewhere near Cape May
And if she was only human
This is what I’d say…
Honey-Bee,
You are driving us crazy,
But the details are hazy.
So won’t you please come clean.
Honey-Bee,
Are you from Anasigma?
You are quite an enigma
In this Mr. Green scheme.
You became a part of Dr. Ao’s dream.
But now we think the five of you
Are a bundle of bees.
Oh, Honey-Bee,
Beatrix, Mrs. Ape-ing,
You’re our hope of escaping
From this walnut-based hell.
Will this extirpation come without a scream?
And now this group and company
Makes it part of our dream.
Oh, Honey-Bee,
You are driving us crazy,
But the details are hazy,
So won’t you please come clean.
Honey-Bee come clean to us!
—from “Honey Pie,” The Beatles, and also from Hoodiecrow’s comments yesterday.
Lovely!
My virtual hat is off to you, sir!
Ginnie. No.
“If there’s a bug, I’ll exploit it!”
http://skin-horse.com/comic/meaning-fire/
The only bug I know that hums is a mosquito.
But what about a humbug?
I feel I should point out that in this world puns like that tend to be a sign of rapidly deteriorating mental health.
The mental health of the punner, or the victims?
Given the subject at hand, ‘first one, then the other.’
Obviously, Mrs. Apis doesn’t know where she actually is, otherwise that she would realize that the complicated answer is the more likely option.
I wonder if Dr. Lee actually has to break Mayor Queen (not Oliver) out of her house on the hill to reunite the swarm as one mind?
That seems likely.
So by show of hands, who’s betting that Dr. Lee loses her grip on sanity soon?
Depends upon whether she was every really sane in the first place.
I’m pretty sure that Dr. Lee has always been a mad scientist, but like how some have thematics from different time periods, her thematic is “sane, normal scientist”. This is distinct from not being a mad scientist, but less so than you’d expect.
I have believed from the beginning that Dr. Lee was already Mad, and merely in denial about it. She calls herself sane, but she doesn’t act like a sane scientist, and she grasps Mad science inventions like only another Mad scientist can. Even at least Sergio and Sweetheart questioned her sanity, and they don’t have the semi-omniscient viewpoint that we as readers have.
I like the word “gestalt”. It sounds cool and makes anything sciencey.
Oh yeah, and also it’s German.
The bugs. In the System.
AAAAAAaaaaarrrrggghh!
(Well done!)
Wasn’t the first thing Melanie said to either Beatrix or Dr. Lee “buzz off”?