But if it was only a threat after AG-I started beating on it, then what attracted Cerebriac to it in the first place? Nick does have an argument for the false-positive theory.
If the computer was a precog they wouldn’t need Jonah as badly as Panoptica suggested.
I reckon the false positive theory is adequately explained by Nera’s “if the computer’s fritzy”, which isn’t even an assumption on her part because Goose Girl said the same thing.
As to why Cerebriac is fritzy, well, I’m guessing Cinderblock’s “calibration” might have something to do with it.
“Anything that happens, happens.
Anything that, in happening, causes something else to happen, causes something else to happen.
Anything that, in happening, causes itself to happen again, happens again.
It doesn’t necessarily do it in chronological order, though.”
—Douglas Adams
Something certainly seems a bit wonky here. They were all on the boat when Cerebriac registered the threat, so that definitely happened after it grabbed Nick. Cerebriac registered a threat before the monster hit the ship, but they didn’t attack it until after it did that.
Perhaps Nick’s a bit confused after the whole being attacked by a sea monster thing, and Jonah and Nera are just making the most of it.
But something had to have indicated to them that it was a threat before Nick and the others (and all of us) showed up, otherwise AG-I wouldn’t be there in the first place. And since Cerebriac is their threat detector, it is fairly safe to assume that Cerebriac was the one that told them that it was a threat before.
We simply don’t know enough yet about what happened before we arrived on the ship to say whether it was a threat already, or if AG-I aggravated it into its current state. And given AG-I’s track record, they probably didn’t know enough of what happened before they arrived and started beating on it.
Their SOP seems to be “shoot first, and don’t ask questions later.”
They were there for the sea monster – both Shelby and Goose Girl said as much. That isn’t to say that they’d even found it before we saw them, much less that they’d already had some sort of non-constructive interaction with it.
It may be that the things we’ve just seen had already happened a short time earlier, but in a slightly different order. And it may be that Jonah and Nick know all of this for some reason. It just doesn’t seem that likely to me.
Yes, I know they were there for the sea monster. But that’s my point. Why were they there for the sea monster? They’re superheroes (such as they are), so they don’t just go galavanting after things without thinking they have a reason. And since Cerebriac is their threat indicator, it must have told them that the sea creature was a threat.
But what if Nera is right, and Cerebriac registered a false positive, and the creature is only attacking because they’re hunting it? Sure, now it’s a threat — at least to them — so they have to do something about it. But was it a threat before, or is it their fault?
And since Skin Horse is there, I’m anxious to see whether this thing really is sapient, in which case, will SH try to claim jurisdiction and prevent AG-I from destroying it?
awgiedawgie: I understand that you believe that AG-I view the world entirely in terms of threats. I don’t think we’ve seen enough to know how they do things. They may be there to follow up reported sightings of a large and anomalous sea creature, In that situation, you may want some backup in case it responds aggressively to humans, but it wouldn’t have posed any sort of danger to anyone.
I’ll leave the question of how Jonah and Nick know so much about things which happened before they arrived on the scene to one side.
Re: the question of Jonah and Nick… Nick, because he had tapped into Cerebriac, so he has all the mission data that was in there. Jonah? Well, he sees possibilities. He’s like a human Second Gate. So while he may not know for certain what has happened or what will happen, he may still know more than anyone else.
Remember “A Knight’s Tale” — Count Adhemar was sent off to battle by the Black Prince so he couldn’t compete in the tournaments. William “won” the tournaments, but he didn’t consider it a victory because he hadn’t actually faced and defeated Adhemar.
This storyline and the previous one all take place in the course of a few days. We’re not sure what time of year it is, but probably not far off from the time the first strip of “Sure as You’re Born” was posted — it’s warm enough for outdoor concerts in Vermont.
Ah, nice to see our three heroes have a proper grasp of the priorities! ^_^
I feel very strongly that there should be one final word bubble, of Nick repeating even more emphatically “No”, in bolder lettering.
Cousteau Country… clever.
There’s no “Cousteau Country” without “u.”
Yeah, I’m hoping they’ll catch that and fix the spelling.
Looks like they did.
But if it was only a threat after AG-I started beating on it, then what attracted Cerebriac to it in the first place? Nick does have an argument for the false-positive theory.
Precognition I’m assuming. It can be a bit wonky about cause and effect.
If the computer was a precog they wouldn’t need Jonah as badly as Panoptica suggested.
I reckon the false positive theory is adequately explained by Nera’s “if the computer’s fritzy”, which isn’t even an assumption on her part because Goose Girl said the same thing.
As to why Cerebriac is fritzy, well, I’m guessing Cinderblock’s “calibration” might have something to do with it.
“Anything that happens, happens.
Anything that, in happening, causes something else to happen, causes something else to happen.
Anything that, in happening, causes itself to happen again, happens again.
It doesn’t necessarily do it in chronological order, though.”
—Douglas Adams
Something certainly seems a bit wonky here. They were all on the boat when Cerebriac registered the threat, so that definitely happened after it grabbed Nick. Cerebriac registered a threat before the monster hit the ship, but they didn’t attack it until after it did that.
Perhaps Nick’s a bit confused after the whole being attacked by a sea monster thing, and Jonah and Nera are just making the most of it.
But something had to have indicated to them that it was a threat before Nick and the others (and all of us) showed up, otherwise AG-I wouldn’t be there in the first place. And since Cerebriac is their threat detector, it is fairly safe to assume that Cerebriac was the one that told them that it was a threat before.
We simply don’t know enough yet about what happened before we arrived on the ship to say whether it was a threat already, or if AG-I aggravated it into its current state. And given AG-I’s track record, they probably didn’t know enough of what happened before they arrived and started beating on it.
Their SOP seems to be “shoot first, and don’t ask questions later.”
They were there for the sea monster – both Shelby and Goose Girl said as much. That isn’t to say that they’d even found it before we saw them, much less that they’d already had some sort of non-constructive interaction with it.
It may be that the things we’ve just seen had already happened a short time earlier, but in a slightly different order. And it may be that Jonah and Nick know all of this for some reason. It just doesn’t seem that likely to me.
Yes, I know they were there for the sea monster. But that’s my point. Why were they there for the sea monster? They’re superheroes (such as they are), so they don’t just go galavanting after things without thinking they have a reason. And since Cerebriac is their threat indicator, it must have told them that the sea creature was a threat.
But what if Nera is right, and Cerebriac registered a false positive, and the creature is only attacking because they’re hunting it? Sure, now it’s a threat — at least to them — so they have to do something about it. But was it a threat before, or is it their fault?
And since Skin Horse is there, I’m anxious to see whether this thing really is sapient, in which case, will SH try to claim jurisdiction and prevent AG-I from destroying it?
awgiedawgie: I understand that you believe that AG-I view the world entirely in terms of threats. I don’t think we’ve seen enough to know how they do things. They may be there to follow up reported sightings of a large and anomalous sea creature, In that situation, you may want some backup in case it responds aggressively to humans, but it wouldn’t have posed any sort of danger to anyone.
I’ll leave the question of how Jonah and Nick know so much about things which happened before they arrived on the scene to one side.
Re: the question of Jonah and Nick… Nick, because he had tapped into Cerebriac, so he has all the mission data that was in there. Jonah? Well, he sees possibilities. He’s like a human Second Gate. So while he may not know for certain what has happened or what will happen, he may still know more than anyone else.
At least that’s my working theory.
Thought Jonah Yu would’ve claimed victory when he saw Nick’s obituary in the papers…
Only if Jonah wanted him dead, I think. Otherwise it just leaves the conflict unresolved. This is a much more satisfying victory, at least to me.
And Nick’s not being dead gives Nera the chance to resolve a ten-year old grudge as well.
Really? What grudge does Nera have with him?
Something about Harry Potter. But it still might be reality not living up to the anticipation.
Yeah I was thinking Harry Potter … but referred to Deathly Hallows. Forgot Cursed Child, which is waaaaay more recent.
Remember “A Knight’s Tale” — Count Adhemar was sent off to battle by the Black Prince so he couldn’t compete in the tournaments. William “won” the tournaments, but he didn’t consider it a victory because he hadn’t actually faced and defeated Adhemar.
That talk of computers reminds me. Isn’t it time the gang get back to the office so Mr. Grinch the computer can make them be Secret Santas?
Probably not for a couple more weeks yet.
This storyline and the previous one all take place in the course of a few days. We’re not sure what time of year it is, but probably not far off from the time the first strip of “Sure as You’re Born” was posted — it’s warm enough for outdoor concerts in Vermont.