So here’s the thing that’s been bothering me all through Skin Horse. The Department of Jetpack Suppression suppresses jetpacks, right? Their use, development, manufacture and distribution, correct? Yet the employees of that department continuously use and maintain a variety of advanced jetpacks. So here we have a government agency that is inherently corrupt, wallowing in the very thing they are tasked with denying to everybody else. I must ask… WTF? Is this some kind of political metaphor? …NO! I’m reading too much into it! Right?
Serious answer? The military has nukes, but they still work to prevent the public from having nukes – this seems kind of like that. Average people already can’t handle driving cars without killing themselves and others, do you really want them flying around with tanks of explosive jet fuel strapped to them?
…that said, also recall that in the same building you also had the Department of Irradiation, whose entire purpose was to just irradiate random things for literally no reason. The suppression of jetpacks might be equally pointless and random.
I see it as the classic bureaucratic dilemma: do your job too well and people start to wonder if you’re needed. So they wear jetpacks as a reminder of what they do.
In the last couple of years there have also been multiple reports of a person flying a jetpack radioed in by aircraft in the inbound flight corridors of LAX, so clearly either the Department of Jetpack Suppression is slipping up on the job or testing something new.
“. So here we have a government agency that is inherently corrupt, wallowing in the very thing they are tasked with denying to everybody else. I must ask… WTF? ”
I’m actually quite perplexed you are puzzled about this.
Part of the perks of working for a department of X suppression is that you get access to the X you are suppressing from everyone else. The employees probably see that a the single greatest benefit of their job.
I am equally perplexed as to why this surprises them, because there’s not a place on Earth where the government – or at least a sizeable number of its agencies – doesn’t operate exactly like that. It’s the classic “do as I say, not as I do” mentality. Also known as “the rules don’t apply to me.”
So I have to wonder what planet they’re from, and why they’re not sharing their space travel secrets with the rest of us.
Reading over these replies to my comment, I’m struck by the oh-so-knowing acceptance of inherent corruption in our society as inevitable and not exceptional. I’m not shocked, of course. But it’s sad to see such casual acceptance of societal decline alongside an inability to see (or refusal to acknowledge) the overwhelmingly dominant cooperation that makes our society function. Just one more item that does not bode well for our future.
Gosh, it turns out that when you go undercover under an alias to the place you used to work, some people remember you, especially if you slept with them.
Once again, Skin Horse falters against “the most likely disasters“.
It does look remarkably like Alfa Alfa – right down to the blouse she was wearing when last we saw her. Maybe she stayed behind as a ruse while Echo Bravo went on ahead to warn Valiant.
It’s at this point that Tip faces the dilemma every spy runs into eventually. He’s working undercover and has run into someone who knows him in his true identity. His only choice is to convert her into an asset. He can either: (a) act in good faith, be honest, and hope that she will reciprocate; (b) try to convince her that his presence under an assumed identity is sanctioned by her organization for some reason; or (c) leverage their past relationship and use some combination of manipulation, extortion, and coercion to force her to do what he wants. Any or all options may or may not involve sleeping with her again.
Or in Tip’s case, pull her aside and either
d) kiss her so she forgets the last 5 minutes (his version of “the flashy thing”) or
e) turn up the mojo to teleport her away – and leave her there (not his style, but…)
Option e) wouldn’t work. His mojo is fueled by romance, and requires the promise – or at the very least, the prospect – of a romantic assignation. He might be able to teleport her away under false pretenses, if they really did have a rendezvous at their destination, but he couldn’t teleport himself back alone.
He’s already operating under an assumed identity. It would be foolhardy, and perhaps even dangerous, to introduce yet another false name. No, he needs to let her know – probably by using the “it’s officially sanctioned” angle – that he’s going by “Chris” at the moment, and get her to go along with it. People in an organization talk, so sooner or later, someone’s going to notice the discrepancy. He’s taking a big enough risk just having two names.
He quietly moves up the ranks. People person, a spy’s greatest strengths. His modus vivendi finds weakness in Wendy, and it’s no good in drawing a blank.
I’m just working here, reminiscing.
Wondering if I’ve been missing
Wendy—oh-uh-oh, Wendy.
Seems my undercover’s found.
There must be other dates around,
Will remember, many more.
Although there must be more.
Well, you know there must be more.
When I think of all the dates I’ve polled
Didn’t occur that I was too bold,
People person, but I’ve let it worsen
When I think of the dates I’ve had
Kind of worries me real bad.
I’m worried—but I love—
And I wonder if I’ll live,
With all of you that will be thinking of…
It’s only me that they’ll be thinking of…
You know they’re thinking of…
Well, it’s me they’re thinking of…
—from “Reminiscing,” written by King Curtis, sung by Buddy Holly.
A good spy often recruits informants and accomplices
Oooooboy. Last I recall, Wendy was complimenting Tip on his rack. SURPRISE!
Stupid department of jetpack supression
They ruin everything!
So here’s the thing that’s been bothering me all through Skin Horse. The Department of Jetpack Suppression suppresses jetpacks, right? Their use, development, manufacture and distribution, correct? Yet the employees of that department continuously use and maintain a variety of advanced jetpacks. So here we have a government agency that is inherently corrupt, wallowing in the very thing they are tasked with denying to everybody else. I must ask… WTF? Is this some kind of political metaphor? …NO! I’m reading too much into it! Right?
Serious answer? The military has nukes, but they still work to prevent the public from having nukes – this seems kind of like that. Average people already can’t handle driving cars without killing themselves and others, do you really want them flying around with tanks of explosive jet fuel strapped to them?
…that said, also recall that in the same building you also had the Department of Irradiation, whose entire purpose was to just irradiate random things for literally no reason. The suppression of jetpacks might be equally pointless and random.
I see it as the classic bureaucratic dilemma: do your job too well and people start to wonder if you’re needed. So they wear jetpacks as a reminder of what they do.
In the last couple of years there have also been multiple reports of a person flying a jetpack radioed in by aircraft in the inbound flight corridors of LAX, so clearly either the Department of Jetpack Suppression is slipping up on the job or testing something new.
How are they supposed to know what to suppress without firsthand field research? Extensive firsthand field research.
If you’re looking for logic or consistency you’re come to the wrong universe.
“. So here we have a government agency that is inherently corrupt, wallowing in the very thing they are tasked with denying to everybody else. I must ask… WTF? ”
I’m actually quite perplexed you are puzzled about this.
Part of the perks of working for a department of X suppression is that you get access to the X you are suppressing from everyone else. The employees probably see that a the single greatest benefit of their job.
I am equally perplexed as to why this surprises them, because there’s not a place on Earth where the government – or at least a sizeable number of its agencies – doesn’t operate exactly like that. It’s the classic “do as I say, not as I do” mentality. Also known as “the rules don’t apply to me.”
So I have to wonder what planet they’re from, and why they’re not sharing their space travel secrets with the rest of us.
They are a member of the Department of Planetary Travel Suppression, so, no secrets for you.
I should have known.
Reading over these replies to my comment, I’m struck by the oh-so-knowing acceptance of inherent corruption in our society as inevitable and not exceptional. I’m not shocked, of course. But it’s sad to see such casual acceptance of societal decline alongside an inability to see (or refusal to acknowledge) the overwhelmingly dominant cooperation that makes our society function. Just one more item that does not bode well for our future.
Gosh, it turns out that when you go undercover under an alias to the place you used to work, some people remember you, especially if you slept with them.
Once again, Skin Horse falters against “the most likely disasters“.
I thought I’d linked to the comic I was quoting, but apparently not.
http://skin-horse.com/comic/i-am-confident/
Is that Alfa Alfa in Panel Two? Thought she’d have chased after Echo Bravo and Valiant.
She seems to be wearing glasses. Alfa Alfa doesn’t.
All the MIBs wear those dark shades at one time or another. Even the gang from Skin Horse wore them when they started working at the Maragda Building.
No, that’s clearly Skully and Mulder, a la Monster of the Week.
*Scully
Dang autocorrect.
It does look remarkably like Alfa Alfa – right down to the blouse she was wearing when last we saw her. Maybe she stayed behind as a ruse while Echo Bravo went on ahead to warn Valiant.
It’s at this point that Tip faces the dilemma every spy runs into eventually. He’s working undercover and has run into someone who knows him in his true identity. His only choice is to convert her into an asset. He can either: (a) act in good faith, be honest, and hope that she will reciprocate; (b) try to convince her that his presence under an assumed identity is sanctioned by her organization for some reason; or (c) leverage their past relationship and use some combination of manipulation, extortion, and coercion to force her to do what he wants. Any or all options may or may not involve sleeping with her again.
Or in Tip’s case, pull her aside and either
d) kiss her so she forgets the last 5 minutes (his version of “the flashy thing”) or
e) turn up the mojo to teleport her away – and leave her there (not his style, but…)
But I vote for option b! 😉
Option e) wouldn’t work. His mojo is fueled by romance, and requires the promise – or at the very least, the prospect – of a romantic assignation. He might be able to teleport her away under false pretenses, if they really did have a rendezvous at their destination, but he couldn’t teleport himself back alone.
You’re right, awgiedawgie. Tip should just tell Wendy he’s undercover as “Chris” to test Footwear Validation (since his shoes are always perfect).
or (d) Say that they must have confused me with my twin brother, Tip. My name’s…err…Pit. Nice to meet you! Want to have dinner?
He could pretend to be a clone instead. There is probably a lot of mad scientists who would love to clone Tip.
He’s trying to pass for Chris Sanders. If Wendy knows Chris…
He’s already operating under an assumed identity. It would be foolhardy, and perhaps even dangerous, to introduce yet another false name. No, he needs to let her know – probably by using the “it’s officially sanctioned” angle – that he’s going by “Chris” at the moment, and get her to go along with it. People in an organization talk, so sooner or later, someone’s going to notice the discrepancy. He’s taking a big enough risk just having two names.
He quietly moves up the ranks. People person, a spy’s greatest strengths. His modus vivendi finds weakness in Wendy, and it’s no good in drawing a blank.
Sooner or later, Tip’s dating history was going to catch up to him. I’m just glad it has done so in an amusing manner.
I’m just working here, reminiscing.
Wondering if I’ve been missing
Wendy—oh-uh-oh, Wendy.
Seems my undercover’s found.
There must be other dates around,
Will remember, many more.
Although there must be more.
Well, you know there must be more.
When I think of all the dates I’ve polled
Didn’t occur that I was too bold,
People person, but I’ve let it worsen
When I think of the dates I’ve had
Kind of worries me real bad.
I’m worried—but I love—
And I wonder if I’ll live,
With all of you that will be thinking of…
It’s only me that they’ll be thinking of…
You know they’re thinking of…
Well, it’s me they’re thinking of…
—from “Reminiscing,” written by King Curtis, sung by Buddy Holly.
…for those who don’t remember: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp4vYthXm_s