Thinking to Lauren:
"Can you show me how to do that trick where you figure out what psionic skill I'm using?" (I guess it would be Observe Mental Process)
At the gun store
"OK, just let me know when you get that stuff in."
Lauren says she tried to show you that already and it didn't take; but now that she's gotten a bit more familiar with your mind she'll try again. This time, a bit faintly but very genuinely, you have a mental impression of how to read the aspect of someone's mind that is performing psionic actions. She says it doesn't tell you what skill is being used, only how it is being done. If you recognize that skill you can of course figure out what is being done that way, but that's not the same thing as reading the nature of the skill. She compares it to operating a bicycle: you could conceivably find a way to perceive what every muscle in someone's body is doing, how the legs were pushing and rising, the arms holding and shifting, the body maintaining balance, but if you had no idea about riding a bicycle you would have no way of matching those motions to that process. Even if you had ridden a bicycle before, the accurate description of all the movements might tell you that this person was riding a bicycle, if you couldn't match the motions as described to the operation of the vehicle. In the same way, you can see what someone's mind is doing when they perform a psionic skill, but that doesn't tell you what is being accomplished by that activity. You would have to know that separately, or find a way to match the mental movements to something you did know, or perhaps perform the movements yourself and hope it didn't do something you didn't want to do.
The gun store promises to call you.
--M. J. Young
Lauren says she tried to show you that already and it didn't take; but now that she's gotten a bit more familiar with your mind she'll try again.
"That's what I mean when I say "Warn me before you do something." Isn't that kind of like invasion of privacy, for you to put something into my head without telling me first?"
"So, does that mean that now I can read your mind and figure how you're doing your tricks? The Architect just implanted it. It was really cool. Let's see, what's simple that you can show me?" (I would hope the 2@1-3@1, well, all @1 skills would be first.)
Two Posts
NOTES:
Dude, figure out what is really in that Verser's Survival Pack!!!!!!
(In case you can't tell MJ, that is top on my priority list.)
"Wow, you are sensitive. As I recall, you did the non-corporeality thing and I tried to read what you did and missed it--it was done before I got there. Then you did it again, but you didn't succeed--but I managed to see what you were doing. Then you said that I should show you how to do that, how to watch what you're doing inside your head. At that moment, I attempted to project to you how I do that, but it didn't go through. Then I managed successfully to connect telepathically, and you complained that I didn't warn you; then you asked me to show you the pattern reading skill, and I did. And now you're complaining that the first time you asked me to show you I didn't warn you that I was going to show you. You asked me to show you. Did you think that showing you would mean something different from opening my mind to you for you to see how it was done? You even tell me that the Architect used to do this same thing, putting skill patterns in your mind, so it's not as if I was doing something completely unfamiliar to you.
"O.K., I understand I unnerved you. I can't promise that I will say something to you every time I'm about to contact you telepathically. After all, part of the value of being able to do that is that nothing need be said. It means that if I'm on Jupiter and you're on Alpha Centauri I can reach your mind when you couldn't possibly hear me speak. It means that when we're huddled in the bushes trying not to be seen by a vampire I can coordinate our plans without him hearing our discussion. Sure, I use it when there's no reason for me not to talk--but it's a way of practicing, of getting better at it, and more significantly of becoming familiar with your mind so that in those situations when it matters it comes easily. But if you want me to stick to speech more, I'll do that. What I need to know, though, since you complain that I tried to show you a psionic skill when you asked me to show it to you, is how do I know when you actually want me to do something like that and how do I know when you don't?"
"It does not mean that you can now read my mind to see how I do these skills. What it means is that you now have something like a schematic diagram of how it works, or maybe like you've got a motor you can take apart to see how it's put together. You have an example of how I do it imprinted in your mind. You can use that example and what I've explained to you to try to do the same thing. What you need to do, like I showed you in the imprint, is look into my mind in the places where I control those things--or Derek's mind, although he hasn't learned anything yet. Think of my explanations as the text in the text book, and that imprint as being like the illustration. The text says to put the pieces together this way; the illustration shows you what it looks like when it's all put together. Make sense?"
--M. J. Young
"I think you misunderstood me there Lauren. Maybe I misunderstood you. Anyway, I'd like to try that. You demonstrate the skills, and let me read what goes on. Start with what works most often, and go from there. (2@1, 3@1, all @1 skills, really) Let's see what we can do with this."
I would envision this as walking and talking, perhaps walking and teaching psionic skills, I dunno. I'm willing to bet there's no way this can be counted as practice, is there? Her practicing skills, and me practicing observing her mental process? No, then you couldn't tell me what I had learned, could you? Just asking, ya know. I'd rather not blow myself to pieces before I find out what going to happen.
"Let's get started."
"My, you are eager. One thing at a time--you are going to the gun shop, and I am going to see this computer guy about an identity. We'll get together again around suppertime."
"That's a bit complicated, Lauren. Time doesn't work here as it does in most worlds--everyone is on his own schedule. This was lunchtime for John, but for me it's dinner, and by the time he's having dinner I'll be asleep. People are on whatever clock fits their schedule."
"Well, then, we'll have to figure out a time--after I've straightened out my identity problem. I've got to undo the mental block I created, you know. I've never done that before, and I want to be focused on it.
"Anyway, I will catch up with you later. Derek? Show me where I might find Raeph Williams."
If you don't stop them or go with them, they will leave.
I know that multiple actions make timelines confusing, but although you have already described what you will do at the gun shop you haven't actually left Lauren so you haven't yet done that. Once you and Lauren part, your actions at the gun shop will fall into place; then you can tell me what you are doing after that.
--M. J. Young
Who is Raeph Williams? I must have forgotten.
Bid them farewell and go to the gun store. Place the order for the holster and the speed loaders. Do they have any 20 round magazines for my 9mm? (On earth, you can get them in 10, 15, 20 and 30.)
The reason I started that weight limit thread is because I know I am over my weight limit again. The Verser's Survival Pack and all of it's contents are my first priority of what to take, if it is not on person when I verse. If it is on person when I verse, then that will probably make the rest of my gear fit into the weight limit though.
Raeph Williams is Derek's boss, head of the computer systems for the entire TerraNova habitat.
They have one such clip in stock and are expecting another two or three next week. They're also expecting to get a thirty.
--M. J. Young
Eh forget it. If I can't kill the thing with 15 bullets, I probably won't be able to kill it with 20 either.
Find Lauren and Derek. Just follow scriff sense.
The scriff sense is divided; they are not together. With a bit of three-dimensional triangulation (by moving around and up) you determine that one vector points somewhere on the administrative levels, but not in the center, and the other out toward the living quarters.
--M. J. Young
Yeah, I probably would have tried something like that.
Well, I'm betting that Lauren is the one in the living area. She's the one I want to see.
Go that way.
You head to the living quarters and find yourself at Derek's apartment. He is home, getting ready for bed, but invites you in.
--M. J. Young
"Derek, oh hi, went the wrong way, was looking for Lauren. Do you know where she went?"
Find Lauren.
I was thinking that Lauren would be checking into her hotel and Derek would be working. (Hence, in administration) But no, Derek went to bed, and Lauren went to go get registered.... I feel sooooo stupid.
Don't feel stupid--it wasn't that easy a decision, and I recognized when I posed it that it would be very easy to get it wrong.
Lauren caught up with Raeph Williams at a restaurant where the man gets his supper. She was going to attempt to unblock the memory and make some sort of amends, and then come back up here. Hopefully tomorrow she'll be in the system. Derek thought you were her.
In a few minutes she arrives.
"Oh, I really need some sleep. I have had such a very long day. Yesterday morning I awoke early in the woods near the ruins of Camelot. Bethany, my student, and I hiked many miles from Morgana's place through the woods to a stream near Nimue's grove, and pitched camp without fire so as not to antagonize the dryads. I lay awake thinking about things for quite a while, and it was late before I fell asleep. Then Bethany woke me, before midnight I think; the poor girl was exhausted. It was my turn to watch, and I did some reading by light conjured to my fingertips, but I was so tired I gave it up and stretched my legs to keep awake.
"That's when I realized that there was something in the woods, and it turned out to be vampires--and not just any vampires, probably the three worst vampires it could possibly have been. One of them was Jackson, whom I had killed about half a millennium in the future, so I am not at all certain whether I could kill him there in the past. The second was Horta, another I was to kill in the future, and who had already killed me outside Wandborough back in the days immediately after the fall of Camelot. The third was Tubrok--the one vampire Merlin was afraid to face himself.
"Anyway, I woke Bethany, and then there was a big fight. We actually beheaded Tubrok--but his head started shouting orders, and Horta grabbed head and body and started to flee, and I figured it was my best chance to finish off an antediluvian vampire--and Jackson blindsided me. I took quite a beating, got a telepathic message to Bethany to take cover in the oak grove, and then he broke my neck.
"So I was already pretty beat when I arrived here hours ago, and messed up things with Raeph Williams when I found Derek, and have spent all day trying to get settled and still have more to do tomorrow. I've got to get some sleep. Derek has kindly offered me space in his place for tonight. I will see you tomorrow, though, and we'll continue those lessons."
--M. J. Young
MJ, how can she be so tired? I thought you said that you slept when you versed, so that when you woke up, it was like you had slept a full night.
"In my last world, I introduced five hell spawn demons to bullets. I was about to rescue the king and his three daughters, and ended up getting killed by praying. Never would have thought God would give me a nuclear bomb when I prayed for someone to be healed, but that is His doing. Well Lauren, I'll see you tomorrow after work."
When is my next Okydoky Smokey class?
On my equipment sheet, I need to drop some weight, so I am going to be disowning and selling some things. The scrap dealer (my boss) said that he would buy my wrenches as scrap for 80 credits per KG. I'm disowning the following:
containing complete ratchet set,
2 ratchets,
12 screwdrivers,
2 pair of regular pliers,
2 pairs needle-nose pliers,
2 pairs wire cutters,
a complete set of Allen wrenches,
complete set of wrenches.
1 can opener weight approximately 1/2 pound heavy duty crank type
tactical shoulder sling for Shotgun (Has loops to hold 15 shotgun shells)
25 rounds 20 gauge #6 bird shot 5 lbs
4 30-06 bullets.
I'd guess 25-30 pounds being dropped.
MJ, can you post my equipment sheet somewhere? I seem to be misplacing some things.
Two Posts
I'm just putting this down every so often, so I don't lose it.
Backpack
Kabar knife
14 inch hunting knife, and everything that comes with it.
Ronco pocket fisherman
S/W .357 magnum, loaded
250 rounds .357 ammo
three 357 speed loaders, loaded.
Ruger P-89 pistol, magazine currently contains 15 shots 9mm
7 magazines 15 round each for 9mm loaded
250 rounds boxed 9 mm ammo
9 mm holster, with the gun and one spare magazine inside.
crossbow, folded up
30 arrow quiver, loaded with 30 arrows
6 extra arrows, 5 in the side holder, one loose, head wrapped in 1 inch plastic bag
1 Pearl Harbor jumpsuit
100 chlorine tabs
2 quart canteen
three days food
10 four ounce silver crowns
20 two ounce gold pieces
20 two ounce platinum pieces
32 1/2 oz shillings (nickel)
32 1/2 oz pence (bronze)
5 BIC cigarette lighters (one sealed pack)
2 glue grenades
2 fragmentation grenades
The plastic ground tarp that I bought.
Gems, some valuable, some not
Dynamo Flashlight
Two balls of yarn
One set knitting needles
AR-7
One brick (500 rounds) 22 ammo
Fanny Pack
Four 4 ounce crowns (Silver)
Five 2 ounce gold pieces
Five 2 ounce platinum pieces
Four 1 ounce gold coins
Ten 1 ounce silver pieces
32 shillings (nickle)
32 pence (bronze)
Straight razor
5 BIC cigarette lighters
Leatherman multitool in black nylon sheath, on the strap
Gems, some valuable, some not.
Diamond ring, gold setting, $225 original price (B Monster Movie World), fanny pack
Diamond ring, gold setting, $235 original price (B Monster Movie World), fanny pack
No, you asked whether it was like sleeping a full night, and I said it wasn't, it was more like fainting and being revived. Also, Lauren has reached the point where she enters a world fully awake, and thus never having blacked out at all. That's Stage 4.
I have been tracking your time in twenty-five day blocks, but I think that makes this the fifty-first day since your first lesson. You get lessons once a week, starting with day 1, so yesterday must have been your most recent class (the fiftieth day), and you are six days out from the next.
This is the equipment sheet I have; I have not yet applied the adjustments you just made, but remind me to do so and I will make the changes after you've verified this:
1 school backpack weight 1 pound
1 school duffle bag weight 1 pound
1 luggage style duffle bag, weight 1 pound1 14 inch hunting knife, black nylon sheath with 2 carrying pouches. Inside one pouch is a Leatherman multi-tool, (pliers, 3 flathead screwdrivers, 1 Phillips screwdriver, blade, can opener, two-sided file and awl punch) 12 sewing needles and 3 small spools of thread. The other pouch contains a magnesium fire starting tool, 1 BIC cigarette lighter, fishing line, fishing sinkers and several fishhooks. Wrapped around the knife sheath is 15 feet of high-tensile black nylon cord. total weight approximately 4 pounds
1 tool box, red painted steel sheet metal, containing complete ratchet set, 2 ratchets, 12 screwdrivers, 2 pair of regular pliers, 2 pairs needle-nose pliers, 1 pair vice grips, 1 soldering iron, 1 solder removal tool, 1 roll of solder, 2 pairs wire cutters, 2 crescent wrenches, 1 hatchet, 1 claw hammer, 1 box of 3 inch nails, 2 rolls duct tape, 1 utility knife with 4 changeable razor blades, leather work gloves, a complete set of Allen wrenches, 2-AA battery flashlight, voltmeter, wood saw, multi-tipped screwdriver, complete set of wrenches. weight, approximately 25 pounds.
100 feet high tensile white nylon cord, weight 1 pound, cut in two pieces ~30' and ~70'
1 21 speed all-terrain mountain bicycle, with security chain and combination lock, weight approximately 15 pounds
1 complete first-aid kit weight 1 pound has tweezers, over 100 band-aids, several gauze pads, an instant ice pack, surgical tape, rubber gloves, instruction book
1 dynamo flashlight (shake it to charge, no batteries needed) weigh 1/2 pound
1 dynamo radio (crank to charge, no batteries needed) and black nylon carrying case with strap. radio receives AM, FM, audio to TV frequencies 2-13, 7 weather bands. It is equipped with an LED flashlight, siren, and hazard signal flasher. It can also be used to charge a cell phone battery weight 1 pound
1 Marlin 22 caliber rifle, 18 round capacity, 2,000 rounds 22 ammunition. total weight, approximately 10 pounds, reload 0:60
1 can opener weight approximately 1/2 pound heavy duty crank type
1 aluminum baseball bat, weight approximately 1 pound
5 BIC cigarette lighters, 15 packs of cigarettes (enjoy them while they last!!!!) weight 2 pounds
Clothing: 3 pair jeans, 3 tee shirts, 1 heavy winter coat, 2 camouflage army jackets, 3 pairs socks, 3 pairs underwear, 2 pairs flannel pajama pants, 1 black leather belt, 1 purple hoodie sweatshirt, total weight approximately 30 poundsblack military combat boots
leather billfold
house keysRuger P-89 pistol 15 shot magazine +1 chambered 9mm 3# reload (clip) 0:12 RF10 dangerous
5 boxes 50@ 9mm pistol ammo
15 round magazine for Ruger -10 rounds P-99
$15.75 money from B Movie Monster World5 magazines 15 round each for 9mm Ruger
Spare 15 round magazine for Ruger, -1 round P-99
Military Surplus Sleeping Bag
Keyring: house key, mailbox key, toolbox key, AND a key that will open standard issue police handcuffs
MAK 90 Russian-made shoots 7.62x39 ammo, low quality detachable bayonet comes with a metal sheath that can be hooked to the bayonet to become a pair of wire cutters, back of bayonet has hacksaw blade as part of the blade, serves as bayonet, fighting knife, wirecutters, and hacksaw, reload 0:24, base lethal RF 30 10':40':80':300':+1/3'
30-round MAK magazine -17 roundsUtility belt
8x30 round MAK magazines
Leatherman multi-tool, (pliers, 3 flathead screwdrivers, 1 Phillips screwdriver, blade, can opener, two-sided file and scissors) (second of these, slightly different) in black nylon case on belt
radio flyer wagonuniversal gun cleaning kit
three throwing knives
holster for a Ruger P-89, has pouch for single spare clip
two-quart aluminum canteen with canvas case and shoulder strap
New Combat Boots, original SWAT brand, size 13
Hobo Knife, splits with knife and spoon on one half, fork and can opener on the other, fanny pack
15 BiC lighters, five (one sealed pack) in fanny pack
KABAR, 12 inch Marine (military) fighting/survival knife, black leather sheath.4 gold coins, 1 ounce each, 24K ($3200 original price in B Monster Movie World), fanny pack, say "United We Stand" with a picture of the American flag on one side, and on the reverse the words, "We must all hang together, or surely we will all hang separately.--Benjamin Franklin"
10 blocks .999 silver, 1 ounce each ($461.00 original price in B Monster Movie World), fanny pack, say "E Pluribus Unum" under a picture of the United States Capitol building, and on the reverse "United States of America" over the image of George Washington.Diamond ring, gold setting, $225 original price (B Monster Movie World), fanny pack
Diamond ring, gold setting, $235 original price (B Monster Movie World), fanny pack
Fanny pack, black leatherette with cloth strap and plastic buckle, on waistRonco Pocket Fisherman
Deck playing cards
Ruby, 3 carat (~1cm diameter)
Emerald, 3 carat (~1cm diameter)20# in 4z silver crowns (coins)
+21 crowns 4z each
2 silver half crowns 2z each
16 silver leaves 1z from Dancing Princess trees
32 gold leaves 1z from Dancing Princess trees
64 shillings, 0.5z nickel
116 pence, 0.5z bronze4 Jumpsuits, drab green khaki (standard WW2 army) one piece, step into legs, pull shirt up behind you, put arms through sleeves, and button front from fly to collar; twin patch breast pockets, left and right outside pouch pockets above the waist, front and rear hip pockets stitched inside, and a pair of large outside pockets on the upper legs with snap-down flaps on top. sleeve cuffs button, and there are loops for a belt, cuffs on the legs, apparently so the length can be adjusted--or so that if you drop a screw you know where it landed.
4 pair boxer shorts, army drab
4 pair socks, army drab
Pair white tennis shoes3 sets medieval clothing
Invisibility cloak M1@3 Active when Worn confers M5@8 Invisibility and M7@3 Penetrate Disguise
Straight Razor
Quiver, 30 quarrel capacity
19 "Boom Stick" spears, 18 disowned in TerraNova Habitat, one 6' kept, from Dancing Princess
Priest's traveling robes
3 sets manacles, wrist cuffs covered with rabbit peltsWristop, a computer with a terrabyte of memory and a terraherz processor that fits on your wrist, displays through a flat screen similar to those on the walls, and can interface with most known systems via internal wireless modem.
10 Fragmentation grenades, 10':30':60':100':+1/1', fatal 10'r
10 Glue grenades, 10':30':60':100':+1/1', 10' diameter sphere of glue strands difficult check, additional 10'r simple check to break strands
1000 rounds 9mm ammo
1000 rounds MAK90 ammo
MAK 90 clip, 100 round drum, empty
MAK 90 clip, 50 round, empty
MAK 90 clip, 30 round, empty
Smith & Wesson .357 six-shot revolver with 4" barrel and rubber grip
500 rounds .357 revolver ammo
3 days worth trail/adventure food. Water is required to prepare these, but some components are ready to eat particularly in the "lunch" packs.
Full-sized synthetic backpack with lightweight polymer frame can carry 240 pounds in a six cubic foot interior , 3'x2'x1', with a maximum enclosed diagonal (for an object running from opposite corners through the center of the pack) of 3'9". It weights 2 pounds
High-tech (Terranova) Crossbow, It's a bottom lever action drawstring and a simple mechanical trigger mechanism to release the string. The frame is a lightweight material, something like plastic but extremely hard and not at all flexible. The bow is obviously a different material, flexible, only about twelve inches across but with tremendous draw power when pulled back. Quarrels sit in the track in a drop-in loading system, and there are clips along the right side to hold five quarrels for ready access, point down, fletching up. There is a flip-up cross-hair a pin sighting system that is calibrated for range and gravity. The drawstring seems to be a synthetic spider web. The bow twists ninety degrees, folds down, and slides parallel beneath the stock, making the entirey device twenty-seven inches long, three inches at the widest point, and five inches top to bottom. RF1, 20':50':100':150':+2/3'
100 Chlorine water purification pills, one pill per 2.5 gallons/10 liters normal contamination water
120 Crossbow Bolts, hunter heads, polymer shank and fletching
Plastic Ground Cloth, green, 6'x5'
35 platinum ingots, 2z each
80 gold ingots, 2z each
2 Spidersilk Crossbow Strings
100' 2000# test spidersilk rope, 1/2" diameter, 4#
4 skeins synthetic yarn
2 pairs metal knitting needles
3 Speedloaders for .357 revolver
Collapsible .22 rifle with 6-bullet clip, barrel slides into stock, can't fire without extending barrel; rear of stock folds down and up flush over trigger guard, latching in place to either position; clip inserts into rear portion of stock, can be kept in place, but gun will not operate unless fully opened. 0:30 to open gun fully. Uses standard .22 ammo. Barrel does not unscrew but telescopes, slightly wider in diameter in extended end than in stock (shortens range). Think of it in three sections. Center section has trigger mechanism and chamber; stock folds around to cover this, partly hollowed, also has part of feed mechanism to hold bullets and feed them to chamber when in open position. Barrel pops out from other side. Completely collapsed it approaches rectangular, barrel extension flush with side and other side has two relatively flat surfaces (bulge on rear stock meets indentation on the central section, pressure interlocks mechanisms, released by lever on underside). Release button beneath barrel unlatches lower section and allows barrel extension to slide out. It does not store spare ammo. Each section is about fifteen inches in total length, barrel extension shorter (has to stop before the hammer mechanism and have an inch or so inside when fully extended). 48" tip to back. Folded, 15"x~8"x~1.5-2", not perfectly squared in any direction. Floats in water, constructed almost entirely of polymers and plastics with some metal parts, made for survivalist use. lightweight, #3. Does not fire folded because ammo supply is in rear stock, partly intended as safety feature, to prevent weapon from firing when stowed.
These things are listed as having been removed:
20 steel quarrels, imitation metal fletching, ranges in crossbow 3:9:15:30:+1/30' (1:3:5:10:+1/10 yards), lethal, trashed in TerraNova HabitatOn my sheet they show with a strikethrough font, so that if I need to reference them later they won't be gone forever.
150 wooden quarrels, steel heads, ranges in crossbow 12:45:90:240:+5/12' (4:15:30:80:+5/4 yards), damaging, sold in TerraNova Habitat
lever & latch crossbow T3@1 8 pounds maximum range for the wooden arrows 80 yards, and maximum range for the metal arrows 10 yards. I don't remember the damage categories, except that the metal arrows were one step above the wooden arrows. Sold, TerraNova Habitat
--M. J. Young
I checked this out. All of the magazines for all of the guns are fully loaded. To quote Hank Hill's father "You don't give a kid a toy without batteries!!" The other thing is that the Ruger P-89 has 15 bullets, not 16. You never store a loaded gun with a round in the chamber. To quote Uncle Bob "The extra time it takes you to chamber a round is worth not accidentally shooting yourself in the foot." Also, I would have the 100 round drum in the MAK 90. All magazines loaded.
Skip to the next day I guess. What's going on? Work? Martial arts classes? Any skill improvements anywhere?
Skill improvements happen over the course of months. Since yesterday was the day after your martial arts class and six days before the next, today is five days before the next.
Everything seems pretty routine. Lauren stops by your job in the morning to find out when you have lunch and whether you want to use that hour to get together with her and Derek to try to share some skills.
--M. J. Young
So when is my next OkyDoky improvement?
"Lauren, Hey, how's it going? Yeah, let's do it."
I know there's no way my character can tell Lauren this, but I want to learn the @1 skills first.
John has moved the game to a new thread, because he was having trouble posting here. The new thread is TerraTerraTerranova.
--M. J. Young