The Salvation War: Pantheocide. Part Eighty One Up

[Simon_Jester]

For slow fission reactions in uranium, yes. There was always the possibility that some odd change in physics would cause fusion to work differently, or maybe prompt neutron reactions in weapon-grade fission material would be different or something. Unlikely, but it was still possible. Good to have it ruled out.

...the physics that makes prompt neutron reactions work in weapon-grade material is the same as the physics that makes fission reactors work. On the atomic level, it's the same thing happening; all the changes are a function of how much of it you do.

Fusion working differently I could maybe see, but I'm dubious of that too, because (once again) the fundamental physics is the same. Fusion works because of how nuclei work; if deuterium didn't fuse, plutonium shouldn't fission.*

*Was so tempted to say "fizz..."

True. An Orion engine will enable a ground launch of a very massive payload though. So it could be a staged system and left in Earth orbit.
I suppose it is most useful for an emergency situation or an interplanetary warship.

Oh yeah, it works great for that.

It kind of makes sense to use Orion to launch thousands of tons of material into orbit, but if you're going to be using an ion engine for the rest of the trip anyway, I'm not sure it makes sense to lug the pusher plate along with you.

[Jusu]

Hmm, I dunno if it's important, but the 'leak' mentioned was from that guy, Bradley Manning. If so, interesting, I wasn't expecting that.

Good chapter, although I did feel that the small confrontation between angel and daemon was too quick, I hope more like it gets written.

[Surlethe]

I almost wonder if Stuart is dropping hints that Heaven will become Hell. After all, as Bush pointed out in Armageddon, there's no reason for time to be linear in this other "universe". If Heaven and Hell are just two different points in time for the same spatial universe, Hell might have been created by human nuclear bombardment of Heaven, or some version of that story.

[Pelranius]

I'm sort of surprised they allowed Memnon and Lemuel to be in the same room together.

As for the Orion engine vs ion engine debate, could one just use two Orion launches (one for the payload module) and another one for the ion engine, and then assemble in orbit? (Incidentally, I'm trying to write an AH story where there's actual military applications for a crash Orion program, but I digress).

[Panaka]

Suddenly the voice he had first heard in the deserts of Iraq whispered in his ear. That is enough. They need know no more. The end of your story is still far away. With those words in his mind, Memnon fell silent.

The main question from that chapter: Who's pulling Memnon's strings ?

[R011]

Headshots: A Lesson in Stupidity

Oh, my!

[Simon_Jester]

Hmm, I dunno if it's important, but the 'leak' mentioned was from that guy, Bradley Manning. If so, interesting, I wasn't expecting that.

Well... I'm dubious of this one. There's a huge difference between the Iraq War and the Salvation War, culturally. The Iraq War is a somewhat questionable proposition as far as strategy goes; sane people can ask whether we should be fighting it. Sane people can't ask the same about the Salvation War.

I think we'd be seeing a lot less antiwar sentiment in the Salvation War, which in turn would make the position of something like Wikileaks weaker, and the odds of someone leaking footage they consider damning lower. No one's going to care about gun camera footage of an attack helicopter shooting up a bunch of demons, except maybe to cheer. People do care about gun camera footage of a bunch of reporters getting shot, and there's a much greater chance of it being viewed as a crime that needs to be reported and addressed... and leaked to the public if it isn't addressed.

Good chapter, although I did feel that the small confrontation between angel and daemon was too quick, I hope more like it gets written.

In context it was exactly the right length: long enough for someone to step in and squash it because they haven't got time right now.

[Jeremy]

As for the Orion engine vs ion engine debate, could one just use two Orion launches (one for the payload module) and another one for the ion engine, and then assemble in orbit?

Sure, heck you could lift a whole bunch of stuff to be assembled. Do you have the money or launch locations for it though?

(Incidentally, I'm trying to write an AH story where there's actual military applications for a crash Orion program, but I digress).

Aliens come, alien artifacts are detected, an asteroid is headed for Earth, we want to get some big machinery into orbit.
A giant space mirror or solar collectors would work. The russkies get a base on the moon and need to be stopped? Venusians/Martians attack. Earth's Doppelganger tries to invade.

[The Vortex Empire]

They're using lumberjack grade chainsaws in Maion's surgery? Seems a bit.. imprecise, but with their regenerative powers, I guess it doesn't really matter.

[UnderAGreySky]

I wanted to say thanks for the link, Simon, but I first clicked and went to read it. Between the rampant idiocy and the photos of bullet damage, I have both lost brain cells and my sleep for the night.

On the bright side, I shall stop bullet rounds with my head from now on.

[Simon_Jester]

I almost wonder if Stuart is dropping hints that Heaven will become Hell. After all, as Bush pointed out in Armageddon, there's no reason for time to be linear in this other "universe". If Heaven and Hell are just two different points in time for the same spatial universe, Hell might have been created by human nuclear bombardment of Heaven, or some version of that story.

That seems unlikely, since the event that made Hell the mess it is (the supervolcano exploding) is fairly well documented.

I wanted to say thanks for the link, Simon, but I first clicked and went to read it. Between the rampant idiocy and the photos of bullet damage, I have both lost brain cells and my sleep for the night.

On the bright side, I shall stop bullet rounds with my head from now on.

I am truly sorry, but... you asked. Though now that I think about it, there's only one question.

How did Abigor get a look at a HoSed thread? Is he a member...?

[Morilore]

How did Abigor get a look at a HoSed thread? Is he a member...?

It's in Parting Shots these days. Still, great idea there...

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

I wanted to say thanks for the link, Simon, but I first clicked and went to read it. Between the rampant idiocy and the photos of bullet damage, I have both lost brain cells and my sleep for the night.

On the bright side, I shall stop bullet rounds with my head from now on.

I am truly sorry, but... you asked. Though now that I think about it, there's only one question.

How did Abigor get a look at a HoSed thread? Is he a member...?

Simple. He could've read the thread while it was still in SLAM. Or he could've stumbled on it in Parting Shots, which is visible to all.

That, or the head of a sovereign otherworldly government is, indeed, a member of SD.Net in the Salvation-verse.

[Simon_Jester]

Ah. I didn't realize Parting Shots was visible to all, though looking at its original stated purpose, I guess that's kind of the point of having it. Thank you.

[remus2]

Marvelous story. Been lurking here since about Armagedon?’s half (-you may be the reason for my account, so I would grant you the member magnet achievement, where it in my power). Always was interested in tech vs. magic, but culture shocked mutants and tech is just as great

about the chainsaws… please don’t let them run out of power while cutting. I have some issues with low speed turning chainsaws and joints - always gave me the creeps.
But aren’t disc cutters more in theme with the doctors?

Headshots: A Lesson in Stupidity

Good god!

I thought the bloodsucking bug was a really (good) failed troll at first. Some topics are golden entertainment full of fail and wish fulfillment.

Now...
I am confused and lost almost all motivation to do anything except to stare at a blank screen.

He is truly a master, not in trollin’ , but in sheer reading induced psyhological shock trauma and faking stupidity at the highest level.

[Sea Skimmer]

What I love about that thread is how I pointed out that he was most likely not giving details because he'd get caught in more blatant lies.. and then he did exactly that for us by claiming to have done his 'ballistics tests' when he was only 15. In an indoor range no less when they would REALLY love you deflecting bullets into the side walls instead of the backstop. But god was it amusing, SDN hasn't had a troll of that insane a lack of caliber in a while.

[CaptainChewbacca]

I tried to make a fake profile page for Abigor using the monster from 'The Satan Pit' for an avatar, but my photoshop-fu is weak.

[Hofner1962]

Or Abaddon from Torchwood may have been better - though probably too large.

[Emerson33260]

SDN hasn't had a troll of that insane a lack of caliber in a while.

A different slant on the term "small bore".

[Stuart]

What I love about that thread is how I pointed out that he was most likely not giving details because he'd get caught in more blatant lies.. and then he did exactly that for us by claiming to have done his 'ballistics tests' when he was only 15. In an indoor range no less when they would REALLY love you deflecting bullets into the side walls instead of the backstop. But god was it amusing, SDN hasn't had a troll of that insane a lack of caliber in a while.

I really cracked up when Bugsy claimed to have fired an AN-94. I think he also turned up on TVtropes where he got handed his head as well but I can't confirm that.

[Datana]

I tried to make a fake profile page for Abigor using the monster from 'The Satan Pit' for an avatar, but my photoshop-fu is weak.

It would be easier to download and edit the HTML. Maybe something like this? Pardon the bad jokes in some fields, but it was faster to search and replace than cleanly delete.

[Simon_Jester]

I really cracked up when Bugsy claimed to have fired an AN-94. I think he also turned up on TVtropes where he got handed his head as well but I can't confirm that.

For the sake of context, why is this particularly incredible* and hilarious? I mean, almost everything he said was incredible and hilarious (or incredible and disturbing), but what was so special about that?

*In the sense of "impossible to believe, outrageously so"

[spartasman]

IIRC, the AN-94 is essentially a brand-new Russian assualt rifle that is currently only fielded by Russian Special Forces.

[Ilya Muromets]

I really cracked up when Bugsy claimed to have fired an AN-94. I think he also turned up on TVtropes where he got handed his head as well but I can't confirm that.

For the sake of context, why is this particularly incredible* and hilarious? I mean, almost everything he said was incredible and hilarious (or incredible and disturbing), but what was so special about that?

*In the sense of "impossible to believe, outrageously so"

From what I gleaned from 'Net sources, the AN-94's an advanced assault rifle design which the designer wanted to be the successor to the Kalashnikov series. But the guy forgot two of the things that made the Kalashnikovs so popular in the first place--cost and simple durability. The AN-94 is several times more expensive and hard to maintain than an AK. Thus, it never went into wide production or distribution.

The chance that a civilian has one, a non-Russian civilian at that, is slim to bullshit.

[Sophie]

Hi, i've been lurking here for a while, just joined so i could direct your attention to this :-
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi. ... 023164.pdf

The Pulsed inductive thruster. It's one of a couple of newer ion engines which don't have electrodes, so the degradation isn't as much of an issue. Although if you were hooking a nuclear reactor up to it, then VASIMR type Magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters also have potential, since you have the power to use the damn things.