In this opening section our main character, the mysterious SkinWright is invited to the engine room to help fix a problem. The Engineer extends his invitation to him based purely on our characters appearance.
Let's briefly try to get into the head of our poor doomed Engineer. He realises something is wrong with the engine. He tries to fix it, but it doesn't work. He tries to turn it off, so he can see what's going on, but that doesn't work either. He goes for a walk to try to clear his head and think of a solution. He notices a man, who by his dress and manner, must be an expert in these sorts of engines (his religious order being the manufacturers of a certain part of them). Members of the order are by reputation very honourable and discreet. Assuming the man will behave himself, as well as fix the engine, the Engineer asks him for help. He then takes the man to a vulnerable section of the ship, where he could do anything. This is a great risk, but he takes it because he is in trouble and assumes our SkinWright will help him and not cause any problems.
We have, of course, witnessed the results of this assumption.
In our story we noticed that the SkinWright (SW) found the Engineer to be horribly sycophantic. He treats SW with respect and listens to what ever he says, 'can we go in closer to the combiner?' At first he refuses, but after some encouragement he agrees to take the SW to the combiner, which leads to his undoing which I hope we will see in chapter 2. The Engineer trusts his belief in the SW over his own knowledge that he is in mortal danger.
I'm not suggesting that it is wrong to trust people! Obviously if a qualified medical expert tells you to take medicine then you should take it, even if you doesn't understand how it works. But in this case, the Engineer was also an expert in the area under discussion: 'is it safe to go on?'. But he puts aside his own understanding in favour of the SW, perhaps it's because he was always brought up to respect such people.
This reminds me of an experiment that was conducted some years ago. I'll skip the details, but it was found that most people were willing to give someone a lethal doses of electric shock under the instructions of a scientist. The researchers determined that people felt that the scientists must be right, that somehow it was OK to listen to them; that they had to listen to them even though they realised that they would be murdering someone.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday 13 September 2012
Tuesday 11 September 2012
The Master Skinwright: Chapter 1 part 1
I'm hoping to post part 2 in a few days, let me know what you think!
Chapter 1
I know a thing or two about skin. After all didn't I spend six years as an apprentice to Serlooni the great master skinwright? He taught me all he knew. Cutting skin, snapping skin, shaping skin, heating it, freezing it. I was good too. A real natural. I could control the veins, mastered the art of the changing of the forms, a very useful skill I'm sure you'll agree. And I knew all the lore. All eight traditions of the origin and all branches of related wisdom. Can I help you with your problem? My boy, your problem is child's play.
"I know a little of what you speak, please show me and I shall try to help."
"Thank you father, we will all be in your debt if you can help us. Please follow me."
So sycophantic, I'm surprised people like him are left nowadays. Not that it would matter if he was a sceptic, after all, he needs me.
"Are you enjoying your trip father?"
"Yes I am."
"Good, just hope you can help. It's a bit of issue if I can't get it fixed. The company will um... sack me."
"They are very harsh masters."
"Well, see, if the engine isn't fixed we won't get to Earth on time and there's some... some precious cargo that will spoil."
Yes, so I heard. Very precious indeed.
"The secret is safe my son and I will see what I can do for the engine."
"Thank you father. Um...Not going to Conway are you by any chance?"
"Not soon, but one day...is this it?"
"Yes, it's just through this door. Give me a minute, I need to unlock it... there please step through."
Foolish boy, witness the power of your desperation. You have allowed me access to the engine room. I could be anyone and I may do anything. What recklessness has your fear brought you to?
"The combiner is just along here father. Something's wrong with it. The radiation levels are almost twice what they should be. We've checked all the systems, but there seems to be nothing wrong. The only possibility remaining is that there is something wrong with the skin."
"Then is it not very dangerous for us to be in here, that is why those lights are flashing?"
"It's alright father, it's just a precaution. The radiation is still too low to cause any harm, but we shouldn't stay in here for a longer then an hour. I guess that shouldn't be a problem for you right? You can probably fix this in a few seconds with a click of your fingers, hey?"
I also do a good line in rising from the dead.
"I will see what I can do."
"It's a good thing you were on board father, it's not every day that we find a member of the brotherhood on board; it would take me hours to fix it manually and I'm not even sure what's wrong."
"Can you show me the radiation levels?"
"Here, you can see for yourself."
Twice normal levels and rising. It's just perfect.
"That shouldn't be possible, the skin should be containing the reaction. Could you take me closer to the combiner so I can see it?
"I don't think it's a good idea to go any further."
"We must go on."
"It's really dangerous the levels of radiation too high, look at the scanner!"
"My dear boy, we make these engines, the radiation levels are just fine, your scanner is faulty,"
"What?"
"Don't worry, just keep going so I can get to the combiner."
"But I can't, I'm going to die!"
"Trust me, I'm a Skin Wright. I can feel the skin in my mind, there is no radiation problem."
"I, I trust you father. I'll take you in all the way."
"Good, and I promise you that you are perfectly safe from the radiation."
"So do you know what's wrong with the reactor?"
"Yes I do. Nothing."
"But what about the...hey what's going on? What is th..."
You just lie there for a while. I'll have this fixed in no time at all.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Chapter 1
I know a thing or two about skin. After all didn't I spend six years as an apprentice to Serlooni the great master skinwright? He taught me all he knew. Cutting skin, snapping skin, shaping skin, heating it, freezing it. I was good too. A real natural. I could control the veins, mastered the art of the changing of the forms, a very useful skill I'm sure you'll agree. And I knew all the lore. All eight traditions of the origin and all branches of related wisdom. Can I help you with your problem? My boy, your problem is child's play.
"I know a little of what you speak, please show me and I shall try to help."
"Thank you father, we will all be in your debt if you can help us. Please follow me."
So sycophantic, I'm surprised people like him are left nowadays. Not that it would matter if he was a sceptic, after all, he needs me.
"Are you enjoying your trip father?"
"Yes I am."
"Good, just hope you can help. It's a bit of issue if I can't get it fixed. The company will um... sack me."
"They are very harsh masters."
"Well, see, if the engine isn't fixed we won't get to Earth on time and there's some... some precious cargo that will spoil."
Yes, so I heard. Very precious indeed.
"The secret is safe my son and I will see what I can do for the engine."
"Thank you father. Um...Not going to Conway are you by any chance?"
"Not soon, but one day...is this it?"
"Yes, it's just through this door. Give me a minute, I need to unlock it... there please step through."
Foolish boy, witness the power of your desperation. You have allowed me access to the engine room. I could be anyone and I may do anything. What recklessness has your fear brought you to?
"The combiner is just along here father. Something's wrong with it. The radiation levels are almost twice what they should be. We've checked all the systems, but there seems to be nothing wrong. The only possibility remaining is that there is something wrong with the skin."
"Then is it not very dangerous for us to be in here, that is why those lights are flashing?"
"It's alright father, it's just a precaution. The radiation is still too low to cause any harm, but we shouldn't stay in here for a longer then an hour. I guess that shouldn't be a problem for you right? You can probably fix this in a few seconds with a click of your fingers, hey?"
I also do a good line in rising from the dead.
"I will see what I can do."
"It's a good thing you were on board father, it's not every day that we find a member of the brotherhood on board; it would take me hours to fix it manually and I'm not even sure what's wrong."
"Can you show me the radiation levels?"
"Here, you can see for yourself."
Twice normal levels and rising. It's just perfect.
"That shouldn't be possible, the skin should be containing the reaction. Could you take me closer to the combiner so I can see it?
"I don't think it's a good idea to go any further."
"We must go on."
"It's really dangerous the levels of radiation too high, look at the scanner!"
"My dear boy, we make these engines, the radiation levels are just fine, your scanner is faulty,"
"What?"
"Don't worry, just keep going so I can get to the combiner."
"But I can't, I'm going to die!"
"Trust me, I'm a Skin Wright. I can feel the skin in my mind, there is no radiation problem."
"I, I trust you father. I'll take you in all the way."
"Good, and I promise you that you are perfectly safe from the radiation."
"So do you know what's wrong with the reactor?"
"Yes I do. Nothing."
"But what about the...hey what's going on? What is th..."
You just lie there for a while. I'll have this fixed in no time at all.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Sunday 12 August 2012
No microphone for Mars Curiosity
I was so excited when Mars Curiosity had a safe landing. But soon after, I was dissapointed by something I read. According to the Mars Curiosity official Twitter feed, the lander has no microphone; no way of letting us listen to the sounds of Mars.
Let's think about this ladies and gentlmen. A 750kg rover didn't have room for a 1 gram microphone. Obviously they could have so easily attached a small microphone to Curiosity. But they didn't. Why?
I beleive the answer is very simple; 'it wasn't part of the science payload'. It's of no scientific value.
I think it is so sad that the good folks at NASA don't understand what the public and especially us scifi fans really want. Yes, we need the science, the investigations of the rocks and atmosphere and all that jazz. But we also want the drama, the beatiful but harsh alien landscapes, the red dusty skies and... yes to hear the sound of the roaring Martian wind, depsite it's questionable scientific value.
MF
Let's think about this ladies and gentlmen. A 750kg rover didn't have room for a 1 gram microphone. Obviously they could have so easily attached a small microphone to Curiosity. But they didn't. Why?
I beleive the answer is very simple; 'it wasn't part of the science payload'. It's of no scientific value.
I think it is so sad that the good folks at NASA don't understand what the public and especially us scifi fans really want. Yes, we need the science, the investigations of the rocks and atmosphere and all that jazz. But we also want the drama, the beatiful but harsh alien landscapes, the red dusty skies and... yes to hear the sound of the roaring Martian wind, depsite it's questionable scientific value.
MF
Tuesday 7 August 2012
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