Chapter 20 Let the Music Play

[EMoe57]

Great chapter! Some surprises here. I was sure it was Chase who fell. I think the goat will live for a few more chapters.

Yeah you might want him to *queue the fore shadowing music*

[C James]

Hi CJ,

 

This was a very nice chapter. Nice because that you managed to heave us away from from the cliffhanger.

 

I would have said more but I'm too touched that this post is posted. Woohooo!!!

 

Ieshwar

 

Thanks Ieshwar!

 

Great chapter! Some surprises here. I was sure it was Chase who fell. I think the goat will live for a few more chapters.

 

So, the roasting is at least postponed?

 

Yeah you might want him to *queue the fore shadowing music*

 

 

BTW, time for me to release the next chapter title: It's Chapter 21! Oh, I suppose I should add that it's called "When in Rome".

[Benji]

Thanks Ieshwar!

 

 

 

So, the roasting is at least postponed?

 

 

 

 

BTW, time for me to release the next chapter title: It's Chapter 21! Oh, I suppose I should add that it's called "When in Rome".

 

 

.........Ya know the Romans roasted a lot of goats don't you!

[TalonRider]

.........Ya know the Romans roasted a lot of goats don't you!

Apparently not enough now. He did make it back from his trip in one piece.

 

Jan

[EMoe57]

Apparently not enough now. He did make it back from his trip in one piece.

 

Jan

That's because he wore his homosapien disguise :king:

[C James]

That's because he wore his homosapien disguise :king:

 

ROFL!!!!

 

OK, a serious story-related news item here: I screwed up!

 

Red Rock Canyon is just west of Las Vegas. I knew this becuase I have driven by it in ther past, plus I looked at it on google earth. BUT, in the chapters I have it as EAST of vegas. in other wordes I cleverly managed to confuse east and west! A reader just e-mailed me to let me know. (If you are reading this, thank you!)

 

I'll of course be fixing this and sending the revised files with the next chapter update.

[jfalkon]

I think its unanimous: The roasting is postponed. I say postponed because it is not the first time GA members have taken out the cook books. Knowing our goat, it probably won't be the last.

[C James]

I think its unanimous: The roasting is postponed. I say postponed because it is not the first time GA members have taken out the cook books. Knowing our goat, it probably won't be the last.

 

I'm very relieved to hear this! So, does this mean you have finally accepted that I never use cliffhangers?

[Graeme]

I'm very relieved to hear this! So, does this mean you have finally accepted that I never use cliffhangers?

Definitely not! All it means is that we're happy with the resolution in chapter 20 of the cliffhanger you left at the end of chapter 19, and therefore have calmed our initial instinct to take action. :mace:

[C James]

Definitely not! All it means is that we're happy with the resolution in chapter 20 of the cliffhanger you left at the end of chapter 19, and therefore have calmed our initial instinct to take action. :mace:

 

I still don't see why you imply that LTMP 19 was a cliffhanger? It was, however, I do admit, perhaps a little bit tense.

[Jack Scribe]

Okay CJ, your off the hook for now...somewhat.

 

I am now even more interested in if any relationship will develop between Wilde and Steve. Since Steve doesn't seem to know about himself yet, it would be kinda fun to be a bug on the wall when Wilde brings it up with him.

 

I take it that this chapter was the start of your New Year's Resolution to not write any more Cliffhangers

I agree that Steve hasn't figured out his orientation yet. Maybe Wilde will be the "wildone".

 

And, please...ease up on the cliffhangers. Especially those where the character is literally hanging off a cliff.

[Tiger]

I agree that Steve hasn't figured out his orientation yet. Maybe Wilde will be the "wildone".

 

And, please...ease up on the cliffhangers. Especially those where the character is literally hanging off a cliff.

Hey now! Some of us actually like variety. After all, it is "the spice of life."

[Graeme]

I don't have a problem with cliffhangers. I have a problem with an author who refuses to admit that he uses cliffhangers, or uses them inappropriately. Some authors (not CJ) have a cliffhanger at the end of almost every chapter, and then have it resolved in the first paragraph of the next chapter. I find that annoying. My main complaint about chapter 19 was that DJ deliberately withheld the name of the person who was "killed" when it was known to the characters in the story. I couldn't see a good reason for it -- it would still have been a strong ending if we knew (and there would have been lots of speculation as to whether it was an accident, manslaughter or murder, if reader discussion was the goal).

[Ieshwar]

My main complaint about chapter 19 was that DJ deliberately withheld the name of the person who was "killed" when it was known to the characters in the story. I couldn't see a good reason for it -- it would still have been a strong ending if we knew (and there would have been lots of speculation as to whether it was an accident, manslaughter or murder, if reader discussion was the goal).

 

So how CJ would have tormented us! He's very sadistic!

 

Btw, the next chap is called 'When in Rome'... They're going to Europe, right? Is CJ trying to go by the saying: 'When in Rome, do like Romans' (or something like that!) It can also be about Scar and company but I don't think so. They have already been there and they're rater busy in Graeme-land!

 

Ieshwar

[C James]

I agree that Steve hasn't figured out his orientation yet. Maybe Wilde will be the "wildone".

 

And, please...ease up on the cliffhangers. Especially those where the character is literally hanging off a cliff.

 

Hi Jack!

What cliffhangers?

 

Hey now! Some of us actually like variety. After all, it is "the spice of life."

 

Thanks!!!

 

I don't have a problem with cliffhangers. I have a problem with an author who refuses to admit that he uses cliffhangers, or uses them inappropriately. Some authors (not CJ) have a cliffhanger at the end of almost every chapter, and then have it resolved in the first paragraph of the next chapter. I find that annoying. My main complaint about chapter 19 was that DJ deliberately withheld the name of the person who was "killed" when it was known to the characters in the story. I couldn't see a good reason for it -- it would still have been a strong ending if we knew (and there would have been lots of speculation as to whether it was an accident, manslaughter or murder, if reader discussion was the goal).

 

Don't blame me!! Barbra knew at the end of the chapter, and she didn't say even though she was thinking that not knowing was no kindness. So, blame Barbra. Or, Blame Shadowgod.

 

Seriously though, I'll try and explain why I did that. It was a false report, so I felt it better not to say specifically "Eric's dead". Also, I do like having some aspects of a mystery story in my stories, so there are things for the reader to figure out. Helen's "He'll die young" and a few other things pointed at Eric, though a few could indicate Chase, and the one Wildone found about Brandon falling out of bed could have meant Brandon (but it was actually just meant to foreshadow the falling).

 

Now, had I had Barbra say "Eric's dead", IMHO it would have been more definite that he was, when in fact he wasn't. Not naming names was a clue that something was not as it seemed, or so I hoped. Also, Eric is the favorite character of quite a few readers, so I didn;t want to just have him apparently dead. I did try writing it both ways, butt leaving it unsaid seemed to work better for me. However, I might well be wrong.

 

I did need the incident itself to occur, though. One reason is it is what bought Helen fully around on the paparazi issue, and also it led to a revalation of what was going on with The Shadows, and there are other reasons too that I can't yet say. (wait a few of chapters and then remind me, if anyone is curious).

 

And BTW Graeme, I never use cliffhangers.

 

So how CJ would have tormented us! He's very sadistic!

 

Btw, the next chap is called 'When in Rome'... They're going to Europe, right? Is CJ trying to go by the saying: 'When in Rome, do like Romans' (or something like that!) It can also be about Scar and company but I don't think so. They have already been there and they're rater busy in Graeme-land!

 

Ieshwar

 

I can't say where they are going, because the Echidna will make a pincushion out of me if I do. (spoilers, ya know.).

However, hrrrrm, what can I say... <eyes the Echidna's spines nervously> Umm, well, ahhh, it's already been mentioned in the text that they are going to Europe on the tour. (there, I don't think he can call that a spoiler, becuase I'm just saying what's in the text, right?)

 

Okay, a serious question: Did everyone follow along okay on the implosion test? Did I make it understandable what they were doing, and why?

CJ

[Graeme]

And BTW Graeme, I never use cliffhangers.

I do apologise. I've finally worked it out.

 

Of course the Bastard Queen of the Evilest Cliffhangers wouldn't use mere cliffhangers. Only evilest cliffhangers would be used....

 

 

Okay, a serious question: Did everyone follow along okay on the implosion test? Did I make it understandable what they were doing, and why?

It did, but then I understand the basics of a nuclear weapon, even if I don't know all the details. They need to make sure that the explosion forces the plutonium into a shape that has critical mass, and hence initiates nuclear fission. If they get it wrong, all they do is blow pieces of plutonium everywhere, without that really big bang that seems to make some people happy

Edited January 6, 2008 by Graeme
because there's a difference between "with" and "without" when talking about really big bangs....

[C James]

I do apologise. I've finally worked it out.

 

Of course the Bastard Queen of the Evilest Cliffhangers wouldn't use mere cliffhangers. Only evilest cliffhangers would be used....

 

 

 

It did, but then I understand the basics of a nuclear weapon, even if I don't know all the details. They need to make sure that the explosion forces the plutonium into a shape that has critical mass, and hence initiates nuclear fission. If they get it wrong, all they do is blow pieces of plutonium everywhere, with that really big bang that seems to make some people happy

 

But Graeme, I'd never try and make a cliffhanger evil... That's shadowgod's domain.

 

Regarding the nuclear issue, thanks! I'm just wondering if I need to make the details clearer. I'm trying to keep the technical aspects to minimum, but I do have to show what they are doing to some degree. On the other hand, if I don't minimize it, you'd get an entire chapter or two on just the initiation, and ten on the explosive-lens fabrication. :nuke:

 

You have it right; they were testing their design to make sure it would work. I did omit a slew of details though, in the interests of brevity. For example, forcing the plutonium into a critical mass is not the only job the exposives do. Once you have a critical mass, the chain reaction is not instant. While it is reacting, the critical mass is also trying to blow itself apart. Therefor, you have to play around the shockwave dynamics and eliminate the beta wave. What a beta wave is, is the low pressure zone behind a shock wave. You basically do this via materials (such as the pusher-plate) which adds mass to the initial impulse. and also has echo characteristics to damp down the beta wave. And, umm, "Beta" is not the correct term here. There is a specific term, but I can't recall what it is and I am too lazy to look it up. But in any case, the implosion not only has to compress the core, but KEPP it compressed and coherant for several miliseconds. This is called "explosive containment" and it is why they are using explosives by the ton. In a modern warhead such as you would find on an ICBM where both weight and volume are at a premium, it is done by precisely modeling the shockwave via adjustments of the detonation sequence, but that is extraordinarily complex and would be behind the means of The Scar and his crew; they would need a dedicated supercomputer for hydrodynamics evaluation, and an extensive test program, not just one as we have seen. So, I had them go with a much simpler designs, and they can, becuase they can get away with a larger, heavier device. But, from some of the above, you can see that I had to omit a lot of engineering detail from the story. It's still alluded to, such as in the pusher-plate design and the materials, but I don't go into detail.

 

Could I ask a favor and ask that others weigh in on this too? Am I making the tech understandable, or do I need to be clearer?

Thanks!!

CJ

[FrenchCanadian]

Could I ask a favor and ask that others weigh in on this too? Am I making the tech understandable, or do I need to be clearer?

Thanks!!

CJ

 

I gotta say that I still read a little faster when it comes to the dimitri/scar story line,

 

but even tho, the tech part and everything there is clear enough. I don't have any difficulties to understand what happens there. I find it clear, just keep it going that way it's good

[wildone]

You have it right; they were testing their design to make sure it would work. I did omit a slew of details though, in the interests of brevity. For example, forcing the plutonium into a critical mass is not the only job the explosives do. Once you have a critical mass, the chain reaction is not instant. While it is reacting, the critical mass is also trying to blow itself apart. Therefor, you have to play around the shockwave dynamics and eliminate the beta wave. What a beta wave is, is the low pressure zone behind a shock wave. You basically do this via materials (such as the pusher-plate) which adds mass to the initial impulse. and also has echo characteristics to damp down the beta wave. And, umm, "Beta" is not the correct term here. There is a specific term, but I can't recall what it is and I am too lazy to look it up. But in any case, the implosion not only has to compress the core, but KEPP it compressed and coherant for several miliseconds. This is called "explosive containment" and it is why they are using explosives by the ton. In a modern warhead such as you would find on an ICBM where both weight and volume are at a premium, it is done by precisely modeling the shockwave via adjustments of the detonation sequence, but that is extraordinarily complex and would be behind the means of The Scar and his crew; they would need a dedicated supercomputer for hydrodynamics evaluation, and an extensive test program, not just one as we have seen. So, I had them go with a much simpler designs, and they can, becuase they can get away with a larger, heavier device. But, from some of the above, you can see that I had to omit a lot of engineering detail from the story. It's still alluded to, such as in the pusher-plate design and the materials, but I don't go into detail.

 

Could I ask a favor and ask that others weigh in on this too? Am I making the tech understandable, or do I need to be clearer?

Thanks!!

CJ

 

 

Honestly CJ, I gave up reading the above quoted paragraph on the third sentence, as you totally lost me and there was no hope of me even guessing what you were talking about (I must have missed that class in nuclear physics :wacko: ) .

 

In the story, since you have gone less technical on the scenes involving the building of the bombs, I have followed it with more interest. Although I may not totally understand what they are doing, I get a general feeling about what they are doing. So I would say continue on in your current style of explanation in the story.

 

And just in case their is anyone out there that is taking notes on how to build a nuclear bomb, I'm sure they can pm you to get all the finer details .

 

Steve

[C James]

I gotta say that I still read a little faster when it comes to the dimitri/scar story line,

 

but even tho, the tech part and everything there is clear enough. I don't have any difficulties to understand what happens there. I find it clear, just keep it going that way it's good

 

Thanks!!!

We've slogged through most of the design issues anyway, so hopefully I can keep the tech to a minimum.

 

Honestly CJ, I gave up reading the above quoted paragraph on the third sentence, as you totally lost me and there was no hope of me even guessing what you were talking about (I must have missed that class in nuclear physics :wacko: ) .

 

In the story, since you have gone less technical on the scenes involving the building of the bombs, I have followed it with more interest. Although I may not totally understand what they are doing, I get a general feeling about what they are doing. So I would say continue on in your current style of explanation in the story.

 

And just in case their is anyone out there that is taking notes on how to build a nuclear bomb, I'm sure they can pm you to get all the finer details .

 

Steve

 

Thanks!!

 

You're lucky I toned down the technicalese in the quoted bit, otherwise you'd have had a headache.

Well, I'm just a shy and quiet (and non-cliffhanger-using) goat who happens to have a knowledge of nuclear weapons design. Nothing to worry about, really.

 

:nuke:

[Tiger]

Thanks!!!

No... thank YOU for saying that people like me exist!

[shadowgod]

You're lucky I toned down the technicalese in the quoted bit, otherwise you'd have had a headache.

Well, I'm just a shy and quiet (and non-cliffhanger-using) goat who happens to have a knowledge of nuclear weapons design. Nothing to worry about, really.

 

:nuke:

 

ummm you forgot Retiring your highness....

[C James]

No... thank YOU for saying that people like me exist!

 

ROFL!!!

ummm you forgot Retiring your highness....

 

Why thank you, oh Sovereign of the Malevolent Precipices. I'm glad that you agee.

 

BTW, Shadowgod has formed a society called SPiCE. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Eric. He wasn't too happy when he saw Ch 19, and he's upset that Eric was injured. So, he formed SPiCE.

 

I have no idea why... there's never anything dangerous in my stories.

[Benji]

ROFL!!!!

 

OK, a serious story-related news item here: I screwed up!

 

Red Rock Canyon is just west of Las Vegas. I knew this becuase I have driven by it in ther past, plus I looked at it on google earth. BUT, in the chapters I have it as EAST of vegas. in other wordes I cleverly managed to confuse east and west! A reader just e-mailed me to let me know. (If you are reading this, thank you!)

 

I'll of course be fixing this and sending the revised files with the next chapter update.

 

 

...........I saw that but just figured it was part of your evil plot to have a cliffhanger, therefore I placed no importance to it

[shadowgod]

Why thank you, oh Sovereign of the Malevolent Precipices. I'm glad that you agee.

 

BTW, Shadowgod has formed a society called SPiCE. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Eric. He wasn't too happy when he saw Ch 19, and he's upset that Eric was injured. So, he formed SPiCE.

 

Oh I agree alright...