Changing Lanes, Chapter 19

[Phantom]

Because it's in his nature to spread lies and half-truths... it's all in the goat code

[MikeL]

Merry Christmas, Cliff. I have a gift for you. It's a question.

The "Big One" in LA... That's not a cliffhanger, because we don't know for sure when or if it will occur.

Since when does not knowing make something not a cliffhanger?

[C James]

Merry Christmas, Cliff. I have a gift for you. It's a question.

 

Since when does not knowing make something not a cliffhanger?

 

Hrmmm... Well, I'd say that the answer to that is: if it occurs in one of my stories.

 

 

What did y'all thing of the General's combat tactics?

 

This is a serious question, as this was my first try at writing ground combat. Was it clear what was going on? Did it come across okay?

 

Just a question for everyone to consider... Just how can the General hope, given the meager resources mentioned (50 men, a propellor-driven transport plan or three, and a few other odds and ends) Possibly hope to get to the very secure facility, deep in Iran, considering air defense radars and fighter aircraft, and then get his son out, and then facilitate their escape?

 

He's facing a near-impossible tactical problem, worse in many ways than the US faced when trying to get the hostages out in 1979, and that poorly thought-out plan ended in the debacle at Desert One. They also had vastly more resources to work with.

But.. he clearly has a plan. The question is, what is it.

 

I'll give one hint... The clues to it lie within the General's tactical style, and the lessons he's trying to teach Felecia.

 

Speaking of Felecia, she let a huge clue drop in this chapter.

 

And BTW, before anyone asks, yes, this storyline meets Eric's in a few chapters.

[Benji]

Hrmmm... Well, I'd say that the answer to that is: if it occurs in one of my stories.

 

 

What did y'all thing of the General's combat tactics?

 

........Superb chess playing

 

This is a serious question, as this was my first try at writing ground combat. Was it clear what was going on? Did it come across okay?

 

............Defiantly special ops styled mission, but only using only recon type forces, I would expect the real mission to carry more than your normal arsenal.

 

Just a question for everyone to consider... Just how can the General hope, given the meager resources mentioned (50 men, a propelled-driven transport plan or three, and a few other odds and ends) Possibly hope to get to the very secure facility, deep in Iran, considering air defense radars and fighter aircraft, and then get his son out, and then facilitate their escape?

 

...........Remember the Israelis conquered the Seleucid Dynasty, with using a handful of Jewish dissidents led by Judah Maccabee. A victory equated to that of today's Israel defeating the three strongest nations of the world.

He's facing a near-impossible tactical problem, worse in many ways than the US faced when trying to get the hostages out in 1979, and that poorly thought-out plan ended in the debacle at Desert One. They also had vastly more resources to work with.

But.. he clearly has a plan.

 

............If I recall right the sand storms brought that debacle to the US forces, when sand became entrenched in the helicopters and planes engines. Yet, the strategists failed bringing that into account on the rescue attempt.

 

The question is, what is it.

He will fly under the radar, possibly dropping jars of an inert gas to set off the sensors, the Iranians realizing what they are guarding and what it means if the alarms go off, they will likely hightail it out of there leaving the base empty for the precious minutes it will take to make the rescue.

I'll give one hint... The clues to it lie within the General's tactical style, and the lessons he's trying to teach Felecia.

Speaking of Felecia, she let a huge clue drop in this chapter.

 

............Went back and re-read the chapter, I guess I missed that one, oh well someone is bound to see it!

 

And BTW, before anyone asks, yes, this storyline meets Eric's in a few chapters.

 

......Great chapter CJ!

Edited December 26, 2008 by Benji

[hh5]

Merry Christmas to you too CJ

 

Does anyone else find it disturbing that the goat is somehow always managing to do me GREAT harm in his serials?

 

I wonder if Eric and Jensen would try something?

or would Eric like to make relations with Cory?

 

Hey wasn't about this time Chris in some other story was destroying a town?

It sounds like our mischievous goat it taking it to a bigger scale on bi-coastal front.

 

Hey in reality there is still time for a Wedding even if the volcano is active.

It takes a long time for it to blow.

But of course our mischievous goat will make all this calamity happen a bit sooner.

 

Again, I'm skipping the bad guys stuff. They're not annoying the good guys yet.

 

Me like the romantic parts only.

 

Surprise that Brandon and Chase didn't use the quake to enhance their love making.

It be funny if they did and then say to each other

"You sound hungry after all that grumbling"

"I didn't"

"Earthquake!!!!"

"Yea it makes sex better"

 

Well at least they'll get another chance in Joe's Volcano. (hint the movie; tom hanks)

[TalonRider]

I'm beginning to wonder about the Generals mission to free his son. I'm beginning to think that the Government is well aware of what's happening and is secretly backing him. And did just enough to make him look legitimate.

 

Scar has probably gotten what he wants from the Iranian's, so he could care less if a bunch of them die in this raid he's helping set up. And of course he wants Bradson dead. After all, he's the one who found the bomb in L.A. and prevented its detonation and then passed that information on to his counter part in New York City.

[Benji]

I'm beginning to wonder about the Generals mission to free his son. I'm beginning to think that the Government is well aware of what's happening and is secretly backing him. And did just enough to make him look legitimate.

 

Scar has probably gotten what he wants from the Iranian's, so he could care less if a bunch of them die in this raid he's helping set up. And of course he wants Bradson dead. After all, he's the one who found the bomb in L.A. and prevented its detonation and then passed that information on to his counter part in New York City.

 

............Scar is definitely all for himself, but to it is very much what he came accumulate from wherever that makes the Scar survive. It would not be in his best interest to exploit and see the demise of his 'team'. If he were to do so he would not be able to gather a team in the future. Word would travel further than he could compromise. Getting a squad or platoon of mercenaries together who know their employee is indifferent and would compromise the contract.

 

But we have all seen the Scar's deployment in the other series, why he hasn't been killed is beyond me, I guess money talks here! And that is all that has kept the Scar from being alive!!

[jfalkon]

First of all, the chapter was clearly written so I could picture the action. The general's tactic seem to involve misdirection and the element of surprise. I know little about combat strategies so I can't comment on how acurate the depiction was. What struck me as interesting was the way the general seems to think like a magician. The paterns that I see evolving are as follows.

 

The general makes things/people apear to be where they are not.

He cleverly changes things that are assumed to be constant. For example, he removes the flag pole.

He makes it apear that there are more people in a place than there realy are.

 

If he manages to get to the location I imagine that his strategy will involve creating a diversion, hiding in an unlikely spot, and emerging when least expected. Beyond that I can't say much.

[MikeL]

I'm beginning to wonder about the Generals mission to free his son. I'm beginning to think that the Government is well aware of what's happening and is secretly backing him. And did just enough to make him look legitimate.

 

Scar has probably gotten what he wants from the Iranian's, so he could care less if a bunch of them die in this raid he's helping set up. And of course he wants Bradson dead. After all, he's the one who found the bomb in L.A. and prevented its detonation and then passed that information on to his counter part in New York City.

An interesting theory. Perhaps US intelligence has figured out that Scar is alive and know where he is. They have enlisted Gen. Bradson (possibly without his knowledge) to liquidate Scar while seeking to liberate his son. If either or both parts of the plan fail, the US has plausible deniability available to apply to the activities of the renegade former general.

[Benji]

An interesting theory. Perhaps US intelligence has figured out that Scar is alive and know where he is. They have enlisted Gen. Bradson (possibly without his knowledge) to liquidate Scar while seeking to liberate his son. If either or both parts of the plan fail, the US has plausible deniability available to apply to the activities of the renegade former general.

 

..........Haha!! I have already thrown out the theory that US intelligence knew Scar was still alive. But in the Goats world, it didn't materialize! Therefore I think this will be from the Generals POV, and he will get it done by the skin of his teeth.

[wildone]

I got the chance to reread the chapter and found a couple of interesting points, but I'm at a lost with what clue Felicia dropped .

 

The one thing that surprised me was this little bit of a tidbit:

Pleased that The Scar was confiding in him, Yuri decided to ask one question that had been on his mind.

[Benji]

I got the chance to reread the chapter and found a couple of interesting points, but I'm at a lost with what clue Felicia dropped .

 

The one thing that surprised me was this little bit of a tidbit:

 

 

From this I wonder if The Scar has an objective that he is actually using the General's son and the General to help him achieve. It seems that whatever the Scar is after is actually located at where Brian is located, and he is willing to use the General help him acquire whatever it is while sacrificing both Brian and his dad to get it

 

As far as the guessing of the tactics to use to get into the secured area, I will defer to Benji's guesses and others as they have military training and know how to analyze a situation way better than what I could ever come up with .

 

Now another thing also came to mind.

 

 

 

After reading the first time, I was confident that Jan was right in this assumption, just so you know I was guessing they were long time friends. Then, I went back to the apartment scene where Eric popped into their place in Chapter 7 and found this:

 

Both Jansen and Keith were relaxed and were sharing their past with Eric. Notice that Keith quickly chimed in with the "We met in college" like he was sharing the story with a friend. I believe that that sentence holds the truth in their meeting.

 

I imagine Jansen spit out his scotch when Eric made the claim that they were brothers, more so than the fact that he had seen Keith in the disco.

 

A bit of evil misdirection I do believe on the goats part.

 

Now that brings up the whole question of who Keith was with in the disco? I don't know, but the whole holding hands in a bar thing kind of sounds cozy and comfortable. Could Keith's date be someone that he invited to the island and is going to actually be the surprise that everyone will find out about? That is assuming that the wedding will go forward with all the other havoc that seems to be developing. Eric didn't recognize the guy, but will Brandon or Chase know him? It brings up the question of Linda maybe knowing something, could this be an ex of Brandon's that she maybe met in Phoenix and then later met him with Keith?

 

Just guessing

 

..............I somehow doubt a third person that can be recognized by Chase and Brandon will wind up at that resort, far from the US, hummmmmmm, we haven't heard from the other band though have we? And Cody is out of the time line here.

 

The Scar does have an objective even though he is dealing with the Iranians, don't put it past him to steal something from them in this rescue/'theft' operation.

[Drewbie]

Maybe someone from the shadow's will come or joe?

[C James]

Some GREAT posts above, thanks!! I'll reply more later (3:30 AM here, gotta sleep!) but I just wanted to mention that chapter 20, explanations, should be posted (assuming my internet doesn't go down yet again, and I get the formatting done) around 12 noon, my time, Tuesday.

 

CJ