You’re Nothing
Oct15
on 15 October, 2017
at 9:50 pm
Chapter: Chapter 7: Fire on the Mountain
Characters: Major Bronniford, Mike-One-Echo
This is one of those moments we all come to in our lives, where we say mean things we don’t mean. Sarah here is saying mean things she doesn’t mean, except she means them. Not without justification, I guess, but still. She’s technically right. You don’t worry about hurting a tank’s feelings. But on the other hand, it’s Mike.
Anyway, I’ve gone, in the space of about 48 hours this week, from being radically underscheduled to being drastically overcommitted. Nothing to do but take it as it comes, and of course it’s nice to be needed. But I have a feeling the next few months will be chock full of late nights, bad meals and acid reflux medication. This is the life I chose.
All the best, folks!
I keep thinking of that great line from the movie ‘Brolen Arrow’ – “Would you mind not shooting at the thermonuclear weapons…”.
Only here, it is more like – “Would you mind not giving the nuclear-armed supertank with ghodlike abilities an existential crisis?” Just sayin’.
Yeah… it’s like “So… ya wizzed on the electric fence, didn’t ya?”
And we’re back to Sarah being Sarah!
Then again, I can relate. Few things enrage more than someone who insists on helping. And before we condemn her for carbon-bigotry, let’s remember Mike has made no Scope’s Trial-like case for himself. Quite the opposite, he’s forced his way into several people’s brains, their most private selves (AKA:mind-rape). So I don’t want to hear him complain about Sarah’s id-talk. I’m surprised she hasn’t already told Mike point-blank To. Get. The. F*. Out. Of. Her. Head. That said, I would care very much about hurting a giant cybertank’s feelings. Very much indeed. Especially if it has fuel and ammo loaded… but that’s my superego talking 😉
I for one think Mike’s a failed A.I. (like most of evolution’s firsts) that is poking around inside human brains trying to beta-patch his way to full sentience.
Well, the epigram for this book, if I ever print it, is going to be from Evelyn Waugh: “When a person hates with all that energy, it is something in themselves that they are hating.”
And your perception of Mike is very astute. There’s definitely a large element of that in there.
what a bitch
Easy there, man. Dial it down a notch.
Oh sure, yell insults at the nuclear supertank that has shown the clear ability to f* with your head. You actually managing to piss him off might end with you being rendered brain-dead!
But maybe that’s what you want???
One never knows. In the heat of the moment we all say things we regret.
….a broken machine that fixed your literally dead brain, Sarah.
….a broken machine which you would not be alive with him.
Mike has become more than you could ever dream of, Sarah.
Live with it, tiny-minded mortal.
…a broken machine that started a global atomic war. 🙁
Yes, in order to save HER………….
She needs to stop, step back and THINK, take what’s happened into perspective……..
And remember, she’s basically talking to “Prime Intellect” right now….
Yeah, Sarah has been traumatized pass the point of mental breakdown. Also this is literally happening in her head so their is no way to internalized her raw emotions after reliving her worst memory plus those of two others.
That said, I freak’n love the emotion/expressions on this page!
This. In my first response I hadn’t even recalled how Mike forced Sarah to relive her father’s murder as a child (I blame the weekly intervals). I was thinking more of her mental violation. Yes, Sarah may be “saying mean things she doesn’t mean, except she means them.”, but Mike is *DOING* things that are out-right vile. And as to emotion/expressions: from Mike’s face it looks like he’s about to snap himself. Stay tuned! I don’t think this is going to end well…
The problem is Mike seemingly has no control of it. Mike and Haulley ended up in Rucker’s worst memory and Mike didn’t know how nor could he stop it. No one knows how Mike is doing this, Mike included.
I agree with SteelRaven. I don’t think Mike has any control over what memories he’s seeing or being shown. In fact I think it’s the people showing him these horrid memories, memories that are perhaps the most defining, or amongst the most defining, moment that ultimately shaped the individual into the person they are now.
😀