Grrl Power #435 – Fajita bombs
Hopefully you guys can tell what’s happening here. Panel 5/6 would definitely benefit from animation.
Sydney’s mishap brought to you by a true story. Before I explain though, I should make sure everyone is familiar was fajitas. Having lived in Texas for over 30 years I don’t want to take that for granted. I’m sure Tex-Mex exists in some form or another all over the US and even outside of it, though outside of Texas, the chance that it’s still called Tex-Mex drops precipitously. Sometimes labeled Southwestern or Mexican food, even though proper Tex-Mex bears only a passing resemblance to actual Mexican food.
Anyway, fajitas are seasoned and grilled meat, usually steak or chicken, sometimes shrimp, although in Sydney’s case here it’s portobello mushrooms, (especially good with chimichurri sauce) then cut into strips and served DiY style, basically build your own burrito with several side dishes containing some combination of rice, beans, lettuce, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, etc. The fajitas themselves, at least in every place in Texas I’ve had them at, are served on a broiling hot cast iron skillet along with onions, mushrooms, peppers or even squash. The skillet itself rests on a wooden plate designed specifically for the fajita skillet.
So here’s what I did – nearly the same thing as Sydney, but I caught myself before resting the back of my hand on the skillet. Instead I felt the heat from it and smartly thought to push it away from my hand. Except, like Sydney, the tortilla was covering my hand, so when I lowered my hand to push the wooden plate away, I didn’t see that I hadn’t lowered it far enough, and I wound up pressing the tip of my finger against the skillet and not the plate. About 1 second later, I yanked my hand away and threw my sour cream covered tortilla on to the back of the head of the person sitting in the booth behind me. It was embarrassing and startled them and everyone at my booth as well. But it was pretty funny once the throbbing in my finger subsided. Actually it was immediately funny, but it still hurt like a sumbitch. The team is in a private dining room so I thought I’d have Sydney lob her payload forward instead.
I’m not sure about Maxima’s shirt. I wanted to put her in something other than a black baby doll, but the open slots on the shoulders guarantees that bra straps will be seen. It doesn’t seem like a shirt she would wear in public, but besides dinner here she’ll probably keep her jacket on.
Oh and about the mini-comic – “Box social” is the funniest term I could find for a distaff counterpart to “sausage party.” Most of the other ones were predictably much more rude, but I think “box” is the funniest (and most nonsensical) euphemism for that business anyway.
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My prediction? That fifth pip in the flight speed path WON’T open the second path. My logic is as follows…
If the entire path needed to be filled before access can be granted to it, then there wouldn’t need to be connected links at each level (it would just require the final pip to connect, perhaps denoting it as a second power path via a zig zag not unlike the orange mystery orb). If the second path could be accessed at any level of the first path, then it wouldn’t be currently greyed out because it has four out of the five connecting pips already slotted. Thus, access won’t be granted by filling out the primary power path.
But examine the secondary power path for a moment. It ends with a double connection and a trailing link. I believe this is the actual “start” of the secondary power path, as the double connection indicates a link to another orb. A quick examination of the other orbs reveals three locations elsewhere that match this configuration: Hentorb, Truesight, & Forcefield. Of these three, only the Forcefield has a trailing link at the other end of that path as well. It is my theory that these two paths are one and the same.
But why aren’t they connected, especially if the two orbs are right next to each other? Because connecting between orbs requires a prerequisite. Is it the double path between the two orbs that hasn’t been filled? No, because Flight and PPO have their link filled and they have no connecting power paths. Is it the inner wheel? No, because both of those orbs already have their respective slots filled on the inner wheel (personal theory: the inner wheel represents advanced power paths that utilize and require two orbs being used simultaneously, a pip in each slot reveals the greyed paths but does not give automatic access to them; the wheel’s hub function is currently unfathomable). Is it the mini-branch Zoeng is describing? That’s my bet as it fits with all the above theorycrafting, although I cannot say whether or not both orbs would require their respective mini-branches pip’d or just one being necessary (which would allow for ‘outgoing’ paths to light up blue but not ‘incoming’ paths).
TL; DR? It won’t do anything (other than make Sidney fly faster). Put a point in the Forcefield mini-branch to light it up, then spend six more points to fill the path from the other end.
A solid bit of logical thought. Now I can’t wait to see if you’re right or wrong.
Your first two paragraphs are interesting and plausible, albeit not necessarily the case. The team will be in for disappointment, if you are right though.
A longer examination may have been in order. The Truesight orb has such a trailing link, it just happens to follow the light on the horizon, so is hard to pick out. Using the cleaned-up skill-tree helps to avoid such pitfalls.
Your theory that the double line endings denote connecting to paths from other orbs is interesting though. And plausible. The other double lines are mainly direct connections from one orb to another. The exception being the orphan skill points. Each orb has one of those. Of which the green mystery orb has one filled in.
We could postulate that double lines indicate multiple-orb use. The orphans therefore would be “hands-free operation”. But, I do not think it would be without limit, the flavour of the orbs is that they are limited by Halo having to hold one in each hand. Rather I propose that, if the above assumption is correct, they instead provide an autopilot option. “Continue current use, until the order is countermanded”.
This would allow Halo to use the force field whilst asleep, for example. Or have the PPO set on “campfire” setting, but allow Sydney to use both her hands on cooking utensils. Or keep her truesight turned on, at all times, to spot any magically concealed ninjas.
Power wise this would make Halo far stronger than she currently is. Yet it would still have limitations. If Halo has to flee her campsite, she could be burning up half the countryside, if she needs her hands on orbs other than the PPO (say flyball and forb), yet still has the PPO set to “auto campfire mode”!
Regarding the orb-to-orb connections you propose, the obvious link would be the one from the Forb to the Tentacle orb. Sydney currently cannot use the tentacle inside the orb, that greyed-out point (on the tentacle side) could be what unlocks that ability. That still leaves the point on the Forb side though. Perhaps that extends the force field to any objects picked up, to grant them greater structural integrity? Maxima already does this with objects she picks up, so there is precedent.
Why do I assume that those two points are not just the same point, shown at the end of both arcs? Because, if this whole supposition is right, the truesight to fly ball arcs would have one of the skill points filled in already, on the fly ball side, to correspond with the one already showing on the truesight arc. Thus, if they do connect, each skill point does its own thing, rather than being mirrored on the other side of the tree.
That five-point arc on the flyball side, could all relate to the Truesight orbs other function, the image projection, and the inner orb which is used to create that. Maybe it creates a ‘group fly’ effect? Allowing image Halo to appear next to hostages, for example, and fly them to safety, without Halo having to enter the area herself. This would also allow Halo to transport a group with her, at low speed, but using the flyball and truesight orb, rather than the Forb.
The arc on the truesight side might be unlocking various capabilities for the inner orb. Say being able to phase through walls. And allowing the image Halo to move differently (say waving) than real Halo (crouching down behind cover). Another might unlock using truesight via the image. The last (after the double line)… mmm… allowing her to pick things up?
I was thinking just in terms of extending the fly-balls anti-gravity to do that, but we do have that link to the tentacle orb. Perhaps unlocking all of those double-line skills will allow the image to have a physical presence (force field to give the tactile body, tentacle to give strength and flyball to allow more lifting capability than with the tentacle alone). A super-body which does not require Halo to risk herself directly!
Wow! Sydney actually managed to get burned, dowse her hand and NOT drop an F bomb or other profanity!
Uh oh! We’ve got character growth!
She hasn’t had time to start swearing, pain overrides everything
Actually Mythbusters did a myth about swearing when it comes to pain. They found that swearing seems to have a helping effect in calming down the pain in general, while not swearing made the pain more intense.
I can relate to your experience, DaveB. Years ago, I was a server at a bar & grill in Texas. The hot skillets were on a wooden base, and we put a little oven mitt on the handle – the servers jokingly called them “skillet condoms”.
It was the middle of lunch rush, and I don’t know if the mitt fell off or I forgot to put it on before I left the kitchen. At any rate, I slid my fingers under the wooden tray, laid my thumb on the (uncovered) handle, and put the skillet gently on the table. At this point the customer looked at me, at my thumb, at me again, and quietly asked, “Doesn’t that hurt?”.
I didn’t feel a thing until she asked. I barely felt it when I peeled my thumb off the handle and left a bit of skin there sizzling. Maybe it was shock or disbelief, but I managed to get the rest of the order on the table, get another server to cover for me, and trot to the back before screaming in pain and laying my thumb on a chilled glass for a few minutes.
Side note: The restaurant only stocked bright blue band-aids, so if one fell off in a plate, you could see it.
I hope you got a double-sized tip! Such dedicated service deserves suitable recognition. Likewise the restaurant management too.
Is a visible bra strap even considered a problem anymore? Heck, as often as you can see the full bra through the shirt these days, it seems silly to worry about a little strap.
If nothing else, it proves to the world world she’s wearing one, thus heading off thousands of fanboys from needing to pointlessly argue the point on the internet. (But it won’t stop them from arguing over whether she’s had any surgery done. Nothing will stop that.)
Maxima needs to read this article, about sleep deprivation, and its effects on workplace performance, plus the risk of injury.
Currently Archon have a payment policy which encourages staff to stay up, beyond their limits, clubbing. In order to earn sponsorship payments. Where this starts impacting on efficiency, and safety, they should find a way to reward a good night’s sleep instead.
Military does that on purpose. Its step 1 of teaching a recruit how to instantly take naps. (Also why electronics are banned during basic) NOT a useful task in Sidney’s case because her medication precludes learning that trick. I’m sure someone smart will figure that out soon enough. Or Sidney will and learn who and how to demand a proper sleep schedule.
Its also VERY useful in getting an objective measure (from Maxima) how exactly Sidney deals with sleep deprivation and what are her “I’m too sleepy” tells. After all – they have a very powerful super on very powerful meds….and a noted lack of impulse control. Studying the effects of Sleep Deprivation on Sidney is useful. (Also what will keep her attention and keep her awake when that sleepy) At this point I’m wondering how deliberate that party invitation was.
Insightfully thought through.
I love how Maxima is generally a hardass to everyone, but on occasion can have stupidly girly reactions…
It’s like she’s undermining her own outward nature with her inner child…
No doubt the chaotic Sydney have a influence on her.
Ch-ch-changes
Don’t tell them to grow up and out of it
Now I made myself sad thinking about Bowie.
Fajitas are a universal food, they are delicious and a staple in my household in Western Australia! Don’t forget to add Jalapenos!
personally I prefer hungarian hot wax peppers to jalapenos. jalapenos have a bitter aftertaste to me that most other peppers lack.
I just ate dinner an hour ago and reading the commentary still made me hungry.
Actually, the straps on the top of the shirt are wide enough that if you had a bra with pretty narrow straps, they might not noticeably show, especially if it was a black bra. Source: bra-wearing person.
I guess if she pinned the bra straps under one of the shirt straps. Bra straps are all over the place on a normal woman, and Max’s skin is a little more slippery that normal.
A fajita plate? Seriously? That’s about the level of a mosquito bite. :P
No way. Those things can get seriously hot. And you can see that Sydney has been branded by it! So it is at the upper end of the heat they can get to.
Plus mosquitoes inject a local anesthetic, when they poke you. So you do not feel anything. Maybe that was the intent of your comparison, but it sure isn’t accurate.
Although I have managed to avoid such an injury, I have been able to estimate how hot they get, by hovering my hands over them. And the heat was comparable to an electric fire, that I used to use, in the coldest weather England had to offer.
One morning I got up to get my clothing, for the day, and started to put on my socks. Leaning with my shoulder against the wall, as I was still rather sleepy. Sleepy enough that I did not notice any problem, until I caught a whiff of something burning, and then suddenly feeling intense pain!
Whilst my shoulder was against the wall, my bare leg had been flush with the upper, grill-fronted, portion of the fire! I had literally branded a griddle pattern, into my leg. Fortunately only damaging the epidermis, rather than creating a permanent disfigurement.
Sydney’s burn mark looks identical (barring not being in a grid pattern). She too had been sleepy, and failed to register that her hand was resting on the metal. It was not a momentary brush, rather it was a prolonged burn, before her brain finally noticed the problem.
Let me assure you that hurts like hell!