Chapter 30-Short Term Memory part 2

[nikvoodoo]

I'm not so sure. Col. Kimmet struck me as a very by-the-book kind of officer, and when we last saw him he was maintaining the forms and policies of the US Army. The Colony would have to be a priority for him. To the best of our knowledge it's the third largest concentration of humans left in the world. It's potetentially a threat to Fort Irwin because of its proximity and the availability of heavy weaponry in the region. And it's part of the United States, its population are still US citizens. I wouldn't be surprised if the recon mission we saw wasn part of an effort to figure out more about the Colony and the Mallers prior to taking action.

This assumes, though, that Col. Kimmet is actually the one in charge. He could have a military superior in Boulder, or there could even be a civilian government that the military answers to (a'la Battlestar Galactica). They might have other priorities, or be unwilling to commit forces, or just be unwilling to act outside their own safety bubble.

My question though: Would the Colony actually pose a threat to Irwin? Priority to bring the Colony into the fold, sure. But I don't think they are a threat to Irwin.

Now a threat to Irwin-ites in the LA area.....oh hell yes.

[Cabbage Patch]

My question though: Would the Colony actually pose a threat to Irwin? Priority to bring the Colony into the fold, sure. But I don't think they are a threat to Irwin.

Now a threat to Irwin-ites in the LA area.....oh hell yes.

I agree, there's no immediate threat to Fort Irwin from the Colony, now. But even in post-apocalyptic times no government is going to want to let a potential rival grow in its back yard. Given time, and the sheer volume of high tech weaponry sitting unsecured at sites throughout Southern California there is a lot of potential for future conflict. At some point the military is going to need to secure those resources, lest they face the specter of Mallers armed with cruise missiles or even nukes.

[random_highjinx]

So, Saul and Lizzie have been separated for roughly 5 months (or, at the time Saul discovers Lizzie's condition it's been about 4 months. As pregnancy goes and 'showing' anything less then 4/5 months, she wouldn't be showing enough to be called 'not so skinny'.). If Scratch has been protecting Lizzie since she was almost raped, I don't see much of a chance that the child could be anyone's other than Saul. So there is my vote for that.

My vote for Saul rocketing down to the colony is a definite 'yes' especially if he believes that the baby is his. There is no way that he's going to sit back and let her stay there with his kid.

[nikvoodoo]

My vote for Saul rocketing down to the colony is a definite 'yes' especially if he believes that the baby is his. There is no way that he's going to sit back and let her stay there with his kid.

I'd like to think that's not the case. I'd like to think that someone (CJ) will be able to speak to him on a level he will listen to. Victor can certainly bring up the past against him to make him think it through.

Wonder if Glenn and Pete know about Angel....

[HardKor]

My question though: Would the Colony actually pose a threat to Irwin? Priority to bring the Colony into the fold, sure. But I don't think they are a threat to Irwin.

Now a threat to Irwin-ites in the LA area.....oh hell yes.

Not enough of a threat to roll in and take over the base, but like you said they could do a hell of a lot of damage to any missions in the L.A. area. I t just seems like basic common sense not to leave a wild card like that floating uncontrolled.

And doesn't it just feel right for the tables to be turned and have the Mallers under siege for a change?

[Cabbage Patch]

How long before Pete goes to Fort Irwin, and has his tearful reunion with Nurse Britt?

[zombiesurvivor]

Pregnancy confirmed!!!

South's fall to the Mallers confirmed!!

Who else thinks the "slaves" are the old guards from the prison?

How far along would Lizzy be?

Who got Lizzy pregnant

What will happen between Lizzy and Saul

Did one of the Maulers get her pregnant

[Privateer]

High tech weapons aboubd,, yes, but very few technicians to operate those weapon systems. A destroyers a nice place to hide, but operating a VLS system, or even a modern five inch gun is going to be a challenge without instruction, not to mention a lot of these systems have sat, unmaintained, and likley powerless for months at this point. Irwin and The Colony are a signifigant distence away from each other, and likley even from L.A. And the mallers don't have flight capabilities. While evacuation of a kniwn civilian population would likley be one of Col. Kimmit's primary functions, taking a fotress gaurded by ruthless men with signifigant firepower is something else entirely. Especially as the onlg way to get there and not lose half your assault force in the process is by air. And thats a lot of precious aviation fuel, and thats throwing a lot of men and women at a wall. While I imagine they'll be dealt with, neither side had the capability or supply line to mount a successful attack on the other.

[Litmaster]

And it is a serious question as to if the military has any real good reason to hero on up there with emancipation on their mind. Seems like Kc has been developing a more pragmatic military for the world. Given limited resources and personnel, throwing lives at something with little return wouldn't sit right with the CO.

I'm not so sure. Col. Kimmet struck me as a very by-the-book kind of officer, and when we last saw him he was maintaining the forms and policies of the US Army. The Colony would have to be a priority for him.

This assumes, though, that Col. Kimmet is actually the one in charge. He could have a military superior in Boulder, or there could even be a civilian government that the military answers to (a'la Battlestar Galactica). They might have other priorities, or be unwilling to commit forces, or just be unwilling to act outside their own safety bubble.

Ironically, it might be news of Angel's capture by the Mallers that prompts a rescue effort to the Colony, given that an officer is now in what would be a POW situation. This, of course, assuming that none of the Irwinites gets news that Angel is already dead. My guess is that

- Glenn/Pete will fill the Dunbar crew in on who has been captured at the colony
- that some of those people will be from CJ's old crew
- and she will want to help spring them
- then Saul is going to communicate with Michael via satphone and tell him the intel about Lizzy, Burt, & Angel
- and Michael is going to push Kimmet to rally a strike force or something to free them

And if Kimmet says no, this might actually be the dividing issue in Michael's antigone situation, where he is forced to decide between 'law' and 'family'.... ultimately disobeying orders by opting for the latter.

And doesn't it just feel right for the tables to be turned and have the Mallers under siege for a change?

Seriously! So far they have laid two sieges to two different groups, BOTH desperately short on ammo. What kind of luck is that? So unless they found another Locked n'Loaded down there, it looks like the Mallers are still going to be short on munitions... It seems the largest store of guns left in LA is probably locked away in CJ's vaults at Dunbar Tower....


Question for you millitary guys: What kind of force would the Army send in to attack the colony? Are we talking like a small strike force of commandos, or what? I really don't know anything about millitary strategy...

But again, I restate my support for Lizzy turning Bricks to her cause especially if they are buddy buddy hanging around the Colony.

Yep, and I think that Bricks' good side is going to win out and he will end up betraying Scratch in a key moment: perhaps by being the one to kill her in the end, or freeing Burt, or something like that. I see a shift in loyalties very possible for the big guy.

I'm sure Scratch ordered Bricks to be Lizzy's bodyguard, and the baby is Saul's for sure given that Tardust never actually got his sausage in the oven...

Shudder for the Week: I was wondering why Scratch would be protecting Lizzy and her baby, and it occurred to me that maybe she has been farming babies to sell off to Ink as experiment-fodder... Highly unlikely, of course, but if true, that would make her about the evilest female villain in all of literature.

[Red Shirt]

This assumes, though, that Col. Kimmet is actually the one in charge. He could have a military superior in Boulder, or there could even be a civilian government that the military answers to (a'la Battlestar Galactica). They might have other priorities, or be unwilling to commit forces, or just be unwilling to act outside their own safety bubble.

Constitutionally speaking, that's a good idea, to have a civilian governing body that the military answers too. That's assuming that there is enough of the government left or enough people qualified to fill in positions to support the Continuity of Operations Plan. That is also greatly dependent on how the White House reacted, how many executive orders were given and weather any of the leadership escaped and made it to secondary and tertiary fallback facilities.

Trouble is, nearly all the United States Continuity of Operations facilities are back east and have fallen out of communication according to Col Kimmet.

Now, the Post-Attack Command and Control System and the supporting Operation: Looking Glass aircraft have an "orbit" area that stretches from DC to western Montana. Granted that map image is from 1972, but it implies that there may be additional tertiary "fallback" facilities that haven't been disclosed to the public. Montana is within the C&C "bubble" of Irwin... Maybe Irwin is actually in the C&C bubble of... something or someone else.

Now, back to how much was able to be executed before DC was overrun and/or fell out of communication. In the event of a massive attack on the United States, collapse of infrastructure & communications, large scale disasters, ect, there are plans like Executive Directive 51 in place that can be used to attempt to regain control. Some of the powers that can be executed "in the event that the President declares a State of Domestic National Emergency" are like those in REX 84. If those orders were given, it precludes the existence of a civilian governing body.

Here's the school they are currently in: Dominguez Elementary

Thank you sooo much for that lead. Here I was, thinking I might not have much to contribute after this episode...

One would assume that the school was very near the LZ for that chopper and that they would have been scouting near it. For what exactly? Now that the area has been narrowed down a little, I have a few new ideas:

• The California Broadcast Center. That place looks defensible and look at all those dishes!
• Denso aftermarket Autoparts?
• Passenger train rail-yard? The cars here seem to be electric mass transit trains but I think that they would have diesel backup for outages. It would seem that travel by rail might just be the best option, after air. Also more efficient. Granted, it doesn't have go anywhere capabilities, but YOU try stopping a 100+ ton locomotive.
• Not to mention the Kinder-Morgan tank farm and the nearby transit facility yards nearby.

Those are the ones that jump out at me and seem to be a reasonable distance from the LZ. Then again they could simply looking for ideal targets of maximum effect for an airstrike.