h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

See, my question about this is why, if you're mentally strong enough to ram the arm of a mecha at the wall, shouldn't you be mentally strong enough to apply the exact same amount of force just by thinking at the wall without needing to use the mecha arm? Do I have my math/physics/understanding of kinetic psychic powers incorrect?

Regardless of what the actual answer is though...


*The ramming mecha arm slams ridiculously violently against the sturdy wall. The wall itself is unharmed...for now. However, who knows what damage to the wall (and sonic damage to the eardrums of anyone in that enclosed chamber) there will be with repeated rams?*

2:17...2:16...2:15...2:14...2:13...

[Ray stumbles dazedly, hands over his ears, and the mecha-arm crashes to the ground. After a moment, he shakes his head to clear it.]

[Ray] Okay, my supervillain weakness is officially "trying to go for a solution which looks cooler than an obviously-more-practical one" and "not thinking the cool-solution all the way through." Ow ...

[He takes a moment to psychokinetically hit the button again, and then faces the inner wall (the one closer to the badges), hands on hips.] Time to go all "death of a thousand cuts"!

[He holds his hands out at it. Presently, there's a sound which closely resembles the pitter-patter of rainfall on a roof, except with more of a metallic twang. It starts to intenstify after a moment.]

*The button clicks and the timer resets to 5:00 as the weaponry does its mechanical cough again. As the timer begins to drop to 4:59 and below, Ray's thousand cuts begin to be applied to the wall at the rate at which he is applying them. If what Ray is doing is what I think it is, then there is, as of yet, no visible effect*

4:37...4:36...4:35...4:34...

I *think* he's doing what you think he's doing. Although that depends on what you think I think you think he's doing.


[Ray smirks and keeps it up, continually thwacking against the wall with little ... precision strikes.]

Yes, I think you think I'm thinking of what you're thinking.


*The precision strikes continue, and no damage is immediately observable*

3:46...3:45...3:44...3:42


Let me know if you want things to change as the timer goes down.

*Sol, still in the guise of Baba Yaga, is sulking in the corner at the rejection of cabbage*

*the mecha-locusts in the pit are perturbed by the noises coming from nearby. A sizeable contingent detach themselves from the rest of the swarm and, finding no other exit, head further down the tunnel*

[Ray clenches his teeth, looking like he's pushing harder against an invisible wall, or possibly badly in need of a lavatory. Sparks are now visible from where he "strikes" the wall; his assault appears to be limited to four lines at right-angles to each other. He seems to be going for opening a rectangular hole, rather than going for complete obliteration.]

Oh, and feel free to have things change, Affy.

Oh, I meant regarding your input, based on how much time is passing.


*Ray's strikes are either causing miniscule hairline fractures, or the now-visible attacks are interfering with what may be seen by outside observers*

2:48...2:47...2:46...2:45...2:44...

[Ray grins, or possibly his teeth are clenched, and he looks like he's breathing heavily. It's sort of like he's trying to "lean" against it with more and more force. Also, the rectangle is horizontal, about five by four feet.]

*As Ray intensifies his attempt at cutting the transparent wall, there are some definite lines forming along the rectangle*

1:22...1:21...1:20...1:19...1:18...1:17...

[Ray leans into it some more, teeth clenched, and he steps further away from the button, psychokinetically giving it a firm thwack. A bit *too* firm, actually ...]

*The wall echoes from the thwack, and certainly looks a bit dented*

0:08...0:07...0:06...0:05...0:04...

Er, sorry, I meant he delivered the *button* a thwack.

Ahhh, sorry, I misread.


*The timer, once again, resets to 5:00 and resumes its unstoppable countdown*

*The audience watching at home goes 'awwwwww' as the timer once again refuses to hit zero.*

Yeah, I now realize my post wasn't clear, oops.


[Ray lets up his assault for a moment, and swings his fist forward. He isn't close enough for it to actually hit the wall, but he accompanies it with a psychic shockwave which hits it harder than a cannon ball.]

*The loud echoing that results is, naturally, less than the gauntlet arm, but still impressive*

4:34...4:33...4:32...0:54...4:30...4:29...

[Ray's hands are promptly over his ears again, and he mutters several curses before the Moderators can pick it up.]

[He blinks and frowns, noticing that 0:54 that had snuck in the countdown there, and resumes his "death of a thousand cuts" assault, noticeably more faster and more frantically than before.]