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Galm Fae
BetaMax Beta
CRONOS.
27
   |
Posted - 2013.07.28 04:25:00 -
[1] - Quote
A friend of mine once insisted that in this new era of warfare where our enemies will rise every time we strike them down, the true battles will no longer be won with flesh and blood, but hearts and minds. I, in my weakened state, was inclined to believe him. I have pondered the prospect over the course of the week, and I agree. For us to truley own our enemies, we must now dominate them entirely.
You see, for some time I wrestled with my inner demons over concepts of honor and mercy on the battlefield. When I grew weary of gunning down my fellow men, I felt that there might have been an alternative to the violence in my way of life. For three months I provided medical support to fire teams as I watched battles from a distance, observing other mercenaries. I though that in my time aiding the injured I might gain inner enlightenment as to my own sense of honor and respect from my ancestors. To my dismay, I found rather the opposite. The blood on my hands did not shrink, it increase. I watched near countless times on countless planets as a I felt a friend die in my arms, only for them to reappear before me as I still hung to their lifeless cloned bodies.
When I would engaged the enemy however, I would do so out of callings of honor. Barely defended in logistical armor, I would run into gunfire to pull my comrades out of harms way when injured. The wounds I would endure for such values were at times tremendous, yet I continued onward out of honor.
With every death however, every failure that would have in some other time had me buried as a hero, I only ever awoke to the glass of the Reanimation Unit I had just spawned in. It was an endless torture. A pointless game. A life without living.
I say this now to justify the project I had put into place. Through no small amount of Aurum I have put into motion a series of transactions that, when executed, shall arm me as a most formidable opponent on the battlefield.
My friend was correct in his versings. To own the battlefield, we must own the hearts and minds of those who wage war. This involves removing his willingness to wage war. What my friend was wrong about however were the tactics in which this war shall be one. To truly end an individuals willingness to fight, one must not enable said individual via limiting themselves to systems of honor. No, the only true way to end it all is to break them beyond repair, to make them live with such horrors that they may never look upon a battlefield again without feeling feint.
For this exact reason, I have requisitioned the blueprints to the Toxin modifications on readily available submachine guns and Duvolle assault rifles, as well as formulas for producing vats of Kinetic Catalyst serums (frequently titled Kin-Cats by biotec smugglers I had managed to purchase these from) to be used in conjunction with a new series of "Dragonfly" Assault Suits.
The effects of these weapons, while incredibly painful and often criticized and barbaric to employ, have proven to measure up beyond expectation. While pared with the latest in GATE technology incorporated into the dragonfly and the increase in speed from the chemical and cybernetic enhancements of the latest generation in clone technology, I am confident that I had created a weapon's system that might at last end some of the conflicts that plague our universe.
I can only hope that some day my enemies will understand and forgive me for my actions.
Rikaato |
Yun Hee Ryeon
Dead Six Initiative
Lokun Listamenn
137
|
Posted - 2013.07.28 16:52:00 -
[2] - Quote
Fae-haan,
Your reasons for doing this are clear, and yet, respectfully, I must ask that you reconsider.
The Dragonfly is a useful tool; I have no criticism, here, to offer. The 'Toxin,' however....
Our task, Fae-haan, is not and must not be to batter down the will of individual targets. Your opponents, for the most part, are just mercenaries fulfilling their contracts. Clone soldiers have no consistent, bound loyalties for the most part; most of us wander through our existences in a sort of haze, inconstant as fog.
Even if you should happen to face a true, ideological enemy of the State, and even should you manage to batter down that enemy's will to fight you, the rewards on offer are not based on loyalty: a mercenary will promptly appear. With matters in their present state, you are punishing a fellow infomorph-- torturing a colleague-- merely for being a tool of an opposing power, and the purpose of doing so appears to be merely to drive that colleague into early retirement.
There will be more, many more, of us to come. Recent figures indicate gradually-accelerating recruitment. You will not be able to stem the tide-- you'll only succeed in torturing those who may be fighting beside you tomorrow, or the day after.
We are tools, Fae-haan, weapons. Our purpose is to achieve objectives on behalf of those who employ us. The target is not the soldier in front of you, but the entity employing that soldier, the hand that wields that weapon. Those enemies are organizations; you can cause them pain by serving your employer's interests and defeating the opposing force.
The only reason to strike at the weapon is to get it out of your way so that you can cut your opponent. Our work mustn't become personal, or it will destroy us all the more quickly. |
Galm Fae
BetaMax Beta
CRONOS.
28
|
Posted - 2013.07.29 04:02:00 -
[3] - Quote
Kirjuun, you are a psychologist, correct? I'm sure I don't need to tell you that in our lifestyle, individuals with your profession are greatly valued and respected. For that exact reason, I am also somewhat disappointed that you don't see this as it truly is; a kindness. It should be noted, the Dragonfly suit was chosen as the platform for this new weapon loadout for a reason. Between the GATE predictive technologies and direct injection of Kin-Cat serum, there leaves only a large enough CPU output to accommodate the dual weapons system of the Toxin series. This is to ensure rapid target acquisition while forcing the operator to rely solely on there light armaments, spreading the greatest amount of rounds on a battlefield in the shortest period of time possible while still ensuring operator survivability.
Brutal as it may be, at least the pain is only temporary.
You stated that recruitment in systems is increasing. I do not doubt that figure, but if I can in any way denture still more from choosing this life, I will take that opportunity. I have fought alongside the greatest men I have ever known in my life as a mercenary, there is no question of that. However, as an individual who was more or less forced into this life, I have little empathy for those who decide to select the curse of immortality of their own accord. We immortals have become less soldiers and more forces of nature, acting without any true intent or personal vendetta. But floods have never stopped men from building levies. The use of the toxin system is intended to hold back the tide in combat. For the first time, these weapons grant the option of fighting the storm rather than weathering it.
As the title of this thread states, honor is a postulate. It is an assumed notion with no justification or true definition and ours to interpret. I believe that through this violence may come the honor of improving the lives of those who are displaced by our conflicts. It isn't about my State, Ryeon-haani, it is about the body count. Long conflicts lead to more deaths, both in civilian costs and our own. It has also been a postulate in our career that life is cheap... But what if that is not entirely so? Indeed, type physicalism plays a role in my dismay, and the issue of dualism is enough to drive a man mad. Despite these paradoxes, I know one thing: when a clone reanimates, it will remember pain.
I will say it again, the employment of the Toxin is a service. It compels warfare to be fought with greater precautions and returns value to the concept of being shot at. No other alternative projects have been met with such success.
Doctor, have you ever witnessed the effects of PSYKLAD rounds on clones? The rapid onset neural decay and hallucinations brought on my the scrambling of a persons nanites is troubling at best to witness. Mental damage, I have come to find, is a far more potent form of causing harm than simply turning another's insides to soup. Even after reanimation, the burden of remembering the hallucinations while under the effects of the ordinance has often been enough break a man beyond repair. Next to these munitions, Toxin weapons look like a form of mercy.
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Yun Hee Ryeon
Dead Six Initiative
Lokun Listamenn
138
|
Posted - 2013.07.29 05:23:00 -
[4] - Quote
Your selection of those two pieces of equipment has nothing to do with each coming as a fully-licensed blueprint allowing unlimited production and being available only as a set, Fae-haan?
I'd appreciate it if you could transcribe the data on the 'Toxin' assault rifle, incidentally; I don't own the production rights (I favor the 'Exile'), and have been wondering how they managed to make plasma fire more toxic and painful than it already is.
Galm Fae wrote:Kirjuun, you are a psychologist, correct?
That is my position within Dead Six. It's odd, though; I have the position because I have a keen interest in the topic and a certain amount of history and practical experience dealing with infomorphs. I am no scientist, however. If there were the equivalents of biologists, botanists, or zoologists for the infomorph mind, I would be a naturalist, at most-- a knowledgeable and interested amateur.
It seems that not too many formally trained psychologists become clone soldiers, though perhaps some retired clone soldiers will one day be psychologists.
Quote:I'm sure I don't need to tell you that in our lifestyle, individuals with your profession are greatly valued and respected. For that exact reason, I am also somewhat disappointed that you don't see this as it truly is; a kindness.
Respectfully, Fae-haan, if our work is a blight, then you may be correct: it may be kinder to encourage retirement. However, it is not yet clear whether this is so.
It is possible that our state, and our availability, only encourage war. It is possible that our durable, if somewhat macabre, existences, in insulating us from death, remove one of the great limiters on war.
It is possible that we will commit atrocities, as the capsuleers do, out of detachment and cold uncaring. It is also possible that we will do so for our own, distinct reasons.
But it is also possible that we will commit fewer. We have little reason to fear for our lives, which may suit us well (with appropriate training) to dealing with potentially-hostile civilian populations. We could be the guardians the news feeds seem to want us to be.
To do that, we would probably need to develop an instrumentalist view of our role, a clear enough sense of purpose and duty to maintain our sense of place, identity, and responsibility even through repeated trauma: a code, of sorts, similar to those common to soldiers of many nations.
Possible? In the absence of an overarching, disciplining structure, perhaps not, but I suspect that those of us who do not develop such a code (personal or otherwise) will not remain in this profession for long. Without reinforcement, the mind is apt to be pummeled to a pulp through repeated trauma (death is plenty unpleasant with or without 'Toxin' weapons, as are many of our other experiences. The Amarr gave us a distinctly mixed blessing in the drop uplink). Our career durations are likely to be short, on average, at least at first.
In time, we may have a positive role to play. It is difficult to judge from here. For good or ill, Fae-haan, I am content to play my part in that. There is work to be done.
Until we know what our role will be, it would be kind of you not to make that work harder than it needs to be. |
Galm Fae
BetaMax Beta
CRONOS.
29
|
Posted - 2013.07.29 06:23:00 -
[5] - Quote
Yun Hee Ryeon wrote:Your selection of those two pieces of equipment has nothing to do with each coming as a fully-licensed blueprint allowing unlimited production and being available only as a set, Fae-haan?
I'd appreciate it if you could transcribe the data on the 'Toxin' assault rifle, incidentally; I don't own the production rights (I favor the 'Exile'), and have been wondering how they managed to make plasma fire more toxic and painful than it already is.
((Crap, someone called me on it.))
Hmm... You are a clever one, aren't you? I suppose you are correct, the schematics for the Dragonfly do come in the set, along with the convenience of not having to constantly dwindle ISK on purchasing more dropsuits. You give a man a pole and a reel, chances are he will take up fishing. That was not the sole reason, mind you. While I have ready access to the blueprints to the more furnished 'Raven' series of assault suits, I find the advanced technology of the Dragonfly to be more... Favorable for maneuver warfare.
As to the inner workings of the weapon, the description is rather vague. Trade secrets and all that I am sure. What it does make clear is that the plasma discharged from the rifle has a compound of contaminants and impurities that frazzle nanites something fierce, effectively causing the same effect as the doped slugs of the SMG with the added benefit of granting the victim what I can only assume is instant leukemia. Not that individuals die of the cancer. Typically their clone goes into failure much sooner than that. The process is fascinating to observe on a man who has just shot one of your comrads, that much is sure.
Quote:It is possible that we will commit atrocities, as the capsuleers do, out of detachment and cold uncaring. It is also possible that we will do so for our own, distinct reasons.
But it is also possible that we will commit fewer. We have little reason to fear for our lives, which may suit us well (with appropriate training) to dealing with potentially-hostile civilian populations. We could be the guardians the news feeds seem to want us to be.
Any hope of that died on Caldari Prime. The empyreans launched a war that rages to this day at an insurmountable cost. CONCORD has remained powerless to stop them, just as they were powerless to stop the spread of the technology that births us. And now, we have Caldari Prime in ruin, all at the hands of a coordinated strike of eggers and their immortal puppets. We will always be slaves to the capsuleers. It is a stoic outlook, but not many acts have occurred in this universe that inspire hope. At least, not as long as we continue down this route.
Understand, when I say "keep back the tide," I don't want the enemy to retire. At least, I don't expect them to. I just want them to leave. To pick themselves off whatever damn planet I am fighting for and just go home. The fewer reasons a soldier has to fight, the less I have to watch my friends die.
... Then again... Maybe that is the whole point of our creation. Guardians, humph.
The Empires would see us put on lunchboxes for children as superhuman protectors. For their sake, I hope it never comes to that. |
Yun Hee Ryeon
Dead Six Initiative
Lokun Listamenn
139
|
Posted - 2013.07.29 07:24:00 -
[6] - Quote
Galm Fae wrote:As to the inner workings of the weapon, the description is rather vague. Trade secrets and all that I am sure. What it does make clear is that the plasma discharged from the rifle has a compound of contaminants and impurities that frazzle nanites something fierce, effectively causing the same effect as the doped slugs of the SMG with the added benefit of granting the victim what I can only assume is instant leukemia. Not that individuals die of the cancer. Typically their clone goes into failure much sooner than that. The process is fascinating to observe on a man who has just shot one of your comrads, that much is sure.
Ah.
... Ugh. So that's why it feels so blasted similar.
Quote:Any hope of that died on Caldari Prime. The empyreans launched a war that rages to this day at an insurmountable cost. CONCORD has remained powerless to stop them, just as they were powerless to stop the spread of the technology that births us. And now, we have Caldari Prime in ruin, all at the hands of a coordinated strike of eggers and their immortal puppets. We will always be slaves to the capsuleers. It is a stoic outlook, but not many acts have occurred in this universe that inspire hope. At least, not as long as we continue down this route.
Many hands brought us Caldari Prime. The Gallente, who took it from you; Tibus Heth, who took it back; Tibus Heth, who posted the Shiigeru in orbit ...
... you know, scratch that? From the point where Heth-hnolku placed that titan in low orbit over the planet, it was, if not inevitable, then highly foreseeable that the Shiigeru would kiss Caldari soil. It was mostly a matter of time and will. The "coordinated strike" would have been regular Gallente military if the capsuleers had not been available, likely to the exact same outcome.
For good or ill, Caldari Prime is not a war zone any longer, soldier.
Quote:Understand, when I say "keep back the tide," I don't want the enemy to retire. At least, I don't expect them to. I just want them to leave. To pick themselves off whatever damn planet I am fighting for and just go home. The fewer reasons a soldier has to fight, the less I have to watch my friends die.
I've never left a contract just because I was killed by a 'Toxin' weapon. It's bad, but little worse than passing through a drop uplink. Most of my hatred for the blasted things is just how unnecessary they are. Uplinks, at least, have an excuse for making my nerve endings inform me that I've caught on fire from head to toe.
Quote:... Then again... Maybe that is the whole point of our creation. Guardians, humph.
The Empires would see us put on lunchboxes for children as superhuman protectors. For their sake, I hope it never comes to that.
Perhaps they would, at that-- and, I agree, we would not deserve it. We are not heroes. We're more like a historical experiment.
Capsuleers often have large fan clubs. I dare hope we will remain a little more understated in our public relations.
At core, we were created to be weapons, even more specifically than the capsuleers were. A sword in its master's hand is, indeed, a guardian of a sort. |
Galm Fae
BetaMax Beta
CRONOS.
29
|
Posted - 2013.07.29 10:00:00 -
[7] - Quote
Ryeon-haani, you make better points than I suppose I was entirely prepared for. Frankly, I could keep trying to defend myself over a completely unnecessary weapon and try to brandish it as justifiable, but what would be the point? We are immortal, and I don't particularly feel like arguing this case for the rest of eternity. At the end of the day, you are right. It isn't the defense aspect, it isn't the mercy factor, and it isn't political stability of the region.
It is cheap, dirty gratification. It is the thrill of melting into the flesh of the enemy. I've been caught up with the rhetoric of the summit and started to believe my own patriotic jargon. The real fact is that as long as I employ this technology, I am no better than the pleasure-seeking Federation troops who kill for personal satisfaction.
This is a sudden change of face, I know, but you have me defeated. You called me out on my logical fallacies, and I deeply respect that. So here I am, removing my helmet, sort of speak, hoping that in admitting all of this to myself I might retain some self-respect.
I am proficient with scrambler rifles and rail rifles are soon to enter mass production and ship outside the State, both are far more efficient weapons than what I am currently employing when placed in trained hands.
If I am going to gripe about the violence, then I will not sit here and do nothing about it like a damned liberal. Whether I chose this life on my own or not, I am clothed in the immense power of immortality. If we are all simply tools as you insist, than I suppose it would be better for us to do these jobs than mortals. I apologize for my irrational behavior, and respectfully withdraw myself. |
Yun Hee Ryeon
Dead Six Initiative
Lokun Listamenn
144
|
Posted - 2013.07.30 14:00:00 -
[8] - Quote
I admire your honesty, Fae-haan, and your humility. May I learn from your example.
Thank you. |
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