veilbreak | tverin 001

It's been a long day, so I'll keep this brief. Dust is clearing on the ground, and this is what we know:

1. 2 of the 3 large drones dispatched for the Sterilisation event has been shot down, along with numerous patrol drones. Instead of the total eradication of Xitang, it's only been partially leveled. This is a win.

2. There were no fatalities, although we had 90 injured. I want to commend our ground teams (Ground Forces, Espionage, volunteers) for your efficiency. The Veiled are being taken to and integrated into surrounding Pres Cities courtesy of Recruitment agents stationed in the area.

3. We have commandeered an additional freight plane which will be vital in future relocation efforts.

We still do not know what triggered this, but I want to stress how big of a win this is. We prevented a devastating loss. We've been a nuisance to the Architects, but this changes things.

Take this win. Celebrate it. And then get ready to double down. We're showing them we're a major player, and I can't imagine them taking this lying down.

LEADERSHIP.

Kudos on the rapid coordination. Expect blowback.

[...] Aldana, Payne. Present your case. I need you to get everyone on board before we go to the rest of the resistance with this.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh, please. Everyone here has a martyr complex. That's hardly disqualifying.

You don't.

I'd volunteer if I could. I've more or less outlived my usefulness as a field agent anyway. If I were really sane I'd just retire.

How did he talk you into this?

Please don't accuse me of sleeping with him. He already asked me if that's how I convinced Verin.

I would never. I give you far more credit for your taste.

Thank you. That means more to me than it probably should.

Adrián doesn't relish in the idea of killing or maiming anyone any more than the rest of us do. He wouldn't have asked at all if it weren't necessary. I think Verin understands that too.

I [...] worry that we may be too willing to accept individuals as acceptable losses in the pursuit of better outcomes.

It's a very grim prospect, but I find it marginally more palatable to ask a few well-informed volunteers to risk their safety than I do deploying imperfect technology on a large scale.

My agreement would be conditional on a rigorous psychological vetting process.

That's fine by me.

I need some time to think about it. But I don't like this, Taryn.

I don't particularly like the idea of implementing the VTP on large populations when I know Adrián could do more to reduce potential casualties, either. But that's a responsibility that will fall to me and not the rest of you, so you can all rest easy knowing your hands never touched the trolley problem lever.

Edited 2026-01-30 04:52 (UTC)

Taryn/Niko.

oneirophrenic - 2026-01-30 11:11 (UTC) - Expand

stayonscript - 2026-01-31 22:48 (UTC) - Expand

You know perfectly well that most of them are just survivors, desperate to make a difference. I don't like the idea of weaponizing that against them.

More than anything I think we all believe in an individual's right to autonomy. I'm not suggesting we mislead or manipulate them in the least.

If you present it as the best way they can contribute, with no evidence it'll make a difference, that is misleading.

We'll be just as upfront about the prospects of success as we are about the potential side effects. I'd never make anyone promises like that. [...] The crux of the matter is that the Neuroclast team has hit a wall in their development. Our options are to move to human trials, or be satisfied with the results we got in Lammu.

How long has Neuroclast been running up this wall?

I imagine it's been an impediment for them throughout development. In a way, we've already made test subjects of everyone in Lammu.

Understandable, I'm just curious how long a dry spell justifies that man's plans.

I'm afraid time and human lives are interchangeable resources at the moment.

Our enemies would agree.

Oh, who knows what goes through their minds. We're lucky we got everyone out of Xitang, but if they're willing to level entire cities for no discernible reason I'd say it's all the more imperative we tailor the Neuroclast to a state we're content with sooner rather than later.

As I said to your new friend, pick from within your own. Neuroclast, Area Prep, all of those scientists. You will surely find plenty.

If any of my people want to volunteer, I won't stop them. But by your own logic I'd think they'd feel a little more pressure to do so if we needed to find two or three volunteers from that very limited pool and nobody else were allowed to submit their names.

Leadership

humanityresource - 2026-01-30 05:29 (UTC) - Expand

stayonscript - 2026-01-31 22:50 (UTC) - Expand