True enough, BA. The SI doesn't want to kill, but that's not because these guys don't deserve to die. They do.
He's partially thinking 'every death that can be attributed to me is going to hurt my chances with the TSAB after StrikerS'... partially thinking 'killing is the easy way out- not a habit I should be in.', and mostly thinking 'killing isn't a moral cost I want to pay more than ABSOLUTELY necessary'. It's that odd dichotomy you get when you start talking about taking life, you know? Sometimes you have to do it. Sometimes it's the best option- for you and/or the species. That doesn't make it a good thing- just a necessary one. One you can loathe the necessity of, and at the same time, be proud to have done, because it manages to be horrible, beneficial, and necessary all at once.
I changed the last line of that part, CD. He sees the dam, and basically goes 'that'd work, but there's got to be a better way'. Thoughts?
Couldn't write all I'd hoped today. I need to go home and watch more StrikerS before I do. Gotta get some characters right, yaknow?
**********
"Hey, Vince! Vince!"
"...what? Whaddaya want?"
"D'ya hear that?"
"Hear what? All I hear's your stupid ass-"
"Shut yer trap and listen!
...hear that rumbling noise?"
"...yeah. Yeah, I do... but what is it? Only thing out here is us and... SHIELDS! SHIELDS UP, NOW! THE DAM'S SPRUNG A LEAK! GET THE VIPS OUT OF THERE!"
There's my cue. I pushed that AV feed off to the side, switching my primary display to a more strategic view. Looks like I took out just the right part of the dam. That river is going right where I wanted it. Both groups of mooks are formed up to shield, their VIPs are joining them for transport... and I've got the field prepared. All I have to do is wait a bit.
"...hey, Frankie?"
"Yeah?"
"The water's not gonna hit us."
Frankie looked up, studied the rushing wall of water for a second, and then grinned. "...well, I'll be! You're right!"
The torrential flood hit the compound (and the Beni-ya on the other side of it) with a tremendous WHUMP. The house broke apart like it was made of matchsticks, shredding under the titanic force; the Beni-ya fared significantly better, splitting the enormous wave with some well-placed shield spells.
"Don't'cha think we oughta go help the other guys?"
Frankie waved a hand dismissively. "Aaah, leave 'em be. They'll be just fine. See?" He pointed at a spray of water arcing into the air. "That water's bouncin' off their shields. They should be beamin' out soon."
Perfect. One Zero Shift later, and I was standing in the middle of the Beni-ya formation, right behind their negotiators. "A moment of your time, please?"
A precisely-calculated instant later- just long enough to let them realize I was there, decide to turn around, but not long enough for any of them to act- I triggered the gravity trap I'd placed right under their feet, and shifted out of its range. Now standing behind a tree, on the side of the river opposite the Syndicate, I watched the Beni-ya mages slump to the ground, their shields wavering as they fought the pull of my spell.
...this isn't right. I need to-
-no. I closed my eyes, took a few deep breaths, and brought up an image in my head- Cinque and Sein on the ground, bleeding out from knife wounds, five or six laughing men standing over their bodies.
This has to happen. I have no other option right now.
"...forgive me."
Then I reached out for my gravity trap, and amped it up to ten gees for a short time, just long enough to make them black out. If they have to die, I can at least put them out first. It's at least something.
The shields vanished from his field of view, and Frankie smiled. "See? Already gone." He turned to his crew, raising his voice. "WHAT'RE YOU LOT STANDIN' AROUND FOR? INTO THE TRUCKS! WE'RE HEADED HOME!"
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.
He's partially thinking 'every death that can be attributed to me is going to hurt my chances with the TSAB after StrikerS'... partially thinking 'killing is the easy way out- not a habit I should be in.', and mostly thinking 'killing isn't a moral cost I want to pay more than ABSOLUTELY necessary'. It's that odd dichotomy you get when you start talking about taking life, you know? Sometimes you have to do it. Sometimes it's the best option- for you and/or the species. That doesn't make it a good thing- just a necessary one. One you can loathe the necessity of, and at the same time, be proud to have done, because it manages to be horrible, beneficial, and necessary all at once.
I changed the last line of that part, CD. He sees the dam, and basically goes 'that'd work, but there's got to be a better way'. Thoughts?
Couldn't write all I'd hoped today. I need to go home and watch more StrikerS before I do. Gotta get some characters right, yaknow?
**********
"Hey, Vince! Vince!"
"...what? Whaddaya want?"
"D'ya hear that?"
"Hear what? All I hear's your stupid ass-"
"Shut yer trap and listen!
...hear that rumbling noise?"
"...yeah. Yeah, I do... but what is it? Only thing out here is us and... SHIELDS! SHIELDS UP, NOW! THE DAM'S SPRUNG A LEAK! GET THE VIPS OUT OF THERE!"
There's my cue. I pushed that AV feed off to the side, switching my primary display to a more strategic view. Looks like I took out just the right part of the dam. That river is going right where I wanted it. Both groups of mooks are formed up to shield, their VIPs are joining them for transport... and I've got the field prepared. All I have to do is wait a bit.
"...hey, Frankie?"
"Yeah?"
"The water's not gonna hit us."
Frankie looked up, studied the rushing wall of water for a second, and then grinned. "...well, I'll be! You're right!"
The torrential flood hit the compound (and the Beni-ya on the other side of it) with a tremendous WHUMP. The house broke apart like it was made of matchsticks, shredding under the titanic force; the Beni-ya fared significantly better, splitting the enormous wave with some well-placed shield spells.
"Don't'cha think we oughta go help the other guys?"
Frankie waved a hand dismissively. "Aaah, leave 'em be. They'll be just fine. See?" He pointed at a spray of water arcing into the air. "That water's bouncin' off their shields. They should be beamin' out soon."
Perfect. One Zero Shift later, and I was standing in the middle of the Beni-ya formation, right behind their negotiators. "A moment of your time, please?"
A precisely-calculated instant later- just long enough to let them realize I was there, decide to turn around, but not long enough for any of them to act- I triggered the gravity trap I'd placed right under their feet, and shifted out of its range. Now standing behind a tree, on the side of the river opposite the Syndicate, I watched the Beni-ya mages slump to the ground, their shields wavering as they fought the pull of my spell.
...this isn't right. I need to-
-no. I closed my eyes, took a few deep breaths, and brought up an image in my head- Cinque and Sein on the ground, bleeding out from knife wounds, five or six laughing men standing over their bodies.
This has to happen. I have no other option right now.
"...forgive me."
Then I reached out for my gravity trap, and amped it up to ten gees for a short time, just long enough to make them black out. If they have to die, I can at least put them out first. It's at least something.
The shields vanished from his field of view, and Frankie smiled. "See? Already gone." He turned to his crew, raising his voice. "WHAT'RE YOU LOT STANDIN' AROUND FOR? INTO THE TRUCKS! WE'RE HEADED HOME!"
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.