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CoffiNail, on 03 November 2011 - 08:49 PM, said:
EVERYONE who thinks this NEEDS to go read the part where Phelan convinces Ulric to not use the same sort of tactic by bidding away the Direwolf.
Ulric thought it was a waste due to the resources and such for taking out Edo. HE DID NOT THINK IT WAS A HORRIBLE THING. IlKhan Lincon Osis Stripped the Star Captain (iirc S. Cap) of his rank, and also thought it was extremly wasteful and should not have happened.
THIS WAS ONE COMMANDER who got over whelmed because you get Dark Caste raids but not rioting, civillian bombing, and other dezgra terrorism actions. He also found out the population did not give the heir of the Combine over to them. Clan Society you are encourage to rat out your co-workers if he is slacking, stealing, whatever. You go to your superior, if you are found to be harboring information good chance you will get a public flogging or something of the like, get knocked down a few grades which means less work credits and standard of living. This Commander found Hohiro escaped, and he was furious. HOW do you think a commander would feel if he found out that the heir of the realm you are trying to conquer slipped through your fingers... that you had him in your prison faciilty and he escaped. You would be mad too, even more when you guess how ****** your CO is going to be at you.
The Clan trueborns are RAISED to not think twice about the death. OF ANYONE... aside from Ghost Bear, we honor and remember our fallen. But even then it is not sobbing tears, it is ahh ****, he is gone. Really liked arguing battle tactics over a drink, he was a good bro, I will make sure these surats pay! All Clansmen, be it Warrior of lower caste are there for The Clan, The Clan is life. Read Jade Phoenix 3. The one tech caste would rather die then have his commander work with the honorless scum holding him hostage.
(sorry for the length, i tried to use a spoiler tag)
Khan Ulric and Phelan about Edo
"Aff, Khan Ulric." Phelan saw by Ulric's reaction that he had expected a negative response. I can't let happen to Rasalhague what happened on Turtle Bay. "I know of something that will guarantee you win the bidding." For the first time, Phelan saw uncertainty on the older man's face, and it worried him. Have I overplayed my hand? Have I made myself a danger to him and the Clans?
Ulric's features settled into an impassive mask. "What is it?"
Now or never. "Bid away the Dire Wolf."
The mercenary's answer brought a momentary look of shock to the Khan's face, but it faded quickly. "You do not know what you are suggesting." Even as Ulric spoke, his gaze flicked over Phelan, seeming to reassess what the bondsman had become.
Phelan straightened up. "I believe I do, Khan Ulric." The Kell Hound suddenly found his mouth going dry. "I saw the holovid of the Sabre Cat, the Smoke Jaguar flagship, lasing Edo to put an end to the riots there. I watched as missiles leveled buildings and lasers stabbed down from high orbit to melt the streets. The Sawagashii River boiled away to nothing! In a matter of minutes, a city of over a million was reduced to a charred, glassy scar on the face of the planet. How can you say I don't know what I'm asking?"
"Even the ilKhan believed that a prison break and six weeks of riots were not enough to justify that sort of retaliation." The Khan's eyes focused beyond the holotank. "I give you my word that I will never so level a world."
Clans dishing out justice Clan style, yes it is harsh, but their homeworlds are mostly harsh inhospitable enviroments.
The infantryman pointed to the hovel nearest the Daishi. "If the individual responsible is not turned over to us in the next two minutes, everyone in this house will die."
Shin cuffed Motochika roughly. "Fool, see what you have done?"
The younger man looked at Shin as though the Mech Warrior were mad. "You don't expect me to go out there, do you? I struck a blow for our freedom. They're bluffing. They won't destroy that house."
Shin stared hard at the man beside him. "You best hope they don't. If they do, and if you refuse to turn yourself over, I'll shoot you myself and dump your body in the street."
As the deadline neared, faces appeared in the windows and doorways of the street, including the house designated for destruction. The Smoke Jaguar infantryman bowed in the direction of the street, then turned toward the dwelling. At the same time, the Daishi swung its elbows back and locked its weapons down on the wood-scrap and tar-paper hovel.
Motochika turned away, but Shin grabbed a handful of his hair and forced him to look out the window. "Watch!"
At the large laser's hellish touch, the hovel exploded into an instant bonfire. Crackling flames appeared from everywhere at once, rising above the DaishTs head, then dropping down again as a hail of autocannon slugs flattened the building. A woman, her hair and clothing aflame, dashed screaming from the door, but one burst of laser bolts from the invader infantryman silenced her cries forever.
The acrid scent of singed hair and burning flesh made Motochika tear away from Shin's grasp and vomit in the corner. Shin ignored him as the Daishi stepped forward and snuffed the flames beneath its flat metal feet. The infantry spokesman again addressed the street.
"People of Uramachi precinct, we have traced a criminal to this place. He committed the most wasteful and careless act of planting a bomb in a place where civilian and military personnel were present. The explosion caused great loss of life—both to our people and yours. This will not continue."
The soldier pointed to the next hovel. "If the individual responsible is not turned over to us in the next two minutes, everyone in this house will die."
Shin's mouth went sour. "The same words, Motochika, and the same gestures. Are you going to take responsibility for your actions, or are you going to let more people die?"
Motochika, still holding himself on hands and knees, looked weakly over his shoulder at the Kuroi Kiri MechWarrior. "No one else has dared to strike at them as I have. The Old Man authorized expeditions to steal weapons and supplies from them, but we have never hurt them. While he has been content with thievery, they have been kidnapping our people. If I am the only man with true courage, I cannot allow myself to be sacrificed because no one else will actually fight these invaders!"
Shin fought to control the fury Motochika's words aroused. "What courage does it take to plant a bomb and kill innocents as well as the guilty? You are nothing more than a common murderer! And how is it you claim courage when you huddle here like a whipped cur? There must be more than courage. There must be intelligence and honor in your actions. You are a child striking out blindly, then expecting others to take responsibility for your mistakes."
A bright spark of orange caught Shin's eye from the street, and almost instantly he knew what would happen. He leaned over and grabbed Motochika by the collar of his leather jacket. "This is courage. Watch and learn."
A bald-headed, saffron-robed Buddhist monk walked down the rubble-strewn street toward the Smoke Jaguars. He held his hands pressed together just below his chin and bowed to the lead infantryman. "You will forgive me for not appearing sooner. I had sought to deny my fate. I planted the bomb you described. You need punish no one else."
Without hesitation or remorse, the infantryman swung his laser rifle around and triggered it. The bolts stitched their way up the monk's body and knocked him flying. He finally rolled to a stop, smoke rising from the black crater where his face should have been.
The Smoke Jaguars then turned and walked away as though nothing untoward had happened. Shin released Motochika, letting him slump against the window casement, then crept across the floor to the trapdoor. "Were I like you, Motochika, I would shoot you. But it is not my place to challenge the Old Man's authority. I am going to him now to ask for his judgement. If you are the man you claim to be, then follow me."
</spoiler>
I did say it was wasteful CoffiNail. It is right there. They considered it detestable because of the waste. If I did not make that point clear I apologize. I have the books trothkin. I reject your point though that Clan warriors are not thought to think of the death of anyone. In fact it is death that they concerned with, more so what people will think of them when they die. How they will be remembered hence the huge need to have your name in the Remembrance or more importantly have your DNA added to the active gene pool. All warriors are asked to remember great dead heroes e.g. the Jade Falcons have Aidan Pryde.
Edited by Jaroth Winson, 04 November 2011 - 01:37 PM.
