frost_jewel | 15 [written and voiced]

This information is especially important for those of you who have been called to join in their war:

In previous drafts we have been provided with portable "scanning" devices that allow the Third Party adversaries to be incapacitated and removed from the fight without killing them. They were fairly simple to use, but have a limited number of "scans" per use: twenty, according to the draft organizer. The last time I used one, we were able to regain those "scans" by taking the machines back to our base area. Something similar may well be available here.

...It's an alternative to killing. [When she reads this through aloud, here is where she drops the polite announcement tone and opts for something more serious.] For times when that is even a chance of possible. I know it seems silly to ask for mercy in a war...

[There isn't really anything else to say. She just stops writing, and stops reading.

Anyone looking for her in person can find her in her usual clinicky haunts. She'll go home earlier than usual Sunday night, though. Best to be rested.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[Instead of Doctor Mizuno, she comes as Mercury: blue hair and short-skirted uniform. Ready for battle.]

I'm familiar with the idea of their use. They may be useful. I, also, don't want to take someone's life.

[Not even an enemy soldier, not if it can be helped. Unfortunately, being a soldier means knowing it can't always be helped.]

...you really think we need an alternative?

.. U-um.. But.. what if we can't really fight at all..?

[She sounds like a child...]

Then there will be other things you can do to help us that will put you in less danger.

Sometimes...there is nothing you can do, if you yourself wish to survive. At other times I hope some of us choose this method instead.

Would you want to die at the hands of a group of strange and powerful winged people if they had another choice?

[Oops. Mia rarely snaps at anyone.]

...I'm sorry.

[Grune listens quietly to Mia's message. Unlike what might be expected of her, even in this state, she has killed before. Not only has she been on an earlier draft, but in some ways, Melfes is a harsh world. Death is more common than some of Luceti's residents might be accustomed to.

But to be given this option...she's glad.]

Thank you for telling everyone, Mia. That's a very important thing to say.

[A lot of worlds are probably harsher than they appear on the surface.]

You're welcome, Grune. I hope it makes a difference.

I also have been advised there are no extras to spare, so all should be careful with them.

But Mia, if you find any non-combantants who have no need for one, I could use a few extra. My skills make such a limited use device even more limited and given a choice I do prefer not to kill.

[Yeah, one drawback to being able to make clones of one's self. That means splitting those 20 uses between potentially upwards of 9 or more of himself that may not be anywhere near each other. And he's very good at what he does, so even without that he'd use them too quick.]

Oh, thank you. I had not known that.

...Of course. The unnecessary drafting of noncombatants is another matter altogether.

That was what I was advised when I requested some extras. My request was denied, though.

And yes, it is entirely another matter and rather useless to argue with them it would appear. All we can do is protect them and keep them busy in areas outside of battle.

As a soldier, I understand that. However, I want to go as far as I can to prevent death.

Oh? I never knew about these "scanners." Thanks for making an announcement about them! Um... how are they used? Do you just point them at these Third Party guys and shoot, or is there more to it?

[Hiro came in fully expecting to fight and kill, but this information could also come in handy in a pinch. It's not clear to him whether these Third Party guys are more like humans or demons, after all.]

[Adell pauses when he hears her announcement. He wasn't picked to go on this draft... probably a blessing, as even he checked the timing of it. Probably not planned this way, wars never are, but the coincidental timing of the threat with the draft is unfortunate.

But her serious tone at the end of it? It sort of touched him.]

It's not silly, Mia. It takes great strength to show compassion in the face of war.

Every war has times for taking prisoners. [....they just have to take the Malnosso's word that these ones will be treated fairly, though. But he doesn't say that.]

Uh, would that work from a distance or anything?

['Cause if I need to knock them out first, I might as well just try running around naked to distract them. Equal effectiveness.']

Of course, so do I. ...You are a soldier?

There will be plenty for everyone to do. [A soft sigh.] It is too much to ask everyone not to do stupidly heroic things.

[She just accepts this as fact and moves on. You couldn't ask her not to risk herself for another's sake either, after all, and it never worked with Isaac or Garet (Ivan would occasionally listen to sense).]

You need to get fairly close. Last time I did not have many opportunities to try it.

Not everyone feels that way.

[She almost yelled at Roxas. ...And that was wrong.]

I could be wishing worse on them. Suppose all we do is turn them over to the Malnosso for...something like what they do to us?

Is that any better, I wonder. Though surviving is of course better than dying...we do not know what happens to them after we leave.

I am not sure. In my experience you need to be close enough, one way or another.

Everyone wants to protect those they care about. It does not require any skill with a weapon to have that wish and even in our homes we cannot always keep them away from danger.

[And that is something Leonhardt knows all too well with how many times people he cared about were killed and how war came to his village that had done nothing to deserve being wiped out.]

Darn. So I remain as useless as before.

I am. I'm the soldier of Water and Wisdom, Sailor Mercury. [The slightly formal introduction is given seriously.] I'm pleased to meet you.

Page 1 of 4

15 [written and voiced]

[Voice]

[voice]

[ voice ]

[ voice ]

[Voice]

[voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

no subject

no subject

no subject

[Voice]

[Voice]

no subject

[voice]

voice;

[Voice]

no subject

[Voice]

no subject

[voice]

voice;

no subject

voice;

[Voice]