Ninth: A Tactical Decision (Text; anon)

[corpsewarblade]

(TW: Murder/Sororicide, Betrayal, DR Spoilers)

[The last few months had given Mukuro a lot to think about- especially with regard to her own death back home. One part still didn't make any sense to her:

What had she done wrong? Why had Junko killed her?

...It was with those thoughts swimming around in her head that she sent another late night message to the network.]

27 AUG XX, 0324

Reviewing the strategy from a recent battle at home. I want to understand the rational for the decisions taken.

A soldier is engaged in a stealth/undercover mission. However, they have made a mistake that risks the operation's success, and have not realised their error.

The mission commander is in a position to eliminate the operative to preserve their mission, without exposing themselves in the process.

Is that course of action reasonable? To put it another way- under what circumstances would you consider sacrificing one of your own men to ensure a mission's success or to prevent it's failure?

Don't feel you have to answer.


🔪

Comments

[leicesters]

I wouldn't call that a backup plan. I'd call that a desperate attempt by a leader who's trying to save face.

Any military operation is bigger than one leader's ego. If they can't handle setbacks and failures, and lash out instead at those who support and believe in them, they aren't qualified to lead.

I can't comment on the reliability of any operative in question, since you know the scenario better than I do. But it's still the duty of a commander to pick out the correct person for a given role.

[corpsewarblade]

[In hindsight, she could think of at least one person more qualified for the job than she was- would it have gone better had Junko asked her upperclassman to take the role instead?]

The failure wasn't on the leader's part. It wasn't desperate, it was efficient.

It was on the operative not to fail. They were the one who made an error.

[The matter of ego was a different point altogether, and she wasn't sure how to answer it.]

It isn't egotistic if their reputation and power are earned that way.

[leicesters]

You sound like your mind's already made up. And if you were there, you have a better read on the situation than any of the rest of us.

So why are you asking, really? Is it that you want someone to tell you you're right or wrong?

I just want to understand what you're trying to get out of this little exercise.

[corpsewarblade]

It's not that I just
I don't know where I went wrong. I don't know why I died.

That's all.

[leicesters]

I see. You were killed because you failed, so you wanted to understand your commander's reasoning for that decision?

Didn't you know that would be the consequence of failure when you took on the job? Or did you not know the true nature of the person you were serving under?

[corpsewarblade]

Affirmative.

She warned me that I would be killed if I let my guard down about two years before the mission began. I know her better than anyone, I was the only one who understood her.

But the plan wasn't
I wasn't supposed to be killed.

[leicesters]

So you were close, and she betrayed you.

Forget all of that military junk, then. You're a person who was hurt by someone you cared about. It's only natural you'd be confused and upset.

[corpsewarblade]

[It took a while for Mukuro to reply, finding her eyes blurring as she focused on what he said- ]

I was
Her bodyguard
Right hand

I knew she'd kill me eventually

It's...despair. Maybe that's why. So I would feel the despair of being betrayed.

I don't know. It hurt more than I expected.

[leicesters]

If you knew she would betray you, what compelled you to stay by her side?

[corpsewarblade]

It's like I said I was the only one who really understood her

She trusted me
She needed me

[She cared about her deeply, after all.]

[leicesters]

She needed you like any tool is needed: until it breaks or outlives its purpose.

I'm sorry you went through that. But you have a second chance here, one where you're not beholden to her, or to anyone else. You can dwell on how she cast you aside, or you can find your own meaning beyond whatever mission she gave you.

[corpsewarblade]

My own meaning? How do I do that? There's people here I want to protect, is that enough?

...But, if she comes here, she'd want me to be on standby, ready.

[And then a hesitation, before: ]

...At which point does a dead Soldier stop trying to salvage the pieces of a mission from home.

[leicesters]

If there are people here you want to protect, yes, that's enough. Think of it as your own personal mission if that makes it easier. Either way, it's a new purpose.

Besides, the calamity is more pressing than any task you may have had back home. You can speculate all you like about your superior, but she has no idea what's going on here or what's at stake. Right now, her orders are irrelevant.

[corpsewarblade]

Yes. There are. People I care about here I mean.

A new mission, to protect them. That makes sense.

[That thought seemed to slot into place neatly in the back of her mind- that was something she could do.]

If she knew about the calamity she'd
I think even she'd be surprised.

[leicesters]

[She seems to be taking his words into consideration; good.]

Who wouldn't be? I doubt anyone here has dealt with anything on a scale like this before, except perhaps the gods.