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

[corpsewarblade]

So you have strict regulations governing when sacrifices of that nature are necessary. That is reasonable.

Then your regulations weigh out the value of the operative versus the value of what would be loss should the mission failed. On my own I don't have much worth.

What would you consider sentiment vs logical reasoning?

[ferrytale]

That is not true. In the Galactic Alliance, you would have great value. You are human and you already understand what it means to be a soldier.

Coming from another world would also be a factor as you would add new ideas and an outside perspective. People are often offended when I speak of how things are in space and they assume that things are very rigid. I do not disagree that it is in many ways, however, the strength of humanity lies in its ability to adapt and innovate through superior intelligence. Therefore, I think you would be an extremely valuable person.

[ fortunately they're having this conversation via text message because that means she doesn't have to see his confusion with his particular choice of wording, referring to her as a person rather than as an asset as he ordinarily would have said. ]

In the last mission, we were ordered to retreat. I attempted to help others trapped by the enemy, but it was ultimately deemed a lost cause, and I was ordered to rendezvous with the carrier per the original order. As the Hideauze only desire to kill humans, they naturally pursued us. My Commander realised that in order to prevent the enemy from following the fleet, someone would have to stay back and intervene. As the lower ranking soldier, that should have been my responsibility, but he violated regulations and stayed behind instead. It is completely illogical. I am easily replaced. Chamber is a powerful weapon, but Machine Calibres of its model are mass-produced. The Commander's Machine Calibre was unique! Regulations are in place for a reason.

[ he's not angry about any of this or anything; it's fine. ]

[corpsewarblade]

[Well that response took her back- seeing her as someone with value, with perspective- that wasn't something she heard everyday.]

Thank you. I. I only feel confident in myself when I fight. It's all I'm good for and it's hard to see it any other way.

[Then she focused on the rest of the message. Even through text, she could sense the anger behind it.]

You'd have rather followed it and been killed yourself. I understand that, I would have laid down my life for my Commander had she ordered it.

...He presumably thought it was more honourable that he die and keep his subordinates safe.