We have the account name, folks

[cloningblues]

[The discovery that yet another alien enemy race is presumably human-like drives Asagi to reflection. He's looking at the bonsai tree in his room, which seems to be growing fairly well.]

...The Wulgaru use an army of obedient clones to fight. These clones don't even have the will to refuse; they can only fight, and die when they're no longer needed. The Balmarians are similar; they want humans to be their soldiers. They want someone other to fight for them.

[A pause. He draws parallels to his own situation.]

...Are they really that different from humans?

Comments

[cloningblues]

My apologies, major. I just thought your answer could help me with this... crisis of identity, as you called it.

[keep_your_dignity]

WELL, LET'S START BY SUMMING IT UP. YOU'VE DISCOVERED THAT YOU'RE NOT HUMAN, AND ARE AGONIZING ABOUT THE PARALLELS YOU HAVE WITH THE WULGARU SLAVE RACES AND SIMILAR THINGS. AM I GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?

[cloningblues]

I don't think my Wulgaru genes bother me that much. But the rest is pretty accurate, yes.

[keep_your_dignity]

THE PARALLELS MADE YOU THINK ON THE FREE WILL THING THEN, I PRESUME? HOW MUCH OF YOUR WILL TO FIGHT IS ACTUALLY YOURS AND HOW MUCH IS SIMPLE EXTERNAL INFLUENCE? ALWAYS A GOOD QUESTION WHEN YOU WANT TO RUIN SOMEONE'S DAY.

[For an AI, the Major seems rather on point on this stuff...]

[cloningblues]

That's one way to put it. Do I even have a choice in anything? Or am I just unwillingly following orders? Like all the other clones...

[keep_your_dignity]

HERE'S A LITTLE SECRET, TOSHIKAZU. WITHOUT THE CLONE THING, THAT IS A THOUGHT THAT GOES THROUGH THE HEAD OF PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE WHO HAS A SENTIENT BRAIN. DO YOU HAVE REAL FREE WILL OR ARE YOU REALLY JUST FOLLOWING A CHAIN OF ACTIONS WHERE YOU COULD DO NOTHING DIFFERENT TO WHAT YOU DO? HUMANS HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF PAGES ON THIS SHIT AND NEVER GOTTEN TO AN AGREEMENT. PERSONALLY, I THINK IT'S BULLSHIT - ONE CAN ALWAYS CHANGE THE COURSE OF ONE'S ACTIONS IF YOU'RE WILLING TO TAKE THE CONSEQUENCES. OTHERWISE I WOULDN'T BE ALIVE RIGHT NOW.

ANYWAY, THE WORRY HERE IS THAT THE INFLUENCE MIGHT HAVE BEEN MORE DIRECT IN YOUR CASE. ERASED MEMORIES AND GENERAL INDOCTRINATION SO THAT YOU'D ONLY END UP DOING WHAT THEY WANT OF YOU. BUT IF THAT'S THE WORRY, THERE'S AN EASY WAY TO DO A FIRST CHECK. DO SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD NOT EXPECT OR PARTICULARLY WANT OF YOU.

[cloningblues]

You... You want me to be rebellious, major?

[That's one order he didn't expect he'll ever get!]

[keep_your_dignity]

I DON'T WANT YOU TO DO SHIT. I'M TELLING YOU AN EASY WAY TO CHECK. WHAT YOU DO OR NOT IS NOT ANY OF MY BUSINESS.

BUT NO. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ESTABLISHING YOURSELF AND BEING A REBEL. ONE IS DONE WITH THOUGHT AND THE OTHER IS SIMPLE SELFISH CONTRARINESS.

AND IN YOUR LINE OF WORK, TOSHIKAZU, SELFISH CONTRARINESS GETS PEOPLE KILLED.

[cloningblues]

You don't have to worry about that, major. I'm not irresponsible enough to do something like that. Not anymore.

[keep_your_dignity]

THAT MAKES IT TWO PEOPLE IN YOUR UNIT WITH BASIC SENSE TO THREE WITHOUT. AT THIS RATE YOU MIGHT EVEN SURVIVE.

[cloningblues]

I'll take that as a compliment.