A knight's imprisonment

[stupidhonor]

[1, right after mission]
[If you open the captive Ankaian unit cockpit, you find its pilot to look like a completely normal human woman. People who hoped for more weird aliens will be disappointed.

She however is armed with a sword - and points it at you! But the sword is sheathed, and given hilt first.]

I yield. By my name I swear to act like a captive should, make no attempts to backstab nor escape unless let go willfully.

I am now at your mercy.

[2]
Yes? What comes now?

Torture, is it?

[Sitting in a cell, Sielje is ready to be interrogated. She actually behaves without causing trouble as promised so if you have questions, ask them and see if she answers.]

Comments

[stupidhonor]

You do not know?

[Sielje's face looks tired and also impatient at the same time.]

It is my role to ask your question.

[actuallyselfish]

"Questions. Right," Dido says. "Enemy, surrendered, prisoner, yadayada."

She steps back, leaning Sieljie's sword on her shoulder like a jaunty ronin. "First things first: why did you attack us? You better give a good answer."

Because your faction's really starting to remind her of the Indalph.

[stupidhonor]

I act with nothing but Ankaia's best interest in mind.

[Sielje departs from the cockpit, leaving behind a harness and something not too dissimilar from a motion capture device - only much more primitive.]

Earth's influence hurts us, our people, our lands.

I pledged to stop the spread. If it will not cease from mere asking, then by force be it.

[actuallyselfish]

"Is a faction on earth invading your land or killing your people?" Dido asks. "If so, we'd be willing to work with you to stop that. If not..."

Dido switches on the cherry-picker, lowering Sieljie and herself to the Hangar floor.

"...You and your fellow knights are self-righteous hypocrites."

[stupidhonor]

You are quick to throw accusations! Things of great importance are threatened - the Ankaian peoples' freedom! Our very own way of life, endangered by dishonorable deals!

...

This outburst was unbecoming. My apologies.

Do you know the owner of the halls we attacked?

[actuallyselfish]

"You're quick to condemn all the men, woman and children on this planet as your enemy!" Dido replies hotly.

"..."

"Apology accepted." Dido sighs. "And I've never been in this region of the Sprawl. Who owned that warehouse?"

[stupidhonor]

It belongs to a group of traders that is known as Fumerco. In other words, it is a guild.

They are the ones responsible. They are my enemy, not the whole of Earth and all its peoples.

[actuallyselfish]

"Fumerco Consolidated?" Did snarls. Her eyes narrow, and she hand Sieljie's blade back, to the huge discomfort of the security guards. "Change of plans: we're gonna help you take those bastards down! Come with me!:

...well, that's a sudden change of heart!

[stupidhonor]

Wh... what?

[Sielje blinks at the sword right back in her hand.]

Hold! What are you doing? I am a prisoner! Have you the right to declare me free from confinement?

[actuallyselfish]

"I have no idea!" Dido says. "But what the hell! You'll fit right in with the Unity Group – extraterrestrial invaders make up, like, half of our roster! Plus..."

She clenches her teeth. "...I've heard nasty things about Fumerco. And I know how Megacorp executives like them think." She folds her arms. "People like them take pride in rejecting moral codes, as if they're chains to break free from. To their eyes, people are either fellow predators or prey. They'll use any means to keep exploiting your world's resources...until they're stopped."

She turns to Sieljie. "Which is why your freaking raid on their warehouses played right into their hands, you idiot!"

[stupidhonor]

[Sielje stares with a dumbfounded expression as she tries to follow the one-sided conversation.]

Their hands? What is this accusation, why do you say that?

[actuallyselfish]

"It's the oldest trick in the book!" Dido says. "You insult another culture. You bully them with a thousand little actions until they retaliate with violence. And then you proclaim to the world that you were attacked first, tricking everyone into supporting you!"

She grunts. "There are good people on this planet. There are even organizations with noble goals. Why not try to enlist our support?"

...She says to the knight from a planet without telecomunications.

[stupidhonor]

No...

No. I do not want any of Earth's support, it is not even my call to make! We do not need your support, we need people of Earth to meddle less in Ankaian affairs, not meddle more.

[Sielje's expression hardens.]

Stay away from Ankaia, that is the best. Even if traders of Fumerco persuade others to help them, knights of Ankaia are strong and honorable. The invaders will be defeated.

[actuallyselfish]

"...that last point's debatable." Dido grunts.

"But is that really all you and your people want to do? Shun other cultures and planets? Wrap yourselves up in a blanket and hide away from the universe forever?"

[stupidhonor]

This is why my ancestors left Earth in the first place. To create a new nation of strength, honor and chivalry.

It is not hiding. It is cutting us off from sources of corruption. What other alternative is there? It is this... or conquering Earth to reshape it in our image.

[actuallyselfish]

Dido snorts. "Corruption...that's a nice word. It makes cutting yourself off from other ideas and beliefs sound noble. But if your ideal of good can't survive when faced with your so-called evil...then doesn't that that make them weak?"

She shrugs. "That's just my two cents. Do you want to go talk with our base commander?"

[stupidhonor]

Uu...

[Good thing you brought up Antov, because Sielje was running out of arguments or things to say.]

I... might. What would your base commander say to me?

[actuallyselfish]

"I've got no idea." Dido shrugs. "Wanna find out?"

She pauses, then snatches Sieljie's saber back. "Probably should keep this to avoid bad impressions."

And she escorts you to Antov. Or tries to, at least. What hijinks will result from this?

[srwu_mods]

The thing is, Commander Antov wasn't so sure what to make of Sielje himself. After hearing everyone out, he even briefly considered letting her go... except that there was no way for her to return home, and she insisted on being a prisoner.

In the end, she was partially responsible for a terrorist attack on private property. Antov ordered the Ankaian kept around as a prisoner until her fellow knights show up again. Not necessarily like, a high level prisoner - just keep her under watch, out of reach of weapons and make sure she behaves.

What will be done with Fumerco is unknown for now. There is no proof of them doing anything shady, for one thing. A single prisoner's testimony hardly counts as anything solid.