Room 3

[testingphase]

[The room, once you've entered it, has a number of ear buds laid out on a table.]

Now, pop those ear buds in and we'll begin the test! Failure to comply will result in desyncing and forcing your team to pay for a replacement body.

Comments

[prideofabh]

[shrugs] It was expected I would join the military, but I wished to do that anyway, as it is the only place in the Empire where pilots are trained.

Mostly it means I end up being the one sent on diplomatic missions if someone is needed and no actual diplomat is available.

[thatboyisamonster]

Anything unusual ever happen on these missions?

[prideofabh]

We got called to a recently conquered planet that had been a prison. My supply officer went missing and nearly was killed during a revolt before we were able to retrieve him.

[thatboyisamonster]

What happened after that? With you, personally.

[prideofabh]

I was on orbit while he was on the planet. We had an enemy fleet passing nearby and had to break orbit. We weren't able to get back for several weeks, and then I lead the team to locate my supply officer.

After that, I went on leave and ended up here.

[thatboyisamonster]

Would you call it a crucial mission?

[prideofabh]

No, I wouldn't.

[thatboyisamonster]

What would you call crucial then?

[prideofabh]

Something that could turn the direction of a war.

[thatboyisamonster]

Is that imminent then?

[prideofabh]

A war's been going on for several years, and building for longer.

[thatboyisamonster]

Go on.

[prideofabh]

There are five major powers in the galaxy. By numbers and territory, the Abh Empire is dominant, but the other four powers had treaties calling on each other to defend each other in case of attack.

Sometime before four years ago, at least three of the powers, the Triple Alliance, decided to declare war on the Abh Empire. The Empire hadn't been expecting it, and the initial incursion four years ago penetrated past the borders and destroyed ships and outposts. After that, it was mostly a matter of building up fleets and give and take, though the Empire does have the upper hand at the moment.

[thatboyisamonster]

Did you have a hand in triggering the war?

[prideofabh]

I was present at the first attack, but it was not started by Abh hands.

[thatboyisamonster]

Are you sure?

[prideofabh]

Yes. We leave other spacefarers alone unless they attack us.

[thatboyisamonster]

There's nothing else?

[prideofabh]

What do you mean?

[thatboyisamonster]

War is rarely so simple.

[prideofabh]

They may have seen us as a threat. If they believe their own propaganda, they don't see us as human, or even individuals.

[thatboyisamonster]

And what do you think of them?

[prideofabh]

Honestly? I hadn't thought that much of them at all until they shot at us. I was content with the status quo; it's a big galaxy, and we could easily defeat any one of them.