Schlock Mercenary V: You're Missing Something Wonderful

[HandofShadows]

I think Sorlie ere because she has ALL the dirt while the others have only bits and pieces.

[Lizard Lord]

This looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

[factotum]

That's a brilliant technical specialist and a promising natural intelligence analyst, but someone whose combat experience consists of (a) letting someone else fly her suit while she runs away, and (b) pointing out that the person she's talking to has a very big gun and then running away again. One would think that she was all but a liability in a gunfight.

Whose combat experience *that we've seen*. Sorlie didn't come straight out of officer academy into the first panel of the comic she appeared in--this isn't a Para Ventura situation, where she was still a teenager on her first appearance and thus definitely had no prior combat experience. Also, why do you bring up Sorlie's perceived lack of combat experience but big up Emm as an "experienced intelligence officer"? We've not seen any more personal combat experience on Emm's behalf than we have of Sorlie, and just because she's older wouldn't make her any better in a fight (even assuming she wasn't currently being reduced to ash in a body bag).

[Discus-Spinner]

The UNS hasn't been officially at war recently, and Sorlie's most recent known assignment before her appearance was analysing incoming vessels for Sol System traffic control - the big cool version of running the X-ray scanner at an airport. And after she was assigned to the liaison job, she spent most of her time complaining (understandably) that this wasn't the job she signed up for and it wasn't her style. I'd be extremely surprised if she had any real combat experience at all before that.

And no, I wouldn't consider Emm a significant threat on her own. But she was a veteran intelligence officer with no detectable compunction about getting her hands dirty in any known respect. If she was installed in a healthy young body and watching Kowalski's back with a big gun in her hand, that would be a net increase to the danger to the arrest squad.

[HandofShadows]

As I said before, Sorlie is there for her brains and knowledge. Not for her combat experience. Fighting is what Landon and Schlock are there for.

[Alent]

As I said before, Sorlie is there for her brains and knowledge. Not for her combat experience. Fighting is what Landon and Schlock are there for.

I figured Sorlie was there as she should still have emergency authority (required to dismantle Emm's intelligence agency), which would give authenticity and legal support for Schlock and Landon's milk-run-with-scissors act.

[Discus-Spinner]

Yeah, that's true. She is the only actual state employee on that arrest team (assuming that Landon still counts as, basically, a high-class rent-a-cop). Though Murtaugh really ought to be telling her to stand well back (under cover) about now.

Plus, she gets to play straight-woman in this scene. Very necessary job.

[Cikomyr]

You know, i am wondering about Murtaugh's eventual loyalty. Not that i see her as potential turncoat (she is too much of a straight shooter for that), but she could very well leave Tagon's employment for a more prestigious (albeit less well paid) member of Sol:s military or police force, which probably is in dire need of experienced senior officers.

[Discus-Spinner]

Remember that she left her previous employment under a bit of a cloud, and since then, she's put a fair amount of work in establishing her place with the Toughs. Plus, the Toughs are now working for the Oafa, which is likely to be interesting, profitable, and helpful to the world at large.

She might take a good offer elsewhere, but I don't see a strong reason for her to do so at this point.

[Marcelinari]

It occurs to me that, as members of three separate military and paramilitary operations all holding the same rank, they really should have worked out a chain of command and a naming scheme before they left. Miscommunication in the field of battle is a bad thing, after all.

[Discus-Spinner]

I think that Murtaugh's is classed as a naval captaincy (closer to her old military rank of major), giving her precedence - she almost certainly has seniority - and she does seem to be in charge.

Not settling nomenclature was sloppy, certainly.

[Cikomyr]

This is why you need callsigns.

[tonberrian]

How did Landon get his job?

[Gnoman]

How did Landon get his job?

He was obviously the only candidate that survived the live-fire interview, of course.

[Cikomyr]

Murtaugh...

You know what to say to keep your pet sociopath happy. A true leader.

[tonberrian]

This was all kinds of heartwarming.

[ryuplaneswalker]

This was all kinds of heartwarming.

All kinds of Heartwarming and icky in the context of the bear and his talking gun's relationship.

Not that there is anything wrong with a Fleshy and AI relationship, but I remember when Schlock wanted to have Children with Breya, and we never need a repeat of that scenario.

[tonberrian]

All kinds of Heartwarming and icky in the context of the bear and his talking gun's relationship.

Not that there is anything wrong with a Fleshy and AI relationship, but I remember when Schlock wanted to have Children with Breya, and we never need a repeat of that scenario.

You're just against interspecies romance! And Schlock's method of reproduction is actually pretty tame.

[Marnath]

All kinds of Heartwarming and icky in the context of the bear and his talking gun's relationship.

Not that there is anything wrong with a Fleshy and AI relationship, but I remember when Schlock wanted to have Children with Breya, and we never need a repeat of that scenario.

I thought it was kind of a cute romantic comment. So what if one is a polar bear and the other is a talking gun? They're both intelligent and both into it.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

I thought it was kind of a cute romantic comment. So what if one is a polar bear and the other is a talking gun? They're both intelligent and both into it.

Sure, but you know what they say about relationships started during stressful situations.

Or maybe you don't because using the film Speed as a basis to measure reality is probably a major mistake.

Grey Wolf

[Kane]

Are we really arguing about the relationship between an uplifted animal and his sentient gun?
It appears to be consensual, and more importantly, both appear to have the capability of terminating that 'living' thing I do. Very quickly, and with very little effort. Until that changes, I'll leave them to it.

More pertinent thoughts:

1. It seems like the current contract may have 'saved' the Toughs from a much vaster payout. They were already saving the UNS for money/contract, and therefore the UNS seems less likely to pay a thank-you bonus to them for saving it.
2. I feel like Breya/Haban have some serious intel they haven't mentioned yet; sending three captains for milk that has gone 'really bad', as the general says, well. How do they know it's Kowalski? Surely they do, or else they wouldn't be sending so very much firepower his way?
3. Spoiler

   Show

   Bets on whether the toughs end up flying the battleplate?

   Spoiler

   Show

   It's unlikely, but I could almost see it.

And on a scale of yes to xenocide, are the Schuul going to regret this little escapade?

[Discus-Spinner]

I suspect that someone on the battleplate realised that Kowalski and Emm had bugged out, thought about saying nothing as he was expected to do, then thought about the likely immediate future, thought about their own recent work history, and executed an elegant CYA manoeuvre, tracking Kowalski's departure route and leaking the data to Breya.

[Landis963]

I suspect that someone on the battleplate realised that Kowalski and Emm had bugged out, thought about saying nothing as he was expected to do, then thought about the likely immediate future, thought about their own recent work history, and executed an elegant CYA manoeuvre, tracking Kowalski's departure route and leaking the data to Breya.

Possibly the AI. Popi's a smart guy, and much less pliable than 'Kweng was. (At least, I think they were aboard the Popigai) Which would also explain how Haban got the intel so quickly.

[Godskook]

Possibly the AI. Popi's a smart guy, and much less pliable than 'Kweng was. (At least, I think they were aboard the Popigai) Which would also explain how Haban got the intel so quickly.

The Popigai is in orbit around earth at last sight, and under the control of not-Emm. If Emm wasn't aboard Morokweng mk II, then that's only because they didn't restore Maury from back-up.

[tonberrian]

Spoiler

Show

Looks like Kowalski was expecting Schlock.

Too bad that's not what he got.

[ti'esar]

I'm beginning to worry about Captain Landon's mental health.

[Shadow of the Sun]

I dunno. I mean, even though he's uplifted, he's still a polar bear. That kind of skews our understanding of his mental health.

[factotum]

Well, so much for Kowalski's skill. I'm interested to know what happens to him now--is there a place for a socio-borderline-psycho-path in Bala-Amin's new command, or do they just mindrip and execute him?

[Narkis]

Well, there is a certain mercenary outfit that would probably welcome another skilled psychopath.

[Alent]

Spoiler

Show

Looks like Kowalski was expecting Schlock.

Too bad that's not what he got.

He's having a Maxim 47 moment: Don't expect the enemy to cooperate in the creation of your dream engagement.