Ask about the current political climate between the military, scientist, and the politicians.
You ask her about the current relations between what you believe to be the three main groups, the Scientists, the Military and the Politicians.
"Although you may not agree, the scientists are the more humane of the three. They see us as their children, however much we are in need of.....guidance."She looks at you when she says the last word, wincing. "They try not to treat us badly, however they can be firm when needed to be. They are like this with most of their more sentient experiments. the Politicians and the military think they are a soft touch and therefore try to take advantage of them or bully them into projects against their will. The scientists though are made of sterner stuff. You yourself have seen how skilled in hand to hand combat Ala-Shar is."
"The relationship between the Political caste and the commanders of the armed forces is much more complex. It is all rooted in the power struggles thirteen galactic years ago. To put it shortly, the Morey Matriarchy descended into civil war after the Slinkar assassinated the Supreme Matriarch. Eventually, after five galactic years, the Politicians managed to come out on top, using the Military's own internal fissures to their advantage. Since, they have executed the old guard and replaced them with younger, yet still skillful, leaders who submit to their will. The military these days is little more than the politicians puppet."
"Ari, so how long you have been on active duty?"
"Two and a half Galactic years, or 5 Earth years. My brood specialises in anti-Slinkar warfare." She looks pensive for a moment. "I have lost sisters who i had grown close to over the last 3.5 years of fighting. This assignment is a welcome reprieve. I hope you never have to fight them. They do horrible and hellish things to any of us they capture, and they enjoy taking prisoners...."
"Is there any particular reason why they choose you as brood leader besides personality characteristics?"
"I was told by one of the scientists soon after my awakening that I was chosen due to my skill in martial arts on Earth. They liked my discipline and stalwart fighting spirit. I think you were similar, from the files I've seen. You shouldn't worry. You'll like life here. They wont treat you badly, at least, when they aren't sending you into battle against 20 foot tall insects....."
Also, keep focusing on isolating the loyalty probe from your psyche.
Also, keep focusing on isolating the loyalty probe from your psyche.
+1 and try to suppress her loyalty probe a little.
You continue your campaign against the loyalty probe. However, something seems to strengthen it. It pushes you back a little. A, to you, nauseous sense of loyalty to the Morey Matriarchy sweeps over you. You try to continue your resistance, but it is currently winning. You wonder whether Ari went through this too.
Trying to just *supress* somehting like that is silly and futile. What We need to do to escape is *disassociate loyalty as such from behaviour*, so that no matter how genuinely loyal we are we won't see that as a reason to aid them. Maybe convince ourselves of a philosophy where everyone is better of without our help or something.
You think up a new tactic. Try to outsmart the probe using philosophy! As you start trying to reason to yourself that they are better off without your help no matter how loyal you are, the probe seems to seize a part of your subconscious, using it against you. Your head becomes a debating hall for two parts of your subconscious.
"
DAMN THESE ALIENS AND THEIR DAMNED TECHNOLOGY!" You mentally scream to yourself.
Loyalty is fundamentally evil, it assumes that the familiar is more worthy than the unknown, which, given that the familiar is a product of pure chance, and that the unknown is a product of pure chance, is a wholly unfounded assumption. One should endeavour to gain information about ones circumstances and pursue a goal that is as well supported and reliable as one can achieve. Perhaps something along the lines of perpetuation and preservation of variety, so as to maintain a sustained and inspired future...
Debate philosophy with Ari, and ask her if there is a way to inhibit the door, perhaps have it disable input to perform a diagnostic process, or apply an overload to its controls, so as to require repairs.
As you are about to ask Ari several questions, the door opens again, and Ala-Shar, accompanied now by a Human assistant dressed in the same fashion as you and Ari.
"I see the two of you are getting along swimmingly" She uses her patented soft smile. "And i see the loyalty probe is doing its job.... How are you feeling B7-0001?"
At her address, your body goes limp and you feel as if you are drunk. "I am feeling fine today, my leader" Your voice sounds hollow, robotic. '
What the hell was that? I didnt mean to say that!' you think to yourself. You feel frightened and powerless. Ari flinches and Ala-Shar's assistant looks away. The head scientist, however, giggles like a school girl and reaches for your cheek, slowly caressing it.
"Oh yes, it is definitely doing its job. Soon, my child, we'll have your wild nature tamed, wont we?"
You feel your face involuntarily change into a smile. Your body nods its head. As Ala-Shar leans back, whatever was controlling your movements and speech seems to let go. You look at her with bewilderment, anger, as well as fear now, present in your eyes.
"Now, B7-0001, you will choose a name and your role. Will you cooperate?"
What do you do?
Status: Wide awake and alert. Frustrated, angry and fearful. Jumbled thoughts and warring mental factions. Strapped to some type of medical or scientific analysis machine.
Condition: Physically Healthy, slightly mentally unstable.
InventoryFull body white skintight suit.
White Mid-Shin high boots.
White Skin tight tech-gloves.