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[Nikitian]

By the way, Brother. Since this might be the last time we keep each other company, I would like to make a request. Add the holy Mistress I serve to the original Pantheon book. She is real as far as I can say, I have seen - and been instrument in - her miracles, and I believe these two faiths don't need to clash; after a consideration, she actually fits.

I know her as Mistress Medicine, though she could have just well been described as Goddess of Life and Lady of Suffering. Of her teachings which I learnt the hard way, feeling is integral to living, and so goes suffering pain. "Medicine is a cruel Mistress," one could say, "by which I mean a psychotic yandere bitch who insists on being the last one to harm you." Yet she is sweet and merciful in her own way; I serve her for she is a sworn enemy of death, and actually can grant life - help one miraculously keep it. I suspect she might be called by promises or acts of suffering pain, for all too often that is the due she takes for saving the life. She is Medicine not in the particular ways of treating, though she has that knowledge and can occasionally grant it, but rather as the process of living is a fight against death - that is she. For example... the first time in my life I felt her presence was when, long before my trial and HMRC service, I was a military pilot, and our plane crashed in the middle of some desert. A week later, delirious and near-dead, I finally came to inhabited areas, carrying my wounded co-pilot. It was but strength to live and endurance to survive that she granted me then, not precision or speed or medical skill as it happened several times during my service here. All so I could live (and suffer), and my patients could live - and feel, and suffer.

Algis is father to Emar-i, Progenitor of the Medic pantheon; she must be his mother, and just like Algis she is opposed to that unknown god of death, described by the redacted page. As I was sentenced to the HMRC service, and experienced most of her visitations here, it all stands to a reason she is part of the HMRC Pantheon. She belongs to the book.

[Gentlefish]

((I smell arpee.))

[Toaster]

Lars listened intently, and even flipped open his wristpad and took some notes.  "Indeed, Brother Maurice, you may have had a vision.  I shall take note of what you have seen and study the written word and pray on it accordingly.  I shall let you know what I find out, but indeed, the Pantheon text is a living document, written by the hand of many.  I trust what you have seen.  Let me know if you have more visions."

[Nikitian]

Thank you, Brother. I will.
And - isn't there some holiness to the original book? All the generations of convicts before us, and they didn't make any copies or move it to digital storage. ... There must be something to it, and maybe we should look into it one day.
At the very least, it has the power of faith as being the Book of HMRC Pantheon.

[Toaster]

Lars nodded.  "Oh, it is indeed special, and I imagine shielded by Algis himself.  It is entrusted to the care of the Armory Master, and, well... I figure that speaks for itself.  But there are digital copies; I carry one with me.  Would you like a copy?"

[Nikitian]

No, thank you, I have also taken a digital copy at some point in the past.
Mostly I meant that, despite all the technology and ease of collaboratively working on digital texts, the source book always remained physical, hand-written and hand-drawn. Creating such effort is practically unknown this day and age, and has been so for quite long time. It must have really meant something to them.
Maurice smiled warmly.

[Toaster]

Lars nodded.  "It is a labor of love.  Digital is all well and good, but there's something about the feel of something solid in your hand."

[Icefire2314]

Wait around the shuttle, do trivial things out of boredom (that aren't deadly to anyone)

[piecewise]

Wait around the shuttle, do trivial things out of boredom (that aren't deadly to anyone)

Try this

[Illgeo]

Join Lars and Maurice.
"So, you are veterans here, right? What is life here about?"

[Toaster]

Lars turned to the speaker.  "Greetings, brother.  Life here is good, for we all are bathed in the glorious light of Steve.  His many wondrous blessings and miracles guide our existence here.  We are certainly blessed."

[Nikitian]

Maurice smiled warmly at Bartolomew.
Hello, friend. Come, sit with us. Do you smoke? We also have some HMRC Standard alcohol, but it's very high-proof, so I'd suggest to be cautious with it.
He pulled at his pipe, looking at the sky.
So, life, huh? You mean, the 'Corps life? Struggle. Struggle to succeed despite the difficulties and opposition, struggle to remain sane and human despite the xeno mindfuckery and horrors of human nature - often commited by your own colleagues. Struggle for competence - this one is the most important.
Yet life is as good as it ever is; the fear of death, the dread of unthinkable creatures and things make the life all the more nice and pleasant when you are off-mission. You can have a great variety of fleeting pleasures, from delights of body to delights of mind - and even delights of spirit, like Brother Lars and me do here.
He inhaled the smoke again, and smiled at the new guy in a very warm and kind way.
Life here is just like life everywhere, except with pretty much any experience magnified and vibrantly alive. I'd say you also wouldn't find any boredom at all here, but today kinda disproved it. He laughed cheerfully. So I'll change that last bit: here, you won't find boredom except on very rare missions, and you should be grateful for it as an alternative to a bloodbath, alien madness or materials requisition in a gods-forsaken hellhole. I wouldn't go as far as some and say "Boring is interesting, I'll take boring anytime" - what are we here for, if not living a life practically lacking boredom? - but it is a passable way of spending mission time once in a while. You'd see it in a few missions. Maurice winked.

[Illgeo]

"I don't smoke. So bloodbath, huh? Are there that many casualties here, Mr. Sanctor?
With what I heard, it sounded like a lot of this struggle is ...futile"
Bart sighed sadly, and looked in general direction of General Jim's body.

[Nikitian]

Well, in the old times, the average death rate was said to be... uh, 20%? And that's not counting injuries. Of course, the meditech is advanced, so even dead people can be brought to life, if not too much time has passed. But the final deaths happen. Maurice's face darkened for a few moments.
These days, we have advanced technology and actually competent mission leaders, so average deathcount has been declining. Except that now we are at war with the UWM, and maybe something eldritch and terrible is coming, and - worst of all - Steve might have started expecting more of us; so the deathcount statistics are unreliable at the moment and can vary greatly.

As for futile... I am sure Brother here would explain more and better, but believe me when I say this: Never. Your struggle, your suffering, your accomplishments are never futile. They can be foolish, incompetent, plain wrong, sometimes inadequate or counteracted by earlier mistakes. But, on the whole, the struggle is never futile. As my favourite saying of 'Corpspeople of the old says, "Everyone matters as we  are all meant to live or die for the HMRC."

He fell silent for the moment, gazing at the stasis pod with Jim's body.
I never learned how to get used to the sight of comrades dead. It is more bearable when I know they could be revived, but still... The lifeless bodies of people you knew are dreadful in their own way. And all the more when you don't have the slightest idea how to help them.
We knew each other with Jim - General Jim, but it began long before that title - but not too well. I took several missions under his command. ...I really hope it's something they'll be able to fix on board - but lack of external damage means it was either an amp attack or a severe braincase malfunction, both possibilites very dangerous.

[Radio Controlled]

((Imagine the following being said as the first shuttle with troopers leaves. Was gonna post it just before Steve debrief, but since I'm not sure when that'll be, I'll do it now).
Ok then people, it’s over. Q’baja is ours, and with it, their invaluable scientific expertise. It was a grim work we did today, but it was a good one, one that might save many lives down the line.

Now, I know you all are anxious to know what exactly happened to Jim. Truth is, we don’t know yet, and we’ll have to await the sword’s medical analysis, or perhaps even their autopsy, before we’ll know. But despite that, I am proud of how you all performed today. Lars, you did a terrific job with the negotiations, and Maurice, you showed initiative today when Panda team’s squad leader fell away and you stepped up to fill the gap. As for the rest of you, I’ll gladly go on a mission with a team such as this one in the future.

Miyamoto out.