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[Arcvasti]

3

I wonder how exactly the gun control laws in Canada apply to our gun-arm? Whatever.

[Vgray]

Chinese drones often perform long-distance bombing runs on American bases in South Korea and Alaska, and families of service people are sometimes caught in the blasts. You perfect a new line of robotic surgeons that can remove shrapnel with a minimum degree of intrusiveness. They share Joyeuse's multitool hands, repurposed for the operating room. Your robots do very well, and you hang letters from grateful patients on the bulletin board in your office. (++Wealth)

The war is apparently in a stalemate, with both sides unable to gain much ground. Turns out, the Pacific Ocean is pretty good at discouraging equally matched countries from attacking each other.

A few days later, while you're discussing business strategy with Josh in his fourteenth floor office, you get a call from Mark on your smartphone. The video is quite high resolution, and you can see the bags under his eyes and beard stubble with high fidelity. "I wanted to get your comments for an article," Mark says. "Did you know a Major Juliet Rogers?"

"Yes," you respond. "The Air Force technology recruiter."

"She died in an attack on a base in the Aleutians yesterday," Mark says. "She was performing field tests of a robot called Joyeuse V when the Chinese forces attacked. The American robots didn't stand a chance—almost as if they were never designed for fighting."

"And?"

"And they weren't, because you designed them that way. This is Ziegler's copy of your robot, Joyeuse. A lot of people are calling for his head, but I remember our chat when you were in grad school. He wanted a robot that was better for the military, and you were the one who seemed to want something else. Do you have any comment?"

1) "I'm sorry. I wish my robots could have saved Major Rogers."
2) "It's not my fault that the military tried to misapply my technology to war."
3) "How many people were stationed at the base? Did they all die?"
4) "How many copies of Joyeuse died?"
5) "I didn't really know Major Rogers, so I fail to see why I should care."

[spoiler=Current Stats]Year: 2028

33-year-old Isaac Tesla
  Humanity: 56%
  Gender: male
  Fame: 8 (Nationally Famous)
  Wealth: 5 (Well Off)
  Romance: none

Joyeuse

  Autonomy: 15 (Good)
  Military: 27 (Amazing)
  Empathy: 11 (Stable)
  Grace: 17 (Good)

Relationships
  Professor Ziegler (Bad): 19%
  Elly (Good): 54%
  Josh (Good): 54%
  Mark (Bad): 32%
  Juliet (Good): 55%
  Tammy (Bad): 17%
  President Irons (Bad): 44%
  ?: 50%

World Power Balance
  China: 56% U.S.: 44%   
[spoiler]

[FelixSparks]

I say 1. It sucks that that happened.

[Arcvasti]

3

Let's not give Mark any more ammunition against us.

[Ama]

4.

Why do we keep worrying about these humans, are our robots not people too!

[Rolepgeek]

Number 1.

Not our fault the military chose Ziegler. Is he seriously trying to blame us for our Professor ripping off our work?

[Vgray]

"So you say," Mark says.

"You sound like you don't believe me," you say.

"There are wishes you earnestly believe, and wishes that are noises you make to fit in with the tribe," Mark says. "But if you had it to do over again, would you make military robots? Yes or no."

1) "Yes. I see now my graduate school funding entailed a responsibility to help defend the country."
2) "Yes. I see now it doesn't matter what I do—technology will always be applied to war."
3) "No, I would not. Everything I told you before still stands."

(I sense a plot hole somewhere...)

[Rolepgeek]

Three.

No way we can get through this without him making us look like a dick, so fuck him anyway.

[FelixSparks]

3. If we see Mark, let's shoot him right in the junk with our robot arm.

[birdy51]

3). At least we had a commercial success for once. Commercial success is a wonderful thing.

[Vgray]

When China finally attacks the fifty states themselves, their assault comes over the North Pole. A massive flotilla of icebreaker ships equipped with giant buzz-saws carves a straight path through what little ice remains in the Arctic Sea. Giant robot arms pick up and hurl the ice blocks out of the way. Small platoons of robots are left behind at every oil rig and deep mining station they claim along the way. The American bases in Alaska are overwhelmed by wave upon wave of Chinese robots.

You quickly evacuate your Alaskan factory, taking what you can and driving for the Canadian border, before it is overwhelmed by Chinese forces. Setting up a new factory in Canada will be expensive. (---Wealth) You're angry at China for taking what's yours, angry at yourself for placing the factory there, angry at the U.S. for failing to defend it; you are, in short, angry.

When the headlines break, the dollar goes into a death spiral, as people around the world are selling them for Chinese yuan. Canadian dollars are dropping in value as well, as people speculate that China will invade Canada next. (--Wealth)

1) I quickly sell my Canadian dollars at a loss, exchanging for yuan.
2) I quickly convert my currency to American dollars, speculating that China will be pushed back.
3) I hold on to my currency.

Spoiler: Current Stats (click to show/hide)

Year: 2029

34-year-old Isaac Tesla
  Humanity: 56%
  Gender: male
  Fame: 10 (Internationally Famous)
  Wealth: 1 (Getting By)
  Romance: none

Joyeuse

  Autonomy: 15 (Good)
  Military: 27 (Amazing)
  Empathy: 11 (Stable)
  Grace: 17 (Good)

Relationships
  Professor Ziegler (Bad): 19%
  Elly (Good): 54%
  Josh (Good): 54%
  Mark (Bad): 32%
  Juliet (Good): 55%
  Tammy (Bad): 17%
  President Irons (Bad): 44%
  ?: 50%

World Power Balance
  China: 56% U.S.: 44%   

[Arcvasti]

3

Holy shit that's a huge Wealth drop. Also a massive flotille of icebreaker ships with giant buzz-saws sounds awesome. Why don't we get the cool toys?

[FelixSparks]

3. We're gonna take back Alaska.

[Vgray]

You hold on to your Canadian dollars.

By the time the American aircraft carriers stationed in Hawaii reach the Aleutian islands, Chinese ICBM batteries have already been assembled throughout the former state.

The Chinese then offer peace, content with their conquest. Your wealth experiences a slight bump as money flows back into Canadian assets. (+Wealth)

Now that the war is over, what will you do?

I will develop the algorithms that will end war forever. (Requires Grace 25)
I want to build a robot that knows how to love. (Requires Empathy 20)
1) I will begin a rebellion in Alaska. (Requires Military 20)
2) I'm afraid I've done all I can. My time to influence history has passed.

Spoiler: Current Stats (click to show/hide)

Year: 2029

34-year-old Isaac Tesla
  Humanity: 56%
  Gender: male
  Fame: 10 (Internationally Famous)
  Wealth: 2 (Getting By)
  Romance: none

Joyeuse

  Autonomy: 15 (Good)
  Military: 27 (Amazing)
  Empathy: 11 (Stable)
  Grace: 17 (Good)

Relationships
  Professor Ziegler (Bad): 19%
  Elly (Good): 54%
  Josh (Good): 54%
  Mark (Bad): 32%
  Juliet (Good): 55%
  Tammy (Bad): 17%
  President Irons (Bad): 44%
  ?: 50%

World Power Balance
  China: 56% U.S.: 44%   

[FelixSparks]

1. HELL YES 1.