Brain Droppings 18: New Year Edition

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    • #1955
      Mr.Green
      Participant

      Loving how things are developing, especially the new statement about the story in-general. Plus, it got me thinking of other things about OSABC.

      1) High Lord’ Power

      Does Shepard really have any power over them? Back when the Systems Alliance, Cerberus File was being written – it was explained, that the High Lords more or less had control codes for the Arcologies, the military, AIS, the Commissars can’t do anything to them.

      So does the ‘Revelation’ have any value or worth behind it? Since couldn’t the HLoS simply lie or mislead on how it is false or alien-propaganda. Plus, even if it is taken as honest truth – could any Human Actors outside of the nobility be able to do anything to the Lords of Sol?

      2) Commissars

      In high-light of the Tech Guide – I have to wonder, did Rourke actually agree to having his ‘Moral Police’ chained by cybernetics, psycho-drugs or indoctrination? To namely ignore a portion of Humanity – that is likely guilty of many heinous acts. Doesn’t seem like someone, obsessed with purifying crime, would agree to. Unless he was also a shadow-actor of Manswell.

      Also in that regard, how were the Commissars shackled in the first place?

      3) AIS and Brooke

      It was commented on the AIS Cerberus File – that the AIS lacked any political drive or opinions. Being completely apolitical.

      Why is such a thing, such a shocker to her? Aren’t intelligence services supposed to be apolitical? Or in this case, serving the ruling elite?

      4) Earth and Manswell

      This has still kept on bugging me – especially with revelations that Manswell had his own actors inside the CIA and FSB – before Ardiente went crazy.

      For someone who hadn’t no military background, had been according to the great Doctor Minstra – a player of economics, not a master of it.

      This begs the question, on how he managed such an accomplishment – while remaining somehow still out of the prying eyes of a world – that was more militarized and paranoid than during the worst stages of OTL Cold War.

      Since considering the fact, he had been a billionaire – able to purchase colonial holdings in space, without drawing any direct ire or screen-time.

      (From what had been implied, being the ONLY one able to achieve such permanent settlements – which would have been a great feat itself)

      And somehow, he had been able to get away with seeding agents inside two organizations – that are noted on being masters of paranoid scrutiny – and alongside playing his usual game with Ardiente.

      So, my question being – all these things considered. Did Manswell, have any aid from something beyond-human? Since by all accounts – it would have been as if Warren Buffet had funded space-colonization, infiltration of two different intelligence agencies, while at the same time supporting terrorism on a never-before seen scale. All without leaving any paper-trail.

      From some comments – it has been ‘hinted’ that he may have seen the coming of the Reapers. So did Manswell have some foresight or trick up his sleeve – that nobody had known about?

      5) Tetrimus and the Primarch

      I love the concept on how, monsters are created and not born. As from what we saw – he hadn’t been as crazy back in his more military times – than when he had been broken and remade.

      Although, I had one curious question about being betrayed by the Hierarchy. Namely, it was said he was lied and mislead into a trap. But, as Pel had explained. Turians couldn’t or shouldn’t be able to do that. Unless they were a Palavanus.

      So in hindsight – did the Primarch of the time, actually betray Tetrimus to the Humans? Or had that act been done by the Shadow Broker?

      Because, as Pel and Trellani had explained – if one is capable of ignoring such acts, they could be considered the Turian version of a psychopath. Or was this betrayal made easier because Tetrimus had been a Cabalist? Despite his fame and rising fortune?

      To finish off – was that one of the reasons, why the Primarch got absolutely demolished by Fedorian later – and did the Hierarchy discover what had happened to Tetrimus and that they had betrayed him?

      6) Tiny

      This is more of a pet-peeve and not directly related to Mass Effect. But why are big guys called with such diminutive names?

      Like how, one member from Lions – is called Tiny, yet is explained of being almost the size of a mountain? Why is that so?

    • #1956
      Mr.Green
      Participant

      A few more thoughts that came to mind:

      7) SolGuard and the First Contact War

      We kept on hearing on how ‘amazing, brave and unbreaking’ the SolGuard of Earth had been during the First Contact War between Humanity and the Turians.

      But considering how unmatched and outnumbered the SA had been and considering their tech level wasn’t as advanced. How much of a difference or what did the SolGuard do that was ‘so impressive’?

      8) Richard Williams and Cybernetics

      It is admitted in the OSABC part, that Richard is around 98% conversion. At this stage, one has to wonder why hasn’t he gone 100%?

      Since it has been mentioned, that in replacement of organic parts – the cybernetic ones have to in some way or shape, replace the function of the original.

      Thus, wouldn’t it be more useful to go 100%? Instead of having all that 98% support that leftover 2%? Considering he is more or less, a machine with a few bits of flesh. Or is there some hidden advantage/disadvantage of remaining as he is?

      9) High Lords of Sol, again

      Back in ATTWN, when Hazred is revealing to Shepard to truth about the Galaxy. One part struck me as interesting – ‘This is not the plan of men who want to conquer the galaxy. We will never achieve such. It is not merely bitter old men clinging to power, or racists who think they know better’.

      How much of that is true and how much is utter bull-crap? How much damage has the HLoS caused to the Systems Alliance with their ‘ideals’? (Beyond the obvious Ardiente and Maxwell domination)

    • #1992
      Logical Premise
      Keymaster

      1) High Lord’s Power

      Does Shepard really have any power over them? Back when the Systems Alliance, Cerberus File was being written – it was explained, that the High Lords more or less had control codes for the Arcologies, the military, AIS, the Commissars can’t do anything to them.

      So does the ‘Revelation’ have any value or worth behind it? Since couldn’t the HLoS simply lie or mislead on how it is false or alien-propaganda. Plus, even if it is taken as honest truth – could any Human Actors outside of the nobility be able to do anything to the Lords of Sol?

      In a certain sense, it’s both yes and no.

      While the HLoS have made sure they cannot be easily overthrown by popular uprising, they have never had to put that to the test. The facts Shepard has are dangerous in that if the truth got out it would undermine the entire underpinning of human modern society. Victor has been made into a figure that is Christ-like… to find out he was actually the cause of the Days of Iron would turn all humans against the Lords.

      There is also the likelyhood that it would turn the OTHER Lords of Sol (2nd and 3rd Rank) against them which could lead to civil war. How it would all shake out might still end up with the HLoS in charge…but so weak that they’d be helpless before the other alien races and (almost certainly) invaded.

      Shepard’s point that a hundred million humans live in asari space (and a good thirty million elsewhere) was a subtle dig that even if the HLoS took down the arcologies humanity would survive.

      2) Commissars

      In high-light of the Tech Guide – I have to wonder, did Rourke actually agree to having his ‘Moral Police’ chained by cybernetics, psycho-drugs or indoctrination? To namely ignore a portion of Humanity – that is likely guilty of many heinous acts. Doesn’t seem like someone, obsessed with purifying crime, would agree to. Unless he was also a shadow-actor of Manswell.

      Also in that regard, how were the Commissars shackled in the first place?

      Rourke wanted the Commissars to be cyborgs becuase he felt it would remove them from feeling human and thus being vunerable to compassion, sexual urges, and to feel as if they were no longer able to fit in. He did not want them indoctrinated and died before the Second Gen was brought online.

      Roukre basically put cortex bombs in all Commissars and that was the only control he felt was needed. He *never* intended them to be unable to act against the HLoS.

      3) AIS and Brooke

      It was commented on the AIS Cerberus File – that the AIS lacked any political drive or opinions. Being completely apolitical.

      Why is such a thing, such a shocker to her? Aren’t intelligence services supposed to be apolitical? Or in this case, serving the ruling elite?

      Most intelligence services in almost every known era of human history have been *intently* political, both internally and externally. From the CIA to the Roman spies in the court of Jurgurtha, being the group in charge of subversive and hidden actions caters toward men grasping at power.

      The AIS, on the other hand, is less of a real intelligence service and more of a secret police like the SS. Unlike the SS though, there is no avenue of power for anyone in the AIS to rise — a Lord of Sol will ALWAYS be in charge and thus you can’t apply any power they can’t neutralize.

      4) Earth and Manswell

      This has still kept on bugging me – especially with revelations that Manswell had his own actors inside the CIA and FSB – before Ardiente went crazy.

      For someone who hadn’t no military background, had been according to the great Doctor Minstra – a player of economics, not a master of it.

      This begs the question, on how he managed such an accomplishment – while remaining somehow still out of the prying eyes of a world – that was more militarized and paranoid than during the worst stages of OTL Cold War.

      Since considering the fact, he had been a billionaire – able to purchase colonial holdings in space, without drawing any direct ire or screen-time.

      (From what had been implied, being the ONLY one able to achieve such permanent settlements – which would have been a great feat itself)

      And somehow, he had been able to get away with seeding agents inside two organizations – that are noted on being masters of paranoid scrutiny – and alongside playing his usual game with Ardiente.

      So, my question being – all these things considered. Did Manswell, have any aid from something beyond-human? Since by all accounts – it would have been as if Warren Buffet had funded space-colonization, infiltration of two different intelligence agencies, while at the same time supporting terrorism on a never-before seen scale. All without leaving any paper-trail.

      From some comments – it has been ‘hinted’ that he may have seen the coming of the Reapers. So did Manswell have some foresight or trick up his sleeve – that nobody had known about?

      This is a Dave.
      It is also a Dave I will answer.

      Manswell was unknowingly an agent of a Levi, and he did indeed have visions.

      5) Tetrimus and the Primarch

      I love the concept on how, monsters are created and not born. As from what we saw – he hadn’t been as crazy back in his more military times – than when he had been broken and remade.

      Although, I had one curious question about being betrayed by the Hierarchy. Namely, it was said he was lied and mislead into a trap. But, as Pel had explained. Turians couldn’t or shouldn’t be able to do that. Unless they were a Palavanus.

      So in hindsight – did the Primarch of the time, actually betray Tetrimus to the Humans? Or had that act been done by the Shadow Broker?

      Because, as Pel and Trellani had explained – if one is capable of ignoring such acts, they could be considered the Turian version of a psychopath. Or was this betrayal made easier because Tetrimus had been a Cabalist? Despite his fame and rising fortune?

      To finish off – was that one of the reasons, why the Primarch got absolutely demolished by Fedorian later – and did the Hierarchy discover what had happened to Tetrimus and that they had betrayed him?

      A Palavanus was … involved, periphially, yes. The rest will come out very soon in the course of the story, but suffice it to say that Fedorian was furious and since he couldn’t strike at the root cause he killed the old Primarch instead.

      6) Tiny

      This is more of a pet-peeve and not directly related to Mass Effect. But why are big guys called with such diminutive names?

      Like how, one member from Lions – is called Tiny, yet is explained of being almost the size of a mountain? Why is that so?

      Black culture at times is intensely self-sarcastic. Tiny is modeled after my cousin Rosco, a man who stands seven feet four inches and weighs three hundred seventy pounds of muscle and was called Tiny.

      Purge the alien. Kill the heretic. Suffer not the witch to live.

    • #1993
      Logical Premise
      Keymaster

      A few more thoughts that came to mind:

      7) SolGuard and the First Contact War

      We kept on hearing on how ‘amazing, brave and unbreaking’ the SolGuard of Earth had been during the First Contact War between Humanity and the Turians.

      But considering how unmatched and outnumbered the SA had been and considering their tech level wasn’t as advanced. How much of a difference or what did the SolGuard do that was ‘so impressive’?

      They held off the entire force of a full Turian fleet for seven hours, experiencing over 75% casualties without breaking.

      Most of the even highly elite military force IRL would be shattered and fleeing after half those losses. Additionally, the non-Solguard units that were broken and ineffective regrouped and went back into the fight due to the bravery of the Solguard.

      8) Richard Williams and Cybernetics

      It is admitted in the OSABC part, that Richard is around 98% conversion. At this stage, one has to wonder why hasn’t he gone 100%?

      Since it has been mentioned, that in replacement of organic parts – the cybernetic ones have to in some way or shape, replace the function of the original.

      Thus, wouldn’t it be more useful to go 100%? Instead of having all that 98% support that leftover 2%? Considering he is more or less, a machine with a few bits of flesh. Or is there some hidden advantage/disadvantage of remaining as he is?

      Thus far, aside from destructive level scanning, there has been no way to fully model the brain cortex in cyberware. That is the 2% that’s left in all total conversion cyborgs, the biggest mass of the brain(cerebellum and the like). Even then he has grayboxes and quanboxes hooked to it.

      Going fully cybernetic with a destructive level scan turns you into an AI. While this has it’s positives, it does leave you vulnerable to things like Vigil, for example. Additionally, the limits on cybernetic conversion are just frippery, no one cares how far you go — but Redboxes are VERY illegal and if he did that and was found out the SA would have to kill him.

      9) High Lords of Sol, again

      Back in ATTWN, when Hazred is revealing to Shepard to truth about the Galaxy. One part struck me as interesting – ‘This is not the plan of men who want to conquer the galaxy. We will never achieve such. It is not merely bitter old men clinging to power, or racists who think they know better’.

      How much of that is true and how much is utter bull-crap? How much damage has the HLoS caused to the Systems Alliance with their ‘ideals’? (Beyond the obvious Ardiente and Maxwell domination)

      It’s a mix. Hazred is one of the few who know the ‘real’ history of the Days of Iron, but he’s also fully read in on what other aliens are doing. In his mind what the HLoS are doing is a necessary transition through a time of troubling action, much like the Days of Iron where non-viable countries were written off and those who couldn’t be of use were not rescued. He feels as humanity matures and we grow stronger that in time the HLoS will be phased out and most of the atrocities committed won’t be needed any longer.

      Hazred is the most dangerous of minds, a jaded cynical eventualistic idealist. He long ago stopped placing value on human life in the individual to focus on humanity’s life in the plural, and as such is more immune to a collapse of his … ethics … than those who enjoy the fruits of being on top.

      Purge the alien. Kill the heretic. Suffer not the witch to live.

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