Challenger wrote:Typing fast is a good trait for a CO.
Since Monoo got so mad at people asking for a briefing I'm going to give you a scenario.
You wake up as a Commander from cryosleep, operation time is 13:25, your cryo pod is whining EMERGENCY EJECT. It's pitch black and you hear gunfire off in the distance. You stumble out of the cryo room right into the dead body of a Commander - yes, a Commander, wearing the same things you are - he's riddled with bulletholes. As you move on to towards briefing, you notice more dead Commanders, some seem to have died fighting, others are lying slumped against the wall in handcuffs, bulletholes in their heads, still others have been completely gored and ripped apart, their uniform barely recognizable.
You manage to make it to the briefing ladder, staying away from the faint Mateba fire sounds, still in darkness lit only by dead Commanders' nearly burnt out cigars. You creep around the broken security airlocks around to the north side of the medbay, gripping your Mateba tightly. You peer into the medbay and see a Mexican standoff of no less than a dozen Commanders - there's Carson, Story, Ico, Dreg, Tedrow, and many, many more. They all seem to have grouped up into their own separate factions and are aiming their revolvers at each other at head level. Suddenly, one of them notices you, and alerts the others. They turn with a various set of expressions, some relieved, some angry.
What do you do? Who do you side with, if anyone?
I would like to pick some choice apart, then give you the direct answer.
The first Commander I see is a known one. Carson. A man who always has a plan to save his ass, and send you to hell. Even if you work together. My options with him, he'd be in the middle. For he could get me out of a tight space, but for a hefty price.
I next see Ico. A Mexican in a Mexican standoff. A man who would rather get the job done with casualties to a minimum. Yet while still working his way out of the problem.
Knowing him, We could trust each other to a mild extent.
The third man I see is Balto Dreg. A commander who is wreckless in nature, but could hold his own in a fight. Siding with him would mean an easy way to get out of a sticky situation like this one.
Thredrow isn't a COmmander I know much about, but if I had the time, I could piece him together.
And last, I would see Commander Knight. A man by the books. Who knows what laws to keep, and how to treat those who broke them. For him, he'd have a law each one has broken, and would like to be the judge for what laws the other commanders broke. He'd be good to ally with if you we're clean.
Now for Jim, Jim would make an attempt to talk the commanders down just a notch and figure out what was going on. If none would speak, he'd complement the commanders on their great acts of valor, rubbing at their ego's to an extent.
Carson's pride is one to be stroked heavily. Jim would talk about his actions being heroic, and of great valor.
Ico is a man of survival. Jim would talk to him, and give him a good cheer, by telling him he knows how to keep the boys on the ground alive.
For Dreg. Jim would speak to him in a way of a warrior, complimenting the upkeep of his smartgun, and letting him know he has the gunner's form on point
Jim would tell Thedrow that he's a new face, but would love to get to know him in the future, and understand where he stands on all of this.
For Jack Knight, Jim's gonna recite marine law and explain to him that the murder of a commanding officer is under treason and he would lose his glorious job if any action was taken.
With hope that it works. There'd be some cooperation to getting the idea of what the hell is happening.