Trunko
Dissatisfied writer
- Location
- Milan, Italy
What do you mean?
Mein Krieg (Youjo Senki/Tanya the Evil OC)
- Thread starter Trunko
- Start date
-
- Tags
- youjo senki
What do you mean?
- Location
- Texas
That's perha how it started but I don't believe that's the narrative convention the author is going for
- Location
- California
Considering that there is another protagonist then maybe the plot can deviate further from the canon plot? The current SI could do something that Tanya couldn't do due to her constraints of being mostly solo? It's fine if the plot is railroaded to follow canon I suppose either way I'm interested in this now
Trunko
Dissatisfied writer
- Location
- Milan, Italy
Can we discuss this on a private message? I'm always ready to welcome ideas...
NuclearBird
More issues than Reader's Digest
- Location
- Here and There
I already mentioned this when discussing and brainstorming with Trunko, that the plotline itself hasn't reached a point where the two MCs could do anything major enough to derail canon, owing to the fact that neither Tanya nor Frederick have any rational reason to step out of line in any way.
Still, Trunko has come up with some interesting original and canon based plots, with my feedback helping him sort through them.
Still, Trunko has come up with some interesting original and canon based plots, with my feedback helping him sort through them.
EllenTenshima
Tengu Mask
This two are still kids, damn it
*Receives divine revelation that they are both, indeed, actually adult middle aged men inside*
Chief-of-Staff: ... Make that 10 coins.
JuliusClonkus
Scatterbrained Speculator
- Location
- Federal Reichspublic of Karlsland
That's always been a rather cheap cop-out, really. And with the nature of the mental contamination still up in the air, it's not even clear if that flies at all.
Point being: We really should not. I imagine it's shit like this that made Being X such a dick.
Plus, they're more like constantly scheming mischievous prankster siblings in my mind.
...their pranks usually involve explosively deleting enemy army groups by way of holy invocation, I am forced to assume.
- Location
- United States
At the risk of sounding like an ass (and if I come off as one, I apologize in advance) but you as the author really should read the manga or novels before going much further in your story. If you go into this with only knowledge from the Anime, you're going to be missing half of the story's events, 2/3 of the plot, 3/4 of the characters, 99% of the character interactions, all of the technical explanations, and the greatest source of interest and enjoyment in the story: the realization that Tanya herself rather than Being X is the cause of all but a few of the problems she faces in the story.
No, really. Being X only interferes twice by the end of the Anime events in the manga and novels: First to bless the Type 95 Orb, and the second to bless Mary Sue. Everything else comes down to human nature, politics, and Tanya's sociopathy ruining any attempt at mutual understanding.
No, really. Being X only interferes twice by the end of the Anime events in the manga and novels: First to bless the Type 95 Orb, and the second to bless Mary Sue. Everything else comes down to human nature, politics, and Tanya's sociopathy ruining any attempt at mutual understanding.
Well having read the manga I agree as it is better than anime though I just consider the anime and the manga similar but different canons due to Tanya's attitude being less psychotic.
- Location
- earth's dirty crust
yeah, anime YS is... well, it's losely based on the manga which is an adaptation of the LN. or something like that.
in the manga, almost all of tanya misery is of her own making. every psychotic act of her are also usually backed by logic, if somewhat heartless.
manga god is also a buff man. very very buff. tho in the manga, everyone is either buff, or pretty.
in the manga, almost all of tanya misery is of her own making. every psychotic act of her are also usually backed by logic, if somewhat heartless.
manga god is also a buff man. very very buff. tho in the manga, everyone is either buff, or pretty.
Chapter 18: A real mad scientist
Trunko
Dissatisfied writer
- Location
- Milan, Italy
Chapter 18: A real mad scientist
Military Garrison 1, Imperial Army Northern Teather, the Empire
21 June, Unified Year 1923
Military Garrison 1, Imperial Army Northern Teather, the Empire
21 June, Unified Year 1923
The next day, Tanya and I got ready early for our new assignment. According to the operational table, an airplane would take us up the base of development and testing of the new experimental prototypes.
From my point of view, this was a considerable waste of time and resources. We were wizards! We possessed magic, we could fly! What kept us from going directly to the base in flight, rather than taking an unnecessary plane?
"Nothing, if you want to risk being swamped by anti-aircraft and enemy wizard and shot down." Tanya answered when I asked her opinion. "Each military base of the Empire has a radar array sensitive to the magical energies that mages emit when flying. If you really tried to do something like that, you would attract the attention of every anti-aircraft battery, aviation base and wizard companies, between here and Berun! In the best case scenario, you will end up on trial and disbarred, in the worst..."
Although I knew her reasoning was once again sound, it was not enough to calm me down. I was sick of being treated as a henchman whom she could push around every time she wanted something, and I was even more tired of always having to act like her sidekick. In a sense, I now knew how Robin felt in that Batman comic where the dark knight treated him more like a nuisance than a partner.
Moreover, I realized I had no reason to obey her.
In my old life, I was a mid-level employee and she (or he?) was a high-level Human Resources Manager with many more years of seniority than me. But now we were both Second Lieutenants of the Empire, with the same age and qualification. She had nothing that I did not have.
Then why, you will ask me? Will you kept listening to her orders and act like her willing minion when you could simply do what you wanted?
The reasons why I preserved my condition of half-servitude towards Tanya were few, but all possessed a logic of their own.
First, there was the fact that in spite my numerous attempts to create strong bonds with other people, Tanya had remained my only true friend with whom I could talk sincerely and without hiding the truth. I mean, what kind of people would accept the idea that I was a person from another world and that I had reincarnated in this body after having quarreled with some kind of deity? If I had let this thing slip to someone other than Tanya, I could have ended up in an asylum or a nursing home. Safe from the dangers of war, yes, but deprived of my freedom, forever.
Another reason was that, although it did bother me, Tanya was the best possible strategist with regard to the possibilities of improving one's personal career. She was cruel and heartless but damn, she knew the way to survive in this hostile environment. If I rebelled, and in the consequent quarrel, she decided not to help me anymore, I would not know what to do.
Therefore, until I could reach and consolidate an excellent social position from which to gain both profit and security, it was better to keep my head down.
Finally, there was a third reason why I did not want to leave Tanya. A hidden reason, of which not even I, until a few days before, was aware of.
Even now, I did not know how it started.
Perhaps it was the fact that she was the only person with whom I could truly be myself, perhaps it was because we were companions in misery, or maybe it was due to a combination of these and more reasons.
The fact remained that more and more of my thoughts were turning to Tanya.
In the beginning, I did not know the meaning of these thoughts, and I dismissed them as reactions to the way she used to treat and abuse me. But after my little "talk" with General von Klügmann, I had realized their true nature.
I was falling in love with Tanya.
That...was a terrifying thought.
Obviously, a part of me felt disgust at the thought that I could somehow fall in love with her: I knew that in the tender and sweet child's body she was actually an adult man. Moreover: an adult, cold-hearted man that felt pleasure, perhaps even joy, in mentally manipulating others.
And yet I could not find her repulsive or detestable.
In fact…
"...derick! Frederick!" Tanya's voice rumbled in my ears.
My thoughts vanished in moments and I found myself back in my dormitory, alongside Tanya. She was looking at me with a withering gaze.
"We have to move: try not make them wait for us!"
I looked at her with an offended look. Was it really possible that I was falling in love with her?
In silence, I took what was missing from my belongings and followed Tanya out of the room for the last time.
From my point of view, this was a considerable waste of time and resources. We were wizards! We possessed magic, we could fly! What kept us from going directly to the base in flight, rather than taking an unnecessary plane?
"Nothing, if you want to risk being swamped by anti-aircraft and enemy wizard and shot down." Tanya answered when I asked her opinion. "Each military base of the Empire has a radar array sensitive to the magical energies that mages emit when flying. If you really tried to do something like that, you would attract the attention of every anti-aircraft battery, aviation base and wizard companies, between here and Berun! In the best case scenario, you will end up on trial and disbarred, in the worst..."
Although I knew her reasoning was once again sound, it was not enough to calm me down. I was sick of being treated as a henchman whom she could push around every time she wanted something, and I was even more tired of always having to act like her sidekick. In a sense, I now knew how Robin felt in that Batman comic where the dark knight treated him more like a nuisance than a partner.
Moreover, I realized I had no reason to obey her.
In my old life, I was a mid-level employee and she (or he?) was a high-level Human Resources Manager with many more years of seniority than me. But now we were both Second Lieutenants of the Empire, with the same age and qualification. She had nothing that I did not have.
Then why, you will ask me? Will you kept listening to her orders and act like her willing minion when you could simply do what you wanted?
The reasons why I preserved my condition of half-servitude towards Tanya were few, but all possessed a logic of their own.
First, there was the fact that in spite my numerous attempts to create strong bonds with other people, Tanya had remained my only true friend with whom I could talk sincerely and without hiding the truth. I mean, what kind of people would accept the idea that I was a person from another world and that I had reincarnated in this body after having quarreled with some kind of deity? If I had let this thing slip to someone other than Tanya, I could have ended up in an asylum or a nursing home. Safe from the dangers of war, yes, but deprived of my freedom, forever.
Another reason was that, although it did bother me, Tanya was the best possible strategist with regard to the possibilities of improving one's personal career. She was cruel and heartless but damn, she knew the way to survive in this hostile environment. If I rebelled, and in the consequent quarrel, she decided not to help me anymore, I would not know what to do.
Therefore, until I could reach and consolidate an excellent social position from which to gain both profit and security, it was better to keep my head down.
Finally, there was a third reason why I did not want to leave Tanya. A hidden reason, of which not even I, until a few days before, was aware of.
Even now, I did not know how it started.
Perhaps it was the fact that she was the only person with whom I could truly be myself, perhaps it was because we were companions in misery, or maybe it was due to a combination of these and more reasons.
The fact remained that more and more of my thoughts were turning to Tanya.
In the beginning, I did not know the meaning of these thoughts, and I dismissed them as reactions to the way she used to treat and abuse me. But after my little "talk" with General von Klügmann, I had realized their true nature.
I was falling in love with Tanya.
That...was a terrifying thought.
Obviously, a part of me felt disgust at the thought that I could somehow fall in love with her: I knew that in the tender and sweet child's body she was actually an adult man. Moreover: an adult, cold-hearted man that felt pleasure, perhaps even joy, in mentally manipulating others.
And yet I could not find her repulsive or detestable.
In fact…
"...derick! Frederick!" Tanya's voice rumbled in my ears.
My thoughts vanished in moments and I found myself back in my dormitory, alongside Tanya. She was looking at me with a withering gaze.
"We have to move: try not make them wait for us!"
I looked at her with an offended look. Was it really possible that I was falling in love with her?
In silence, I took what was missing from my belongings and followed Tanya out of the room for the last time.
The journey by plane was, as it turned out, quite pleasant.
First, the journey was much shorter by plane than by train. This meant that, upon arrival, we could have much more time to acclimatize and settle our things.
Second, onboard the plane you could climb up to altitudes at which even wizards like us would have struggled to be active and operate. The magic shield would have protected us from any projectiles of enemy aircraft, but the lack of oxygen could still be fatal.
And third, as in this world there were still no public or private airlines (the few existing transport planes were all owned by the Imperial government or the Army), the chances of meeting extra-zealous controllers again was almost nil.
For the time of the trip, I had kept myself busy watching the world below from the small window of the plane, since the pilot could not be disturbed and Tanya did not want to talk.
From above the clouds, the world seemed so sincere ... and innocent. It was almost impossible to believe that a war was going on.
But soon this innocence would disappear, and the skies would be the scene of clashes between rival air forces and Wizards, and from them would come bombs and explosives, destined for the cities and the population.
In a sense, I felt an ever greater sense of impotence whenever I thought about how I could not do much to prevent this.
And every time I tried not to think about the bombings that would destroy houses and families, kill mothers and children without discrimination, leaving behind the gloomy sign of Death.
Finally, after an unspecified period of time, our plane began to descend until it touched the ground. I remember noticing when we arrived, because the plane made a bump that almost made me jump out of my chair.
"Try to not make a fool of yourself, Frederick." Tanya admonished me.
Good grief, I mentally cursed her, Of all the people I could fall for, why did it have to be you?
As soon as I got off the plane, I saw that the test facility did not differ much (in the architectural sense) from any military base.
There were landing and takeoff tracks for airplanes, tall towers, anti-aircraft flak batteries ready to take action in case of enemy attacks, in short, nothing more nor less than what you could expect from a military base.
What a dump where I ended up, I thought, giving the place a lookover, I seriously hope that their reception is better than what I've seen so far.
"Lieutenants König and Degurechaff!" said a man in a white coat, approaching us in a hurry.
"Yes? What happened?" said Tanya at my left.
"Development Chief Engineer Adelheid von Schugel wants to meet you at once. He requests you to meet him in his office!"
"I am positively ecstatic ... from having the two youngest aces of Aerial Mage Corps here!" said Chief Engineer von Schugel pouring hot tea into three small cups. I waited a few moments before reaching for one of the cups and a spoon with which to dose the sugar, all without ever taking my eyes off Schugel.
In my previous life, I had never seen a live snake. I mean, I knew how they behaved thanks to the books and documentaries I had seen, but I had never been faced with a real one.
Still, the more I looked at von Schugel, the more I thought of the word "snake".
"Thank you for your… warm welcome, sir." I said, trying to find the right amount of sugar to put in my tea. "Me and my colleague," I said taking an elusive look at Tanya, "cannot wait to know what awaits us…"
"A legitimate question." responded Schugel before taking a sip from his tea. "You see, in this special base we create and test the first prototypes of what will be the weapons of the future, the bright inventions that will allow our nation to technologically prevail over the enemy. Like your orbs, for example…"
What?, I though looking at my Orb, What does it mean?
"Chief Engineer von Schugel." Tanya asked suddenly. "Are you saying that…"
"Yes." he responded, as if he had read in our minds. "The Operation Orbs that every Imperial Wizard uses on the battlefield nowadays. I admit I didn't work alone, but you can believe me when I tell you that I took care of most of the design and functionality of the Orb."
He was smiling smugly while saying this, as if remembering this made him proud.
"But soon even the Orbs you wear will become obsolete, thanks to the new project that my staff and I are currently working on. And you will help me make it happen!"
"W-what are you talking about?" I asked, unsure about the answer.
Von Schugel smiled again, but this time, wider… and more smug than ever.
"I am happy to announce," He said, turning to me and Tanya, "that I found a way to align perfectly four cores in a single Orb, quadrupling its output at the cost of a greater consumption of magical energy. And you two will be the testers."
I stopped, momentarily stunned by Von Schugel's words, while trying to process what he had just said.
From what I remembered of my times at the Academy, an alignment of four cores, although it was theoretically possible, was incredibly difficult difficult to achieve ... and equally dangerous. For example, if the four cores didn't line up perfectly at the same time, or if they overheated too much and melted, or anything else that could go wrong had gone wrong... the mana's flow would be impossible to control and the Orb would explode, almost surely killing its wearer (or alternatively, seriously injuring him). The basic idea was good, I admit, but the fact that it was still a prototype and as such was still subject to imperfections and accidents, it made me think there would be a need for many tests.
And we would be the testers. Those who will risk their lives while von Schugel and his scientists monitored us safely from the base.
"I know." continued Von Schugel, apparently daydreaming with open eyes. "With this amazing new technology, our wizards will no longer be limited to low altitudes or single spell casting. They will be able to fly as high as the planes, and will be able to use more than a spell at the same time. Our wizards will therefore enjoy an additional advantage over their enemies, killing them in large numbers. The Empire will thus win the war more easily, while its enemies will end up crushed and in ashes. My name will forever be carved in History, and yours…"
"Is this the reason why you wanted both of us?"
Schugel stopped, his daydream interrupted by my words. Tanya looked at me, her face full of surprise and astonishment.
"W-what do you mean?" Schugel asked to me, his face darkening.
"Maybe it may not seem like it," I said with a nonchalant expression, "but the fact that I'm young does not mean that I'm naïve. I have ways to inform myself. Somehow, I heard that you specifically asked after Tanya and I for this project. Is this due to the fact that our magic reserves, at least according to the report, are much larger and powerful than those of other wizards?"
Von Schugel he appeared disoriented for an instant. Did that mean I had hit the mark?
Then, as suddenly as he had lost it, Von Schugel regained his composure.
"A very smart boy, I see." he said with a very scary smile (that almost scared me for a moment) "He has already understood the reason why he is here. Tell me, Second Lieutenant König: did your informers tell you the reason why Strategic Headquarters complied with my little request?"
"Uh, no?"
Schugel's smile grew wider. Now it frightened me.
"You must know, my young subject, that I (and my brilliant mind) are the architects of almost all the greatest techno-magical innovations of the Empire of the last thirty years. My prestige at Strategic Headquarters is immeasurable, but most of all I am too precious to their war effort for them to even dare to upset me. They know that, without my genius, our enemies will have their way with the Empire."
I nodded quietly, understanding what he was saying.
Schugel's face transformed once again, regain his façade of scientific stillness. "I have already set the first test of the new orb, Elenium 95 for the day after tomorrow. Until then, you are both free to rest and visit the neighboring village. Naturally, you are NOT allowed to talk about my genius invention with anyone, you understand me?"
"Y-yes sir" we both saluted.
"Very well then. Dismissed!"
"That crazy old man…" I later murmured as we were finally outside of the room.
"I must agree." said Tanya kicking away a pebble that, who knows how, ended up inside the compound. "It is clear that his main objective is glory, not the safety of the testers."
"Worse yet, we actually have no idea how he will go about it." I said while opening the door of our dorms. "I mean, have you seen him? He looks like an even sketchier version of Dr. Frankenstein. It almost makes me miss the front!"
Tanya put a hand over my shoulder, making me look at her.
"Frederick, stay calm and quiet. I understand you: I can't suffer these kinds of people either. However, we have no choice if we want to have hot meals and comfortable beds safe from the risk of death. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but we have to endure it."
"But… what if his experiments turn out to be life-threatening?"
She smiled "Do not worry. We are the child heroes of the Empire and therefore we represent a preious asset to them. What is the worst thing that can happen?"
Cruscos Army Aerial Unit Testing Grounds, the Empire
24 June, Unified Year 1923
"HOW THE HELL DID I MANAGE TO END UP IN THIS SITUATION!!!!!"24 June, Unified Year 1923
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NuclearBird
More issues than Reader's Digest
- Location
- Here and There
Fix for the last line. Looks like you didn't copy that one from the proofread version.
Pff, the only line that separates Schugel from memetic german mad scientist is 'experiments on humans'
EllenTenshima
Tengu Mask
I mean, you say this but he's currently using the two of them as test subjects right now.
Virian
Sage of Reason and incomplete information
- Location
- Where logic has never been before
- Pronouns
- he/him
They are the users for his current invention. It would have been 'experiments on humans' if he implanted the computation orbs into their brains for removing the flesh barrier between orb and mage or something twisted like that.
Argh, why did you put this picture in my head? And with orbs tendecy to heat up rapidly, no matter the number of cores, it's extra 'head explodes' or 'cooked brains' gruesome
- Location
- Texas
"I'm in love with Tanya"
Aaaaaand dropped. This story has excellent potential but this is not a direction I am interested in.
Aaaaaand dropped. This story has excellent potential but this is not a direction I am interested in.
NuclearBird
More issues than Reader's Digest
- Location
- Here and There
Understandable. Have a nice day.
Then again, you should realize this is said by a teenage boy who, despite having a full set of memories from another life, isn't all that familiar with those sentiments he's developing, and may not even be falling for Tanya at all and is merely misinterpreting the roiling cauldron of emotions and hormones contained in his body.
Then again, you should realize this is said by a teenage boy who, despite having a full set of memories from another life, isn't all that familiar with those sentiments he's developing, and may not even be falling for Tanya at all and is merely misinterpreting the roiling cauldron of emotions and hormones contained in his body.
- Location
- America
Experimenting on humans is perfectly fine if one does not mess it up, I think our heroes will like there newly upgraded bodies so they can kill foes with there bare cybernetic hands.
On a note I wonder if our protagonist might turn a natural at science, tools to make tools issues become much simpler with magic.
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- Location
- earth's dirty crust
well, that happens. someone who got attracted to god being X perfectly designed female body, that's not uncommon. knowing that girl used to be your very definitely male boss/superior will make it extremely awkward at best tho. damn you being X! 
also, welcome to the place with scarier way to die than war frederick. you're now a experimental equipment tester! equipment that can explode!
good luck, you'll need it, a lot.
also, welcome to the place with scarier way to die than war frederick. you're now a experimental equipment tester! equipment that can explode!
good luck, you'll need it, a lot.
Chapter 19: Do not Taunt Murphy
Trunko
Dissatisfied writer
- Location
- Milan, Italy
Chapter 19: Do not Taunt Murphy
Cruscos Army Aerial Unit Testing Grounds, the Empire
24 June, Unified Year 1923
Cruscos Army Aerial Unit Testing Grounds, the Empire
24 June, Unified Year 1923
In my previous life, before I died and was reincarnated in this body, I had the opportunity to attend many schools. Since I was quite the nerdy and shy kind of person, I had never been among the most popular boys, nor did I had friends who were. My friends were far less showy, with better grades but worse social skills to interact with other people and we used to hang out at the local library rather than spend our time outside.
One of these friends was called Eric and he was, in mine and most of the school's opinion, the most correct real representation of a very prudent person. His favorite phrase, which he always used when I was present, was "Do not taunt Murphy".
What did this phrase mean? Simple: It meant that, no matter how harmless or quiet a given situation may appear, it always has the potential to transform into a nightmare. And you must NEVER ask for it.
And now, while flying in the skies trying to make that kind of broken Orb that von Schugel had ordered me to test work, I began to learn its true meaning.
"Come on, come on" I repeated while keeping my focus on the Orb "Work, piece of junk!"
The blue Orb light seemed to reawaken for a few seconds. Then, as quickly as it had seemed to have been rekindled, the light went out.
"DAMMIT!" I screamed as my body, no more supported by magic, began to fall for the third time "Turn back on! Turn back on!"
The ground was getting closer and closer. Just as I started to worry about hitting it, the Orb lighted up again and the magic returned.
I immediately stopped, floating mid-air, completely immobile.
"Phew" I said, trying to recover from the excess of emotions "That was…"
And then it exploded.
One of these friends was called Eric and he was, in mine and most of the school's opinion, the most correct real representation of a very prudent person. His favorite phrase, which he always used when I was present, was "Do not taunt Murphy".
What did this phrase mean? Simple: It meant that, no matter how harmless or quiet a given situation may appear, it always has the potential to transform into a nightmare. And you must NEVER ask for it.
And now, while flying in the skies trying to make that kind of broken Orb that von Schugel had ordered me to test work, I began to learn its true meaning.
"Come on, come on" I repeated while keeping my focus on the Orb "Work, piece of junk!"
The blue Orb light seemed to reawaken for a few seconds. Then, as quickly as it had seemed to have been rekindled, the light went out.
"DAMMIT!" I screamed as my body, no more supported by magic, began to fall for the third time "Turn back on! Turn back on!"
The ground was getting closer and closer. Just as I started to worry about hitting it, the Orb lighted up again and the magic returned.
I immediately stopped, floating mid-air, completely immobile.
"Phew" I said, trying to recover from the excess of emotions "That was…"
And then it exploded.
Before the field tests started, I had believed that working under Schugel's orders could be interesting, maybe even fun. All that Tanya and I would have had to do would be to use the Orbs that Schugel and the teams of scientists under his command had built, pushing them to the limit and test for possible manufacturing defects, problems and inadequacies in the prototypes.
But this was before we started testing.
The Elenium Type-95 was more unruly than a horse stung by a bee. It was able to leave you without magical energy while you were in flight, or even worse, become unstable and make your flight path unmanageable. The reason was logical, come to think of it: unlike a common Orb, like the ones Tanya and I had used up to now, the Elenium Type-95 needed a complete synchronization of its four cores, something that was significantly harder to do on the testing ground than in theory. And every time one of the four cores lost synchronization or blocked itself, its wearer was unable to control himself (or herself) during the flight, which would result into immediate death should the Elenium Type-95 be used on the front lines.
Finally, to fish the job, the Elenium Type-95 has a significant chance to explode with enough power to instantly kill its wearer, if not for the safety mechanisms.
"Second Lieutenant Frederick König!" Schugel yelled at me once I managed to reach the safety of solid ground once again "What the hell happened this time?!"
"The same damn thing" I responded, too angry to keep a normal tone of voice. "Your damn Orb is dangerously unstable. It keeps stalling and exploding!"
"Why?" he practically yelled in my ear. "Why am I surrounded by such incompetents and cretins? Why are you not even able to control my masterpiece?!"
"If this is what you call a masterpiece, then I am afraid the bar has been shifted quite low!"
"Lieutenant! Stop walking away and face me!"
I stopped, Schugel was not exactly my superior officer, but I knew very well that disobedience could have severe consequences.
"Sir." I said trying to manage my anger. "I'm sorry that your beloved masterpiece keeps proving itself to be a litany of technical issues, but the fact is clear: it does not work!"
"Theoretically, it works! Why are both of you unable to get it to work properly?!" screamed Schugel once again, walking away.
"Don't worry." said a young scientist who, apparently, was Schugel's assistant. "He always does that, if an experiment is not successful…"
"Successful?" I said, amazed by this boldness "This rubbish is a complete failure! It exploded tree times in two day!"
"Well, I can assure you that…"
"No. Do not try to give me friendly chitchat about how this is the last time something like this happens. I know it will happen again, because every time you say this, it does!" I practically screamed.
"Wait, where are you going?" asked the assistant.
"To the infirmary. And then… to my quarters!"
We were in the base's cafeteria. Unlike the one in the Academy (where both Tanya and I spent a lot of time both together and separately), this one was much smaller and austere. The only decoration was a painting, hanging just above one of the tables, which illustrated a tree with pink flowers surrounded by girls dancing in an Arcadia-like scene. Right under this framework, Tanya and I were intent on drinking a couple of cups of chocolate, openly discussing our situation.
"To believe I was actually happy about being reassigned here…" said Tanya taking another sip of her chocolate.
"I know. Schugel is too full of himself to realize that even he is human, and therefore, subject to not being perfect." I replied, glancing over my now empty cup. "In a way, it reminds me of a famous doctor from our old life…"
"Who? Frankenstein?"
"I was about to say someone else, but the concept is the same. The bad news is that since he is theoretically our superior, we have no choice but to continue his damn tests and hope not to be killed."
Tanya grimaced. It was clear that she did not like the idea of continuing to be the guinea pigs of a mad scientist.
"I'm going to write a report."
What?
"What?"
"I'm going to write a report to Strategic Headquarters, detailing how Schugel's work is a waste of time and precious resources!"
"Tanya, we cannot do this!" I said, unsure about it. "I mean, what if…"
"Lieutenants Konig and Degurechaff, your presence is required on the testing facility!" a mechanical voice blared from the base's speakers.
"What's this now?" I asked, instinctively looking at the nearest speaker. "Don't tell me they want us to run another test immediately!"
"Try to keep calm, dumbass!" Tanya said getting up from her chair. "There is no way they could ever agree to do a double test right now…"
As soon as we entered into the testing facility, we both realized that we we were in trouble.
Schugel was already there, surrounded by at least twenty other base scientists, sporting a maddened look in his eyes. He seemed ready for a violent verbal confrontation with his opponents, who were us, apparently.
"Doctor Schugel" Tanya said, her cold glace glancing around the room "You wanted to see us?"
"Yes." replied the doctor coldly "I would like to discuss with you some...questions, I think we should settle as soon as possible."
I stopped, pondering about these words. What was he referring to?
"Sir" I asked "would you please explain to us what these questions are?"
"Very simple" retorted Schugel "It's about the repeated failures you encountered during the various Elenium 95 tests. Failures caused by your incompetence!"
"Hey!" both Tanya and I said at the same time "What do you mean! The reason why that thing does not work is that it barely works, and badly at that!"
"Don't try to make excuses!" shouted Schugel, clearly angered "The Elenium Type-95 does not have any flaws and it works theoretically! If it doesn't work in practice, the blame can only be yours!"
If I could, I would have flown in the direction of Schugel and bombed him with my fists. Not only did he refuse to admit that his invention had errors, but he was even trying to get us to be responsible for the repeated failures.
"Tell me," continued Schugel in his rant, "how can you consider yourself Empire soldiers if you don't even know how to use this technological wonder? You're nothing but incompetent children, barely more capable than the rabble they sent me so far!"
That's it! , I though as the rage inside me reached its highest.
"And you then? How can you consider yourself a real scientist, if you continue to be so careless with the lives of others?!"
Von Schugel stopped, taken back by my sudden accuse "H-how dare you…"
"I dare, because so far you have not demonstrated any behavior that would make you worthy of being called a real scientist! The mountain of personality disorders and character defects that make up your mind are as endless as the depths of your ego! I wager that in mere decades your life will be used as a case study in pathological narcissism and endemic sociopathy!"
Nevermind how in this age, the distinction may not even exist! I noted mentally.
"Then there is your blatant disregard for proper laboratorial conduct! Where are the safety mechanisms and observation bunkers in case the next experiment goes awry? Your personnel might get injured, if they haven't been already, considering the rate of personnel turnout this hellhole has!"
Schugel looked like he was about to burst an artery. "Y-you criticize my work with your cretin mouth! It is you who cannot manage to operate the Elen-"
"That brings us to the next point: What kind of scientist refuses to review evidence of their experiment being an abject failure? Time and time again your so called masterpiece has proven to be a vehicle for repeated disaster! Just how many test pilots did the damn thing kill before we arrived here?"
I received only silence, so I took the opportunity to take a breath.
"So you won't answer? Then allow me to continue with the most glaring issue plaguing this base! You! But that's not so surprising, is it? Your repeated indulgence in your delusions of genius and grandeur have been stopped dead by reality like a car hitting a wall! Time and time again the Type-95 has proven itself beyond the ability of the human mind to handle, and do you know why?" Von Schugel perked up at that. "Simple: The human brain is incapable of handling two tasks at once at an efficient and satisfactory level, much less four! The Elenium relies on four cores wasting their power in parallel, maintaining the same spell, because they are mounted on the same power supply with no way for any of them to idle when not in use! Next, the Mental Connection Lattice has only one outlet path, for four cores! You just copied the component from a single core Orb, most of which already suffer from an information limit, meaning the Type-95 cannot be operated even at minimal performance because the user cannot connect to it properly! And if all that wasn't bad enough, it possesses no master control switch for the Mana supply! How your Orb managed to pass even basic safety inspection is beyond me!"
Von Schugel was shocked. He did not expect me to understand the notes that had been handed to me, much less discern the details that were laid out. "Your Elenium relies on a mental model of the human mind that doesn't exist! That is why your glorified guinea pigs keep getting themselves killed! It's because of your warped perspective of the world!"
The professor looked like he was slapped in the face. Still, I had not finished… yet.
"Now, to finish this off with a concise assessment of your failures: Your model of the operator is faulty. Your modelling of the device itself is faulty. Your methodology would be rejected in any scientific community with a shred of integrity, ergo it's faulty. Your callous attitude towards safety implies faulty protocol." I leveled a positively hellish glare at the monocled man.
"Every step of your research process is stained with faults, incompetency and the narcissistic madness of a pampered, spoiled aristocrat who so far has never been hit with reality. How Strategic HQ could allow one such as you to operate on their land is beyond me."
Quietly, I started to come down from the high of letting my pent up emotions loose, but a shuffling noise emitted from one of the assistants set me off once more.
"Don't you muck about with that stance! All of you are complicit in this circus! Each and every one of you has allowed this to go on, breaking procedure every step of the way! Have you even considered for a moment how this might affect your careers if this weren't a military base? I thought not." With a huff, I finally turned around and headed out the door.
"We're done for today. I am heading to a quieter and more peaceful spot before I do anything stupid. Tanya! You know where to find me!"
After my little "outburst" of rage had calmed down, I found myself in my quarters at the base, thinking about what I had did.
I was in trouble. Big trouble for sure. Of course, von Schugel had no authority to demote me or put me under arrest, but he was still my superior.
And disobeying your own superior was a serious business in the Army.
"Frederick!" I heard Tanya voice come from ahead of me.
I raised my head. "How bad is it?"
"Well..." she said with a very mischievous smirk. "You're not Schugel's favorite wizard anymore, but apparently he is more reasonable than I thought,"
I looked at her. "What do you mean?"
She smirked. "I plied him into not giving you a punishment, nor to send you back or the frontline. Don't ask me how I did it, but still…"
"You… manipulated him?" I said, stunned by amazement.
"Yeah. Apparently, no adult man can say "no" to a little blonde girl with big azure eyes. Still," she said regaining a more serious tone, "remember that you owe me one tomorrow"
"Tomorrow? What happens tomorrow?"
"Schugel has decided to make another test, just to be sure. And he said that he want both of us for it."
Eh?
"Both of us? Did I hear that correctly?"
"Yes. And do not even think about refusing: he will not allow you to skip even one test of his!"
"But… why both of us?"
It did not make any sense to me. Why send both your testers out if the experiment could kill both of them at the same time?
"Apparently," Tanya said turning her back on me, "Schugel was actually…impressed by your courage. By the way, he also want you to meet him into his office. Now!"
JuliusClonkus
Scatterbrained Speculator
- Location
- Federal Reichspublic of Karlsland
No one human mind can handle multitasking four cores at once.
Man, Freddy, I hope you enjoy his upcoming Sync Orb that Schugel probably cooked up now.
Because he'll definitely think two minds working in tandem might be able to handle it better.
Man, Freddy, I hope you enjoy his upcoming Sync Orb that Schugel probably cooked up now.
Because he'll definitely think two minds working in tandem might be able to handle it better.
- Location
- Israel