[x] Patience; observe, understand, then act, even if it endangers some of the girls
[x] Discretion; don't get caught in a fight, leave one
I realize it's too late for me to turn the tide on this one, but. Every option risks lives; it's combat, lives are gonna get risked. And I regret to say that I do not regret to say that if lives gotta be risked, I'd rather the lives of our own were risked last.
Also, I worry about the long-term morale impacts both within the spiders and beyond of emphasising inhumanity as a battle tactic. Seems like it could cause problems down the line.
[X] Discretion; don't get caught in a fight, leave one
[X] Inhumanity; some of you have adapted better than others. You need to think like a spider or you'll get run down like a human
[X] Inhumanity; some of you have adapted better than others. You need to think like a spider or you'll get run down like a human
[X] Ruthlessness; the people you're there to rescue might not be in a position to accept your help. Force the issue if you have to
These girls are starving and in immediate danger. Patience is great when available, but more likely to cause harm than help in this situation. I don't think discretion will work very well given the psychologies at play are going to be acting under emergency response tactics, and expecting to not have to do any fighting about that seems foolish. Bloodlust isn't for anyone, and will happen naturally for those for whom it is a boon.
[x] Discretion; don't get caught in a fight, leave one
[x] Inhumanity; some of you have adapted better than others. You need to think like a spider or you'll get run down like a human
My favorite part of being autistic is how ordinary changes in one's plan for the day can completely tank your will to live. My apologies for the delay.
"It's a bit late for a formal plan of attack," you mutter through your hand, before you lower it. "So...some advice, okay? I really want you all back alive. You, the honor guard, the girls if possible. Discretion is your friend here."
You're expecting some pushback on this, but Diamond rubs her chin instead. "Like running from SWAT," she murmurs. "Yes, I think I get your point."
Holy gods she's not gonna bring up the Corporate fights. Which she wasn't there for, but still. So you press on: "Exactly. Time is of the essence, I know, but if the other spiders are gonna drop dead because of a few hours of time, they're already dead. I hate to say it like that, but it's true. Run if you have to, don't get caught in a fight. You're not there to punish anyone." You take a deep breath. "...You also need to be thinking in terms of your unique advantages. The conventionally human rarely look up, and only look down slightly more often. Traps can be your friend. Wall-climbing and height will be your friends. If you all thoughtlessly run like you're just...standard-template people, you'll get run down, and you'll get shot."
...
......
"Standard-template people," Diamond murmurs. "Hrm. Don't say that around my girls, Orchid, not until I've had some time to think about it. We're a minority population, to be sure, but I'm not sure how much I like the idea of normalcy being something we're excluded from."
"I'm sorry," you murmur back. "If it helps at all, I'm a freak too. I just don't look like one."
"Oh. I know." Diamond turns her attention to Kayleigh, who keeps scratching at her arm. "And you, miss?"
There is a long, awkward quiet. Kayleigh looks away, scuffs her feet. But eventually she says, "...Don't leave them alone, when they wake up. And realize what they've done. Don't leave them alone, and don't let them blame themselves. Or you'll lose them."
A nod, from Diamond. "Can I borrow Orchid for a moment, Miss Kayleigh?"
Uhhh -
"Sure?" Kayleigh says, before you can decide if you have an opinion on this. Diamond scoops you up like you weigh nothing and settles you on her back; you have to grab around her waist to stay on, as she starts scuttling away, and then cling tightly as she scuttles up. There may be an undignified yelp in there somewhere. Couldn't be you. Nope. Nuh-uh. The two of you end up on a rooftop, and Diamond gently sets you back down on your feet, and cards her clawed fingers through your hair.
Her smile when you make a little noise and relax nearly immediately...
"I'd like to be plain, Orchid," Diamond murmurs. "I've spent awhile thinking, and thinking, and thinking, and I'm done thinking. You're not gonna break my heart either way, but I'd like to...try something, with you. See if we're compatible."
"This is less plain than you said it was going to be," you half-complain, nuzzling into her hand.
"I suppose it is," Diamond laughs. "Look at me, nervous as a girl. Let me try again; when I get back, I'd like to take you out for a date sometime. You don't need to answer that right now, but..." She takes her hand out of your auburn hair, which you whine about, and tilts your chin up with her finger. "Think I can get a kiss for good luck, before I go?"
Uhhhh...
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
[ ] I...owe Nattie a conversation, first. I think? I think.
AND
The food situation could be better. Your health, unless otherwise affected, will be Excellent by the end of this arc. But you could buy it down.
[ ] Buy down to [POOR/OKAY/GOOD] health to expand the gardens
[ ] Do not
Look, exchanging health for food production is a great deal (well, not for Orchid) if food is going to be our next problem. But people are already blasting their way through the suburbs to secure food, and it would be really silly if we turn that whole deal into wasted effort just to then get blindsided by some different problem that is most assuredly going to arise.
A kiss for luck when someone is going off to battle is a time-honored tradition, and I think it's a good habit for Orchid to get into. It definitely needs to work on thinking about and talking about its romantic feelings with its love interests, and it should do that. I would love to see some scenes where it sits down with some of them, or, in true Orchid style, drags them all into a group conversation, but that doesn't need to precede this, I think.
[x] Buy down to [OKAY] health to expand the gardens
That soup measuring was concerning. I think we are about to really need these gardens.
[x] Jackie
I want to see what's going on in that farmgirl head at some point, but I'm hoping getting Jackie into motion will move us towards bringing our invisible people into the community.
There's non zero chance someone will get in trouble and Orchid will have to try and rescue them. Yeah, that breaks a promise.
But I doubt the quest will vote to just let people die.
Orchid uses it/its, not she/her. Its loss of prior identity and needing to find a new one without any preexisting expectations from the world it once inhabited is a pretty important part of the quest. Or at least that's what I think.
Orchid uses it/its, not she/her. Its loss of prior identity and needing to find a new one without any preexisting expectations from the world it once inhabited is a pretty important part of the quest. Or at least that's what I think.
That sentence made more sense in my head (the sheer amount of worry some people get when they see Orchid's at Okay Health AGAIN) but I'm rolling with it.
I really don't get why people are so insistent on hurting Orchid again?
There is no immediate food crisis. Sure, stuff could be better, but a lot of stuff could be better.
Buying down to good, or worse, Okay, leaves us tremendously vulnerable to any future crisis, of which we know several are brewing. Bandits are supposed to show up sometimes soon, for example. That dragon is still around. Something could come crawling out of the suburbs.
Also importantly, Orchid is kinda seen as a leadership figure, and setting the expectations at reckless self-sacrifice is a bad example, not to mention the emotional cost on it's friends.
Sasha certainly won't appreciate that Orchid found a way to get itself hurt after despite being asked to stay home and safe.
Edit : Lastly, in the event that there is a food shortage, that seems like a great spot to spend communal effort, not to make it's Orchid's personal self sacrifice.
