The Architect Codex

Inferno - Change of Heart

Thone, an IMC controlled planet. A massive underground structure run by Vinson Dynamics under the guise of a 'weapons testing facility' was discovered and turned out to be a nightmarish battle-royale arena for captured Pilots. Funded by the IMC. Zone 18, a seemingly decommissioned construct in the Dakota system turned out to be a secret testing facility for a new model of Spectres. Once again, civilians were used as fodder. Approved and controlled by the IMC.

His heart stopped as he read the next file.

Gridiron. Attracted many of the less fortunate amongst the frontier, none of which usually took notice when a few colonists occasionally went missing. Steady supply of testing subjects. In addition, the radiation of its anomalous star was worth observing for its potential radiation effects on the population for study.

He slid the pad back over to Dimitri with shaky hands, and fell back in his chair.

"Now you understand," Gates said at his reaction. "The Militia is fighting for freedom on the frontier, to be the masters of their own destiny. The IMC sees the frontier as an investment, nothing more. They don't care about the people living here; only how they can profit from them."

He looked at her seriously. "Why haven't you spread this around the net? Warned the frontier about this?"

"Because not only would it alert the IMC to the possibility of a mole and jeopardize them, people would likely claim we made it up." She gestured at him. "But you're familiar with IMC protocols and encryption. Tell me, are those files legitimate?"

He took a glance at it, and swallowed hard. "They are."

"And I can see that I don't need to ask you if you agree with what was done, the answer is written all over your face." Crossing her arms over her chest once again, she leaned back in her chair. "So, let's move on to why we brought you here in the first place; we want to offer you a second chance."

He blinked a few times. "I don't understand."

She tilted her head slightly. "Earlier when we asked you why you joined the IMC, you said you 'wanted' revenge. As in, past-tense. Is that no longer the case?"

He was about to reply that it was before he reflected honestly on her query. "... No."

"So what changed?"

He thought back to the aftermath of yesterday's skirmish, where'd he held Shears' arm as the man died. "I saw something that I haven't ever seen before in this war; a moment of unity. I killed a Pilot ... had to watch as he died, knowing that I was responsible for it." He sighed. "Thing is, he knew I'd been the one to shoot him- but he embraced me as a friend anyway. When there wasn't a war to be fought, when there was no one alive but him and I ... I didn't see him as a Pilot. Just a man who wanted some comfort as he died."

Dimitri nodded. "Then it sounds like we can make some use of you. That second chance she mentioned; it's an offer to join us."

"... What?"

"You saw for yourself what the IMC has been doing," he continued, "and the Militia intends to put a stop to it by driving them out of the frontier. You're a trained combatant with a Pilot certification, all you need is a bit of Titan training; we can use every hand we can get in this war with how few resources we have. You could help make that happen."

This conversation was steering in a completely opposite direction of the way he'd imagined it going. First, they showed him just how monstrous the IMC could be, and now they were offering him a position when he'd been shooting and killing them little more than half a day ago. Could he make that kind of choice? To turn his back on the only life he'd known?