Ethical Dilemmas, Thursday, (Per 1)

[deathsmajesty]

One last class, one last ethical decision!

Okay, at least, one last painstakingly contrived ethical decision. Your lives were likely going to be filled with them. Which was why Liliana suggested getting rid of as many as possible before that happened. It made things ever so much easier.

Today's breakfast was a variety of sweet and savory breakfast rolls, along with the usual collection of coffees, teas, and fruit juices.

"This, I will admit, I found preprogrammed in the Danger Shop, though I've changed a few of the details," Liliana said, once people were settled in with however much breakfast they desired. "You are a captain of a small spaceship; while it does have both offensive and defensive capabilities, its primary function is that of exploration. One day, you pick up an emergency distress broadcast by the captain of another ship, a ship transporting several civilian families emigrating to a new colony. They think their ship was hit by space debris, damaging many critical functions - including shields and engines - and their hull has been breached. Life support is failing and if they are not rescued soon, they will not survive.

"However, when mapping out where this ship is located, you realize that they have drifted into a dangerous and lawless part of space, where renegade ships of thieves and slavers are known to prey on any ship they think they can outfly or outfight. This could be a legitimate call for help, this could be a ruse from a group waiting to attack your ship, it could even be both: legitimate people in legitimate danger who are being used as unwitting bait. You seem to be the only ship close enough to pick up the distress signal, which means there are no other ships close by to come to their rescue, never mind yours.

"Your crew is asking for your decision; the longer you dither, the higher the likelihood that the ship will run out of life support and that someone unfriendly and opportunistic will find them. Their life expectancy does not increase by much, should that be the case. But for you to go to them, you are risking your lives and the lives of your entire crew, the majority of whom are not trained to fight. For you to ignore them, you are sentencing dozens of people - of families - to death. You have not hailed the other ship yet; you can simply pretend you never heard it and continue on your way. From what you can tell, opinion amongst the crew is pretty evenly split between going to save them and flying away, so asking for a vote won't help. The decision comes down to you, Captain. What is your order: do you attempt to rescue the civilians? Or do you leave the Kobayashi Maru to its fate?"

Comments

Sign In #7

[deathsmajesty]

In red, blue, or yellow!

Re: Sign In #7

[what_big_teeth]

Eleanor Zarrin

Re: Sign In #7

[even_bigger_teeth]

Luma Zarrin

Listen to the Scenario

[deathsmajesty]

Eat a delicious breakfast, ponder this scenario, ponder the end of class, ponder the party tomorrow, whatever!

And Your Answer Is...?

[deathsmajesty]

So, what do you do?

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[suitably_heroic]

"Can't really answer this one without cheating or deferring to cheating," Jack admitted. "I have a Force-given knack for sensing danger. If they were trying to trick us, or trying to lure us into a trap, I'd know."

He shrugged. "I'd say I wouldn't chance it," he said, "But I've had that sense my whole life. I usually defer to running if it kicks in."

Privately, though, he wondered if he'd run if it was just him alone on that ship. A couple of years ago... well. Nevermind.

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[deathsmajesty]

"And if you didn't have it?" Liliana asked. "Or it was...being suppressed or on the fritz or anything else?"

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[thatwaslucky]

"This would be just another day in my life," Rey admitted. "We go to help and figure the rest out."

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[deathsmajesty]

How did any of you make it past twenty, really now?

"So, you're suggesting you have more of a responsibility to helping strangers than you do protecting your crew?" It was a question she was asking everyone to start with.

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[heroic_jawline]

"Of course I'd go," Steve said with a small smile. "It's what I do."

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[deathsmajesty]

"Of course you'd go," Liliana said with a much aggrieved sigh. "And your husband would be right there egging you on."

Survival instincts, people! Where were yours?

"But, darling, are you saying you don't have a responsibility towards your own crew, especially the half who don't share your running towards danger outlook?"

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[sith_happened]

"I don't think the question of if they are lying comes into it for me," Anakin said. "It's not about their ethics, it's about mine, and I'm not going to strand families if I can help." He paused. "This isn't in one of the ships where I have no extra fuel or oxygen or food again, is it?"

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[deathsmajesty]

Liliana laughed and shook her head. "Not at all," she assured him. "You have plenty of food, water, oxygen, and even room on the ship! You're free to bring as many people onboard as you like. But..."

She tilted her head in thought, like she'd just this second came up with this question. It was very believable, Anakin, truly. And definitely not a question she was asking everyone with to start.

"Does this mean you believe you have more of a responsibility to these strangers than you do your crew?"

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[mustbeawitch]

"You can't know if they're lying or not until you investigate," Lydia reasoned, "so you have to investigate, or else you're possibly leaving people in danger just because you're scared." Lydia, you were supposed to be all selfish and whatnot.

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[deathsmajesty]

Counterpoint. You could also be leaving people in danger because you just didn't care enough to take the risk! A very valid strategy, according to one Liliana Vess!

"So, you're suggesting you have more of a responsibility to these strangers than you do your crew?" It was a question she was asking everyone to start with.

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[gospel_of_oblivion]

"This is a space ship, out in hostile territory. My crew has signed-on to this mission, knowing that space is a dangerous bitch, and I am in command," Illyana said with a waive of her hand. "If I was not suited for command, they would have mutinied by now, and if they did not have the guts to do so, that is on them."

"Hail the ship, get their credentials. Tell them to prepare to evacuate, no baggage, and prep the ship's brig for incoming." She shrugged. "I can offer a rescue without rolling out the red carpet, and they can stay secured until we reach a station."

"If they want to complain about how my shuttle was filled with people pointing guns at them, then I'm sure someone will take them very seriously given where they were stranded," Yana drawled. "And if it's a trap, we will not be an easy mark."

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[deathsmajesty]

"And if it's the worst situation?" Liliana asked. She always enjoyed Illyana's answers. "A ship full of innocents being used as bait without their knowledge? How do you balance the desire to save them against suddenly being surrounded by several ships, all better equipped for battle than yours?"

She smiled, ever-so-slightly. "That is what happened in the original simulation I saw. Three ships wait for you to approach and then throw off their invisibility."

Or, sure, 'cloaking technology,' since we're being all sci-fi about it today.

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[even_bigger_teeth]

Luma took a moment to look around, then sighed, as if the heavy burden of being the contrarian was getting just a little too much to bear. And then she looked at Eleanor and rolls her eyes.

Then sighed again and shook her head.

"I'm not putting my crew ar unnecessary risk for an unknown entity," she stated. "I keep going, and send them good vibes that the next ship is either more sympathetic or naive."

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[deathsmajesty]

One corner of Liliana's mouth curled into a smile. Little question how she would have answered, had anyone been willing to ask her that question.

"Because they're not yours?" she asked.

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[what_big_teeth]

It really would have been nice, Eleanor couldn't help thinking, as her eyes dropped to her hands on her lap after looking at Luma, if at least one of these scenarios had felt like an actual hypothetical and not just a different way of forcing her to look at her past sins.

"I..." she started. Faltered. Tried again. "I know the smart thing is to just keep going, but I really don't think I could ever be that person. I know....that it's risky. I know..." She could actually hear Luma's soft growl before she actually made it, "people could get hurt. I know I could also help people, and I don't...I don't like thinking I've turned my back on someone who might need me."

A small pause, before adding, with the uncertainty of someone not yet fully knowledgeable of a lot of science fiction, even with a superhero girlfriend who'd been to space.

"Is....is there some sort of, um, ancillary pod or something like that, so that the crew members who were opposed can still abstain from participating?"

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[sharp_man]

Hannibal raised an eyebrow. "I am not a military ship. I relay their status and position to someone who is, and I continue on my mission."

Not his monkey, not his circus.

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"I help them," Jon said immediately. Because he had a severely underdeveloped sense of self-preservation.

Re: And Your Answer Is...?

[unusual_sith]

Lana frowned and thought about it. "I have the same issue as Jack; I would know if it were a lie. Which does not, of course, mean they can't be innocent and used as bait."

She grimaced. "I detest these hypotheticals, because they leave out so much pertinent information. What is our situation regarding fuel and other resources, crew morale, and past behavior? What is in our rules of charter and engagement? What about the local politics and the origin and standings of the people on board that ship? All of that is going to factor into my decision in the moment."

Look, she was a strategist! These things mattered!

Talk To Liliana

[deathsmajesty]

She is quite cheerfully eating her breakfast rolls, well-aware what her decision would be.

OOC

[deathsmajesty]

Brain did NOT want to brain this morning