054. Honesty

[electroniccrane]

[audio // English]

When someone gives you a name, it doesn't necessarily follow they were telling the truth about it being their name, especially if they have reason to lie.

The principle can be generalized to a variety of conversational circumstances.

[Kusanagi's gone clear past exasperation and into resignation.]

Comments

[ecopiracy]

Without knowing they have reason to lie, though, at what point do you question the name they gave?

[electroniccrane]

As soon as their actions or other circumstances give you reason to.

[Kusanagi leads a very untrusting life.]

[ecopiracy]

[Phoenix nods to himself. A reasonable enough stipulation.]

Have you had many who offered you a false identity, Major?

[electroniccrane]

[She gives a short bark of laughter, a derisive sound.

Oh Phoenix, you're so cute when you're stupid.]

[ecopiracy]

[Phoenix dryly answers his own question.]

I take that as a yes.

[Not that that's surprising, either. Working with pirates for the past five years, Phoenix is well aware how quickly some people resort to lies.

But he wants to know more about the Major and what sort of life she's led.]

So how do you respond when you do realize that someone has lied about who they are?

[electroniccrane]

It depends on what I want from them.

[ecopiracy]

We'll go with a pair of hypotheticals then. In one case is a man who has been offering you information on enemy movement. What he has not revealed is that he has close ties with the leaders of that side. That is how he gains his information, but the fact that he is so close may cast suspicion on his motives, especially when you consider that he hid this fact from you.

In another case is a comrade in arms, a man who has fought reliably on your side. As it turns out, though, he has committed atrocities in the past that many would consider unforgivable. His crimes were never punished, though, and there's no way to know if he has truly changed.

How would you deal with these two men?

[electroniccrane]

Tsk. You've not revealed the nature of those ties. Are they amicable? Has he been betrayed? What does he stand to gain by betrayal? Does his psychological profile suggest loyalty or venality?

There's a complicated probabilistic risk model involved that's modified by other variables in the situation, and my staff will provide a reliability assessment.

At any rate, any source of intelligence must be evaluated in the context of other sources.

[Why yes, information warfare is a science where she comes from.]

That said, I'd brain-hack him.

[The Major is not a woman who loses sleep over casual violations of civil rights.]

As to the second...so?

[Oh, Phoenix, she doesn't give a shit about "atrocities." You're so cute.

PS. Have you met Batou?]

[ecopiracy]

[Phoenix hasn't had the pleasure of making Batou's acquaintance, but he heard about what happened when Jak got out of the brig. Phoenix has strong opinions about that.

But as to the matter at hand... Phoenix's estimation of the Major increases a notch at her answer. She's very thorough - impressively so - even with a situation that is only hypothetical, and she doesn't take things at face value. Hmm. It would be interesting to see her in a situation that's real.]

I don't believe I am familiar with that term. What does "brain-hack" mean?

And do you not care that a man you are working with was a criminal in the past?

[electroniccrane]

Brain-hacking is the act of compromising cyberbrain security to gain access to the subject's memories or physical capabilities.

[It's utterly terrifying, almost uniformly illegal, and Kusanagi is among the best in the world at it.]

Laws are arbitrary. A criminal can cross a border and become a hero. If you mean to ask me about morality, say so.

[ecopiracy]

[Phoenix frowns.]

Are you assuming the individual is mechanical in nature?

[Instances of organic-cybernetic combinations are rare in Phoenix's world, and he isn't aware of the few instances where anything like the cyberbrain technology of Kusanagi's world was achieved with any success - if you can consider Vin or Cyber Errol's fates a success.

He shakes his head.]

The word atrocity implies a moral deviation, but very well, if I must be clearer, then yes, I am speaking of morality here.

[electroniccrane]

Cyberbrain augmentation is the norm for professionals in my world, even if a person is otherwise biological.

[It's not her fault the Jak world is a "primitive shithole," to quote the Mechanic.]

The only moral dimension I'm concerned with in my subordinates is whether they follow my orders.

[If they were a baby-killer before they joined up, they'll damn well stop, because she said so, and you do not fuck with the Major.]

[ecopiracy]

And this augmentation is a complete cooperation between the two aspects, allowing information in the organic half to be accessed through the cybernetic half?

[That seems to be what she's implying, but he wants to be sure he understands.

He pauses for a moment as he weighs that last statement.]

So the question then is what moral lines you draw.

[It isn't exactly a question, but it is an invitation, and he'll be listening carefully to whatever response she gives.]

[electroniccrane]

That's correct.

[So which question is she answering?]

[ecopiracy]

[The thought of someone hacking his mind is more than a little discomfiting.]

You have no qualms about doing something like that? Is... cyberbrain hacking considered acceptable in your world?

[electroniccrane]

Brain-hacking without police authority is against the law.

["I have no qualms whatsoever~"]