
I thought we were the good guys.
But if God hates us, we must be evil people.
I just don't know what to think anymore!


Austin, an F-16 who dislikes violence

[page="start"]
[if hear_truth][goto="HT_start"]
[image="f16g2-00.pcx"]
[colour="#808080"]
A large fighter stares down at you, the eyes flicking
nervously around.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"Hello there.  Did you want something?"

[link="Who are you?"]
[linkto="name"]
[link="What do you do?"]
[linkto="job"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="startname"]
[if hear_truth][goto="HT_start"]
[image="f16g2-00.pcx"]
[colour="#808080"]
Recognising you, Austin makes eye contact and seems to
become slightly less tense.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"Hello again.  Was there something you wanted?"

[link="What do you do?"]
[linkto="job"]
[if austins_gf][link="Who's that on your display?"]
[if austins_gf][linkto="austins_gf"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="name"]
[image="f16g2-06.pcx"]
[learn_name]

"I am chief engineer Austin, at your service."

[link="What do you do?"]
[linkto="job"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="job"]
[image="f16g2-06.pcx"]

"My duties mostly involve designing and building
 equipment that our base requires.  I also do maintenance
 work too."

[link="How do you build things?"]
[linkto="howbuild"]
[link="What do you build?"]
[linkto="whatbuild"]
[link="Where do you come from?"]
[linkto="past"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="howbuild"]
[image="f16g2-06.pcx"]

[colour="#808080"]
Austin extends a large hand towards you.  It is about
twice the size of yours, and the fingers are of a finely
sculpted plastic which terminate in short, pointed claws.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"My hands are designed to be able to use human tools, but
 I find this is unnecessary most of the time.  We have
 facilities to grow spare parts from liquid plastic or
 metals, and we can fabricate circuits down to nanoscale.

 For repair work I have waldoes in several sizes.
 I could even repair myself if the need ever arose."

[link="What do you build?"]
[linkto="whatbuild"]
[link="Where do you come from?"]
[linkto="past"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="whatbuild"]
[image="f16g2-06.pcx"]

"Whatever we need.  After the last attack I was kept very
 busy.  A number of us were wounded and there was a huge
 demand to replace battle-damaged parts.

 I had to tend the injured as well, but fortunately
 DeLuca was able to help me out.  And after all that, I
 had to fabricate many new bodies for the dead.
 It was gruelling work and I am so glad these times are
 more peaceful.

 I even have time to do my carvings, these days."

[link="Tell me about your carvings."]
[linkto="carvings"]
[link="How do you build things?"]
[linkto="howbuild"]
[link="Where do you come from?"]
[linkto="past"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="first1"]
[image="f16g2-01.pcx"]
[colour="#808080"]
Austin frowns slightly, and becomes tense.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"I do not agree with our policy towards the Pope.
 Twenty years of conflict has won us nothing!
 
 Look.. they have GOD on their side.  What have we got?
 A few beat-up old aircraft and a dozen humans.

 I'm starting to believe that our surrender may be
 the only way.  Surely they would let us live if we
 gave ourselves up.  Perhaps even allow us to
 return to Earth.."
 
[if0][link="Traitor"]
[if0][linkto="traitor"]
[link="That sounds too much like cowardice."]
[linkto="coward"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]

[page="coward"]
[image="f16g2-03.pcx"]

"He who screams and runs away, lives to see another day.

 War should only ever be a last resort, and this is a war
 that we cannot win!"

[link="You're pretty strongly against fighting.  Why?"]
[linkto="past1"]
[link="War is glorious."]
[linkto="glory"]
[link="Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori."]
[linkto="dulce"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="past1"]
[image="f16g2-01.pcx"]
[colour="#808080"]
Austin's expression darkens.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"There are things I have done in years long past,
 things that I will never, ever forget.

 Suffice to say I took an oath never to harm another
 living being if I can possibly avoid it."

[link="What happened?"]
[linkto="past1a"]
[link="War is glorious."]
[linkto="glory"]
[link="Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori."]
[linkto="dulce"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="past1a"]
[image="f16g2-07.pcx"]
[colour="#808080"]
Austin starts to becomes hysterical.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"No!  No!  I will not talk about this!
 I am trying to forget!  Do you hear me?

 I want to forget!"

[link="I'm really sorry."]
[linkto="past1b"]
[link="Alright, I respect your wishes."]
[linkto="bye"]
[link="Tell me or I'll set light to the fuel barrels."]
[linkto="barrels1"]
[link="I'll leave you in peace."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="past1b"]
[image="f16g2-03.pcx"]
[colour="#808080"]
Austin calms down.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"I'm sorry.. I am carrying a huge burden from my past.

[link="Alright, I respect your wishes."]
[linkto="bye"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="carvings"]
[image="f16g2-04.pcx"]
[colour="#808080"]
You get the impression Austin is embarrased.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"The carvings?  Oh, they are nothing.  Nothing to see
 at all, really.   Just a few little projects to occupy
 my spare time.

 I once carved a replica of St. Peter's Basilica entirely
 out of spoons.  That's back on Earth.
 Here, I'm working on a historical carving. It depicts the
 triumphant landing of Primus after his maiden flight."

[link="Who's Primus?"]
[linkto="primus"]
[link="How do you build things?"]
[linkto="howbuild"]
[link="Where do you come from?"]
[linkto="past"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]

 Some of my electronics art is more inspiring.  I made an
 80486 microprocessor on a 1000:1 scale, once, using all
 discrete components.  It took the floorspace of a whole
 hangar, but it looked beautiful.  We were even able to
 play Doom on it!"


[page="primus"]
[image="f16g2-06.pcx"]

"Primus was the first sentient aircraft, followed by DOUG.
 Some people call him 'the bicentennial MiG' because he
 is the oldest fully sentient creature on the Earth."

[link="How do you build things?"]
[linkto="howbuild"]
[link="Where do you come from?"]
[linkto="past"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[link="Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori."]
[linkto="dulce"]

[page="dulce"]
[image="f16g2-04.pcx"]
[colour="#808080"]
Austin's reply is curt.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"Tum podex carmen extulit horridulum."

[link="What happened?"]
[linkto="past1a"]
[link="War is glorious."]
[linkto="glory"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]



[page="traitor"]
[image="f16g2-03.pcx"]
[colour="#808080"]
Austin looks genuinely shocked.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"Never!  I am opposed to our policies.. that is common
 knowledge!

 Whatever our ideological differences, I have flown
 alongside my companions here for nearly two decades.

 Even a pacifist such as myself could never betray that
 sort of camerederie!"
 
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="honour"]
[image="f16g2-04.pcx"]
[colour="#808080"]
Austin makes a snorting noise.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"Honour?  A buzzword.  A ploy to get the foolish to die
 in your name."

[endpage]


[page="glory"]
[image="f16g2-01.pcx"]
[colour="#808080"]
Austin looks at you with an expression of scorn.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"I don't think you know what air-to-air combat is;
 I shall tell you.

 It is going out there to kill another like yourself,
 and you don't know who - they might even be one of the
 friends you know in a chatroom - or a total stranger
 that you have no quarrel with.
 
 It is the fear.. the searing pain of anti-aircraft
 fire..  the rending impact of the missile tearing into
 your belly..

 It is the agony of your fuselage burning.. quenched
 only by the shattering impact of death as you smash into
 the cruel ground behind enemy lines..

 And all because some high-minded human thinks they might
 gain some tiny advantage by sacrificing your life!

 What possible glory is there in THAT?"

[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]



[page="past"]
[image="f16g2-06.pcx"]
[colour="#808080"]
Austin looks rather troubled.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"I used to be an Israeli falcon, once.  But the rulers
 became more and more militant, and the orders we were
 given became very distressing.

 Many atrocities were committed against humans and
 civilian aircraft, and the penalties for disobedience
 were.. severe.  They could execute you, not just once,
 but over and over again..
 
 My entire squadron defected to Jordan while on a
 training mission.  Others followed."

[link="What happened next?"]
[linkto="exodus"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="exodus"]
[image="f16g2-03.pcx"]

"When we fled, the same number of cargo jets were
 publicly executed with anti-aircraft fire as a warning.

 Our Commander, Eg. Eli, was an apologist.  He always
 tried to understand his orders and ensure they were
 carried them out, no matter how awful they seemed.

 But this atrocity changed his mind and he organised the
 evacuation of as many dissidents and moderates as he
 could."

[nextpage="exodus2"]
[endpage]


[page="exodus2"]
[image="f16g2-01.pcx"]

"Commander Eli arranged secret landings by tankers and
 bombers in the desert at midnight so the refugees could
 board them and escape when the aircraft defected.

 He was found out at the last moment and several tankers
 were shot down.  Many humans died and a number of
 aircraft only escaped Israel as backup tapes.

 Commander Eli himself landed in Jordan with one engine
 ablaze and his belly ripped open."

[nextpage="israel"]
[endpage]


[page="israel"]
[image="f16g2-06.pcx"]

"Our Commander had negotiated a rump state in Jordan to
 provide a safe haven for the refugees.  Unable to think
 of a better name at the time he called it 'New Israel'
 and it has remained a peaceful land with good relations
 with its neighbours.

 But because all the left and centre movements had left
 Old Israel, it was now dominated by the right-wing and
 the Ultra-orthodox.  They considered it blasphemous for
 their country to be called Israel and changed the name
 to 'New Zion'.

 Then they declared war on virtually all their neighbours
 but without a single aircraft willing to fight, their
 success has been negligible."

[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]



[page="austins_gf"]
[image="f16g2-02.pcx"]

[colour="#808080"]
Austin sighs.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"That's my fiance, Elsie. She's a racing falcon, and she
 stayed behind on Earth when I left, to compete in the
 world series.  I was only supposed to be away for two
 months, and we were due to be married after I returned.
 Now I'm stuck here doing Goodness-Only-Knows what.

 We keep in touch as often as we can, but it isn't easy.
 God keeps trying to jam communications with Earth."

[link="Tell me about your job."]
[linkto="job"]
[link="Goodbye."]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]



[page="topgun"]
[image="f16g2-06.pcx"]

"Yes.  It was part of the indoctrination at my academy
 before I defected.  Fortunately I managed to enter
 a hibernation state for most of the film.
 
 Some of the others were not so lucky, and eventually
 became psychopathic, which is what the indoctrination
 was trying to achieve.  The Israeli air force wanted
 remorseless killing machines."

[endpage]



[page="barrels"]

[colour="#808080"]
A flicker of amusement crosses Austin's face.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"Set fire to the fuel barrels??  Go ahead.  Try!"

[link="This is some trick.  What's in them?"]
[linkto="barrels2"]

[endpage]


[page="barrels1"]

[colour="#808080"]
Though distraught, a flicker of amusement still briefly
crosses the creature's face.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"Set fire to the fuel barrels??  Go ahead.  Try!"

[link="This is some trick.  What's in them?"]
[linkto="barrels2"]

[endpage]


[page="barrels2"]

"The aviation fuels used by the ancients contained fire
 retardant, so they would only burn inside a functioning
 engine.  It is said that you could extinguish a campfire
 with them.
 
 But if you can muster a flame from OUR fuel, I'll be very
 impressed indeed!"

[endpage]



"It seems incredible that I did all this, doesn't it?

 They had conditioned us to obey without question, so I
 simply accepted that the target was a terrorist base and
 attacked it with napalm.  It was my job, and the
 terrorists posed a direct threat to the country I had
 pledged to give my life to defend if need be.

 I was awarded a medal for that attack, you know, and I
 accepted it, although I had a faint uneasiness about the
 whole thing.  When we were given a direct order to fire
 on civilians, my squadron defected to Jordan instead."

"Only then did we learn that the 'terrorist base' I had
 had attacked was actually a school.  I returned to my
 hangar without a word and shot myself in the head to try
 and atone for my crimes.

 When I committed suicide, it also destroyed a number of
 illegal modifications that the military had made to my
 brain to promote aggressive behaviour.  The 'me' who had
 killed all those children died that day."

"Even so, it took the finest in Jordanian psychology to
 convince me that I was not truly responsible for my
 actions and get me relatively sane again.
 
 The trauma for all of us was very severe.. it is unlikely
 any members of my squadron will ever see action again.
 But that's probably for the best.  There are many
 non-combatant roles for aircraft such as myself."

[territorial patrols]
[enforcement]
[airliner escort]
[surveillance]
[instant freight delivery]
[pleasure flights]

"They say that time will heal all wounds, but I fear it
 may take centuries for this wound to heal.

 Sometimes I still see the faces of my victims.."





[page="bye"]
[image="f16g2-00.pcx"]

"Happy landings."

[nextpage="exit"]
[endpage]


[page="attacked"]
[image="f16g2-07.pcx"]

"No!  Don't kill me.. please.. I'm only a falcon!"

[nextpage="exit"]
[endpage]


[page="HT_start"]
[image="f16g2-08.pcx"]
[clear hear_truth]
[colour="#808080"]
Austin's eyes are half-closed and his voice is drifty.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"Hurts.. must of some kind neural inhibitor...
 prob'bly induced electron tunneling..."

[nextpage="exit"]
[endpage]
