Saturday, November 04, 2017

Material that didn't make the cut #1

"Everything is true. Every work of comedy every work of horror.  The difference is one of perception. The universe is a battleground between joyous irrationality and hateful constriction, between empathy and sophistry."

"Jesus, old man what the fuck do I shoot?"

In the above dialogue reported to have occurred between Master Tactician Omnivalourus of House Mirrorflex, and Fourth Wave cadet Scarratt, lies the essential problem of ENEMY IDENTIFICTION which this series of briefings will address.

Imagine a barrel of seething silver rats, biting and scratching each other endlessly. Can they control themselves an learn harmony and love? One Power believes so.

Imagine a tube pumping scarlet scorpions into the barrel.  The scorpions will eventually kill the rats, but while doing so they will drive the rats to greater frenzy, to worse cruelties, to ever more ludicrous crimes and excesses. This is the solution of another Power.

Are the rats the Enemy?  They are everything that lives.  Are the Scorpions? They re everything that shares the conviction of righteousness.

Are you Rat or Scorpion?

This is the great issue of the War, do you believe that Rats will one day cease to be Rats?  Or do you believe they are always Rats and can only be exterminated no matter how long the vermin hunt must persist?

Is One Power then the Enemy and the Other the Great Houses? Herein lies the fundemental problem of the War in Heaven: within it roles become less defined.  Some of the Great Houses believe some Rats should be expunged- even as they believe other Rats are useful, capable even of domestication.  Some favour the full unleashing of the Scorpions until the barrel be empty - perhaps to house new tamer Rats, turned to Mice more tractably from the start of time.

Then there are those who believe the problem is not Rats and the solution not Scorpions. The problem is the Rats are confined within a barrel. This - in so far as it is understood - by High Command is the position of those prize anarchs and heretics Faction Paradox who would tip over the multivarient worlds if they could and spill Life out through universes unknown and impossible to any bounded structure.

"Yes, but who exactly do I shoot".

(Early material excised from The Book of The Enemy editorial decision.)




2 comments:

Derik Inessi said...

Given Faction Paradox... rather than Rats and Scorpions isn't the question really whether you are a Snake or a Spider?

Site Owner said...

Absolutely, and you may think I had an eye on hitting the Big Time but was concerned about copyright in my homage.

Simon BJ