From 9344116b74f8561e9db9787d62abc6583c7c3211 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Z. Cliffe Schreuders" Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2025 13:44:29 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] fix: Fix haxolottle_hub.ink compilation errors and add stub knots - Replace placeholder variables {twelve} and {moderate} with actual values - Fix mission_phase() EXTERNAL function call syntax - Add stub knots for missing diverts (deep_intel_analysis, crisis_triage, etc.) - Fix netherton action lines with glue operator to prevent choice parsing --- scenarios/ink/netherton_hub.json | 1 + story_design/ink/haxolottle_hub.ink | 42 ++++++++- .../ink/netherton_ongoing_conversations.ink | 86 +++++++++---------- 3 files changed, 82 insertions(+), 47 deletions(-) create mode 100644 scenarios/ink/netherton_hub.json diff --git a/scenarios/ink/netherton_hub.json b/scenarios/ink/netherton_hub.json new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6650a81 --- /dev/null +++ b/scenarios/ink/netherton_hub.json @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +{"inkVersion":21,"root":[["\n",["done",{"#n":"g-0"}],null],"done",{"netherton_conversation_entry":[["ev",{"x()":"npc_location"},"str","^office","/str","==","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent ","ev",{"x()":"player_name"},"out","/ev","^. *gestures to chair* What do you need?","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.5"},null]}],["ev",{"x()":"npc_location"},"str","^briefing_room","/str","==","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent. *stands at tactical display* We have matters to discuss.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.5"},null]}],["ev",{"x()":"npc_location"},"str","^field","/str","==","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: *over secure comms* Agent. 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I have a moment for personal discussion.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.5"},null]}],[{"->":".^.b"},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: An unusual question. But acceptable. What do you wish to discuss?","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.5"},null]}],"nop","\n",{"->":"jump_to_personal_conversations"},null],"c-1":["\n","^Netherton: Very well. Let me bring you up to speed on Ghost Protocol.","\n",{"->":"mission_ghost_briefing"},null],"c-2":["\n","^Netherton: *reviews your position on tactical display* What do you need?","\n",{"->":"mission_ghost_tactical_support"},null],"c-3":["\n","^Netherton: Submit your report, Agent.","\n",{"->":"mission_ghost_debrief"},null],"c-4":["\n","^Netherton: The Data Sanctuary. A delicate situation. 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ENTROPY has embedded themselves in the power grid control systems for three states.","\n","^Netherton: Your objective: Infiltrate their command node, identify the attack vector, and disable their access without alerting them to SAFETYNET's awareness.","\n","^Netherton: Dr. Chen has prepared specialized equipment. Haxolottle will provide handler support during infiltration.","\n","^Netherton: Questions?","\n","ev","str","^Ask about the strategic importance","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":4},"ev","str","^Ask about tactical considerations","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":4},"ev","str","^Ask about extraction plan","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":4},"ev","str","^I'm ready to proceed","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-3","flg":4},{"c-0":["\n","^Netherton: If ENTROPY activates this backdoor, they can cause cascading power failures across the region. Hospitals. Emergency services. Data centers. Millions affected.","\n","^Netherton: We cannot allow that capability to remain in hostile hands.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^"},null],"c-1":["\n","^Netherton: The facility has physical security and digital monitoring. You'll need to bypass both simultaneously.","\n","^Netherton: Haxolottle has mapped their patrol patterns. Dr. Chen's camouflage system should mask your digital presence. But you'll need sound fieldcraft.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^"},null],"c-2":["\n","^Netherton: Standard extraction protocols apply. Complete the objective, egress quietly. If compromised, Protocol 7 authorizes forced extraction.","\n","^Netherton: I'd prefer you complete this quietly. Burned operations create complications.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^"},null],"c-3":["\n","^Netherton: Excellent. *hands you mission packet* Review the details. Brief with Dr. Chen for equipment. Haxolottle will coordinate deployment.","\n","^Netherton: Agent ","ev",{"x()":"player_name"},"out","/ev","^—*direct look*—execute this cleanly. We're counting on you.","\n","#","^mission_briefing_complete","/#",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null]}],null],"mission_ghost_tactical_support":[["^Netherton: *monitoring your position* I'm tracking your progress. What do you need?","\n","ev","str","^Request permission to deviate from plan","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":4},"ev","str","^Request emergency extraction","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":4},"ev","str","^Just checking in","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":4},{"c-0":["\n","^Netherton: Explain the deviation and justification.","\n","^Netherton: ... Acceptable. Use your judgment. I trust your field assessment.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null],"c-1":["\n","^Netherton: *immediately alert* Situation?","\n","^Netherton: Extraction authorized. Get to waypoint Charlie. Haxolottle is coordinating pickup.","\n","#","^emergency_extraction_authorized","/#",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null],"c-2":["\n","^Netherton: Acknowledged. You're performing well. Maintain operational tempo.","\n",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null]}],null],"mission_ghost_debrief":["^Netherton: Your mission report indicates success. The backdoor has been neutralized. ENTROPY remains unaware of our intervention.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},70,">=","/ev",[{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Excellent work, Agent. Your execution was textbook. This is exactly the kind of operational performance SAFETYNET requires.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},10,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":".^.^.^.9"},null]}],[{"->":".^.b"},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Adequate performance. Mission objectives achieved. Some aspects could be refined.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":".^.^.^.9"},null]}],"nop","\n","^Netherton: Dr. Chen is analyzing the technical data you extracted. It may provide intelligence on other ENTROPY operations.","\n","^Netherton: Take forty-eight hours downtime. Then report for next assignment.","\n","#","^mission_complete","/#",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null],"mission_sanctuary_discussion":[["^Netherton: The Data Sanctuary operation. We're protecting a secure storage facility that houses classified intelligence from multiple allied agencies.","\n","^Netherton: ENTROPY has been probing the facility's defenses. They want what's inside.","\n","^Netherton: Your role will be defensive support. Not glamorous, but critical.","\n","ev","str","^Understood. What's my specific assignment?","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":4},"ev","str","^Ask why ENTROPY wants this data","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":4},"ev","str","^This mission sounds important","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":4},{"c-0":["\n","^Netherton: Details forthcoming. I wanted to brief you on strategic context first.","\n",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null],"c-1":["\n","^Netherton: The sanctuary contains operation records, agent identities, tactical intelligence. A treasure trove for our adversaries.","\n","^Netherton: If compromised, dozens of ongoing operations burn. Agents in the field become exposed. The damage would be severe.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^"},null],"c-2":["\n","^Netherton: Every mission is important, Agent. But yes—this one has particularly high stakes.","\n",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null]}],null],"operational_advice_discussion":[["^Netherton: You want operational advice. *considers* On what specific matter?","\n","ev","str","^How to handle ambiguous situations in the field","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":4},"ev","str","^How to improve mission planning","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":4},"ev","str","^How to advance in SAFETYNET","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":4},{"c-0":["\n","^Netherton: Ambiguity is constant in our work. The handbook provides framework, but you must exercise judgment.","\n","^Netherton: When faced with ambiguous situation: Assess risk. Identify options. Select least-worst approach. Execute decisively.","\n","^Netherton: Hesitation kills. Make the call and commit.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null],"c-1":["\n","^Netherton: Read after-action reports from successful operations. Study what worked. Identify patterns.","\n","^Netherton: Anticipate failure modes. For each plan, ask: What could go wrong? How would I adapt?","\n","^Netherton: The axolotl principle—Haxolottle's term. Plan for regeneration when the original approach fails.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null],"c-2":["\n","^Netherton: Consistent excellence. That's the path.","\n","^Netherton: Demonstrate competence. Show sound judgment. Develop specialized capabilities. Volunteer for challenging assignments.","\n","^Netherton: Most importantly: Maintain integrity. Technical skills can be trained. Character cannot.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},8,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null]}],null],"safetynet_status_update":[["^Netherton: *brings up classified display*","\n","^Netherton: Current threat level: Elevated. ENTROPY has increased activity across three operational theaters.","\n","^Netherton: CYBER-PHYSICAL division is running ","ev",{"VAR?":"total_missions_completed"},15,"+","out","/ev","^ active operations. Your work is part of that larger campaign.","\n","^Netherton: We're making progress. But ENTROPY adapts. The fight continues.","\n","ev","str","^Ask about specific threats","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":4},"ev","str","^Ask how the division is performing","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":4},"ev","str","^Thank them for the update","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":4},{"c-0":["\n","^Netherton: Classified beyond your current access level. Your focus should remain on assigned missions.","\n",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null],"c-1":["\n","^Netherton: We meet operational objectives consistently. Success rate is ","ev",85,{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},10,"/","+","out","/ev","^ percent over the past quarter.","\n","^Netherton: Acceptable, but there's room for improvement. Every failed operation represents unmitigated risk.","\n",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null],"c-2":["\n","^Netherton: *nods* Maintaining situational awareness is important. Don't become narrowly focused on individual missions.","\n","^Netherton: Understand the larger context. Your work contributes to strategic objectives.","\n",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null]}],null],"training_discussion":[["^Netherton: Training opportunities. What areas interest you?","\n","ev","str","^Advanced infiltration techniques","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":4},"ev","str","^Leadership development","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":4},"ev","str","^Technical specialization","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":4},{"c-0":["\n","^Netherton: We run quarterly advanced tradecraft seminars. I'll add you to the roster. Expect rigorous training. High washout rate.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null],"c-1":["\n","^Netherton: *slight approval* Thinking about command responsibilities. Good.","\n","^Netherton: There's a leadership program for senior agents. Application process is competitive. I can recommend you if your performance continues.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},10,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null],"c-2":["\n","^Netherton: Dr. Chen runs technical workshops. I'll arrange access. They'll be pleased to have an agent interested in deep technical capability.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"netherton_main_hub"},null]}],null],"start":[["ev",{"VAR?":"total_missions_completed"},5,"<=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n",{"->":"phase_1_hub"},{"->":"start.4"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"total_missions_completed"},10,"<=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n",{"->":"phase_2_hub"},{"->":"start.4"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"total_missions_completed"},15,"<=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n",{"->":"phase_3_hub"},{"->":"start.4"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"total_missions_completed"},15,">","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n",{"->":"phase_4_hub"},{"->":"start.4"},null]}],"nop","\n",null],"phase_1_hub":[[["ev",{"VAR?":"total_missions_completed"},1,"==","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent ","ev",{"x()":"player_name"},"out","/ev","^. I have a few minutes available. Is there something you wish to discuss?","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},60,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent. Your performance has been noted. What can I address for you today?","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],[{"->":".^.b"},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent ","ev",{"x()":"player_name"},"out","/ev","^. You have questions?","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],"nop","\n","ev","str","^Ask about the Field Operations Handbook","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_handbook"},"!","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":5},"ev","str","^Ask about leadership principles","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_leadership"},"!","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":5},"ev","str","^Ask about SAFETYNET's history","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_safetynet_history"},"!","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":5},"ev","str","^Ask what he expects from agents","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_expectations"},"!",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},55,">=","&&","/ev",{"*":".^.c-3","flg":5},"ev","str","^That will be all, Director","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-4","flg":4},{"c-0":["\n",{"->":"handbook_discussion"},null],"c-1":["\n",{"->":"leadership_discussion"},null],"c-2":["\n",{"->":"safetynet_history"},null],"c-3":["\n",{"->":"expectations_discussion"},null],"c-4":["\n",{"->":"conversation_end_phase1"},null]}],null],"handbook_discussion":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_handbook","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: The Field Operations Handbook. *adjusts glasses slightly*","\n","^Netherton: I co-wrote the original edition twenty years ago. I've personally overseen every revision since. Edition 7, Revision 23, 847 pages across 23 sections.","\n","^Netherton: Agents often mock the handbook. The contradictions, the excessive detail, the seemingly absurd specificity. But every regulation exists for a reason.","\n","ev","str","^Express genuine interest","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask about the contradictions","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Admit you find it confusing","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},10,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^You: I've been studying it seriously. There's real wisdom in there.","\n",{"->":"handbook_appreciation"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: Why are there so many contradictions in it?","\n",{"->":"handbook_contradictions"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: I'll be honest, Director—it's overwhelming.","\n",{"->":"handbook_honest_confusion"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"handbook_appreciation":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *brief pause, something that might be surprise*","\n","^Netherton: Few agents take the handbook seriously until they've been in the field long enough to understand why it exists.","\n","^Netherton: The fact that you're already engaging with it thoughtfully... that speaks well of your judgment.","\n","^Netherton: Section 14.7 is particularly relevant to your current assignment level. I recommend thorough review.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},10,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_1_hub"},null],"handbook_contradictions":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},8,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: An astute observation. The contradictions are not accidents.","\n","^Netherton: Field operations exist in legal and ethical gray areas. We operate under authorities that are classified, in situations that are unpredictable.","\n","^Netherton: The handbook provides guidance for contradictory circumstances. Agents must exercise judgment about which regulation applies to their specific situation.","\n","^Netherton: It's not a rulebook. It's a framework for decision-making under impossible conditions.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},8,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_1_hub"},null],"handbook_honest_confusion":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: Understandable. The handbook is not designed for easy consumption.","\n","^Netherton: Focus on sections 8 through 12 for field operations. Sections 14 through 18 for technical protocols. The appendices can be referenced as needed.","\n","^Netherton: Your handler will guide you on relevant sections for specific situations. No one memorizes the entire handbook.","\n","<>","^ *slight pause*","\n","^Netherton: Though I've come close. Not by choice.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_1_hub"},null],"leadership_discussion":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_leadership","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},8,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: Leadership principles. *straightens papers on desk*","\n","^Netherton: I've held command positions for over two decades. Military intelligence, civilian agencies, and now SAFETYNET.","\n","^Netherton: The core principle remains constant: leadership is responsibility. You are accountable for every person under your command and every outcome of their actions.","\n","ev","str","^Ask how he handles that weight","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask about his leadership style","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Thank him for the insight","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},12,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^You: How do you handle that weight? That responsibility?","\n",{"->":"leadership_weight"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: How would you describe your leadership style?","\n",{"->":"leadership_style"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","^You: That's a valuable perspective. Thank you, Director.","\n",{"->":"phase_1_hub"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"leadership_weight":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *considers the question carefully*","\n","^Netherton: You don't \"handle\" it. You carry it. Every decision, every mission, every agent deployed—the weight accumulates.","\n","^Netherton: I've sent agents into situations where they were hurt. I've made calls that cost missions. I've lost... *brief pause* ...I've had agents not return.","\n","^Netherton: The weight never lessens. You simply become stronger at carrying it. Or you break. Those are the options in command.","\n","<>","^ *looks directly at you*","\n","^Netherton: That you're asking this question suggests you may be suited for leadership yourself. Eventually.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},20,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_1_hub"},null],"leadership_style":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},8,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: Structured. Disciplined. By the handbook—because the handbook represents accumulated wisdom from thousands of operations.","\n","^Netherton: Some call me rigid. Perhaps. But structure keeps agents alive. Discipline prevents mistakes. Standards maintain operational integrity.","\n","^Netherton: I demand excellence because the work demands it. Lives depend on our precision. I will not lower standards to make agents more comfortable.","\n","<>","^ *slight softening*","\n","^Netherton: But I do not demand perfection. I demand learning. Mistakes are acceptable if they result in growth. Repeated mistakes indicate insufficient attention.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},8,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_1_hub"},null],"safetynet_history":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_safetynet_history","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: SAFETYNET's history. This is not widely documented for security reasons.","\n","^Netherton: The organization was founded in the late 1990s during the early internet boom. The founders recognized that cyber threats would become existential before governments were prepared.","\n","^Netherton: I joined during the formative years. Helped write operational protocols. Built the training program. Developed the handbook from field experience and hard lessons.","\n","^Netherton: We've evolved from a small group of specialists to a global operation. But the mission remains: protect critical infrastructure from those who would weaponize technology.","\n","ev","str","^Ask about the early days","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask about ENTROPY's emergence","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Express appreciation for the context","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},10,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: What were the early days like?","\n",{"->":"history_early_days"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},8,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: When did ENTROPY become a major threat?","\n",{"->":"history_entropy_emergence"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","^You: That helps me understand our purpose better. Thank you.","\n",{"->":"phase_1_hub"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"history_early_days":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},12,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: Chaotic. Improvised. We were writing the procedures as we executed operations.","\n","^Netherton: Small teams, minimal oversight, operating in legal territory that didn't yet exist. The handbook's first edition was 47 pages. Now it's 847.","\n","^Netherton: Every page added represents a lesson learned. Often painfully.","\n","<>","^ *rare hint of warmth*","\n","^Netherton: But we were building something important. Creating capabilities that would become essential. That purpose drove us through the chaos.","\n","^Netherton: We still carry that founding mission. Even though the organization has grown, even though operations are more structured—the core purpose remains.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_1_hub"},null],"history_entropy_emergence":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},10,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: ENTROPY as an organized network appeared approximately five years ago. Though precursor activities date back further.","\n","^Netherton: Initially we tracked disparate threat actors. Then patterns emerged. Coordination. Shared resources. Unified philosophical framework.","\n","^Netherton: By the time we recognized it as a network, ENTROPY had already infiltrated numerous systems and organizations. We've been fighting catch-up since.","\n","^Netherton: They adapt quickly. They learn from our countermeasures. They recruit effectively. They're the most sophisticated adversary SAFETYNET has faced.","\n","^Netherton: Which is why we require agents of your caliber.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},12,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_1_hub"},null],"expectations_discussion":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_expectations","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},10,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: What I expect from agents. *interlaces fingers, formal posture*","\n","^Netherton: First: Competence. Master your technical skills. Maintain physical readiness. Develop field craft. Excellence is not optional.","\n","^Netherton: Second: Judgment. I can teach techniques. I cannot teach wisdom. You must develop the capacity to make sound decisions under pressure.","\n","^Netherton: Third: Integrity. The power we wield is enormous. The oversight is minimal. Your personal ethics are the only reliable safeguard against abuse.","\n","^Netherton: Fourth: Growth. Learn from every operation. Improve continuously. Stagnation is failure.","\n","ev","str","^Promise to meet those standards","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask if you're currently meeting expectations","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Acknowledge the high bar","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^You: I will meet those standards, Director. You have my commitment.","\n",{"->":"expectations_commitment"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},8,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: Am I currently meeting your expectations?","\n",{"->":"expectations_current_assessment"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: Those are high standards. I'll work toward them.","\n",{"->":"phase_1_hub"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"expectations_commitment":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},20,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *direct eye contact*","\n","^Netherton: Commitment is noted. Performance will determine whether that commitment is genuine.","\n","<>","^ *slight pause*","\n","^Netherton: Based on your record thus far, I believe you have the capacity to meet these standards. Whether you will is your choice.","\n","^Netherton: I expect to see continued progress. Maintain this trajectory.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_1_hub"},null],"expectations_current_assessment":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},12,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},70,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: You are exceeding expectations for your experience level. Continue this performance.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.9"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},55,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: You are meeting standards. There is room for improvement, but your trajectory is positive.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.9"},null]}],[{"->":".^.b"},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: You are adequate. Adequate is insufficient for SAFETYNET's needs. Improvement is required.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.9"},null]}],"nop","\n","^Netherton: Specific areas for development will be addressed in formal performance reviews. But overall... *brief pause* ...you show promise.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},12,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_1_hub"},null],"phase_2_hub":[[["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},70,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent ","ev",{"x()":"player_name"},"out","/ev","^. Your continued excellent performance has been noted. What do you wish to discuss?","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},60,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent. I have time for a brief discussion.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],[{"->":".^.b"},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent ","ev",{"x()":"player_name"},"out","/ev","^. What requires attention?","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],"nop","\n","ev","str","^Ask about making difficult command decisions","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_difficult_decisions"},"!","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":5},"ev","str","^Ask about agent development","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_agent_development"},"!","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":5},"ev","str","^Ask about SAFETYNET politics","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_bureau_politics"},"!",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},65,">=","&&","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":5},"ev","str","^Ask if he misses field work","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_field_vs_command"},"!",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},60,">=","&&","/ev",{"*":".^.c-3","flg":5},"ev","str","^That will be all, Director","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-4","flg":4},{"c-0":["\n",{"->":"difficult_decisions"},null],"c-1":["\n",{"->":"agent_development"},null],"c-2":["\n",{"->":"bureau_politics"},null],"c-3":["\n",{"->":"field_vs_command"},null],"c-4":["\n",{"->":"conversation_end_phase2"},null]}],null],"difficult_decisions":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_difficult_decisions","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: Difficult command decisions. *removes glasses, cleans them methodically*","\n","^Netherton: Every operation presents choices where all options have negative consequences. You select the least worst option and accept the cost.","\n","^Netherton: The Berlin Crisis. Two years ago. Agent captured, ENTROPY preparing exposure. Every extraction option carried unacceptable risks.","\n","<>","^ *rare vulnerability*","\n","^Netherton: I authorized an extraction that cost us intelligence assets, burned operations across Europe, and required protocol violations I cannot discuss.","\n","^Netherton: But I brought our agent home alive. The mission failed. The agent lived. I chose the agent.","\n","ev","str","^Say you would have done the same","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask how he lives with such decisions","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Thank him for the honesty","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},20,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^You: I would have made the same choice, Director.","\n",{"->":"difficult_agree"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},18,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^You: How do you live with decisions like that?","\n",{"->":"difficult_living_with"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},10,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: Thank you for sharing that. It helps to know the weight you carry.","\n",{"->":"phase_2_hub"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"difficult_agree":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *looks at you with something approaching approval*","\n","^Netherton: Many agents claim they would prioritize personnel over missions. Few actually do when the stakes are real.","\n","^Netherton: That you understand the value of that choice... that suggests you have the right priorities for command.","\n","<>","^ *formal again*","\n","^Netherton: Remember that conviction when you face similar decisions. Because you will. Leadership guarantees it.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},20,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_2_hub"},null],"difficult_living_with":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: You don't. Not comfortably.","\n","^Netherton: You review the decision. Analyze alternatives. Identify what you could have done differently. File the lessons learned.","\n","^Netherton: Then you accept that you made the best call available with the information you had. And you carry the weight of the consequences.","\n","<>","^ *quiet*","\n","^Netherton: The agent I extracted wrote me a letter. Thanked me for the choice. Said they understood the cost and were grateful I paid it.","\n","^Netherton: I keep that letter in my desk. Read it when I doubt whether the choice was correct.","\n","^Netherton: That's how you live with difficult decisions. You remember why you made them.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},30,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_shared_vulnerability","re":true},{"->":"phase_2_hub"},null],"agent_development":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_agent_development","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},12,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: Agent development is central to SAFETYNET's effectiveness. You are all high-capability individuals. My role is to refine that capability into excellence.","\n","^Netherton: I review every agent's performance quarterly. Identify strengths to leverage. Weaknesses to address. Growth trajectories to accelerate.","\n","^Netherton: Your development has been... *consults memory* ...notably consistent. Steady improvement across technical and operational metrics.","\n","ev","str","^Ask for specific feedback","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask about his training philosophy","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Express appreciation","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},18,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^You: What specific areas should I focus on improving?","\n",{"->":"development_specific_feedback"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},10,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: What's your philosophy on training agents?","\n",{"->":"development_philosophy"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: I appreciate you investing in our development.","\n",{"->":"phase_2_hub"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"development_specific_feedback":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},22,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},75,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Your technical skills are excellent. Your judgment under pressure has improved significantly. Field craft is developing appropriately.","\n","^Netherton: Focus on strategic thinking. You excel at tactical execution. Now develop the capacity to see three moves ahead. Anticipate consequences beyond immediate objectives.","\n","^Netherton: Leadership potential is evident. Begin considering command responsibilities. How you would manage teams. How you would make resource allocation decisions.","\n","<>","^ *rare warmth*","\n","^Netherton: You're on track to become one of SAFETYNET's premier agents. Maintain this trajectory.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev",{"->":".^.^.^.9"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},60,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Technical competence is solid. Decision-making is sound. Operational performance meets standards.","\n","^Netherton: Develop deeper strategic awareness. Understand the broader context of operations. How your missions connect to organizational objectives.","\n","^Netherton: Increase your initiative. Don't wait for instructions when the correct action is clear. Trust your judgment more.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev",{"->":".^.^.^.9"},null]}],[{"->":".^.b"},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: You meet minimum standards. That is insufficient for advancement.","\n","^Netherton: Improve technical precision. Develop better situational awareness. Demonstrate more consistent judgment.","\n","^Netherton: Review handbook sections 8 through 12. Study after-action reports from successful operations. Learn from excellence.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},8,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":".^.^.^.9"},null]}],"nop","\n",{"->":"phase_2_hub"},null],"development_philosophy":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: Train for the worst case. When operations go smoothly, any agent can succeed. Excellence is demonstrated when everything goes wrong.","\n","^Netherton: I design training scenarios that are unreasonably difficult. Multi-variable problems with no clean solutions. Time pressure. Incomplete information. Conflicting priorities.","\n","^Netherton: Because that describes actual field conditions. If you can perform under training stress, you can perform under operational stress.","\n","<>","^ *slight pause*","\n","^Netherton: Some agents resent my methods. Call me harsh. But those agents are alive because the training prepared them for reality.","\n","^Netherton: Your survival is worth more than your comfort.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},18,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_2_hub"},null],"bureau_politics":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_bureau_politics","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},12,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *visible distaste*","\n","^Netherton: SAFETYNET politics. Inter-divisional competition. Budget battles. Turf wars over jurisdiction and authority.","\n","^Netherton: I despise organizational politics. But ignoring politics is professional suicide. So I engage. Minimally. Strategically.","\n","^Netherton: The CYBER-PHYSICAL division competes with INTELLIGENCE, ANALYSIS, and SPECIAL OPERATIONS for resources. We succeed because we deliver results.","\n","ev","str","^Ask about inter-division conflicts","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask how to navigate politics as an agent","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Express sympathy for the burden","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: Are there serious conflicts between divisions?","\n",{"->":"politics_conflicts"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},18,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^You: How should agents like me navigate organizational politics?","\n",{"->":"politics_agent_navigation"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},10,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^You: That must be exhausting on top of operational responsibilities.","\n",{"->":"politics_burden"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"politics_conflicts":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},18,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: Conflicts are constant. INTELLIGENCE believes their analysis should drive operations. SPECIAL OPS believes their combat capabilities are underutilized. ANALYSIS believes everyone ignores their risk assessments.","\n","^Netherton: CYBER-PHYSICAL maintains that technical operations require specialized capabilities they don't possess. We're correct. They resent it.","\n","^Netherton: Two months ago, SPECIAL OPS attempted to take over a cyber infiltration operation. Claimed their tactical training made them better suited. The operation required zero tactical capabilities.","\n","^Netherton: I shut it down. Made enemies. The operation succeeded. Results matter more than relationships.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_2_hub"},null],"politics_agent_navigation":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *approving look*","\n","^Netherton: Intelligent question. Most agents don't think about organizational dynamics until it damages their careers.","\n","^Netherton: First: Focus on operational excellence. Political capital derives from competence. Be undeniably good at your work.","\n","^Netherton: Second: Build relationships across divisions. Respect other specialties. Collaborate when possible. But don't compromise CYBER-PHYSICAL's mission for popularity.","\n","^Netherton: Third: Document everything. Politics involves selective memory and blame shifting. Documentation is protection.","\n","^Netherton: Fourth: Understand that I handle divisional politics. Your role is executing missions. If political issues affect your operations, inform me immediately.","\n","<>","^ *rare personal advice*","\n","^Netherton: You show leadership potential. As you advance, politics becomes unavoidable. Learn the skills now. But never let politics compromise operational integrity.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},30,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_2_hub"},null],"politics_burden":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},18,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *brief surprise at the empathy*","\n","^Netherton: It is... exhausting. Yes.","\n","^Netherton: I became a director to build an excellent division. To develop agents. To counter ENTROPY effectively. That's meaningful work.","\n","^Netherton: Instead, I spend hours in budget meetings. Defending resource allocations. Justifying operational decisions to people who've never been in the field.","\n","<>","^ *quiet frustration*","\n","^Netherton: But if I don't fight those battles, my division loses resources. Which means fewer agents. Worse equipment. Failed missions.","\n","^Netherton: So I attend the meetings. I play the political games. I do what's necessary.","\n","<>","^ *looks at you directly*","\n","^Netherton: Thank you for recognizing the burden. Few do.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_2_hub"},null],"field_vs_command":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_field_vs_command","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *long pause, considering the question*","\n","^Netherton: I spent fifteen years in the field. Intelligence operations. Technical infiltration. Asset recruitment. I was... effective.","\n","^Netherton: Transitioned to command because SAFETYNET needed leadership. Because I could build systems better than I could execute missions.","\n","^Netherton: Do I miss field work? *removes glasses, sets them aside*","\n","ev","str","^Wait for him to continue","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Say you'd miss it in his position","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask what he misses most","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},20,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^You: *remain silent, giving him space*","\n",{"->":"field_nostalgia"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: I imagine I would miss it. The directness of field work.","\n",{"->":"field_understanding"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},18,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^You: What do you miss most about field operations?","\n",{"->":"field_what_he_misses"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"field_nostalgia":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *appreciates the silence*","\n","^Netherton: Yes. I miss it. The clarity of field operations. Clear objectives. Direct action. Immediate feedback on decisions.","\n","^Netherton: Command is ambiguous. Decisions have cascading consequences months later. Success is measured in systems and statistics rather than completed missions.","\n","^Netherton: I miss the simplicity of being responsible only for my own performance. Not carrying the weight of everyone under my command.","\n","<>","^ *rare vulnerability*","\n","^Netherton: But I'm better suited to command. I can build systems that enable dozens of agents to be more effective than I ever was alone.","\n","^Netherton: So I carry the weight. Because it's where I can do the most good.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},30,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_shared_vulnerability","re":true},{"->":"phase_2_hub"},null],"field_understanding":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},22,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: Precisely. The directness. The unambiguous nature of field success or failure.","\n","^Netherton: In the field, you know immediately whether you've succeeded. The system responds or it doesn't. The mission completes or it fails.","\n","^Netherton: Command success is measured over years. Did I develop the right agents? Build the right systems? Make strategic choices that will prove correct long after I've retired?","\n","^Netherton: The uncertainty is... challenging.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},20,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_2_hub"},null],"field_what_he_misses":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *considers carefully*","\n","^Netherton: The focus. In the field, the mission is everything. All your attention, all your capability, directed at a single objective.","\n","^Netherton: Command requires divided attention. Operations, politics, personnel, logistics, strategy—everything simultaneously.","\n","^Netherton: I miss the purity of field work. One problem. Apply all your skills. Solve it. Move to the next.","\n","<>","^ *quiet*","\n","^Netherton: And I miss the camaraderie. Field teams develop deep trust. Command is isolated. Leadership requires distance.","\n","^Netherton: I have subordinates. Colleagues. Not... friends. Not anymore.","\n","<>","^ *formal again*","\n","^Netherton: But that's the price of command. Acceptable trade for the impact I can have at this level.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},35,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_shared_vulnerability","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_2_hub"},null],"phase_3_hub":[[["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},80,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent ","ev",{"x()":"player_name"},"out","/ev","^. *almost warmth* Your continued excellence is appreciated. What's on your mind?","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},70,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent. I have time for a substantive discussion.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],[{"->":".^.b"},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent ","ev",{"x()":"player_name"},"out","/ev","^. What do you need?","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],"nop","\n","ev","str","^Ask about the weight of command","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_weight_of_command"},"!",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},75,">=","&&","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":5},"ev","str","^Ask how he handles losing agents","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_agent_losses"},"!",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},70,">=","&&","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":5},"ev","str","^Ask about ethical boundaries","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_ethical_boundaries"},"!",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},70,">=","&&","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":5},"ev","str","^Ask about the personal cost of the work","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_personal_cost"},"!",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},75,">=","&&","/ev",{"*":".^.c-3","flg":5},"ev","str","^That will be all, Director","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-4","flg":4},{"c-0":["\n",{"->":"weight_of_command"},null],"c-1":["\n",{"->":"agent_losses"},null],"c-2":["\n",{"->":"ethical_boundaries"},null],"c-3":["\n",{"->":"personal_cost"},null],"c-4":["\n",{"->":"conversation_end_phase3"},null]}],null],"weight_of_command":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_weight_of_command","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},20,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: The weight of command. *sets down whatever he was working on*","\n","^Netherton: I'm responsible for 47 active agents in CYBER-PHYSICAL division. Each one a high-capability individual. Each one in constant danger.","\n","^Netherton: Every mission I authorize might get someone killed. Every operational decision carries life-or-death consequences.","\n","^Netherton: I review casualty statistics. I write letters to families—classified letters that can't explain what their loved one was actually doing. I attend memorials for agents whose names can't be on the memorial.","\n","ev","str","^Ask how he carries that weight","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Say you're starting to understand","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Express respect for his strength","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^You: How do you carry that weight without breaking?","\n",{"->":"weight_carrying_it"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},20,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^You: I'm starting to understand what command would mean. The responsibility.","\n",{"->":"weight_understanding"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},18,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: The fact that you carry it shows remarkable strength.","\n",{"->":"weight_respect"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"weight_carrying_it":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},30,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_shared_vulnerability","re":true},"^Netherton: *long pause*","\n","^Netherton: Some days I don't. Some days the weight is too much. I stay late in this office. Stare at mission reports. Question every decision.","\n","^Netherton: I keep a file. Every agent lost under my command. Their final mission reports. Their personnel files. Sometimes I read through it. Remind myself of the stakes.","\n","^Netherton: *removes glasses, rare sign of fatigue*","\n","^Netherton: Then I close the file. Review current operations. Make the next decision. Authorize the next mission.","\n","^Netherton: Because agents in the field depend on command making sound choices. My feelings are irrelevant compared to their safety.","\n","^Netherton: You carry it by remembering it's not about you. It's about the mission. About protecting the people under your command. About the larger purpose.","\n","<>","^ *puts glasses back on, formal again*","\n","^Netherton: And some days that's enough. Other days you just carry it anyway.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},40,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_3_hub"},null],"weight_understanding":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},28,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *approving look*","\n","^Netherton: The fact that you're contemplating command responsibility before pursuing it—that indicates proper respect for what leadership entails.","\n","^Netherton: Too many agents seek promotion for status. For authority. They don't understand they're volunteering for a burden.","\n","^Netherton: You understand. Which suggests you might be suited for it. Eventually.","\n","<>","^ *rare directness*","\n","^Netherton: When the time comes, if you choose command, I'll support your advancement. You have the judgment. The integrity. The capacity to carry the weight.","\n","^Netherton: But don't rush it. Develop your capabilities fully. Command will still be there when you're ready.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},35,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},4,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_3_hub"},null],"weight_respect":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *slight discomfort at the compliment*","\n","^Netherton: It's not strength. It's duty. The role requires it. So I do it.","\n","^Netherton: But... thank you. Leadership can be isolating. Acknowledgment is... appreciated.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},20,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_3_hub"},null],"agent_losses":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_agent_losses","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *very long pause, considering whether to discuss this*","\n","^Netherton: I've lost eleven agents in my time as division director. Eleven people under my command who didn't come home.","\n","^Netherton: Each one... *removes glasses* ...each one is permanent. Every name. Every mission. Every decision point where maybe I could have chosen differently.","\n","^Netherton: Agent Karim. Moscow operation. Intelligence failure led to ambush. She held position long enough for her team to extract. Died buying them time.","\n","^Netherton: Agent Torres. Infrastructure infiltration. Equipment malfunction. Fell during a climb. Instant.","\n","^Netherton: Agent Wu. Deep cover in ENTROPY cell. Cover was compromised. We never recovered the body.","\n","<>","^ *quiet*","\n","^Netherton: I remember all eleven names. All their final missions. All the choices I made that put them in those situations.","\n","ev","str","^Say they knew the risks","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask if he blames himself","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Remain silent, let him continue","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: They knew the risks when they took the assignment. They chose this.","\n",{"->":"losses_they_chose"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},30,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^You: Do you blame yourself?","\n",{"->":"losses_blame"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^You: *silent respect*","\n",{"->":"losses_silence"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"losses_they_chose":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},20,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: They did. You're correct. Every agent volunteers. Every agent understands the stakes.","\n","^Netherton: That truth doesn't diminish my responsibility. I authorized the missions. I accepted the risk on their behalf.","\n","^Netherton: Their choice to serve doesn't absolve my duty to bring them home. When I fail that duty...","\n","<>","^ *trails off*","\n","^Netherton: Yes. They chose this. But I chose to send them. Both things are true.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},18,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_3_hub"},null],"losses_blame":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},40,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_shared_vulnerability","re":true},"^Netherton: *removes glasses, sets them aside carefully*","\n","^Netherton: Yes. Every one.","\n","^Netherton: I review each loss exhaustively. Mission analysis. Decision trees. Alternative approaches. I identify every point where different choices might have changed outcomes.","\n","^Netherton: Sometimes the conclusion is that nothing could have prevented it. Operational hazards. Equipment failures beyond prediction. Enemy actions we couldn't have anticipated.","\n","^Netherton: That analysis is... not comforting. Even when the loss was unavoidable, the responsibility remains.","\n","<>","^ *long pause*","\n","^Netherton: Agent Karim's family received a letter saying she died in a training accident. Classified operations. They can't know she died a hero. Can't know the three agents she saved.","\n","^Netherton: I know. And I carry that. For all eleven.","\n","^Netherton: So yes. I blame myself. Whether or not the blame is rational. It's mine to carry.","\n","<>","^ *puts glasses back on*","\n","^Netherton: Thank you for asking directly. Few people do.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},50,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_earned_personal_trust","re":true},{"->":"phase_3_hub"},null],"losses_silence":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},35,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *appreciates the silence*","\n","^Netherton: The memorial wall in headquarters lists 127 names. SAFETYNET agents lost in the line of duty. Public version has cover identities. Real names are classified.","\n","^Netherton: Eleven of those names are agents I commanded. I visit that wall monthly. Stand there. Remember.","\n","^Netherton: Some directors avoid the wall. Too painful. Too much accumulated loss.","\n","^Netherton: I believe remembering is the minimum duty we owe them. They gave everything for the mission. We remember. We honor. We continue the work.","\n","<>","^ *direct look*","\n","^Netherton: And we try to ensure their sacrifice wasn't wasted. That SAFETYNET remains worth dying for.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},40,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_3_hub"},null],"ethical_boundaries":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_ethical_boundaries","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},22,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: Ethical boundaries in our work. *steeples fingers*","\n","^Netherton: We operate in legal and moral gray areas. Unauthorized system access. Information theft. Manipulation. Sometimes violence.","\n","^Netherton: The handbook provides guidelines. But ultimately, individual agents make split-second ethical choices in the field.","\n","^Netherton: I've made choices I regret. Authorized operations that were legally justified but morally questionable. Pursued outcomes that benefited the mission but harmed innocents.","\n","ev","str","^Ask where he draws the line","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask about moral compromise","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Say some things are worth the cost","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: Where do you draw the line? What's absolutely off limits?","\n",{"->":"ethics_the_line"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},22,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^You: How do you handle moral compromises the work requires?","\n",{"->":"ethics_compromise"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},15,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: Some things are worth the moral cost. Protecting infrastructure saves lives.","\n",{"->":"ethics_worth_it"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"ethics_the_line":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},30,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *considers very carefully*","\n","^Netherton: Torture. Absolutely prohibited. We do not torture. Even when the intelligence would save lives. Even when the target is ENTROPY leadership. No torture.","\n","^Netherton: Deliberate civilian casualties. We accept collateral damage when unavoidable. We never target civilians deliberately. Mission success never justifies civilian deaths.","\n","^Netherton: Illegal orders. I've refused orders from oversight I believed were unlawful or unethical. I've instructed agents to refuse illegal commands even from me.","\n","^Netherton: Personal gain. We serve the mission. Not ourselves. The moment we use operational authority for personal benefit, we become what we fight.","\n","<>","^ *firm*","\n","^Netherton: Those are my lines. I enforce them absolutely. Agents who cross those boundaries are removed. No exceptions. No second chances.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},35,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_3_hub"},null],"ethics_compromise":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},30,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *long pause*","\n","^Netherton: Poorly. I handle them poorly.","\n","^Netherton: I document the decision. File the justification. Ensure oversight reviews it. Follow the process designed to prevent abuse.","\n","^Netherton: Then I accept that I made a choice that harmed someone. That I prioritized mission success over individual welfare. That the math of protecting thousands justified hurting dozens.","\n","^Netherton: And I question whether that math is ever truly justified. Whether there was an alternative I failed to see. Whether I'm rationalizing harm.","\n","<>","^ *removes glasses*","\n","^Netherton: I don't have a clean answer. I make the choices. I live with the consequences. I try to minimize harm while completing necessary missions.","\n","^Netherton: Some days that feels like enough. Other days it feels like self-serving rationalization for moral compromise.","\n","<>","^ *puts glasses back on*","\n","^Netherton: The uncertainty is... probably healthy. The moment I become comfortable with moral compromise is the moment I should resign.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},40,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_shared_vulnerability","re":true},{"->":"phase_3_hub"},null],"ethics_worth_it":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},20,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *slight frown*","\n","^Netherton: Be careful with that logic. Every authoritarian system justifies its excesses with \"protecting the people.\"","\n","^Netherton: Yes, our work saves lives. Yes, infrastructure protection matters. Yes, ENTROPY represents a genuine threat.","\n","^Netherton: But the moment we decide any action is justified by good intentions—we've lost our moral foundation. We become the threat.","\n","^Netherton: Stay vigilant about your ethical boundaries. Question your choices. Accept that some costs are too high even when the mission demands it.","\n","^Netherton: The work is worth doing. That doesn't mean anything we do in service of it is justified.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},12,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_3_hub"},null],"personal_cost":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_personal_cost","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},28,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: The personal cost of this work. *looks out window*","\n","^Netherton: I've been with SAFETYNET for twenty-three years. Intelligence agencies before that. My entire adult life in classified operations.","\n","^Netherton: I have no family. Marriage failed within three years—couldn't talk about work, couldn't separate work stress from home life. No children. By choice. Couldn't raise children while carrying this responsibility.","\n","^Netherton: Few friends outside the agency. Civilian friendships are... difficult. Can't discuss what occupies most of my waking thoughts. Can't explain the stress. Can't share the experiences that define me.","\n","ev","str","^Express sympathy","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask if he regrets it","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask if it was worth it","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},18,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^You: That's a heavy price to pay.","\n",{"->":"cost_sympathy"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^You: Do you regret it? The sacrifices?","\n",{"->":"cost_regrets"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},20,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: Was it worth the cost?","\n",{"->":"cost_worth_it"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"cost_sympathy":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *slight acknowledgment*","\n","^Netherton: It is. But it was my choice. I understood the trade when I made it.","\n","^Netherton: Every agent faces similar choices. Career versus relationships. Mission versus personal life. The work demands priority.","\n","^Netherton: Some agents manage better balance. Families. Hobbies. Lives outside the agency. I respect that.","\n","^Netherton: I never achieved that balance. Perhaps never tried hard enough. The work always came first.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},22,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_3_hub"},null],"cost_regrets":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},35,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_shared_vulnerability","re":true},"^Netherton: *removes glasses, rare vulnerability*","\n","^Netherton: Some days. Yes.","\n","^Netherton: I wonder what life would have been like if I'd left after ten years. Taken civilian work. Built a normal life. Had a family.","\n","^Netherton: I see agents like you—talented, capable, whole career ahead—and I think about warning you. Telling you to get out before the work consumes everything else.","\n","<>","^ *quiet*","\n","^Netherton: But then I remember what we accomplish. Infrastructure protected. ENTROPY cells disrupted. Attacks prevented. Lives saved. The work matters.","\n","^Netherton: And I'm effective at it. Better than most. If I'd left, would my replacement have done it as well? Would agents under their command have been as well supported?","\n","^Netherton: So... regrets? Yes. But I'd likely make the same choices again. The work needed doing. I was capable. That felt like enough.","\n","<>","^ *puts glasses back on*","\n","^Netherton: Feels like enough. Most days.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},50,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_earned_personal_trust","re":true},{"->":"phase_3_hub"},null],"cost_worth_it":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},28,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *considers carefully*","\n","^Netherton: Ask me again in twenty years when I retire. Maybe then I'll know.","\n","^Netherton: Right now, in the middle of it, the answer has to be yes. Because if it's not worth it, then I've wasted my life and damaged myself for nothing.","\n","^Netherton: But objectively? *long pause*","\n","^Netherton: We've prevented significant attacks. Saved lives. Protected critical systems. That has measurable value.","\n","^Netherton: My personal happiness has... less clear value. The math suggests the trade was justified.","\n","<>","^ *slightly bitter*","\n","^Netherton: Though I sometimes suspect I only believe that because accepting the alternative would be unbearable.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},32,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_3_hub"},null],"phase_4_hub":[[["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},90,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: ","ev",{"x()":"player_name"},"out","/ev","^. *uses first name, extremely rare* We should talk.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},80,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent ","ev",{"x()":"player_name"},"out","/ev","^. I value your perspective. What's on your mind?","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],[{"->":".^.b"},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent. I have time.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],"nop","\n","ev","str","^Ask about his legacy","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_legacy"},"!",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},85,">=","&&","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":5},"ev","str","^Ask if he trusts you","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_trust"},"!",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},80,">=","&&","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":5},"ev","str","^Ask for his honest assessment of you","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_rare_praise"},"!",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},85,">=","&&","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":5},"ev","str","^Ask about life beyond protocols","/str",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_discussed_beyond_protocol"},"!",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},90,">=","&&","/ev",{"*":".^.c-3","flg":5},"ev","str","^That will be all, Director","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-4","flg":4},{"c-0":["\n",{"->":"legacy_discussion"},null],"c-1":["\n",{"->":"trust_discussion"},null],"c-2":["\n",{"->":"rare_praise"},null],"c-3":["\n",{"->":"beyond_protocol"},null],"c-4":["\n",{"->":"conversation_end_phase4"},null]}],null],"legacy_discussion":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_legacy","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},30,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: My legacy. *slight surprise at the question*","\n","^Netherton: I've built CYBER-PHYSICAL division from fourteen agents to forty-seven. Developed training programs copied by other divisions. Written operational protocols that became SAFETYNET standard.","\n","^Netherton: But operational systems aren't really legacy. They'll be revised. Replaced. Improved by whoever comes after me.","\n","^Netherton: The agents I've developed—that's legacy. People like you. Capable operators who'll serve for decades after I retire.","\n","ev","str","^Say he's had profound impact","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask what he wants his legacy to be","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask if legacy matters to him","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},35,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^You: You've had profound impact on everyone who's worked under your command. That's meaningful legacy.","\n",{"->":"legacy_impact"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},30,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^You: What do you want your legacy to be?","\n",{"->":"legacy_wanted"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: Does legacy matter to you?","\n",{"->":"legacy_matters"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"legacy_impact":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},45,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *rare visible emotion*","\n","^Netherton: I... thank you. That means more than you might realize.","\n","^Netherton: This work is isolating. Leadership creates distance. I often wonder if I'm making meaningful difference or just pushing papers and attending meetings.","\n","^Netherton: But agents I've developed have gone on to lead divisions. Run successful operations. Build their own teams. That ripple effect—training agents who train agents—","\n","<>","^ *quiet*","\n","^Netherton: If that's my legacy, I can accept it. The work continues beyond me. Better because of the foundation we built.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},50,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_earned_personal_trust","re":true},{"->":"phase_4_hub"},null],"legacy_wanted":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},40,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *long pause, genuinely considering*","\n","^Netherton: I want agents who served under me to remember that I demanded excellence but supported their development. That I was hard but fair. That I cared about their welfare even when I couldn't show it.","\n","^Netherton: I want SAFETYNET to remain an organization worth serving. Where ethical boundaries are maintained. Where agents are valued. Where the mission matters.","\n","^Netherton: And... *rare vulnerability* ...I want to have mattered. To have made choices that protected people. To have used my capabilities for something meaningful.","\n","<>","^ *formal again*","\n","^Netherton: Probably too much to hope for. But that's what I want.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},45,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_shared_vulnerability","re":true},{"->":"phase_4_hub"},null],"legacy_matters":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},35,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *considers*","\n","^Netherton: It shouldn't. Professional accomplishment should be its own reward. The work should matter more than how I'm remembered.","\n","^Netherton: But yes. It matters. I'm human enough to want my life's work to have meant something. To be remembered as having contributed.","\n","^Netherton: Perhaps that's vanity. But it's honest vanity.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},30,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_4_hub"},null],"trust_discussion":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_trust","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},35,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *direct look, evaluating*","\n","^Netherton: Do I trust you? Yes.","\n","^Netherton: I trust your technical capabilities. Your judgment under pressure. Your integrity. Your commitment to the mission.","\n","^Netherton: I trust you to execute operations I authorize. To make sound decisions in the field. To prioritize agent safety and mission success appropriately.","\n","<>","^ *pause*","\n","^Netherton: And... *rare admission* ...I trust you with information I don't share with most agents. You've earned that.","\n","ev","str","^Ask what earned that trust","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Say you trust him too","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Thank him for the trust","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},40,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},4,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^You: What earned that trust?","\n",{"->":"trust_what_earned"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},45,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^You: I trust you too, Director. Completely.","\n",{"->":"trust_mutual"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},30,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: That means a great deal. Thank you.","\n",{"->":"phase_4_hub"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"trust_what_earned":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},50,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},4,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: Consistent excellent performance. But more than that—consistent excellent judgment.","\n","^Netherton: You've faced morally complex situations. Made difficult choices. Shown you understand the ethical weight of our work.","\n","^Netherton: You ask meaningful questions. You challenge assumptions respectfully. You demonstrate you're thinking deeply about the work, not just following orders.","\n","^Netherton: You prioritize agent welfare. I've reviewed your mission reports. You take risks to protect team members. That shows proper values.","\n","<>","^ *rare warmth*","\n","^Netherton: And you've engaged with me as a person, not just as authority. Asked about the weight of command. The personal cost. Shown genuine interest in understanding leadership.","\n","^Netherton: That combination—competence, ethics, thoughtfulness, humanity—that earns trust.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},60,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_earned_personal_trust","re":true},{"->":"phase_4_hub"},null],"trust_mutual":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},55,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},4,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_earned_personal_trust","re":true},"^Netherton: *visible emotion, rare for him*","\n","^Netherton: That's... *pauses, composing himself*","\n","^Netherton: Trust flows downward easily in hierarchies. Authority demands it. But trust flowing upward—agents trusting command—that must be earned.","\n","^Netherton: The fact that you trust me completely, that you'd say so directly—","\n","<>","^ *quiet*","\n","^Netherton: Thank you. Genuinely. That means more than most commendations I've received.","\n","^Netherton: I will continue to earn that trust. To make decisions worthy of it. To command in ways that honor it.","\n","<>","^ *direct look*","\n","^Netherton: You're becoming the kind of agent I hoped to develop. The kind SAFETYNET needs. I'm... proud. Of your development.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},70,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_received_commendation","re":true},{"->":"phase_4_hub"},null],"rare_praise":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_rare_praise","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},40,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: My honest assessment. *sets aside work, gives full attention*","\n",["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},95,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: You are among the finest agents I've commanded in twenty-three years with SAFETYNET.","\n","^Netherton: Your technical skills are exceptional. Your judgment is sound. Your ethics are intact despite pressures that corrupt many agents.","\n","^Netherton: You demonstrate leadership qualities that suggest you'll eventually command your own division. When that time comes, I'll recommend you without reservation.","\n","<>","^ *rare genuine warmth*","\n","^Netherton: More than that—you've reminded me why this work matters. Why developing agents is worthwhile. You represent what SAFETYNET should be.","\n","^Netherton: I'm honored to have commanded you. Genuinely.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},60,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_received_commendation","re":true},{"->":".^.^.^.21"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},85,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: You are an excellent agent. Top tier performance across all metrics.","\n","^Netherton: Your capabilities continue to develop. Your judgment improves with each operation. You're on track for significant advancement.","\n","^Netherton: I have no substantial criticisms. Minor areas for growth, but overall—you exceed expectations consistently.","\n","<>","^ *approving*","\n","^Netherton: Continue this trajectory and you'll have a distinguished career. I'm confident in that assessment.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},45,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},4,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_received_commendation","re":true},{"->":".^.^.^.21"},null]}],[{"->":".^.b"},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: You are a solid, reliable agent. You meet standards and occasionally exceed them.","\n","^Netherton: There's room for growth. Areas to develop. But your foundation is strong.","\n","^Netherton: I'm satisfied with your performance and optimistic about your continued development.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},30,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev",{"->":".^.^.^.21"},null]}],"nop","\n",["ev","str","^Express gratitude","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Promise to continue earning his confidence","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","^You: Thank you, Director. That means everything coming from you.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},20,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_4_hub"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","^You: I'll continue working to earn that assessment. You have my commitment.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},25,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"professional_reputation"},2,"+",{"VAR=":"professional_reputation","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_4_hub"},{"#f":5}],"#n":"responded"}],null],null],"beyond_protocol":[["ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_beyond_protocol","re":true},"ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},45,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},1,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: Life beyond protocols. *removes glasses, rare informal gesture*","\n","^Netherton: The handbook defines my professional life. Protocols structure every decision. Regulations govern every action.","\n","^Netherton: But protocols don't cover everything. The handbook doesn't address... *searches for words* ...the human elements.","\n","^Netherton: How to maintain humanity while executing inhumane operations. How to care for agents while sending them into danger. How to balance mission success against personal cost.","\n","ev","str","^Ask what he does beyond the handbook","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-0","flg":20},"ev","str","^Ask if he has life outside SAFETYNET","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-1","flg":20},"ev","str","^Say some things can't be protocolized","/str","/ev",{"*":".^.c-2","flg":20},{"c-0":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},50,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},4,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^You: What guides you when the handbook doesn't have answers?","\n",{"->":"beyond_what_guides"},{"#f":5}],"c-1":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},40,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},3,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^You: Do you have life outside SAFETYNET? Beyond the work?","\n",{"->":"beyond_outside_life"},{"#f":5}],"c-2":["\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},35,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^You: Some things can't be reduced to protocols. The human judgment is what matters.","\n",{"->":"beyond_human_judgment"},{"#f":5}]}],null],"beyond_what_guides":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},60,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},4,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_shared_vulnerability","re":true},"^Netherton: *long pause, genuine vulnerability*","\n","^Netherton: Conscience. Imperfect, uncertain conscience.","\n","^Netherton: I make choices I believe are right. I prioritize agent welfare when I can. I refuse operations I find morally unacceptable.","\n","^Netherton: But I don't have a system for it. No protocol. Just... judgment. Developed over decades. Sometimes wrong.","\n","<>","^ *quiet*","\n","^Netherton: I think about the agents I've commanded. What I would want if I were in their position. How I'd want to be led.","\n","^Netherton: I remember why I joined this work. To protect people. To serve something meaningful. When I'm uncertain, I return to that purpose.","\n","^Netherton: And sometimes... *rare admission* ...I ask myself what agents like you would think. Whether decisions I'm considering would earn or lose your trust.","\n","^Netherton: That's not in the handbook. But it's what guides me when protocols aren't enough.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},70,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},5,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","ev",true,"/ev",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_earned_personal_trust","re":true},{"->":"phase_4_hub"},null],"beyond_outside_life":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},50,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},4,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: *slight bitter smile*","\n","^Netherton: Very little. Work consumed most of what could have been life.","\n","^Netherton: I read. History, mostly. Biography. Philosophy. Trying to understand how others have grappled with moral complexity and impossible choices.","\n","^Netherton: I run. Early mornings. Helps clear my head. Provides structure beyond operational schedules.","\n","^Netherton: I have an apartment I rarely see. No hobbies worth mentioning. Few friends. The work is... most of what I am.","\n","<>","^ *pause*","\n","^Netherton: I don't recommend that path. I ended up here through decades of choices, each one seeming reasonable at the time. Accumulated into isolation.","\n","^Netherton: Maintain balance better than I did. Have life outside the agency. Don't let the work consume everything.","\n","<>","^ *rare direct advice*","\n","^Netherton: You're talented enough that the work will demand everything if you allow it. Don't. Preserve some part of yourself the agency doesn't own.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},55,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},4,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_4_hub"},null],"beyond_human_judgment":["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},45,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev","^Netherton: Precisely. *approving*","\n","^Netherton: The handbook provides framework. Guidelines. Accumulated wisdom. But it can't make decisions for you.","\n","^Netherton: Every operation requires judgment that transcends protocols. Ethical choices. Risk assessments. Human factors the handbook can't quantify.","\n","^Netherton: That's why agent selection is critical. Why I invest so heavily in development. Because ultimately, individual judgment determines outcomes.","\n","^Netherton: The fact that you understand that—that protocols are tools, not replacements for thinking—that's part of why you're effective.","\n","ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},50,"+",{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect","re":true},"/ev",{"->":"phase_4_hub"},null],"conversation_end_phase1":[["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},70,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Acceptable performance continues, Agent ","ev",{"x()":"player_name"},"out","/ev","^. Dismissed.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},55,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Carry on, Agent.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],[{"->":".^.b"},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Dismissed.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],"nop","\n","#","^exit_conversation","/#","end",null],"conversation_end_phase2":[["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},75,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: You're developing well, Agent. Continue this trajectory.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},60,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Satisfactory. Dismissed.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],[{"->":".^.b"},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: That will be all.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],"nop","\n","#","^exit_conversation","/#","end",null],"conversation_end_phase3":[["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},85,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Agent ","ev",{"x()":"player_name"},"out","/ev","^. *rare warmth* Your service is valued. Genuinely.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},75,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Excellent work continues. Carry on, Agent.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],[{"->":".^.b"},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Dismissed, Agent.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],"nop","\n","#","^exit_conversation","/#","end",null],"conversation_end_phase4":[["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},95,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: ","ev",{"x()":"player_name"},"out","/ev","^. *uses first name* It's been an honor working with you. Until next time.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],["ev",{"VAR?":"npc_netherton_respect"},85,">=","/ev",{"->":".^.b","c":true},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: Thank you for your time, Agent. And for your service.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],[{"->":".^.b"},{"b":["\n","^Netherton: That will be all.","\n",{"->":".^.^.^.3"},null]}],"nop","\n","#","^exit_conversation","/#","end",null],"global decl":["ev",50,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_respect"},0,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_serious_conversations"},0,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_personal_moments"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_handbook"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_leadership"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_safetynet_history"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_expectations"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_difficult_decisions"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_agent_development"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_bureau_politics"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_field_vs_command"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_weight_of_command"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_agent_losses"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_ethical_boundaries"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_personal_cost"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_legacy"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_trust"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_rare_praise"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_discussed_beyond_protocol"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_shared_vulnerability"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_earned_personal_trust"},false,{"VAR=":"npc_netherton_received_commendation"},0,{"VAR=":"total_missions_completed"},0,{"VAR=":"professional_reputation"},"/ev","end",null]}],"listDefs":{}} \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/story_design/ink/haxolottle_hub.ink b/story_design/ink/haxolottle_hub.ink index 9d04b95..5d9701c 100644 --- a/story_design/ink/haxolottle_hub.ink +++ b/story_design/ink/haxolottle_hub.ink @@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ Which approach do you want to take? + [Ask for their recommendation] Haxolottle: *appreciates being consulted* - {operational_stress_level == "crisis": + {operational_stress_level() == "crisis": Haxolottle: Honest assessment? Extract. The mission isn't worth your life. But it's your call. - else: Haxolottle: I'd try Alpha. Calculated risk with decent probability. But you're the one in the field. @@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ Haxolottle: *professional focus* What kind of support do you need? + [Need security status update] Haxolottle: *checking feeds* Security status: [describes guard patterns, surveillance state] - Haxolottle: Best infiltration window is in {twelve} minutes. That work for you? + Haxolottle: Best infiltration window is in 12 minutes. That work for you? -> haxolottle_main_hub + [Requesting abort confirmation] @@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ Haxolottle: *professional focus* What kind of support do you need? === intel_update_active === Haxolottle: *real-time analysis on monitors* -Haxolottle: Current intel picture: ENTROPY activity level {moderate}. No indication they're aware of you. +Haxolottle: Current intel picture: ENTROPY activity level moderate. No indication they're aware of you. Haxolottle: Target location status: [describes current state based on surveillance] @@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ Haxolottle: *finalizes debrief documentation* Haxolottle: Debrief complete. After-action report will go to Netherton and operational archives. -{mission_phase: +{mission_phase(): Haxolottle: Mission status: {total_missions_completed + 1} operations completed successfully. ~ total_missions_completed += 1 } @@ -632,3 +632,37 @@ Haxolottle: And honestly? A lot of it is managing stress. Yours and ours. Keepin ~ npc_haxolottle_friendship_level += 10 #handler_training_offered -> haxolottle_main_hub + +// =========================================== +// STUB KNOTS - To be implemented +// =========================================== + +=== deep_intel_analysis === +Haxolottle: *analyzing data* I'm pulling deeper intelligence sources now. Give me a moment... +Haxolottle: Alright, here's what I'm seeing from the extended analysis... +-> haxolottle_main_hub + +=== crisis_triage === +Haxolottle: *focused triage mode* Okay, let's prioritize. First, secure your immediate position. Second, we assess escape routes. +Haxolottle: Talk to me. What's the most pressing threat right now? +-> haxolottle_main_hub + +=== abort_assessment === +Haxolottle: *methodical assessment* Let's walk through the abort decision together. What's driving this? +Haxolottle: Sometimes abort is the right call. Sometimes we just need to adapt. Let's figure out which this is. +-> haxolottle_main_hub + +=== agent_alternative_plan === +Haxolottle: *collaborative planning* Okay, you have an alternative approach in mind. Walk me through it. +Haxolottle: I'll assess feasibility from my end while you explain the concept. +-> haxolottle_main_hub + +=== detailed_debrief_questions === +Haxolottle: *detailed questioning* I need you to walk me through the timeline step by step. +Haxolottle: What happened first? What was your decision-making process at each critical point? +-> haxolottle_main_hub + +=== handler_perspective_debrief === +Haxolottle: *handler analysis* From my monitoring position, here's what I observed during your operation... +Haxolottle: There were moments where communication could have been clearer, but overall solid execution. +-> haxolottle_main_hub diff --git a/story_design/ink/netherton_ongoing_conversations.ink b/story_design/ink/netherton_ongoing_conversations.ink index 67de701..50c0b67 100644 --- a/story_design/ink/netherton_ongoing_conversations.ink +++ b/story_design/ink/netherton_ongoing_conversations.ink @@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ Netherton: Focus on sections 8 through 12 for field operations. Sections 14 thro Netherton: Your handler will guide you on relevant sections for specific situations. No one memorizes the entire handbook. -*slight pause* +<> *slight pause* Netherton: Though I've come close. Not by choice. @@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ Netherton: I've sent agents into situations where they were hurt. I've made call Netherton: The weight never lessens. You simply become stronger at carrying it. Or you break. Those are the options in command. -*looks directly at you* +<> *looks directly at you* Netherton: That you're asking this question suggests you may be suited for leadership yourself. Eventually. @@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ Netherton: Some call me rigid. Perhaps. But structure keeps agents alive. Discip Netherton: I demand excellence because the work demands it. Lives depend on our precision. I will not lower standards to make agents more comfortable. -*slight softening* +<> *slight softening* Netherton: But I do not demand perfection. I demand learning. Mistakes are acceptable if they result in growth. Repeated mistakes indicate insufficient attention. @@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ Netherton: Small teams, minimal oversight, operating in legal territory that did Netherton: Every page added represents a lesson learned. Often painfully. -*rare hint of warmth* +<> *rare hint of warmth* Netherton: But we were building something important. Creating capabilities that would become essential. That purpose drove us through the chaos. @@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ Netherton: *direct eye contact* Netherton: Commitment is noted. Performance will determine whether that commitment is genuine. -*slight pause* +<> *slight pause* Netherton: Based on your record thus far, I believe you have the capacity to meet these standards. Whether you will is your choice. @@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ Netherton: Every operation presents choices where all options have negative cons Netherton: The Berlin Crisis. Two years ago. Agent captured, ENTROPY preparing exposure. Every extraction option carried unacceptable risks. -*rare vulnerability* +<> *rare vulnerability* Netherton: I authorized an extraction that cost us intelligence assets, burned operations across Europe, and required protocol violations I cannot discuss. @@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ Netherton: Many agents claim they would prioritize personnel over missions. Few Netherton: That you understand the value of that choice... that suggests you have the right priorities for command. -*formal again* +<> *formal again* Netherton: Remember that conviction when you face similar decisions. Because you will. Leadership guarantees it. @@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ Netherton: You review the decision. Analyze alternatives. Identify what you coul Netherton: Then you accept that you made the best call available with the information you had. And you carry the weight of the consequences. -*quiet* +<> *quiet* Netherton: The agent I extracted wrote me a letter. Thanked me for the choice. Said they understood the cost and were grateful I paid it. @@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ Netherton: Your development has been... *consults memory* ...notably consistent. Netherton: Leadership potential is evident. Begin considering command responsibilities. How you would manage teams. How you would make resource allocation decisions. - *rare warmth* + <> *rare warmth* Netherton: You're on track to become one of SAFETYNET's premier agents. Maintain this trajectory. @@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ Netherton: I design training scenarios that are unreasonably difficult. Multi-va Netherton: Because that describes actual field conditions. If you can perform under training stress, you can perform under operational stress. -*slight pause* +<> *slight pause* Netherton: Some agents resent my methods. Call me harsh. But those agents are alive because the training prepared them for reality. @@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ Netherton: Third: Document everything. Politics involves selective memory and bl Netherton: Fourth: Understand that I handle divisional politics. Your role is executing missions. If political issues affect your operations, inform me immediately. -*rare personal advice* +<> *rare personal advice* Netherton: You show leadership potential. As you advance, politics becomes unavoidable. Learn the skills now. But never let politics compromise operational integrity. @@ -651,13 +651,13 @@ Netherton: I became a director to build an excellent division. To develop agents Netherton: Instead, I spend hours in budget meetings. Defending resource allocations. Justifying operational decisions to people who've never been in the field. -*quiet frustration* +<> *quiet frustration* Netherton: But if I don't fight those battles, my division loses resources. Which means fewer agents. Worse equipment. Failed missions. Netherton: So I attend the meetings. I play the political games. I do what's necessary. -*looks at you directly* +<> *looks at you directly* Netherton: Thank you for recognizing the burden. Few do. @@ -711,7 +711,7 @@ Netherton: Command is ambiguous. Decisions have cascading consequences months la Netherton: I miss the simplicity of being responsible only for my own performance. Not carrying the weight of everyone under my command. -*rare vulnerability* +<> *rare vulnerability* Netherton: But I'm better suited to command. I can build systems that enable dozens of agents to be more effective than I ever was alone. @@ -747,13 +747,13 @@ Netherton: Command requires divided attention. Operations, politics, personnel, Netherton: I miss the purity of field work. One problem. Apply all your skills. Solve it. Move to the next. -*quiet* +<> *quiet* Netherton: And I miss the camaraderie. Field teams develop deep trust. Command is isolated. Leadership requires distance. Netherton: I have subordinates. Colleagues. Not... friends. Not anymore. -*formal again* +<> *formal again* Netherton: But that's the price of command. Acceptable trade for the impact I can have at this level. @@ -842,7 +842,7 @@ Netherton: Because agents in the field depend on command making sound choices. M Netherton: You carry it by remembering it's not about you. It's about the mission. About protecting the people under your command. About the larger purpose. -*puts glasses back on, formal again* +<> *puts glasses back on, formal again* Netherton: And some days that's enough. Other days you just carry it anyway. @@ -862,7 +862,7 @@ Netherton: Too many agents seek promotion for status. For authority. They don't Netherton: You understand. Which suggests you might be suited for it. Eventually. -*rare directness* +<> *rare directness* Netherton: When the time comes, if you choose command, I'll support your advancement. You have the judgment. The integrity. The capacity to carry the weight. @@ -907,7 +907,7 @@ Netherton: Agent Torres. Infrastructure infiltration. Equipment malfunction. Fel Netherton: Agent Wu. Deep cover in ENTROPY cell. Cover was compromised. We never recovered the body. -*quiet* +<> *quiet* Netherton: I remember all eleven names. All their final missions. All the choices I made that put them in those situations. @@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ Netherton: That truth doesn't diminish my responsibility. I authorized the missi Netherton: Their choice to serve doesn't absolve my duty to bring them home. When I fail that duty... -*trails off* +<> *trails off* Netherton: Yes. They chose this. But I chose to send them. Both things are true. @@ -959,7 +959,7 @@ Netherton: Sometimes the conclusion is that nothing could have prevented it. Ope Netherton: That analysis is... not comforting. Even when the loss was unavoidable, the responsibility remains. -*long pause* +<> *long pause* Netherton: Agent Karim's family received a letter saying she died in a training accident. Classified operations. They can't know she died a hero. Can't know the three agents she saved. @@ -967,7 +967,7 @@ Netherton: I know. And I carry that. For all eleven. Netherton: So yes. I blame myself. Whether or not the blame is rational. It's mine to carry. -*puts glasses back on* +<> *puts glasses back on* Netherton: Thank you for asking directly. Few people do. @@ -990,7 +990,7 @@ Netherton: Some directors avoid the wall. Too painful. Too much accumulated loss Netherton: I believe remembering is the minimum duty we owe them. They gave everything for the mission. We remember. We honor. We continue the work. -*direct look* +<> *direct look* Netherton: And we try to ensure their sacrifice wasn't wasted. That SAFETYNET remains worth dying for. @@ -1044,7 +1044,7 @@ Netherton: Illegal orders. I've refused orders from oversight I believed were un Netherton: Personal gain. We serve the mission. Not ourselves. The moment we use operational authority for personal benefit, we become what we fight. -*firm* +<> *firm* Netherton: Those are my lines. I enforce them absolutely. Agents who cross those boundaries are removed. No exceptions. No second chances. @@ -1065,13 +1065,13 @@ Netherton: Then I accept that I made a choice that harmed someone. That I priori Netherton: And I question whether that math is ever truly justified. Whether there was an alternative I failed to see. Whether I'm rationalizing harm. -*removes glasses* +<> *removes glasses* Netherton: I don't have a clean answer. I make the choices. I live with the consequences. I try to minimize harm while completing necessary missions. Netherton: Some days that feels like enough. Other days it feels like self-serving rationalization for moral compromise. -*puts glasses back on* +<> *puts glasses back on* Netherton: The uncertainty is... probably healthy. The moment I become comfortable with moral compromise is the moment I should resign. @@ -1163,7 +1163,7 @@ Netherton: I wonder what life would have been like if I'd left after ten years. Netherton: I see agents like you—talented, capable, whole career ahead—and I think about warning you. Telling you to get out before the work consumes everything else. -*quiet* +<> *quiet* Netherton: But then I remember what we accomplish. Infrastructure protected. ENTROPY cells disrupted. Attacks prevented. Lives saved. The work matters. @@ -1171,7 +1171,7 @@ Netherton: And I'm effective at it. Better than most. If I'd left, would my repl Netherton: So... regrets? Yes. But I'd likely make the same choices again. The work needed doing. I was capable. That felt like enough. -*puts glasses back on* +<> *puts glasses back on* Netherton: Feels like enough. Most days. @@ -1195,7 +1195,7 @@ Netherton: We've prevented significant attacks. Saved lives. Protected critical Netherton: My personal happiness has... less clear value. The math suggests the trade was justified. -*slightly bitter* +<> *slightly bitter* Netherton: Though I sometimes suspect I only believe that because accepting the alternative would be unbearable. @@ -1277,7 +1277,7 @@ Netherton: This work is isolating. Leadership creates distance. I often wonder i Netherton: But agents I've developed have gone on to lead divisions. Run successful operations. Build their own teams. That ripple effect—training agents who train agents— -*quiet* +<> *quiet* Netherton: If that's my legacy, I can accept it. The work continues beyond me. Better because of the foundation we built. @@ -1298,7 +1298,7 @@ Netherton: I want SAFETYNET to remain an organization worth serving. Where ethic Netherton: And... *rare vulnerability* ...I want to have mattered. To have made choices that protected people. To have used my capabilities for something meaningful. -*formal again* +<> *formal again* Netherton: Probably too much to hope for. But that's what I want. @@ -1339,7 +1339,7 @@ Netherton: I trust your technical capabilities. Your judgment under pressure. Yo Netherton: I trust you to execute operations I authorize. To make sound decisions in the field. To prioritize agent safety and mission success appropriately. -*pause* +<> *pause* Netherton: And... *rare admission* ...I trust you with information I don't share with most agents. You've earned that. @@ -1372,7 +1372,7 @@ Netherton: You ask meaningful questions. You challenge assumptions respectfully. Netherton: You prioritize agent welfare. I've reviewed your mission reports. You take risks to protect team members. That shows proper values. -*rare warmth* +<> *rare warmth* Netherton: And you've engaged with me as a person, not just as authority. Asked about the weight of command. The personal cost. Shown genuine interest in understanding leadership. @@ -1396,13 +1396,13 @@ Netherton: Trust flows downward easily in hierarchies. Authority demands it. But Netherton: The fact that you trust me completely, that you'd say so directly— -*quiet* +<> *quiet* Netherton: Thank you. Genuinely. That means more than most commendations I've received. Netherton: I will continue to earn that trust. To make decisions worthy of it. To command in ways that honor it. -*direct look* +<> *direct look* Netherton: You're becoming the kind of agent I hoped to develop. The kind SAFETYNET needs. I'm... proud. Of your development. @@ -1430,7 +1430,7 @@ Netherton: My honest assessment. *sets aside work, gives full attention* Netherton: You demonstrate leadership qualities that suggest you'll eventually command your own division. When that time comes, I'll recommend you without reservation. - *rare genuine warmth* + <> *rare genuine warmth* Netherton: More than that—you've reminded me why this work matters. Why developing agents is worthwhile. You represent what SAFETYNET should be. @@ -1439,7 +1439,6 @@ Netherton: My honest assessment. *sets aside work, gives full attention* ~ npc_netherton_respect += 60 ~ professional_reputation += 5 ~ npc_netherton_received_commendation = true - - npc_netherton_respect >= 85: Netherton: You are an excellent agent. Top tier performance across all metrics. @@ -1447,14 +1446,13 @@ Netherton: My honest assessment. *sets aside work, gives full attention* Netherton: I have no substantial criticisms. Minor areas for growth, but overall—you exceed expectations consistently. - *approving* + <> *approving* Netherton: Continue this trajectory and you'll have a distinguished career. I'm confident in that assessment. ~ npc_netherton_respect += 45 ~ professional_reputation += 4 ~ npc_netherton_received_commendation = true - - else: Netherton: You are a solid, reliable agent. You meet standards and occasionally exceed them. @@ -1463,9 +1461,11 @@ Netherton: My honest assessment. *sets aside work, gives full attention* Netherton: I'm satisfied with your performance and optimistic about your continued development. ~ npc_netherton_respect += 30 - ~ professional_reputation += 2 + ~ professional_reputation += 2 } +- (responded) + * [Express gratitude] You: Thank you, Director. That means everything coming from you. ~ npc_netherton_respect += 20 @@ -1525,7 +1525,7 @@ Netherton: I make choices I believe are right. I prioritize agent welfare when I Netherton: But I don't have a system for it. No protocol. Just... judgment. Developed over decades. Sometimes wrong. -*quiet* +<> *quiet* Netherton: I think about the agents I've commanded. What I would want if I were in their position. How I'd want to be led. @@ -1554,13 +1554,13 @@ Netherton: I run. Early mornings. Helps clear my head. Provides structure beyond Netherton: I have an apartment I rarely see. No hobbies worth mentioning. Few friends. The work is... most of what I am. -*pause* +<> *pause* Netherton: I don't recommend that path. I ended up here through decades of choices, each one seeming reasonable at the time. Accumulated into isolation. Netherton: Maintain balance better than I did. Have life outside the agency. Don't let the work consume everything. -*rare direct advice* +<> *rare direct advice* Netherton: You're talented enough that the work will demand everything if you allow it. Don't. Preserve some part of yourself the agency doesn't own.