Imperial Slaves - A Proposition

[zombieapocalypse]

Dystopian visions of the future serve as a warning to the present. And particularly at a time when governments all over the world are making such stark choices over economics versus human lives ; Commodification of humans is certainly not a thing of the past, and nor is slavery even in the most self-proclaimed 'advanced' nations.
We need more fiction like ED, not more sugarcoating.

Exactly, slavery is still a very real problem today (including in countries like Britain and the US) and very likely will continue to be so in the future.

 

[Vetinari]

"1 post by this user:"
you all are getting baited.

Or its the one thing they feel passionate enough about to actually create an account and post.

Living in a bubble hidden away from anything even remotely offensive is how you end up with a ton of people incapable of handling the real world guarantee that bad things will happen.

You mean the Earth itself or Discord?

 

[Vedmo]

I'll state this as succinctly as I can: I don't like that this game has slave trading, and allows the player to make profit by selling fellow humans. I have a problem with the fact that this mechanic is present in ED for a few reasons:

1. It shows that despite the technological progress of the human race, social progress took a turn for the worse if an entire galactic human culture is trading in slaves. Depressing, but perhaps that's part of the ED perspective on humans as a race.
2. It's profitable (with risk), so it provides an incentive to trade in slaves.
3. Given that all games like ED are a fantasy played out by the player, the presence of slavery belittles the suffering and pain of slavery by reducing it to numbers on a spreadsheet, which reduces empathy and might consciously or subconsciously reinforce the idea that it's conditionally acceptable in the player's mind. Worse, if there are players actively seeking opportunities to trade slaves as part of their personal fantasy for their own enjoyment, ED is basically enabling this dark and monstrous behavior.
4. Some of your players might be descended from slaves, and self-identify as such as part of their cultural heritage. I imagine that it would be difficult or at least uncomfortable to participate in a game that allows slave trading given such a background.

Taking all of that into account, I think it's unethical to have a game that simulates the institutionalized commoditization of human beings. It belittles the concept.

I know that the Roman Empire had slaves, and that the Empire in ED is meant to be an analog, so here's a proposal (and what I think is a missed opportunity in early development).

Using Blade Runner, Star Trek, Humans, and many other futuristic stories as inspiration, couldn't there be synthetic humans or androids (i.e. replicants) that are a proxy for indentured servitude that had a more nuanced underlying ethical conflict? The same arguments and beliefs that apply to slavery, freedom, and basic fundamental rights become questionable once you apply that scenario. Is a synthetic humanoid alive? Does a synthetic humanoid have the same rights as one that is naturally born? These are questions we are currently struggling with now, so it's an ethical gray area that is appropriate for exploration in a science fiction game.

What I am therefore suggesting is that the Imperial Slave commodity be changed to Imperial Synthetics (for lack of a better term), and retcon its history to reflect that the Imperials make AI androids that are human-like but not humans specifically for servitude, and then make the Slave commodity untradeable by players or remove it from the game. All of the ethical arguments by the Federation and other factions regarding slavery still apply to synthetic persons, and all of the lore associated with the issue of slavery can still be retained, just with a nuance that provides a distinction that allows the player to participate in a game that does not simulate actual human trafficking, while also providing a more contemporary exploration of the ethics surrounding artificial intelligence - which is appropriate for a science fiction game.

I know that the original game had this mechanic. I know that it is meant to be a source of conflict and ethical considerations for players and lore characters. But what is more important: retaining game continuity and an immersive experience for the Imperial player, or acknowledging that slavery is just plain fundamentally wrong and should not be given any opportunity to show up as a viable simulation participation option given the historical pains associated with slavery that many of us are still living with today?

I'm not necessarily saying that it should not exist as a concept if the baseline principle is that it's dark and terrible and that there are still dark and terrible humans in the universe in the 3300s despite all that has been accomplished, but why is Frontier enabling players to participate in this dark fantasy so easily and without any meaningful ethical boundaries, especially at a time in human development when we are persistently dealing with the pain of our recent history and still struggling to resolve that and move forward?

I don’t want to question your sincerity, so I’ll just say there are far more impactful courses one could take than trying to remove this element from its entirely make believe and minor position in the game.

I hope this can be said without causing offense, my apologies if not as that is not my intent, but while I do think you have good intentions, they are being misplaced.

If I though for a second slavery in the game was nurturing real world acceptance of it with a tangible effect, or if it was making lite of something that has actually happened, I’d be on board, but it simply isn’t and no harm is coming from it.

 

[furiouslog]

Hi all. To those suspecting troll bait, I was a KS backer on ED but did not start really playing until two months ago. Where this came from: I work for a large company and participate in a number of resource groups whose purpose is to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace by sharing stories of discrimination and/or cultural perspectives. Some of those stories have inspired me. The issue of slave trading in ED always bugged me, but today I got the notion that I'd make a post on the forums for the first time over this issue, because I have a problem with it and felt that there was an acceptable and non-disruptive solution.

I predicted a negative response from many users (many of which fall into the most typical categories of logical fallacy, some which do not), which is fine, but I want to assure you all that this was not troll bait. I'm serious.

My intention was to have an honest conversation about the issue, but it seems like that's not in the cards.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

Given that the implementation is even more paper-thin that the implementation in FE2/FFE ... and there's basically no in-game difference at all between carrying Slaves and carrying Gold (beyond which system they were in) ... they probably should have had the courage to not implement it until they were ready to non-placeholder it. And then we could actually have conversations like this over an actual depiction of "slavery" rather than the word "Slaves" hastily scribbled on a cargo pod that could equally contain a bunch of rocks for all the difference it makes.

The problem isn't that the implementation shows the Empire and other factions to be bad for allowing various forms of slavery ; the problem is that it shows every other faction nominally "anti-slavery" to be evil (and at best NIMBY on the slavery issue) as well. Do you know what the only "faction" is that actually recognises that slave cargo pods contain humans? The ultra-alien Thargoids. Everyone else, no matter how nice their democratic ideals, treats them as cargo. I mean, you'll get a fine for breaking local shipping regulations, sure, but that's about it. You can't even hand in slave pods to search-and-rescue (who'll accept years-old escape pods with no chance of actually containing a survivor)

Which is then a problem when Frontier tries to have a storyline about - say - refugees escaping from political persecution, in which anyone credibly thinks the refugees should have any rights whatsoever, or should be helped. It's been established that everyone - Federal, Imperial, Alliance, Independent - considers the weak to be cargo. How did Winters even get elected with this "cargo is people too" radicalism? She'll be wanting rights for Osmium next, and then where will it end?

 

[Bigmaec]

OP I suggest a hands on mentality regarding slavers.
Just mass murder every player you encounter carrying slaves. edit: ingame obviously
Admittedly, that kills the slaves, but better dead then red slave, right?

 

[Justinian Octavius]

It's a fictional society in a fictional universe in a video game. If you don't like it then don't play it. The idea that all societies in fiction have to conform to a 21st century Western liberal democracy value set is nonsensical as not all societies in 2021 Earth conform to a Western liberal democracy value set. Also Imperial Slavery is more akin to Community Service than slavery since it is a voluntary choice for Imperial Citizens who exercise it to pay off debts. It should be noted that in many of said 21st century Western liberal democracies people are sent to jail for not being able to pay certain debts rather than having an option of paying off the debt by working.

CMDR Justinian Octavius

 

[Northpin]

I work for a large company and participate in a number of resource groups whose purpose is to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace by sharing stories of discrimination and/or cultural perspectives

I find that really ironic
Improve diversity by eliminating, hiding or twisting parts of well established fictional works?

Learning from the past, from the true and sometimes hideous past, is the only way we can make sure we won't repeat the same mistakes in the future.

Now regarding the game, you should really pick on some lore
Slavery (the true one) is illegal in most jurisdiction although some criminal organizations make good profits out of it
Imperial Slaves are actually volunteer indentured servants that sign contracts to pay off their debts and have rights like any other citizens. There are specialized organizations in the Empire that make sure the Imperial Slaves' rights are respected.
It is considered an honorable act to pay your debts by this mean, than live with the shame of debts
Even so, Aisling is against this traditional practice in the Empire and she fights to remove the practice from the Empire (Imperial Slaves are illegal in the systems controlled by her)

 

[Chase Quinnell]

I find that really ironic
Improve diversity by eliminating, hiding or twisting parts of well established fictional works?

Learning from the past, from the true and sometimes hideous past, is the only way we can make sure we won't repeat the same mistakes in the future.

Now regarding the game, you should really pick on some lore
Slavery (the true one) is illegal in most jurisdiction although some criminal organizations make good profits out of it
Imperial Slaves are actually volunteer indentured servants that sign contracts to pay off their debts and have rights like any other citizens. There are specialized organizations in the Empire that make sure the Imperial Slaves' rights are respected.
It is considered an honorable act to pay your debts by this mean, than live with the shame of debts
Even so, Aisling is against this traditional practice in the Empire and she fights to remove the practice from the Empire (Imperial Slaves are illegal in the systems controlled by her)

The ever-growing movement 'Increase diversity thru suppression of the people we don't like.'

 

[[PS4] Lorenzo Waringos]

The ever-growing movement 'Increase diversity thru suppression of the people we don't like.'

Is this an in-game faction? I like the sound of them.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Some other points:

ED is set in a technologically stagnant time, after AI rebelled and now all development is illegal (We also know now that the Guardian race was killed by AI, adding to the fear). Robotic servants exist (you can see averts for them- Achillies) but I think this has stunted further acceptance in the wider population. I suspect this is reflected across human space with the use of human labour (but thats my take) and the destination of many slaves.

The Federation uses automation to lower crew requirements on its ships, and views slavery as illegal. However its still seen in the fringes and there is the issue of exploitation by corporations (wage slavery) and destitution.

The Empire culturally venerates the human form and views it as sacrosanct, which guides the treatment of Imperial Slaves who are really indentured servants. Mistreatment still exists but its taboo. This is typified by Zemina Torval who views Imperial Slaves as tools you have to look after.

There are abolitionist powers as well- Aisling Duval is against slavery and Imperial slavery- although with the removal of the latter its unclear if those left without the option to work off debt do. Pranav Antal outlaws slaves as well (along with many other things) at the cost of personal beliefs ('dissenters' are sent to 're-education' centers and an unknown fate).

Slavery is also a tool of intimidation. Archon Delaine uses slavery as a tool of fear and a deterrent against rebellion- those who fight against him and lose become marked slaves for execution, and their families sold. However, slaves here are viewed as the weakest of society and the result of 'survival of the fittest'.

There is also financial enslavement. Denton Patreus effectively bankrupts systems into submission, which (to me) is a cynical exploitation of Imperial Slavery (since Imperial citizens would be honour bound to pay it off).

The Alliance is a bit of a grey area too. Although they are against slavery they also are made up of factions who have different views.

So if you want to remove slavery from the game, you are removing a great deal of the games background. Despite its appearance the 3300s are hugely dystopian where the value of human life varies considerably.

 

[furiouslog]

A few points.

1. It's a game, not real life.

2. Your understanding of how Imperial slavery works is seriously lacking and not enough to form this kind of opinion with- I suggest reading up on this.

3. Players can also be drug dealers, arms merchants, mass murderers and so on. Why this one aspect of immoral behaviour?

4. Your alternative to sentient and intelligent beings being slaves is that sentient and intelligent beings are slaves.

All fair and expected points, here goes:

1. The core value offering from this game is a simulated future universe. There are games available today that allow the user to simulate the of women - also not real life, but extremely distasteful and not something I enjoy. My enjoyment of this game is not contingent on the presence of institutionalized slavery in the game, it is hampered by it, and it is not a necessary mechanic to allow my continued enjoyment of the game.

2. I actually do get how it works, I read up on Imperial Slavery before I made the post. Keep in mind that there are two commodities in the game as well, my comments are not exclusive to Imperial Slaves. Saying "Indentured Servants" is a lot different than saying "Slaves", because of the historical associations with and legal definition of the word "slave". If you don't agree, we will just part ways on that.

3. This is a good point, which is murky due to our already existing moral relativism on the issues of murder/drug dealing/piracy/etc. I'll cover each since you mentioned them:

- Murder: I'm not sure this actually happens in the game anyway, because after I "kill" an npc they are usually back for more later. If you "kill" another player, they eject and show up in a new ship. You're not really killing anyone in the game. But even setting those things aside as game mechanic realities and pretending that you're killing them in the game, the penalties for someone who chooses to be a mass murderer are extremely high and obvious compared to those who transport illegal goods. The dis-incentive is a lot higher for this behavior. You can not implement measures to avoid a bounty if you kill a clean player or npc. You can use countermeasures to avoid getting caught in trading.​

- Smuggling illegal goods: It's possible to calculate the human misery and knock on effects from transporting arms and drugs, and the punishments/risk in game appear to be of an appropriate scale to the crime - the negative effects of those items are also secondary to society, as they require a consumer that is using them for ill will. Trading pods with humans in the in the game has a direct effect, but the player's risk is about the same as these other items, and furthermore, trading in those items appears to be more profitable and popular than other illegal goods according to the dozens of youtube videos available on the subject.​

Those points are secondary to the crux of the issue, because I acknowledge that violence is an acceptable part of a game that simulates combat and a struggle for acquiring territory, and I think that no matter how evolved we become as a species, there will always be a market for war and pharmaceuticals. This is ubiquitous in gaming. we can play games to be a hitman, an assassin, a soldier, and so forth. Only a very few people are unable to separate and compartmentalize the actions taken in game against actions in the real world, and because that is commonly understood and accepted, I'm okay with it. Maybe 100 years from now people will look back on this as the Dark Age of Violent Gaming. I don't know.

So why can I not just bundle ED's slave trade in with that stuff? 1. Because it's unnecessary to promote enjoyment of the game unless you are specifically playing it because you like fantasizing about trading slaves, 2. because its implementation in the game is culturally institutionalized in the lore to the point where I'm playing in a universe where I have to accept that slavery is just an acceptable part of life to the plurality of the game universe's inhabitants, and 3. it's cost/risk ratio is high enough that it's a preferred method of progressing in the game, so it teaches an in-game heuristic of "trading slaves = good".

4. I hear this point, but we don't currently have artificial sentient beings mixed in with human society, and many authors of science fiction have explored the issue of what it means to be alive and sentient, and what natural rights machines have if they are or appear so. There is no consensus. Take Star Trek. The Federation wrestled with whether or not Data was alive, had the right to reproduce, and looked at other explorations of artificial sentience by character proxy. You appear to have concluded that if an artificial life form appears intelligent and sentient, then it's wrong to buy and sell them as a commodity, in which case you don't have to, but the ethics are hypothetical and broadly inconclusive, whereas the ethics of doing such with humans is already well established. Taking both at face value, which would you prefer to have in the game as an option?

I suppose that what it comes down to is that I don't understand why it is even in the game when it is not really necessary for enjoyment. There are a number of other possible things that can provide a black hat guilty pleasure for gamers wanting to be a bad guy that don't trivialize, if not provide incentive to act on, what is essentially an activity that is a source of societal pain and disfunction that we're still living out today.

I'll add one additional thing: if I owned a gaming software company, I'd be concerned about the prevalance of videos associated with my game that shows up when you search for "slave trading" on youtube.

 

[furiouslog]

Dystopian visions of the future serve as a warning to the present. And particularly at a time when governments all over the world are making such stark choices over economics versus human lives ; Commodification of humans is certainly not a thing of the past, and nor is slavery even in the most self-proclaimed 'advanced' nations.
We need more fiction like ED, not more sugarcoating.

To be clear, I'm not necessarily advocating for a complete removal of the concept. My proposed solution was a "copy/paste" quick fix. If the game were nuanced enough in its design that the universe could be changed or somehow redeemed by the players that is one thing. But that's not the approach: there is a passive acceptance that it's a static and unchangeable game mechanic that is just one more way to make big credits, without challenge or any examination of the issue. Slaves and Imperial Slaves are just another line item on a list of commodities that gets considered based on its economic merits and risks, so it trivializes the issue. And despite that, the lore writers had their fictional decision makers ban machine sentience because it was too controversial. Is that not a logical disconnect?

If the argument is that life and humans are bad and do bad things, why are other similarly horrifying concepts not included in the game? For example, child prostitution/trafficking is a contemporary problem. Reducing that concept to pure economics and making it a player-accessible option in the game would be highly distasteful, in my opinion, but it passes the litmus test of horrifying current realities that could probably still exist a thousand years from now.

As for needing more fiction like ED - if your point is that we don't want to forget history and acknowledge that bad things happen that shouldn't, I agree. But most fiction treats the issue with respect and focuses on exposing it for the horror that it is. Do you think that ED is doing that? I'm not sure, but I know that if I want to unlock certain modules, ships, and weapons in the game I need to align myself with organizations who promote and benefit from (fake in-game) slavery, which then forces me to either compartmentalize it as something that is just an irrelevant game mechanic that has nothing to do with me or my values (thereby breaking immersion), or embrace it as a necessary evil to get the thing I want (and am therefore playing an evil character).

Is that a respectful and responsible way to treat the issue of slavery in interactive fiction? I don't think so, but if you disagree I'm open to hearing your perspective.

 

[lemon407]

No, they do not need to be changed, they do not need to be removed.
Imperial slaves have been a key lore aspect of the game, and of the empire factions and story, dont like it dont play the game.
Stop coming in here demanding any sort of change because its offensive, hurts your feelings or what ever. If you are offended by this, tough, that does not give you any right to change the vision, story, setting or experience of the game to not offend you.

Dont like it, go somewhere else. Its taht simple. ED is a game where you can literally be a murderer and blow up passengers of civilians and entire families like its nothing. Being offended by fake non existent slaves, which lore wise many are willing slaves, is your problem, not fdevs.

Dont like it? leave, you wont be missed for trying to change the game because it hurt someone ones feelings.

 

[RamirezKurita]

In case you haven't noticed, the setting of Elite is not a pleasant one to be in for the majority of people.

The Empire is basically ancient Rome in space, with a heavy dose of "honour before reason" added into the economic model wherein people are socially obligated to sell themselves to preserve their honour rather than more traditional punishments. Run out of money? For an Imperial, declaring bankruptcy isn't an option when they could instead sell themselves for the next 30 years as a slave. Wronged someone? Sell yourself to them for a decade or two to make things right. In many ways it is like a capitalist version of chivalry.

Not to say that the Federation is any better, as it is basically a corporate dystopia for the average person with a side helping of military Keynesianism. The free will of the people is supressed and controlled in the pursuit of credits by the largest corporations in order to centralise as much wealth and assets as possible.

And also, if trading in willing slaves is a problem, then maybe you should also consider the ramifications of other activities such as ejecting passengers into deep space, overturning stable governments into pirate-controlled anarchies or manipulating economics to deliberately create outbreaks or famine.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

Improve diversity by eliminating, hiding or twisting parts of well established fictional works?

Trouble is, the game's implementation of slavery does exactly that, in terms of "twisting well established" lore.

The Alliance and Federation are apparently anti-slavery. Aisling is apparently anti-slavery, and that's a popular enough stance even in the Empire that she's not been expelled from polite society for it, even if there's hardly a majority of Senators going to support her any time soon. People like Mahon and Hudson and Winters largely have the attitudes in other areas that you'd expect from politicians of their political leanings in a society that forbids slavery based on their modern equivalents [1].

But "anti-slavery" at the moment means:

• slavers should be given a minor fine, which unlike serious crimes such as loitering does not attract the death penalty.
• loose cargo pods containing slaves are a navigational hazard and should be destroyed: anyone attempting to rescue them will be fined for theft, smuggling, and anything else we can think of, if they're caught.
• known slave traders who aren't carrying slaves right now should be welcomed as upstanding pillars of society and given major contracts.

I'm not opposed to slavery being represented in games in principle. And a dystopian set of societies like the Elite Dangerous ones from the lore and fiction probably would have it. But this implementation? This is like if they made the "Thargoids" fluffy bunny rabbits, flying magic carpets, and handing out free coconuts to passing traders ... and mysteriously had all the off-screen plot continue to be about them destroying stations, threatening humanity, and so on ... and, judging by this thread, the consensus was that this was absolutely fine, and suggestions that the in-game Thargoids should shoot at players would be met with rants about erasing the game's history.

Now, obviously a change to a more realistic lore about slavery in-game would hurt people's feelings and therefore Frontier won't do it, but imagine if the anti-slavery factions were actually anti-slavery:

• missions to rescue slaves
• system authority focused on disabling and hatch-breaking slave traders for rescue (and then blowing them up once the cargo pods are safely clear of the ship)
• slave traders getting reputation capped at Unfriendly (or even Hostile, for some of the really hard-line Independent ones) in anti-slavery starports and superpowers (and equally, pro-slavery starports might cap your reputation to Unfriendly/Hostile if you start doing the rescue missions)

As I say, too many players would find this offensive to their "Elite Dangerous isn't about actions having consequences" sensibilities "I want to blaze my own trail as a Federal slaver and you can't stop me" and would complain loudly. It's not going to happen. But it'd be a much closer to fit to the actual lore...

(EDIT: and likewise, for all the "Imperial Slavery is different, and really just misnamed" ... there's no actual consequences in the Empire for an Imperial commander dishonorably selling off Imperial Slaves into Actual Slavery in Independent space for a quick credit, no stripping of rank or public execution or committal to Imperial Slavery themselves to atone. And sure, it's always been hinted that it does go on a bit behind the scenes ... but being able to get away with it in public? Just a lazy implementation, that.)

[1] And incidentally, the exceptions to this, where people like Hudson have very different attitudes to the ones you'd expect his modern-day analogue to? No-one ever raises those as an issue for Frontier, so far as I can tell. Frontier made ALD the Emperor, having stated that sometime in the last 50 years the previous Emperor revoked the extremely long-standing "no women anywhere near this office" rule [2] offscreen with no major complaint or consequences. And it's all "bask in her glory" etc. etc. and no-one yells about how letting women into power is a complete elimination and hiding and twisting of long-established lore, and even the "traditionalists" in the Senate weren't apparently bothered by it.

(And, for the avoidance of doubt, I have no problem with Frontier making that lore decision, or any of the other many retcons and changes they've made between Elite and FE2, between FE2 and FFE, and between FFE and now, for the sake of having the plot of Elite Dangerous tell the story they want to tell now rather than the story they wanted to tell twenty years ago. And by and large, nor does anyone else seem to. So why is slavery so required to have tens of people leap to its defence not just as an in-game thing but in its current atrocious implementation? What's going to happen if it changes?)

[2] A rule which was until then fundamental to Imperial tradition, resulting directly and clearly from the assassination of Marlin Duval and her successor's wish to make a complete break from that past. Pretty strong and required lore ... until it wasn't.

 

[Azmuth Divarchchron]

The human race never outgrew xenophobia and racism or attacking things they dont understand either.

Remember, we attacked the thargoids first, not the other way around.

Our society is broken today

Our society was broken several centuries ago

Our society WILL be broken several centuries from now.

The game is a realistic reflection of all the smart and stupid things humanity will accomplish if they ever make it beyond sol

 

[Ethaidan]

So why can I not just bundle ED's slave trade in with that stuff?

1. Because it's unnecessary to promote enjoyment of the game unless you are specifically playing it because you like fantasizing about trading slaves,

That's a pretty absurdly myopic conclusion. The existence of slavery (illegal) and Imperial slavery (only legal in two out of nine(?) regions of space) provides a diverse platform of allegiance for players to choose, and a baseline for conflict.

The existence of slavery & slave trading has provided fodder for groups forming to actively oppose the slave trade, for groups to actively fight against the Empire solely because they allow a version of slavery, for groups to defend the Imperial version of slavery, for groups to promote Aisling because she is the only Imperial to fully ban slavery. All of which is not only decent gameplay, but a useful open dialogue about imaginary future space slavery.

2. because its implementation in the game is culturally institutionalized in the lore to the point where I'm playing in a universe where I have to accept that slavery is just an acceptable part of life to the plurality of the game universe's inhabitants, and

No it isn't. Slavery is illegal, the trading of Slaves is illegal, Imperial slavery is illegal in all Federation, Alliance & Aisling systems. None of that leads to slavery being universally acceptable in the ED universe, quite the opposite actually.

3. it's cost/risk ratio is high enough that it's a preferred method of progressing in the game, so it teaches an in-game heuristic of "trading slaves = good".

No it isn't, and not for a very long time. There are far better ways of progressing in the game - methods that are far easier, far less risky, and far more profitable.

 

[[PS4] Lorenzo Waringos]

Remember, we attacked the thargoids first, not the other way around.

This simply isn’t mentioned enough. We are the bad guys. I do not like reading about their mass slaughter under the banner of brave heroics.

 

[Achtung-Goomba]

This simply isn’t mentioned enough. We are the bad guys. I do not like reading about their mass slaughter under the banner of brave heroics.

I was fine tagging along with anti-xenos crews and dreamed of becoming a stalwart defender of humanity and our manifest destiny amongst the stars, until I got a bit too drunk and watched Close Encounters... I’m not ashamed to admit I had myself a little weep at the thought of all those scouts (probably just Thargoid children on school trips really) I’d callously murdered and said to myself never again.