Violent Cartoon, Moral Lessons
Alignment Mission
You walk by a television in the window of a small electronics shop and see an old cartoon on featuring some veteran military types fighting against a band of global terrorists wearing all kinds of ridiculous costumes that match their names. The animation is terrible and the plot is as thin as a used tissue.
Despite this, you seem oddly intrigued by the episode because one character, the hard bitten do-or-die guy on the good guys side, has just risked everything to rescue the idiot green horn of the group and then chastised him for being too trusting of the inherent good in the bad guys. After shooting up the badguy positions, the cool guy encourages the kid to join him in his attack, and together they fight off the bad guys and save the day.
This reminds you of a certain Officer Kuwalski in Longbow. You aren't sure how he got his officer rank, but he has displayed complete ineptitude when dealing with villain groups like the Freakshow and the 5th Column, nearly getting himself killed on several occasions. You figure that it's about time a hard-bitten veteran like yourself scares him smart and makes a real crime fighter out of him, so you gave him a call and told him to help you take out a gathering of the Lost in an abandoned outpost.
VILLAIN: I'll make Kuwalski into a force for good, even if it kills him!
Briefing
The Lost have taken over an abandoned warehouse loaded with all kinds of advanced Rikti weaponry. You're hoping that such a dangerous group of murderous thugs will encourage Kuwalski to abandon his near suicidal practice of trying to apprehend and arrest several dozen armed super mutants by himself. Today, Kuwalski is going to learn that showing mercy to scum like The Lost just encourages them to attempt more and more sinister crimes. The only way to really deal with them is to deliver justice upon them then and there. After all, that's what they keep trying to do to you.
- It's time Kuwalski learned how to fight crime... and kill it.
Officer Kuwalski has a lot of potential, but believes a little too much in the inherent good of others. There's only one person between life and death out here fighting crime in the streets, and that's you. If you're weak, you wind up dead, if you're strong, then evil perishes.
Unnecessary Solicitation
Find Kuwalski (hopefully he hasn't gotten himself killed) and then show him how ruthless he has to be to survive in this line of work.
Mission Objective(s)
Your communicator picks up a panicked burst from Officer Kuwalski. Sounds like he's gotten himself into trouble.
- Teach Officer Kuwalski a lesson
- Rescue Officer Kuwalski
- Talk to Kuwalski
- Take Kuwalski to the Mind Probe
- Explain Things To Kuwalski
- Beat down Kuwalski
Kuwalski was a waste. You tried to show him that he wasn't tough enough or smart enough to survive. You gave him every opportunity to make the changes he needed, and in the end, what did he do? He called you the monster, the bad guy. You saved his life, taught him how to save himself, and then he tried to take you in like you are one of The Lost!? Kuwalski died that day, but it wasn't by your hands, it was by his own.
Enemies
The Lost
Notable NPCs
Officer Kuwalski rescue dialogue
Before combat
Combat start
- The Lost: Fight me, weakling!
- Officer Kuwalski: Y... You're under arrest!
- The Lost: Don't worry, Character is on his.
Once freed
- You rescued Officer Kuwalski from The Lost. Try to convince him that mercy is a weakness.
- Officer Kuwalski: Character! Man, am I glad you got here when you did. The Lost said they were going to be moving some hitech equipment, we've gotta stop them before it's too late!
Officer Kuwalski conversation
Officer Kuwalski
Speaking with Officer Kuwalski
- Character! What are you doing? Shouldn't we be stopping The Lost?
- I'm doing what needs to be done. You're too soft on villains.
- Too soft? Why, I'll have you know that I've never allowed a suspect to escape justice! Every one of the people I've apprehended has gone to the Zig and stood trial.
- It's sickening, he's actually proud of his boy scout record.
- The law doesn't work. We are justice and there is no room for mercy.
- What do you mean 'no room for mercy'?
- He actually did it, he did the hand quotes. That just pisses you off.
- Are you saying I should just kill these people? That's what they are, Character, people, like you and I. Killing them is ludicrous, it goes against everything I believe in and it would make me no better than them!
- Look, Character, I appreciate you trying to give me pointers and all, but let's just find this equipment, destroy it, and bust these perps, ok?
- I see I'll have to convince you the hard way, very well.
If talk to Officer Kuwalski again
- Character! What are you doing? Shouldn't we be stopping The Lost?
- You treat villains like they have rights. They don't.
- We've been through this before, Character. I'm not budging on my high moral ground here. Let's just find the tech and destroy it so it can't harm anyone, ok?
- Fine, but we aren't done with this conversation.
Officer Kuwalski dialogue
After using the Mind Probe
- You have activated the Rikti Mind Probe on Officer Kuwalski. He howls in pain as the device forces a psychic probe into his mind.
- Officer Kuwalski: Wait, what are you doing? Ha ha, very funny Character... OWW! What are you doing!? Stop messing OWWWW! We need to destroy this, stop it! AAAAAGH! Please stop! You're seriously hurting me... I don't... feel... good.
- With Kuwalski incapacitated you are free to express your criticism of his beliefs with him.
Officer Kuwalski second conversation
Officer Kuwalski
Speaking with Officer Kuwalski
- Character! What are you doing? Shouldn't we be stopping The Lost?
- I'm teaching you a valuable lesson, Kuwalski. Stay alive.
- What lesson could you possible teach me through this.. this... treachery!? This is an atrocity, Character! You're no better than those murderers in the Zig!
- Really? I did just save your hide... And I won't kill you!
- As you deactivate the mind probe and release Kuwalski, his voice grows stronger.
- I... I realize that this is what The Lost would have done to me if you hadn't arrived, and that I am a little headstrong, Character, but rescuing me doesn't excuse you from what you just did. You don't seem to realize that what you just did is wrong. There is no justification for these actions. The only difference between you and a villain is a difference of degree. You can't say 'I'm not as bad as them so it's ok'.
- He did the hand quotes again. Rage.
- In the end, you did to me what they would have done just to try and prove that you are right. Well, all you proved is that I'm right. I'll never do what you do because I'm a good guy. You... I'm not so sure.
- Why not judge the villains as harshly as you do me?
- Is that your belief, Character, that all villains should be judged harshly or not at all? If you believe that all villains should be judged harshly, then why should I give you the benefit of the doubt? Through your actions you are a villain, by your standards. You've become what you hate.
- I'm sorry Character... you are clearly in need of help and headed down a dark and dangerous path. I cannot ignore or excuse what you have done. I'm going to have to take you in. It's for your own good. Please don't make this more difficult than it already is.
- Take me in? I'm trying to save your life and this is how you thank me!?
- I didn't want it to come to this, but you give me no choice. Defend yourself!
After conversation
- Officer Kuwalski: No... NO! I won't do it, Character. I'll never sacrifice my moral values. Not like you have. Don't you see? You're just like them! The ends do not justify the means!
Debriefing
You saved Officer Kuwalski from certain torture and death at the hands of The Lost, told him what he needed to do to survive in this harsh reality, and he turned around and spit in your face. Even after giving him every chance, he had the gall to turn on you and call you a villain! You! A villain? Well, you showed him exactly what a villain would do to a weak willed fool like him, and now he's dead. The only saving grace of the entire despicable affair is that at least nobody got satisfaction out of killing a member of Longbow. Had The Lost done it, then it would have only encouraged them to kill more. With Kuwalski's blood on your hands it is just another reminder that the war against evil isn't over yet, and people are going to die. Lots of people.
VILLAIN
