Selectivity

Originally published at: Selectivity | The Associated Worlds

The Habtech’s Peace referred originally to an agreement brokered between the various mercenary companies engaged on each side during the months of drift-habitat fighting that characterized the latter phase of the Black Web War, and continues to refer to similar agreements (again, usually between mercenary groups) up to the present day.

Under a Habtech’s Peace, all combatants engaged in extended combat operations aboard a drift-habitat or other hostile-environment shelter agree to

  • refrain from using control over or sabotage of structural, main power, thermal control, life support, attitude control, or orbital maneuvering systems as a weapon of war;
  • refrain from conducting operations in such a way as to impair the operation, repair, or maintenance of these systems, or in a manner that places key elements of them at risk;
  • permit the passage of identified habitat technicians through and between the combat zone and occupied areas as necessary, without let or hindrance;
  • refrain from making use of identified habitat technicians as agents of sabotage or espionage;
  • actively refuse any offers of intelligence from identified habitat technicians;
  • and so forth.

The purpose of such an agreement should be obvious: operations in such environments offer all too many scenarios in which all sides of the conflict lose, in the destruction of the asset over which they are fighting and/or a mass-death event which destroys or renders combat-incapable both sides. Death for death’s sake is in no-one’s interest.

While combatants often cut a course very close to the line, a Habtech’s Peace is rarely violated, and in such cases mercenaries and mercenary-support organizations adherent to the Iron Concord will often join forces to punish the offender. (It is widely believed that the lack of participation of polity forces in these arrangements is due to the lack of ability – in most cases – to punish defectors.)

– from an article in Blood Cheques and Bullets, 7282Q1 issue

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Is there any “unofficial” agreements to use identified habitat technicians as couriers between opponents for various purposes?

If it’s for diplomatic reasons I don’t see why not, although that would require a means to ensure that no espionage is unwittingly conducted by the intermediate for either party, which if I were a hab tech would be more trouble than I’d be willing to go through, unless I was paid handsomely for it.

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What are the penalties for disguising as technicians?

Billing would be amazing. But I can also see the need to provide and pass messages along of certain kinds that can’t be “official,” but have to be delivered all the same.

Y’know that thing that happens on our battlefields when the enemy decides it’s a good idea to dress combat troops as medics to launch a sneak attack?

That.

Don’t expect to be taken prisoner.

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Not sayin’ it doesn’t happen, but this is the sort of thing that is a bit close to the line for most folks to be comfortable with. Misunderstandings in this sort of area are, after all, best assiduously avoided.

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