~EXCERPT~

Combat effectiveness and longevity in Reiter-Spiegel pairs: case series and review

M.H. Shiranui, N. Vakta, E.S. Athelstan (publication date ████)

[…] As shown in Table 3, the average in-combat ER expenditure in the Tethered group was 12 units/s, compared to 27 units/s in the group that underwent sham Tethering, which translates to a roughly 56% reduction. Expected effective combat duration ranged from 10 to 25 minutes in the test group, while accounting for individual differences, and 3 to 9 minutes in the placebo group.

Other readily quantifiable combat effectiveness parameters such as kill efficiency, ranged armament hit rate, damage received, and time to objective were not within the scope of this study, but may present the next logical step in future research.

Despite necessary limitations such as small sample size, variations within combat events, and Reiter-specific individual differences in combat effectiveness as well as ER management, the data presented in Table 3 are highly suggestive of significant and reproducible per-deployment benefits conferred by Reiter-Spiegel Tethering when compared to the placebo group.

However, the most significant impact of Reiter-Spiegel Tethering may be its long-term effects on the longevity of a Reiter’s active combat career. This is best illustrated by Table 4 and Figures 1 and 2, which respectively show the median pre- and post-deployment CR grades (as measured by the Combat Readiness Assessment Rubric; Shiranui et al, ████), median CR grades tracked monthly over a three-year period, and average inter-deployment turnaround times. Across all three comparisons, the test group once again showed significant advantages over the placebo group, with generally higher CR grades, lower CR decay over time, and shorter inter-deployment turnarounds.

Table 5 is a summary of extrapolative analyses based on the observed data. Most notable among these are expected duration of uninterrupted active combat careers (18.6 years in the test group vs 4.5 in the placebo group), expected deployments per year (23.9 in the test group vs 8.7 in the placebo group), and expected lifetime aggregate kill counts (2624 per individual in the test group vs 215 in the placebo group). The differences in these projections are truly remarkable, and they were the main deciding factor in our decision, with approval from the Reiter Regiment, to terminate the study early and shift all individuals in the placebo group to genuine Tethering.

The principles driving the various benefits conferred by the Reiter-Spiegel partnership have been a topic of intense debate since pre-Akropolitan times. Improvement in on-the-ground combat effectiveness can readily be explained by the vital role Spiegels play in keeping Reiters abreast of environmental factors as well as individual and Eidolic conditions. What is more difficult to explain is the mechanism behind the reduced ER expenditure as well as the global effects on inter-deployment combat readiness.

It has long been accepted that, while total ER and loadout-associated ER costs are largely the purview of Jaegerschaft and engineering solutions, in-combat ER expenditure is a function of the complex interplay between the individual Reiter’s Somatic and Psychic Reserves (Athelstan et al, ████).

One theory is that the reduction in ER expenditure is mainly due to the Spiegel’s influence on a Reiter’s ability to maintain Psychic stability. This is largely borne out by previous studies that compared post-combat Somatic parameters and self-reported Psychic conditions between Tethered and non-Tethered Reiters (Shiranui et al, ████) It then follows that the long-term improved stability in Combat Readiness, and therefore increased longevity of Reiters in active combat duty, are the direct results of the same Psyche-stabilizing effects that have been observed per-deployment.

Future research should focus on numerous uncertainties that still remain. However, one thing has been made clear, namely that Spiegel-Tethered Reiters are not only more effective in-combat than their non-Tethered peers, they are also more likely to enjoy longer careers and therefore offer sustained contributions to the war effort over longer time periods. The implications of these findings include but are not limited to […]

~EXCERPT~

TOP SECRET: Standard Operating Procedure for the selection, induction, re-education, and conditioning of proto-Spiegels

[…] Generally speaking, the most suitable candidates must meet multiple or all of the following criteria:

1. Essential origin

2. From a family of low social footprint; this excludes all offspring of business owners recognized under the Inter-Akran Licensing Registry, as well as of other individuals in community leadership roles, to be defined on a case-by-case basis

3. Showed a non-differentiated Nexus attunement as per the Ascension Standard

4. Said demonstrable attunement occurred in close proximity to or in sequence with another child that showed differentiated Nexus attunement; historical data suggest that this is especially relevant if said differentiation is in Reiterschaft

5. Suitable Psychic profile, as determined on a case-by-case basis by a designated Kuratorial interviewer […]

[…] Quarantine and Kuratorial adjustment of family members and acquaintances is conducted after a thorough review and in conjunction with the on-site liaison officer. In an effort to curtail unnecessary allocation of resources and man-hours, a bulk processing and ‘wide local excision’ approach is recommended. For individuals that present a high risk of relapse, referral to ███████████ for further processing may be considered. […]

[…] Induction invariably begins with substrate preparation via thorough Kuratorial adjustment. This step is vital in ensuring the total removal of contaminants and artifacts that may interfere with re-education, conditioning, and subsequent operation. As such, intensive one-on-one sessions with the designated Kurator are warranted if not mandatory. In rare cases, the use of ██████ may be authorized at the discretion of the program supervisor.

The nature of the re-education curriculum has been a point of contention in the past. Historical data seem to suggest that a holistic approach that incorporates a wide range of topics such as science, literature, and the arts is preferred to one with a narrower tactical focus. Reasons for this are not well-understood, but in the interest of maximizing the benefits of a Reiter-Spiegel partnership, the current guidelines are closely informed by these historical observations. […]

[…] Note that re-education doesn’t end once a Spiegel is fully operational. Pre- and post-deployment assessments as well as ongoing Kuratorial adjustments on an as-needed basis help to ensure a Spiegel’s operational readiness for the full duration of a Reiter partner’s career.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

The maintenance of ███████████████ units is an integral part of the day-to-day duties of any Kurator assigned to the Spiegel Program. A reading of the Somatic parameters should be conducted at four-hour intervals, with inputs/outputs adjusted accordingly. All medical emergencies are to be referred to the on-call Gaertner via the encrypted channel. All operational ███████████████ units are to be cleaned weekly and serviced monthly according to the protocols outlined in Addenda 2A and 2B.

The Kurator-in-charge for each shift is ultimately responsible for overseeing restricted access to the Spiegel Program. All exchanges of provisions and waste products must strictly follow the protocol outlined in Addendum 4A. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES must unauthorized personnel be allowed entry to the premises. […]

[…] Finally, it is important for each and every participant in the Spiegel Program to be cognizant of the challenging nature of the work as well as the prolonged emotional isolation that is part and parcel to the job. Know that you serve Akropolis and the war in a unique and invaluable capacity. Know that your efforts and sacrifice do not go unnoticed by your leaders, including the incumbent chief-of-staff. If at any point you identify personal factors that may interfere with your ability to serve in the Spiegel Program, do not hesitate to contact ███████████████ for further processing. […]

~February 19th, 140 AH~

~Joint Base Akra, Main Headquarters~

Back inside the General’s office for a second time, Asena stood as far apart as she could manage from the two men that had accompanied her here.

She leaned against a corner that was adorned with the medals and commendations Fenix Duodecim had accrued over at least three decades of being a larger-than-life figure, not only within the military but also among the whole of Akropolis. These metallic trinkets and certificates with ornate lettering recognized Fenix’s contributions not only as a Syntropy hunter but as a feared and revered leader of men. A requisite component of that leadership, Asena had just learned, was to protect and uphold a horrific tradition that had carried on for nearly a century and a half, unbeknownst to all but the privileged—and unfortunate—few.

When had Fenix himself become privy to the truth about Spiegels? Surely not when he’d been an active Reiter—not when he himself had been Tethered to a fellow human that had been entirely stripped of their humanity. Yet, looking at the grotesquely cheerful smile he directed at her now, Asena realized that it wouldn’t have made a difference for him. Fenix Duodecim was exactly the kind of man who could’ve learned of the unimaginable cruelty his Spiegel partner had endured, then carried on killing Syntropy as if nothing had changed.

“Before we get to the matter at hand,” the General, seated at his overly expensive desk, spoke across the room, “I believe Colonel Shiranui owes me—owes both of us—an explanation. Yuito?”

Yuito Shiranui, for his part, possessed the grace to be visibly upset by the turn of events. Just earlier, he’d sat silently with face buried in his hands as he waited for his daughter to finish reading the classified documents pertaining to the Spiegel Program. Now, he looked like a withered husk of his already gaunt self, perhaps on the verge of a Psychic collapse of his own. Asena took in the sight of her father’s sorry state with cold dead eyes, and failed to muster a shred of sympathy.

“I have no excuse,” Yuito spoke quietly into the General’s desk, avoiding eye contact with either of his companions. “If I were to attempt a semblance of explanation… it would be that the subject had maintained an irregular deployment pattern for much of the year, often returning to or leaving the JFB unscheduled and unannounced.”

This was clear enough even from the little Asena herself had [EVOKED]. If Zelen had been absent for long stretches in between meeting with his Kuratorial handler, it wasn’t inconceivable that important memory fragments had slipped the latter’s notice. And not for the first time, Asena wondered if any of this would’ve happened—if she’d be in this room right now, if she would’ve confronted the truth behind the Spiegel Program, if she would’ve learned anything worth knowing of the stranger that was her fiancé—if her father had simply found and [UNRAVELLED] the pertinent bit of recollection.

“However,” Yuito continued, “I did manage to secure a session with him just prior… just prior to the incident… and I failed to uncover the memory fragments pertaining to… to his Spiegel’s pre-induction identity. Which leads me to suspect… that the subject himself employed Kuratorschaft to mask his own memories.”

“Sneaky little fuck,” Fenix interjected with a dark grin. “Talented little fuck. Love him or hate him, gotta admit the boy is something special. Too special to be rotting away before his time.”

Asena’s cold dead eyes narrowed into a slight frown. Unless either her father or the General were still keeping secrets from her, they’d both missed something that, in her mind, was the strangest aspect of this whole affair. Note that re-education doesn’t end once a Spiegel is fully operational.

Burning with curiosity, she very nearly spoke up, then decided against it. If her assumptions were correct, this was another card she ought to keep close to her chest, to be whipped out only when the time called for it.

“Well, I’m satisfied with that explanation,” the General clapped his desk, then turned his attention to Asena. “How about you, Corporal?”

Asena too refused to meet the General’s eyes. She said quietly, almost to herself, “You don’t really care what I think, and I don’t really care to talk about it. I came here to discuss only one thing: what are your plans for Zelen Athelstan?”

Fenix now graced Asena with his dark grin, the one that had accompanied his fond adulations for Zelen.

“Straight to the point. We might make a commanding officer out of you yet, Corporal. And it’s a simple question that deserves a simple answer. We carry on. You’ve managed to achieve your first breakthrough. Now we make the final push and bring the real Lieutenant Athelstan out of hiding.”

“You trust me to do this for you? After everything you and Father put me through. After everything I’ve learned…”

“Why? Should I be concerned?”

A flash of anger caused Asena to draw in a sharp breath. Then she finally met the General’s grin with a glare of her own.

“I could go out there right now and tell everyone. Tell the whole city what you’ve been doing to the poor people of Lower Akra. To children! See what Akropolis thinks of you and your war then!”

“Our War.”

Asena flinched despite herself. Fenix Duodecim hadn’t raised his voice, nor so much as shifted a muscle in his face. Yet the glint that flashed from his eyes but for a moment carried with it a primordial threat, unknowable yet wholly undeniable. They were the eyes of a singular predator, and before them, Asena’s entire being froze and shook with a primal fear.

When the General spoke again, the glint was gone, leaving only his genial avuncular smile. Yet his every word sank and buried itself into the chasm within Asena’s chest.

“Are you familiar with the concept of critical mass, Corporal? Surely you must be, little miss know-it-all. I only bring it up because I think it fits nicely into our discussion… this idea that the people of Akropolis will rise up in anger once they learn what Spiegels really are.

“28. That’s the number of individuals alive in Akropolis today that have clearance to participate in the Spiegel Program, kept it running like a well-oiled machine so our Reiter boys could go out there and kill Syntropy to their heart’s content. After today’s events, I hereby grant you the same clearance. The paperwork we’ll deal with later, but for all intents and purposes, you, Corporal Asena Shiranui, are now part of the Spiegel Program. To that end, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to the 29th member of our merry little band of go-getters and hard workers.

“Now, I do believe that there is a critical mass to this. The number—the individual—that will tip the balance and start a chain of unstoppable reactions. So far, we haven’t reached it. None of the 28—not me, and certainly not your father—have been noble enough, brave enough, fucking foolish enough to rain on the parade. To be the first one in Akropolitan history to say: no more. This is the day we put an end to the Reiter-Spiegel partnership. The day we cripple our main fighting force and leave ourselves at the mercy of enemies that have hounded us for 140 years. None. Can you believe it, Corporal?

“So, I ask you this, Miss 29… Will you be the one? Are you truly prepared to be the one to push us over the brink, and into critical mass?”