TF Amethyst

TFA2 13.4 – An Offer to Surrender

In order to find out the correct dose of electric shock attack or ESA, Colonel Maddox sent nano-current into the water in the Underground Tunnel. This nano-current was not dangerous or lethal. However, based on its load he would be able to predict the size of the target.

And after he launched the ESA, Colonel Maddox sent the nano-current into underground tunnel one more time. A few moments later he casually said, “There are three to four dozen survivors. I believe this numbers is not a threat. Let’s cancel the second wave of ESA.”

Captain Murphy nodded, and then he asked, “Colonel, can you tell me, how many hostile we kill with ESA?”

“Let's say each person down there has body height around 185 cm, with this basis I estimate we have killed around 110-120 thousand hostiles."

"Do they burn to the death like in the movie?"

“Nope.” Colonel Maddox put a piece of gum into his mouth, and then chewed it for a moment before continuing, “Our ESA is insufficient to cause severe burn or tissue breaks down. It’s only enough to send most of human heart to go into Ventricular Fibrillation, which technically is useless contractions that do not pump any blood.

 

Of course, among our targets there will be some people who stronger than average people and survive the attack."

“Why don't we send an ESA with a dose that will kill all hostile in the underground tunnel in one go?"

“Because it's too difficult," Colonel Maddox casually replied.

Captain Murphy tilted his head as he asked, "How so?"

“It’s not easy to calculate the minimum voltage and current to kill a person, as electricity is not quantified in a single unit of measurement.” Seeing the question mark in Captain Murphy’s forehead thickened, Colonel Maddox immediately turned his gaze to MCG's officers around him, “Anyone, please be kind to explain this subject to Captain Murphy.”

”My pleasure Sir,” Lieutenant Juan answered enthusiastically. “Captain, to calculate how big electricity needed to kill a person, you need to know how moist the skin is, where the electricity enters and exits, whether the electricity AC or DC, what the frequency of the AC is, the time of exposure, size of the target, the level of electricity resistance, and some other conditions. 

A huge current that enters pinky finger and exits the thumb on the same hand will burn the hand badly, but not lethal because only a little amount of current can reach the heart. 

The dangerous one is when current enters from one hand and exits from the other one. In such scenario, a lot of current will pass through the heart.

Also, AC is more dangerous. It will often freeze the victim from letting go the source. In most case, for most human, 60 mA, 120 volt, 60 HZ alternating current travelling through the chest for a split second can lead the heart into Ventricular Fibrillation. As for direct current, it will take 300 to 500 mA to have the same effect. However, if the target has a dry skin, it would need a higher voltage to force enough electrons pass through the heart and stop it from functioning properly.”

“I see.”

 

“The other example is, if the victim fully immersed in the water, a voltage gradient as low as 2 volts per feet – or 12 volts for a 6 foot tall person, can allow sufficient current to flow through the body and leading into muscular contraction. 

As the result, the victim isn’t directly electrocuted. They don’t suffer nerve damage, tissue breakdown, or cardiac arrest. Rather, they become unable to swim and die by drowning.”

“I see.”

“As for the massive number of target in the underground tunnel, only a genius can do the math. Or, we can adopt a brute means by sending a current as big as 2000 mA to cause severe burn, cardiac arrest, or tissue breakdown on the victims. 

However, this brute means will cost us one or two giga power bank in the process, which is why Colonel Maddox avoids this option.”

“I see.”

"Do you want other example?"

"Umm… yes, please."

Even if Captain Murphy nodded his head every time he replied, it was clearly visible that he didn’t understand a single damn thing. The problem was that he didn’t know how to ask Lieutenant Juan to end his long explanation.

At the same time, Colonel Maddox casually sent a report to Command Center, stating that ESA had been launch and managed to cut the flow of opposing combatant.

---

Command Center, Castle Lagra.

Right after he received the report from Colonel Maddox that the flow of opposing combatant was successfully stopped, Nate immediately fell into contemplation.

Previously, when he asked Colonel Maddox how high the rate of success for ESA, the reply he got was, ‘Long time ago, when I was in fifth grade, I applied the same technique to wipe out termites that attacked my grandfather's wooden cabin, and it gave me satisfactory results."

At a glance, people would definitely assume that Colonel Maddox's answer was nonsense and they would just ignore it. Fortunately, Nate knew Colonel Mathew ‘Maddox’ Page very well, including the history behind the nickname ‘Maddox’ which came from the words ‘Mad’ and ‘Doggie’.

In summary, Young Maddox graduated from MIT at the age of 14-year-old. His teachers, friends, and especially his enemies described him as, ‘A demon level genius with nasty personality.’

 

After working at a giant contractor on energy industry for four years, Young Maddox then decided to joint US Navy and applied for the legendary US Navy EOD Mobile Unit. However, his psychological examination showed that instead of defusing a bomb, Young Maddox rather preferred to detonate it. No doubt, it was a dangerous tendency for an EOD’s personnel. 

Therefore, Young Maddox had to apply for other military occupation specialty. He then joined the US Navy Mobile Construction Group. And in this unit, he found his calling, or to be precise was his desire to be part of the great cycle of destruction and creation without having to violate public law. This desire was also the reason why Old Maddox couldn’t refuse the invitation to shape and lead TF Amethyst’s Mobile Construction Group.

‘As usual, he always managed to deliver the expected results,' Nate muttered as relief filled his heart. Then, he turned his gaze to Viscount Issel and General Khartoum. “Well, it’s time to find out if the remaining opposing combatant want to surrender to perverse their life or getting wiped out to the last man."

With a heavy tone Viscount Issel replied, “Ser Nate, do we really have to give the offer to surrender?"

Wasting no time, General Khartoum immediately added his view, “Ser Nate, actually, I also think it’s not wise to offer the opposing combatant the opportunity to surrender. As you know, they cause us a fairly large loss of personnel and material this time."

“Ser Issel, General Khartoum, I share similar sentiment with both of you.” Nate took a deep breath before continuing, “However, our war against Kingdom of Makai is not over yet. Therefore, we have to seize every opportunity to save our resource for future battlefield.”

“Understood,” A deep disappointment was clearly visible in General Khartoum's tone, but he fully aware that Nate was correct so he didn’t argue further.

As for Viscount Issel, he closed his eyes for a moment before saying, “I will carry out the talk.”

“Thank you, for your understanding.” Nate then handed over a document to Viscount Issel as he continued, “Ser Issel, these are the conditions if our guest want to surrender.

And if they have any request, as long its does not go against our terms, we will try to accommodate it as best as we can.”

“Understood.” 

Without delay, Viscount Issel then left Command Center.

*****