7H: Hmm? What's this?
(raises a tattered piece of cloth between pinched fingers from the corpse of a machine turning to show it to her companion)
6S: (looking up from the console he's preoccupied himself with, squinting slightly)
That is...a flag. The flag of the United States of America, to be specific. A human nation that existed approximately 9,915 years ago. Where did you find it?
(walks over to 7H)
7H: This little guy here was wrapped up in it, as if it were a blanket.
(she collapses from a squatting position to sitting, her legs childishly splayed to each side as 6S kneels beside her)
These colors, they're pretty! Just slightly below garish--kind of an odd color combination too, right? Red, grey, and blue?
6S: (smiles at his endearingly absent-minded partner)
Red, white, and blue. I think it only appears grey because it's been thoroughly soaked with machine grease.
(his gaze scans the horizon: dozens of broken machine corpses and casings litter the scene, the pavement thoroughly saturated in machine oil and hydraulic fluid)
7H: (tracing over the patterns embroidered on the fabric with a finger, muttering to herself)
50... There are 50 stars on this flag...
(knits her eyebrows into a frown, thrusting the flag into 6S's face)
6S, what's the significance? Explain it to me. Why are there 50 stars on this flag?!
6S: (knocked onto his rear by the sudden display of enthusiasm)
W-well, you see, the 50 stars represent the 50 states in the United States of America. This particular nation was subdivided into smaller units called 'states', each of which contained its own respective judicial and legislative bodies, its own local Command structure.
7H: (tilts her head, still wearing a frown)
Ah... So these states, they are the same as countries?
6S: (chuckles lightly as he hugs his knees to his chest)
No, not exactly. States are smaller than countries; they're subdivisions of countries.
7H: ...That makes no sense. Why wouldn't the United States of America be one monolithic entity? Or why couldn't each state be its own country? You said that each state had its own Command structure, right? Why have two? That seems unnecessary to me.
6S: (shrugs)
Who knows why humans did what they did? But that unnecessary part you're referring to is known as 'federalism'. Apparently it was one of the crowning achievements of the United States of America, among others.
7H: (quizzically)
Ohh? Hmm... Why is that an achievement? It doesn't seem so impressive to implement a redundant, cumbersome form of Command structure.
6S: (pensively gazes up at the leaking ceiling as he accesses his memory blocks)
In order to better appreciate the accomplishment, greater historical context must be taken into consideration. See, the United States of America wasn't founded like a typical country. Throughout humanity's history, countries were usually built around ethnic identity, common history, or localized geographical conditions...that kind of thing. This nation in particular was unique in that it's founding wasn't based on any of that, but rather an ideology. So here you have this nascent country of disparate groups of pioneering people, no grand, cohesive, cultural identity, all united under a set of ideas.
7H: Those being?
6S: All men are created equal and are endowed with natural rights to life, liberty, and property. The cumbersome Command structure you referred to only exists to protect those rights.
7H: (incredulously)
Huuuh?! But 6S, humanity was NOT created equal. Some people were smart compared to others, some were dumb; why, physically quite a few were fat while others were thin...As such some are better equipped to live, to exert their will, to secure material. How could you make a blatant lie the foundation for a new country?
Huuuh?! But 6S, humanity was NOT created equal. Some people were smart compared to others, some were dumb; why, physically quite a few were fat while others were thin...As such some are better equipped to live, to exert their will, to secure material. How could you make a blatant lie the foundation for a new country?
6S: (chews on his thumbnail in uncertainty)
I might be reading into it too much, but I think they meant not equal in capacity. It's sorta hard to understand why, but United States of America humans thought that all humans should be treated equitably. There is no rational basis for this belief, it was just something they accepted axiomatically.
7H: (scoffs as she tosses the tattered flag to her companion)
That is outright nonsensical. Tsk. What became of this country anyway? I imagine it didn't last long?
6S: (catches the flag, inspecting it)
No, not at all. After it was founded, it was embroiled in civil war a few decades later, enjoyed relative peace and prosperity thereafter, achieved superpower status, participated in five massive wars, and ultimately came to an abrupt end in 2028.
7H: Six major conflicts in the span of 250 or so years? They sure were fond of fighting.
(groans lightly as she stands to her feet, smoothing her dress)
Yeah, I'm not surprised at all that they eventually got their butts handed to them. As humanity used to say, 'when you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail'.
6S: (looking up from his investigation)
Er, I think the expression you're looking for is 'the nail that sticks out g'--
7H: (shoots a poisonous glance at her know-it-all companion)
6S: (hurriedly refocuses)
I-I mean...seven! Seven major conflicts. They weren't conquered either, but fractured. This division was precipitated by a second civil war that began in 2020.
7H: (her eyes light up in awe)
Oh! So they turned on each other once more? The blood-thirsty lot of them!
6S: Yep. The 2010s were characterized by the white chlorination syndrome pandemic and sociopolitical unrest, which came to a head with mass riots spreading across the country.
7H: You've gotta be kidding me. Social issues is what did them in? You'd think that in a society based on the foundational idea of 'all men are created equal' there'd be very little reason to complain. Was there a shortage of material resources at the time?
6S: As far as I can tell, no. If anything, this particular time period in human history was quite prosperous.
7H: Hmm...United States of America humans seem like an inefficient as well as unreasonable bunch. Why didn't the Command units use force to stop the riots?
6S: It went against the ideology. Rebelling against their Command units was something that was protected in the United States of America's national ethos, and was a large part of the culture.
7H: (throws her hands up in despair, bringing them to rest as she crosses her arms)
I dunno then 6S, it seems like these humans got what they deserved, having built a nation on outright lies and naivete while encouraging dissent within their very ranks!
6S: Hey, I agree with you! Why are you getting mad at me for? It was an interesting experiment for humanity to try; I'm surprised it lasted so long. I guess the laws of nature ultimately win out in the end, huh?
(begins to neatly fold the ragged flag, tucking it into his breast pocket)
7H: That's right. Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor, and the contrary opinion is wishful thinking at its worst. Humanity learned this lesson, the machines know this, and us YoRHa have embodied this truth.
6S: That...hey! Have you been raiding my literature repos again?!
7H: (impishly smiles and puts a finger to her lips)
