Formation instinct

> "*The Kel virtue had been loyalty. Formation instinct deprived them of the chance to choose to be loyal.*"
> ― Ninefox Gambit
>
>

**Formation instinct** is an exotic medical treatment used by the Kel in the hexarchate to induce an emotional need to obey orders and maintain hierarchy. It is first described in Ninefox Gambit.

## Overview

Formation instinct is injected into every cadet at Kel Academy using psych surgery. At the same time, baseline body language is imprinted on every cadet to allow hierarchical authentication.

Though the process is constantly fine-tuned by Kel Command, it is not entirely reliable. Loyal Kel regarded formation-breakers, known as crashhawks, with visceral horror and usually decommission or execute them. Kel crashhawks who do continue serving are regarded with suspicion and rarely achieve prominent positions.

## History

General Shuos Jedao's treasonous massacre at Hellspin Fortress was a major inspiration for the institution of formation instinct, although no Kel were implicated in the incident. Designed by Visyas and Heptarch Nirai Kujen after the purging of the more ethically-minded Liozh, the technique was developed using Jedao's revenant as a prototype in a bid to force him to obey orders while out of the black cradle. While it would have been a controversial technique earlier, the hexarchs and Kel Command had no qualms about installing it in the Kel army after it was developed, replacing formation channeling and voluntary loyalty as the definitive Kel values.

The broadcast of the revised calendar, allowing people to choose whether or not exotics would affect them, allowed the Kel of the Compact to forego formation instinct. The Kel of the Protectorate continued to endure it until the two polities reformed under the Protectorate's banner and fully exchanged the high calendar for the revised one.[cite]

## Exceptions

### Vrae Tala Clause

In case of situations where blindly following bad or outdated orders might result in defeat, the Vrae Tala clause, developed after the loss of the Fire Grasses campaign in 970, allows a Kel general officer to suspend formation instinct for tactical purposes. To prevent abuse of the clause, its invocation is fatal, designed to kill the officer in question within 100 days. The clause and its related saying -- "every general is a clock" -- are seldom discussed within the Kel.

### Crashhawks

The injection process cannot be predicted with complete certainty. First Formation is used to test Kel cadets' retention of the injection. Repeated tests are costly and seldom administered except to suspected crashhawks.

Due to the cost of individual retesting, some crashhawks were able to serve long terms among the Kel, but rarely rose to prominence.

### Other Exceptions

Formation instinct may be faulty when faced with a Kel who lacks the appropriate imprinted body language.

During interrogations by other Kel, the rank of Kel being interrogated is suspended in order to allow formation instinct to deliver the best results.

## Trivia

* In 1217, Mikodez told Jedao that he had been the prototype for formation instinct. Kujen, disapproving, suppressed Jedao's memory of the conversation. Ajewen Cheris remembered it after acquiring Jedao's memories, though she pretended otherwise to Mikodez out of distrust.
* Kujen claimed that even with modern techniques, Jedao would not have been a suitable candidate for the injection.
* Exceptional crashhawks included Kel Iasure, Ajewen Cheris, and Kel Brezan.

## References

1. ↑ Ninefox Gambit, Chapter 1; Revenant Gun, Chapter 4
2. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 7
3. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 9
4. ↑ Revenant Gun, Chapter 4
5. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 12
6. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 1
7. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 6
8. ↑ Revenant Gun, Chapter 4
9. ↑ Ninefox Gambit, Chapter 2
10. ↑ Ninefox Gambit, Chapter 22
11. ↑ Ninefox Gambit, Chapter 23; Raven Stratagem, Chapter 9
12. ↑ Ninefox Gambit, Chapter 23
13. ↑ Ninefox Gambit, Chapter 22
14. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 1
15. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 13
16. ↑ Hexarchate Stories: Hexarchate (And Heptarchate) Timeline
17. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 13
18. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 1
19. ↑ Ninefox Gambit, Chapter
20. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 6
21. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 6
22. ↑ Ninefox Gambit, Chapter
23. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 12
24. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 9; Hexarchate Stories: Hexarchate (And Heptarchate) Timeline
25. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 9
26. ↑ Ninefox Gambit, Chapter 23
27. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 9, Revenant Gun open thread
28. ↑ Raven Stratagem, Chapter 9