Gap Stories #23

[S.L.U.T.]

Log Date: 12/18/12768

Data Sources: Sleuthing With Shina

MPR (Myrrdicato Public Radio)

Program: Sleuthing With Shina

Timeslot: Fridays @7pm-8pm SGT

“Hello all, and welcome back to another episode of Sleuthing With Shina. I’m Shina Sothsby, head investigative reporter for Myrrdicato Public Radio. Whether you’re listening from one of the inner arms or from the galactic rim, it’s pleasure to have you with us tonight. As with all our evening shows, this one may not be suited for the kids, so if the little ones are still awake, feel free to catch the episode later when we upload it to our Utube channel.

“With that said, our topic for tonight is one that some of you may be familiar with: plugsuits. Known by a variety of other names, this article of clothing holds a spot in galactic fashion that is simultaneously revered, reviled, and required for certain occupations. Existing at the intersection of utility, sex appeal, and high technology, the plugsuit is a fascinating piece of attire, and one that we’ll be delving into tonight as we take a look at its origins, its history, and its place in our modern culture.”

[roll cue]

…

“Plugsuits. To the uninformed eye, they may only seem to be a peculiar choice of clothing — but they are far more than that, representing the synthesis of some of the most advanced technologies of our modern age. Originating not long after the dawn of full-body neural interfacing, these devices were often shrouded in an air of mystery and tantalizing allure, even after their general functions became known to the public. Used to provide a direct control interface for a wide variety of technologies, it is perhaps best known as the work uniform of Titan pilots, though it is also used by the pilots of interstellar ships, strike fighters, smaller mechs, heavy power armor, cybersurfers, and more.

“With the deployment of the Valiant to the Mistilteinn System, and a subsequent press junket revealing their Titan-centric purpose there, plugsuits have once again risen to the forefront of the galactic consciousness. The Valiant media office has intermittently sent out press releases showing Songbird and Special Agent Kiwi in plugsuits against dynamic and breathtaking backdrops, and unauthorized pictures of the pair, taken during the press junket, have been circulating on the galaxynet. On the search engine Swipe, queries involving plugsuits have spiked over six thousand percent over the last month, and there’s been a corresponding rise in fanart depicting some better-known Valiant Agents in various plugsuit designs. This has also been reflected in various talk shows and daytime programs, where the topic of plugsuits has been discussed as a more lighthearted alternative to some of the heavier news of the day.

“So with all that in mind, it seemed like an appropriate time to visit the topic, and demystify some of the hype surrounding the Valiant’s reveal of their Titan program and its pilots. And as we often do with our deep dives into pop culture icons, we started our research with a visit to Dan Splainsworthy, our resident plugsuit expert.”

[transition cue]

…

Shina Sothsby: Afternoon Dan, how’s it doing?

Dan Splainsworthy: Well well, if it isn’t my favorite Cyber field reporter! Been a while, Shina. What’s today’s piece?

SS: Glad you asked. I think you’ll enjoy this one. Are you ready?

DS: Sock it to me.

SS: Plugsuits.

DS: Oh ho ho ho! That is a good one. A very fun topic. The world of Titan pilots gets pretty wild when you start digging into it; there’s a reason they’re tabloid fodder.

SS: Well, we hope to hit somewhere above the level of tabloid with this report. It’s for the Sleuthing program, by the way — the one with the Friday evening timeslot.

DS: Oh! Right, so this’ll be more serious, then. I’d be happy to help with that. What part of the topic are we looking at?

SS: Well, we were hoping we could start the report off by shedding some light on what plugsuits are — explaining to the audience what exactly it is that plugsuits do, and why certain professionals wear them. And then we were going to take a look at the history of plugsuits, and their place within the industry and pop culture at large, but we’ve got appointments lined up at museums and fashion shows for that part of the report.

DS: I’d be happy to get you started on that. While I’m getting my visuals pulled up here, we can start by explaining that plugsuits are, at their most basic reduction, comms and control devices. The purpose of a plugsuit is to transmit information from the wearer, directly to a receiving machine, which usually interprets and acts on that information.

SS: Alright, so it’s a comms device — but how does that make it any different from, say, a phone or a satellite?

DS: Excellent question. There’s many differences that set a plugsuit apart from standard comms devices. The first is that plugsuits usually make use of a hardwired connection for faster and more stable data transmission; the suits literally have receptors built into them, which physical cables are plugged into.

SS: That’s where the ‘plug’ in ‘plugsuit’ comes from.

DS: Precisely. A lot of people don’t realize this, because you almost never see pictures of pilots plugged in, and this usually has to do with image management — it’s a little unsettling to see all those cables and wires hooked up to a person. Plugsuits are ironically more photogenic when they’re not in use.

SS: You said there were other differences to take note of?

DS: Indeed. The next thing that sets plugsuits apart from other comms devices is the fact that they relay what’s called reflex or impulse data, instead of audio or visual data. Now, I won’t get too deep into this, because it’s a subject all on its own — but plugsuit pilots usually need specialized nanite injections. These nanites really only exist to communicate information about the pilot’s body to the suit — they don’t do anything else. Movements, muscle twitches, and sometimes thoughts and intentions, if you’re using neuranium nanites — these nanites gather this information, communicate it to the suit’s tech layer, which then translates it, and sends that information to the plugs, back along the cables, and to the machine or device that the pilot is connected to. And that is how a plugsuit pilot controls the machine they’re linked to.

SS: Seems like a very complex system.

DS: Indeed, which bring us to our final difference between plugsuits and more common comms devices: plugsuits are designed to relay a high volume of data, at extremely high speeds, with extreme precision that you don’t find in most other comms systems. Sometimes it can get as high as terabit speeds, though you usually only see that with Titan pilots. Other pilot types have lower transmission volumes.

SS: Is there anything else we should know about plugsuits, in the general sense?

DS: Well, there’s plenty I could tell you about the fashion and pop culture aspects of it, and the actual Titan pilot culture of plugsuits is rather deep and fascinating. But since you’ve already got interviews lined up for those parts, I’ll just leave it at that: at the end of the day, a plugsuit is a comms and control device. One that’s highly specialized, precise, and wearable.

SS: Perfect. I think we’ll leave it at that, then — thanks for taking the time, Dan.

DS: Always my pleasure, Shina. Don’t have too much fun out there!

[transition cue]

…

“With Dan having provided the baseline understanding of plugsuits and what they are, we then embarked on the next leg of our research trip. Our destination was the Praelion District on Sybione, home to the Plugsuit Museum — an establishment that was fairly self-explanatory, as the name indicated. The Museum itself is funded by, and exists as an extension of, the Suit Solutions Corporation, one of the major manufacturers of plugsuits and plugsuit components. It has been noted that the Plugsuit Museum likely exists as part of the Corporation’s image management strategy, and as such, the organizational mission is likely driven by certain corporate motivators. Still, the Museum is one of the the most comprehensive chroniclers of plugsuit history, and so warranted a visit and an interview.”

[transition cue]

…

Shina Sothsby: Director Carlton?

Director Carlton: That’s me. Shina Sothsby, I presume?

SS: The very same.

DC: Come right along, we’ve got a special tour lined up for your team.

[transition]

SS: So, based off your exhibits here, it looks like plugsuits have actually been around for quite a while.

DC: Oh yes, millennia, in fact, though they’ve been refined over that time. There are historical records of plugsuits having existed as far back as eight thousand years ago, though we’re fairly certain they existed before that point as well.

SS: So plugsuits are not really a new invention.

DC: No really, no. They likely existed before the Serenity War, and were reinvented as civilizations came out of the dark ages after the War. Other civilizations, like the wereckanan, have probably had them for tens or even hundreds of thousands of years.

SS: Tell me a little bit more about why plugsuits came about.

DC: Well, as many things are, the development of plugsuits was a function of war. They’re best known for being synonymous with Titan pilots, but most plugsuit emergences are usually centered around strike fighters, trying to give those pilots better control and reaction time in dogfights. An edge of even a half second goes a long way in deciding battles that occur at high speeds, with decision windows that are often smaller than a few seconds. And then from there, once the technology proves itself, it usually spreads into other areas where it can be utilized.

SS: The earlier iterations of the technology look quite different from the modern versions.

DC: Oh, yes, undisputedly. Looking here at this early example from a few thousand years ago, in a society that had just pioneered the concept, you can see that it’s not the photogenic affair that modern plugsuits are. It’s rather bulky, the plug ports are rather noticeable and protrude quite a bit, and the internal cables and wires are visible through the surface layer.

SS: It looks an ancient hazmat suit.

DC: That it does. I can tell you one thing; nobody was posing for holomag covers in this thing. As time goes on, you can see that advances in materials, miniaturization, and technology have slowly shaved bulk off the subsequent iterations, until you come to the modern version, where the material and tech can fit into printable layers less than two millimeters thick.

SS: And I assume it became more prominent as a symbol as the form was refined.

DC: Oh, certainly. One can see that in the prevalence of media spots for pilots over time. Namely, that the frequency rises with each successive iteration, and especially so when militaries realize that pilots — especially the fit and attractive ones — can be useful messaging and propaganda tools.

SS: And I suppose, even if they aren’t proficient at public speaking, a charming smile and good posture still makes for a good front-page picture.

DC: Precisely. Militaries often like a silent soldier with good looks. It’s when they open their mouths that the top brass start to worry.

[transition cue]

…

“Messaging and propaganda is, of course, an important aspect of plugsuit culture and history — to say otherwise is to deny the obvious. Most militaries openly acknowledge it, as a matter of fact — though this may be a result of decades of well-documented exposés pulling back the curtain on how militaries use their Titan pilots as media elements. Hoping to make the most of the seeming openness on the topic, we arranged an interview with the brigadier general of the Mercurial Consortium’s heavy armor battalion.”

[transition cue]

…

Shina Sothsby: Thanks for taking the time, General Broushamante.

General Broushamante: Well, an interview with the galaxy’s most famous field anchor? We could hardly turn that down.

SS: Ah, that’s my role for MNN. My role for MPR is a little different.

GB: Potato, potahto, it’s still an honor. Now, I understand you’re here to ask about our Titan pilots.

SS: Well, somewhat. It’s not necessarily about the pilots themselves, but more about the practice of using them as messaging tools and media elements.

GB: Oh, I see. So you’re curious about how we incorporate our pilots into our media strategy.

SS: Somewhat, yes. The piece we’re doing is on plugsuits, and plugsuits are associated with Titan pilots; Titan pilots are often used in media campaigns for the military. So we wanted to ask the general rationale there — is it because Titan pilots in plugsuits bring a certain level of sex appeal to the military?

GB: Of course they do. Plugsuits do wonders for highlighting fit specimens, and people like looking at attractive things. I won’t deny it; we often use our Titan pilots as the face of our image and recruiting campaigns. It gives people something nice to look at, to admire, to aspire to.

SS: Something to aspire to, even though normal recruits will almost certainly never become Titan pilots?

GB: Well, it’s not just recruiting-age people that see the ads; it’s a good chunk of the population, both old and young. And someone might see that at a young age, and it leaves an impression on them, and ten years later, you have a new Titan pilot signing into the service.

SS: Are you ever concerned that recruits might be disappointed by the apparent disparity between what’s on the poster, and what service actually looks like?

GB: Oh goodness, never. Anyone with two brain cells to rub together knows that what you see on the poster isn’t what the reality is. That goes for everything in the advertising space, not just the military. The ad is just there to get your attention, and fit people in tight plugsuits does a damn good job of that.

SS: Do you mind if I ask about conversion rates? How many people look at the ad versus how many people end up signing up? And have you compared the conversion rate of plugsuit ads against the conversion rate of your other kinds of ads that don’t feature Titan pilots?

GB: You can certainly ask. I won’t be able to answer because I don’t have the numbers on me; that would be a conversation I’d need to have with our media office. But if I had to guess, I think I can say with certainty that our ads featuring our Titan pilots have higher conversion rates than our regular ads. I’ve got no data to back that up, and you’d have to test that thesis by running separate campaigns near the same recruitment offices in sequence to see what recruitment numbers look like while each campaign is running. But I’ve got hunch that the plugsuit ads bring in more recruits than the normal ads.

SS: Seems like a solid hunch. Do you ever use your Titan pilots for campaigns other than recruitment? Say, for image management or damage control?

GB: We use them for a number of other campaigns, depending on whether or not they’re appropriate for those campaigns. Sex appeal can’t handle everything; there are some times when you need a more sober or patriotic tone. And we almost never use them for damage control, for the same reason that you never drop a diamond in a cow patty. Doesn’t matter how pretty it looks; nobody but the desperate want to touch it after that.

SS: Based on that, it seems like you value your Titan pilots quite highly as media elements.

GB: ‘Course we do. But that’s old news. Every military with a competent media office can recognize them for the goldmine that they are. Hell, the Venusians and the Marshies go even further than we do; Venusians treat them like royalty, and Marshies treat them like celebrities.

SS: Do you think that other elite operatives would get the same treatment if they also wore plugsuits?

GB: They do, to some degree. Special forces often get to pose for the cameras in their power armor. Stealth units look good in their cloaking suits. But the Titan pilots get the best of it, just because they pilot the most destructive machines that you can deploy to a terrestrial battlefield. They’re iconic in a way that just can’t be rivaled; it’s the personification of pure power. And the plugsuit makes that personification very, very attractive.

[transition cue]

…

“Having gotten the military’s perspective on the manner, we decided to next set our sights on the more civilian side of the equation — the scientists that design and produce plugsuits. Though Suit Solutions and their Museum was an option, they were more known for their general production of plugsuits and other worn interfaces — their products were intended for a wide range of customers, but lacked the bespoke touches often seen on Titan pilot plugsuits.

“So we turned our attention to a manufacturer known for their quality of work and their small customer base. SLUTSuits, despite their name, is extremely well-regarded in the pilot community, being the first choice of many pilots that have the privilege of requesting suits from a particular manufacturer. Based on Sybione in the Vestkong System, the company owns their own research lab and production facility in the Praelion District, where they design and test what are often considered the best plugsuits in the galaxy.”

[transition cue]

…

Shina Sothsby: Traxi Viralis?

Traxi Viralis: The one and only. Welcome to SLUTSuits, Ms. Sothsby.

SS: Please, call me Shina. Thanks for taking the time to give us this tour.

TV: Oh, don’t mention it. We love to show people what it is we do. Demystify the mystery, if you will.

SS: Really? I thought the power of the plugsuit came from the air of mystery and allure that it brings with it.

TV: Well, there are some design secrets that we obviously can’t reveal, but showing the people the general idea while withholding specifics — it hits a sort of sweet spot. They know just enough that their curiosity is sated, but they know that there’s still some secrets. It’s just as much about what you show as what you’re hiding — there’s a careful balance there.

SS: I heard a similar sentiment once while interviewing Fashionista — he said that you can’t put it all out there, or there’s nothing left to discover. The mind is tantalized by the unknown — so you reveal enough to grab a person’s attention, and leave the remainder hidden, so that the imagination has room to play.

TV: Well, he’s not wrong. Psychotic, perhaps; clinically unhinged, certainly; but he’s not wrong. You see this principle in action with plugsuits. Despite providing full-body coverage, they display quite a lot with how form-fitting they are. They at once conceal and reveal — hinting at what’s underneath while simultaneously hiding it from view.

SS: The way you talk about plugsuits, it’s almost like you regard them as art, instead of utility products.

TV: Oh, undoubtedly. Plugsuits are more than just products. They are symbols; they have power. A plugsuit is a transformative thing, because the moment you put it on, you are set apart from the masses. You instantly become recognizable as someone that has a certain set of skills and training that only truly elite warriors have. You are immediately associated with the class of people that have access to, and control over, the powerful technologies that require a plugsuit to operate. A plugsuit is more than just a tool; it’s a statement, a declaration of your status and what you’re capable of. The same way you can immediately recognize a king by the crown he wears, you can recognize a pilot by the plugsuit they’ve donned.

SS: So in a manner of speaking, you would say pilots are equivalent to royalty?

TV: They are royalty. In the military, they are one of your rarest and most expensive assets. In the spotlight, they are your paragons — the peak of achievement, what everyone wishes they could be. But all of that is bound up in the visual language and cultural association with the plugsuit. That association is so strong that the military dress uniform, the one that’s used for ceremonies and promotions, is considered less prestigious than the plugsuit. That is the level of awe and deference that a plugsuit commands; to the point that people will treat you differently if you’re not wearing it.

SS: Seems a little hyperbolic.

TV: Far from it. The claim isn’t just anecdotal; there are studies to back it up, and I have seen the difference myself firsthand. Pilots will tell you the same thing — if you have the privilege of meeting with and interviewing one, you should ask them about how the public treats them in a plugsuit, versus how they’re treated without one. They’ll corroborate what I’ve told you.

SS: We’ll keep it in mind. For yourself — it seems that you’re very dedicated to plugsuits. It’s our understanding that your company specializes in high-quality plugsuits.

TV: Only the best of the best here at SLUTSuits. After all, we recognize that a plugsuit isn’t just a tool — it’s a symbol. And so it should be designed accordingly. It’s not enough that the suit works, and that it works well — it needs to look good while it’s being used.

SS: I’ve been told that you have your own in-house aesthetic design team.

TV: Separate from the function design team, yes. The aesthetics team works on color schemes, patterns, shape language, and ornamentation for the plugsuit requests we receive. Most often they’re taking the flags and colors of various nations and organizations, and translating them into a visually distinct and appealing pattern that can be applied to client requests.

SS: Rather than just slapping a flag patch on the upper arm and calling it a day?

TV: We don’t want to slap a flag on the plugsuit. We want the suit to be the flag. Something that you look at and think to yourself ‘I could pledge allegiance to that’.

SS: But if the plugsuit is a stand-in for a nation’s flag, and someone has to wear the plugsuit, there could be a conflict there, where you’re pledging allegiance to a person, not to the abstract concept of a nation.

TV: That’s a problem for the client to figure out. And if it’s a problem they struggle with, it means we’ve done our job well.

SS: I wanted to ask you about the name of your company — it’s certainly an unusual one. Is there any particular meaning or special message behind it?

TV: Oh, you don’t know?

SS: Don’t know what?

TV: SLUT suits. That’s what plugsuits are called in the Titan community.

SS: Is it because…?

TV: Because some of them don’t leave a lot to the imagination? That’s part of it, but that is actually their official designation in the community. Skin-Layer Unisex Titan suit. It’s a SLUTsuit.

SS: You must be joking.

TV: Nope, that’s actually what it is. It actually goes back a few centuries. The innovators of the modern Marshy plugsuit came up with the acronym, and whoever was in charge of product designations wasn’t paying attention. Manufacturing started, and the suits shipped with that designation. Pilots at the time picked up on it, and loved it, so it’s stuck, and that’s what they’ve been called ever since. You can look it up on Chikipedia if you want. They’ve got an entire section dedicated to it on the plugsuit wiki page.

SS: I’ll take your word for it. Assuming it’s true, this is what your company’s name is capitalizing on — an inside joke for the Titan community?

TV: It’s coded language. Clients see that, and know that we have experience and familiarity in the Titan space. Makes them more inclined to trust us and the work we do.

[transition cue]

…

“Following that enlightening visit, we decided to zoom out even further. We’d spoken to those in and around the industry, getting a look at plugsuits from the inside, but we hadn’t yet gotten out of that bubble. We wanted to get the perspective of plugsuits from someone that was outside of the industry, someone that might be able to speak from a more unbiased, academic role, and take a wider view of the entire subject. For that, we settled on interviewing an expert of contemporary culture — Professor Naend at the Talingrad School of Journalism.”

[transition cue]

…

Shina Sothsby: So, on this topic…

Professor Naend: Plugsuits, yes. A very divisive one.

SS: Wait, divisive?

PN: Well, in certain populations, yes. There is a certain sex appeal inherent to plugsuits, and certain groups and individuals take issue with this because Titan pilots are often extolled as role models.

SS: Really? People take issue with plugsuits for that reason?

PN: Does that come as a surprise? Sex and the symbols that stand in for it are often the primary motivators of moral panic. It’s a very visceral topic for many groups.

SS: I suppose that does make sense. Still, I thought such groups would have their focus on other things, like the porn or sex work industries.

PN: Oh, they do. Plugsuits are more of side target for them. Something they can go after when they’ve spent too long harping on the usual targets.

SS: Interesting. I suppose that’s a good place to segue — generally speaking, what do you feel the cultural impact of the plugsuit is? On the galaxy at large.

PN: Oh my, that’s a broad one. Give me a moment to gather my thoughts on that. The cultural impact of the plugsuit, on the galaxy at large… I think I would say that the plugsuit, conceptually speaking, is a symbol. It is a representer of certain things: of power, of expertise, of confidence, of sexuality. It is synonymous with these things in the minds of the general public. Because of that, it’s used in certain ways as part of the visual language of the galaxy.

SS: So that’s the extent of its cultural impact? As a symbol?

PN: I would say that’s its most important aspect. It is other things; it has had effects on art and fashion. But its existence as a symbol is the most compelling one, and the one that has the most practical relevance. You see someone in a plugsuit, it changes how to you look at them; the frame through which they are perceived. When someone in a plugsuit shows up in an ad or a messaging spot, we’re primed to listen to them because that’s how we’ve been conditioned by centuries of such ads and PSAs. Titan pilots in media are portrayed as paragons — as physical ideals, as stand-ins for the authority of the government or military, as the living example of hard work and excellence. All of that is tied to the plugsuit. You see a pilot in their uniform, it just doesn’t hit the same as seeing them in their plugsuit.

So I would say that the plugsuit is ultimately the symbol of authority, even more than it is a symbol of sexuality or sex appeal. I mean — very obviously you see a lot of plugsuit costumes around Hallow’s Eve, and it’s a perennial choice among cosplayers, so the sex appeal clearly makes up a lot of its weight in social and entertainment culture. But when you get down into the core stuff, into societal culture, where we define our place within communities and the roles that we serve in the structure of a society, people in plugsuits carry the assumed role as voices of authority, of guidance, of defenders and protectors of a nation’s ideals and priorities. Not because of the plugsuit itself, but because it acts as a key to some of the most powerful and destructive technologies we’ve created — and people that hold, or rather wear those keys, are regarded accordingly.

SS: And this is the view that you think the rest of the galaxy’s civilian population holds?

PN: Yes, although I would qualify that by saying they don’t hold this view consciously. Because Titans and Titan pilots have been around for a while, a lot of these associations I’ve mentioned are intuitive. People grow up with this messaging such to the point where they don’t even need it explained to them; there are decades of legacy media that has Titan pilots filling this same role, so even when you look back in time, this authoritative structure appears to be historical. If I had to guess, I’d say a lot of people could tell you how they feel when they see someone in a plugsuit, what immediately comes to mind, but not a lot of them can explain why they feel that way. It’s so deeply ingrained at this point that not a lot of people realize why they feel that way.

SS: Do you think there are any differences in how naked plugs and armored plugs are perceived by the general public?

PN: Oh, absolutely. Studies have actually been done on that; the associations are fairly obvious, but the data backs up what’s already known by those who specialize in messaging featuring Titan pilots.

SS: Namely that female pilots are seen in naked plugs, while male pilots often feature in armored plugs, which plays on certain preconceptions about strength, beauty, and gender roles.

PN: Precisely. Naked plugs are basically just the bodysuit; while they don’t reveal anything explicit, they also leave nothing to the imagination, since there are no obscuring elements. Flaunting the feminine form is a tried and true method for getting an audience’s attention, and media specialists for Titan programs are fully aware of that. By the same measure, the partial plating of an armored plug is associated with strength, protection, durability, which are typically perceived as masculine qualities; and so at least as far as messaging goes, you usually see more male pilots in armored plugs.

Mind you, though, that’s just the messaging side of it. I’m sure that when it comes to actual operations, each program has its protocols for what kind of plugsuit to use for specific operations, regardless of gender. My understanding is that naked plugs are used for deployments where the pilot is never expected to leave the cockpit, while the armored plugs are for high-risk and scouting operations. I think armored plugs also take longer to print than naked plugs…

SS: If I recall correctly, the press junket in the Mistilteinn System showed both Songbird and Kiwi in armored plugs.

PN: I’m familiar with Songbird, but I can’t say the second name rings any bells.

SS: She’s his copilot and romantic partner, if the reports are accurate.

PN: Oh, is that the girl with the green hair that’s often seen around him? I hadn’t been able to put a name to her until now. Interesting, I wasn’t aware she had pilot training.

SS: Apparently she does, among many other things.

PN: Well, that’s good for her. You don’t see a lot of female Titan pilots, despite how often they’re used in messaging campaigns. The field tends to skew male, mostly due to the pressure and competition.

SS: I would’ve never known, considering how often female pilots are featured in ad campaigns. Do you know what the gender split for the field is?

PN: Mmm… it’s not as lopsided as some other fields. I’d say about 65/35, male/female. Don’t quote me on that, it’s just a guess. And even then, I would say there’s nuance to that number because pilots aren’t a monolithic demographic. Mancon pilots, which are usually solo pilots, skew heavily male. 80/20, I’d say. With empath pilots, which is often a duo-pilot setup, the split is more like 60/40.

SS: Interesting. Is there a reason for that?

PN: The nature of empath piloting requires pilots with a more cooperative disposition. It filters out some of the more aggressive male candidates, and filters in more female candidates. If you want to break it down even further, there’s different statistics by nation and program, with cultural and organizational factors impacting the gender ratios in each pilot population… but that’s not the topic you’re here for.

SS: Indeed… though that’s not to say it couldn’t be an intriguing topic for another day. At any rate, we appreciate you taking the time for this interview, and maybe we’ll be chatting again in the future.

[transition cue]

…

“So far, we’d spoken to many experts in and around the pilot community, getting their opinions on plugsuits, what they symbolize, and the power they hold. But for our final segment, we wanted to talk to the most important people: those that actually wear the plugsuits. We hadn’t had a chance to hear from the Titan pilots, the ones that bear the weight of everything a plugsuit symbolizes — for better or for worse.

“Originally we had planned to interview the Valiant pilots, but they had to cancel, citing pilot stress from back-to-back operations in the Mistilteinn System. But they did connect us with their contacts in the Marshy military, who were able to arrange an interview with a couple pilots from the Athenian Brigade, the Marshy Republic’s elite Titan battalion.”

[transition cue]

…

Shina Sothsby: Pleasure to meet you. Shina Sothsby, Myrrdicato Public Radio.

Praline: Nice to meet you. Name’s Praline.

Thrifty: Same here. Name’s Thrifty.

SS: Codenames, I assume?

T: Callsigns, yeah. Each pilot has their own callsign, separate from the callsign for the mech they pilot.

P: I like pecan pralines, and he still won’t pay for the ad-free version of… anything, really.

T: A retirement portfolio doesn’t build itself, sweet tooth.

P: It literally does. That’s how the stock market works.

T: Yeah, but you still gotta put stuff in over time.

SS: I understand you two pilot together?

T: We do, yeah. Empilots. Empath config, two-seater. We pilot Terminal Velocity; it’s a scout striker for the Brigade.

P: High mobility, hit n’ run.

SS: Sounds very dynamic. I imagine you’re often on the frontline, then.

T: First to deploy, yeah. We usually get feet on the ground before the rest of our unit.

P: We usually clear the LZ for the big dogs. Or go ahead of them and do all the pathing for them.

SS: Fascinating. I take it both of you have been doing this for a while?

T: About five years, yeah.

P: Four for me.

SS: So you would consider yourselves familiar with all the idiosyncrasies of being Titan pilots?

T: I’d say most of it, yeah.

P: We probably haven’t seen everything, but we’ve seen all the common stuff and some of the rarer things.

SS: Given this is your chosen line of work, I’d say you’re both pretty familiar with plugsuits.

T: Heh. Way too familiar. We’ve got the suit-up down to a science by now.

P: It’s almost more comfortable to be in a plugsuit sometimes.

SS: As pilots, what’s your take on plugsuits? They’re obviously a very important part of your work; you can’t operate a Titan without them. And they also carry a lot of weight in terms of symbolism to the wider galaxy. Do you two ever feel that weight? 

T: Ah, serious questions today.

P: Just go with it, dude.

T: I guess… when you first start out as a pilot, in those… first two years, I’d say? You really feel it, the eyes of other people. Especially when you’re in the plugsuit; you wonder if you look good, and you wonder if you’re living up to the expectations that other people have. As time goes on and you get more experience, you get more comfortable with it.

P: Part of looking good is wearing it with confidence. Once you’re comfortable with it, it’s… more natural. You develop a kind of authority that people trust.

SS: How do you feel about the possibility that other people might look up to you as role models, or something to aspire to?

P: Well, let’s be honest, it’s pretty flattering, isn’t it?

T: And you don’t want to let them down.

P: Whenever you’re reminded of that, it does make you tighten up a little bit.

T: But you also need to remember that we’re people. We have flaws; we make mistakes.  You just never see ‘em, because that part of us isn’t televised. We can’t be uptight, perfect examples all the time.

P: That kind of pressure will drive a person mad, and we’ve already got enough pressure as pilots. Mental health is important for pilots; you don’t want someone to snap and go psycho in the cockpit of a giant war machine. Especially when you’re an empath pilot that has to operate in pairs.

SS: So you would say that you don’t want to be seen as perfect?

T: Oh no, not at all.

P: I mean, you can look at us that way, but you might end up disappointed.

SS: And this despite the fact that messaging around Titan pilots often seeks to portray them as the paragons of a nation — as role models that people should look up to and aspire to?

P: I mean, we’re not really in charge of that…

T: That’s the media office. Image management isn’t what we trained for — we stay in our lane and do the fighting, and we let the media office handle the messaging. We’ve all got our jobs — I wouldn’t want someone to tell me how to do my job, so I don’t make a habit of telling other people how to do their jobs.

SS: Understandable and fair, but you should have some say in that when you’re the object of somebody else’s job, don’t you think? You should have some say in how you’re portrayed to the galactic public?

T: Ahhh, I want to answer that, but I don’t think I should, so I won’t. I do my job, and I let the media office do theirs. If we have issues, we’ll hash it out with each other, as professionals.

SS: Praline — any thoughts on that?

P: I don’t really think about it much. I’d need some time to mull it over and form an opinion on it, and I can’t really do that on the turn of a dime.

SS: That’s fine, we can go ahead and move to the next question. Circling back around on the question of perception — obviously, pilots are portrayed, in the official sense, as paragons of the nation; as exemplars of the best qualities of a given military. Unofficially, however, they are often perceived by the public as symbols of sexuality and power — mostly due to the plugsuits and how they emphasize the physical form. As pilots, how do you feel about being seen this way?

P: I mean, you can’t really blame people, right?… a plugsuit does wonders for your figure. Speaking from experience here.

T: Flattered, I guess. It’s just a side effect of the equipment. Something you have to accept as part of the job. People are going to look at you a certain way.

SS: And you’re okay with that?

T: If you’re not comfortable with it, you probably shouldn’t be a Titan pilot. Same way a politician that doesn’t like being targeting by attack ads shouldn’t be running for office.

P: It’s part of the package.

SS: Fair enough. Now, the final thing we wanted to ask — do you two notice any difference in how you’re treated in uniform, versus when you’re in plugsuits?

P: What, like in public?

SS: Yes, when you’re around strangers or people outside of your workplace. In an area you would be out and among the general public.

T: Oh man, totally.

P: Night and day difference.

T: People notice when you’re wearing your uniform, but they look away pretty quick.

P: When you’re wearing your plugsuit, they notice you — and they keep staring.

T: Like, for a really long time.

P: I’ve seen people walk into poles, counters, stationary objects, other people…

T: All because they can’t stop staring.

SS: Really?

T: Oh definitely. To be honest, it’s kinda funny sometimes.

P: They treat you a lot different too. When you’re in uniform, it’s just a generalized sort of respect, right?

T: Yeah. They’ll be polite when you’re in uniform. But when you’re in a plugsuit, it’s more than that. Some people will go out of their way to please you.

P: Sometimes you’ll get meals on the house, goodie bags, free rides… those are the most common ones.

T: Numbers.

P: Oh gods, yeah. If I had a credit for every time someone slipped me their phone number…

SS: What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever received because of your plugsuit?

P: Most unusual? Lemme think…

T: I literally got handed panties once.

SS: Really?

T: Just panties. That’s it. No box, no wrapping, no pretext, someone just handed me their panties and nothing else. I didn’t see what it was until they opened their hand and dropped it into mine, and I just kinda froze because I didn’t know what to do.

P: Did they say anything…?

T: No, she just giggled and skipped away. Left me there lookin’ like an idiot, holding panties in one hand, with my brain completely fried out.

P: Jeez. And I thought men were the horny ones.

T: Trust me, women can be just as bad.

SS: What about you, Praline? Strangest thing you’ve ever received because of your plugsuit?

P: Gosh, I don’t know. Whatever it is, it’s not gonna top Thrifty’s thing. Imagine handing someone your underwear in public. You gotta be gooned out of your mind to have the nerve to do something like that.

T: I don’t mind if people shoot their shot. Just, y’know, don’t be weird about it, yeah?

SS: Well, you heard it here first, everyone: it’s not impossible to catch a date with a Titan pilot — just make sure you keep it classy.

[transition cue]

…

“And so with that, we found ourselves at the end of our tour into the world of plugsuits and the pilots that wear them. What is one to make of these devices? Are they merely tools of the trade, a necessity of operating some of the most complex and destructive machinery of our time? Are they icons, tools of propaganda used to both allure and inspire the masses? Are they status symbols, commanding the respect and deference of those around them, and allotting the privileges accorded to the elite and esteemed?

“Perhaps plugsuits are all of these things, and more, and perhaps that is the brilliance of the plugsuit. It is an object that has an elasticity of meaning and purpose, taking on the needs and perceptions that others project onto it. The object unto itself carries no inherent meaning, but is a reflection of the culture and society into which it is placed — and perhaps, in that regard, the plugsuit says more about us than it does about those who wear it.

“But what do you think, and what does the concept of plugsuits mean to you? Let us know what you think in the comments on our Utube channel, and in our inbox at [email protected].

“For MPR, this is Shina Sothsby, signing off.”