The Chastin Effect

Von

Dec 02, 2024

Article voiceover

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-9:45

Tolerance is the virtue of people who do not believe in anything.
Gilbert K. Chesterton

How are you doing?” Tom asked Illoia who had just come back from the fresher and was stretching.

“I can’t believe it… I mean I can,physically I have been sore enough, certainly. But I am amazed with my new form… all of these new muscles.

“I’ve noticed,” he said. “How is the OOB coming since we inducted that Mid Ranker yesterday?” he asked, spoiling her mood. Every time she thought she was beginning to understand him, they were beginning to relate, he would bring her crashing down. He couldn’t even keep the topic on her body for more than a sentence!”

“Fine,” she said, sitting down and bringing out her own comp. “The balance wasn’t difficult, except for his five children. How does a Mid Ranker get five children?”

“I believe in his case two of them were his brother’s. His leave was pushed up so they could adopt them. A mining accident on Altair IV.”

Startled, she looked at him. “It’s in the records,” he said, “you have access.”

How had he known? Did he research everything on every one of his men? Well, he probably did. Her father probably did, too, for all of his political allies… and opponents.

She was just bringing up the details of the accident and the adoption when the door chimed and, after Tom’s release, opened and an Top Ranker walked in, a frown on his face. She recognized him as from the dorm where Tom was in charge of discipline. "Sir, we have a problem."

"Have a seat, Top. What kind of problem?"

"Sir… Article 3."

Illoia sucked in her breath, but Tom answered casually, "What direction? Communist?"

"Not exactly, Sir. Not at all, actually. More… Libertarian. Annoyed at being drafted, appalled at the idea of physical punishment… he was at the recent whipping."

"How evident is he being?" Tom asked. "Has he crossed the line?"

"Not… quite, in my estimation, Sir," the Top Ranker said. "He's been doing a lot of complaining. Noisy but vague."

"Who is he complaining about?"

"Technically you, Sir… but in reality about the dictator."

"Both are treasonous," Tom said. "But given the nature of basic training I can accept a few complaints about me. Soldiers are supposed to complain about their commanding officer… quietly. Or so I've been told. How do you wish to handle it?"

"Sir, the problem is that the lad isn't an idiot. At least not in other ways. And he's a very good speaker."

"Well, even if he was an idiot, I don't feel like executing him is the best use of our resources. The fact he is a good speaker is bad right now but could become good later. Indeed even his rebellion is an indication of traits that might become useful later. So how do you want to handle it?"

The Top Ranker did not look happy to have to answer that question, but Tom just sat and waited. "Well, Sir, my first question was what level to handle it at. While I think most violations are best dealt with at as low as level as possible, it seems to me that Article 3 needs… the other soldiers need to see Article 3 dealt with from 'on high', as it were. Which is why I came to you."

"Go on."

"But, well, I'm not sure where to go after that. I agree with you, we can't… well, we could, but we shouldn't… just execute him. But other than that… a whipping seems like it would just promote more of the same behavior, in spades. And I can't think of any other punishment that would fit, or even come close."

Tom frowned. "The day is coming when you will have to be making these decisions yourself, Top. But you seem to be working along the right lines, anyway. Call the young man in."

The Top Ranker looked nervously at Illoia, but got busy with his comm. "He's in sim," he said.

"We will wait, then. Set his comm up to signal him when he gets out."

"Yes, Sir," the Top Ranker said, nervously.

"While I have you here," Tom said. "I have a few questions about some other young men…"

A half an hour later the Top Ranker was sweating profusely, seemingly unused to Tom's method of asking questions… or, rather, the questions he tended to ask. And then, finally, the door chimed and a young man came in, his face alternating white and red.

“Ranker Vladin, reporting, Sir,” he said.

"Good afternoon, Son," Tom said, ignoring the fact that the young man had not saluted. "I have a bit of a problem I thought you might be able to help me with."

"Sir?" the young man said.

"I have heard reports of one of our draftee's who is threatening to violate Article III, and I can only think of three possible ways of handling it, none of which I really like."

"Sir?" the young man said, turning red again.

"The three options I can think of are, firstly, I could ignore him, and get executed myself. Along with the draftee and everyone else in his chain of command that ignored him. I am sure you can see why that does not appeal to me.

“Yes Sir."

"The second, obvious, option, is to go ahead and execute the draftee. That is the simple solution. I am hesitant to carry that out, as simple as it is, because I am informed that he has great potential. Very intelligent. Good speaker. Determined. Excellent qualities."

The silence hung for a few seconds, as the draftee looked back and forth between Tom and the Top Ranker. Finally he managed, "Yes, Sir."

"The third option would be to use the Chastin Effect. That is the one I am leaning toward. Builds unit cohesion, albeit in a kind of bloody way. But, again, I would lose the draftee."

"I am not familiar with that term," the draftee husked out.

"Well, then, you can research it. Which is why I called you in today. I would like you to do a research project for me. I would like you to write at least fifty-four thousand words on the subject ‘How our society has become more free under the dictator'. At least two thousand words for each article, you may choose the other sections: like the Ash, and one section for each article, at least twenty seven reasons. While you are doing that you can be thinking about a solution to my problem… and researching the Chastin Effect."

"You will be relieved of all other duties while you accomplish this task. Are you clear on your assignment, Draftee?"

“Yes, Sir," the draftee said, this time with a salute, and turned and walked out.

"Fifty-four thousand words?!" the Top Ranker asked.

"And twenty seven different reasons," Tom added. "That should keep him busy."

"And… and he either comes up with the reasons, which may well change his mind… or he is signing his own death sentence. Voluntarily… by his own choice and hand."

"And you say he is a bright lad, so the intellectual challenge should be extreme. Go schedule him a private room, by the way. I don't want this happening in the dorm."

"A private room?"

"It can be a broom closet… or whatever they have on this ship. If you need to, speak to captain. He needs to be isolated."

“Yes, Sir!" the Top Ranker said, saluting himsel and walking hastily out.]

Tom turned back to his work, humming a little more loudly than normal, and Illioa tried to do the same but… "Do you think that will work?" she blurted out after a few minutes.

"I have never used this particular method before," Tom confessed, "But it seems to me to fit the issue. As Top says, he will either have to come up with twenty-seven solidly researched reasons, or sign his own death sentence. It is one thing to be executed for mouthing off in the dorm. It is quite another to stand in front of your superior officer and say, “Please execute me.""

"But… twenty seven reasons? Are there twenty-seven reasons?? It is called a 'dictatorship'."

"And it is one. There is no question of that. But it is a rather peculiar dictatorship. The dictator, himself, would tend to lean rather 'libertarian', if he had the choice. And his policies have been very much that direction.

“It is only as regards his person, and several other very fundamental issues, that he is, well, dictatorial.

“I happen to agree with almost all of his choices, and I happen to agree with his fundamental libertarian streak as well. I happen to do so more on religious grounds. But the dictator knows full well the value, and importance, of religion. Perhaps he is even more religious than I know but wishes to avoid looking like it. I can see some value in that.

“But, anyway, in answer to your question, yes, I have hope that it will work. The young man seemed relieved, at least that was how I read him. But I am bad with reading people. What was your opinion?

"Yes, yes, he seemed very relieved. And more than relieved. He seemed to want to respect you, there at the end."

"Well, that is good," Tom said, and turned back to his work.

"But… but what is the 'Chastin Effect'?" Illoia asked.

"Look it up," he said, without turning around. "There should be a good definition on our net."

Illoia glowered at his back but he ignored her. Or didn't notice. He just sat there working away and humming.

From the Appendix: The Chastin Effect

Informing a group that the behaviour of one member of a group will affect them all, resulting in social pressure or violent action being taken against that member.

Named after a Lieutenant Jean-Paul Chastin who, during the Trotinsky Rebellion of 2026 was engaged in a personal feud with his commander. Too politically connected to be discharged, the commander let it be known to the lower ranks that he would continue to assign them to difficult and dangerous assignments until Chastin was no longer a problem. The lieutenant was found to have committed suicide some days later.

The use of the Chastin effect was alternately encouraged and discouraged in the military. The dictator implemented it almost as policy with the idea of lower level soldiers getting to vote on whether a given Top Ranker should be promoted to leader. It’s use in the dorms is normally limited to social pressure, however investigations into the death of particularly incompetent officers has been known to be very light.

Thank you for reading Von’s Substack. I would love it if you commented! I love hearing from readers, especially critical comments. I would love to start more letter exchanges, so if there’s a subject you’re interested in, get writing and tag me!

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If you get lost, check out my ‘Table of Contents’ which I try to keep up to date.

Von also writes as ‘Arthur Yeomans’. Under that name he writes children’s, YA, and adult fiction from a Christian perspective. His books include:

The Bobtails meet the Preacher’s Kid

The Bobtails and the Cousins

The Bobtails go to France

and

No Ordinary School

Arthur also has a substack, and a website.

Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,

Von

Links

Article 17 is a military science fiction story with aliens and romance. It is set in a future reminiscent of Napoleon era Britain. The war was going very poorly until the military installed a dictator. This story follows one of the dictator’s great men: Cladin Tomirosh, Leader, and thrice decorated hero.

Intro // Podcast Version

She was pretty, popular, snobby, and a planetary governor’s daughter. He was the son of shopkeepers, a social misfit, and a decorated hero. She thought she was there to dance. He had other ideas.

A Dance // Podcast Version

As a governor’s daughter, Illoia usually avoided such events, but when the captain made the announcement that there was to be an Article 17 dance, she, too, was forced to attend. If only the scum hadn’t been there too.