audio;

[backsassin]

Saw that Link’d Inc guy in the mess hall today. Anybody else wondering why he isn’t in the hold?

Come on, he was party to, if not directly responsible for, the kidnapping of who knows how many children, and we’re just going to let him walk around like all’s forgiven? His father’s company was enslaving kids and he knew it. Might’ve even helped. That would be bad enough it was only adults on the ship, but the Ingress picked up several kids with the last batch of newcomers, not to mention the ones who came with the Emirians. And the captains are still letting him walk around unsupervised?

I understand that he helped us get off the planet; that’s enough reason not to kill him and maybe, maybe not to hand him over to the authorities at the next inhabited planet we find. But that doesn’t mean we should pretend that he was an innocent bystander in what Link’d Inc was doing to those kids on Emiri. We have to look after our own.

At least tell me we’re stopping somewhere to drop him off. The sooner he’s off the ship, the better.

Comments

[vengeance_driven]

If the refugees don't want him out, feel uncomfortable, he should probably stay in his room. I think the need is in their favor in this case.

I hate to say this, though... Even if it turns out he was aware of what his father was doing, I'm not so sure other planets will care about this. I've seen people do much worse, and to other worlds it matters nothing.

[He's still a little bitter about other things, and it seeps into his tone.]

[backsassin]

Yeah, they might not care. Or they might care a great deal. We can’t assume either way.

And if the authorities don’t want to do anything? There are ways of administering justice outside the official channels. [Zam would know. It’s been her livelihood for the past decade or so.]

[vengeance_driven]

You should probably try to find out how much he knew about. I have done plenty of shit on my own, but I would not want to be held accountable for my asshole father's actions. He was a prick, I'm happy he's dead, and I am certain I do not support the things he did.

Just make sure before you act too angry, okay? This mob mentality thing. It never works out.

[backsassin]

[Zam sighs in frustration, something about not blaming the child for the father’s actions apparently resonating with her despite her displeasure with the situation.]

I’ll talk with him. Not making any other promises besides that.

[vengeance_driven]

Thanks. Better to be careful and find out what we can.

[Hey, at least she took his advice. Which is absolutely astounding to him when people do- he's used to his "are you sure?" suggestions being thrown back in his face.]

[backsassin]

I'll keep you updated.

[A nod, and the feed cuts off.]

Video;

[takeitslow]

You talking about Ben? Cause he's not been walking around by himself all day. Captain told me to look after him a while.

[Because it should totally make you feel better that a teenage is responsible for him.]

[backsassin]

That’s something, I guess.

Any idea what the captains are planning to do with him?

[takeitslow]

I have no idea. They just said to show him around. You know, if you got a problem you could try talking to the guy yourself.

[backsassin]

Maybe I will.

I’m not responsible for my actions of he’s an unrepentant piece of kung about it though.

[takeitslow]

Okay, but, like, don't kill him when it was supposed to be my watch. Don't want t get arrested or anything. I would really hate prison.

[backsassin]

I won’t kill him.

If I change my mind, I’ll be sure to knock you out first so they can’t say it was your fault. [It’s a joke. Mostly.]

[takeitslow]

You might have a little trouble with that. I get a little defensive when people are trying to make me unconscious.

audio;

[armoured]

[Al has been spending much of his time with the refugees since coming aboard, it's a way for him to help that keeps his mind busy while the fact he's on a spaceship is still sinking in. But it does mean that, busy as he's made himself, he hasn't really found out what's happened surrounding all this yet.]

I'm sorry, but do you think you could tell me what Link'd Inc is?

[He sounds so apologetic for his ignorance.]

I didn't want to press the refugees into talking too much about what happened in case it was too hard, but if there's someone potentially dangerous still around then I think I need to know what's going on.

[backsassin]

They’re the company that ruled the last planet we were on. At first, they seemed like just another obnoxious match-making service, but it turns out they were kidnapping the children of the happy couples they matched together. I don’t know why they needed them, but from what we saw, it wasn’t anything good.

The CEO’s son is onboard now. He knew what the company was doing and didn’t stop it. He might’ve even helped.

[armoured]

That's-- that's awful.

[Horror and a touch of anger are clear in his voice. Why would anyone need to take children? The answer, whatever it may be, cannot be good.]

And he isn't even under guard? Nobody has questioned him?

[backsassin]

Apparently the captains paired him up with somebody to show him around the ship. [Much like Zam had been assigned to do with the newcomers, come to think of it. Zam hopes that doesn’t mean he’s going to be a permanent part of the crew from now on.] Not exactly a “guard,” but at least it’s something.

And if they’ve gotten any answers from him, they haven’t told us.

[armoured]

[It's probably not his place to interfere. He's new here, he doesn't know the whole story, and the chain of command should be respected. But since when has that ever stopped him when his sense of right and wrong is fired up?]

Well-- why don't we go and see him ourselves to ask those questions?

[backsassin]

We could. And I know where we’d start asking too.

You meet Captain Thán yet? He’s the guy’s match. If you’re up for it, we could pay him a visit.

[armoured]

Yeah!

[Oops, he sounds way too excited about that. It's just that his usual answer about knowing people on board is a no at the moment.]

I'm actually his bodyguard, so I've met him a couple of times.

text;

[niffin]

what makes you think he'd do it again? not accusing, just trying to understand the situation.

text;

[backsassin]

I don’t know if he’ll do it again. Nobody does. But the fact is that he did and that’s not something you just forgive and forget.

[niffin]

you're right, it's not. but i don't think we can argue that he's a threat to the current children aboard without understanding the motives behind it. and that takes investigation.

as does any kind of trial if he's crew now. which would still have to be handled carefully. i don't think anyone wants to set the precedent of judging people on past crimes

[backsassin]

Look, it’s not a big deal if an innocent man spends a few days in the hold. Or even just under guard.

It’s a lot bigger deal if he actually is a threat and something happens because everyone was more worried about causing offense than taking precautions.

[niffin]

it's a pretty big deal for him.


[ PRIVATE; ]

it makes sense to be cautious. if you're weighing safety against manners then the choice is obvious. but this isn't about etiquette.

if he's innocent and you throw him in the slammer you tell him that we can't be trusted, you tell him to be scared, and you tell him not to have investment in our survival or gain.

and what if he's not? then from a pragmatic pov we want him on our side. we want him to give a shit about the kids on-board. guy clearly had family who liked him. that has the potential to spread.

plus if you imprison him then you send a message to the rest of the crew that we pass sentences without evidence. do we start doing that for every new arrival? do we start opening those cans of worms? because this ship is filled with dragons and superheroes and gods — not to mention you guys apparently already destroyed a planet

guards make sense for his own safety too. but i guarantee there are people aboard who have done worse shit that we will never know about

[ Not that she knows anyone like that. ]

[backsassin]

Why does it matter if he doesn’t trust us? He’s not supposed to be our friend. He’s not even supposed to be here. The only reason he is is because we needed someone to get us off the planet and he needed a ship to escape. And if the captains have any sense, they’ll offload him at the first civilized planet we get to, so whether or not he sees us as his buddies doesn't really matter.

[The woman's comment about Cadacus Primary carries an unexpected sting. Zam has tried not to think too deeply on what happened there -- she’s no stranger to killing, but watching an entire planet die like that… Like so many other things, it’s been easier to try and forget about it. Needless to say, Zam’s not too happy with the woman’s unwelcome reminder.] Do you know how that planet was destroyed? One of our fellow crewmen decided he didn’t like being bossed around by the planet’s authorities and went on a rampage that ended with the planet’s core exploding and killing everyone who wasn’t lucky enough to make it to a ship in time. So, you know, maybe not the best example for you to use when you’re talking about why we shouldn’t lock people up. [Zam’s killed people to save a planet before. Sticking one person in the hold for the same purpose hardly sounds like that high a cost.]

And if you knew which of the people among us had done “worse shit” and were likely to do it again, you’d want to do something about it too.

[niffin]

[ Their anger's like a slap in the face, but Alice's hands tighten, unseen. It worked. It worked, and it's more information than she's gotten out of anyone else so far.Most reassuring of all, Zam actually seems upset about it, isn't willing to write it off as a mistake. Alice's estimation of them rises.

She doesn't once stop to imagine that the rampager-in-question might have been someone she's just hired to work with kids. ]

none of us are supposed to be here. none of us are supposed to be friends. but it'll be an easier trip for everyone if we try.

i don't disagree that i'd want to act, if i knew what people here had done. anyone sane would. but knowing what they'd done would be evidence, and you don't have that. full stop.

if you turn up some awful secret of his complicity, then i'm all for it. forget the civilized planet business, stick him out the airlock.

but right now you don't have that. and given the chaos down there, i don't think you're ever going to find it. alienating someone from the welfare of the crew without proveable cause just isn't a good way to handle the situation. and i'm pretty sure that you can think of a better one. the fact that you care enough to propose this, pretty much guarantees that.

and i'll be interested to see it then.

[backsassin]

[Zam’s too disgruntled to continue the conversation. Unfortunately, the person she’s talking to (an “Alice Quinn” according to her MID) has a point. Setting a precedent for punishing people based on what they had done before they came aboard the Moira is not something Zam wants to do, not with her history, no matter how much she dislikes the thought of Link remaining free. Still, she’s too stubborn to admit it, and so lets the conversation end where it is.

She will, however, make a point to remember Alice’s name.]

text;

[notglitching]

Allied to administrators.

text;

[backsassin]

So? It was an alliance of convenience. He needed a way off the planet, and the captains needed his authorization. They both got what they wanted so now he’s fair game.

text;

[notglitching]

[Offscreen shrug. Not wrong. The admins could just wipe him now that he's surrendered the permissions. But given they hadn't...]

ID Benjamin_Link: matched to Administrator Thán.
Prioritizing personal interest?

text;

[backsassin]

[Wow, the corrupted copy is actually supplying useful information. Who would’ve thought?]

Seriously? You’d think “serial child kidnapper” would be a dealbreaker for most people.

[Though considering the noticeably lower average age of the latest group of new arrivals...] Or maybe like just attracts like.

text;

[notglitching]

[Rinzler is excellent at information, tyvm. Though he doesn't really get why users obsess so much about their betas. If Zam were there in person, they'd be getting a lot of headtilt. As is, Rinzler has to settle for a short:]

Unknown.

video;

[peridork]

[God, she's not normally one to stick her neck out for other people like this, but...

When Peridot's image comes up on the video, she looks cross. Cross and uncomfortable. Responding to this is requiring her to show a side of herself that she hates acknowledging.]

Ben has proved his usefulness, in other ways beyond what you mentioned. I would not have made it back to the ship at all if it hadn't been for his irrationally selfless efforts.

Just something to consider. Since you're concerned about looking after for our own, and all.

video;

[backsassin]

Yes, he helped us. He was also part of a planet-wide child trafficking conspiracy. One doesn’t erase the other.

[fight4theusers]

[Tron recognizes the name attached to the audio post, but Zam's voice sounds different. He doesn't comment on the change, though, not just yet.]

I was not aware that he is allowed to roam the ship freely. I agree, he at least should be restricted, or taken off the ship at the earliest opportunity.