thisavrou | 03 | audio; forwarded to the 8th

It’s almost funny how you guys are rallying around Rinzler lately. All this talk about how what we did wasn’t right, how we need to fix the system here, how we need to be better people. So much outrage, you guys seemed like you really cared a lot about free will and doing the right thing.

And I could have bought it, I really could have, if it weren’t for what happened a few months ago. When the captains did the same thing to someone on board and well, I checked because surely if you’re so upset now it must have been all out war back then. [A small, hollow laugh.] But no. You guys were pretty calm about it. Not even a peep.

And so I started thinking, why? I mean, free will matters right? Justice matters.

There had to be some reason you cared more about what we did to a robot than a mutant, right? Because that’s what he was. A mutant. You even voted to suppress his mutation. Cure him. Temporary of course, because you’re not evil.

It's just, we are. We’re threats. We’re uncontrollable, dangerous. It’s not like we’re real people. Not like Rinzler. [He starts to get louder, faster. Something close to hysteria starting to seep through.] Our free will and DNA and heads, they’re okay to mess with! It’s okay to go after us! Not with a person like Rinzler though. I mean, there’s just a few of us, so it makes sense right? There’s so many of these robots and computers, and you humans out there made them. And that computer can attack and hurt people like us and whatever! The rest of you got to protect your tools. Got to be able to use them again.

We’re different and everyone always fears what’s different. That’s what it is right? Right? Either that or you’re just a bunch of damn hypocrites pretending majority rule has ever been good for the rest of us. Just rather call out people like me and sit on your asses than ask yourselves why this kind of shit was let go on so long and why you never did anything before! Rather take it out on people trying to do something, trying to survive than fix your own damn mistakes!

So come on. [There's no pretense of calm anymore, but the rushed tone is gone. He speaks slowly, pronouncing each word with vitriol. He wants to be sure he's not misunderstood, that people are listening.] Which is it?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Might mean a bit of something when you've got a shitload of people out for your blood, but what do I know?

[There's a pause.]

Cage match.

[Another pause.]

My insight is I was the world's angriest kid and not much different as an adult and I learned that maybe one's vitriol ends up on the wrong people. [Like Ahab, as angry as he still is at him.] And being someone's plaything isn't something I'd wish on anyone I didn't hate already. That enough insight for you?

[He's not an AI. But he's a clone who's been manipulated a good bit of his life. Maybe logic isn't the first thing on his mind. Maybe he's got Feelings.]

And if people come after me it's not your problem. I can outrun them.

[It's an aggressively stupid answer. If he could really outrun anything, Rinzler never would have put him in the medbay.]

You want me to fight everyone on board?

[That's a terrible idea. He'd do it.]

Didn't hate already,you say. And who's to say I don't hate Rinzler?

Eventually you'll run out of directions.

[It's said kind of matter of factly.]

That's a joke, tempting as it may be.

[His grin is soon audible in his words.]

Aha, and this is what it comes down to, hm? You don't even care about that person you mentioned. You're using them as leverage. And you won't even own up to it. Playing like you're the bigger man.

[Reminds him of years ago, when his brother refused to admit how he liked killing. Of course, he's got his own issues with people he hates, but he's always insisted that he admits these things.]

Believe me. I know hate. I know it all too well.

[There's a pause before his voice drops to something venomous. There's a lot of things Peter can handle hearing about himself. Call him a pain in the ass, it's true. Call him a thief and it's even truer. Question his morals, his methods, his intelligence and he'll just blow hot air. He doesn't care. He's heard it before.

But don't accuse him of not caring about his sister.]

Fuck you. Don't you ever try to say I'd use her. You don't know shit about how much I care or what I'd do. You don't know anything so shut up and piss off!

...Who?

[Liquid seems genuinely surprised for a moment, and if there was video, he'd be peering at the device with an odd expression.]

Weren't we talking about, ah, murder guy?

[Not so eloquent this time when he gets stopped in his tracks. For the better, really. Get him into one of his speeches and he can talk forever.]

Well. [He clears his throat.] Either way. No matter.

But please, tell me how little I know. Go right ahead.

We're talking about the reason I went after him.

[Weren't they? His attention is split between so many people trying to talk him down or tell him off that's he's losing track at who he's angry at for what.]

Already have. Look, if you don't have anything meaningful to contribute stop trying to argue with me.

You could've gone after anybody for any reason. Doesn't matter.

[Liquid isn't particularly concerned with the reasoning. There's a different sort of solidarity at hand.]

But you seem to be turning your personal issue with him into some sort of crusade against those who might have been created by less than natural means, using this... previous incident as leverage. As if you don't actually care about that. As if instead of owning up to your hate you pretend you have some higher issue at hand with nothing to truly show for it.

And you can't always tell who you're dealing with in that sort of situation.

I'd consider that meaningful, but what do I know?

[Liquid's full of shit a good portion of the time, but this whole incident does seem to interest him at least.]

It does matter. It's not like I'm some evil fuck going after someone for no reason. It matters.

[He wants to roll his eyes, that evident in his tone.]

I'm not going after everyone like him! [He is.] It's the people who made everyone like him and then don't want to deal with what they did. There is an issue here. I don't know why I'm the only one who sees it!

I don't care who I'm dealing with. I don't care who gets pissed with me for this. They can come after me all they want. Whatever. If everyone else can get on here and say what they want, so can I!

If you're not going after people like him, then clearly your issue should only be with the creators, shouldn't it? After all, if he's not a person, then it's the creators' fault.

But instead of treating what you deem an issue as an issue, you turn it into a bit of a witch hunt. Get in line, nature's artificial rejects, you're next! How real is real to you, I wonder?

You can say what you want, but then everyone else can say what they want in response. Bit of a dialogue, you see? And from the looks of it, they certainly have. [Not that he's listened to much else than his own conversation, but he can see people've weighed in.]

Why not both? He's still the one with blood on his hands.

You're putting words in my mouth dude. Where did I say I wanted this to happen to more people? Huh? Where did I say I was going to do this again?

[How real is real? He can't answer that. He doesn't know anymore. He knows he wanted someone like Ripetide to be a friend, but he also knows the things they programmed at home would as soon as rip him apart as try for banter.]

What's your point? If you don't like that I'm not listening, then you don't have to keep talking to me.

Is he? Does he truly have hands for blood to be on, metaphorically? You don't seem to think he has any right to be his own person, at the very least.

And, well, implications speak louder than words.

I suppose my point is you're going about this the entirely wrong way and perhaps you need a fresh perspective. But what do I know, hm? After all, I'm only a flaw.

[He doesn't elaborate on that any further.]

Give it a bit of thought, maybe. Or don't.

[And, with that, he cuts the call.]

03 | audio; forwarded to the 8th

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