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?

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So what am I supposed to do Cassandra? Just keep quiet about it? Just keep letting people jump on me and Alice because they can't deal with their own shit? Wait for this place to end up like home?

I can't just sit around and do nothing. I can't just sit around while they act like I'm evil, like she's evil for trying to make things better. It's already us against them.

[His voice drops.]

I'm already the bad guy.

Only because you're determined to be the bad guy.

[She says it gently, and leans over to give him a nudge. There's a dry laugh there as she does it, something empty and tired sounding.]

The thing is, you're old enough to be held accountable for the shit you do. Alice is too. I don't think anyone thinks you're evil. Just reckless kids.

[The exhaustion carries through in her voice, and she makes sure to make eye contact with him.]

If anyone has a problem with what you are, and thinks you're evil and tries to do something about it? They'll have to go through me.

She's not accountable. She was doing this for me. And I don't care if I get punished. With as much shit as people are talking, I probably will anyway. Whatever. I'm not ashamed of getting into trouble for trying to protect my family.

They just need to be held accountable for their actions too.

[He can handle the demotions and time in the hold. Solitary. Put him on a leash and make a public spectacle out of him. He can deal with it. He can deal with it.]

Cassandra if all of this wasn't proof enough, let me tell you. [He gives her a tired smile.] I kind of go to extremes when people hurt someone over me, so don't say stuff like that.

Do you think I'd let anyone here hurt me?

[She holds her head high, looking insanely confident in her own abilities.]

You underestimate me, same as everyone else. Drop your pride and the ego and let someone take care of you for a change, Peter.

[She's not about to touch the fact that everyone should be held accountable for their actions, because as far as she's concerned, everyone should just live by their own code and if someone dies their groups can get revenge. But that's not the way most people here see things, and so she keeps her mouth shut.]

That's not always a choice.

[He speaks from experience. But like it had been when Elizabeth boasted the same, it wasn't coming from a place as seeing the woman in front of him as weak. It was a weakness that lay in him, thinking that the people around him needed some form of protection he couldn't really give. It's what drove this problem in the first place, made him rise to Wanda's defense even when his sister had more power than anyone he'd ever known.]

You sound like my sister, saying stuff like that. [He cracks the smallest smile.] She's nicer about it.

She's your sister. She has to be nice about it.

[It's pointed out with a smirk, and she reaches up to ruffle his hair. Just like an annoying older sibling would.]

I choose to protect you. I don't have to be.

[It's an important distinction, one that has her feeling a little ridiculous because she's essentially telling him that she's including him as part of her group here.]

[The touch reminds him of the Wanda he left at home and his smile wavers. He chews at his lip a moment, regarding her seriously.]

Why? You know there's going to be a lot of trouble with this. You can back out. Make friends with someone less likely to end up back in the hold.

I don't really care if you end up in the hold or not, Peter.

[Her tone is exasperated, because she doesn't ever do well when she has to prove the fact that she's fond of someone.]

I'm friends with whoever I want. Which means you should know that I've been talking to Rinzler, too. I saw him when he was in the hold, and am contacting him to make sure he hasn't been forced to change against his will. He's not my friend, but I can't let him be changed any more than I can let him hurt you again.

[She knows that it's a sensitive subject for him, so she says it as gently as possible while also being blunt. She has a lot of issues with being taken by force and conditioned to be something else, all stemmed from her time with Tobias back home. She knows she's projecting the issues she's developed because of her abuse onto what seems to be a program in a humanoid form, but she can't help it. ]

[He sighs, because part of him wants to explain to her that she's putting herself in danger. He can't believe anyone could possibly trust Rinzler, should trust him. All he sees is a way she'll get hurt.

But his past few attempts to tell the women in his life something similar had only gotten him yelled at, so he stays quiet and only frowns in what he hopes is clear disapproval.]

It didn't happen. [He says it quietly, disdainfully.] Alan backed out. Nothing happened to Rinzler.

03 | audio; forwarded to the 8th

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