(no subject)

[vengeance_driven]

☄ Audio
Look, I still want to go for peace on this. I don't want to attack these people, they have lost a whole fucking world of shit already. So I am going to ask for something.

I want a story from your past. Something I can share, something that makes you you. Stories were important to them. Past experiences were important to them. It shouldn't give away anything on the ship, just something that is important to the past. Your past. If there is art you can do, a particular talent, something that is creative, give me this. A picture. A recording.

If you're not interested in avoiding a fight, just go do whatever. Lick on a gun barrel for twenty minutes. Warning, they taste bad. But for the ones that want to try? Do me this favor. Avoiding a repeat of Cadacus Primary is why I asked for this job in the first place.

[He'll... try to avoid arranged marriages this time.]

Comments

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[a_shadow]

I guess that's why I can't pretend to like this idea. It wouldn't fly where I came from.

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[skelepun]

me neither. monsters don't really like killing each other. or killing. we like stories, though. you'd be surprised what you have in common if you start looking for it.

not big on the past where you're from?

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[a_shadow]

Not really. Someone in charge clings to the past and next thing you know they're knocking down 100-story buildings because they can't let go of what used to be.

[ Yes, that's an oddly specific example. It's also exactly what happened. ]

What do you mean referring to yourself as a monster?

[ It's not lost on her that that's where this conversation started. ]

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[skelepun]

yikes. 100, huh? when you said you guys weren't into stories, you really meant it.

[As for her other point...]

uh, i mean that i'm a monster. it's what i am.

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[a_shadow]

Yeah. Anyway, all I know is clinging to the past when things need to move on screws everyone over.

You're a monster, like you have reasons to identify with that word, or that's the actual name of your species or whatever?

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[skelepun]

past can be pretty nice, sometimes. if you cherry pick. but it's not my mission to change your mind or anything. sometimes its hard to move on, that's all.

n', uh... both? i'm a monster 'cuz it's what i am, and humans tend to use it to mean something they don't like and that counts as me, too.

they won the war against us so i guess they get to define what we are however they want. that's how it works, right?

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[a_shadow]

[ Tex doesn't share much about herself, much less randomly on the network. Only a few people know she's an AI, and only Rinzler has been told anything beyond that (ignoring the fact that Wash knows everything there is to know about her). She waits a while before answering, deciding how personal to let the message become.

In the end she chooses...not. ]

Remembering the past and being stuck in it are two very different animals.

You're pretty blase about being on the losing side of that. I guess you're proving what I'm saying though, because if you were stuck in that past you'd be a lot more bitter about it.

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[skelepun]

me? bitter? nahhhh.

it wasn't my war, really. way before my time. but even if i don't care that much, doesn't mean i don't want my brother stuck in the cramped, cold dark forever. i still wanted him to see the sky.

... i mean, he has now, but i wasn't counting on getting plucked by an alternate universe machine.

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[a_shadow]

I'm starting to see where you're coming from.

So do you feel you hold any kind of grudge toward humans?

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[skelepun]

glad we're getting through to each other. ;)

and hey, i said i wasn't bitter, didn't i? don't ya trust me?

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[a_shadow]

I suppose the two are different to me. Bitterness implies more resignation than holding a grudge does.

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[skelepun]

i getcha. how about this: humans aren't all good or all bad. they're just all dangerous.

make sense?

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[a_shadow]

Yeah. I have similar feelings.

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[skelepun]

they screw you over too, huh?

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[a_shadow]

Humans can be remarkably short-sighted. That's all.

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[skelepun]

no argument here, stretch.

[vengeance_driven]

Think of it like ah... That balance thing I mentioned? It's like that. We have had influence on literally a hundred universes, on a hundred worlds. Even if we are less people than a full planet, getting rid of us destroys potential for all those places.

[skelepun]

couldn't agree more. we're a bunch of assholes, but at least we do it with unique flare, right? ;)

[vengeance_driven]

Give us some credit. About 85% of us are assholes. Some of us want to genuinely be good people.

[skelepun]

didn't mean to offend, pal. you're doing you. no shame in that.

too bad even the good ones are getting painted with the planetary destruction brush. guess these c-primers don't like math as much as they like stories.

[vengeance_driven]

You didn't offend me, I'm an asshole.

But yeah, including the kids that are here who are all innocent.

And being a kid that grew up in a warzone, I'd rather not them see us kill off the last of a people as if it was some meaningless small thing that got in our way.

[skelepun]

you're preaching to the choir. there's a few kids in particular i don't want seeing that.

not the way to live a life, y'know? we can be better. we oughta be better. but i guess, welp, what can you expect from a crew with this much LOVE.

[vengeance_driven]

Man, I am a hitman. And a thief! You know what. If I can calm my shit for twenty minutes to try and take the way out that results in less broken machinery and people being used for target practice? Other people can do.

...Or those of us who want to try gotta be loud about it I guess.

[He's honestly not expecting anyone to listen to him at this point, but fortunately he's unwaveringly stubborn and hopes that some do.]

[skelepun]

you're a better guy than me, pal. i gave up being loud a while ago. too much effort.