Video; un: darkness

[survivalthroughhate]

[The video turns on and it's everyone's not-so-favorite Sith Lord. He looks better than he did upon arrival though he wears the usual expression of just barely contained fury he's known for. Sitting next to him is a creature that might be the stuff of human nightmares given how they're all teeth. They could have easily been mistaken for a monster in this place were it not for the fact they're remaining perfectly still, Maul's right hand resting along their back.

If you're all done fooling around with these devices like the children half of you are, perhaps we can turn our attention to more serious matters. Oh, and for those of you who had hoped I wouldn't find my way here, so sorry to disappoint.

[Though he sounds anything but.]

For one, I recall a lot of bleating about organizing a government and such during your charming little witch hunt of me. I assume for most you that was all talk but surely there has to be a few enterprising souls that were serious. If so, let us talk more. I am most curious given I have some experience with running an entire planet. [Venge, the Maalraas sitting by Maul, paws him gently.] Oh and has anyone else found themselves suddenly with an animal companion?

[Then, having blithely insulted a good three-fourths of the population, the video is turned off.]

Comments

voice; un: yuuki

[siriusly]

I, uh. Didn't know you could talk...

[it's a faltered-yet-flat tone. a very this-may-as-well-happen kind of flavor.]

[survivalthroughhate]

[There's an amused chuckle from Maul.]

I was only mute when I first came here. A side effect of the desquidification process. Back in my youth I spoke very little and hardly at all.

[siriusly]

[de...squidification.

Manabu huffs a breath off-speaker.]

Right. A-anyway, what's with the talk of governing stuff? We just got here, and there's already people and towns and things of their own.

[survivalthroughhate]

Do you trust them all to have our best interests at heart? I certainly don't. Better to get things running from the start instead of trying to impose them when it is already far too late.

[siriusly]

That still doesn't make a whole lotta sense, does it? I mean--look at it as if...we were the ones who were always here. And some new people just...washed up in your city! Would you be okay with them just deciding they run things now?

[survivalthroughhate]

If they decided just to run themselves instead of trying to run those that had always been here, yes.

[Venge paws Maul again, looking at him intently. Maul nods as if hearing something from the Maalraas.]

True. Or we could just rule them in a dictatorship.

[siriusly]

What! N-no way! We got no good reason to be throwing weight around like that!

[survivalthroughhate]

Why not?

[Honest question.]

[siriusly]

Because...! [beat.

hold on. this is a big question to answer, so that hamster-wheel brain of his has to work a little harder.]

Because it--people...we don't have to do that! It just puts people at odds. That's not fair at all!

[survivalthroughhate]

Fair? Since when is life fair? If you are still under that delusion, I am afraid you are going to be sorely disappointed.

[siriusly]

Wuh-- [indignant:] I, I know that! Everyone knows that! But it's not like making things worse for others makes anything better...! Fairness is something you cultivate, not something that just is...!

[survivalthroughhate]

Then to be fair, wouldn't it make sense to form a government with rules, regulations, and laws instead of just letting people do whatever they want?

[Maul, why must you be like this?]

[siriusly]

Huh? Wait, are you saying there's no rules already? [?????] Did...you not...see what's already here and going on? [cause he sure does see some rules in play here!]

[survivalthroughhate]

I have yet to see anything that would give me reassurance that people are going to obey any rules, provided they even know what they are.

[Manabu is going to feel so very tired after this conversation. Welcome to the wonderful exhaustion that is trying to talk to Maul about anything.]

[siriusly]

[tired later, confused and indignant now!!!]

Maybe...um, what rules, specifically? Because everyone's been awful polite and helpful to me so far. I kind of consider that a good sign that things are working the way they ought to for the most part?

[survivalthroughhate]

Oh, of course they are....for the moment. But when I first arrived in Deerington, the natives were nice and helpful too. I thought surely the reports of them hating Sleepers was exaggerated. I let my guard down. Do you know what happened? I ended up being drugged, sewn to a deer corpse, and would have been burned alive were it not for a timely rescue.

No, I will not trust things to be alright around here until proven otherwise.

[siriusly]

Okay... [there's a vaguely clear indication Manabu's rubbing at his face right now, despite there being no visual.] I mean, setting aside that...that this isn't Deerington, that...I really don't think what you went through is normal. I, I mean, I've...I've visited a dozen or so planets? And the bad and lawless places are mostly an exception to the rule.

[beat. hamster wheel in brain spinning...

quickly:] A-and not because of some harsh rules or anything, either!

[survivalthroughhate]

[Sorry, Manabu, you are now getting a taste of what everyone else encounters when they first talk to Maul for any extended length of time.] This may not be Deerington but the similarities are there. Or have you failed to hear talk of the Pthumerians roaming about? They see us as little ants to perform for their amusement.

[Such is the thoughts of a cynical Zabrak.]

Most planets are full of cruel people who think only of themselves and what they want. They are the rule, not the exception.

[siriusly]

The talk of the--what now? Wait-- Waitwaitwait-- [huff.] Okay, never mind that, look. I-I'm not gonna say you didn't see or hear what you did, I'm just saying. It's a bit much to jump right out the gate to trying to take over a place we...honestly, don't know how it works! Right?

[survivalthroughhate]

Perhaps. But putting aside the issue of the people here, shouldn't we have a body to govern ourselves at least as Sleepers? Or would you prefer to let chaos and anarchy engulf us all?

[siriusly]

I, I mean...I'd like to think that's not so sudden an issue? Like...nobody's running around crazy right now, are they?

[survivalthroughhate]

Give it time. I'm sure within a week or two it'll happen.

[siriusly]

[look Maul, just because you're clairvoyant doesn't mean you get to be a BUMMER about it NOW]

I mean--that's just speculation. And I guess I just hope...most everyone else is okay with taking things slow here? And...not trying to make things hostile between ourselves and the locals.

[survivalthroughhate]

[He's so much fun at parties.]

Everyone here is so optimistic. Am I not allowed to have some pessimism to balance it all out?

[siriusly]

[quickly:] Oh, y-you can be pessimistic all you want! It's just the...the acting upon the idea we gotta start subjugating people is what I'm more concerned about.