maskormenace | 01. voice. angels dancing on the head of a pin

[ Chidi has been contemplating it ever since his arrival—what does the fact that people have powers here mean for the state of ethics in this world? Are people being responsible with what they’ve been given? Is everyone here like him, a person who could never have dreamed of having these types of powers in the worlds he came from?

In the end, he makes a decision that he needs to get more input before deciding. The communicator he’s been given is familiar technology, and he has no problem navigating its interface. He turns on the voice function and begins to broadcast. ]

I have a question for everyone here. Actually, a few questions. I’d like to get everyone’s input, if I can—don’t feel like you’re bothering me with your answer. I want to know everyone’s experience with this and everyone’s opinion.

First, a little background on me. My field of expertise is in the field of ethics and moral philosophy. I have written a lot about this subject, and I’d like to start a new study based on how these fields may be different in this world than in the one I was trained in.

So, here are my questions:

One: Do you personally come from a world where people have the kinds of powers that they have here? Furthermore, did you have powers yourself?

Two: If so, what were the moral and ethical implications of people deciding to use these powers, or choosing not to use them? And if not, do you feel a moral and ethical obligation to use your powers to help people?

And three: Do you consider yourself a good person?

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[ Oh boy, that's a loaded question for David. One step at a time... ]

Yeah, we had superpowers back home. They, uh. Ruined everything?

[ Chidi has his notebook ready and is prepared to take notes. This is definitely someone he wants to talk to. ]

By ruined everything, you mean from a standpoint of looking at things through a moral framework?

Well yeah, that too. But I'm talking more literal ruin. End of the world type stuff.

Oh!

[ Chidi had considered things might have been that bad, but he hasn't been thinking about all the implications for long. That he got that answer so soon does surprise him. ]

Are we talking about a literal apocalypse? War, destruction, ruin?

[ Well, David's world is probably kind of unusual in that regard. He nods firmly. ]

Oh yeah. We're the Fractured States now, and I don't think any of the other countries are doing much better. Newcago's one of the better city states left, and that's probably because Steelheart decided he wanted a population to rule instead of a crater.

How did powers tie into this state of affairs?

Because Epics - people with superpowers - they're just too strong for normal people to fight. And almost every single one of them turned out to be psychopaths instead of saviors.

[ There's a hard, tired edge in his expression. ]

Ah. That's most unfortunate for your world, I'm sorry to hear that.

Were there any sort of ethics in your world laid out for how Epics were supposed to conduct themselves? Did they ignore those ethics? Or was there nothing set out like that to begin with?

Other than normal people ethics, no. The powers just showed up about a decade ago, and things started going bad pretty much immediately. Most Epics I've met are pretty arrogant about it - humans are just bugs to them.

That must make it feel pretty bad not to be an Epic, then.

Yeah. Pretty bad. Regular people try to fight back, but it's hard as hell. Especially since a lot of Epics have Prime Invincibility.

What does that term refer to, exactly?

Oh, yeah. Sorry. Guess it's not a term here.

Epics are people with superpowers. 99.99% evil.

Oh, yes, I meant "prime invincibility". I don't know what that means.

[ DUH. God, David. He kind of facepalms audibly. ]

-- That would make way more sense. Yeah, uh. Prime invincibility is a power that means the Epic can't be killed for some reason. Like, either they're so precognitive they automatically avoid danger, or they teleport fast enough to get out of the way of bullets, or they just can't be hurt by weapons.

So fighting back is just a futile effort.

Did a lot of people just give up, then? Hunker down and avoid dealing with things?

[ A nod at that. Then he realizes he doesn't have the video feed turned on. ]

Yeah. That's why the Reckoners are so important. We hunt down the worst Epics, figure out their weaknesses. And take them down.

I see...

The Reckoners. Was this a vigilante force, or did they work under official channels?

Vigilantes. We don't ... really have any official channels left? Government got dissolved when Epics took over.

That makes sense.

I feel that you had done the best you could with the circumstances, there. From what you've told me, anyway.

[ That... makes him feel a little better. David isn't sure what he wanted out of this conversation, but he's glad to be validated, at least. ]

That's what I figure too. We can't just sit here and let Epics keep ruling us. We have to do something. As long as Epics keep turning out to be psychopaths.

You've never met a good one? Or heard of one?

[ OH BOY. Oh boy. That's a can of worms. David goes silent for a good long moment, debating what to say. ]

Yeah. Yeah, I have. Three now.

[ One of which is a secret, one he really can't figure out, and one is sort of his girlfriend?? It's complicated. And it's making him rethink this whole killing Epics thing super hard. ]

Sounds like it's sort of making you question your reality.

[ Based on that long silence, anyway. ]

[ YEP. ]

That's a really good way of putting it.

[ Another pause as he struggles to find the words. ]

It's - good. It's better if Epics don't have to be evil. But I also spent a decade hating them.

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ikanteven - 2018-09-03 03:50 (UTC) - Expand