007 ♍ video ♍ backdated to early afternoon

[glowsferatu]

[ it's been a while since kanaya has been on video, and a while since she's felt presentable enough to be. but here, in whatever office she's working in, she seems to have taken all the necessary effort, pink lipstick and earrings to match her ever-inexplicable reading glasses. visible signs of guilt have never been her style, too much a ploy for attention. too pitiful. she's stable enough now to not make that mistake again.

never one to waste time not multitasking, even while she speaks, she's shuffling and organizing a stack of papers. desk work may be a little dull, but at least it's legal and safe. ]

I suppose recent events demand an accounting of the truth, some settling of where exactly it lies. And that file that was leaked about me, of course, is all true. The bit about Hobgoblin is no surprise to anyone who's been paying attention, but the multiple murders? Yes, that also was me.

And I stand by each of them, bereft of context as they are. I'm not the sort who'd only talk about the morals behind it, after all. I'm not here to defend myself, either. That the information was publicized is one matter, but I think the why of it is more important to discuss.

[ she doesn't stop shuffling papers, but she moves her main focus to the camera, only glancing down every now and then to what she's doing, to make sure it's being sorted correctly. ]

It's easy to point the finger at the Hornets. They were the instigating factor, of course, spreading whatever mental infection they'd concocted to act through us as their agents. It's what they did that had me railing against us, both through physical action and the propagation of an agenda to establish the danger imPort powers presents. [ conveniently, or perhaps loyally, leaving out inumuta's name. if people know, they know, but she doesn't have to drag his name through the mud alongside her. ] Not something I'd have chosen to do, an yet, it happened. But, here on the other side, left to my own thoughts without anyone else's encroaching them, I have to wonder. Didn't they have something of a point?

As imPorts, we are a gun that is not only loaded, but recently found smoking. Certainly, the government can advocate as they like, say that we were victims just the same as anyone on the other end of that gun, but I think that insults those endangered by our proximity. We are dangerous, and simply because we hesitate to pull that trigger ourselves, that doesn't mean it isn't possible for another to pull it for us. Something must be done for that.

[ she puts a halt to her paper pushing, knitting her fingers under her chin. this part is important, and she wants them to know it. she isn't here to argue, not today, so if she can reduce the arguments with a few words, she can hopefully avoid them. ]

Now, in order to properly address what I am saying, let's first get out of the way what I'm not. The Hornets weren't right, there is a difference between being right and having a point. They were just as dangerous to this world and its people as we are, and perhaps more so, for their willingness to fire the weapon regardless of the damage. They lacked the self awareness to recognize their own toxicity, which is where we must be better than them.

[ she spreads her hands, braking their clasp. ] I'm also not saying that mandatory nullification should be initiated across the board. Not now that I'm speaking clearly and singularly, at least. Nick Alford felt otherwise, but...extremities of that sort are hardly the first place to leap to. But I do believe some oversight is necessary, and I no more trust the government's capability nor willingness than I did when I first registered. Less so, if anything, with their response to recent matters.

We have to be better. We have to find true, solid solutions to promise we will be better. This is something we should be considering and discussing. Even if the blame isn't necessarily ours, the responsibility for addressing the aftermath is. We're meant to be populated with a number of brilliant minds, why not put them to use?

[ resting her chin in one hand, she props an elbow up on the desk, staring off thoughtfully. ] Maybe some kind of defense against mental compromise, [ she taps a finger against her temple. ] that would be a good first step. Just don't make it ugly.

[ she takes a moment to reexamine her papers, then reaches over to shut off the recording before continuing. ]

Comments

audio;

[functionoverfeels]

I hope you were able to find medical attention, Ms. Maryam.

[Tempo tries not to get pissed as a general rule, but she sounds pretty close.]

voice.

[glowsferatu]

Bit of a moot point by now. As you can see, I'm still alive, I've recovered well enough to carry on.

[ definitely nothing to be mad about. ]

video

[rathercommon]

[ Kitty's voice is thoughtful and quiet. ]

I'm a bit surprised to hear that from you. It's not the opinions I'd have expected.

I agree, by the way. With most of this.

video

[glowsferatu]

That almost makes me curious of what you had expected. Perhaps something along a harder line, without some handful of qualifications.

[ she closes her eyes, shrugging her shoulders slightly. ]

Instead I'd rather ask where the "most" ends. Obviously I'm not going to come to the best answers on my own.

voice;

[showtunes]

I'm surprised nullification is even considered a viable solution. So far as I've heard, it works in proximity to mechanical means. Well and good for those willing, but easy to shrug off should someone find themselves "compromised" once more.

[ He doesn't have strong opinions on the rest of it — he's always been a cocked and loaded gun, and he's too much of a loner for politicking, but that last part interested him enough to weigh in. ]

voice;

[glowsferatu]

I mention it mostly because it was the goal the Hornets had attempted. And, during my infection, the solution I supported.

[ she clicks on the video, showing her leg crossed over the other, a thick black band over the ankle. how she managed to fit her nylons under it must have taken some maneuvering. ]

Not to say I'm not already submitted to the method.

Video

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

[Jacob side-eyes Kanaya for a moment before responding. Multiple murders and costumed supervillainy? He doesn't know the whole story or why she speaks of it so matter of factly- but that's not the point of the post, is it?]

Hard questions. I don't know if anyone has the answers. We've all seen how messy it gets if even just one of us goes bad or gets "compromised." But who do we trust to keep us in check? I'm not a fan of the government, but having imPorts answering just to other imPorts doesn't sound right either.

video.

[glowsferatu]

There aren't any easy answers to the most important questions, unfortunately. Answering only to ourselves doesn't quite do the job of acknowledging our place in a larger world. More than that, there are certainly imPorts who might position themselves to oversee that I would...hesitate to consider prudent candidates.

Still, no answers come to unasked questions. We can at least identify those areas where more thought is needed.

video

[runout]

Defense against mental compromise? Well, at least there's one thing in all that I can definitely agree with.

video

[glowsferatu]

It's a terrible thing, being used like that. Worse still, it muddies the waters. Everyone wants to be very strict about the constitutions of true "evil" versus those made to act against their wills.

But the results are so often similar.

[kinesia]

[ On one hand, he's glad to see Kanaya looking better. At least, uninjured, and wearing her makeup again. Kanaya without makeup just seems wrong. It's not really her.

But this...he doesn't like this. He doesn't like most of what she says, and it takes him back to their first encounters, when he'd argued with her. Before they were friends. Now, Grey counts her as a friend, and it's strange to realise that she still believes in so much that repels him. He'd almost forgotten.

He doesn't really want to argue - not least because he knows her well enough to know that she won't actually listen to him, because she's among the most stubborn people he's ever met. So he tries to be brief, but firm. ]

nullifying is wrong . taking powers away is wrong

imports were attacked . we shouldnt be punished for that . anyone can be a killer . i am a weapon . i am a gun, and was before i was an import . dont have to be imports or have powers

anyone can be dangerous . if you take powers away, youre punishing them before theyve done anything wrong

you cant do that .

[ Because you can't treat people like criminals just because they have potential to be. Everyone has potential to be, whether they're powerful or not. ]

[glowsferatu]

[ she is stubborn, but she doesn't want to just not listen or argue. the problem is that grey has such a simple view of things, too strict, too black and white despite his name. he isn't someone she'd count on for his critical thinking skills. he takes too much for granted here, clinging to every gift for dear life, like it's an intrinsic part of his being.

but she does feel obligated to try to make him understand, even if she isn't sure she'll have any success. ]

and as i said im not arguing that we should
though i do think youre oversimplifying it a bit
while anyone could be dangerous the fact that we have those powers makes us exponentially more so
that does give us a greater responsibility to take measures to prevent that danger is realized
and to organize ourselves to respond to it if it is

i dont personally consider taking powers away a punishment so much as an overly extreme method for prevention
more a temporary salve than a proper solution really
if anything is the problem its more in the attitudes we carry those powers with

audio;

[unconchonable]

You know, I certainly didn't miss how ridiculously long-winded you can be at times.

[a beat]

Either way, I don't think I agree with all your bullshit, surprised I'm sure. You'we gotten soft, Kan. Carin' about these inferior creatures an' their world. As far as I'm concerned, they'we asked for this by bringin' us here.

audio;

[glowsferatu]

Maybe there could be some slim possibility of the faintest idea of you just maybe having a fraction of a point, if they even brought us here to begin with.

But no, you probably wouldn't.

voice;

[shuckit]

[ there's a lot he could respond to here that he doesn't, because the vast majority of it would be negative, and he doesn't trust himself not to get snappy with kanaya. they haven't been on the best of terms.

he just responds to the one piece of note for him. ]

Mine said something about yours. I had Jaswinder Singh. In a memory, he said: "Tell Alford to shut up about the Vanir already. He's confused. He doesn't know the first thing about what we're doing here, or what they-- Someone's bound to get the wrong idea. We must walk separate paths. I will stamp out the misinformation in our swarm if it's the last thing I do."

voice;

[glowsferatu]

[ oh. well, hi thomas. she's a little unsure of how to approach this, deciding that strictly business will be the best way. ]

Jaswinder? [ she pauses, trying to think why she'd refer to him by first name alone. it's how nick alford did, she decides. ] I think I got something about that.

It was...both of them, I believe. Alford was asking why the Vanir became the Hornets. The answer was chiding, intensely so. I don't think Ja-- Singh thought very highly of Alford's intelligence. But he told him that they're two separate entities, that their causes didn't align. Not exactly. To the Hornets, imPorts were the true problem, however different that may be to the Vanir.

[ she's quiet another moment before adding: ]

Ragnarok is a Norse belief, isn't it?

[wonk]

yo i wasnt fighting u but like the others didnt beat on u 2 badly did they

[glowsferatu]

roxy i was acting more than a little crazy
more so than usual at least
i think its luckier that i myself didnt hurt anyone too badly

[ this time. ]

video;

[attainment]

I agree a defense against mental compromise is a good place to start. The problem is developing a method with solid fail-safes that people will trust enough to actually use. We had something to protect us from false memories, but the Hornets still found a way to work around it in the end.

video;

[glowsferatu]

[ she shrinks a little, seeing barnaby, but tries to hide her embarrassment. it doesn't really work out. ]

Well. I...suppose that would mean we need better foresight, perhaps, or we'll only be plugging one hole in the dam until another springs forth. What sort of fail-safes would you think that to require?

audio; wild tiger

[earnedmystripes]

[Ahh, conflicted feelings. It's a good thing Kanaya's being so measured in her approach, because it helps curb the defensiveness he feels at the assertion that they're inherently dangerous. It lets him focus on the bigger picture.]

A way to block getting our heads messed with sounds like a good place to start, yeah. I'm not all too sure where we would go from that start, though. I mean, we could try telling the government that the prison "reform" stuff they've got going is a terrible idea but it's not like they listen to us most of the time. And I'm really not sure we oughta be trying to set up our own version of a legal system for ourselves.

[Because if the imPorts start seeing themselves as above this world's laws, as beholden only to each other? That seems like just asking for trouble.]

audio;

[glowsferatu]

No, I can't really say much positively for the new reforms. Though I suppose the expenditures is more efficient this way, after losing both the prison in Heropa and the holding cells on base in just a few weeks. A new facility for, what, a single inmate? That wouldn't be a worthwhile use of tax funds at all.

[ of course, there's always keeping them in genpop, but even depowered, that probably wouldn't be a good idea. as that one inmate, there was a noted risk of putting her with others when they first brought her in. even if that risk wasn't to the natives. ]

Though I wouldn't really condone setting up a separate legal system, either. More of a fallback, to fill in the gaps of what they can't do. It isn't that we are beholden to know one but ourselves, but that it may take ours to enforce existent laws against our own. It isn't even necessarily legal matters, either. Our most recent crisis required far more to be done than simple policing.

But to organize that on a community-wide scale would be...not exactly easy. Even the more specialized contexts I've worked to organize responses to weren't accomplished with any smooth execution.

audio;

[pyms]

I was going to suggest a helmet, but then you said not to make it ugly.

audio;

[glowsferatu]

Right, that's just the sort of thing I'd be worried about. Especially when one considers that it would need to be worn indefinitely to be really effective.

video; ignore me if I'm too late to this party

[handwringing]

I've been thinking something like this ever since the Manipulator used some of us to go on a crime spree.

[She'd been wary of the implications then, that they could be taken over so easily and used for whatever the perpetrator had in mind. She's no less wary now.]

In my homeworld, I'd never heard of such powers... but they're clearly present here, and yet the government doesn't seem to have done much to protect us from them. We're on our own.

video; not at all!

[glowsferatu]

That is part of the problem, I think. The government has never had access to effective solutions in dealing with us. [ not "protecting us", she still leans toward thinking that they are the problem. ] That's only become much plainer now.

But perhaps we haven't provided much help along those lines, either. They could become better equipped, with our cooperation.