02 . text

[systemize]

[The comm tag reads Stormer and is untraceable.]

Someone asked me recently how I'd define moral and immoral, but I think my perspective's a little skewed. How do you define it?


> private to Magicman
I need to ask you for a favor. Do they have you listed as an adult here? I wasn't sure what your official age would be.

> private to Isaac
I think I have your software finished. I can send you the file to download and you can check if it needs troubleshooting.

Comments

[systemize]

[He has to pick something taboo that is consistent with his present character, which is not exactly law-abiding but overall unthreatening to Abduxel's plans. Which means he doesn't want to say that he'd gone around in disguise. The trouble is that much of those are things he's ashamed about, like running Partner Post, an online scam.] I made it so my entire graduating high school class failed their final exams except for me. I hated them.

There's a friend of mine I rely on. But mostly I'm making it up as I go, which is why I posted. I'm not sure I'm up to answering a question like that yet. I don't even know if it benefits from being put in such absolute terms. Reparations, sure, but maybe not punishment.

[abduxel]

[He grins.] Now there's an enterprising solution. I suppose now you'd say that was morally wrong of you. Obviously, it wasn't necessary, either. But maybe they deserved it. Did they? Would you do it again?

Everything ends up absolute eventually.

[systemize]

They probably did deserve it - teenagers are awful people, really - but no, I wouldn't do it again. If you don't give someone a chance to be less awful, they never will. Most adults aren't that bad, so they grow out of it at some point.

Because you're dead? That's not exactly useful in the short term.

[abduxel]

[He shrugs.] I guess what I'm saying is that the short term doesn't really matter when you get down to it.

[systemize]

Yes, it does. It really does.

Haven't you ever heard "it's not the destination, it's the journey"?

[abduxel]

[Dismissively,] Saying it doesn't make it true.

[systemize]

Saying it's not true doesn't make that the case either.

[abduxel]

Then I guess we're at a stalemate.

If you ask me, making it up as we go is all you can ever do, and the pieces are just going to fall where they do regardless. It's out of our hands, it's above us. That's why I think it doesn't matter.

[systemize]

[He disagrees so strongly (that's just a slippery way to get out of having to take responsibility for anything, it's cowardly) but this is infringing on religious territory that he wants to stay well away from. Still, Cadel has to balance his outward "Stormer" personality with his desire to keep Abduxel well disposed toward him. He can't satisfy both.

Good thing he's good at this.]

I don't think anyone wants to believe what they do doesn't matter. Though it's a little philosophical to discuss, I guess.

[abduxel]

[Abduxel is nothing if not a responsibility-shirking coward, really, but he's also just a touch bitter, to say the least.]

Why would it matter?

[He says it plainly; like really, he wants to know.]

[systemize]

If this is the only time we have, doesn't it matter more?

[That's a bit trite and disingenuous. Cadel really wants to say that you can't look at someone you've hurt or gotten killed in the face and be able to convince yourself it doesn't matter. Just like he can't look at Sonja's circumstances and how every tiny thing that makes her life easier is a huge, world-changing improvement to her, doesn't matter.

But it's too personal. And he doesn't mind if he comes off as naive to Abduxel. That suits his purposes.]

[abduxel]

I guess that's a matter of perspective. [His tone is beginning to fall flatter.] You'll see when you're older, kid.

[systemize]

[It's the perfect chance to cement the inaccurate image of him as a whiny, naive kid at heart. Cadel's known plenty of them and can emulate them without difficulty.]

I wish people would stop saying that.

[It's all about the soft sell. Meanwhile, Cadel is rolling his eyes.]

[abduxel]

[It works. Flippantly,] Try gaining a little perspective, then, kid, and people will stop treating you like a baby.

[systemize]

[Actually, this bit is a legitimately sore point with Cadel. He's been babied by random women and girls constantly, between his looks and being perpetually five to ten years younger than everyone else in his classes.

But he's professional about maintaining his cover. Any real naive teenager would be sardonic at this criticism.]

What counts as gaining perspective, going out and having "fun"?

[abduxel]

[Dismissively,] Yeah, among other things.

Not going to college at 12 or whatever.