video.

[selfequipped]

[Kate actually knows she shouldn't do this. She knows she shouldn't, but she goes ahead and does it anyway.]

A year ago, I made a post on here. I talked about a different world, and I talked about a different registration act. In my world, good people who refused to register were assaulted, brought down, and meant to be delivered to a dangerous and terrible prison until they submitted. My friends and I were among the first to refuse to register, and we were lucky enough to be rescued. I never registered, and it turned out that everything associated with the act was ... bad.

For that reason, among others, I've refused to register here. We don't belong in this world, and our hands are being forced on the matter. The government has used us without divulging information openly, and they've even put us into psychological games. Just last April, everyone was asked to play a game. Did you feel like a rat in a cage? And last June, people were asked to play a war game without being told of the very real consequences: that with every shot, we'd feel what it was like to have a real bullet tearing into us. And at the end of the game, you either won or you experienced true death before you woke up.

[Her voice here intensifies in its anger.]

And now ... now, a year later, we're in another game. We're in the reality of that paintball game. See, it was imPort versus imPort, and here we are again. We're having our hands forced because even if we've been helping one another, and helping the citizens of the world, we should be brought in. None of the vigilantes I know kill. We all help, doing what we can, and it's the government who defines our behavior, and who decides that we should adhere to their laws. And why? Is there any reason that we should? We didn't consent to these tattoos. We've been going along with what they've wanted for ages.

So, this is what I'm asking the government to do. You have the list of vigilantes. Why don't you bring us in yourself? Why use other imPorts? You can capture us, right?

Because honestly, that's what I'd like to know. Obviously, you want something for this, so everyone, let's guess! Because it looks like they want a Civil War among us. I guess they really didn't think it through, even with cautionary tales already ready in their midst.

[When she cuts the feed, it switches to text, providing a link to her previous words on the matter. Cautionary tales are even sourced!]

Comments

[ video ]

[selfequipped]

Do you really think it's possible that someone won't, especially if they can prove that they're "loyal" to the government? Do you think that there is no one here capable of that?

Because I can think of a few people.

Of course, one name in particular stands out. It starts with a T ...

[hostage]

This ain't our world. Some of us are playing nice 'cause - like, why wouldn't you? - but if the government stops playing nice with us, then none of us got a reason to prove our loyalty or whatever.

[selfequipped]

Jesse, this is them stopping playing nice with us, but worded nicely enough that you don't catch the implications of it.

And they weren't playing nice a year ago when I was in that game. A lot of us were mad about it, and they counted on time to make us forget.

Thing is, I haven't forgotten.

[hostage]

Their whole system breaks down if you just register. I mean, seriously, registration means nothing. They got exactly as much control over us no matter what word they write on our arm.

If they start turning on Registered imPorts, then they're all out of excuses. People will see what's really going on here.

[selfequipped]

Registration is a way of controlling us. We're not given citizenship if we register. We're just given the semblance of that. It's got a lot of great things that go along with it, but you're also essentially joining this world's military.

Of course, I have other reasons not to want to adhere to their word. They've used us already. They've hurt us.

They aren't exactly a governing body that I want to submit to.

[hostage]

You're not submitting. You're just letting 'em think you are. That's all registration does. They can use us and hurt us all the same, whether we say yes or no. But it looks a lot worse for 'em if they're hurting the people who agreed to follow the rules.

[selfequipped]

They've already hurt people who follow the rules. What do you think that game of paintball was? Registered people got a killing blow, too.

[hostage]

[It's so hard to get his meaning out there without outright saying it. He purses his lips for a moment, searching for a careful way to put this.]

...It was horrible, but it wasn't real. Now? Shit could get real, and fast, and you give 'em the excuse they need when you don't say the words they wanna hear.

If you really think imPorts are gonna start turning on each other, you already know what you gotta do to buy yourself some time. To get stronger.

[selfequipped]

[She understands his meaning.

She just doesn't agree with it. After all:]

I've worked with registered imPorts for the last year in researching and investigating the government and other conspiracies in preparation for this moment.

[hostage]

Now what are you gonna do about it?

[Because researching and investigating is pretty much nothing, in his eyes.]

[selfequipped]

[The fact that he's a criminal and he's protected by being registered is making her very tempted to end this conversation.

Very, very tempted. But she can't play that hand, not so soon after she messed up in Walt's presence.]

Well, for one, I'm going to work with my boss to create a case about the human rights violations that have been happening left and right.

For another, if this does get violent, I will fight.

[hostage]

That's gonna be a hell of a legal fight, considering they got plenty of reasons to argue that we ain't human.

[So then, why do they deserve human rights?]

But I hope it works.

[Sincerely. He knows he's at a tactical advantage as a criminal, but this isn't what he wants as an imPort. He has no intention of using the government to do his dirty work, when it comes to getting vigilantes off his tail.]

[selfequipped]

Yeah, but they'd have a hell of a time arguing that considering that they still want registered heroes to fight for the country. They've got their own catch-22 that they're going to bring about with this. If they gun for the unsettled and the vigilantes, then what does it say about the other heroes? Can you really argue that we don't deserve the rights that they do?

[Kate unfortunately knows the answer to that, but it'd be particularly difficult to argue, considering. But it might go that way. It might.]

[hostage]

They could say none of us deserve human rights, if they stopped calling us heroes and started calling us weapons.

[Which is where this is inevitably leading, in Jesse's mind. That's always been the reality of their function.]

[rathercommon]

[ Steadily: ]

Of course there'll be a reason. Incentives can always be created. Principles often crumble when it's an issue of survival, don't they?

[hostage]

One-on-one, we're stronger than them. If it comes down to survival, I don't think our principles are gonna crumble in a way that's good for the government.

We don't all get along, but the fights we have with each other got nothing to do with the government. When it comes down to it, we got no reason to be the feds' dogs. It's just a nice thing we say so they don't get more scared than they are. We got more loyalty to each other than we'll ever have to them, 'cause we all know we don't belong here.

[rathercommon]

[ She shakes her head. ]

It's a sweet thought, and one that would be nice if it were true. But they've got enormous leverage over us. Because why on earth would it ever be one-on-one?

[hostage]

[Well, that's exactly why he's been amassing an army of native criminals for over a year and why he's been so intent on turning Xavier's into a fortress, but gosh, he can't say that.]

I seen it happen, Kitty. None of us gives a shit about our registration status when somebody's after imPorts, like, as a whole. Even if one or two of us takes a government deal, there's hundreds of us who won't. Ever. Even if they throw us in jail. 'cause, yeah, maybe they'll pay us ten grand to catch a vigilante, but anybody with a brain would know they're next, the second they do something Uncle Sam doesn't like.

Plus, anybody who takes a deal like that... I'd be looking over my shoulder, if I was them, 'cause the feds ain't even the biggest problem a rat's gonna have to deal with.

[rathercommon]

[ She tilts her head pragmatically to the side. ]

I don't know. The one you look over your shoulder for - the one you fear - is the one you think is stronger. And honestly, I don't think we've...

[ Demonstrated our strength effectively, is where she's about to go, but she closes her mouth on that sentiment. Because she's thinking out loud - and, when it comes down to it, she very much does not want any of the imPorts demonstrating their strength. ]

You know. Really learned to act together. Or any of that. Um - Anyway. Take it from someone who's gone up against a government and really seen a resistance to one - it'd take a lot of work to make people believe in our forces more than they believe in the authorities. And honestly...Do we really want them to?

[hostage]

[Jesse's just as uneasy about the idea of flexing, but when they're cornered, are they going to have any other choice? He doesn't relish it, but he's ready to take out threats to his people. He's done it before.]

Why wouldn't we?

[rathercommon]

[ A shrug. ]

The government's decent towards its citizens. I've been looking out really hard for a really long time for any sign of tyranny, and it's certainly not perfect, but it's pretty good. Especially for a power that's just shaking off the old legacy of totalitarianism.

I mean, really - what they're doing now is saying that people with powers haven't got the right to be treated by the law differently from people without powers, and they're asking our help in enforcing it. Like it or don't like it, but I don't see much in there that's really unjust. I'm not going to be throwing anyone to them, no, but I'm also not going to be taking to the streets in protest.

[hostage]

[Kitty, you continue to surprise and confuse him.]

Yeah. I mean, I'm not ready to do that, either.

[In the sense that he hasn't reached his financial goals, but also because this current problem - the problem of registration - is one that's really fucking easy to solve if everyone would just get over themselves and lie through their teeth.]

[rathercommon]

[ She's encouraged by that. And she nods, and relaxes enough to confess, not without a bit of wryness: ]

Anyway, I've got to admit that I don't really even understand the whole vigilante thing. If they were standing up to the government as vigilantes - all right. But most vigilantes just seem to be hunting down criminals, which they could do while registered, which means they'd be getting a really good amount of money for doing the exact same things. And it's money that's going to put a stop to crime, way better than any one person heading out there with super-strength. They could donate that to anti-poverty initiatives. I think registration's stupid as anything - I think this whole system is stupid as anything - but you can turn it to your advantage.

[selfequipped]

Hey, Kitty! I know I asked for an open discussion, but shouldn't you be having this with me? Or, I don't know, in Mr. Pinkman's private inbox?

Instead of passively criticizing my life choices, as you just did.

[rathercommon]

[ Oh. Oh - ]

Oh, I'm - I'm so sorry. I didn't...

[ Kitty bites her lip, very visibly embarrassed. It takes her a moment to collect herself and stop stammering, but even once she does, her cheeks are still pink. ]

Sorry, Kate. It wasn't criticism - just me thinking aloud, because I'm afraid I really don't get it.