maskormenace | [001]

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[Matt’s had a lot to think about, since he got here. A lot of decisions to make. But he never intended to be in hiding; he’s not going to stay out of the conflict, this time, if conflict comes. So it feels like it might be important to go on record, for this, and say some things.]

My name is Matt Murdock. Over the past two months, I’ve spoken to many of you about a lot of things. Law, super powered trials, registration, the quality of the sandwiches down 14th street…and some of you I knew before, from my life as a defense attorney in New York City. And I’ve noticed there’s at topic that keeps resurfacing, over and over, about what’s the right thing to do, and whether or not you have or should take what you’ve been given. I’m sure some of you have answers by now, but if you don’t, let me shed some light on the subject for you.

[He sounds perfectly at ease with this, matter-of-fact, an indisputable list of evidence laid out piece by piece, with full conviction that what he's saying is absolutely 100% honest and his decisions are the right ones:]

These are the facts as I know them: you do not have to register. You do not have to stay in the job you were given. I can and will personally testify to that; I’ve left my position as a probationary defense attorney with a firm in town to go out on my own. You will lose whatever grandfathered certifications you received from the government to continue working in your old field, or the field they assigned you. But you can re-obtain those under your own steam, if you're willing to put in the effort. I retook the bar a few weeks ago. I couldn’t stop them from pulling strings so I could take it ahead of their regularly scheduled sessions, and I don’t feel comfortable about that. But I decided it was more important to be answerable to my own principles than to have a secure job somewhere under someone else’s direction. I’m not interested in taking something I didn’t earn for myself, and I am not going to have that sort of leverage hanging over my head- that my career was something they granted me rather than something I did on my own.

[His voice picks up volume now, getting stronger, more definite, more sure:]

I will also testify that I have been here for well over two months, and I have still declined to register. I don’t believe in it. I will never believe in it. I can’t agree to forced oversight unanswerable to any process of law, and that’s the way it is. Nobody has come to twist my arm yet. [He pauses, for a second.] At least, nobody from the government here. So you have that option. Recognize, however, that there are consequences to being a vigilante, if that’s what you choose to do. There always have been consequences, and there always will be. Whether or not you feel that’s a risk worth taking is a personal decision you have to make for yourself. Whether or not you even feel there’s a cause worth standing for and taking that risk.

[You can practically hear him rounding the finish line, heading for the conclusion with full confidence:]

I hope that at least gives some of you some peace of mind. If there’s any questions you want to ask me about it, I can only speak to my personal experiences, but please feel free. You’re welcome to stop by my new office any time if you’d like to talk in person as well. I can’t say it’s comparably fancy to the old one, but at least it’s my office.

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[ Calm and rational explanation of what's what. Those were his favorite. ]

Given that this government seems to keep tabs on us wouldn't that mean registration is only a formality? We've all gotten the dossier folders that were pretty bare bones, but that leaves you wondering how much they have on us they're not sharing.

In two months do you belive registration leaves us vulnerable to or protected from bureaucratic blackmail? If vigilante is synonymous with pariah here then I can't imagine being outspoken is any more well-received.

[ Not that he plans on shying away from being either. ]

Edited 2014-04-18 03:11 (UTC)

[Just the facts, sir, and the evidence. Conjecture is for the question and answer section.]

I think it could be argued. And I'm willing to act under the assumption that they know quite a lot about me.

But I would say that two months is a very short time, yet I don't know many people who have been here, in this city, much longer. There's something that came before, but I am not the right person to ask for details on that. I'm sure their plans are much longer term, but I don't know enough yet to speculate on what exactly the endgame is in this situation, or how far they're willing to go. If necessary, I'm prepared to reveal any blackmail-worthy details myself. I'm not going to play that sort of game.

[This is exactly the sort of reason he's known for a reckless reputation. Man Without Fear.]

Safest assumption, in my opinion. [ It wasn't written in stone anywhere that they had his entire closet with all its dusty skeletons in their possession, but he had to wonder. ]

If they've reduced us in terms of investments then would it be correct to assume in simplest terms we're either a liability or an asset? Worst case scenario is one where their backs are against the wall where they need to pool their resources. Operating under the assumption we're said resources would you, a self-identified free agent, want to protect our interests within their laws?

I'm not familiar with how the legal system works here, but I know that butting heads is inevitable in an environment where it's serve or go AWOL.

[When she replies, her voice is tired. She's had a very, very long day. Matt will have likely noticed that she didn't come in to work. She didn't call, either. It slipped her mind. Oh, she didn't forget, it just seemed unimportant.]

It's funny. Your speeches don't annoy me as much as some other people's.

[ wryly: ]

Maybe what y'need is a fern. You'd be surprised how fancy a little greenery can make a place.

Well, the welcome goes double for you, so if you felt inclined to bring one...

[It should be considered a mark of trust that he didn't go immediately tracking her down, trusting that whatever it was was something she needed to handle and something she could handle, and that she wouldn't just no-show without a reason. One of those things, you know, that happen to people like them.]

That's good, because you're going to end up hearing a lot of them. How was your day off?

[Casual, like that was planned and intentional, and not an unintended side effect.]

[Things like blackmail seem less frightening when your personal, private life and dirty secrets have already been dragged through the tabloids and blatantly revealed in open court.]

I would. The law is the law; the government and its officials have to be held accountable to it, as much as any citizen. No one is exempt. And I can and will drag them through every single court in the nation if I have to, to make that so.

[Of course, he has other plans for what he can find in this legal system, but it doesn't do any good to tip your hand. Somewhere, if they want to play at legitimacy, something might not add up; something has to be crooked somewhere. And he'll find it.]

Which is part of the reason I've gone off on my own. I don't want it ever to be said that I don't have the right to practice in the court of law because I didn't go through all the formalities. There are rules for disbarring, but not for revoking the status they give you to work without having to put in the legwork again.

[ an amused little breath, from her end. ]

Yeah? If I keep usin' that as an excuse t'come around, you're gonna be workin' out of a damn jungle.

I have a house, too, and no roommates. There's plenty of room for the overflow somewhere in there.

[Take all of that as you will, Lillian.]

[ mildly: ]

That right? Sounds like y'could use a couple ferns t'keep y'company at home too. We better make quick work of the office.

We should.

If you're not busy right now, I could use some company. My secretary has the day off.

[Really took it off without notice, but, seeing as she is a superhero, he will more than forgive that.]

If I find out you "planted ferns" on my desk, you're going to get a nice, long lecture.

[Because really, Matt.]

Whose office is this again?

Anyway, I would never do such a thing, and I am scandalized by your suggestion.

[No, he's not.]

Shame on you.

[Doesn't even know the meaning of the word.

But he does have his own desk, y'know.]

It's our office.

[She can be a tiny bit imperious. Tired, sure, but shameless acts should only happen in certain arenas. This one is off limits.

After all, even parts of Noh-Varr's ship were off-limits.]

And I'm not sure you know what scandalized means, but I guess we'll see.

It's my name on the lease, but I concede the point that some of the space is yours.

[It would be the height of rudeness of have sex on someone else's desk, though. He's pretty sure they're not going to be having sex in the office period (today), but making jokes about it is much too funny.]

Foggy kept a dictionary. Occasionally he'd feel the need to pull it out and define things for me.

I admire your dedication to your principles, Mr. Murdock.

[Siiiip. Coffee, clearly.]

Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of that independence. Some cannot afford to say no to the government's offer.

I didn't say it was possible for everyone, or easy. I'm not saying everybody should. That's their call to make. But there's been a lot of discussion over whether or not it's even possible, so I'm at least offering one successful example that it can be done.

About how cumbersome has it been for you to replace the offered benefits? Or have you been able to, at this point?

[You can practically hear the shrug in his voice.]

I'm working on it.

[Uh huh.]

Mind if I inquire about the specifics?

Congratulations, Matt.

Will you be representing unregistered vigilantes, too?

[Kotetsu has been waiting for a post like this, really. Not because he's personally uncertain about what to do about registration, because he realized from the beginning that he would be very unlikely to be able to make it on his own here, but because here is finally a post in which someone isn't trying to convince people one way or the other. There's been a question on his mind, and he thinks he can ask Matt without having to get into an argument about it.]

I've been wondering something, actually.

[Beat.]

It seems like whenever registration comes up, people are really intense about it, one way or the other. I was wondering if there was some kinda context there for why, from the place that came from before here?

It's never seemed like more than an agreement to work for the government to me, so maybe there's something I'm missing.

Edited (curses, typos) 2014-04-18 07:30 (UTC)

I could make time. [ just a little taunting: ] But y'did just invite the entire Network t'stop by the office. Y'might get plenty of company without me.

Do you know what would happen if you were registered and changed jobs? Would you lose your other privileges, too? [Ro registered for a lot of reasons. But she had about a million more uncertainties about it to go with it.] Thanks for this, by the way. I've been here about a week now, so I'm still learning how everything works.

But, uh. What did you mean by 'vigilante'?

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