10 ⚜ Audio

[restingstitchface]

[Anyone who's familiar with Crane will recognize his compulsive need to study fear. But what's the curious thing, here? His approach. His voice is as soft and calm as it had been upon his arrival. It gives an impression of frailty that's deliberately misleading. There was nothing about him that sounded like the Scarecrow. And that's the frightening thing.]

Machiavelli once said, "And here comes in the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to be both; but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved."

I put his question to you all; is it better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved?

[He likes the idea of letting the piddling powers in this place believe he's behaving himself; listening to that silly therapist he'd encountered recently. Maybe his audience all be dishonest in their answers. Frightened. Scared. He indulges in a smile. He will have to confirm all of their opinions with an experiment, of course.]

Comments

[restingstitchface]

You know, Kaidan, I don't have to lie to myself or anyone else to fall asleep, either. It seems you're in good company.

[A calm, level voice that's... gently implying Kaidan's a murderer just like him. Yeah. You have fun with that, space marine.]

[kanadian]

Yeah, I'm sure you don't.

[ Said with just enough spite, because he knows. He can tell what he's trying to do. Trying to bring him down to his level, because Kaidan's heard it before. That's what Vyrnnus did. ]

Somehow, I think it's different, the way you don't let it bother you.

[restingstitchface]

[Spite. Crane pulls back his shoulders and inhales. Air expands his chest. His heart begins pounding in his ribcage. He can feel blood rushing to his cheeks. It's Kaidan's natural response to being afraid, and it's glorious.]

Oh, it's that I don't let it bother me. It's that I accept it into my heart.

I do have one, you know. Contrary to common rumor.

[kanadian]

Contrary to all the evidence saying otherwise?

[ He doesn't buy it. ]

You're ignoring something, that's for sure.

[restingstitchface]

[His past, perhaps. That's dead and buried except it really, really isn't.]

Ignoring what? Be specific, Mr. Alenko. The onus is on you, here.

[Hey. He could say he's ignoring the redundancy of this conversation, but that would be unprofessional.]

[kanadian]

[ He's still so polite to Kaidan even now! ]

Your...heart?

I can't imagine anyone's being so... willing to do what you've done.

[restingstitchface]

[You're giving him what he wants and that means he's in a good mood. Such as Crane experiences happiness, that is.]

History proves you wrong.

There have been plenty willing to confront their fears to further themselves. Perhaps you should shorten your argument to anyone here.

[kanadian]

There's nothing wrong with confronting your fears.

There's something wrong with how you make people do it. It's the method, like you're turning something that's supposed to be good and twisting it, and making it...wrong.

[restingstitchface]

Making it wrong? I'm making it honest.

The fact you cannot see that, nor accept it? That's not my problem.

[kanadian]

You ever hear about what it means, when everyone is wrong except you?

[restingstitchface]

Yes, but I feel you're going to enlighten me to such drivel anyway.

[kanadian]

Well if you already know, I'm not going to waste my time repeating it.

[restingstitchface]

Good. Then I see no further reason to waste my time on this conversation.

[He'll waste Kaidan's. He doesn't give a fuck about his.]

You're dismissed.

[kanadian]

[ Ugh. ]

Right. Well, I'm happy to leave you to...whatever trouble you're planning on getting up to.