video

[rathercommon]

[ Kitty's voice is a little strained. ]

Right, so...Hullo, Kitty here. And we've already had a bit of input on glorious-war and glorious-war-but-do-be-careful-about-it-because-the-Russians-are-a-bit-scary, and at this point everyone's probably like shut it won't you. But for anyone who's still out there and still listening, just...

This is hard for us. We've lost our friends. That's scary. But remember that no real harm has been done yet. They've been kidnapped, but no one's been killed. The situation right now is not that bad. But it has the potential to get so much worse if we let loose our anger. Remember, the weapons in the Russians' possession - and in the Americans' - can scorch the earth. Kill everyone. Everyone. It won't just be us who go if we escalate this war: it'll also be the little kids in the school down the street from you, and the girl who always remembers your order at the malt shop, and the bloody...puppies in the animal shelter.

So those of you who are thinking that it's time to go burn down Russian cities, or join up with the army as they march to destroy our enemies - close your eyes and think of the entire baskets of puppies and kittens that'll get scorched into nothing but atoms when this war gets stepped up and the bombing starts. Okay? So instead, maybe let's give thought to negotiation. Forgiveness. Stepping down the violence. Some of the kidnapped have gotten word out - I bet you anything they'll agree.

Comments

[airshow]

Aww, man, you really had to bring the puppy baskets into this?

[rathercommon]

[ That at least pulls a smile out of her, even through her stress. ]

Entire baskets of puppies. They're going to look so sad if we retaliate through violence. That's what everyone needs to think about - sad puppies looking up at us with sad eyes.

[countdone]

Well said. An extreme reaction is exactly what we don't need right now.

[He sighs.]

Of course, the Red Scare's gonna get worse around here and that's not going to make people want to be rational.

[rathercommon]

You're right about that, unfortunately.

[ She gives a hesitant, unhappy sigh. ]

But the thing is - we're people on both sides, aren't we. We might be scared - and the government might try to feed our fear - but we can refuse. We can say no and just abstain from the violence. Just like their people over there can do the same. And then where will they all be?

voice.

[caerulea]

Hopefully people listen listen to you. It was a good speech.

voice.

[rathercommon]

[ A sigh. ]

Was it? God, I don't...feel like I have the right words to change anyone's mind, most of the time. I wish I did. I just can't figure out how to convince people.

But imagine how furious Gansey would be if we destroyed the world saving him.

voice.

[instars]

You should speak to Nicolas Demidov. To help you.

Private

[restingstitchface]

[What tangible, unpredictable existential fear!]

The irrational panic driving the crisis you are discussing is perfectly rational. It is only appropriate that humans fear mutually assured destruction.

[He keeps his voice level and calm.]

If you wish for people to stay calm, Miss Jones, they need to feel protected. They're all depending on you to keep them safe, aren't they?

[Keep people safe with actions, Kitty. Not words.]

Private

[rathercommon]

[ Ugh. Great. ]

Depending on me to keep them safe? I'm not sure who you think is mad enough to depend on me.

[bassriff]

Man, low blow with the puppy baskets... [TINY BABY DOGS :(]

We can de-escalate this thing. But we gotta start here, right? [change locals' minds. grassroots things. counter public paranoia. something, anything.]

[rathercommon]

[ A firm nod. ]

Right. We have. And the first step is pointing out that war is crap and stupid and refusing to bow to the governments' demands that we all sign up and help them murder the Soviets.

voice; how about some not wanting to rend your emotions tags from me for once?

[glitchinthesystem]

[ fffff- Kitty why do you have to be rational, he didn't even think of it like that. He had such a murder lust before hearing that. ]

Things would be nicer if people didn't own weapons that could destroy everything in a second.

voice; whaaaaat

[rathercommon]

[ A snort of total agreement. ]

God, isn't that a fact. It's amazing that anyone thought that stockpiling these things was a good idea. I say violence is bad, but my palms are just itching to slap both the President and the Russian premier.

[akito]

Who's been thinking it's time to burn down Russian cities?

[ and he sounds a mix of strained - because war, and being classified as a weapon again - and angry. ]

Just because a government is shitty doesn't mean the people are, too.

[rathercommon]

[ A sigh. ]

Oh, you know. Help the military. If they've started war, I'll be the one to finish it. All that rubbish. When war comes, people suffer. Not abstract casualty lists on the screen or - memorialized in heroic statues. People suffer and starve and die. For years beyond the initial conflict.

video;

[brushoff]

Congratulations, Kitty. Gold star for pointing out the obvious.

video;

[rathercommon]

Uh huh. Thanks. That's a really helpful comment coming from a guy who did enlist in a war out of some feeling of rah-rah patriotism married with boredom.

audio; private

[aberth]

I don't know, I kind of want to set fire to something.

[ Ronan and Gansey. Half of the four people Adam would scorch the world for. ]

audio; private

[rathercommon]

[ Oh, Adam. ]

Oh, don't get me wrong. I do, too. But I guess I've learned lately that what you want isn't necessarily what you should do.

Voice

[bindsthedead]

And what of those who want to head into Russia independently of the military, to get their friends back?

[rathercommon]

[ She shakes her head. ]

The Russians are going to take that as an incursion. You know they will. They'd love to capture an imPort and point to them as an agent of the American government and an aggressor.

video

[burnseternal]

[Saint Walker may not have been commenting on these affairs as a whole, but he's certainly been watching. When he regards the screen, his eyes are large and sad.]

Violence begets violence. It is an unfortunate truth, but a truth nonetheless. It is occasionally a necessary thing, but none should go in without the awareness that escalating things may result in far, far more deaths in the long run. It is a cycle I have seen myself, and a cycle I regret that I continue to see.

This is a young war. There is still time yet to change the tides.

video

[rathercommon]

[ She lets out a long breath, and nods. ]

Yeah. That's the problem, though, isn't it. This government - they've got it in their heads that violence is a show of strength. That it's not a miserable, last-resort thing you use, but something that shows that you're powerful and fierce and uncompromising. They jump at the opportunity to use that violence, because they like what they become when they do.

~mental network oooOOoo~

[fuckwashington]

easy to fucking say when youre not in a metal box shitwad

[rathercommon]

[ Oh. Ronan. Well, it's a relief to hear from him, sort of. ]

Are you dying/mistreated/unwell?

video;

[flowerette]

Do you have any ideas in particular, Kitty? I don't believe the Russian forces will be so willing to listen to reason, unfortunately. But we're also in a bind because violent action will cause violent retaliation. I am definitely on the side of a more peaceful resolution, but I'm not so sure we can achieve that by trying to negotiate directly with the source. They have made up their minds and declared war on us. So what can we do to make them see reason?

[ The last question is genuinely curious because Raina really wants to know if there's any way to talk sense into these people. Men and their wars. They raise guns because they probably can't get anything else up. ]

video;

[rathercommon]

Well...

[ She rubs her mouth, then says hesitantly: ]

I mean - at their core, they're scared of us imPorts, and scared of our relationship with the government. So I'd say that...the best thing to do would be to try to build some sort of alliance, maybe? Make it clear that our relationship to the U.S. is no closer than our relationship with the Soviets. Attempt some international coalition...Possibly focusing on solving the mystery of the Porter, so that those who can get home can go home. A sign that we really do want to step down our involvement in all of this. They see us as weapons, so we've got to disarm ourselves, right?

video

[mousquetaire]

'No real harm was done'?

[ D'Artagnan can't quite believe what he's hearing.

His voice is strong and steady, absolutely assured in his convictions. ]

Kitty, imports have been taken from their homes, and places of work. They've been kidnapped and taken hostage by a foreign and aggressive nation. There have been whispers of worsening relations for months, but this goes well beyond that. It's a step further. A step too far. The time for negotiating with the Russians passed the moment they abducted our people.

This was a declaration of war. Imports are caught in it, whether you wish to accept that or not.

video

[rathercommon]

[ Kitty, in return, offers a half-shrug. ]

They're not being tortured or beaten. No one's been killed - which is near-miraculous, honestly, that they seem to have undertaken this kidnapping without harming a hair on their heads. Everything done can be undone. Honestly, there are far worse things than being held prisoner.

video

[huntergames]

"Not that bad"? [ Even Sasha can't believe that. It's so much easier to assume the worst. ] We don't even know how they took our friends.

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[rathercommon]

[ She nods in acknowledgment. ]

We don't. But Admiral Naismith - he gave a report of the shape they're in. And they seem fine. No one's been killed, there's no torture going on. They're free to move about within a room. As far as I can tell, they're being treated well within the guidelines established for prisoners of war.

[ Video ]

[crapbearer]

[ Max is smearing his hands down his face ]

I get what you're trying to go for here, I really do. And I know you're as stressed as the rest of us.

But maybe "it could be worse" isn't quite the opener you think it is.

[ Video ]

[rathercommon]

[ Kitty offers him a little one-shouldered shrug. ]

No? Am I wrong about it? Is this as bad as it can get?

video;

[infomodder]

[He doubts April agrees with any of this but that's not for him to voice.]

You're off the mark. No one has been lost. They have been taken, forcibly, and put into conditions unfitting those puppies in the animal shelter you mentioned. That is not nothing. That is real harm.

video;

[rathercommon]

[ Her voice is a little quiet. ]

It's...miserable, to be taken. It's beyond miserable. But -

[ She takes a breath. ]

It's not irreversible damage. Kidnappings - You can shake them off.

VIDEO.

[jyuced]

[ Well, here's at least one person responding with a smile. He won't even comment on the fact he assumes she introduced herself as "Hello Kitty," at least... not yet. ]

Right, right, there's way more of us still here, pretty sure! We totally can get everyone back!

[ Granted, he's only sort of half-aware of what's going on; his knowledge even of the actual Cold War hasn't retained too well since his school days. ]

Ah, except -- how do we negotiate if there's no ransom?

VIDEO.

[rathercommon]

[ oh my god she did, hello kitty ]

Well - through diplomacy. [ She gives a little nod. ] These people called diplomats - it's their job to talk people into doing things and getting along. Their job to find a compromise.

video;

[daimeinashi]

[Oh, Kitty. This is one of those times that Sai remembers that for all of her cleverness, all of her determination and fierce optimism...she is very far from a soldier.]

You must understand. While it may yet be possible to mitigate this war, it has already begun. There is no harm in negotiation in theory, but the fact of the matter is that we have nothing to bargain with as long as they are capable of continuing to "confiscate" us.

We need to be able to improve our position. One does not steal weapons one does not intend to use, after all.

video;

[rathercommon]

[ But she shakes her head. ]

But if we just make clear that we're not going to fight for the Americans - and I don't think there's a single one of us who does want to fight for them - that'll remove their need for this bloody...confiscation or whatever they're calling it.

VOICE.

[mantlepieces]

We totally should do nothing.

[ Though by "we" he means imPorts specifically; the US should bomb the hell out of the USSR, probably. ]

It's obviously a trap so they can capture anyone stupid enough to go in after 'em.

VOICE.

[rathercommon]

[ Shit. Is she agreeing with Reggie...? ]

Yeah. That's likely, too. Nothing good can be gained from it.