maskormenace

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[ 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.

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

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.

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

[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.]

Edited 2016-01-21 15:00 (UTC)

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.]

[ 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.

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.

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

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. ]

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

[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.

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

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. ]

Edited 2016-01-22 00:52 (UTC)

'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.

"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.

[ 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.

Edited 2016-01-22 07:09 (UTC)

[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.

[ 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?

[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.

Edited 2016-01-23 09:55 (UTC)

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.

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voice.

Private

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

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video;