maskormenace | 2nd Oration / Voice

Entry tags:

2nd Oration / Voice

[Dooku's voice on the Network is difficult to miss: deep, resonant, rich, and inexplicably British despite him being from space.]

Good evening, my friends. As his probation officer, I feel it is my duty to inform you that Death the Kid has departed from this universe.

[Pause]

A pity, really. He only had a few days remaining on his sentence. I was looking forward to recommending his freedom from government supervision.

Now then, there is another matter I wish to discuss. I have been considering the role of emotion in the matters of power. ImPort abilities often seem tied to how we feel. Passions such as anger and fear can threaten our control, yet they can also spur our powers to greater heights in times of need.

In my Galaxy, there are two philosophies which have debated these issues for many thousands of years. One believes in the denial of passion. They insist upon tranquility and harmony. It is their belief that only a calm heart, without attachments, can attain true wisdom in serving others. They do not even allow themselves to fall in love...

[The Count's voice drops slightly, becoming a touch darker.]

The other perspective calls this a lie. It accepts passion as the truth of all living things, and draws power from it. It teaches that even the strongest of emotions can be embraced, and disciplined, and used to great effect.

I would be interested to know what my fellow imPorts think on this matter. Are our feelings to be repressed, or embraced? Which path do you believe will lead to greater fulfillment?

[Talk to the Sith Lord about feelings, Network. Also, if you're tagging him for the first time it's a good idea to check out his permissions post!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That is indeed a common response. Yet these philosophies have not endured for thousands of years without having answers at the ready for such challenges.

For example, the path of denial might warn you against attachment narrowing your vision of what needs to be protected... against emotion influencing you into defending your friends above a greater good. And the other path teaches that there are no inherently undesirable emotions: only undesirable actions.

These debates have continued for a very long time amongst the stars. No final answer has been determined... at least, not yet.

[That hits a little too close. Well, he should have expected that, talking philosophy.]

Maybe that would be true, if people could really separate emotions and actions that completely. Isn't that almost the same as the first philosophy?

Well, if there were such an easy compromise, I suppose there's no way it would have been debated for so long. "Yet"... Do you expect they'll finally reach an agreement, then?

The line between the two can sometimes be very difficult to identify. There are some in my Galaxy who believe there is no line there at all.

[Dooku had believed as much, when he first joined the Dark Side. Yet since then, Lord Sidious has properly educated him: the difference between Light and Dark is the one between weakness and strength, lies and truth.]

Conflict itself may be eternal, but I believe no conflict is eternal. The argument must reach a resolution eventually. The only question is whether it will be a compromise, or the final victory of one side over the other.

[Spoilers it's going to be the second one. Lord Sidious has foreseen it- and Dooku will be his willing agent in making it happen.]

Really? Do you think one side has such a decisive advantage?

[And what would a decisive philosophical victory even be? It's not exactly a military engagement. He tries to keep his eyebrows from raising, with mixed success. Good thing he's not on video.]

[There is a reason the Count likes to do his Network business over voice instead of video. By withholding his face from other imPorts, he denies them information they might read from it, while maximizing the power of his distinctive voice.]

I have come to believe the second side has the advantage of honesty over the first. Our strong feelings are a part of us all. To work against them is to work against ourselves. Time will tell if this proves to be decisive, however.

Possibly a lot more time, if they've already been arguing for millennia.

[He makes a noncommittal thoughtful noise.]

It sounds like it would be a shame if that happened. The way you presented them, each side has something the other doesn't. I'd think the galaxy would be better off with both.

You would be surprised how easily an obsolete situation can shift, Flynn Scifo. Or how suddenly an ancient order can collapse.

[Like, say for example a thousand years of relative galactic peace died in the flames of civil over just three years. Hypothetically speaking.]

Are you someone who values diversity over peace, then? For as long as both sides persist, they will remain in conflict. There is an ancient enmity between them.

Edited 2016-05-10 01:23 (UTC)

Like you say, any circumstances can change suddenly. There are more ways to resolve some conflicts than absolute victory or defeat. I'm not a person that values peace at the expense of destroying a way of thinking or living, no.

[This is really inviting a lot of questions about just what kind of "philosophical disagreement" this is supposed to be.]

My apologies, I forgot to introduce myself. Just Flynn is fine. And what should I call you?

[Not that he can't see the displayed name just fine, but since it was surprisingly odd to be addressed with his full name out of the blue, he can at least be conscientious about the reverse.]

Forgive me Flynn, I have been remiss in my manners. I am Count Dooku. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, even if it is only over this device.

[Dooku likes his courtesies... which in his world, occasionally involves dramatic pronouncements of people's full names and titles for little real reason.]

Ah, not at all. We were both absorbed in the topic. Pleased to meet you. [The polite smile is pure reflex, even with the video function turned off.]

A Count? So is there still a noble class in your Galaxy? I was under the impression it was already considered a little archaic in this world.

Indeed there is. From what I have gathered of this planet's history, aristocracies have been overthrown or reduced to mere ceremony in most nations. But in my Galaxy, things are different.

While interstellar government is run by democracy, there are many individual planets who still maintain traditional nobility. I have the honour to be the Count of Serenno- an ancient line, entrusted with the governance of a distinguished planet.

That's quite a responsibility. Then you have authority over--Serenno, and the democracy oversees interplanetary matters? Or does the democracy impose some rules on individual planets as well?

[He pauses for a moment and shakes his head to cut off the line of thought.]

I'm sorry for all the questions. I come from a relatively small world, so I can't help but be curious about a government that spans planets.

Please, there is no need for apologies. It is my pleasure to share my experiences with my fellow imPorts.

What you have described is essentially the case, although in recent years matters have grown more complicated than they once were. Planetary governments are entrusted to manage their own affairs, within reason. The elected Parliament of the Confederacy is expected to take action to ensure peace and cooperation within our Alliance.

I suppose they would have to be. Even on a single continent, it's difficult for a central government to be equipped to deal with every local concern.

[Well, since the count had already given him the go-ahead for asking questions:]

More complicated? How so?

[The Count allows a sorrowful expression to cross his face.]

I am sorry to say that my Galaxy is presently at war. The Alliance I have the honour of leading sought independence from a corrupt government. We sought to negotiate for our freedom, but they responded with treachery and violence.

[He sighs, an old leader wearied by the horrors inflicted on his cause.]

We have been fighting for our existence ever since. Even Serenno has not been untouched by the chaos.

[There's a decently lengthy pause while Flynn organizes this in the context of what the Count has explained so far. War and corrupt governments are definitely things that strike a sympathetic chord with him, all else aside.]

I see. So Serenno and an Alliance of other planets are fighting for independence against the interstellar democracy you mentioned. [Assuming he has all the pieces there correct and there aren't even more moving parts to this.]

...This must be a difficult time for you to be pulled away from your duty there. The Porter really doesn't have much consideration.

That is indeed the case... on both points. Even knowing that time will not pass while I am here, I often find myself anxious to return to my duties.

I was taken to this place while on the verge of a major confrontation. One that may mean the difference between victory and destruction for our cause. It is my hope that very soon, our Galaxy will know peace once more.

But I am sorry to have diverted you, Flynn. You simply wanted to know about stellar governance, and here I have begun to ramble about wars you have no stake in. Please, forgive me.

Ah--it's fine. If anything, I'm sorry for asking about troubling things like that. I was fortunate with the Porter myself, but if it had taken me from a few months earlier, I'd be in a similar position. I think I can understand how worried you must be.

[It's his first real smile of of the conversation, and even without video the genuine sympathy carries over to his tone.]

Your understanding is appreciated... thank you.

[Achievement unlocked: gain sympathy for your plutocratic rebellion that ripped the Galaxy apart.]

You have also faced war in your world, then?

[Goes right next to the 'slightly less transparently cackling evil than Palpatine' achievement.]

Our last true war was ten years ago, before my time. But a few months ago the former Commandant of the Imperial Knights staged a rebellion and managed to seize control of the capital. We're just fortunate that it didn't escalate into full civil war.

[He only briefly considers trying to explain the eldritch abomination space octopus fiasco that followed. That wasn't really a war, that's just... Terca Lumireis.]

A rebellion... internal conflicts are always the most vicious and tragic, in my experience. I am happy to hear your people were spared the horror of full civil war.

Might I know what drove the former Commandant to such drastic actions against the people they formerly protected?

Probably the simplest possible motivation. He wanted more power, and he didn't care how many people had to die for him to achieve it. In terms of your philosophies you could say he had all passion and no attachments.

[His voice is wry but it's still a very sore topic. His own fault for letting the conversation end up here, though. He brightens his tone again with sheer force of will:]

I'm sorry, Imperial politics can't be of much interest to you. It was a very small conflict compared to what you're used to.

I see. A sad, yet truly common tale.

[Dooku thinks he might want to meet this man some day. It sounds like they might have had things in common.]

There is no need for apologies, I assure you. However large or small your conflict may have been, matters of power and those who wield it are always of interest to me.

Philosophy, or political habit?

[He makes a quiet noise of amusement and shakes his head.]

At any rate, thank you for humoring so many of my questions. You've been very patient.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

2nd Oration / Voice

voice

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject