2nd Oration / Voice

[dun_moch]

[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!]

Comments

video;

[dun_moch]

[Dooku snorts reciprocally.]

Certainly not. To live in such an impulsive way would be the path of a screaming child... or a snarling beast. I am too old for such rashness. My path is discipline without denial... acceptance without surrender.

[He smirks a little.]

I trust I do not strike you as a fool in the throes of some wild passions.

[leonized]

[........]

Uh, no?

[He's not entirely sure what he thought, actually. His argument overall seemed a bit ... strange?]

Isn't discipline part of the first philosophy, though?

[dun_moch]

[Ah, confused youth. Always a petty delight.]

I apologize if I have been unclear. Discipline is indeed a part of both systems, but it is used in different ways. It is the difference between breathing deeply until you are no longer angry... and channeling your anger so that it grants you energy with which to act.

One has the goal of removing anger from your mind. The other offers to deal with the situation that has angered you. Do you understand?

[leonized]

[He pulls a bit of a face. He always thought of himself as fairly smart, but this feels like it's going around in circles.]

I think so. The first seems more unrealistic...

[dun_moch]

[The Count smiles with understanding (and maybe some condescension as well)]

Indeed it is. Those who practice it consider themselves wise and powerful to attempt such things, but despite their efforts they have failed to bring harmony to the Galaxy.

I believe it is the same way with many imPort powers. Anger can expand our abilities in a crisis, for example. And our attachments give us a cause to fight for.

[leonized]

Yeah...

So I guess I'd pick the second one.

[He doesn't sound too sure of that, though, especially when he looked through the other responses and so many other people seemed to be answering that neither made much sense.]

[dun_moch]

[Truly, where would people like Dooku be without impressionable and uncertain youth?]

You are right to be hesitant. In my galaxy, choosing between one or the other is a momentous decision. It is not to be taken lightly.

I believe it is past time for me to introduce myself. I am Count Dooku. And who might you be, young man?

[He knows both their names are clearly visible on the Network ID. Dooku is just a big fan of courtesies.]

[leonized]

Leon Camillia.

[He nods.]

So you have to pick, though? Where you're from.

[dun_moch]

Not all people must decide these things. But those with sufficient power are always faced with such choices... unless the choice is made for them, which is all too often the case.

[leonized]

... Ah. So normal people don't have to worry about it, is that what you're saying?

[dun_moch]

For the most part. Yet their lives are certainly affected by the decisions of those in power. The question of what philosophy a leader or champion follows can determine the shape of the societies in which they live.

[leonized]

Well, yeah...

[He pauses, thinking about what kind of choices Xerxes would make once he came to power as king.]

What if they never choose, though? That has to be an option— there's always more than two paths.

[dun_moch]

It is true that there are always those who rebel against binaries of this sort. I taught a man like that once... intelligent, fearless and independent. But people like that are a minority. It requires special initiative to truly go one's own way.

[leonized]

Uh huh.

[He can't imagine it's that hard when the two are so different, but maybe this guy knows better.]

There's no way those are the only two philosophies about these kinds of things though.

[dun_moch]

That is indeed the case. The Galaxy is vast, and contains a multitude of perspectives. The two I have described are the dominant ones, however. Their workings have influenced the rise of empires and the fall of republics.

[leonized]

[He cocks an eyebrow, maybe a little impressed?]

Any idea how that happened? How those two became the most dominant ones.

[He has so many questions.]

[dun_moch]

[Yes, good, be impressed by the Count's wisdom and experience young man. He has so much to teach.]

It is a lengthy story. But most of it can be explained through power.

I mentioned earlier that emotions can affect the strength of imPort abilities. It is the same way with the champions of the two paths in my Galaxy. They can use their emotions and their focus to master a certain form of energy... granting them power beyond those of most beings.

[leonized]

[... Yes, sure, let's say he's impressed by Dooku. And not just the idea of these two philosophies causing the fall of entire political systems.]

... Uh huh. So they can do this even if they weren't born with the ability to do it?

[dun_moch]

[Totally impressed by Dooku. That's the Count's story and he's sticking with it.]

Only a few are born sensitive to the talent. But great training is necessary to properly make use of it. Most potential candidates are identified while they are still children.

[leonized]

Ah.

[So it is something you're born with. And it's rare. Very unlike how magic worked in his world. At least, he thought of this like magic.]

So those people are the ones who end up in power?

[dun_moch]

[It's basically Space Magic, jargon about energy fields notwithstanding.]

That is the case. Even when they do not openly wield political power, their abilities grant them great influence over galactic affairs. They may be active in peacekeeping, law enforcement, diplomacy... all fields which involve shaping the destinies of others.

[leonized]

Wow.

[The thought of something like that is so beyond him ... imagining those with certain kinds of powers being automatically more likely to influence people was kind of scary, in a way.]

It's not really like that here, though. imPorts have all different kind of powers, with different levels of usefulness.

[dun_moch]

Power takes many forms beyond one's own abilities, and the perception of power is a power in itself. Even the weakest imPort is hailed as a hero by the government of this nation, and entrusted with status, celebrity, and authority.

Consider this: when the natives see our tattoos, they do not know what power we really possess. They know only that an imPort is among them- and they react accordingly, for good or for ill.

[leonized]

[He pauses to consider this for a moment.]

So the perception of power is more important than actually having it. Wouldn't it matter if you were in a position of power and you could only, say, talk to cats?

[He's just asking for a friend, here. Yes.]

At least, it would matter to some people, right?

[dun_moch]

[The Count smirks a little.]

That would depend entirely on who knew the truth of your abilities... and how well you conducted yourself in that position. Perception can be powerful, but it cannot fully substitute for actually possessing power. Trickery rarely lasts forever.

[Just long enough for the successful trickster to, say, reshape the Galaxy.]