[He's quiet for a moment, twisting the ring on his finger. Then, he takes a deep breath, and speaks again.]
My people, my home, both were lost to me, but I survived, and pledged my life to the protection of others. That meant ensuring that the Red Lanterns would not hurt other planets as they did my own. In truth, even if we had chosen to fight, we would not have won; we were armed only with rudimentary farming equipment, and they had weapons mighty enough to destroy entire planets, guns, lasers, cannons... our death would have been less swift than it was, and far, far more bloody.
But I possess skills that my people did not. I fought the Red Lanterns, and we won. I feel remorse that such a thing was necessary. You must understand, the horrors that the Red Lanterns inflicted did not emerge from nowhere; they too were spurred onward by great loss themselves, and instead of striking out in hopes for a better tomorrow, struck out with naught but rage.
But do I feel regret at having to turn to violence in order to protect others? No, Gansey, I do not. As much as I wish that that had not been the case, I do not regret taking action so that billions more would not perish at their hands. [He offers Gansey a small smile, but there's sadness in his eyes.]
I wish that peace was always an option. In fact, I hope for it; I believe that it is possible, one day, when we are kinder, wiser, better. That day will come, but that day is not today.
no subject
[He's quiet for a moment, twisting the ring on his finger. Then, he takes a deep breath, and speaks again.]
My people, my home, both were lost to me, but I survived, and pledged my life to the protection of others. That meant ensuring that the Red Lanterns would not hurt other planets as they did my own. In truth, even if we had chosen to fight, we would not have won; we were armed only with rudimentary farming equipment, and they had weapons mighty enough to destroy entire planets, guns, lasers, cannons... our death would have been less swift than it was, and far, far more bloody.
But I possess skills that my people did not. I fought the Red Lanterns, and we won. I feel remorse that such a thing was necessary. You must understand, the horrors that the Red Lanterns inflicted did not emerge from nowhere; they too were spurred onward by great loss themselves, and instead of striking out in hopes for a better tomorrow, struck out with naught but rage.
But do I feel regret at having to turn to violence in order to protect others? No, Gansey, I do not. As much as I wish that that had not been the case, I do not regret taking action so that billions more would not perish at their hands. [He offers Gansey a small smile, but there's sadness in his eyes.]
I wish that peace was always an option. In fact, I hope for it; I believe that it is possible, one day, when we are kinder, wiser, better. That day will come, but that day is not today.