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[rathercommon]

[ Oh, look, it's Kitty Jones. She seems a little tired - though you'd only know it by looking at her. Her voice is unchanged from normal. Indeed, she speaks with her typical firm bubbliness - a cheerful, kindly tone and an adorably youthful London accent obscuring the fact that her speech is (as usual) a bit on the manipulative/calculating/forceful/aggressive side. ]

Hullo, all. First, a job offer. I run a charity garage. It does pretty good work - we fix up and build really, really good cars, and sell 'em to the richer members of the local populace, and then the proceeds go to fund public transit in Heropa. Anyway. I recently... [ Just a little flicker in her smile. ] Lost an employee. So if there's anyone out there who's good with cars or mechanics or whatever, I definitely want you.

[ And now to the less businesslike portion of her announcement: ]

Anyway. Obviously there's been a lot of talk of elections lately, and there's also been a lot of cynicism about the whole electoral process. For obvious reasons. Since there are some politicians who are lunatic idiots. So I guess I just wanted to throw this out there, 'cause all of you have so much different experience from different worlds.

Who had power, where you're from? What was the government like? And were they good - just - or unjust? What do you think's the best form of government? How much power should the people in charge have?

And if you could build a government, build a country from scratch, what would it look like? Would you limit the freedom of the press, or would everyone have the right to speak? Would you build social programs, or would you leave people to fend for themselves? Would you go after warfare and expanding your borders, or would people live in peace?

[ These questions are a little bit leading. Perhaps. ]

Anyway. Share your thoughts, please.

Comments

[magnitudes]

Make a board of sugar gliders the Ultimate Authority of Everything. If anyone disagrees? Guillotine, or letting a white dog and a black cat roll on all their clothes.

That little friend you sent my way was a tiny tyrant, by the way. No appreciation for my concerns for its health. Make a terrible leader, that one, too easily swayed by pastry.

( no she loved the tiny cinnamon roll addict )

[rathercommon]

[ Kitty's tone of offense is somewhat undermined by the laughter bubbling up under her words. ]

Excuse you. That sugar glider is highly respected amongst her people. She's got skills in oratory and she's agile. Those are prized qualities amongst the gliders.

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[helpline]

Well based on prior experience, someone'd hand me the job then I'd leave.

[ does it count if you were Lord President and responded to the job with "fuck this noise". Cause that happened....like three times. ]

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[rathercommon]

[ Huh. ]

What d'you mean, based on prior experience?

( not here )

[grimreaping]

[ Like last time, the sealed envelope sent to Kitty's home is handwritten and unsigned. Unlike last time, there are no stacks of bills, but an already endorsed cashier's cheque to the garage, and it's for a LOT more than the previous donation.

You've been doing just as impressive a job as I knew you would. Don't forget to take care of yourself as well. ]

[excessivehubris]

[ Call him a coward but for the moment, Charles wasn't going anywhere near the government question.

However, the first bit definitely caught his attention. ]

Good afternoon, Kitty are you having any luck in your employee search?

[rathercommon]

Oh. Hello, Mr Xavier.

[ She smiles at him and tucks her hair behind her ear. ]

None yet, I'm afraid. Don't suppose you know anything about cars, do you?

( actually here this time ) video;

[grimreaping]

[ Kid stays well away from most political issues, both here and at home, due to a number of reasons. So his answer is carefully worded to be unspecific, but thoughtful. ]

The world's political structure here is... largely similar to the one I'm used to at home, in regards to many countries, the Soviet Union being an exception.

It's always been my thought that a government's role should be in supporting its people, not ruling them. Laws are needed, of course -- order and balance are needed -- but they should be ones that people with [ a sound soul ] healthy intentions would already be following.

[rathercommon]

I like that response.

[ She nods, face brightening. Kid's the first one to engage with the question, so she responds with enthusiasm. ]

Though how d'you define healthy intentions? Obviously, it's unhealthy to kill someone. But is it unhealthy to dodge paying taxes, say?

[hunksmash]

Oh, man. I have nothing for the politics stuff, but the car thing. I've been hoping for mechanic work, and this... That sounds pretty cool.

I just, um. Does it have to be full time? Not that I'm automatically assuming I'd get it or anything! There's just a vague possibility that I miiiiiiiight be in a bit of a timing pickle. Maybe.

[rathercommon]

[ Kitty responds cheerily. ]

Tell me a bit more about your pickle.

[instars]

How do you feel about working with a woman.

Also.

[Please insert very complicated question about hydraulics here. Kitty, you're a doll, but Saya's the one who has to work with this person.]

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[dendarii]

Kitty. You're banging an emperor.

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[rathercommon]

[ The crassness of that comment actually makes her sort of cough with surprise. ]

Yeah? So what?

[nolongerasleep]

I admit, I'm old enough that I've seen many forms of government. I'm more in favor of choosing a leader based off ability and a government that will live in peace with their neighbors rather than try to dominate them.

[rathercommon]

Hm. Though how do you know who'll keep peace and who won't?

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[barbarus]

[ Damen's view of politics is necessarily autocratic; that's the world he lives in. He's about to answer this honestly, and then remembers the ruse he and Laurent are playing. It's with some frustration that he restructures his words. ]

There is no 'press' in my country, and we seem to live well enough without it.

[ The communication it offers is impressive to him, but he has also seen its capacity to make trouble. Not every newspaper is reliable. Such falsehood would never be permitted in Akielos. People might see or hear these things and believe them. The Akielon way is simpler and more efficient, as it is in most respects. ]

I've seen little of how things work here. In my world those who rule are born to the role. The last king of Akielos sought to expand. The new king seeks peace, but he knows that this is not always in his power. Sometimes war begins because someone else is seeking it.

This is something every ruler must understand, whether they are King or President.

[ War is no simple game. Damen does not seek it, but he wouldn't hesitate to respond to it. He watches Kitty curiously. ]

Why are these the only questions you ask?

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[rathercommon]

[ She regards him with curiosity as she pivots the question back neatly: ]

Do you think there are other questions I ought to ask?

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[princeofrats]

The mayor was supposed to have power, but he didn't. Mr. Cannon did instead. He owned most of the city and some of the police, and he wanted to own all of it.

I already have a kingdom, so I don't need a government, but governments should care about the people they're supposed to help. Nobody should go hungry or not have what they need to live properly, and if they don't, there should be places they can go.

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[rathercommon]

What d'you mean, you have a kingdom? You mean you live in one?

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[neverdied]

[Have a depressed looking old dude who has zero interest in governments. Thankfully he's not here to talk about that.]

I can fix cars.

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[rathercommon]

[ Hello sad man. ]

Yeah? Brilliant. You can do these modern, high-tech cars, too?

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[curada]

[He regards the question with some curiosity before he opens a channel and replies back.]

My nation was recently unshackled by an uprising that went so far as to purge a corrupt theocracy from the roots of political power. [Do you like revolution, Kitty?] When the upheaval concluded, I was appointed to lead medical research; the remit being the benefit our citizens. Do you have any specific questions?

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[rathercommon]

Mm. [ She looks interested. ] Tell me more about the theocracy.

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[buttonedup]

Each nation of Thedas has a monarch, after a fashion, but the true power transcended boarders. ( A pause, and then she continues, somewhat more hesitantly: ) I am speaking of the Chantry. The history is... somewhat similar to Christianity in this world, or at least what little I know of it thus far. ( This world's government had deigned to designate her as a Sunday school teacher, but the job feels rather like a boot that does not fit. )

Once upon a time, the Chantry was supposed to take care of those who could not fend for themselves, to rise up against those who had been corrupted by power. Yet reality seldom meets the ideal, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the Chantry has been weakened now, by those who would seek power at any costs, and well, other, outside factors. ( But that's besides the point, so she moves on. )

I would like to think that one day, I will see a future where the Chantry will be what it was always supposed to be. Sisters tending to the poor, the unfortunate, lead by a Divine who would see true peace in the world. Should I be able to return, I will do whatever I can to make it happen.

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[rathercommon]

[ Kitty listens attentively and appreciatively. See, this was the sort of response she was looking for - thoughtful and intelligent. ]

That sounds like an awfully good goal to have. Have you got a plan as to how you'll make that happen?

video | I MEANT TO TAG INTO THIS AND THEN TIME... PASSED. feel free to ignore it!!

[khajidont]

Aw, man... I'm sorry your people keep getting ported out too, Kitty. That sucks.

I can't really abandon my garage, but I don't mind coming in on my time off and helping out. At least until you get all staffed up again.

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[rathercommon]

[ Oh. Jaime gets a bit more honesty than she gives to most. And so she looks down, and shrugs, and answers: ]

Yeah. Nathaniel left, too. I don't know if you really knew him.

[ A breath - ]

Anyway, I'd really like that. It'd make the place a lot more fun again, I think.