💣 003 | audio

[devoutish]

Yeah. This Christmas thing. It's just fucking over the top, innit? You do know we're barely into December? You need to calm down, all of you.

[Alfie's tone is chiding, but in a light and teasing way that isn't really meant to be taken as a serious condemnation - he's actually been in an okay mood these past couple of weeks. This is just one more car on the culture shock train. The Christmas celebrations and decorations that he's is used to seeing at home are much more subdued, and definitely don't start this early in the season.]

Is this an American custom, or a twenty-first century custom? If I were to pay a visit across the ocean, would the Europeans be kicking up this much of a fuss? Fucking hell.

Comments

[darwinatrix]

Of a sort. We're more typically described as an imPort police force.

Better we do it ourselves than give that duty to the government.

[devoutish]

Yeah. Is that out of a lack of trust, or a lack of desire to burden them?

[darwinatrix]

I suppose every RISE agent would have their own answer to that question.

[devoutish]

But right now, I'm asking you.

[darwinatrix]

Competence.

Better I do it than someone else. At least I can trust myself to do it right.

[devoutish]

And if you get ported out?

[darwinatrix]

...Briggs is a harsh climate. It breeds strong men; the weak don't last long. Every single one of my soldiers knows that no man's life comes before the success of the mission. None of us are too valuable to lose, not even me.

They are drilled. They are trained. They are strong. Even if I die, I have the utmost confidence that my men would remain strong and follow their orders.

I can build an organization that lasts beyond me.

[devoutish]

That's impressive. Many men can't say the same.

[darwinatrix]

I'm aware.

So you can understand my lack of appreciation for frivolous things.

[devoutish]

In the war, we used frivolous things to distract ourselves, when we had the time. We would have gone out of our heads if we didn't.

[darwinatrix]

There's a difference between my men playing cards in their downtown and the sort of ostentatious celebrations the civilian population holds here.

Resources are precious.

[devoutish]

Here? They don't seem to be. This, right here, is a land of excess.

[darwinatrix]

It's a land of excess and abundance. That leads to a lifestyle of indulgence.

Civilians here couldn't take the slightest hardship if need be.

[devoutish]

But - that is not the same as resources being precious.

[darwinatrix]

Now? Perhaps not. I plan for the future.

Better to remain frugal in times of abundance. When those times end, you won't miss it.

[devoutish]

But you have less fun in the here and now, eh?

[darwinatrix]

I suppose.

If you've noticed, that's not entirely a priority of mine.

[devoutish]

I've noticed. Yes. Have you always lacked such balance?

[darwinatrix]

Yes, I have always had such discipline.

[devoutish]

I wonder how long before you burn out on it.

[darwinatrix]

I've made it four decades so far.

Maybe someday. But not yet.

[devoutish]

Yeah, it's not sustainable.

[darwinatrix]

Quite the prediction to make when you don't know me.

[devoutish]

I know people enough.