25 ⚜ Video

[restingstitchface]

[Crane sends the address out at 3pm sharp. He stands hunched against a wall with a bundle of files in his arms. Those with an eye for detail might notice math problems on a public whiteboard on the right; peppered with numerous red corrections that range from simple corrections to veiled insults.]

What affect have our ambassadors had on our lives?

[He turns his attention to the camera, eyes hooded. His tone is calm and polite but with a measure of boredom to it.]

Do we possess the same rights as native people? Does the government provide adequate care? Is it safe where we live? [In Maurtia Falls especially.] Who enacts the laws that rule our lives? Who legislates for education and social security? Ambassadors are our representatives - yet they are intimately acquainted with the culture of our hosts. Does this cozy arrangement mean they are politically trusted because they don't ask questions and challenge official stories? In simple terms, what do our ambassadors do for us?

[His fingertips grasp his chin.]

Also, one last question: who amongst us might earn your future nomination? Count Dooku, perhaps? Now there's a man with a political mind...

[Koma-san June 2016. Never forget.]

Comments

Text, id: ∞

[doctopussy]

Are you implying the Ambassadors have too little power to do anything, their every move stifled by the government, or that the ones we have lack the necessary nerve to do their job properly?

If the former, then there is little to no point in speculating about the next appointment as they will be as entirely useless as their predecessors. If the latter, then what character qualities does Count Dooku possess that brings you to suggest him?

[ Which, honestly, is one of the two reasons he’s responding; he’s been researching the man. The other reason is that someone told him that he should be “bffs” with Jonathan Crane and has remembered the name.

His personal opinion is that politics are useless, but there you go. ]

🎃

[restingstitchface]

[At first, Crane is mildly disappointed with losing the ability to read facial emotion and intention, but he drowns it beneath indifference and switches to text. A format that brings its own benefits. He checks the message with a practised eye and finds no grammatical flaws. It's... nice.]

I will address your second question first.

As a diplomat, Count Dooku is not stuck in his own bureaucracy. He is capable of enacting our wishes because he can envision the common interest. There is also a clear sense of tradition, of wisdom and teaching - and most importantly he is politically convincing. I would also note he is an aspiring reformer. One prepared to push the current system to the breaking point.

[Which will be fascinating to observe!]

Now. My opinion on the Ambassadors is, yes, that they lack power and nerve, but that they also know nothing whilst believing they know everything. Perhaps in that sense they are the ideal politicians.

[doctopussy]

All of which are traits that sound good in theory, but any endeavour has to be put into practice. You've spoken mostly of his personality, but not of his actions. Isn’t the worth of a man how he acts and not what he claims? Politicians are already useless purveyors of empty words, surely there must be something he has done.

On your second point, I see we hold similar views on the political system. You evidently wish people to question their role, perhaps rightfully so, but I do have to wonder what your stake in the matter is.

Audio;

[reexamined]

[The voice that comes through the feed is odd sounding, like it was run through the very slightest filter to sound mechanized.]

Count Dooku.

[Now that's a name he knows. Not personally. But one didn't need to know him personally to know history. If, this is the real Count Dooku, that is, and not just an extremely strange coincidence. He'll have to eliminate that possibility before going further. ]

A friend of yours?

[He had done some light research into this world and it's politics, so far. But it would be a little more informative to hear some information from someone who apparently supports Dooku. As long as he can keep himself from blurting out the truth of why he's interested, he might get a better idea on a few things.]

Audio;

[restingstitchface]

[What an odd voice. Somebody's concerned about privacy? Crane denotes it for later. What's more fascinating right now is that that someone wants specific information. He responds in a calm and polite manner.]

He's an acquaitance.

[Friend is too heavy a word for a man like Crane.]

We've spoken on occasion. Mostly when he needs my professional opinion.

Audio; sorry for the edit!

[reexamined]

Why would he come to you for an opinion?

[Nosy, yeah. But he saw that whiteboard there. A teacher? A scientist? A doctor?]

( audio )

[drizzle]

[That's.....a whole lot of questions that she has no idea in which way to respond nor understands most of those keywords. What is any of that?]

Um, I didn't even know we had ambassadors representing us. And by your first question, their imPorts like us too?

[A slight pause.]

What's a...social security? Is it some kind of police force to protect us from the natives of this world? Because I don't really agree with that...

perma-audio

[restingstitchface]

[Crane folds his arms over his chest before switching the feed. He resists the urge to chuckle, and slips into his professor's voice - which he straightens with calmness and politeness.]

You're totally correct to disagree. You're correct about the ambassadors being imPorts like us, in addition. But you're completely wrong by definition. Social security is a system that provides money to those in need. The disabled, unemployed, elderly and so on...

[ Video ]

[ghoulking]

Considering they have helped me to legally eat without persecution, it's unfair to say they don't do anything. [ and he eats people, so that was pretty big ]

[restingstitchface]

[One corner of his mouth turns up. It might not be a smile, but it's close enough.]

I suppose not.

[For you. The implication goes unsaid, but it's there.]

But if you were made to go hungry, what would you have done? Would you have continued eating?

[In which case, isn't the ambassadorial interference pointless anyway?]

text

[jojoceanman]

I can't speak to anything regarding ambassadors I've never met, but I don't think we can count on this world or government to keep us safe. We're uninvited guests they're sheltering because they want something from us. We're on our own.

[restingstitchface]

Being on our own is one thing, being left alone quite another. Do you speak from experience?

Video

[stretchy_girl]

[Those are all questions that Gemini wants answered, not trusting the Ambassadors or government in the slightest, although what holds her attention is the tone and thrust of the questions. What is it this man wants?

For a moment she considers taking another face to interact with him, but she's had quite enough of pretending to be someone else, so when the video clicks on it's her own face that stares coolly at Crane.]

That's a lot of provocative questions to be asking. Which makes me wonder what you hope to gain by asking them?

[restingstitchface]

[Crane drops his fingers and folds them over his chest. His expression is actually bemused. This woman is obviously trying to appear threatening. She is not. Her stubbornness and petulence is written all over her face.

His voice mirrors the humor every step of the way.]

Answers, obviously. Next question?

Video

[dun_moch]

What a kind suggestion, Doctor Crane. I'm so pleased that you would think of me.

[While the Count smiles for the video, he does so with a hint of distrust in his eyes. Crane wouldn't do something like this out of the generosity of his heart: his pattern is to provoke, and learn from reactions. And an endorsement from such an individual is not necessarily of benefit to the Count's reputation, or his ambitions.]

While I have no immediate intentions to mount another campaign, it is not something I would rule out. Although I will say that I quite approve of the work Lord Ambassador Baelish has been doing in Maurtia Falls.

[Let them see how gracious he is, to praise his former opponent. And let Baelish see that Dooku is still an ally- for the Lord will surely have his eyes on this post.]

[restingstitchface]

[No intentions to run, yet no intentions to rule it out. He rolls his eyes on the inside, whilst outside he's all calmness and politeness. What a political answer. So full of poison. So full of bullshit.

Yet a reaction it is. An unprovoked, gentle conversation, but a reaction all the same. Let Dooku believe he can manage their exchange. He made him respond. He has control.]

What a kind compliment. [BS. BS. BS.] Although I will say in turn that no politician maintains a perfect record. Surely there are policies you disapprove of?

[Video]

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Oh boy, another Crane Game. Adachi almost ignored this one, but mention of Count Dooku caught his interest. Hell, he'll take any opportunity to rag on his "boss" when it presents itself. ]

Knowing a guy like Dooku, he probably already has some super secret, government overthrowing plan in the works. Either that, or he's just going to bore all the politicians to death with that talk show he's got going on.

[restingstitchface]

[Crane raises a brow. Really, Adachi? Dooku is a gentleman with positive representation. The idea he's scheming to overthrow the legitimate government is absurd.]

I don't suppose you approve of his choice in guests, either?

[Video]

[dun_moch]

I beg your pardon.

[Ix-nay on the verthrow-oway, Adachi.]

Voice

[viced]

I remember a certain ambassador increasing security at swear-ins in De Chima after someone attacked them.

[ Pointedly. Jonathan. ]

[restingstitchface]

[Oh. You. Doctor Crane didn't forget about you.]

Reaction after the fact. Reactive political stratagy satisfies short-term desire. It is destructive to longstanding gain. Problems can also expand beyond the solution, can't they?

[video]

[wordaday]

[At this point Sookie knows better than to engage with Crane.

So of course she's going to.]

"Acquainted with the culture", please. If they weren't on good terms, nothing would get for us.

[restingstitchface]

[Aw, look. The Southern girl believes she's smart.]

You're incorrect. The reason we can avail ourselves of public facilities and petition our hosts is because it's in the interests of our hosts to spread the idea imPorts have a say in democracy. Question yourself: at the end of the day, do our opinions truly matter?

[trouvaille]

( well, this is interesting. working for ambassador baelish reflects less gwen's interest in politics or belief that he's making a substantive difference - she hasn't seen enough to say, if someone asked her - than it does her ability to land on her feet. baelish pays very generously.

but disinterest in the real merits of the situation is different from ignorance to its optics, so - she pays attention to the answers he's getting. hers is just, drolly: )

That's a dreadful thing to say about a person.

( probably accurate, on her short acquaintance, but terribly unkind. )

[restingstitchface]

[With the knowledge that what he's saying is accurate, given human behavior, Crane carefully stops the disinterest creeping into his face. He tilts his head and stares to her right.]

Dreadful by your perspective. I call it honest.