video | anonymous

[nastygram]

[The video, when it begins, is on a loop: three minute segments of anonymous space, with a steady stream of white noise.

The white noise continues until, eventually, it is broken by a voice thick with electronic distortion.]

Hello, imPorts.

The natives here are more than happy to believe that their government is looking out for their best interest. The same cannot be said for us, the imPorts: we who were dragged here from our homes, assigned houses, powers, jobs. Categorized, classified, tracked, yes, and monitored, paid off within a meager system of incentivization and reward, motivated by our own complacency to both sit down and shut up. From the dawn of imPort history it has been left up to us, the imPorts, to figure out this whole new life beneath these new and foreign stars. And does the government care? No. Not as long as you follow their rules. Do they care about our best interests? No. They only care that we abide by their rules.

We are the Constellation, and we are here to tell you that we do not believe in these rules. We have been hard at work figuring out our new lives, for you. And we have found that while we were busy not trusting the government--they have been just as busy not trusting us.

We, the imPorts, are not favored children. We, the imPorts, are not cherished heroes. We are the ones who are watched, always, by the most fixed and sleepless and critical of eyes.

We have a list, imPorts, a list that we are leaking to you now, live, for your perusal and your understanding.

Fuu Hououji. Commander Shepherd. Lucifer. Jacob Taylor. L'Arachel. Daisy Johnson. Count Dooku. The Doctor.

This, fellow imPorts, is a watch list. A list of your brothers and sisters who the government deemed watchworthy. People of interest. Some of them are still with us. Some of them are gone. And whether or not any of these people are worthily deemed dangerous, we want you, the people, to know: this is what happens when you go against the grain. Labeled as agents opposed. Granted their freedom under secret scrutiny. Catch, and tag, and release.

To those who will, inevitably, dismiss this list as inconsequential: stay tuned. This is not the only list.
And this will not be our one and only release to you, our public.

Remember: the only power that we have, imPorts, is the power that we give to ourselves. The only limits to that power are the limits that we allow. Do not forget this. Consider yourselves warned.

[The video of space continues for another minute after the voice ends. The volume of the white noise increases until it is, abruptly, cut off with a burst of static.]



[as per last year's watch list.]

Comments

[nastygram]

we are good at many things but our chief virtue in this venture is HACKING


you're welcome, Jacob. we hope you find this information useful.

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

I'm still going to arrest you if I find out who you are. Just so we're clear.

I've been down the road you're headed before. It usually doesn't end well.

[nastygram]

we sincerely doubt you have been
but we invite your wisdom should you choose to share it

and we are certain that you will not identify us
and we invite you redirect your efforts of discovery toward work more useful
we are not the threat you are imagining

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

You're obviously pretty well-informed. Maybe you've heard of a group called 'Archangel' I used to run.

I'm no hacker, but I know how it feels to get so fed up with all the bullshit that breaking some rules starts to look like a good alternative. But that gets you painted as the bad guy, chased by the people you wanted to help. And if you go far enough, you might become what you wanted to stop.

You say the Constellation isn't a threat. How should I see you then?

[nastygram]

if you indeed are claiming to have made some foray into territory that we are now navigating
if you are claiming that your experience and your frustration both allow you some insight into the future to which you believe that we are headed
and you intend to prophesy to us of this bitter future which turned you from the path of progress


then you should see us as the group who will finish what you claim to have started.


we will not lose faith as you seem to have done.
we will not wring our hands over the perceptions of others.

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

If you fight for people, it's usually a good idea to give a damn how they feel about what you're doing.

Or are you one of those people who thinks they know what's best for everyone else?

[nastygram]

we are people who know that there must be action before there is change.
we are people who are willing to take action for the good of the whole.

we do not claim to know what is best
but we claim to know what must be done
and we are the ones willing to do it.

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

You sound like a Cerberus recruiter.

If you know anything about my world, then you know that's not a compliment.

[nastygram]

we are not in your world
everything is different and the old rules do not apply

you must remember this, because we promise you: no one in the government has forgotten