maskormenace | [video]

[video]

[The thing about employing text is that when you start using it when all your broadcasts are in video, people tend to question why you've suddenly switched. So he makes the decision to instead compose himself as best as he can and use video instead.

Unfortunately, he always sort of overestimates his ability to compose himself. He certainly doesn't seem distraught, or panicked, or anything of the sort, but he's definitely shaky. This is definitely a far cry from his normal, slow, quiet, lengthy broadcasts.]

I'm leaving on a business trip abroad for...some length of time. I'm - not certain how long. Please don't try to contact me; I'll be far too busy to answer any messages.

Good day.

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Ah, to...Canada.

Canada, huh? I hear now's a good time of year to go.

Yes. I understand it is quite beautiful there. It will be a...pleasant break from this humidity.

Yeah, I bet. This place is like a sauna. [Of course, he's used to the carefully controlled climates on board a space station, so...]

Well. You could travel as well, I'm sure.

Not without permission. They flag you for that kind of thing.

You...weren't given a passport?

No. All I got was a medal.

But you went into space.

And helped save the shuttle and nearly died.

[Yeah. That.]

Er - quite.

[Right, that...]

I suppose it merely strikes me as strange that they'll let you leave the planet but not the country.

You think?

[He takes a breath.]

Whatever, I guess they have their reasons. You caught a terrorist.

No. I caught a frightened woman who made a terrible mistake. And who is now, no doubt, paying terribly for it.

Yeah, falling out of the sky doesn't make me feel inclined to forgiveness.

Sir, I have reason to believe that she may be undergoing torture. The government has shown that it does not intend to have them answer for their crimes, meaning that they will be held indefinitely.

Okay, okay! Torture's...extreme, and you put her there. It doesn't sound like you have plans of helping her out.

...it sounds like you're running.

[He knows the sounds of running. He's been there himself.]

I don't -

[That hits hard. Did Clarke even intend for it to be that harsh? It cuts to the bone. And Edgeworth presses his eyes shut in misery at the frank assessment.]

If I knew how to...extract her from that...Nothing would stop me from doing so.

[Yeah, he understands exactly how hard that hits. He's been hit that hard himself before.]

You haven't come up against many impossible situations before, have you, Edgeworth?

You can't...just quit because the answer isn't in front of you, or you're afraid of what you did, or of what you might have to do. If you really think that girl deserves her freedom, then fucking do something about it. You seem to think she was a victim. All I'm seeing is someone who tried to kill seven ImPorts and a native crew on an inaugural shuttle launch.

[That pushes him far enough to get defensive, though:]

And precisely why should I care what you're seeing?

You said she was a scared woman who made a mistake. Something must have happened that made you feel that way.

Something must have. But you didn't answer my question. Who are you, to command me? Who are you, that you think that you have any right to tell me what to do?

I'm a guy who let a lot of people die because he was afraid of doing the right thing. I'm another human being telling you to not to the same damn thing he did.

A terrible biography, sir. But one that is irrelevant to me.

Fine. Run away, then.

Right. Because you have any right to stand in judgment over me. You do not know me, sir.

(audio)

abadidea - 2014-07-19 03:06 (UTC) - Expand

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