Video

[dreadinquisitor]

[He wanted time to familiarize himself with this place. He needed to know if anyone else from the Inquisition had been brought across as well, and then to find them if they had. But first, he'd looked through the information they'd given him - the neat print on the strange white paper - and now, suddenly, Maxwell had a much more immediate, personal worry.

The video opens on his face; his expression a mixture of incredulity and concern.]

Hello. [It feels awkward, addressing nothing, but he pushes on.] My name is Maxwell and I have a question, and there doesn't seem to be anyone else to ask.

[The camera turns and fixes on a portion of the pages he'd been given. He points to a section, chases a sentence with his fingertip as he reads it aloud.] 'Bears will always find him.' [Then the feed swings back to him.]

Why would anyone want this? How many bears do you even have in this place, to hope to make this useful? And do they just-- roam about?[He glances away, as if one might have suddenly sneaked up on him, then back.] Are these abilities negotiable in any way?

Comments

[dreadinquisitor]

[A rough chuckle, and one of his eyebrows arches upward.]

You too?

How did they get you?

[viced]

Shit...

[ There's a half laugh, then. Bitter and slightly weary. ]

My, ah, supervillain could talk to animals. Add on the fact that they don't...like me... [ They attack him on sight ] And... Let's just say I've had a few unpleasant run-ins with bears. One bit my jetpack once.

[dreadinquisitor]

[He laughs, a deep, handsome sound.]

Maker, and I thought I had it bad. Sure, they hate me, but at least they've always hated my enemies too. In fact, it was the only time one could say we ever worked together - those few seconds when a bear came barreling into the middle of a fight we'd already picked between us.

[viced]

That's -- well, that's one way to grind a fight to a halt.

No chance the bear helped you come to a common ground, yeah? I can't imagine the experience managed to broker a peace treaty or anything?

[dreadinquisitor]

[And like that, the smile is gone. His humor as far as Corypheus is concerned only extends so far.]

As their intent was the destruction of the known world and enslavement of all non-believers to their cause, if anything I imagine the interruption only furthered their determination.

[viced]

Ah.

[ Sharp. Bitten off. A weight there. He knows how that do. ]

So that's not happening, got it. Hopefully the bear gave as well as it got, then. At least to them.

[dreadinquisitor]

...I suppose that's a use, if nothing else. If I ever need a large, angry distraction to make a hasty getaway-- [a beat, and he looks sidelong at the man]-- I don't suppose that comes up often here?

[viced]

Oh, more often than you'd think, actually.

We have shit go down pretty regularly in these areas.

[dreadinquisitor]

[An arched eyebrow.]

So they truly weren't kidding about using these powers for good, fighting crime, that whole thing?

[viced]

You don't have to, but a lot of people do.

Personally? I'm more likely to go about things administratively, more than with brute force. Some people, though, really like the brute force solution.

[dreadinquisitor]

[He smiles, just a little sadly, thinking suddenly of Josie. She'd have loved that.]

Kill them with kindness, or, if nothing else, bury them in paperwork.

[viced]

I don't know if I'd say it's quite that, but close enough.

More like changing the world by changing the way we operate, you know? Reform from the inside.

[dreadinquisitor]

[He does know, and he nods gently.]

And while change might not be easier, it's certainly more so than trying to rebuild from nothing.

Usually, at least.

[viced]

Exactly. And it has the added benefit of avoiding total anarchy. Which really is a good thing, if you ask me.

[dreadinquisitor]

Hard to help anyone if you're too busy trying to tell your ass from the hole in the ground.

[He nods again, understanding.]

So is that what you do here?

[viced]

[ A snort. ] That's true.

Anyway, I'm a Senator. So, if you believe the stories about politicians... one of the worst sorts out here.

[ It's said with no lack of humor. He knows how people feel about politicians, after all. ]

[dreadinquisitor]

[A low laugh.]

And here's the part where I confess that I could, loosely, be called a politician where I come from.

[Some would say more than just "loosely," but that's how Maxwell preferred to think it.]

So fear not, you're safe with me.

[viced]

[ A pause, and then a laugh. ]

Really? A politician that gets mauled by bears?

That sounds really goddamn familiar.

[ Hello new BFF ]

And what kind of...politicking do you do?

[dreadinquisitor]

Well, I'm not sure what a Senator would convert to exactly... but I did end a three-way civil war for the Empire by stopping an assassination attempt on the Empress, reuniting her with her lover, and revealing her cousin in a secondary plot against her.

[viced]

Well, shit. You're doing a hell of a lot better than me.

Although that's a lot of meddling with personal relationships. Maybe you're like a diplomat, then? That sounds about right -- and a good one.

[dreadinquisitor]

Don't sell yourself short. After all, good remains to be seen, technically. [Sure, it had worked out where it came to ending the war and defeating Corypheus, but in the lasting long-term....] I merely made a choice.

[viced]

That is all politics, honestly.

Choices might not be the right ones, but...it's still better than doing nothing, you know? Being crippled by indecision is worse than the wrong choice.

[dreadinquisitor]

At least a wrong choice can possibly be fixed. Nothing begets nothing because it's nothing.

Not to mention there's usually more understanding because at least you bothered to try.

[viced]

Yes. Ineffectiveness is just met with more derisiveness.

Not that I can blame anyone, honestly. This is... at least something.

[dreadinquisitor]

So I assume you're an - import? - as well?

How did you go about getting involved with the politics here?