[Video]

[beyondthegreen]

[It's the middle of the day and somewhere in a city park, greenery behind her, Tefé finally ends up turning on the video feed, scowling. Under other circumstances, finding herself in a whole new universe might have been like some kind of omen, a fresh start. But the military thing sticks in her craw, and frankly, so far Tefé hasn't seen anything to indicate that, in a more planetary sense, things are much different than back home, which leaves her back with the same dilemmas as ever.]

How many of you Registered Heroes actually believe it's a good idea to basically be signing up with the military? You know, the guys that come up with new and creative ways for humans to keep killing each other, along with the rest of the planet as a hapless casualty? Do any of you even think about how completely fucked up it is being tagged like this? Knowing they've got a file on you is creepy as hell, too.

[Even though there's signs of anger on her face, she honestly sounds more pensive than anything, with one other question on her mind.]

And has anyone else found out that some things just... stopped working since they came here? Things you used to be able to do, I mean.

Comments

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[divaricate]

I've stayed registered mostly because I want to prove to some government somewhere that I'm not a hot mess of an internationally wanted criminal. [There's more than a heavy implication there that a world somewhere thinks that of her -- that she is a hot mess of an internationally wanted criminal. She has a light burn scar around her neck to prove it; thanks, power inhibiting shock collar, courtesy of the Raft.]

The tattoos and stuff are still fucked up, but. [She shrugs. She tries not to think about it too hard most of the time ... or at least gives off the outward appearance that she tries not to think about it too hard.]

[beyondthegreen]

What did you do?

[Not accusing, just curious. Look, it's an important question if someone starts implying someone thinks they're a criminal.]

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[fehus]

Yeah.

[a pause, and then a clarification]

To the part about the things not working, and also the general, fuck-the-man attitude.

[beyondthegreen]

Thank god, I was starting to think it was just me. It's like there's something wrong with this world. Or universe, I guess.

All I'm saying is someone's going to have to explain why they think the military knows what's best for anyone. Where I'm from, they sure as hell don't.

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[storyseeker]

I'm not going to say it isn't unnerving that they know so much about us immediately, but for what it's worth, registering isn't signing up for the military. No one is forced to fight.

As for the rest...are you talking about powers? I haven't heard of anyone losing an ability, but there are a lot of people who couldn't do anything before arriving here.

[beyondthegreen]

Swearing loyalty or whatever, then. You know what I mean. [At least as far as she understands it so far from what she's been told.]

That's what I mean. It's like something's messed up here or... I don't know. It doesn't make any sense.

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[soldierman]

It's not about that. In my experience, it's never been about that.

[ And now he's back at the same dilemma as ever: defending his position as an ex-soldier. Back home, he was always faced with the same questions: have you ever killed anyone? how many people have you killed? Or the accusation that a soldier only knows or cares about shooting people. ]

I can't know what things are like where you come from, but--the military isn't just made up of people recruited as killing machines.

[ He should know. He's been one of those as well. Completely different experience. His forehead creases as he pauses, sighs deeply, and tries to gather himself back together. He's just quick to anger and quick to strike on this subject and this subject alone. ]

I have no answer to your second question. I'm sorry.

[beyondthegreen]

Bullshit. That's what the military is for. Maybe there's a couple guys shuffling paper or trying to make a bigger bomb or a better Agent Orange, but that's always what it comes down to in the end. One stupid little war or another. What it is here, Russia? Who cares!

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[dun_moch]

[A grave-faced elderly man with a remarkably deep voice greets her in the video, looking sympathetic.]

You are far from the only one to recognize how unacceptable the situation is, I assure you. Unfortunately, naming the problem is far easier than successfully resolving it.

[beyondthegreen]

I figured that much out myself, thanks.

[Trying to expel the nanites from her bloodstream at first was unsuccessful... and messy.

But snide remarks aside, at least this guy sounds like he's on the same page.]

How many people don't go for the registration option, anyway?

[ Video ]

[ghoulking]

Registrations isn't about joining the military. No one is forced to fight regardless of their status.

As for the file, that is Lachesis doing, not the government. They certainly take notes, of course, but what you read on it, is what they know. [ nothing else. ]

And as for powers, it's also Lachesis' doing. It's not strange that powers have been altered, limited, or removed completely. Or that new powers were given.

[ Video ]

[beyondthegreen]

Even if you don't fight, you're still being asked to swear allegiance to a bunch of goons advocating for warfare. So why should I? And whoever this Lachesis is, she's sure telling them a bunch of shit she didn't need to.

[audio]

[kestreldawn]

People and other sentient creatures don't need a military to find new and creative ways to slaughter each other. They do all of that perfectly well on their own, unfortunately.

[beyondthegreen]

[Hey, Tefé isn't really going to disagree with that.]

This just sounds like a new excuse to actually encourage it, like it's a good thing.

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[aloadeddie]

I've been wondering that myself. I did my time as a government stooge; looks like a lot of people here are pretty eager to sign on just for free housing.

On the other hand, if being unregistered leaves you open to suspicion of being a criminal... Well, sometimes it's a practical choice.

permavideo;

[beyondthegreen]

[Tefé squints at the text. Are you serious, guy. She's not going to text back -- she'd be the slowest hunt-and-peck typist.]

They can suspect whatever they want. I still haven't heard anything that makes me want to cooperate with them. It might not be quite the same world as I knew, but some things are just human nature.

[majorlyugh]

Military forces are sometimes a necessary evil.

[beyondthegreen]

How do you figure that?

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[viced]

Well, the military is more of a liason, we're not necessarily enlisted.

But as a representative of the government, I might be biased.

[beyondthegreen]

[Wow. Okay, well, now that she's shit-talked about the military and government and humans a bit, here we are. Not that it makes much difference to her 'tude, mind you.]

Probably. But that's fine, I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to hear from people that did register.

You still had to swear your loyalty, right? I don't see how that kind of implied approval and agreement is much better.

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[heckblazer]

[ shit.

SHIT.

what did he even do to deserve this one showing up? He's behaved himself for nearly a whole bloody year now.

But given his downright incapability of shutting the hell up even when it's in the interest of his safety, John breathes for a moment and leaves her a brief response: ]

I think we've established that idiotic governments are a constant of the multiverse, love. Hardly a trait exclusive to human parliaments, either.

audio; private

[beyondthegreen]

[Well fuck. Speaking of universal constants, Constantine just shows up in the worst places. So much for a fresh start.]

Figures you'd show up here. You've got more balls that I thought, showing up again after you ratted me out to dad.

[She had threatened to reveal that Mary Conway would have recovered but... honestly, that was the last thing on her mind at the time in that emotional little family reunion of sorts.]

Or maybe not, since you're safe on the other end of the line.

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[namesaquestion]

Hmph. It's better than being out on the streets or something like that.

[He's a kid ok. He really does not think they'd make him fight for them.]

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[beyondthegreen]

You don't think you could make it on your own?

[Somebody else might ask if there wasn't someone to look after him. But hey, Tefe knows all about being an abandoned kid, okay. Sometimes things are shitty. The concern is real though.]

[devoutish]

You've had powers taken away from you? You must have made somebody, somewhere angry.

[beyondthegreen]

It wouldn't be the first time. Making someone mad, I mean. Not losing powers I used to have.