maskormenace | 005 ; Video

[ Petyr appears on the screen, hands folded on his pristine and polished office desk, the man himself looking every bit as pristine and polished. ]

Greetings, my fellow imPorts. For those of you who do not know, I am Petyr Baelish -- the current ambassador for Maurtia Falls. This will come as no surprise to those of you who have been following the news or local politics, but I am currently running for Mayor of our city. Do I believe my odds of winning are great? Truth be told, no. But I've always been a bit of a gambling man, you could say.

[ A brief show of a smirk. ]

Regardless of what happens in this upcoming election on Tuesday, it is with a heavy heart that I must announce I will be stepping down from my position as Maurtia Falls' ambassador. I've served for sixteen months, a large chunk of my time in this world, and it has truly been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. But from my campaigning over these past few months, I've seen the horrible state of the schooling and educational programs in Maurtia Falls -- I've seen the suffering of families and the death of teenagers who get mixed up in a life of crime. I've seen children who have everything working against them when it comes to making something better of themselves, and this is the cause I want to fight for -- whether it is as the Mayor of Maurtia Falls or simply as a man who lives within the city.

I, of course, will be here to guide the next ambassador -- and if anyone has any questions about what the job entails, please feel free to ask. Otherwise, I will end it with a question for everyone as a whole.

[ A brief pause. ]

Say the seemingly impossible becomes a reality and I do win this upcoming election -- what things do you most wish to see changed in Maurtia Falls from an imPort point of view? What would make this city easier for you to live in and cohabit with the natives? What would you add here that you believe would make a great resource? I'm curious to hear your thoughts and appreciate all of your feedback. And if you happen to be a resident of Maurtia Falls and of legal voting age, I do hope you will get out to the polls this Tuesday.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ah, yes. I believe I spoke to Mister Graves once. He seemed to have a penetrating mind.

But I must ask, how would this team differ from the imPort 'Registered Heroes' who already apprehend lawbreakers? Proper funding and accountability, I imagine.

[He's just giving Baelish a platform to expound further on his idea for the Network, really.]

He would have been an excellent figurehead. And his abilities were truly impressive.

[ Alas. ]

But you are correct in your assumptions. Not to mention, an opportunity to perhaps rewrite the rules with which they are dissatisfied -- at least within Maurtia Falls. I know it has been upsetting for many that those who commit terrible atrocities walk away with merely a slap to the wrist in the imPort community.

[Dooku raises an eyebrow.]

The weakness of the government's probation protocols has long been a complaint of many imPorts. Many spoke against it at the Swear-Out earlier this year. If you can truly change this foolish system, I predict you will become one of the most popular imPort leaders of all.

It would be quite the monumental task. And my power would only lie locally, I fear. But perhaps if successful, it could lead the ambassadors to negotiate a larger change. When the ambassadors have worked together, they were at their strongest.

Yet that strength comes about so rarely, does it not? A pity.

You'll recall I did warn you about the constraints of a purely local power. I hope you will be able to move forward despite the obstacles placed in your path.

Aye, you did, my friend. And I do value your insight. The weight of your advice hung on me heavily when I decided to step down from ambassador, and I wondered if I was indeed making the right decision.

But I do think I have served my time and would like to hope I served it well -- and by stepping down, we now create a rather unique scenario, having the former ambassador still present within this world to guide the new. Such a thing only happened once before with Senator Hundred.

The possibilities are enticing, I agree. But this vision will only come to pass if your successor is someone who is willing to work with you. A less cooperative Ambassador could easily make your own position far more difficult.

[Dooku is sure someone like Baelish has amassed a few enemies and rivals who could contest the election.]

Ah yes. It is a possibility. Fortunately all of those who do not seem to be willing to work with me are people who have not made much of an impact in this world, especially not among their peers.

[ And popularity was vital when it came to ambassadorial elections. Baelish certainly helped Sam over the finish line, but Sam wouldn't have won if he wasn't already initially popular. ]

There is great power in connections and reputation. Many of the more... Conventional [read: moral] beings of the universe fail to recognize this. So long as that is true, the new Ambassador should be agreeable.

I will do what I can to help make that a reality, Lord Baelish. You deserve an Ambassador who will support your vision.

I do appreciate your support as well as your vision. You can see what Maurtia Falls needs in order to thrive.

I must admit that I am incredibly curious over who will choose to run for the position. Will we see some of the same faces from De Chima, I wonder?

It is possible. Bruce Wayne, perhaps. Or Lehnsherr.

[Hopefully not Riptide again. These races are farces enough as it is without being taken over by memes.]

I do expect to see Lehnsherr.

[ Wayne is a bit of an unknown factor. ]

I believe another friend of yours is potentially interested in running as well. A well-spoken young woman who seems to have arrived not too long ago. I am speaking with her now.

[ See: Padme ]

[Dooku's face falls when he realizes who Baelish is speaking to. Then it hardens.]

Senator Amidala is a formidable opponent... and unlikely to be an ally to you. I warn you my Lord, do not underestimate her.

[ Well, Petyr doubts that because he's a chameleon and can be an ally to many. But it is interesting to hear Dooku's viewpoint. ]

So I take it you know her from your world?

[Switching this to PRIVATE now just in case.]

She is a Senator in the government that has waged war against my own. And she often acts as one of their field agents under the guise of diplomacy.