sirenspull | 22 [Voice]

The citizens of this city, registered and unregistered, are somewhat pathetic.

[Hello, Siren's Port. Have your neighborhood friendly demon, sounding oddly serious and composed.]

We are brought here, against our will, by a mystical force that none of us can control or see. While we are trapped here, we are treated as second-class citizens, the proverbial Rosa Parks on the bus line that is the multiverse, and not weeks after a neighborhood friendly hunt on the newcomer population, individuals seem to have... shrugged it off. Moved along with their lives and their husbands and wives and paper routes and white picket fences.

[There is a slight creak as Crowley shifts in the chair he is sitting in. He pauses slightly, to collect his thoughts, before he continues. A good orator always knows when to draw the line and when to keep talking. He seems to be deciding where it is now.]

Whether or not this is just another display of humanity ignoring when terrible things occur in favor of the new bright and shiny politician on their doorstep is irrelevant. What is relevant is your amazing ability to ignore what is directly in front of you -- we are held in the hands of a group of individuals no more or less powerful than we are and yet we are the second-class. Even those registered as citizens, those with powers in government -- you can't tell me you are truly invited to the weekly bridge game of our Canadian cousins.

[And suddenly, his voice grows slightly harder.]

What will it take for all of you to realize that we are nothing more than cattle in a small pen being poked at with sticks? Would it be the brutal murder of someone you love or the relinquishment of supposed unalienable rights that you hold onto so tightly? What will it take for you to finally open your eyes and understand that you aren't free. Your tiny little slice of life is nothing more than an illusion fed to you by a series of corporations and egotistical human overlords who think themselves better than everyone else because they have a pretty picture stamped on an ID card. So come on -- be honest. What would you rather have -- eternal peace at the price of freedom or the knowledge that you did something potentially great regardless of the consequences?

[There is the clink of a glass -- and Crowley ceases talking. But the feed stays open.

It's a serious question. And a testing of the waters.

He wants to know how many dangerous people are truly in the Port.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Were you one of those that were attacked or did you lose someone in the hunt?

I am suggesting that you all open your minds and think.

[Calmly, as he sorts through some paperwork on his desk.]

And I want to know the answer to my question. Freedom or peace?

[Oh, for the love of -- ]

This is important.

[Without a shred of hesitation or a lack of self-confidence.]

I need something from this city and the people are the only ones who can give it to me. Do you understand?

[Don't mistake his questioning for a lead-in to a revolution.]

[Oddly, it is only the subtle metaphor that leads Crowley to bother speaking past a short quip.]

I'm not rallying for a call to arms.

[Almost boredly and there is the sound of a shuffle of paperwork.]

Don't mistake me for a haphazard revolutionary -- I'm simply asking questions people should have asked a long time ago. And as for the timing, there is nothing like a recent tragedy to make people listen. It provides an easy soundboard for individuals to stop what they're doing and actually look at the truth shoved into their faces. People don't care about rigged elections or shady politics -- they do care about people being violently hunted and killed for sport.

[A creak of a chair as Crowley stands.]

Throughout history, people will only take so much abuse before they inevitably rise up and change the tide. It's a cycle of revolution -- it's inevitable. I am simply curious as to what it would take for the people of this city to finally decide enough is enough and to do something about it without waiting for months of legislation and biased voting and a hiding of the truth.

So which is it? Freedom or peace?

Are you one of those individuals?

The Apocalypse is more your family's taste, not mine.

[It's just a question, Gabriel, jeez. 8|]

It's already devolved into rounding up children to get murdered. It's different, but not by much.

What's that?

[Very few people would see it, but there's a wince and a withdraw there. Why? Because Kevin's actually sensitive to some things.]

Maybe they don't like expressin' 'em so loud as you.

[Not meant to be disrespectful at all.]

[Well he is an idiot, but that's beside the point.]

Uh... Not much. I guess. Freedom's number one, you know?

There are ways we can achieve both. We can coexist peacefully with the natives here, but this attitude is not going to help.

My apologies, I misspoke. I meant the trial against AGI for the treatment and the terms of slavery. As far as I can understand AGI lost that trial, but were given the authority to regulate alcohol to spare the government of financial expense some time later. The companies are, if nothing less, fluid and adaptable even at their own expense.

I will admit that something of drastic as undermining authority is not something I have personally encountered. While I've seen civilizations fall, I was only involved to the rise of one particular people, and even then I was largely involved with the arts and history . . . and being a guardian against invading forces.

[Meg looks mildly irritated, either because of Crowley or because she might think somewhere in the back of the head she thinks he might be on something of a right track, even if she thinks he's just being a sensationalist ass and trying for a power grab. Voice of a revolution that might have a chance? Surprising how much help you can get. Unless you get squashed. ...So. Fuck him....No real reason. Just because it is Crowley and she's not a fan.]

Not content with hell, are you?

That doesn't mean they'll follow you, just that you have their attention and their egos.

[As if that doesn't apply to her every bit as much.]

A lot of us don't even know who you are, why we should listen to you.

Right.

So - no bloodshed, then? All you want to do is raise awareness.

That's guaranteed to be effective, I'm sure.

[Crowley doesn't look remotely surprised, to see Meg's face on the other end of the feed -- but while most people get either a delicate poke in the right direction or a witty quip, Crowley looks and sounds deadly serious when he watches his adversary.]

You didn't answer my question.

Why?

[WHY HASN'T EVERYONE ELSE EXTENSIVELY STUDIED REVOLUTIONARY EUROPE.]

Wrong. You don't know who I am. Most everyone else in this city does.

[For better or for worse, Crowley realizes, but he pushes that point out of his head.]

The name's Crowley. And you are?

I need a cake. Two of them.

[Interesting.]

Surely five thousand years of experience has granted one insight into what works and what doesn't.

Then it isn't any wonder that nothing has truly changed.

Despite what you might think, I'm not an idiot.

[Meg kicks back in her seat, if Crowley's talking seriously, then there might actually be a chance for figuring out his angle. Fun times.]

I can see the wind's not blowing our collective way, and see, [There is a very pointed look from the demon on the end of the feed.] I know how this sort of thing tends to go.

[There's a pause and Meg looks a bit more serious and a bit less mocking.]

My turn. What's the play. Why are you riling up the masses, your Majesty?

Edited 2012-07-09 20:34 (UTC)

The bloodshed may or may not come later, depending on how the discussion goes.

[... Snerk.]

Right. Chocolate, white, or something else? One layer or two? Any decoration, or a special message on it?

'cause peace ain't real as long as somebody else is telling you how to live. 'specially the way they do it around here. Is anybody feeling peaceful when we know they can just haul us off and kill us whenever they want? 'cause I ain't.

[His lips twitch slightly before he settles back in his chair.]

For starters, I want something.

[That much shouldn't be a surprise and he isn't interested in bothering to lie to Meg.]

Secondly, I'm tired of being told what to do. Third, the amount of arrogance emanating from two corporations makes me want to vomit. And fourth, well -- there isn't time like directly after a tragedy to force people to see what's been in front of them all along.

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