mattersverymuch | o7 ɂ voice

Consider this a disclaimer: what you are about to hear is not a question regarding the Admiral's motives. If I might be blunt, I don't actually care what his motives are, or indeed if he has any at all. Thank you so much for your time.

What purpose does it serve to assign legitimacy to one moral code over another? People subscribe to a moral code because it's what they've been taught, or because it allows them to survive, or because they enjoy it. Some give credence to their own code and consider it better than all others, while some aspire to a code they consider to be superior to theirs.

If one's moral code indicates one's ability to lead and make the "right" choices - the absurdity of which statement I'm not about to delve into, it's far too easy - where do people with elaborate designs on world peace by means of violence fit in, or, conversely, those who would kill to eliminate violent crime, or those who relish crime but would view assisting others as an equally worthy adventure? Of course, there are also hypocrites who betray their own code, or those golden, selfish few who exist alone and codeless.

I would like a definition of right, please. I would like all of them. Maybe I'll make a collage.

spam | merlin

[In a way, he's surprised he wasn't saddled with baggage sooner. Surprise and curiosity don't mean that he wants to be approached or even approach himself, however, so he has been steadfastly ignoring any and all messages from Merlin. They're excruciatingly unimportant.]

[Instead he takes a seat in the gardens - an unusual place of rest for him, which is part of the point. Besides, there's something enjoyable enough about plant life. It doesn't ask annoying questions.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

M-something. [Dismissive.] No good if it's not taken, though.

I suppose that's right.

Things have always been...out of my control in ways I didn't want or never asked for. I think the thing to do is to find what you can control and take comfort in that.

You'd have to find the dictator of a small country for lessons on seizing power directly, though.

Maybe I will.

You'd...exercise control over other people the same way you're being controlled?

I would. Not precisely the same way, of course, it lacks style.

So you would willingly make...everyone around you feel as helpless as you.

That's vengeful.

Not in the least. It's practical. Helpless people are desperate. Desperate people make unwise choices. It's to my advantage.

Your world sounds perfectly cutthroat.

It can be. But not as cutthroat as I am.

Is that why you're here?

Because if that's why you're here, kidnapping someone for being cutthroat in a cutthroat world who does what they can to survive is.

It's evil.

[He's just . . . going to laugh for a minute, sorry Ned.]

Is that what you think?

It was.

Until you started laughing.

And what does my laughter make you think, now? Have you revised your opinion?

I think that there are far too few people on this ship for the Admiral's choices to be anything but arbitrary and you're here because you did...something. Something that no one else in your world did that makes you...unique.