[video - to reignite]

[rekindlenpcs]

[The feed opens to Irene sitting in her office - there's a bit of sun coming in the window behind her and spreading across the desk, making the whole room seem warm and cheery.]

Hello! For those of you that I didn't meet on the first day, my name is Irene, and I'm the city's liaison to the arrivals from other worlds. It's a pleasure to meet you!

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for their hard work. It hasn't even been a month, and the city's energy levels are already picking up. Because of that, we expect to be able to re-energize and open the Third District to visitors soon.

But before we can do that, there's a few things that need to be done. I'm posting today to ask for volunteers to help power a number of generators throughout the district, which will then activate and negate the draining effect that is presently still active. There's three large generators and a number of smaller ones. If you are in good health and would like to participate, please gather at the bridges between Districts 2 and 3 early Sunday afternoon.

I'll also answer any questions you have about the operation at this time. Thank you again for all your help.

[She folds her hands at the bottom of the screen, waiting.]

Comments

[winged_knight]

[As long as it locks up in something other than scowl-mode.]

I do.

[He's looking at you right now after all. And yeah, after checking again, he still likes what he sees.]

Is it so strange that I'd want good things for you? Or that I might want to be a part of them?"

[He wants to one of those good things really. If he could be allowed.]

[driftlock]

[Deadlock wishes it were scowl mode. At least that's comfortable.]

Yeah? I tried to abandon you. Steal a ship.

[winged_knight]

[Only because it's all Deadlock knows. Wing hopes to change that.]

True. And I would have preferred that you hadn't. But I also prefer to treat others the way I wish to be treated. And so, I will not abandon you.

[driftlock]

[He snorts, but there's something sad under it.]

Right. You 'prefer'. You can't change the world by just pretending it's fraggin' different. Trust me.

[Because if that worked, he'd never have stayed in the gutters.]

[winged_knight]

[Wing hears that sadness, wishing he could touch it, soothe it.]

No. But I can try. One mech at a time, starting with myself.

[driftlock]

Yeah, and that'd last five kliks before someone stabbed you and robbed you blind.

[winged_knight]

Why steal from me when I would offer things willingly if only asked? Or even just seeing the need.

[Wing's reminded of the energon. Deadlock never did have to ask, Wing just knew there was a need and sought to meet it.]

[driftlock]

[That. Just. What? He has no idea what fraggin' planet you're from.]

You'd offer your last ration of energon.

[Right.]

[winged_knight]

[He takes a moment to consider deeply, rather than just answering on instinct, but his answer is not less certain.]

I would.

This is strange to you? No one's ever offered you such help?

[driftlock]

[Oh you are so lucky this is video or else you would get a finger jabbed right into your pointy chassis. Your...sexy pointy chassis.]

You've never really been there, have you?

[Otherwise the answer wouldn't come that easy or glib. When it's life or death, only an idiot would choose death by giving away life.]

[Also he's not answering your questions because reasons. ]

[winged_knight]

[Okay the vehemence gives him pause for a moment.]

In the gutters? Starving? No.

But I have risked my life for others in combat. Strangers unknown to me except for their suffering. Is it really so different?

[Deadlock has a lot of Reasons and they all confuse Wing. He'll get to bottom of the puzzle eventually though!]

[driftlock]

Yes. It's different.

[He's seen more than his share of combat. And just for an ideal.]

Lot faster to die in combat. And at least you die for something.

[winged_knight]

Giving my life to save another is dying for something.

No matter the speed or method.

[driftlock]

Something stupid if you don't know who they are. You could be giving your fraggin' last ration to a Syk dealer.

[winged_knight]

And perhaps they'd never be a Syk dealer if someone had been compassionate to them earlier.

Perhaps there wouldn't be Syk if mechs didn't need an escape so badly. Perhaps that escape wouldn't be so needed if the Functionists were more understanding of people's desire to be something beyond what they were made for. Perhaps there'd be more compassion in all of society if the politicians had put others before themselves, regardless of station.

It all has to start somewhere Drift.

[driftlock]

....you really don't understand people.

There are mechs out there, Wing, who like to hurt people. They like to steal and hoard power. Not all the hugs in the world are going to change them.

[Grah, you talk like this and then you wonder why Deadlock doesn't like the idea of you wandering off alone? You wouldn't last 2 kliks in the gutters.]

[winged_knight]

I understand their potential. There's so much that's wasted.

[That's why he didn't like the Functionists. They limited mechs to what they were, what they could do, and didn't challenge them to push their limits, find out what they could BE.]

I'm aware. [Maybe not as intimately aware as Deadlock is though.] How did they get that way?

[He has cool swords and centuries of training Deadlock, let him have his saintly hero fantasies okay?]

[driftlock]

Trust me. One act of stupid generosity isn't going to change years of bad thoughts. They won't even remember you, except as an easy mark.

[This is the voice of experience shattering your hero fantasies. And substituting other fantasies instead?]

[winged_knight]

No, one won't. But dozens? And more importantly, if none one bothers to show each other compassion, then we create a world without it. You can't have freedom, or peace, without it.

[That's cold Deadlock, but you're going to have to try harder than that. Stop distracting him!]

[driftlock]

Compassion. You mean 'letting people take advantage of you.' You do that, you get a society of predators and prey.

[He recognizes it as a nice idea, but he's seen too much.]

[winged_knight]

I know how to do charity in moderation if that's what you mean. If it's not...

Do you really think a world where no one cared about anyone else would be better? Would you be happy in that world?

[Too much of the wrong side of people, it makes Wing sad. People are capable of so much more.]

[driftlock]

Right. That why you were out in the desert alone trying to figure a way to rescue all those slaves?

[Puh-leeze, Wing. Deadlock isn't quite that stupid.[

What I'd be happy in doesn't fraggin' matter. But it'd be better than being dead.

[winged_knight]

Risking one life to save dozens is a worthy risk.

[Yes, yes, he's forgetting about the all those in Crystal City he risked, but that risk is not immediate, where as the slaves need is.]

But it does. [It's soulful, the way he says it. Like it matters in a personal sense, not just an ethical one.] If you couldn't be happy, could anyone?

[driftlock]

Not if they're all losers. If they were any slagging good they wouldn't have gotten captured.

[DUH.]

Not the point. [He's not sure what the point is, anymore.] Because it's not about me, or whether I even make it.

[winged_knight]

So I am to pass judgement on them, and if I judge them "losers", I should let them die?

Would you have said the same from your position in the gutters?

[Because a lot of people probably judged him a loser then. Wing prefers to think most mechs capable of more if given a chance.]

[But oh Deadlock's willingness to put his cause above himself rings a chord in Wing, and it feel very right. Now if only the mech had the right cause.] Every life is important, has value, yours is no different.