[handmaiden of unsheathed swords] audio posted:

[darkeststars]

[ There's a businesslike voice on the network that only some of you will recognize -- clearly filtered through the translator, and fortunately not interrupted by too many moans. ]

So I imagine I probably know the answer to this, but hope springs eternal: Did anyone else come here with technology?

Not all of my things are useful at the moment, but they do appear to be working. We should continue to keep proper tabs on our collective supplies.

Comments

[darkeststars]

Of course I don't know any of that-- [ staring furiously, leaned across the table a little ]

They'll get out, or they won't. They'll die, or they won't. They'll live a short miserable existence or they won't.

There are no guarantees and here I have no way to offer them. I don't intend to try to offer them. But I can give those beings the only thing they're not going to get otherwise.

An open door. [ one black-clad fist clenches in his lap as he sucks in a long breath, still staring Mingyu intensely in the face ]

They can walk out of there into a world of hazards at every turn, where they're like to die as not, but if they want it they can have the opportunity. They can take the risk of trying for something better. They can choose to die on their feet instead of starve on their knees.

I can't give them any better than what was given to me. But I refuse to give them anything less.

[descendency]

[ Mingyu's eyes narrow, lips thinning. ]

What was given to you?

[darkeststars]

[ he gives a low, hard laugh ]

What did I just say? An open door. A chance to be free or die. It's very frequently been a near thing, present day included, but I can assure you quite personally that I wouldn't give it up just for the risk of being slaughtered.

[ mostly, anyway. But this is already well over the line of what he likes strangers to know about him. ]

[descendency]

[ Mingyu fully absorbs this information, turns it over slowly in his mind. He remains largely unimpressed, gaze flat and expression hard. ]

Would you happen to have anything that helped you succeed, Archeval? [ Mingyu asks sharply, turning his phone over pointedly in one hand. ] Something these sorry bastards might not?

[darkeststars]

Would I happen to have had just enough power to survive against a room full of people with the same powers actively trying to murder me? [ giving Mingyu a deadpan stare now ] Certainly, I had that. I expect these sentients' many problems to be slightly less drastic. [ only slightly because well, there's zombies, but that doesn't stop him from continuing to stare across the table at Mingyu with that intense gaze. ]

Some of them will die. There's nothing you or I can do about that. It's no reason to stand around twiddling my thumbs pretending I don't see. My mind is more than made up, so have you had your damned fill of moralizing at me yet?

[descendency]

No. But I can see I'm wasting my breath.

[ Mingyu sighs, giving Archeval a slow once-over. ]

Just don't make the rest of us pay for the chip on your shoulder. And try not to die, you're one of the only useful people around here.

[darkeststars]

[ pushing up out of his seat to shove his commlink back deep into his pocket, still scowling darkly ]

I've not gotten a crew killed yet, and I don't plan to start. As long as no one does anything stupid like decide to get in my way.

[ with those pointed words he sweeps away to stalk off back to the door, which, naturally, he closes rather too hard behind him. The Dark Lord is nothing if not, hm, emotional. ]