to all;

[righteously]

Okay, look. We need to talk.

What the hell is going on around here? That whole 'make the summoned run around like trained jackasses' thing? Not kosher.

Before I say anything else, I'll be the first to admit, I didn't let the bug loose. It was a bad call, somebody got hurt, and I'm sorry. I really am. If I could go back knowing what it did, I'd have let it out in a heartbeat.

But that's the thing, isn't it? I mean, seriously. Let's break this whole thing down.

Those douchebags running the Free Cities (or Thorne, or Solvunn) drag us in from wherever we were, without asking, against our will.

A highly reclusive nation decides to let us come hang out for a Disney vacation in their deeply secretive community as a gesture of good faith.

At a time when Summoned from all three factions coincidentally happen to be hanging out in the same reclusive ass place, something mysterious and terrible happens. I don't know about the rest of you, but I, for one, am shocked it didn't go as planned.

Instead of sending guards, the Free Cities sends us freaking couriers with the most useless note in the history of the goddamn planet telling us to release a device we know nothing about, without telling us what it does, just that we need to be real friggin sketchy about it.

When not everybody obeys without question like good little soldiers, one of our own gets hurt, and they shake the shame finger at us like it's our own fault? Are you kidding me?

First of all, if they can send couriers they can send their own friggin guards to handle crap like this. Or, hell, have the damn couriers release the things, they have hands, they could've prepped the packages their own damn selves instead of foisting it off onto the people who didn't even ask to be here in the first place.

Second of all, even if they COULDN'T, how about they slap in a goddamn paragraph or two on what the thing is? If everything's all hunky dory, and all that little bitch does is provide a protective shield, who CARES if a note that was gonna SELF-DESTRUCT ANYWAY gets read over somebody's shoulder?

This whole thing reeks of grooming us to start following orders without full intel. Surely nothing will come of that. Except, oh wait, Libertas just got friggin' bombed. The continent's going to war, and we're getting played.

And here's the other thing: I'm pretty sure Free Cities kids weren't the only ones running around doing sketchy crap during the happy fun werewolf party. Thorne, Solvunn, you two wanna weigh in here? Bueller? Anyone?

( threadjacking is highly encouraged, so long as whoever you're jumping in with is cool with it! hit me at paingravy if you need me! )

Comments

threadjack welcomed to Inej anywhere on post

[shadowthief]

I had no reason to release the bug, I can only trust that my Saints guided my hand in the right direction this time. But I hadn't considered it the way you said. Grooming us. I do not wish to be someone's blind soldier.
-I.G.

[righteously]

Me neither.

Doesn't help that back where I'm from we have a whole different definition for the term "bug", seemed like it might be hilariously on the nose at the time.

[shadowthief]

Ah. An unfortunate misconception.

...what did you think it was for?

[She's curious, sue her.]

[righteously]

Where I'm from, a bug is another word for a device you plant somewhere hidden and use it to spy on people.

Like maybe, I don't know, a tightly guarded society that's been withholding its culture and its knowledge from the world and just opened its doors for the first time in who knows how long?

If I were a shady government on the brink of war that needed an advantage, I know what I'd do.

[shadowthief]

Does everything where you're from have a machine to do it?

That does make sense, though. The world is big, and how many of us actually traveled anywhere outside of the three main faction cities?

You lot haven't come across something hinky in your desert trips that tips to any mysterious, unknown entities like that, I presume.

[righteously]

Pretty much. Wait until you learn about Roombas.

You'd wanna ask Geralt about that last bit. He's been here longer, he goes farther out than I do, but personally? No, no ancient aliens on my end.

[shadowthief]

I already have.

[Or: how to eyeroll through text.]

Fair enough, I'll speak to him on it, then.

[carmesi]

[sorry inej, but,]

This was hardly making us blind soldiers.

[shadowthief]

Perhaps not, but I can see how it could be used in such a manner. It isn’t paranoia to be more cautious and aware.

[carmesi]

I do not disagree with being more cautious and aware.
But not the way this guy is saying things.

[shadowthief]

It is our experiences that shape our views, perhaps he has reason to feel as he does.

Regardless, he isn’t completely wrong either; if they had time to send couriers to hand over the notes and the devices, what was stopping them from sending their own to ensure each one was properly activated?

[carmesi]

He may, but for an incident like this, feelings and subjectivity is not what is needed. He needs to vent, he can write in a diary.

We as Summoned have more freedoms than those natives in the factions. Unless it's different elsewhere, but in Solvunn we enjoy of many of them. We hold powers and a connection to the Singularity that those from Abraxas don't. Are the Summoned not respected in The Free Cities? It would explain the paranoia.

It's not complacency either, don't think that is where my feelings lie. I believe there might be something more going on that is not so obvious. We just don't know what we are looking at, especially not with these loud and destructive distractions.

[shadowthief]

He got a conversation started, even if you don't agree with how he did it or why.

I don't notice a wide difference in the native here, rather than Solvunn, other than the culture of the cities themselves. As far as treatment of the Summoned, it seems about as average as anywhere else, I suppose. Some people are just built that way.

We can't do much for Libertas at the moment, but several of us are working to make care packages for the time being until the military lets us through. Besides that, I'm not sure what else we could do. Looking into anything more is not in our cards right now.

[carmesi]

[well then]

Should there be an opportunity to do something from Solvunn to help, we'll make sure to do so.
Stay safe.

[shadowthief]

Thank you, Wanda.
You as well.

private

[ushiri]

[ He recognizes the mention of Saints, and the initials. ]

I'm glad to see you here, and that you're alright.
-Kyle

private

[shadowthief]

Oh, hi. Yes, me and mine are fine. Physically, at least.

What about you?

[Jesper is more than a little wound up, emotionally speaking, but she and Kaz will level with him there.]

[ushiri]

The same.
On edge, if I'm being honest.

Before the church fell, there were oracles who could see something like this coming. But even they couldn't see everything...

[ There's a pause, then he continues. ]

I'm sorry. I'm rambling. No one on this earth can predict the future or account for everything. Otherwise we wouldn't have any need for faith.

[shadowthief]

Understandably. I think we all are.

No one ever can know everything. That is up to the plans of the divine.

[Regardless of a person’s specific faith, that much would always remain true. Even the most closely touched by gods or saints can only hold so much.]

No, you’re fine. I don’t mind.

All of the delegates for each city were attacked, weren’t they?

[ushiri]

Thorne's was attacked, we were dragged in for a meeting about it right before the attack on Libertas. I don't know the delegate, I can't speak for her status beyond that she's alive.

Assuming Solvunn was attacked as well... someone is pulling these strings. I only wonder if it's someone within the factions, or someone we are not aware of yet.

[shadowthief]

Was anything of note mentioned in that meeting?

I wonder that as well. I think a lot of us are at this point. An unknown entity is more unsettling than the current options at hand.

[ushiri]

Nothing else that hasn't already been mentioned by others here.

What will you and yours do now?

[shadowthief]

Fair enough. Our meeting was obviously interrupted. It’s about a week’s horse ride from Cadens to Libertas and we could see the flames from here…

For now, we wait. We’ll help in the relief efforts, but otherwise, I’m not sure what else we can do for the moment.

[ushiri]

I'm sorry there's not more I can offer you from here, but if you have the time please contact me once you've arrived. It'd be good to know you made it safely.

[shadowthief]

[Those. Words.

They haunt her in this place. Follow her like a shadow. People toss them at her like a ball she’s expected to catch, or worse still— a net that’s meant to catch her.

And. She. Hates it.

Though Inej always has grace enough not to say so, or let it show, because she knows they are meant as a comfort.

One day, perhaps.
But not today.]

You have nothing to apologize to me for. Just promise you will keep me updated as well?