to: free cities

[frontlinetitties]

Yo~

So I've been kinda thinking that in light of the shit that just went down, maybe I'd sign up with the military. I've got a pretty sweet gig monster hunting, but it just doesn't feel like it has any meaning, you know? I've trained for this shit (the military) pretty much my whole life, so I figure they could use me. I’ve been here for like a year now and I kinda figure that if I was brought here for a reason, this is probably it.

I was just wondering if anyone else here has had much contact with these guys. What are your impressions? Have you signed up already? How's the pay, and do they seem decent to you? Any spectacularly hot babes I should know about?

That's it. That's the message. Thanks for your time.

~Gideon Nav

Comments

[itookashot]

I think the only one I know who does is Sephiroth.

But could be they make you go fight our own people at some point, Gids, or attack where they are, not sure that's what you want?

[frontlinetitties]

There are always casualties in war though, right? And like, surely anyone in Thorne will wanna get the hell out of dodge knowing they're aligned with a place that just blew up a load of innocent people?

[He does have a point though. Fighting people who didn't ask for any of this, killing uninvolved and innocent parties-- would that ever sit right with her? Unlikely.

But she just feels lost as all hell right now.]

[princessvegas]

Getting outta Thorne isn't easy. It might be impossible now. Do what you want, but keep that in mind.

[frontlinetitties]

So like, everyone's a prisoner there now?
Not just some people, seemingly at random?

[It's the reason she'd left, ultimately. She supposes she shouldn't be surprised.]

[princessvegas]

Kind of. Golden cage type of deal. They get everything they want, they live like royalty, but they can't leave. Thorne tracks them, too. Like, with a magical tracking mark they can find anywhere in the kingdom.

[itookashot]

Like Julie said, it's not about want. They're not allowed to leave the castle or the castle grounds.

[frontlinetitties]

Then surely we should do something.

[This is all so horribly, achingly frustrating.]

[itookashot]

I've been yelling that for MONTHS. There are people there who would leave it they could, especially after the attack, but they're stuck.

Making sure this is private etc. etc.

[cryptsleeper]

I'd be wary of anything that's so organized. If it doesn't work, I don't see how they'd let you go easily.

very private and locked!!

[frontlinetitties]

What if I didn't want them to let me go?

[Which is, perhaps, a very un-Gideon thing to say.]

[cryptsleeper]

[.......well. Apparently hot vampire make outs don't help every ill.]

Well, I suppose that's a choice that I'm in no place to argue against.

[frontlinetitties]

[it worked.......until Libertas got blown all to hell and the guilt came in thick and fast.]

Uuuuuugh.
You might never hear me say this again ever in my life.
Or you know, read it or whatever.
I just wish someone would tell me what the fuck I'm meant to do.

[cryptsleeper]

[Damnit, why can't he be the correct undead hottie here.]

You'll never hear me repeat the words to you either.

At the end of the day, your focus is on one person, right?

[cointosser]

I am delighted to see that you keep a focus on what is truly important in times of unrest, Gideon.

[It may be hard to show through cursive text, but it isn't sarcastic.]

I think it is a very difficult question to answer in a broader sense. It sounds like you are looking for meaning, and I, personally, do not believe you can find it in an army. It is something you must find for yourself. Perhaps it will be a place to step off and begin that discovery. I'm not sure. I think you know, as well as the rest of us, that it is doubtless that the people of this world, who brought us here, brought us here to use us.

I'm sorry I feel I can't help more. Searching for meaning is one of the most intimate acts we can take. [Ask him how he knows! These are definitely detached suggestions and are certainly not from a man who has been deeply questioning his own place in the world.] I asked a dear friend once what I should do, should I lose my place -- and she told me that we are meant to find a purpose. A better one.

However, that's not entirely helpful when one is seeking a place to start.

At any rate, I do hope you find it. On the other hand, considering recent developments, I may be having to hire a personal bodyguard on future excursions, now I've a bit of a target on my back. You know. If you're interested.

[frontlinetitties]

You can always rely on me to set the right tone.

But like, on a serious note, yeah I know they brought us here to use us for something.
That isn't any different from anywhere else though, right?
We're always a part of some bigger machine.
I'd just prefer to know I'm part of the right machine, you know?

Did you find the better purpose your friend talked about?
Got any tips or anything?
Like, my whole life's plan was to escape the Ninth and get in with the Cohort.
Be some great solider and win prizes and shit, see posters of my face plastered everywhere, ha.
Now everything has just been turned on its head.
Even when shit felt like, really dire and complicated back in my system somehow it never felt as complicated as this.

Hey though, I'd be happy to have your back.
It's crazy how shit went down in Nocwich.
How're you doing now?

[cointosser]

Not to sound quite pompous, but have you considered, you know, making your own machine? It's very possible. I myself -- not to brag -- did the very same, as an entrepreneur. It does not eliminate the possibility of insecurity occurring, but... well, I personally feel it's better for the heart.

Hm. In a way, I did. I was already attempting to find that purpose, and... I ended up diving even harder into it. Or I would have if I was not subsequently kidnapped after the moment -- the point is, I pursue that same meaning in this world with the ardor her words instilled in me.

Honestly, if all you're after is fame and fortune, a stint in the military is quite unlikely to lead to such a thing. Most die before ever reaching that point. Others who achieve it typically become tyrants. It's a rather terrible trade, if you ask me.

I am very fortunately healed and whole now. I can assure you, I did not expect an attempted assassination, though, in hindsight, I'm quite sure I should have.

[frontlinetitties]

I dunno, man.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's clear that I'm not some weak-ass pushover.
But like, Harrow always said I did my best thinking with my biceps.
She could be a nasty weirdo sometimes but on that count she was right.
Honestly?
Now I'm out of the Ninth and Harrow's gone I don't even know what I want.

And I mean, I always wanted to be on the frontline.
I always knew I'd die young and leave a beautiful corpse, you know?
But with like, honour and glory and all that shit.
But here it's kinda different.
Back then I just really wanted to get out and do shit, to be part of something.
And now it's more like, how can I just stand around while people are being hurt and killed for no reason?
The millitary just seems like a way to push back against that.

Glad to hear you're mending, though.
I honestly had no clue things would go down like that.

[righteously]

Not that I'm necessarily advocating for you going all hoo-rah or anything, but

If you do

Controversial opinion: it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for us to have an inside man. See if we can get any intel they're not handing out to civilians.

[frontlinetitties]

Huh.
Everyone else has been like, don't do it Gids it's a bad plan.
And maybe they're right, I don't wanna be responsible for killing just any old bystander who did nothing wrong and didn't as for this shit.
But I don't know, you might have hit on something there.

[righteously]

Oh yeah, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's the best idea by a long shot, but uh

You know. If you're gonna do it anyway, it's a silver lining.

[frontlinetitties]

Yeah, you've definitely put a different spin on things.
Ugh, you know this means I'm really gonna have to think shit through now, right?
I hate thinking.
Thanks a bunch.

In all seriousness though, I'm just trying to figure the best way I can help in this situation you know?

[earthborn]

Pay's fine, perks are decent, it's pretty standard all around. It's an army, so it's got about half stupid by volume, but that's not exactly a surprise. I'd call the discipline poor, but you know I'm an Alliance Marine; ground army's a different animal. All in all, I've seen a lot worse.

You thinking of joining up?

[frontlinetitties]

What kinda perks are we talking about, here?
And you didn't answer the most important question of all.

Seriously though, I dunno.
I'm considering it?
I just don't wanna sit around on my ass when people are getting killed, you know?

[earthborn]

Well they've got me, so it goes without saying.

[Hot babes? Ha! She really does like Gideon so much. What a good kid.]

The service, any kind of military service, isn't a job for people who are interested first in what's good for them, personally. The perks are good because it's not about you, it's about keeping you effective; room and board, medical, free food, usually free equipment, weaponry, that kind of thing. You don't get a lot of choices, but you also don't get a lot of bills.

And if you wanna get out there and do something... it's not a bad option. Most of the people I see talking to you right now are thinking about it from the outside, and they're not really wrong. This job can be vicious, violent, and dehumanizing; it demands you shift your loyalties away from where you might otherwise place them.

But y'know something tells me that Gideon Nav can handle a little hardship in the name of getting shit done.

[frontlinetitties]

Fair one.

[Ah, a woman after her own heart!]

And yeah, I'm not worried about a bit of hardship.
I guess if we cut right down to it it's not me I have concerns about here.
It's whether I'm gonna end up asked to blow the shit out of uninvolved bystanders.
People just trying to get on with their lives, you know?
With the Cohort it was pretty cut and dry.
You're serving God and all of the Nine Houses, like nine whole planets full of people.
You're not razing the cities of your neighbours to the ground.

Admittedly I have a couple of questions about God and his motives right now but it's not like he's around to answer them, so.