They may not have been the right questions, but they're important anyway. If nothing else, you helped us cover some ground that needed to be covered at that time. It may still need to be covered. It's hard to say.
[They ended up having to talk around the problem. There was no way to get anything definitive.]
So, I guess this is me encouraging you to think about them. We're still leaving stones unturned, so to speak. I'd prefer if we find out what those stones are.
[What he had to offer was good, even if he had mistaken her involvement with everything as loyalty to Morningstar themselves. Clarke has to relent on being disloyal to them, but that's partly because the arrangement that they're entering now is more to her tastes. Scratching each other's backs, and not pretending otherwise.]
As for Aranea, well. I'm very new to even having an apartment, so I guess some kind of character witness. I probably have a higher tolerance for people than most, but ... that's hard to explain in and of itself. I'd just like to hear your thoughts. Would you live with her?
To refer back to our first conversation, it seems as though we're asking all the correct questions and still getting nowhere on an answers. Which should likely be anticipated, really. This world and its troubles in no way revolve around us.
[But... as to the other matter at hand.]
Theoretically, yes. In practice, I think she would be driven mad if she had to live with me.
But as to her character, she's fiercely independent and capable, with a fondness for funds and the material. Back home, she was the commander of an airship fleet, and at one point ran her own paramilitary operation, which requires a good number of practical skills, intelligence, and being able to earn and keep respect from subordinates. She's also incredibly direct with her thoughts and actions. Occasionally to the point of being brusque.
[.....she also doesn't tidy up after herself or wear pants around the house unless she has to, in his experience. But.... you know, he trusts her to be polite and shape up with a roommate. Living by yourself is different.]
I also know that she's employed here, so contributing to expenses shouldn't be a problem for her.
[That is the issue, isn't it? Assuming that they're far more important than they are. Jumping to that conclusion. Even Clarke herself had fallen into it. They have to be cautious. They have to see this world as one to uncover, rather than one related to their experiences.
Clarke's fallen into that trap.]
I believe that should be enough for Aranea. Honestly, there's some relief in knowing that she's experienced war. [Or activities adjacent to war?] Let's just say my people have a hard time of staying out of it back home.
As for the rest, I think you're right. It's easy to get caught up in who we are. I think that's thrown some of our investigations down the wrong paths.
I'm sorry to hear that war was such a part of your life before. May I ask what you mean by 'your people'?
[It's an interesting way of phrasing things. It could just be a social or ethnic group, or it could be a nation, or even a species as a whole. He's stopped ruling anything out, really.]
Well, it's certainly at the crux of what we wish to discover. Who brought us here and loosed us and why, how we might return home, should we wish. I think it's just also a very separate issue than the dynamics of the world itself, which makes it very difficult to even begin investigating.
Looking into Morningstar and the government they oppose is a beginning, if nothing else. Perhaps we'll discover a true lead that's related to our position along the way.
There are different clans back home, I guess you could say. Thirteen of them. Mine was Skaikru. When we speak of our people, we mean our clan. The people we fight for. Obviously, the lines are a little more blurred than that. When you're a leader, you do what you can for them.
[Even if you're no longer a part of them. Clarke is all too aware of the division, especially given the separation now.]
We should have focused on what you're suggesting from the start, but I think most of us are typically in the position of being privileged when it comes to this kind of information.
[After all, she had brought it up. If not her, maybe someone close to her?] I'm sure it's difficult to coalesce personal feelings with the concept of what would be best for the whole, regardless of what part in the system you play.
I appreciate the encouragement. It's just difficult to decide on actions to take in regards to it. From what I understand, there's very little to go off of, so it makes sense for us to grasp at anything we can that lets us feel as though we're making progress.
I was. Some of those habits are hard to break here, but I know that no one has a reason to trust in what I can do.
[Can accomplish, at that. Clarke is confident in what she's managed in her time back home, but that was in a very different situation. All she can hope is to guide these people away from that. They're few in number—which, right now, is the biggest and most notable parallel. Few in number means that they may be able to unite, or they may be able to clash in a way that could be detrimental to any and all progress.
In Clarke's opinion, recent events have left them standing on a precipice for both.]
I will say that we have made progress. But I think we do better when we approach problems knowing that this world can't resolve them, rather than believing that we are at the heart of them. That's an observation through experience in being here.
I have to ask, because ... well, it has to be out there.
Do you think one of us could potentially be the leak?
They may not have a reason just yet, but if you continue, they'll certainly have a reason to. In my experiences, those who act like leaders will naturally draw the respect and attention needed to continue. People oftentimes need assertion and guidance, to an extent.
For what it's worth, your quick actions in giving us all a place to coordinate on Morningstar's network helped make our recovery efforts far more cohesive. I doubt as much would have been accomplished without that.
[He doesn't know her well at all-- only her words on the network. But she seems committed and decisive. Good traits.]
Honestly, I doubt one of us would be in a position to have given that information to the UNA. It would have required having access to Morningstar's contacts and addresses and the knowledge of the specifics of the raid on the weapon's cache. If any of us have that level of information, I'd be very surprised. I'd also wonder just what that individual stood to gain, from it.
Morningstar seems as though it's been very cautious in regards to what's shared with us. Of course, we can't rule it out completely, but I don't feel that it's likely one of our own was the origin.
They're reluctant even with those who have decided to join up. Likely with good reason. If the UNA is this swift to act, anyway. I think we can guess how things would have gone down if we weren't there to intervene.
As it is, I mostly wanted to ask your thoughts on that. If you have any others, let me know.
And thank you, both for what you said first and for your input on Aranea. It's helpful.
[One response about a roommate and it seems like a solid one.
You're welcome. If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'll admit to not being the most knowledgeable here just yet, but I'm always willing to discuss these matters.
If you do choose to have her move in, I'm sure I'll be conscripted into helping her move what possessions she has. I suppose I'll possibly see you then.
If you have any questions about what's happened to us up to this point, I should be able to help. I don't have as much multiversal knowledge or experience as other people here, but I'm beginning to think that's not actually helping anyone.
no subject
[They ended up having to talk around the problem. There was no way to get anything definitive.]
So, I guess this is me encouraging you to think about them. We're still leaving stones unturned, so to speak. I'd prefer if we find out what those stones are.
[What he had to offer was good, even if he had mistaken her involvement with everything as loyalty to Morningstar themselves. Clarke has to relent on being disloyal to them, but that's partly because the arrangement that they're entering now is more to her tastes. Scratching each other's backs, and not pretending otherwise.]
As for Aranea, well. I'm very new to even having an apartment, so I guess some kind of character witness. I probably have a higher tolerance for people than most, but ... that's hard to explain in and of itself. I'd just like to hear your thoughts. Would you live with her?
no subject
[But... as to the other matter at hand.]
Theoretically, yes. In practice, I think she would be driven mad if she had to live with me.
But as to her character, she's fiercely independent and capable, with a fondness for funds and the material. Back home, she was the commander of an airship fleet, and at one point ran her own paramilitary operation, which requires a good number of practical skills, intelligence, and being able to earn and keep respect from subordinates. She's also incredibly direct with her thoughts and actions. Occasionally to the point of being brusque.
[.....she also doesn't tidy up after herself or wear pants around the house unless she has to, in his experience. But.... you know, he trusts her to be polite and shape up with a roommate. Living by yourself is different.]
I also know that she's employed here, so contributing to expenses shouldn't be a problem for her.
Is there anything else you need to know?
no subject
Clarke's fallen into that trap.]
I believe that should be enough for Aranea. Honestly, there's some relief in knowing that she's experienced war. [Or activities adjacent to war?] Let's just say my people have a hard time of staying out of it back home.
As for the rest, I think you're right. It's easy to get caught up in who we are. I think that's thrown some of our investigations down the wrong paths.
no subject
[It's an interesting way of phrasing things. It could just be a social or ethnic group, or it could be a nation, or even a species as a whole. He's stopped ruling anything out, really.]
Well, it's certainly at the crux of what we wish to discover. Who brought us here and loosed us and why, how we might return home, should we wish. I think it's just also a very separate issue than the dynamics of the world itself, which makes it very difficult to even begin investigating.
Looking into Morningstar and the government they oppose is a beginning, if nothing else. Perhaps we'll discover a true lead that's related to our position along the way.
no subject
[Even if you're no longer a part of them. Clarke is all too aware of the division, especially given the separation now.]
We should have focused on what you're suggesting from the start, but I think most of us are typically in the position of being privileged when it comes to this kind of information.
no subject
[After all, she had brought it up. If not her, maybe someone close to her?] I'm sure it's difficult to coalesce personal feelings with the concept of what would be best for the whole, regardless of what part in the system you play.
I appreciate the encouragement. It's just difficult to decide on actions to take in regards to it. From what I understand, there's very little to go off of, so it makes sense for us to grasp at anything we can that lets us feel as though we're making progress.
no subject
[Can accomplish, at that. Clarke is confident in what she's managed in her time back home, but that was in a very different situation. All she can hope is to guide these people away from that. They're few in number—which, right now, is the biggest and most notable parallel. Few in number means that they may be able to unite, or they may be able to clash in a way that could be detrimental to any and all progress.
In Clarke's opinion, recent events have left them standing on a precipice for both.]
I will say that we have made progress. But I think we do better when we approach problems knowing that this world can't resolve them, rather than believing that we are at the heart of them. That's an observation through experience in being here.
I have to ask, because ... well, it has to be out there.
Do you think one of us could potentially be the leak?
no subject
For what it's worth, your quick actions in giving us all a place to coordinate on Morningstar's network helped make our recovery efforts far more cohesive. I doubt as much would have been accomplished without that.
[He doesn't know her well at all-- only her words on the network. But she seems committed and decisive. Good traits.]
Honestly, I doubt one of us would be in a position to have given that information to the UNA. It would have required having access to Morningstar's contacts and addresses and the knowledge of the specifics of the raid on the weapon's cache. If any of us have that level of information, I'd be very surprised. I'd also wonder just what that individual stood to gain, from it.
Morningstar seems as though it's been very cautious in regards to what's shared with us. Of course, we can't rule it out completely, but I don't feel that it's likely one of our own was the origin.
no subject
As it is, I mostly wanted to ask your thoughts on that. If you have any others, let me know.
And thank you, both for what you said first and for your input on Aranea. It's helpful.
[One response about a roommate and it seems like a solid one.
She'll take it.]
no subject
If you do choose to have her move in, I'm sure I'll be conscripted into helping her move what possessions she has. I suppose I'll possibly see you then.
no subject
If you have any questions about what's happened to us up to this point, I should be able to help. I don't have as much multiversal knowledge or experience as other people here, but I'm beginning to think that's not actually helping anyone.