ataraxion | 005 video; oh look another psa

I think it's about time we separated the community side of this ship from the military side. I'm not talking about division, I'm talking about getting a group of people together who can structure everything that needs putting into place, like laws, before everyone else around here pulls themselves apart. The only power that we have here is the power of the people, and when those people feel powerless, when they feel they don't have a voice, then they take things into their own hands.

I said when I got here I had no intention of imposing politics on this place. I didn't expect to be here as long as I have, didn't expect the population to blossom, didn't expect to see angers flare the way they have. I thought we had a common enemy, and that we wouldn't dream of fighting amongst ourselves, too busy just trying to survive. But I've seen a good man try and take justice into his own hands - a man I trusted - because there isn't anyone to do it for him; because he's a King, and the buck stops with him.

We need a council. We need to get all our little ducks in a row and get organised before this goes any further, before it happens again. Edgeworth was working on laws; right now I'd settle for a draft of a code of conduct, a scaling of penalties, discussion about what to do when a claimant has a dispute about something that comes from home, and the responsibilities that we as a community have toward each party. I want monthly meetings between representatives of the civilians on board, to make sure everyone's needs are being met, and I'm not prepared to wait another month to get it done.

Here's how it works. You want in, put your name down. Two other people who feel you can speak for them back you up, and you make the invite list. You got something you want discussed, you choose a representative to speak for you. Barring a shit-storm between now and then, we'll schedule the preliminary meeting for the day before we Jump, in Holodeck 1. 10am sharp. Any questions?

And before you ask, yes, I am excluded unless I get my own support. I give less of a shit about perceived power than I care about this place turning into a medieval battleground. And no, all decisions that are made that affect everyone on board will go to a vote. The whole ship gets their say. This is just a way to get things off the drawing board once and for all.

[OOC: Once again, if Nathan steps on toes, shoot him ICly please~ <3]

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Until a man is punished for his crimes, he should have no say. [ though grudgingly... ] Be that as it may, given the nature of this vessel, other factors may complicate such things.

[ a frown. he knows well enough he could not formulate the laws aboard this vessel alone, though he hardly has confidence in others. ]

There is no simple way to go about it, truth be told. One man is just as likely to be an utter fool. Yet, a council remains likely to bicker amongst themselves, little better than trained crows.

It does. What crimes even count? The ones from home? The ones someone hasn't committed yet? [ An apologetic smile. ] Bickering and conversation are better than silence and resentment. When we really wanted to get things done, we allocated minutes to any given topic, or any given speaker. Made people focus on what needed to be said rather than what they wanted to say.

We don't have the resource of unlimited time here. Everyone knows that.

Yet do you believe that men will listen?

[ he cannot help but frown. perhaps there are some similarities in their thoughts. ]

Ofttimes, I have found that men are more concerned with their own self-interest, rather than what is just.

They'll follow their own leaders, so long as their leaders are the ones helping to make those decisions. Stark, myself, Edgeworth, Kirk, Fry--what we have in common is that people listen to us. A majority. And if people listen to us apart, and we can get them listening to us together, then we can establish unity on this ship that we don't have as factions.

Ask yourself something. What self-interest have we got on this ship? What do we all want, collectively? Individual as these people are, there's one thing most of us have in common, important enough to pull us all toward achieving it. We want to go home.

[ he was listening, but there was one thing he was rather... hung up on. ]

Stark.

[ a frown ]

If you refer to Robb Stark, he was a traitor to his realm first and foremost. I would never acknowledge that man's authority.

[ particularly without a say of his own. ]

[ A sigh. Great, this again. ] There's a whole lotta Starks on this ship, some unrelated, but most of them respect Robb. He represents a significant group, and he's a bright kid with a good head on his shoulders. He wants to get his people home, and that's all I care about; not what he's done at home, not what others label him as. None of that matters.

You don't gotta like him, or even acknowledge him. All you gotta do is care about what's best for this ship over your own petty grudges. That goes for everyone from your world, Stark included.

"A bright kid with a good head on his shoulders".

[ were he the sort to do so, he might laugh ]

Is that what you call a man who would rip his so-called realm apart? Who would leave his sisters to—

[ he stops himself, remembering his vow to Jon Snow and sighs ]

Calling a man who would throw his realm into war without second thought a traitor is not "petty" as you so said it. Yet be that as it may, our causes remain one in the same for the time being.

[ a frown ]

Perhaps you should not speak on matters you do not fully comprehend.

Maybe I don't fully comprehend them, but maybe you don't fully comprehend why I call them petty. Your world, your problems - I get that - but they got jack shit to do with the rest of the people on board and us trying to get home.

My only requirement outta Stark is that he knows how to keep his priorities straight, cause as long as we don't get home, none of us get our revenge, or our countries back, or whatever else we were obsessing over before we left. It's petty, because just as long as we're here, it means less all in all than an ice cube in hell.

I don't mean to belittle you - I don't know you - but what I know of Stark is only what he's brought to the table here. We've all done terrible things--you saying you haven't? But it doesn't matter here. None of it does. Not even if we want it to.

With the exception of Cersei Lannister.

[ How he wishes to say it. How he wishes to say that Robb Stark will merely return to bring his family to ruin, and leave the kind he should have sided with in the first place to attempt to reunite his shattered realm. But he says none of that, as he moves his teeth from side to side. He wished to punish the woman for her crimes as well.

But, it would not be able to be here. He knew that well enough, as unfortunate as it was. ]

I have only ever done what was required of me. [ nothing more nothing less ] Regardless, I would have a part in any such council or any such laws created. [ Particularly if Robb Stark, the man who would lead the North to ruin was to have any strong say. ]

My stance is only this: if she or anyone else goes putting knives in people, it'll be ship's law that's answered to. If anyone is intentionally disruptive toward getting the shit that needs to be done done, outta some pseudo-political grudge they brought from home, I'll personally make sure they suffer for wasting my time. Doesn't matter if that's you, Stark, Kirk, or even people trying to keep others out.

If you wanna be there, I'll back you myself. Call it vouching for you, whatever you like, but I expect you - like everyone else - to remember what the council's for.

Such is just enough.

[ but first they needed that law. ]

I would also have your name, should you do such.

Nathan Petrelli. Or--what was it Stark used to call me? Nathan of House Petrelli. That make more sense to you?

[ A pause. ]

And you are?

Nathan Petrelli suffices just fine.

[ a pause ]

King Stannis Baratheon. [ he will spare the longer titles ] A queer thing, to vouch for a man before you know his name.

Then you're a little faster than he is, or maybe less uh...rural. [ No offense, Stark. ] When I like how a man talks it doesn't matter what side he works for, what his name is or where he grows up. A lot of being on this ship is having faith in things you can't really check up on. It's all faith.

It is said that the North carries many queer notions. Robb Stark is likely no exception. [ For they worship trees. ]

I have never been fond of faith.

Hah. Well I don't really mean it like that, you know. Just. If you don't believe you can do it then there's no point even trying, and that's a pretty lousy existence.

005 video; oh look another psa

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