ataraxion | [video]

[It's a rare video post from Edgeworth. He looks tired, but he seems less depressed than he did a few hours ago; he's focusing on his anger to carry him through.]

Security has a certain amount of the ship secured. These areas are the ones we patrol, the ones you're all accustomed to: the passenger quarters, the oxygen gardens, the medical bay, et cetera. The areas in which you reside. If you stay within those boundaries, we try to keep you safe to the fullest of our abilities; though our manpower is limited, we will do what we can.

If you stray, then we can do nothing. As I said, our manpower is limited, and beyond where we have secured, it is essentially enemy territory. So all of you, no matter how impressed you are with your survival skills and abilities, needs to treat it like enemy territory. It isn't a place to have a walk. It isn't a place to go out and search for monsters so that you can get your fun cracking a few heads. It isn't a research lab. It is a place fraught with danger, and if you go out there, you run the risk of death.

So if you go out, then you will treat it like it is enemy territory. You will not go out alone. You will not go out unarmed. You will not go out without notifying security. If you fail to do any of these things, then you should damn well compose your suicide note to your friends on-board, because you're very likely going to die. And while security isn't ever going to leave anyone to die, you can't treat this ship like an amusement park and expect to live to see the next jump.

[And he glares at the camera a moment longer - and then he glances off to the side, his lips relaxing very slightly.]

Condolences. To those who knew them.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Just-- be careful. Don't linger too long on their deaths.

[He shakes his head.]

It's all right, Mr. Lupin. This is...what I do.

It still can't be healthy, not constantly.

[He gives a grim half-shrug.]

I'm not yet dead.

And thank god for that.

[He shakes his head.]

Strength of will and luck. God has no part in it.

An atheist, then, I take it?

[The slight lift of his eyebrows is clear: Of course.]

If I might ask - what of yourself? Or if you'd sooner not answer - what of your society?

It varies from person to person-- we mostly celebrate Christian holidays, Christmas and so on, but I don't know anyone particularly religious. I suppose I'd count myself as agnostic, if anything. I don't really think about it.

[Edgeworth nods.]

I just always hear Black swearing by Merlin rather than by God or anyone. I wondered.

It's far more natural for us. Which makes it sort of awkward now that Merlin is actually here-- but anyway, yes. I'll say god on occasion, as will he.

That girl was...apparently a strong believer.

Well. I hope she finds what she believed in.

[Stupidly, his throat tightens.]

This is precisely the reason I despise religion.

Because it gives people hope?

Because it gives them false hope. Do you think that girl would have gone out there if she'd thought there was nothing waiting for her? If she thought she was risking oblivion rather than some hastening of the long-awaited dialogue with her God? She's dead, and that is all, because confidence in the spiritual made her act foolishly.

I don't know about that. And I don't know that those with religion rush toward death just because they have faith. I think that's a rather biased view of religious people.

Do you recall her last transmission before she left?

Not word for word.

She talked about defying God. About all of it. It was some idiotic superstition that sent her out there. That got her killed.

[His mouth tightens; he glances down.]

Then perhaps that was true for her. But not of all religious people.

Perhaps not. But on the balance, can you truly say that religion has done more good than harm?

I think that's a debate worth having, but not now.

[A long, long pause. Then, finally:]

Fine.

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