[video]

[mayormaynot]

[The Mayor is standing with his arms crossed, leaning against his desk, a serious expression on his face - indeed, a Dad Has Things To Say expression on his face. And so Dad starts in with the things he has to say, solemn but still with a politician's smoothness:]

Well, this sure isn't a happy day, but it's good to see almost all of us made it out of that okay. And it's good to see we kept a good number of them alive, as well. Getting blood on your hands is an ugly thing, and I'm sorry to all of you who went through with it.

[He straightens up.]

But it seems to me like we have another ugly thing in front of us. There are more than a few bodies out there, and sure, we didn't like 'em while they were alive, but that doesn't mean they don't have the right to a decent burial. Besides which, we sure as heck don't want 'em stinking up the place a month from now.

Now, I don't know much about space, but if we were at sea we'd be burying them at sea - so I assume the best thing to do would be to push them out the airlocks, right? And anyone who's able to do so can read the last rites.

[Probably better if he doesn't; the orders that he's a priest of tend to have...unpleasant going-away sermons.]

Comments

[slipperysoul]

Why don't you push them out.

[mayormaynot]

[Why don't you find a nice comfy spot in hell to burn]

By myself? Well. [A little bit of a sigh.] I'd like to say it's because I'm not as young as I used to be and my back can't handle it. Guess that's not a hundred percent true, though...Takes a pretty hard heart to touch something dead without flinching. You know what I mean?

[slipperysoul]

[ been there, done that. ]

Might have an idea what you're getting at, but i'm pretty sure it takes just as much compassion. Which I know you're lacking in droves, but don't worry. Because the thing is? If you're the one dragging them out of the airlock, maybe someone could make sure you got to take the ride, too.

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[secretlabtech]

We have a morgue, and some of these bodies...

[ Didn't die very nicely. But to be honest, if someone threw the evidence of his misdoings away he wouldn't cry too much. He has to be shown to say the right things, though. ]

We owe them justice, don't you think?

video;

[mayormaynot]

[He seems to think that over.] Well, I guess that depends. What do you mean by "justice"? Putting the people who killed them on trial?

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[secretlabtech]

Maybe. Today a pirate, tomorrow one of us. I might sleep easier knowing that we knew who did...some of these things. Wouldn't you?

[ He'd rather nobody ever find out, actually, which is why it pays to be the only forensic expert on board. But there are some interesting corpses around here, and maybe there are some people he can put to his "trial".

More killers to go under his knife. ]

[theshabbiestofmen]

We could burn them.

[mayormaynot]

That's a thought, young man, but do you know what it takes to burn a body? Heck, I don't think we have anything that strong.

[theshabbiestofmen]

Isn't it only gasoline and wood?

voice

[doggedly]

Y'know,I think I'm more concerned with your weird good cheer than with anything else here.

video

[mayormaynot]

You're more concerned with me trying to move on with things than with dead bodies?

[He shakes his head ruefully.]

Now, young man, I think if a readjustment of priorities has ever been called for, that calls for one.

video.

[inquisitive]

Can medbay personnel claim them, if they're just going to be thrown out?

[ basically: give them over here, man ]

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[coffeeking]

[Dude.]

No.

video.

[mayormaynot]

Heck, that's not my call to make, but...why would you need them?

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[cargojet]

They aren't our dead to bury. We don't know them, and we don't have the right.

video;

[mayormaynot]

Well, that's a nice sentiment and all, but let's just take a moment to remember what happens to bodies when they don't go buried. I'll admit, I get a little squeamish, but there's not much nice about stepping around bloated corpses bubbling with bacteria for the rest of our time here.

[justdumbluck]

If you think it needs to be done then go ahead and do it. It's not like there's anybody in charge to give you permission.

[Well, there are, but Firo's too crabby to care that he's wrong.]

voice;

[sweetmotherofgod]

We -

[Huff. You know that feeling when the right thing to do is something you think a person doesn't necessarily deserve? That's the feeling Heather's having right now.]

We oughta ask the survivors. If there are things they'd do or say. If we're gonna do this we should do it properly.

voice

[stacked]

Check you out, all godly and upright.

[ it says a lot about her mental state that the words are a joke and not a jab ]

video girrrl

[mayormaynot]

And listen to you, sounding sweet as can be. How you holding up, Firecracker?

[endeavors]

That doesn't sound very - humane.

voice.

[tofindthesun]

Would that not require a vessel in which to cast them off? [at least, from his one experience.] That is, if we mean to do it in a proper manner.

voice

[unparental]

Whatever you do, don't suggest a garden burial. Ned might actually have a heart attack.

[ the joke's a little flat and dark for her, but she tried. ]

voice

[mayormaynot]

And poison our food source? With all those germs? Yeugh - no thank you!

voice;

[tueurdeloup]

Who says they have the right to anything?

Last rites are trite things for the living, to make them feel better. For loved ones to feel some peace as they mourn those lost. For the victors to use to assure themselves they are not monsters, even if they are.

The dead need nothing, want nothing.

Light them on fire, set them to space, let the creatures eat them.

Who should care.