ataraxion | video;

Hi, everyone.

My name's Richard Rider, I'm of Earth - Terra - twenty first century, and Nova Prime of the Nova Corps, originally of Xandar. And I work for Security here.

Anyway, just wanted to say, since I don't think I've seen anybody talking about it so far. If I'm speaking out of turn, sorry.

One can again enter the unlit corridors away from the inhabited areas of the ship. I say again, though that's not exactly been the case since I showed up here, but anyway.

Those corridors are dangerous. I know I, nor anyone, can actually stop people from going there, [ never mind that Rich is not very fine with the idea of fear controlling one's decisions ] but if you're a recent arrival, please look into the posts made about the recon missions. Look into what happened to Commander Shepard and one member of her team. Talk to people who've been here for a while about it.

Don't go in there blind. Even if you feel you're all alone here, or you're bored out of your mind - your life, and what might happen to you there, does matter. Try to keep as safe as you can.

Thanks for your attention. Nova Prime out.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

More like space cops.

[Learning about different cultures is one thing that she's found fascinating while being here. After all she's been confined to Japan for years and there's only so much you can learn while on duty there.]

What is that like?

[ When there is time for that, Rich likes learning about the differences, too, in his own job. But that's so far in the past he's almost forgotten. ]

Well. Usually, there's ... a lot of emergency calls, from people or stations or planets that need assistance or rescuing or protection. And the Worldimnd - that's sort of like a big computer coordinating the whole Corps - makes sure those most able to do the job and closest answer it in a timely manner.

[ ... yeah, it's not been like that in years, but it's still how it should be like. ]

What sorts of things do people need help with?

Well... One time, there was a call from a space station that had suffered damage from an unexpected flare of the star they were orbiting around. Another time, something final was going to happen to a planet, so I was called in to help the people evacuate. Things like that.

Do you like helping people?

[She doesn't run across many people who actually want to help, not without them being tragically proven wrong about the rest of the world.]

[ Not even a moment's hesitation. ]

Oh, yeah, that I do.

Even when people are cruel and hateful?

[Honest curiosity here.]

[ It's a good question. ]

Well. On the one hand, when a whole planet is dying, you don't really have time to sort out who's good and who's cruel. Usually, it's enough of an emergency that you can't always stop and figure it out.

So I save whom I can, and if some of them turn on others later, I try to help against them, if I can.

On the other hand... people change. When I was in high school, my life for a bit was hell because of a bully. Then that bully's brother was kidnapped and they tried to use the two against each other. They made my classmate try to commit a crime to use to their purposes. Well, I stopped him. And then did my best to just take care of the bad guys. My classmate - well, he didn't exactly become my fan or anything, but he became a better person, once he'd had help.

And, sometimes, people being cruel and hateful - or at least seeming so - can be useful. Like at war. I have two friends whose ruthlessness saved a lot of lives.

[She listens closely. Her interactions with people are rather brief after all.]

But you still think people are worth saving? Even when they are terrible?

On the whole, yeah.

[ He's been at war. He's killed people. And, once, he's decided a specific person was to die - and killed him himself. ]

[ But that was after Annihilus had destroyed hundreds of planets, killed billions, and planned on killing everyone else. It was not an easy decision, and it was, after all, to save more people. So, yes. He does still think so. ]

[She seems to think about this and then nods.]

I'm glad some people still think so.

[As much as she's given up on the world, it's nice to know that some people won't.]

Thanks.

[ And he means it, too. ]

I mean, if you just ran into somebody who was in pain, wouldn't you at least try to help them? If you knew nothing about who they were?

[There is another pause.]

If I was here. Yes.

[ Rich nods, hearing her answer - not just the words, but the consideration she had to give them. ]

But not back home?

[Yup another pause.]

I'm forbidden from getting involved outside my duties.

... ouch.

I - can you tell me what those duties were? You don't have to, if you don't wanna.

[Her voice is careful but the same dispassionate tone.]

I don't mind telling people. If they wish to avoid me because of them, it's better they know.

I deal in revenge. If people have enough hatred in their hearts they can summon me. I will make a deal with them to send the person they hate to Hell. However when they die they will also go to Hell.

[ Oh, come on, Universe. She's just a girl... ]

Ah.

Sounds like you're giving them a fair deal. Sometimes... some things can't ever get justice, and people only have revenge to turn to. If they need it so badly as to sacrifice themselves... sometimes, that revenge might be way too justified.

[ Beat. ]

Has anyone ever sent you after people who've fought you off?

Sometimes. Though revenge is a cycle.

[She has seen this way too many times. However she's more interested in that last bit.]

Fought me off? Someone tried once, he threw me around a room, but the client hadn't pulled the thread so it didn't matter. When they did, the boy went to Hell just as the rest of them do.

I've noticed.

[ Which is one of the reasons why he doesn't really engage in that. He can hold grudges, sort of, but he knows about letting go, too. ]

[ He breathes out, slowly. ]

That must be... hard, sometimes, I bet. Who made you do it?

I turned to revenge after I was killed. This is my punishment.

And because you did something somebody thought wrong, once, you are bound to do that... for how long?

[Now there is a pause. She almost seems more reluctant to talk about this then the whole, I've done terrible things part.]

It should have been till my debt was paid but now it will be forever..... I stepped in to stop my replacement from being sent to Hell after she broke the rules.

[ Rich watches her for a long moment through the video feed, his brows drawn down, but his eyes gentle. ]

You're a very brave person, you know that? What's been done to you isn't right, but you're not the one writing the rules, just somebody tied up by them.