Voice Test [x-post to dear_player]

[brownish]

All right. I think it's time you and I had a little chat. And by "about time", I guess I mean "right away".

Look, I don't know what you plan on doing with me, but let me make one thing perfectly transparent with you: I am not happy. I am not happy with being off my ship, or being away from my crew. The Alliance? I could do without them for a spell, so if I'm going to thank you for anything, I guess it should be that.

But it looks like I'm not going anywhere for a while. Great.

So why now? You've known me for years now, and you're only just now deciding that I'm worth doing something with? The other folks I've seen don't give you the best vote of confidence, now, so excuse my cynicism. I'm a realistic-sort of man, you understand. Nothin' personal, just not overly-fond of big hopes and dreams and crazy plans being dashed without even so much as a foot forward.

So you keep me around, keep Alliance off me, maybe we can make this work. Capisce?

Good. I'm glad we could get that settled, then.

Comments

[lottawork]

Yes, yes, you've made your point.

[Don't mind the dismissive tone. He doesn't think very highly of military types. Or anyone.]

A rather aggressively Panglossian goal, don't you think? [Can't help but adding somewhat snidely -] Did you succeed?

[brownish]

...

That ain't the point. Point is, I ain't dead yet and s'long as there's a beatin' heart in me, I ain't ever truly done fightin'. And I don't think I like that attitude of yours judgin' me like that. You comfortable up on that cushy saddle of yours? Thing about high horses is that it hurts like hell when they fall on you.

[lottawork]

[So. That'd be a 'no' then. That's all right, Rush is pretty well-acquainted with the feeling of failure. Which is precisely why he's not gonna risk pushing that point. Wouldn't do to look incompetent when he's just indirectly mocked you for the very same.]

Yes, well, I agree with your pragmatism there. Moral compromise just doesn't quite compare to death, and I know which I find preferable.

[Buuut he doesn't appreciate the 'high horse' comment, and his expression closes accordingly.]

I wouldn't presume that 'judgment' necessarily equates to a sense of moral or intellectual superiority.

[Especially since he only really has the latter.]

[brownish]

Oh, now I know for a fact that it don't. Judges can be wrong too. They can also be a Tah mah duh hwoon dahn, but that's really fair to insult those who can't properly defend themselves.

[ He gives a tight, sarcastic sort of smile. ]

Thing is, everyone's against all the fightin' until there's somethin' they need protectin' from. Then they need someone to come and fight for em, cos Lord knows not everyone can. Takes a certain sort of person to say yes. Takes another to sit, watch, and judge.

[lottawork]

...And now you're using Chinese as a qualifier. Odd, but I don't imagine it's unheard of. [Dead fucking brilliant. Does he look like a linguist?]

I never said I was disinclined towards violence. I simply find it a rather tired and oft-deferred-to solution set, and frequently overused.

[I mean, yeah, he'll fight if he has to. He's just not very GOOD at it.]

[brownish]

Everyone speaks a mix of it where I'm from. Fairly normal.

Not overly-fond of those who would resort to violence first thing. A certain level of diplomacy needs to be met first, I think. Once it's apparent that talkin's not doing more than wastin' perfectly good air, then it's time for violence. Best to keep the violent types in a non-leadership position. They're scarier that way, all menacing-like.

[lottawork]

Hmm. Fair amount of disparity between our separate branes, I'd imagine.

That is quite possibly the most intelligent thing I've ever heard anyone remotely militarian say. Well. We're in agreement there.