JULY PLANET MINGLE

[save_the_souls]

Who: YOU. ME. EVERYONE.
Broadcast: IF YOU WANT
Action: YEAH!!!!!
When: July!

[Congratulations to the crews that did not get themselves blown up! Welcome to the Blue Planet, a planet full of charming islands and even less charming weather patterns! Are you going to take the time to enjoy the beach? Help out with the local Nunnilis population? Get caught in a storm with another person and have a rating boosting sexual tension moment? The world's your oyster!]

[Yeah in other words: ITS A MINGLE GET IN HERE]

[July Planet Info!]

Comments

[openhands]

[She doesn't know where he's going with this and she doesn't particularly care. It feels like a distraction, meant to lull her into a false sense of victory or finality on this issue. But Cassandra knows when she's being ignored and dismissed. Too many in the past have tried to do this with her for her to mistake it as anything else. Zhas may shift into something more casual, but Cassandra does not. She stays just as tense and ready. She is like a dog with a bone and refuses to let it go. Not when it's this important.]

That is irrelevant and quite frankly a stupid question.

[She got her scars as most people do: by surviving.]

Don't try to change the subject.

[theboogieman]

[something about that makes him smile, which is not a comforting sight. even without his facepaint there to warp it into an apparition of teeth and bones, his expression is not reflected in his eyes.

it was a distraction, sort of. he didn't really think she'd divulge. he's just under the false assumption that women who have scars have them because of crueler men--and that could have been a thread to tug on and send them both in circles.

but if she won't bite, it's not worth it. he looks away, finally, turning as if he thinks he's done with this conversation.]

We'll see what they say.

[openhands]

[The conversation is done. They are both too stubborn and righteous in their differing philosophies and ethics to be easily swayed by the other. The only difference Cassandra can see is that she would relent based on Nunnally's command. She's not so certain Zhas would do the same.]

[But she's not letting him end the conversation or walk away. Not so easily.]

I trust you have seen the people on the planet. [A beat, but no more than that in waiting for a response or reaction.] It seems you and Coil were not just wrong in your actions, but in your perceptions as well.

[She says this not to berate him--though if it has that effect, that's fine by her--but to make a point. He thought the creatures they found on that ship were nothing but mindless beats bent on destruction. As it turns out, they were far more sentient, their minds had simply become corrupted. There are notable parallels here.]

It seems it is easy to become blinded by prejudices. I, too, was once like you in that regard, but I make an effort now to see with open eyes. I pray that you will do the same in the future before you decide that it is up to you to judge who and what is deserving or undeserving of life.

[theboogieman]

[being reminded of the people on this planet finally gets him to budge--his gaze turned more into a glare as his smile disappears entirely.

the truth is, he hates being wrong. he's never been wrong, before. he's never been challenged in his actions or his beliefs, because he follows his Master's word, and her word is indisputable law.

for a second, he finally tenses for a fight. he's had to learn to argue with words here, but his first instinct is physical force. months ago, that was all he ever needed. if he could just make her listen to him-- but she's human. she doesn't understand. he can dress it up in a dozen ways; step outside of the morals of "normal people" because he's fighting for a "higher cause".

he bites his tongue and starts walking away, instead. maybe it'll all sink in, eventually, when he's by himself and the only enemy he has to lash at is his own mind.

or maybe he'll stay stubborn and blind forever.]