Blameless Mingle

[shishkebub]

Who: Those who are without blame
Broadcast: Nope
Action: On the Blameless
When: Whenever we feel like it! Gawd!

[A brand new crew has been assigned to a brand new ship. Can they find it within themselves to get along? Find out next time! Or you know, in this actual log.]

Comments

[pyroelectric]

Of course. How else would it be passed down?

[Sorry Kate, democracy is still a long way off from ATLA verse.]

[ladybro]

[ a little chuckle. the way azula's been talking, democracy has been far far away from her guestimations. ]

Hey, I've seen whole worlds where leaders were chosen by measuring who kicked the most ass. All this talk of dream-jobs and how tough a Fire Lord's gotta be? For all I know, you'd have to trial-by-combat your way to the position.

[pyroelectric]

[AZULA WISHES.]

If that were the case, I'd already have it in the bag.

Unfortunately, the crown is still handed down to the eldest child, regardless of aptitude.

[ladybro]

[ it's quite the claim, but kate isn't keen to call her bluff. after all, she's well aware of what even the most pampered of teenage girls can achieve with a bit of training and a lot of willpower. but nor does she dwell all that long on the boast -- by now, she's barely skirted the limits of politeness in her questioning. ]

Things are a bit different where I come from. [ ... ] My, uh, nation ditched that hereditary business ages ago.

[pyroelectric]

Oh? How do you decide it, then?

[ladybro]

Elections. [ she offers up a thoughtful hum. ] Not that it's any less of a crap shoot.

[pyroelectric]

... You decide the heir by election. [She sounds slightly disbelieving.]

And... who votes in these elections? The royal family? ... The military generals?

[ladybro]

Everyone.

[ okay, now she turns around and leaves the food unattended for a moment just to witness azula's face. ] Well, except for kids and cons.

[pyroelectric]

... Surely you must be joking.

That sounds like an incredibly inefficient system just to decide between one's ruler between a few family members.

[ladybro]

I don't think anyone would ever accuse democracy of being efficient. [ a quirk of the lips. ]

[pyroelectric]

And what happens when the current ruler dies? It must take weeks to prepare an election among the whole country.

[ladybro]

His second-in-command serves out the rest of the term. [ ... ] Vice President.

[pyroelectric]

I see. And how long is a "term"?

[ladybro]

Four years. [ kate seems (intuitively) to understand that the protein chunks take far less time than actual chicken to cook, so she begins to sauce them with the salty-n-sweet peanut mixture right now. ] But that's just how the US of A does it. It's not, like, universal.

[pyroelectric]

[Azula's laughter is awkward and disbelieving.]

It's hard to imagine much of anything gets done with the government changing every four years.

[ladybro]

[ the slightly roasted scent of peanut fills the air. quickly, the sauce seems to thicken. kate smiles -- feeling a little baby fern of pride unfurl in her heart at such a success. it might still taste like bland goop, but at least it'll be bland goop prepared well. ]

Some things get done. Some things don't. The general consensus is that it's better than a tyranny. My country isn't a fan of putting all the power in one hand.

[ some might call it paranoia. and kate? well, kate's got her own beefs with the political system. but she doesn't advertise them too loudly. ]

[pyroelectric]

Oh? Who are the candidates then, if not the royal family?

[Azula doesn't even blink at being called tyrannical.]

[ladybro]

Oh, anyone. [ except that's a dirty lie. not just anyone rises to politicianhood. kate doesn't just believe this, but she's witnessed it. how many statesmen and wanna-be presidents has her father had over to dinner in the past 21 years? invariably, derek bishop always puts his financial backing behind the slimeballs kate cannot stand. but that's a recent revelation. the younger kate had been blind to so many of her father's faults.

still, she doesn't want to sour the ideal that is american dream. ] Usually someone with a law degree or maybe a background in economics. We don't do dynasties.

[ except for the kennedys. and the bushes. whoops. ]

[pyroelectric]

Pffft-- [Ahsoka breaks out into laughter. It's not mean-sounding, it's just the most ridiculous thing she's ever heard.]

No wonder your government is so terrible! If any old peasant can become a ruler.

[ladybro]

[ -- azula, you'd vote republican. wouldn't you? ]

Uhm. Let's eat. Politics are usually a pretty gauche topic for the dinner table, so... [ kate's reasoning trails away into nothingness as she arranges three skewers of fake-chicken satay on each plate.

tossing a dishcloth over her shoulder, she holds one plate out to azula. ]

[pyroelectric]

[She absolutely would.]

... Of course. My mistake.

[It's not like Azula to back off, but Kate's sudden desire to change the subject seems like a win to her, so she's happy to oblige. They're getting along rather well in Azula's mind-- as well as anybody can get along with Azula, anyway-- so there's no need to press her point.

Instead, she closes the distance between them and reaches out to the proferred plate with her off hand and taking it to the table to sit down. She's proud of the fact that she manages to do the whole thing without moving oddly once, but then she winces oh-so-slightly when she sits down. But she continues as if nothing had happened.]

My thanks for the meal.

[ladybro]

[ kate's smile is diluted, but at least reaching towards genuine. after all, they've gotta share this ship. no use kicking up dirt -- but she's beginning to wonder just what kind of a disagreement azula must have had with a fellow ship-mate.

using her freshly freed hands, kate grabs some cutlery. the table isn't set to perfection -- indeed, she leaves two forks in the centre of the table. but she forgoes her own, choosing instead to hold the meal by its skewer and rake the first piece off with her teeth. like proper street food. kate chews, swallows, and decides that it's passable. ]

Hey. No problem. It's my way of pulling my weight, right? I just hope we can rustle up something a little better than protein gels before we leave the station.

[pyroelectric]

Of course.

[Finally, Azula takes a bite out of her skewer also, expression unsure for a moment as she chews. After she swallows:]

... Well. It needs more fire-salt. But I suppose it isn't terrible.

[Considering it tastes to Azula like one of the worst things she's ever had, that's practically the highest praise she is capable of giving. Azula can't cook, and she can't go out to the station right now, and offending the cook and getting a new one will take too much time. So she's nicer about it than she otherwise would be. Unfortunately, not that Kate knows that.]

[ladybro]

I'll be counting that as a victory, thanks. However minor.

[pyroelectric]

[Oh good, she's resilient.]

... You should.

Perhaps you have what it takes to survive on this ship after all.