may mingle (blameless!)

[revivo]

Who: Blameless crew + visitors
Broadcast: N/A
Action: Aboard the Blameless
When: May

[time to get your mingle on, people lacking blame and friends!]

Comments

[resnipstance]

Yelled at? Why?

[beathach]

I have a friend or two who think I shouldn't hide. Which - is what I'm doing, really.

But I'm not - used to walking around out in the open like that, either. It's a very old argument.

[resnipstance]

Huh. But... correct me if I'm wrong, but-- from what I've heard, humans aren't very receptive to non-humans on your planet, right?

[beathach]

No, they're not. [he nods] On my particular world, it's - complicated, because the world just learned about us. So they're sort of figuring out what to do with that information.

[resnipstance]

["Figuring out what to do" sounds like the nicest euphemism Ahsoka ever heard.]

... So you're defending yourself.

[beathach]

[the worst part is how true that statement is]

I - yeah, you could look at it that way.

[resnipstance]

[Ahsoka looks distinctly unimpressed-- not with Hank, though.]

... Kinda sounds to me like you need new friends.

[beathach]

They mean well. [it gets to him sometimes, but he knows that much] And - it isn't as though they don't have to deal with the same thing. They're just better at it than I am.

[resnipstance]

Yeah, but they don't get to decide what you feel comfortable with!

[beathach]

No, they don't. [he's in complete agreement] I guess - luckily, I'm very stubborn when it comes to certain things. And they - understand. It isn't arguments all the time.

[resnipstance]

[She crosses her arms over her chest, still a little unsure.] Well... good.

At least-- at least you don't have to deal with that here.

[beathach]

[he smiles a little wider and nods]

No, I don't. I get a lot of questions, though - like you do. But I can't really blame people for wanting to know, either.

[resnipstance]

No... I don't either. But-- it's just so different to what I'm used to, that's all. Back home, nobody looks twice if you're blue, green, red, or have five tentacles coming out of your face.

[beathach]

I think I really like your world. [his smile widens] But I know what you mean. But when I get those reactions, I don't know what to do about them. It's one thing running into other mutants, but - it's entirely different when it's someone from a separate world from ours, you know?

[resnipstance]

I think that's understandable.

After all, if you'd told me six months ago I'd be having casual conversations with people from other universes, I wouldn't have believed you. It's still kind of hard to believe when I think too hard about it.

[beathach]

Ah - yeah, I know what you mean. Six months ago, things were nice and quiet and - none of what's been going on the last couple of months.

[resnipstance]

You mean here? Or... back home?

[beathach]

[he opens his mouth, then - pauses, because he has to actually think about how long it's been, if six months is the right estimate. God, but his sense of time was a mess]

Back home, I mean. I've only been here a month.

[resnipstance]

... It seems like everyone here has problems at home. I haven't yet run into anyone who comes from a world at peace.

[beathach]

Yeah . . . that's the impression I've been getting. [it's a little depressing] There's a war going on back home, but - none of us are involved in that. The one thing we were involved in, we managed to handle.

[resnipstance]

... I'm glad to hear it. Though-- if there's one thing I've learned about wars, it's that everyone's involved eventually. Even if they're not participants.

[beathach]

That's true. [his smile is a little weak] I have a friend who's enlisted, so it's still - not something I can ignore.

[resnipstance]

Huh.

[She gets that look on her face like she's thinking about something again-- it's clear by now that Ahsoka's every emotion expresses itself on her face as soon as she has it. She leans against a nearby wall then, arms crossed. Then she reaches one out to him-- not to take, just as a casual gesture.]

Do you mind if I ask you a hypothetical? You might have a unique viewpoint. It's related to something going on in my world. But people from my world aren't very good at being objective about it-- for obvious reasons.

[beathach]

he tilts his head at the expression, much like before - and at her question he nods, straightening a little out of his usual slouch]

Of course you can. I don't know how objective I'll be, but - I'll certainly try.

[resnipstance]

Okay. Here goes.

Your planet [because what are countries in Star Wars?] is involved in a war where you're dramatically outnumbered, but losing said war would ostensibly mean that many planets would be annexed by a corrupt superpower. As such, your only options are to surrender, or find some way of dramatically increasing your ranks overnight-- either via the draft, or via artificially created humans, born in a lab and raised for the sole purpose of the war.

The first option means leaving billions to suffer. But the second and third options remove free will-- either that of the civilians, or that of the clones.

I'm curious. As a civilian from a world with a war going on who is personally affected by having a friend in the army-- which would you pick? There's no wrong answer, by the way. Or rather... maybe I should say, there's no right answer. I just want to hear other people's opinions.

[All the answers are wrong. The Clone Wars never should have happened in the first place. But this is Ahsoka, trying to get an outside perspective.]