[Open] [Broadcast

[tallasaking]

Who: Tyrion Lannister
Broadcast: The whole Fleet
Action: Accidental video
When: Today

[If anyone ever had a doubt that Tyrion Lannister likes to keep himself occupied, today would be the day that he put all doubts to rest. His fingers flick against the side of his camera as he is reaching for a book. Which is good, because he's got three open now. He frowns at one paragraph, then pushes off with his chair - with wheels, fascinating things these.

Then he was picking up a screwdriver, turning to a tank that looked a great deal like the displays at the Green Museum, twisting a brace into place, eying it, then rolling back across the floor to check on the panels for the engine. He picked up a clipboard, put down the screwdriver and exchanged it for pencil while he marked off a few things on a list, then pushed himself off to roll back to his desk, where he flipped a page on his second book, muttering quietly to himself.]

'This means that the center of mass of the arrow–where gravity acts–is further forward than the center of pressure–where aerodynamic forces act. This results in the aerodynamic forces helping to stabilize the flight of the arrow.'

[He tapped the page, then pushed off again to his work-table, where a variety of weapons were lying on the surface, and plucked up the bow.] Yes, all right, that means I just need to change the density of the string and curve the bow a little more for the right amount of pressure per inch... good, good.

[He hummed as he put the bow back down, and reached underneath for his toolbox, singing softly to himself as he went through the varying strings he had gathered for said bow.]

I'm malicious, mean and scary
My sneer could curdle dairy
And violence-wise, my hands are not the cleanest
But despite my evil look
And my temper and my hook
I've always yearned to be a concert pianist
Can't you see me on the stage performin' Mozart
Ticklin' the ivories 'til they gleam?
Yep, I'd rather be called deadly
For my killer show tune medley
Thank you, 'cause way down deep inside I've got a dream

[Clearly, Tyrion is something of a workaholic, when he gets himself going.]

Comments

[tallasaking]

Knowing when to stop yelling and start thinking, of course.

[passingthrough]

Those all sound like the easy parts to me.

Hard part would be going on when some of your people still get killed despite your best efforts. [At least that's what was so hard for her as a leader.]

[tallasaking]

That is a burden of leadership, alas, and not a perk.

[passingthrough]

Mmm, tell me about it. Probably why the wrong people are usually the ones trying to take the job. They're the ones who don't care.

[tallasaking]

Too true, in all the right ways. [He sighed, heavily, before looking at her.] So we will be better leaders, yes?

[passingthrough]

I don't know how good I'd be when every one of the students I led died.

[tallasaking]

Did they die fighting for what they believe in?

[passingthrough]

I...hope so? [She looks at him thoughtfully.] Our mission had always been about peaceful coexistence between mutants and humans. In practice, it was more about just trying to take Apocalypse down and saving as many people as we could along the way.

Their last mission was [She pauses, unsure how to put it into words.] a little different. [Yes, everything is clarified now.] It was desperate.

[tallasaking]

[He leans back to look at her, considering her words.] If they managed to save people, if they fulfilled that purpose ... I do not think they would think their deaths were poor ones. And I believe they knew you were doing the best that you could, considering the circumstances.

[passingthrough]

Kurt said we won that battle and that we thought we'd won the war for awhile. Things got better. They didn't stay that way, but I don't know, people had some peace for awhile.

[tallasaking]

Peace is always temporary, Kitty. Winter is always coming.

[passingthrough]

Robb mentioned winter coming. Is it a metaphor? I thought it was actual snow and stuff.

[tallasaking]

It is the North's saying -- it's a saying, really. It means that the North is always warning us about the dangers of the White Walkers. To tell us that winter is coming, it is to always be prepared for darkness around the corner.

[passingthrough]

White Walker?

[tallasaking]

That is a dangerous creature, where I come from, They live north of the wall.

[passingthrough]

What kind of creature?

[tallasaking]

... I am not even sure how to describe a White Walker. It is a creature made of ice, that feeds on the living. It can also turn its victims into one of its own.

[passingthrough]

Like an ice vampire or more like an ice zombie? [These are definitely references that will help Tyrion, right?] Are they intelligent? Sentient?

[tallasaking]

... A what and a what? [Yes, that really helped.] They have an intelligence, but it seems to be more of a ... a hive mind than anything else.

[passingthrough]

Vampires are usually humans who were turned into vampires by a bite from a vampire. Who turned the first one I have no idea. They drink blood to survive. They seem pretty human with some special powers and weaknesses. Zombies are reanimated rotting people who mindlessly go around trying to eat brains. But there are lots of variations on both and in some worlds they are just fiction and in others they are real. I know a vampire here.

[tallasaking]

I see ... yes, a White Walker would be close to those creatures. As chilling a thought as that is. [He actually shivers at that.]

[passingthrough]

The vampire I know is a sweet guy. I've known less sweet ones, but they vary, just like anyone.

[tallasaking]

Seems about right for .... just about anyone, really.

[passingthrough]

Mmhmm, which is why I'd normally wonder at this point if the White Walkers aren't just different sorts of people who could maybe be reasoned with. But I'm also not there.

[tallasaking]

... They do not accept mercy. They only accept death.