1st Judgment ⚖ Action ⚖ Open

[whatisright]

Who: Justice and You
Broadcast: N/A
Action: Evac Station, SS Caprine
When: After the destruction of the planet, and then after everything can be done for the refugees.

Evac Station - Action

[Justice is tireless about getting the refugees settled after the planet is destroyed. Literally tireless--he never stops to eat, drink, or sleep. When there is a pause in the work, he only stops to hover by his two unconscious friends, watching them with naked concern on his face but never speaking nor attempting to wake them up.

He's just putting away more supplies when he pauses, head turning to watch a refugee man sitting on the floor, rifling through a bag. When he speaks, his voice is a touch more stern than usual.] What are you doing?

[The man looks up at him, fingering the bag.] "Just, uh, looking at my stuff."

You're lying. That's not yours.

[The color drains from the man's face even as he tries to smile and instinctively clutches the bag tighter.] "What are you talking about? Of course it's mine."

[This just sours Justice's mood further, and he turns the full weight of his glare on the man.] You stole it from a family while they slept. Your misfortune is no excuse to steal from those suffering just as much as yourself. You will return it with all its original contents immediately.

SS Caprine - Action

[Justice never actually properly explored the ship he was assigned, so enchanted he was by the planet they were on.

So now he's just getting to know what's supposed to be his home now. He unfortunately doesn't have a lot of social awareness, as may be evidenced by the fact that he chooses to look like a walking corpse, and he just wanders into random rooms, bedrooms included, to stand at the center or pick up particularly well-used objects and run his fingers across them.

Congratulations on your new weirdo, Caprine.]

[Edited to add: Justice has psychic and object-reading abilities. For more info and to let me know what's cool for him to pick up, here's a permissions post.]

Comments

[goldenglasses]

[Oh, great. Another possible fight over supplies. Vash hasn't even lost the latest bruise on his face from the last fight for supplies he intervened in. Why can't people just work together in times of need without stealing from each other?

He's tired, sore, and emotionally spent. Even so, he can't ignore what he's hearing. Although it certainly looks like he is with the way he hasn't moved from his position since the argument began. Sitting with his back against a crate and head slumped over as if he was getting a moment of sleep. Which is what he had been doing.

He may not have stirred in the slightest, but he was alert and ready to act. Within a split second he could get himself between the refugee and Justice if he had to. He was also curious: Could this new member he hadn't met yet see the truth to people's lies? Or did he just see the man take the supplies from the family? Too early to tell.

Just as it was too early to decide if he was going to need to step in or not. So Vash sits to wait. Silently pleading with the guy to just take the supplies he had stolen back and let this not go any farther. Although he knows that was rarely the case.

Oh man, he really didn't want to get into a possible argument with a new Fleet member today...

Still, he always liked to bet one people doing the right thing in the end. So for now he stays quiet and hopeful that guy will make the right choice.]

[whatisright]

[Neither of them acknowledge Vash, apparently still assuming he's asleep. The guy is white now, his fingers twisted in the fabric of the bag.] "You don't know that."

Of course I do. [Justice says it like it's obvious, and he's impatient with the man playing dumb.] You were waiting for a chance to take someones' bags, and they were the first opportunity you saw. You hesitated when you saw the children, but you rationalized it as you were unlucky and deserved it. [Justice's nose wrinkles, like he can't stand to even be in the same room as the man.] Of course, ignoring the fact that the family is in just as dire straits now that your planet is gone.

[The man clutches the bag, his voice weak as he tries to speak.] "That is really creepy."

[Justice plows forward anyway, as if he doesn't even hear him.] Return the bag and atone for your theft by helping move supplies. If you refuse to return the bag, I will return it for you.

[goldenglasses]

[Alright. This guy clearly wasn't taking the warning fast enough. At least not for Vash's liking. Time to add a little more pressure to do the right thing.

It's almost as if Vash had the ability to teleport with the way he's suddenly next to the man with the bag with a large smile on his face.

Vash lazily drapes his arm across the man's shoulders in a friendly manner.] Oh! There you are buddy! Sorry, looks like I nodded off while we were moving those supplies together. Hahaha! Sorry about that.

[Vash squeezes his arm tighter around the man's shoulder cutting off his attempt to question his new "friend" he suddenly had.]

Tell you what! You take that bag you found back to the family who lost it like a good Samaritan while I move a few extra crates. Then once you're done with that we can go back to organizing things together. Sound good?

[His voice is full of friendly tones and peps, but he gives his arm a squeeze at the key words the man should pay attention to. There are now TWO witnesses to his crime. He better take the out while he had it.]

[whatisright]

[Justice is... baffled. Because suddenly there's a man there, and he is lying through his teeth. This would normally make him angry, but he's having trouble figuring out why he's lying, because clearly, the thief has no idea who he is either.

But the thief scrambles to his feet, glancing between the new man and Justice nervously.] "Right, right. I found it. And I'm giving it back." [He scurries away, Justice's eyes following him. Justice feels the intent to hand the bag over, so he doesn't feel the need to follow. He'll know if the thief reneges.

Then Justice turns to face the new man, confusion clear on his face.] Why did you lie?

[goldenglasses]

[Vash isn't surprised at getting caught in his lie. It wasn't his best and he was tired.

He shrugs his right shoulder lazily and gives a lopsided smile.]

I suppose because he just needed a little more of a push. We all do stupid things now and then. He'll fix his mistake and life can keep moving on. Besides, I was going to help move supplies anyway and now I can have a helper.

Either way it ended the argument sooner didn't it? [And it avoided a needless fight!]

[whatisright]

[Justice frowns at the man with yellow hair, trying to puzzle through his reasoning. He lied in order to convince the thief to return the stolen goods. He lied to push the thief into atonement, and in order to avoid further conflict and possible violence.]

Lying is wrong. [Justice says this firmly. Lying is wrong, and this man lied. That said, he can grudgingly admit...] But I understand why you did it.

[He's not sure what to do when immoral actions are taken to moral effect. Should a person be judged based on the action or the effect? If they're to be judged on both, which should be weighted more?

These are complicated questions that Justice believes he'll be mulling over for some time.] With luck, he will take this as a lesson to not steal in the future.

[goldenglasses]

Yeah, I know. [But he's just so good at it!]

I take it you're not a big fan of lying. Hey! Just curious, [And part he can't help himself. He's not even sure this guy will fully understand what he's about to ask.]

But have you ever been slapped by a woman who asked: does this outfit make me look fat? And you told her yes?

[timelysteward]

[And that is when a stick, wielded by a clock, comes down on the offending thief's hand as hard as it can, to make the man drop the sack of supplies. When he does turn to face his attacker, the clock's blue eyes are narrowed.]

This gentleman is quite correct. That bag has been marked with the symbol for families - and you sir, were organized into single persons. How dare you steal from someone's children?

[The stick goes up, as if it was a sword.] You will hand over the goods and offer apologies to that family or so help me the walking corpse and I shall make you, sir.

[whatisright]

"Ow!" [The thief recoils from the stick, looking utterly terrified now that he's being confronted by a clock on top of a guy who looks dead.] "Okay, okay, I'm going!"

[He scrambles to his feet, cursing under his breath as he fumbles with the bag.]

With all its original contents, [Justice says pointedly.] Put the rations back.

[The thief curses some more as he empties his pockets of rations and stuffs them in the bag while Justice watches, crossing his arms.] I said all of them.

[The thief's hands are shaking as he pulls one last ration from his breast pocket and stuffs it in the bag.

Justice may be the only person who is completely and utterly unfazed by Cogsworth being a clock. He doesn't visibly react at all when a clock comes to whip the thief because that is actually pretty normal in the Fade, and it doesn't even occur to him that it's not normal in the mortal world for clocks to talk and wave around sticks.]

[timelysteward]

[Cogsworth put his wooden hand to his eyes, and then to the thief, tiny blue eyes narrowed. 'I'm watching you, Sir.' is the equivalent of his salty gaze. He sniffs when he sees that all the rations have been put back, the stick going to his wooden shoulder.]

Now. You have quarters assigned to you. I suggest you go to them and eat your own rations, messere, and stop stealing food from the mouths of babes.

[whatisright]

"Fine, fine." [The thief straps the bag shut again and marches to go give it back. Justice feels his intention to actually give it back, so he glares, watching from afar but not feeling the need to stay behind him. He'll know if the thief changes his mind.

Justice glances down at the clock, his arms still crossed.] You are the one organizing these people?

[timelysteward]

[The clock huffs after the man, nodding his head judiciously. Good. About time people learned to clean up their act around here. Speaking of which ...]

Yes, you could say I rather have a lot of experience, running a madhouse like this ... Messiere, have you seen one of the doctors? You are not looking entirely well. [In fact he rather looked like walking death.]

[whatisright]

I have no need of doctors. I choose to appear this way for the convenience of my mortal companions. [Yep. He chooses to look like death. It makes sense in his head, promise.] I assure you that I am healthy. Even if I weren't, I doubt mortal physicians would be equipped to tend to me without magic.

[Unless having a physical form means that physical means of tending to him would work, but he hasn't experimented yet and he hopes to avoid experimenting for as long as possible.]

Evac Station - Action

[wolfehawke]

[Hovering is not really something Adalwolfe does normally, but when it's Anders that's passed out then there's little else he feels he can do. The evacuation went as well as could be expected and he's needed nowhere else - not that he'd choose to be anywhere else - so he spends all of his time at Anders' side making sure his pillow is fluffed and whatever other little things can be done. Even slips him a bit of mana here or there. He knows the healer would protest if he were awake, but seeing as he's not and the mana is Adalwolfe's to give freely, he take the opportunity while he can. Riona also benefits from his worried ministrations, Wolfe looking over his friend almost as often as his love.

This is the third time Justice has come to lurk eerily over both Riona and Anders in the past hour though and it's getting rather tiresome. He doesn't say anything, just stands there with his hollow face and uncomfortable presence. Justice just being around puts Wolfe on edge but his looming is grating enough Wolfe is ready to say something.]

I've got them covered, you know. You don't have to keep coming back to scowl.

[whatisright]

[Justice doesn't normally hover either. Honestly, he does not understand what his feelings are doing at the moment. In the Fade, if an ally falls, it is regrettable but simple to move on from. There are no attachments beyond superficial ones of mutual utility, and thus those attachments don't hurt when they're threatened.

This isn't mutual utility. In this world of spaceships and aliens and planets, Riona and Anders are the only people that Justice can possibly call friends. They are the only ones who understand him, who patiently show him how the mortal world works and give him the benefit of the doubt when few others do. They are good people, and he cares about them, and having them both unconscious makes him want to crawl out of his physical form and settle in their dreams where he can actually do something, like protect them from demons instead of just sitting and watching.

He doesn't like these feelings. He doesn't like feeling helpless and worried and sad, and he doesn't know what to do with it, so he works hard at helping refugees and watches over his companions for any sign of stirring. Unfortunately, to an outsider, he just looks like he's glaring at their sleeping forms. It's his default expression, and his unhappiness makes it more intense.

He's so consumed by these awful uncomfortable feelings that he doesn't quite notice how on edge he's putting Anders' boyfriend. He just chalks up the general negativity coming from that direction to the man being worried as well.]

I know. I come back because I wish to, not because I can offer material assistance. [And that's the worst part. There's nothing he can do besides hover.]

[wolfehawke]

[That response elicits a grunt as Adalwolfe slips Anders a bit more mana, twining his blue glowing fingers with his boyfriend's for a moment to feel the transfer but also the warmth of contact.]

He pushed himself too hard. He always does that. Well, at least as long as I've known him.

[It's not meant to sound accusatory, even if it does a little. It's not lost on Hawke that Justice has known Anders far longer and perhaps even far more intimately than he has, though thankfully that last isn't for this version of Justice ever to know if he has anything to say about it. But he remembers also Anders when they'd both first arrived in the fleet, Anders who was so much younger and cared so much less. Or, no, didn't care less, but just cared for himself more and wouldn't put himself in danger for the smallest cry of help. Wolfe doesn't know if that's Justice's influence too or Riona's, but it's part of Anders now. Inextricable.]

Either way, he'll be fine. Just have to let him rest and get his mana balance right.

[whatisright]

He didn't used to.

[Which... Justice still finds very, very strange. Anders' personality has changed dramatically. More than that his very presence has altered, and Justice has yet to see that happen to any of the mortals he's encountered. He'd thought that the presence was consistent, a reliable way to identify mortals from each other, but there's something strange with Anders' and Justice isn't sure if it's not wrong.

But those are concerns for another day. Anders' boyfriend doesn't need to hear about how Anders' presence has changed in the past decade. He probably wouldn't know why it happened any better than Justice does.

He thinks he might hear a note of accusation in the man's voice, but he dismisses it as his imagination. How could Justice be blamed in any way for Anders' habitual need to push himself too hard?]

I understand that mortals need rest and mana to recover. He has only strained himself, and no damage should be permanent. [Justice knows this, but he's going to still hover with the best of them. That's not going to stop short of someone locking him in another room.]

[wolfehawke]

[No. He didn't. Wolfe knew that but somehow to have it confirmed is a small blow. He chews the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from saying something snide and lets silence fall, moving little save to rub his thumb in small circles against Anders' palm. He has no idea if the healer can feel it in his sleep, but he sort of hopes he can. A reassuring presence in the stark emptiness of rest in the Fleet. Neither of them dream in the Fade here, which is most times a blessing but sometimes a little unnerving.

The quiet stretches for some time and Justice doesn't leave. Adalwolfe certainly has no intention of leaving either and so that has them at an impasse.]

Don't you have other things you could be doing? Fighting injustices somewhere?

[whatisright]

[Justice has been so upset about Anders and Riona that he almost forgot about the white-haired man's strange behavior in the field. Almost. Once again, he gets an inkling that Anders' boyfriend might not like him. At the very least, he's starting to get the sense that the man wants him to leave.

Justice does not want to leave and he doesn't see why he should. He sees no reason why they can't both be here.]

No. I have rooted out those who would take advantage of the chaos and I have assisted in moving supplies and settling refugees. There are no further injustices I can intervene in currently.

[He keeps his voice polite, or his version of polite anyway. There is always suffering, especially in a group of new refugees, but he's done what he can to alleviate it and he is keeping an ear out for other opportunities to help.

Plus, he just wants to be close to Anders and Riona. He's not leaving unless there's something he's needed for, and there are enough people helping right now..]

evac station

[samahl]

[Cyril had arrived at the fleet right after the planet's destruction and had wanted to come to help the refugees once Lumiere explained what had happened to them. He's still getting his baring here but he focuses more on helping others now. When he hears the commotion and can't help but wander over. He thinks that Justice probably has a good handle on things, but sometimes having another witness helps prompt people to do the right thing.]

What's going on? [He asks it curiously, but he pretty much already knows based on what he overheard. He's wants to let the situation defuse so the refugee has a chance to make the right choice and return the bag. If he doesn't, or tries to keep lying, they can insist on it.]

[whatisright]

[The thief looks a Cyril, pale with hands shaking, and says,] "This man is throwing around baseless accusations!"

[If it's possible for Justice's mood to sour even more, it does.] Stop lying. Is it not enough that you are a thief? Are extra food and clothes truly worth your integrity?

[samahl]

[He glances at Justice but doesn't fully take his attention off of the refugee.]

What makes you certain that he's a thief?

[whatisright]

[Justice scowls. It's always hard to try explaining his powers to mortals, since words aren't always adequate.] He knows he's a thief, his victims know he's a thief, and the bag knows he's a thief. Therefore, I know.

[The thief gestures to Justice with wide, somewhat relieved eyes.] "You see? He's crazy! Get him away from me!"

[samahl]

What do you mean 'the bag knows?' Is there something in there that would prove it's not his?

[He's still not fully letting the guy out of his sight, even as he asks Justice more questions.]

[whatisright]

Besides the fact that it has more rations than were assigned to singular refugees? [The thief clutches the bag closer to his chest.] Nothing that you would be able to see. Mortals leave traces on objects they handle, and I feel them. He felt remorse when he stole it from the family. It was not enough to make him do the right thing, but it was enough to mark the bag as stolen.

[The thief stares at Justice, looking frightened and a little nauseous.] "He's crazy."