hadriel | 007 [Video]

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007 [Video]

[Like the last few posts that have occurred, this is also clearly in regards to the Null's latest announcement; however, Lance is trying a different tactic, because he's doing his best to avoid getting kicked out of seeing their list. So he's wording this very carefully, and that's purposefully obvious in his tone; it's also probably pretty obvious in how intent his stare is, and in how he's casually fiddling with his FBI badge in view of the screen.

He's really hoping the Null aren't too good with subtle body language, and that the people here aren't as generally bad at it as he's concerned they are.]

In light of recent occurrences, I'd like to remind everyone that I'm a psychologist, and I have an office in the clinic should anyone wish to speak confidentially. Additionally, although I prefer to work with individuals, group meetings are also possible.

[Aka the Clinic is available for anyone who wants to have private conversations about all of this going on, and Lance will be lurking there himself both to participate and keep watch on things.]

[[ooc: Feel free to jump right to action threads, to do multi-person threads, threadjack on the network or in person, etc!]]

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[Lance is sitting up on a desk in the main lobby area, attention mostly on his phone and stalking conversations on various posts, but he glances up and offers a dry agreement to Law's comments.]

I think at this point it's fair to assume that anything major--or, potentially, minor--that occurs here is going to have to do with murder.

Yeah. Or at least misguided attempts at it.

[he'd be willing to believe that for every cold-blooded military type with access to guns there is, there's a scared kid who'd rather get them before they get him]

What I saw of the message didn't even include a promise to send people home or anything. It doesn't inspire any sort of desire to try things their way, from my point of view.

I presume their intention is to have people prove their devotion to the Null's side, before the actual deal regarding killing Hope and being sent home actually goes into effect. However, you're correct; changing the requirements like this certainly doesn't inspire any confidence in them, although as bad as it might be in the short term this may actually work out for the best in the long term.

[It might serve to push people away from siding with the Null after all, and although that would still put people on the list in danger it might mean less success for the Null when it comes to the actual fight.]

Mm. Yeah, it's like I said to someone on the phone. They're unaccustomed to emotions, right? So they lack the nuance to understand how emotional people make decisions based on feelings and instincts rather than logic.

This is my first time hearing directly from them. I didn't expect the decision to be so easy, given that people were talking so much about being uncertain and divided.

[He nods, not totally agreeing on that first part but not disagreeing either.]

Not understanding emotion could be a benefit to us, for exactly the reason that they can't accurately predict what we might do.

[As far as the last comments--]

Their original offer was much less... Incendiary. It was to kill Hope and then be sent home as a reward, and it's much easier for people to justify killing one of the beings that brought them here than it is to murder people they personally know and might like.

Hmm... [folding his arms over his chest] It does sound plausibly simple, but taking a step back, it did occur to everyone that they were asking you to kill the one god who could bring us back from an untimely death? That would sound instantly suspicious on its face to me.

[the benefit of being one of the new guys without all the baggage]

Yes, that was a big concern for a lot of people. It was generally rationalized as that Hope is the only god capable of bringing back the others, so if the Null wanted to kill them all they need Hope gone first. Supposedly.

[Not necessarily, of course, but it'd make things simpler.]

Logically sound, but on the other side of the coin, removing the protection from the other gods also removes our own protection. It takes an idiot to want to risk that...

[he's suddenly reminded of a conversation he had the day after arriving, about being surrounded by idiots. A few months later, apparently nothing's changed]

Someone asked me a question I had no answer for. Why do the Null need one of us to kill the gods when they manage to kill all but two before? What are we, that we should be so useful or special?

Not everyone here is particularly talented at logical thinking.

[It's incredibly dry, because that's about the nicest way he can put it. He wishes he could say that even if people were terrible at logic they were good with emotions, but that's even more laughable most of the time.]

There are several things that don't add up regarding the Null, and that's one of them. If they're so powerful, and so vastly outnumber both us and the gods, then why do they have to do anything other than just find us? Why bother making deals or talking to us at all?

Edited 2017-10-30 18:02 (UTC)

[ah, emotions, always making things ten thousand times more complicated anyway]

Furthermore, why are they so obsessed with this bunch? I heard the proposed theory: that as a robotic species they don't understand one that feeds on emotion. But if that's true, why hold such a deep grudge against one species when there are probably plenty of others who, like humans, are just as emotional? If they really can't feel, I question just how personal they've made it.

[scowling to himself] There must be a lot of information we're missing on this whole conflict. I don't enjoy being so in the dark when I'm being pulled into the middle of a war.

From what I've heard, it's that the gods can make the Null feel emotions; it's that inflicting of emotions upon them that the Null have an issue with, which is why they--as they claim, at least--are willing to coexist with humans and other beings despite that we feel emotions as well.

[But that said--]

Still, it seems kind of unnecessary to chase the last two individuals of their species for however long they have. If the Null had emotions there would be several psychological explanations for it, but it doesn't seem to make much logical sense.

[So Lance definitely feels the same on that there must be things they're missing, and it's frustrating. It makes it difficult to figure out how to handle anything preemptively rather than having to wait and react.]

[oh, that's a twist he hadn't gotten yet. Law takes that with a keenly interested look, rubbing his goatee thoughtfully]

So it is possible for them to take it personally, and throw tantrums like toddlers.

[better than trying to predict cold, dispassionate machine logic]

By the way, I overheard you chatting earlier with the others. Most of you are unaware of my abilities, I think. The clinic is safe so long as I'm inside it.

They seem to take a lot of things personally.

[He says it dryly, sort of as a joke; they keep adding people to list for pretty weak insults, after all, even though Lance is pretty sure the actual reason is expressing opposition of any type. It still looks very petulant.

At the last comment though, he's all serious again.]

What do you mean?

[he tosses a head toward the other room, where he left his sword, in case anyone saw him come in with it. Even when it's quiet he never leaves home without it.]

I'm armed, and I have an ability - something you might consider supernatural. Should someone actually be stupid enough to waltz in here with the intent on harming either staff or patients, don't worry. I've got it.

[Lance is pretty used to the idea of people having supernatural abilities at this point, so that isn't too surprising; he'd rather have a better idea of what kind of ability Law has, but decides not to ask for the moment. It's better not to question him too much, especially when he's offering to help.]

Anything you can to to protect the people here is really welcomed, thank you. We've been discussing the idea of a rotating guard outside the Clinic, but the more staff members that can also protect themselves or others the better.

[A secondary line of defense, basically, and perhaps an unexpected one.]

I know some of you come from law enforcement backgrounds, which can mean some training but maybe not as much as those of us who are fighters. I'm sure not everyone in the city knows that some of the doctors can also kick their asses, it could be useful.

[he's so nonchalant about his power, it wouldn't bother him if anyone asked for a demonstration.]

I can also sense people outside the building. I'll know when anyone approaches.

[Lance decides not to argue on who might have the most training; it's not worth it, and Lance personally is not that much of a fighter unless absolutely necessary anyway. So he just agrees with the next part, nodding.]

Hopefully they know enough can that it discourages them from causing a problem here, but not enough to be prepared if they decided to do so after all.

[Unless there's only one person around in the Clinic or something, it'd be a huge mistake for anyone to decide to try to cause trouble here. Law's ability to sense people is very useful, also.]

That'll be helpful; no one will be surprised, at least.

I'd welcome the idiot who tries it on my watch.

[when Law loses his temper, people lose body parts. Natch.]

Yeah. Although, as much as I'm getting a lot of work done here, I can't be awake twenty-four hours a day. So. It might be worth it to put people on shift rotations. It would make it look like we were just doing it for the same reasons any hospital would, but it would be one way to make sure there's someone with abilities as backup at all hours.

I think that's a good idea. It's easy to explain away as being prepared for more injuries than we normally deal with, although if you're going to base shifts on who has supernatural abilities there's going to be a problem in that there aren't that many on the staff. Those that are may also only have healing abilities.

[And, of course, basing on abilities excludes individuals who might be very capable without them. But in general, he agrees with the idea.]

Hm. Point - I admit even I don't know what everyone else can do. Kate-ya seems powerful enough. At least, a scheduled rotation ensures that there's a good spread of talent on duty at any given time, and the rest get the sleep they might desperately need. [grumble mutter] Especially after the last couple of weeks.

[Lance is not so sure on Kate's power; as far he understands they're very useful, but not necessarily anything she could use offensively and he'd be concerned about leaving her to deal with a threat without backup.]

If there are at least two people present at once, and of them one or both are reasonably confident they could handle a threat, then that should work; I believe we have enough doctors and healers who can handle serious cases to be able to split them up that way. If so, we can manage shifts that aren't too long.

[Because yeah, Lance is not arguing; he'd barely slept the first week of the event, and the second had been only a little better. Some actual rest would be nice, although he doesn't think any of them are going to be quite so lucky.]

[his sleepless nights increased in week two - nobody should have to see his nightmares, including him]

Yeah, that sounds about right. I'll make myself available.

[although once he's taking care of Atem, Law's going to be around 24-7 either way]

I'll see what I can coordinate with Kate and Rosen; they're the ones actually in charge of... All of this.

[Lance just ends up making a lot of decisions somehow, and he's not sure if he's overstepping or if that's just how things turn out for whatever reason. But Lance will also be here a lot himself as well, shift rotation or not; he isn't a medical doctor but he is the only practicing mental health specialist in Hadriel, and he's also one of the staff members who's both armed and has a history dealing with these sort of situations.]

Thank you, for all your help and suggestions.

Yeah, sure.

[he might not be the friendliest, and he always keeps to himself when in the clinic, but pirate guy's got everybody's back. He'll be damned if he's going to let anyone else get away with a murder game on his watch.]

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007 [Video]

[action] yes good

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