hadriel | 001 [Video]

[For those who frequent the tops of the various climbable buildings in Hadriel, they might recognize that this broadcast is from the roof of one of them due to the angle; otherwise it's just a rapidly darkening cloudy sky for a backdrop, sun setting and rain clearly threatening to roll in at any time.

It's pretty, and that may or may not be the reason why Connor is out on a roof in the first place, but it's definitely not the point of this impromptu broadcast. He's just been wondering some things, and it's in his nature to actively search out answers rather than waiting for them to come to him, so he's decided to just go for it.]

Hello everyone; my name is Connor, and I just arrived a few days ago.

[Always good to start with introductions, and also to avoid saying exactly how many days or hours it's been since a given time when pretending to be human. He's getting a little better at this.]

I've been catching up on the situation at hand, and although the context is somewhat different, there are parallels to current events in my world that are difficult to ignore. Before I arrived, we were dealing with what might be the beginning of a civil war between humans and machines.

[He's trying to tread carefully, projecting enough genuine interest without sounding over-invested. He's just asking, after all, nothing more; there's definitely no personal reason why he wants to know.]

So I'm curious; I'm aware that what the Null have done is enough reason to be against them, but does what they are play any role in your feelings toward them?

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[Alright give him a moment as he decides how to phrase this.]

And this is just... Accepted.

[He's more than slightly incredulous about this entire situation.]

[hey, he gets it. When you don't see the path of how people arrived at their present conclusion, the roll-over-and-take-it method may not seem the best advice.]

Some of the people here have been here over two years. Any attempts at resisting have long since been proven not to work.

The alternative - getting rid of them - would just end up with all of us stuck here and likely dead, so it's a necessary burden to bear for the time being.

[Logically, that makes sense. He knows it makes sense, and it's not like the general situation is new to him since he's read the newcomer's guide and all that, but still for some reason this answer just...

Anger is not an emotion Connor is practiced at; he's good at recognizing it in others, sure, that's easy, but it's not something he's really felt often. Certainly not intensely enough to actually call 'anger', anyway, rather than irritation or annoyance.

But he's pretty sure it's what he feels now, not at Law but at the situation, and about finding himself in it so immediately after everything that happened at home. Great. He's right back to where he was, back to being used to serve a purpose and having to just put up with it.]

And yet we're supposed to be on their side in their fight?

[It's out before he can censor himself, the emotion in his tone not directed at Law specifically, but he doesn't have a lot of practice in controlling strong emotion just yet.

But stress isn't good for deviant androids which, as he has to remind himself despite often still mentally balking at the idea, he is one of. So he tries to figure out how to calm down again, closing out various tasks and thoughts that are vying for attention in order to focus just on the facts at hand. It... Sort of helps, sort of doesn't, but he can at least manage--]

I'm sorry. I know this isn't your doing.

[Don't shoot the messenger, etc.]

[on the contrary, the genuine struggle elicits a faint, knowing smirk from Law. Like, dude, he knows.]

I don't judge those who decide that these beings are nothing but jailers or tormentors or what. Personal experience will dictate how anyone is going to take it or deal with their time here.

Personally, I've decided that if they're going to use me, I'm going to do the same to them.

[That response is... Oddly encouraging, not as much for what Law said as for how he reacted; Connor is still getting used to the idea of it being alright to show emotion or have strong opinions on something, rather than something that draws immediate disapproval or suspicion.

It also helps quickly calm him more, tilting his head slightly and furrowing his eyebrows at Law's last comment.]

How are you using them?

...do you expect me to say so aloud and on a public network that we know the gods have access to? [he could stand to tone the smug down a little, but there's no deception or insincerity in his gaze] Some secrets, you understand, must remain secret for the time being.

You did just state aloud on a public network that you were doing it.

[So he'd presumed if secrecy was a concern he wouldn't have, but maybe Law just enjoys doing a little taunting.]

Maybe I did. [no shame. Definitely taunting someone out there...]

[Alright, so taunting it is, which at least explains that. But Connor is otherwise kind of unsure of what to do with that at this point, so he just files it away for now.

He doesn't offer anything in response either, not sure if maybe Law was going somewhere with this, and so decides to try the old tactic of letting silence hang and see what happens.]

[nope, it's not that complicated. Awkward silence ensues]

Have fun with your survey, then. [click!]

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