Log 0007

[keeps_a_cool_head]

[In Zero, Scorpius does what he does best: he plans. Giving him space and time to think through what he wants and how to get it is one of the unintended gifts of his cell space, and he appreciates every moment of it.

After several days, he addresses the Barge]

A question to my fellow shipmates;

When an inmate commits a grievous crime, who is to blame for it? Obviously the inmate must share some, but what percentage is attributed to them and what percentage is attributed to their warden, who may be unfit to command them? A warden may fail just as easily by not admitting to something that could be most assuredly out of their control.

And what of inmates who aren't paired and no one has taken the time to explain to them the rules?

My apologies to Alex Summers. While it was certainly my intent to hurt him, he had done nothing to harm me and was simply in the correct place at the correct time.



[Private to Crichton]

Of course, John, we all know that you are the one fully to blame.

More like Alex will follow. You cannot hope to save them all.

In a few days' time they will be forced to release me. What has changed between the time of my entering this cell and the time of my leaving it? As a deterrent towards behavior, Zero leaves much to be desired.

I am willing to entertain ideas of a deal between us.

Comments

[gard]

Entertainment value is high, if that's more your concern. What will he say next.

[keeps_a_cool_head]

I'm not concerned with entertainment. Only John matters.

[gard]

Well, you're going about what you're doing the wrong way.

Even torture can be forgiven.

[keeps_a_cool_head]

Have you asked John yet? I'm sure he would say differently.

[gard]

It's not up to him to encourage you to make amends. You were the one who hurt him. It's up to you.

[keeps_a_cool_head]

This is a pointless exercise. I have hurt him too many times in too many ways.

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

It is the equivalent of killing a man's mother in law in order to strike against him in a quarrel.

You may indeed have harmed him, but it is a petty, artless deed. If I were you, I should be quite embarrassed about it.

[gard]

That makes forgiveness more important. Not less.

[keeps_a_cool_head]

Thankfully, you are not me, or the crushing burden of responsibility would snap your neck in half.

But if you wish me to be more direct with my complaints against John Crichton, then I will honor your request.

[keeps_a_cool_head]

I know John. He will not forgive.

[gard]

And if you knew torture wouldn't work, as a way to get what you want? What then? Would you use all that strength of will, all that determination, to do something really good, and do it the right way?

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

And shall I be apportioned my just measure of blame for your deeds?

[keeps_a_cool_head]

Most likely.

But it would need to work.

[keeps_a_cool_head]

If you'd like. I certainly won't stop you if you feel the need.

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

May I ask what exactly is your quarrel with the man?

[gard]

Most people snap under torture, Scorpius. You know that, I know that. Training only goes so far - when you have someone in pain, helpless, they will tell you anything you want to know.

He didn't.

What makes you think this is going to work? Slow-motion torture, when you don't even have the power in this situation?

[keeps_a_cool_head]

It began with my capturing him as a spy within my base and torturing him for information.

[keeps_a_cool_head]

John is strong. Stronger than any creature I have yet to meet. There is something wholly...unworldly about the way he resists.

But I won't torture him. There are easier ways of extracting what he knows, if he would only cooperate.

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

[Well. Horatio can't judge. That is what you get for being caught spying, after all...]

You were military opponents, then?

[keeps_a_cool_head]

I believed so at the time, yes. But John Crichton, as I soon learned, is his own autonomous entity with no allegiances except the ones he decides for himself.

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

So he is... a mercenary, of a kind? And did not take kindly to being tortured, I presume.

[keeps_a_cool_head]

He is an astronaut. A space explorer, shot through a wormhole into territory that had never seen nor heard of the human species before his arrival.

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

A space explorer?

[Just... ignore the fact that Horatio suddenly sounds super interested in your enemies career path.]

So... he had no agenda against you, Sir? He was a man in unfamiliar territory who followed his own impetus.

[keeps_a_cool_head]

He did not. Our meeting was completely accidental. He was there to....actually, I must confess that I have no idea why he was sneaking through my base.

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

So most likely, he was not actually attempting to spy on you?

[Oh, the awkwardness of accidentally torturing a guy. Bad times.]