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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

keeps_a_cool_head

Then explain it to me.

You fear the Peacekeepers achieving weaponized tech that no other species holds.

What if I were to provide a failsafe that would make the wormhole technology inoperable after the conclusion of the Scarran war?

From:

neverfeltbetter

There's a reason the ancients locked up this knowledge in my head. No one is supposed to be able to use it like you want to. No one is responsible enough to. It's what they told me from day one, you saw that for yourself.

Yes, I fear the Peacekeeper weaponizing it. I fear anyone weaponizing it. I don't like the Scarrans any better than the Peacekeepers, but I will not be responsible for helping you build the Atom Bomb!

I don't care if you really would dismantle it later. I will not willingly be a part of that.

From:

keeps_a_cool_head

And yet the Atom Bomb effectively ended the war.

[Hey John, did you know that Scorpius requested World War II books after Charles drew parallels between Nazis and Scarrans? You do now.]

From:

neverfeltbetter

[Wow, he was not expecting Scorpius to actually get that reference. He's momentarily speechless.]

...

That may be, but I don't envy the scientist who had to look at the pictures later and see exactly what it was they'd created.

From:

keeps_a_cool_head

And yet how many millions of deaths did that one action prevent? Can that scientist weigh those deaths against the ones he caused?

From:

neverfeltbetter

We will never know that.

Scorpius, this is worse. This isn't one town you're talking about. This is an entire race. I am not going to be an accessory to genocide. And it's not about saving lives, not for you it isn't.

From:

keeps_a_cool_head

You're right, John. It is worse. It is not a planet or a country on that planet I'm speaking of. It is thousands of planets. Hundreds of millions of lives.

No. But I could...try to make it so.

From:

neverfeltbetter

[He scoffs.]

You don't have an altruistic bone in your entire body.

From:

keeps_a_cool_head

You're wrong, John. But I will not waste time attempting to convince you, although I will point out that if I am here, obviously the Admiral sees something in me worth redeeming.

I will admit, revenge has always been my primary motivation.

But when I think..

[He trails off, uncertain about really how much he wants to share at this point]

From:

neverfeltbetter

The admiral does. Not me.

[Crichton frowns. Is this some trick? Is he faking it, trying to get Crichton to feel sympathetic?]

When you think what?

From:

keeps_a_cool_head

Understand first that this is to be kept between you and I, John. I do not like the thought of what I am about to say spreading through the Barge.

...You will recall from Aeryn Sun's dismissal from the Peacekeeper corps as well as the situational tale of the offspring of Ka D'Argo that Peacekeepers treat bloodlines very seriously. There is a certain hatred they possess for any threat to the purity of their genetic code. You can imagine that hybrids are not easily accepted into their ranks.

So I have no intrinsic desire to protect them. I have no ties, no family, and am regarded with suspicion by my allies. And rightly so, of course, but not because of my gift for planning: for my genetic heritage.

[mass hesitation here]

...And yet when I am able to...watch Lieutenant Braca interact with his fellow officers, there is a sort of...sereneness that takes over. And I become jealous of how easily he is able to interact and...fit in, as it were. While I realize this means next to nothing to you, I assure you that Braca is an exemplary person in many ways you have not been permitted to consider.

If he is able to find something worth protecting in them, then I will..consider attempting to make protecting them my primary motivation.

From:

neverfeltbetter

[The minute he hears between you and I, he starts getting nervous. Scorpius is trusting him with a secret? Why? Why?! And it just gets more horrifying.

God, why is he actually telling him this?! Doesn't he have anyone else?! Anyone?! He did not ask for a sharing moment, he never wants to read Scorpius' diary and it's getting harder to stay mad at the bastard the longer he goes on like this.]

...

[When Scorpius finishes there is a long, long pause while Crichton tries to wrap his head around what he just heard. It's like he's trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. All he can do is gape stupidly at Scorpius. His enemy...his enemy is coming to him to ask about...friendship?!]

Scorpius...

[He rakes his hands down his face, then looks upward like he can't believe he has to explain this...because he can't.]

That's called friendship you nimrod. That's how that works. Please, just, tell me you're yank'n my chain right now.

From:

keeps_a_cool_head

[A lengthy pause, at the other end. Because yes, sharing this private information on the one hand is another dig at manipulating Crichton, as are most of the things behind what Scorpius does.

Yet on the other hand, everything he's spoken was the truth. And Scorpius is also of the mind that he'd rather not such sentimentality be spread far and wide to all four corners of the Barge. He trusts Crichton to be discreet.]

While I had hoped for a serious moment outside of our grudge to admit this truth, John, I had hoped that it would not be immediately followed by petty insults and disbelief.

From:

neverfeltbetter

[Because spreading around news that Scorpius *gasp* has a friend in his world is just about the most scandalous piece of gossip that ever existed...How will Crichton contain himself?]

If you wanted that kind of discussion you should have gotten a therapist.

[Oh. Dear. God. Is he being serious right now?!]

From:

keeps_a_cool_head

I find our conversations to be much more cathartic and productive than any outside discussion with a professional stranger could ever be.

...'Friends', you said.

From:

neverfeltbetter

[He puts both hands to his face, and Scorpius can likely hear muffled through his fingers:] This is not happening right now. This is not happening. Tell me this is NOT happening.

[He needs a moment.]

From:

keeps_a_cool_head

[It's okay, John. Scorpius is perfectly willing to sit and wait for you to get your act together]

Had I known that such a simple concept would upset you, I would have chosen my words more carefully.

From:

neverfeltbetter

[He's just shaking his head, and laughing sardonically.]

What upsets me, Scorpius, is that you think I'd want to have a warm fuzzy conversation with you about your feelings after you beat one of my friends bloody and left him on my doorstep!

From:

keeps_a_cool_head

No, John. What upsets you more than your friend's situation is that you're coming to realize that the universe is not split evenly between good people and bad people.

Edited Date: 2014-03-03 12:59 pm (UTC)

From:

neverfeltbetter

Don't flatter yourself; I've known that for a long time. People got more shades of grey than the first 5 minutes of the Wizard of Oz. Don't think it took until just now talking to you for me to realize that. You aren't that inspiring.

From:

keeps_a_cool_head

Regardless, John; unless you wish to continue in much the same path as our first two months together have been, I suggest we research an alternate path that would be more satisfying to the both of us.

From:

neverfeltbetter

Fine. For once we agree on something. I'd like this crap to end.

But I just bet I know what you're going to suggest.

From:

keeps_a_cool_head

Of course.

But you have a failsafe, John. If you let me extract what I need, I still need to get off this ship. No inmate has properly escaped the Barge. I can only leave by graduating.

In the meantime, you'll have secured safety for your friends and allies. And I will cease ever bothering you again.

From:

neverfeltbetter

[He rubs tiredly at his temple. The temptation to just throw his hands up and surrender has never been greater. And, that's the point, isn't it? After all this crap he's supposed to break and just give it up.]

You are still not listening. I can't give you what I don't have.