Edge of Eblan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
onehandsomeslickninja) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
voidtreckerexpress2020-04-25 03:58 pm
onehandsomeslickninja) wrote in voidtreckerexpress2020-04-25 03:58 pm
Highly-Visible Ninja
Who: Edge and OPEN
What: A much-disliked ninja tries to choose his time and place for confrontation.
Where: The greenhouse car.
When: Egret 28.
Considering things had reached the point where open calls to murder him were expressed on the message system -- and though Edge was sure they'd be written off as jokes, he was also sure that the ones making those jokes would not show the slightest moral qualm were they to happen -- Edge believed that an actual attack was only a matter of time. Any number of people on the train believed themselves superior, didn't they? And he felt certain the Council would, if not look the other way, debate such a situation without any meaningful resolution occurring. In other words, someone who wanted to hurt him had no reason not to try.
That being the case, this called for a little strategy.
So the mid-morning found Edge in the greenhouse car, sitting atop one of those large crates full of seeds, legs folded and hands resting on his knees. His eyes were shut, and overall he gave the impression of being deep in meditation. Of course, someone who could (and did) expect an attack would be an idiot to meditate in the open with his guard down, wouldn't he? But enough people thought he was an idiot that he fully expected it would meet their threshold of belief.
In reality, he was focused entirely on the environment around him, as he perceived it through his hearing. The end of his ninja scarf, pooled on the crate beside him, in fact hid his folded-up shuriken, right where he could snatch it up easily. So he was ready.
Now to see if anyone would take advantage. He hoped, at least, that he was being excessively paranoid...
What: A much-disliked ninja tries to choose his time and place for confrontation.
Where: The greenhouse car.
When: Egret 28.
Considering things had reached the point where open calls to murder him were expressed on the message system -- and though Edge was sure they'd be written off as jokes, he was also sure that the ones making those jokes would not show the slightest moral qualm were they to happen -- Edge believed that an actual attack was only a matter of time. Any number of people on the train believed themselves superior, didn't they? And he felt certain the Council would, if not look the other way, debate such a situation without any meaningful resolution occurring. In other words, someone who wanted to hurt him had no reason not to try.
That being the case, this called for a little strategy.
So the mid-morning found Edge in the greenhouse car, sitting atop one of those large crates full of seeds, legs folded and hands resting on his knees. His eyes were shut, and overall he gave the impression of being deep in meditation. Of course, someone who could (and did) expect an attack would be an idiot to meditate in the open with his guard down, wouldn't he? But enough people thought he was an idiot that he fully expected it would meet their threshold of belief.
In reality, he was focused entirely on the environment around him, as he perceived it through his hearing. The end of his ninja scarf, pooled on the crate beside him, in fact hid his folded-up shuriken, right where he could snatch it up easily. So he was ready.
Now to see if anyone would take advantage. He hoped, at least, that he was being excessively paranoid...
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Beneath his scarf, one corner of his mouth curled without any mirth. "Even if that means to some I'm absolutely corrupt."
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"And I do understand the powerful effect of early training, and more importantly, of family influence. Those we love and esteem teach us our identity. We never lose that. Not even if later on, we acquire new information that influences our actions."
He couldn't see the mirthless smile under the scarf, but he could hear it in the tone of Edge's voice.
"What do you think they meant by the word corrupt?"
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"I haven't read much of the history of that particular Earth, though I do remember something about a French monarch and a Russian Czar. I believe the complete thought was Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I understand that point of view, since in my world, it was proven that not everyone who had power could wield it without becoming tyrannical. Power did not corrupt everyone who had authority, and we never had an instance of a revolution to overthrow a monarch. But tell me, what do you think should happen here on the train? If we have any form of government at all, what should it be, and how should it be instituted?"
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Lessons of the Kingdom of Baron in play.
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Lessons of Elvish history, of the Flight of the Noldor.
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He really was interested to know how Edge's people decided who was the most suited person, and how that might play out on the train -- or if Edge even thought that it could.
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"What powers would this leader have, though? Would this person would be an absolute ruler? If I might list this person's powers, the first would be the power to make all of the community's laws?"
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