More weapons-ban talk (Slowtime of last night's discussion)

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

(locked to notsouledyet, valentine_tart, and emo_padawan)

Continued from here:

"Hypothetically I wouldn't do jack since I don't care about the ban one way or another," Angelus said. "But if somebody was asking my advice the first thing I'd ask in return is what they think the weapons ban is really about."

Comments

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

Anakin crinkled his forehead in thought. "I'd say that the ban was a result of beings who have no business carrying weapons using them inappropriately. Combined with a healthy dose of paranoia that had certain groups thinking more about using those weapons on each other rather than on squid monsters and zombies."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka considers. "That, and more. I think it has to do with unarmed students being terrified of the overall level of violent potential in the school. Nothing can be done about those whose abilities are inherent in some fashion, but weapons-bearers can be disarmed. It's a way to try to manage some of the tension."

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

"So why should they change the status quo?"

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"The Administration?" She frowns, and then: "Because it's not working? It's kept weapons out of the hands of those who have no experience with them. It's made the point to us quick-tempered gunbunnies that people are afraid of us.

"But it's ratcheted up the tension enormously. Take a bunch of people who have spent their entire lives carrying weapons for their own protection... now take those weapons away. Even if there's no threat of zombies or tentacle monsters, that's going to make them angry and afraid. Fear and anger are more dangerous than the weapons themselves."

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

"How would you go around proving that the emotions of fear and anger are more dangerous than the actual fact of an armed teenager who has used her weapon to threaten other students? Or left their weapon out where another student could find it?" Anakin stretched out his legs. "How would you argue that something has fundamentally changed at the school since the ban took effect? Can you point to anything that would show that the 'gunbunnies' have learned to be more cautious in their weapons use? Not just you, specifically, but everyone?"

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Abruptly Beka smiles. "I like you. You make me think. Most people don't." Then she nods. "Good questions."

She taps a finger to her pursed lips. "I think there are a number of separate issues there. So let's break them down. First, there's the question of proof. That's a problem. In the absence of exactly the kind of incidents we're trying to avoid, we're left with intangibles like emotional danger, vanishing productivity, mistrust. Bad things for the school, but nonfatal. The Admin may be willing to live with a hostile environment if no one's dying. Agreed?"

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

Anakin lips' quirked up. "My old teacher would be so glad to know that I've actually been paying attention when he was going on and on and on and on about negiations tactics."

He looked around the room and watched a gremlin run from one corner to another. "The administration doesn't seem particulary concerned about a hostile environment, no."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

Angelus sat back, listening to the conversation as it flowed. Finally he commented, as though more to any invisible people who might be eavesdropping than as an interruption of Anakin and Beka, "Or the problem isn't actually about weapons at all."

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

Anakin quirked up an eyebrow. "How do you see it, then?"

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"You can't solve this one through M.A.D.," Angelus said. "Mutually assured destruction is part of what started the damn thing. Present a solution of solving the weapons problem by adding more weapons - and I don't care how you phrase it but training, bodyguards, hoops to jump through, whatever all translate to more weapons - and I'll have a good time watching all of you try to push that rock up that never ending hill. It's not the weapons that are the damn problem. Take a step back. Think about it." To Anakin specifically he added, "You were close."

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

Anakin tried not to show how pleased he was that Angelus thought he was on to something. He crinkled his forehead. "It's not the weapons. The distrust, then? I'm just not thinking clearly any more."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"The whole damn thing gives me a headache," Angelus gave him a friendly pat on the back. "I can't blame you. And yeah, the problem is the fear and distrust. All the solutions so far only escalate things. You have a gun, so I want a bigger gun. You have a bigger gun, so now I want an uzi. You have an uzi so now I want a flaming sword with the power to pull lightening and unicorns out of my ass. The only thing focusing on the weapons does is heighten the molehill that made that mountain in the first place. If you want your weapons back, you need to squash the moles."

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

Anakin blinked for a moment at the sudden image of unicorns being pulled out of someone's ass. Yeah, he really needed to stop thinking about this. "Okay. Other than powerful narcotics in the water supply, which I'm not assuming aren't already there, how do we convince a group of people who've seen shootings, zombies, gremlins, and beings they've never even imagined going to classes with them that there's nothing to be afraid of?"

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Didn't say it would be easy," Angelus pointed out. "But it can be done. You can sell ice boxes to Eskimos if you do it well enough. Regardless, I can promise you that unless somebody finds a way to calm everybody the hell down ain't nobody getting back so much as a butter knife."

The next day, elsewhere, but still locked and still on this topic

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

The next afternoon, Beka finds Angelus in reference to their conversation of the previous day. "As I understand your issues, the things I've been doing today ought to be about perfect for beginning to reduce the level of distrust:"

She ticks off a list on her fingers:

"One, I made friends with the little angel boy, and promised to watch his back against anyone, with or without my weapons. I encouraged him to tell his friends, which he's quite happily doing, having held my hand and decided I'm the gods' gift to heroing.

"Two, I formed an alliance with Kitty Pryde to do some more heroing. A mutant, a gunbunny, and at least one magic user, on call 24 x 7, to help and ensure the safety of anyone in need regardless.

"Three, spoke to Rogue, at length, and made clear my position that anyone who doesn't eat humans, lay eggs in them, herd women for breeding beasts, or abuse innocents who can't defend themselves is good in my book. Which leaves you out but you have other uses. She's agreed to make sure that those with inherent lethality know that I'd be first in line to take down anyone who tried to harm them just because of what they are.

"Four, comforted poor traumatized Cally (who was the one who witnessed our engagement in the common room) and earned her undying affection and her assistance in promoting 'Beka Valentine, goddess of goodness, light and sanity.'

"Five, was seen entering and leaving the room of my ex with no blood, tears, or bodily fluids on either party.

"Six, handled everything that Sheppard threw at me with aplomb, grace, and sweetness.

"Seven, spent considerable time yesterday with Anakin and formed rather a nice bond...not sexual...while working through some of the issues here.

"Eight, made sure to tell Parker rather loudly that I'd been seeing a counsellor to work out my issues. And Inara was probably seen entering and exiting the Maru.

"Nine, began preparation to work with the Colorado gang and Sun and Parker on toning down the weapon-waving thing and getting to know some of the people outside our little circle.

"Ten, talked to Rory Gilmore, unarmed absolute normal, in Journalism about man problems and offered to do the same for half a dozen other women. You have no idea how this pains me.

Last, what I'm doing right now. Talking to you. Again. For reasons that I'm sure I don't have to ennumerate, except to say that next time, we'll be naked and alone."

Re: The next day, elsewhere, but still locked and still on this topic

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

[ooc: I was actually going to have him set up a meeting in a dorm common room for the next day anyway. How's about I start a new post just for that and you can put this in there?]

Re: The next day, elsewhere, but still locked and still on this topic

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

[OOC: If locked. Beka's playing Parker and Angelus off against each other for her own ends. While she's more than willing to work - and play, OMG is she willing to play -- with Angelus, they both benefit from it not being well known. Though frankly, at the moment, she feels a lot more like JA than Parker's girls. She's a do-gooder, but not a goody-goody. Parker's smart and devious, but she's too good to survive in Beka's world.]

Re: The next day, elsewhere, but still locked and still on this topic

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

[ooc: Fair 'nough. In truth even after I posted that I realized it'd be a bad idea to start now b/c I'm busy with work stuff and have Serenity tonight, so not much time to co-ordinate what might prove to be a massive thread. So we can still with the two of them for now if you don't mind slow posting.]

Re: The next day, elsewhere, but still locked and still on this topic

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

[Shiny! I don't get to see it til Saturday I think, since we didn't get in. Stay here, then? Works for me. BTW, I confess... I'm loving Beka/Angelus. Fun for you?]

Re: The next day, elsewhere, but still locked and still on this topic

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

Angelus sat and listened to the list. His mouth twitched on the idea of "heroing." He also murmured "Pretty sure he's gay." when Beka got up to the part about how the bond with Anakin wasn't a sexual one.

Once she finished, he asked, "What's your goal? Ultimately. School election? Getting the weapons back? Making people think you're good? Making people think you're bad? Finding a cure for cancer that pays well enough to keep you in tight leather skirts? Other? Help me out here."

Re: The next day, elsewhere, but still locked and still on this topic

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

She considered what he'd asked. It was a good question, a hard one for someone who didn't have 'causes'.

"The only thing I've ever wanted was to stay alive until tomorrow. My world doesn't leave the luxury of wanting more than that." She crosses her arms over her chest. "Here? I hate the constant scrutiny, the rules, being told what to do, when to do it, who I can do it with.

"I hate the stupidity, even when I'm angrily contributing to it. So I suppose I want to learn to control my temper. I'm smart enough to know that's a liability." She raises a hand to stop any protests. "I know, learning to control my temper isn't the kind of goal you're talking about. But it's something I'll have to do if I'm to be effective at getting the things I do want.

"Naive as it sounds, I'd also like to see people getting along. I'd prefer not to have to threaten to beat the living hell out of people to keep them from plotting against mages or mutants or whatever. I guess I'm a lot like Anaking that way. I like my weapons, want to keep them, don't mind using them--" She smirks. "--at all. But in most situations, I'd prefer not to have to."




[OOC: re your other question, which I forgot to answer: Beka's human. She has nanites that change her hair color when she wants to, and she's perhaps genetically advanced, since her DNA got stolen and taken back in time to make the race of ubermenschen that conquered her world. But she's not magic or genetically modified that we know of. No explanation is given as to why her DNA.]

Re: The next day, elsewhere, but still locked and still on this topic

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Could be the kind of goal we're talking about," Angelus stretched his legs out in front of him, crossing them at the ankle. "You're talking to a guy who truly understands the meaning of the big picture. Immortality does that to you. Or it does if you're not stupid.

"Now if all you want is knowing you're going to live and fight another day and get past those pesky unwanted emotions all in one go - " Angelus shrugged, holding up his right wrist so that his shirtsleeve fell back and exposed the veins that stood out on his pale skin. "Could fix that one for you in a sunset. But somethting tells me that's not exactly the solution you're going for."

Re: The next day, elsewhere, but still locked and still on this topic

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Let me think about that for awhile." She pauses, meeting his gaze without fear or challenge. "OK, I'm done. No. But I'll get back to you if I ever change my mind. You being the first to offer and all." Straddles the chair she'd vacated earlier, she sits and leans against the back with a suggestive wink. Then, more seriously, she continues:

"Whatever else might be said of you, you are, undoubtedly, effective. If any of the things we want coincide, I’m thinking working with you, instead of against you, increasing my chances of achieving my ends dramatically. That’s the kind of girl I am. Pragmatic.”

Re: The next day, elsewhere, but still locked and still on this topic

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"You've been seing other vampires behind my back? I'm hurt," Angelus replied, with a tone of voice and expression that indicated he clearly wasn't. He put his hand down, twitching his sleeve back into place. "Pragmatism's good. Not enough people in this school have it if you ask me."

Re: The next day, elsewhere, but still locked and still on this topic

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"I'm touched, really, that you care who I see," Beka replied, absolutely deadpan. "This school is filled with a hormonal, exceptional adolescents who see it as their gods-given right to live a full lifespan. Not the sort of thing that leads to pragmatism."