OMG VD!

[cavedwellers]

[Gosh you guys, there must be a holiday on! One of the bigger, more well-lit caves has been decked out for a PARTY, with heart-shaped BALLOONS and also red and white STREAMERS decking the stalactites and shit. There are BUCKETS filled with LITTLE CANDY HEARTS, and there is a FOUNTAIN featuring a rosy-cheeked CUPID who is PEEING PINK LEMONADE into a basin. Also ther are CUPS in case you couldn't tell the LEMONADE was for DRINKING.

Also, everything is HEAVILY SPIKED WITH APHRODISIACS. Eating or drinking the party favors will make you want to MAKE OUT with anyone who gets IN STRIKING DISTANCE. Have fun with that!]

Comments

[onlyhonournow]

[the hologram sits up straight again, and crosses its arms pensively]

You said it yourself. You're intelligent and ambitious. So where are you lacking?

I have a different question. If you could design you, what would you do, for yourself?

[ice_and_steel]

That depends on what I was designing me for. If I wanted a loyal underling, I would not have given myself ambition; that leads to a desire to replace those above oneself, particularly if they're inferior in terms of capability.

...If I had been designing me for the purposes the Emperor did, I would also have neglected to instill a conscience, and would have kept me far away from anyone who might attempt to teach me one. Practically speaking, it only gets in the way when one wants an obedient soldier. Obedience above all. Assuming one is breeding a general to lead one's armies.

...Perhaps it's a good thing I didn't design me.

[onlyhonournow]

[the hologram has a look on his face like it's trying to hold in laughter]

Well, what would you want to be designing yourself for?

[ice_and_steel]

I--I don't even know what I'd want to design myself for. Why would I even want to design another human being? It's messy and complicated.

....What's funny?

[onlyhonournow]

Sorry. [HE'S REALLY CUTE DON'T BE MAD]

I'm just asking, what do you want out of yourself? Because you can have it. That's all that I mean.

[ice_and_steel]

I don't know what I want out of myself. All I know how to do is be a soldier, I don't even know what else is out there.

[onlyhonournow]

But you want to find out, right?

[ice_and_steel]

....Yes.

[silent for a moment]

How did you figure this out? I mean...presumably you have free will...but...

[onlyhonournow]

[the hologram rubs the back of his head and flashes a half-grimace, half-smile]

... Someone beat it into me.

[ice_and_steel]

[there is obviously a moment when she is wondering how that works from a physics standpoint, and then her eyes widen as she comes to the conclusion that there must be more like him out there, and then she shakes her head slightly]

I think that might go poorly if you tried it with me. I'm somewhat squishier than you are. But I'll try. To learn, I mean.

[onlyhonournow]

[grinning]

I don't think that's necessary, as you're a lot less stubborn than I am, for one. For another, I think I'd sustain some pretty serious damage if I tried, and I would deserve it.

[ice_and_steel]

[nearly laughs out loud at the idea that she is less stubborn than anyone]

[a bit playfully] I think perhaps you underestimate the will of an Imperial General.

[onlyhonournow]

[hologram fakes a bow, still grinning]

My apologies.

[ice_and_steel]

oh, none necessary. [she salutes back, not as crisply as usual]

[still idly petting]

...so what is it that you want?

[onlyhonournow]

A world where no one has to be left behind. No suffering, no inequality. Peace. Harmony. A world where free will is celebrated, not censured.

[ice_and_steel]

I've never known a world without war. I don't even know what you would do to end it.

[onlyhonournow]

[hologram smiles again, a little wistfully]

I'm not so sure myself.

[ice_and_steel]

It seems like there will always be people who want to abuse their power, so others must know how to fight, if only to stop them from going too far.

Unless that's just a self-serving excuse because I don't know what else to do with myself besides command armies.

[onlyhonournow]

... No. You're right.

Not everyone wants the same thing. That's not necessarily bad, but it can be. But I want to believe that there's a way--a compromise. A way that doesn't require any more sacrifices.

[ice_and_steel]

There's always a sacrifice to be made. The question is what you sacrifice to get there.

[onlyhonournow]

...

[the hologram has an inscrutable expression, and his voice gets a little quiet] I ... want to believe that there's the chance of a world that doesn't require sacrifice. But I know that might not be possible.

[ice_and_steel]

[her mouth gets a wry twist to it]

Well, all you have to do is completely change human nature.

Or else be willing to be tyrant enough to enforce your views.

[onlyhonournow]

...

I don't want to think like that any more.

[ice_and_steel]

[that's a pretty clear sign of an error. She winces.] I apologize. I spoke without enough care for my words.

It is...a mindset I, too, would prefer to be able to leave behind.

[onlyhonournow]

[the hologram smiles, sincerely]

It's not easy to do. I'm still working on it.