[phone//usual drone/npc filter]

[grand_theft_moe]

When living in an oppressive society, it is inevitable that the rulers will recruit cronies. The business of dictatorship needs trained dogs, and there are always a few who will do anything for a few scraps from the master's table. A man who serves a corrupt government because he genuinely believes it to be the best for his nation is one thing.

Comments

[elevatoravatar]

"Perhaps not so much that we succeed, but only that we try. An open act of defiance can say just as much about the yearnings of one's soul than becoming the heel that crushes those who would defy. While it may temporarily bring us to Nyx' arms, simply giving up is like abandoning part of your soul, is it not?"

[grand_theft_moe]

I'm not suggesting giving up. I'm suggesting we avoid pitched, head to head battles.

[elevatoravatar]

"Those who can do that will. Those who can not, will not. I personally, am not looking for escape, however, the terms are not good for my fellow prisoners so, I would rather stand there than with the oppressors. Especially since I do not think that they are the kind to honor contracts."

[grand_theft_moe]

Sensei, you of all people should know how effective it can be to subtly disrupt your opponent's next step.

[cramschoolgod]

I don't think there is a purely deterministic criterion of power in any case, particularly this one. Even in a world where no one were to possess any extraordinary powers, it is very rare--essentially impossible-- to find situations where a force is literally dominating and unstoppable, due to the unpredictability of human behavior. Here, the level of power attributable to both sides is of a scale so large that the results are considerably more uncertain. They may very well have returned powers to us that they cannot in the end control. In fact, I believe this to be essentially what happened when the angel statues appeared recently

[grand_theft_moe]

If that is so, I would be sincerely glad. However they have demonstrated their ability to take our powers if they feel like it.

That is more my suggestion. Investigation, however, requires feet on the ground and many many hours. If we're tied up with trying to fight pitched battles with those we know are more powerful than us, we cripple that capacity.

[cramschoolgod]

That's true, they have. However, they have also shown that their powers have limitations. I've been told that mass dronings cause visible fatigue. Furthermore, they have not been able to reverse the arrow of time entirely. Even if they can take our powers after the fact, there are some changes that we can achieve in the time that they are possessed--though I'm afraid I don't possess any powers myself.

That's a valid concern, but I believe it shakes out equally... those of us whose relative advantage, economically speaking, is in investigation will investigate--I believe I heard a phone call suggesting as much--while those of us who would not be, ah, particularly useful in investigation fight.

[lunawolves10th]

"The same chance as any prisoner yearning to be free does, when he assaults his jailor. And sometimes the act of defiance is enough, to remind them that they have not broken your spirit, and your will."

[grand_theft_moe]

Why do that when you can wait until his back is turned?

[wise_king]

What if you do it simply because you want to?

[grand_theft_moe]

Why would you want to do that?

[wise_king]

Because it's interesting.