exsilium | here's a drama there's a drama and another little drama [video]

[Sonya appears on the screen without her usual preambles or cheerful introductions. Her manner is very, very controlled. The casual Bronx vowels that occasionally creep into her speech are gone. The profanities are gone. Every once in a while, she glances down; this is a prepared statement.]

Earlier today, Jesse Pinkman snuck into one of the prisoner cells under false pretenses. He’d been friends with one of the mutineers before all of this happened, so he claimed to merely want to visit.

While he was in there, he mutilated this prisoner in spirit and soul. He ripped from her her ability, her inborn gift, to cast spells. He tore away from her something as vital to her as eyesight or touch might be for you. And did he did this to defend someone? To stop an attack or a threatened attack? No: he did it to punish her. To make her suffer. And then he said to her that this is how things are running now.

So. Who out there among you smiled when you heard this story? Who among you nodded and thought to yourselves: Yes, that sounds like justice? The girl was trembling, exhausted, defenseless, locked up, unable to even raise a hand against him, let alone fight back. And he stalked in, and towered over her, and he ripped her soul apart and he claimed he had the right. Because a few days ago, this girl did something stupid. Because this girl fought for the wrong side, for boneheaded reasons. So how many of you, even those who hate this mutiny, are thinking, Yeah, go, Jesse Pinkman, you did the right thing?

These people are prisoners. These people are paying for what they did. They made stupid, stupid choices out of desperation. There’s no question of that. And they’re going to pay for being stupid. But nothing in what they did was cruel. They did their best to avoid hurting us. And can you really say, truly, that you can’t comprehend their motives? Can any of you truly claim that you have not thought that you could run things better if only you had more of a say? You stayed your hands; you were smarter and more level-headed than the rebels. But how can you really, truly hate them?

How can you hate them enough to stand over them, and whisper to them that they deserve it as you put their eyes out one by one? Because that’s what Jesse Pinkman did - just in his own way, in his way that kept him from getting his hands dirty. And now, even though he has the ability to undo what he’s done, he refuses. He refuses, because his sadistic revenge is worth far more to him than his freedom, and so it’s certainly worth more than what is right.

So here’s my question for all of you. How many of you think that torturing unarmed prisoners is right? There are plenty of soldiers out there amongst you, certainly, so you know about this. When you capture a P.O.W., do you make them suffer for your pleasure?

And how many of you would claim to be fighting on the side of justice and order, but then when it looks like those you were fighting against might not be punished to the extend that pleases you, turn around and undermine that justice and order you used as your pretext?

How many of you would do what Jesse Pinkman did? How many of you would see unarmed people hurt? Or killed?

How many of you would let your hatred overrule your kindness and mercy?

How many of you have forgotten honor?

I don’t think any of you have. I think all of you are decent. I think none of you, no matter how angry you might be at the rebels, would go in and torture them. I think none of you would interfere with how our provisional organization is dealing with them. And I think none of you would stand for this evil deed, this torture Pinkman has subjected the girl to and continues to subject her to.

[And there's something in Sonya that rebels at allowing this small allowance for kindness, because this is a lie; she hates Pinkman, has hated him, and she wants to rip him apart. But that'll get her nowhere, and as ever, it's business before personal feelings. So her lips twitch very slightly before she goes on, but she still goes on as before.]

And I knew Pinkman a few months ago: I don’t think, if he were anything less than crazy from everything he’s gone through, that Pinkman would, either. He's a good kid. Bakes cookies. You all know him as well as I do. This isn't him.

So let’s put some pressure on him. He can undo what he’s done. So all of you who were close to Pinkman before his mental state began to deteriorate, before he turned into the sort of person who would do this, contact him. Tell him that this is monstrous and cruel. Tell him it’s disappointing. If there is any kernel of goodness left in him, he’ll respond when you tell him this will not stand. When you tell him to do the right thing.

I beg of you. As you would intervene if he could return her sight, or her hearing, but refused, intervene now. Help me get him to restore her. Help me talk him out of this...evil.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Shit fucking happens when you're in a goddamn mutiny. Maybe people will think about it next time.

Oh, and this shit? Real classy.

[This is Ellie choosing to believe there's a lot of exaggeration to this tale.]

So you think this is good? What should we do to the ones who didn't have gifts - chop their hands off for taking part?

I'm sure he had a reason. [Hopes he had a reason.]

And hey, good job stopping your prisoners from getting hurt. Definitely not going to happen again, right?

Especially now that you painted a fucking target on his head!

You didn't answer my question. Are we going to chop their hands off?

I don't have to answer shit. You're not any better.

Than someone who mutilates people? Fill me in, truly. Do you think what he did was okay?

And if I do? What, would I get a fucking essay written about how evil I am, conveniently leaving out the part where you tossed a guy to the wolves?

No. You wouldn't. But do you?

You can't give back hands. [But she's done worse over less.] Maybe Jesse would have given her powers back once you guys let him calm down.

But hey, why do that when we can get all the little sheep pissed off at just one guy instead of a group of people. Everyone loves having a villain.

Still not an answer. Do you think him taking her gift was right.

If she was using that "gift" to hurt others, then yeah. I think he did the right thing.

She wasn't. When he took it from her, she wasn't doing anything. She'd already been in lock-up four days and hadn't even attempted to escape, let alone hurt someone.

And before that?

And before that, she'd used magic to set up defenses for the room she was in. Nothing that hurt anyone. Someone ended up getting transported elsewhere by the magic and hurt herself by accident.

And that's what fueled Jesse's thirst for revenge.

So, yeah, she's totally the big bad wolf who needs to be defanged. Accidentally making someone hurt her shoulder. Ooh.

Jesse isn't some fucking--[heeeey maybe this is why Stephanie and Jesse warned her about him being dangerous? Hmm.]

Some fucking comic book villain! Jesus.

No. He's not. He's a guy who's fucked up bad, who fucked up hard, and who needs to have some sense talked into him. You're close to him, right?

He's my friend. [It's obvious enough that no harm can come from admitting it.]

Then maybe you can help get through to him. Because, shit, the girls he hurt - they're being brave, but they're in bad states. What'll help them is their gifts back. But he's not listening to any of us.

Wonder why.

[She's not agreeing to anything she says, but she'll at least check up on Jesse and see if she can get more info from him.]

Yeah, well, I do what I gotta do and say what I gotta say to stick up for Tempest, because I'm sworn to do anything I have to to protect her. Lawyers have loyalty too.

Be careful, okay?

You too. [That's not sincere at all.]

here's a drama there's a drama and another little drama [video]

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio