⦿ ) video

[latkje]

[ This is Nash. He has a pleasant but lazy expression. ]

I don't like to live in the past. It makes me feel old. But when a thought eats at you, sometimes the only thing you can do is take a bite, right?

Anyway, a few weeks ago something the Initiative did put people in their wrong bodies. I don't mean to drudge up bad memories, but— think about it. What are we, really? Hands, feet, fingers, eyes?

We've all got bodies, but souls? [ He shakes his head. ] Not for me to say.

But if the Initiative can keep our fingers and toes and move the rest around, it means there has to be something else, right? And whatever that something else is, the Initiative can mess with it it.

[ The implications are spooky, so he takes a moment to be spooked. And then waves that all away, shrugging. ]

You ever stop to think, and not know how to start up again?

Comments

[goinbust]

"I can tell. That's why I'm botherin to talk to you. Don't quite have the better than everyone look or the ridiculous 'I'm better than you' mustache most of the ones I know have."

[latkje]

[ Nash thinks, briefly, that he was pretty much born into arrogant SOBdom. ]

I didn't know facial hair was a requirement.

[ Suikoden, man, all the best generals are like, 15. ]

[goinbust]

"Where I come from they tend to be. At least the human ones."

[Pshaw, Matthieu and Shu were both later in age.]

[latkje]

[Strategists are strategists!!]

Maybe that's your problem, then. You can't feed an army with a mustache.

[goinbust]

"Feed the army? Hell if half the armies where I come from survive long enough for three squares anymore you get a medal."

[latkje]

Squares?

[goinbust]

"Square meals. Sorry, most recruiters offer a cot and three squares as part of the sign up speech."

[latkje]

It's good incentive to anyone who hasn't got that much.

[goinbust]

"Back home there wasn't a lot for a lot of people."

[latkje]

And desperation is the easiest thing to manipulate.

[goinbust]

"Its sad but true. Originally I signed up so the parents could keep the farm but that was several lifetimes ago it seems."

[latkje]

Careful. In war, that can be meant literally.

[goinbust]

"You don't know the half of it. I reckon about 8 billion if you want to go by that number."

[latkje]

That's more people than my world has. In all of her countries.

[goinbust]

"Someone let loose a monster that ate a dozen or so worlds. That's how the body count got up there."

[latkje]

Must have been some monster.

[goinbust]

"...yeah. Need to find the guy that made that monster and deal with him, but... I guess when they let us out of this place."