[video, backdated to 7-4]

[kneecaptain]

[ Bucky has the communicator on some sort of table, level. He's sitting down in front of it, evidently in a good mood. In the background, there's an old-timey looking radio playing. It cackles with static, but you can just make out a torch song. ]

I dunno how many of you know this, but it's a regular holiday where I'm from. [ He smirks, but doesn't explain. ]

Anyway, I got to thinkin', what better way to celebrate than me taking all of your money? Or… candy bars, or whatever else you got to stake. I'm flexible. I'll take 'em all.

How many of you know how to play poker?

[ The radio buzzes out, and Bucky hits it, once, hard. The sound comes to life again, now an official sounding broadcast. "The objectives of the Initative consist only in ruling by the sword, sowing the see of death and desolation until the take over power. They would then rule by the sword, that is their objective. We my therefore wonder how people who came with the confessed objective of shedding our blood, in our cities, can deceive the population by claiming to bring democracy and freedom. How can anyone claim to bring salvation—"

The broadcast dies. ]

Comments

[freewoman]

[There's a moment when she just stares at the screen. No one has really explained what happened.]

People use that word, but it don't mean anythin' t'me.

[kneecaptain]

A while back— a long time ago, I guess— there was a war, and they made these big bombs. You could level a city with 'em. But they didn't just level the buildings, they left a sickness everywhere. So the war ended. And for a while everyone was afraid to go to war again on account of those damn bombs.

But it's not just bombs. You can use the same idea to get electricity, power. But sometimes that goes wrong, too, and the sickness leaks out.

[freewoman]

[This concept is near unconceivable for her, though she follows most of what he says.]

An' a bomb is what they did t'the hospital? Kills loads o' people, only those bombs, they killed the lands and animals.

Why would you use somethin' like that? Y'couldn't use the land neither.

[kneecaptain]

Sometimes you don't care about the land. You just want people scared.

[freewoman]

So people still think the land is still theirs?

[kneecaptain]

The United Earth thinks the whole world's their's, right?

sorry, yahoo put this in spam :<

[freewoman]

People always think the land is theirs. It's no man's.

no worries :') i'm still here!

[kneecaptain]

Yeah, well.

Countries think a lotta things belong to them.

yay, good. because I love this cr~

[freewoman]

Aye. Where I'm from the Southerners think the same.

<3

[kneecaptain]

I guess there's some things that stay the same.

[freewoman]

Where're you from?

[kneecaptain]

All over. My dad was in the army, so we moved around a lot.

[freewoman]

So your father didn't fight for one man? Hold some stupid banners?

[kneecaptain]

We have a flag, yeah. [ He grins. ] It can get pretty stupid.

[freewoman]

[She gives him a wild smirk.]

I like you already. At least you're willin' to admit it.

[kneecaptain]

Sure. You gotta own up. To everything.

[freewoman]

Means you're true enough.

[kneecaptain]

I hope so.

[freewoman]

You don't know if you are?

[kneecaptain]

I figure it's not for me to say.

[freewoman]

You should know yourself better than any.

[kneecaptain]

Yeah, but people who think they're always right cause a lot of trouble for the rest of us.

[freewoman]

Unless they are right. A good leader knows what he's doing.

[kneecaptain]

Or can fake it well enough no one else has to.

[freewoman]

Wouldn't be a true leader if he did.