first hymn; video

[cantic]

This is Locrian Sergeant Tear Grants of the Oracle Knights, home world Auldrant. I'm seeking whoever can give me information on the clinic; I'm a healer and I'd like to offer my services there.

[ She pauses before moving on to her next order of business. ]

The Initiative makes a convincing case for why we should willingly join their cause. "The United Earth will destroy our worlds as well"... At the very least, it makes for a compelling argument, particularly in light of the recent display of the United Earth's level of firepower. But how much of that is actually true?

It's not that I find the Initiative untrustworthy, but rather that they've given me little cause to trust them. Although recent events certainly make you feel compassion for their cause.

I'm presuming some of you have already gone on missions, so you have less biased accounts. Any insight you could give me would be appreciated.

Comments

[Video]

[pactfulfilled]

The Oracle Knights? [Asbel's heard of them before. Luke said they were some kind of military on his world, and he can't help but be a little curious.] You wouldn't happen to know someone named Asch, would you? Luke mentioned once that he was with the knights...

Um. As for the transport clinic, right now it's being run by a man named Ashraf. They were requesting help a little while ago - particularly people who know resurrection artes.

[Video]

[cantic]

I do, actually. Asch is here? [ And of course she's curious by that mention of Luke, but...it's no surprise people here would know him. That's Luke. ]

That's good to know. I can contact Ashraf on this tablet, right?

video

[fintastic]

You should come work at the clinic, it's great! We can always use more help.

[ She 'uhms', and then changes gear, still smiling-- but a little less vibrantly. ]

It's all true, though. There is a guy here, his world got destroyed! It was kind of sad, but he's okay for right now.

video

[cantic]

Yes, I can imagine. Healers are a necessity in war.

[ An entire world gone... It's horrifying to think of. She won't let that happen to Auldrant. ]

Did they utilize the same weaponry they did on Earth?

text

[trickmyheart]

Is there any real way to know which side is worth trusting?

After all, no matter who you ask, they'll only tell you what they think you want to hear, if it means you'll support them.

text

[cantic]

No, but it's better to make a decision for yourself once you've uncovered everything you can learn. I expect people to give me biased accounts, but even bias is usually based on some distorted form of the truth.

video;

[limitstorm]

I've been here for over a year--since they started pulling people from other worlds.

[ his expression changes from firmly determined to something softer, shoulders relaxing. ]

You've got good reason not to trust them now... but what they're saying? It's true. I've seen it--everyone talks about not being able to go back to their home world, and that used to be a pretty common complaint around here. When they tried making technology to be able to send us back, though... the United Earth swooped in and drained the world they were working on.

[ his eyes dart away. ] People who didn't even know about them suffered.

The Initiative might not be the people you can trust the most--but they're the lesser of two evils.

video;

[cantic]

[ An interstellar threat... It's frightening to think on. Auldrant doesn't even have the capability to venture into outer space yet, much less do battle there. How long would they last against a force like the United Earth? ]

But you still find them untrustworthy.

[iniquitas]

I've been here for months now, and I can assure you that the Initiative has yet to give me cause to trust them.

[cantic]

That's hardly surprising.

[ She sighs, although she's glad to get differing viewpoints on the issue. ]

If you don't mind my asking, are you not given to protect your world?

[iciclerain]

The Oracle Knights don't exist here. That title doesn't have much meaning anymore. [Or as other people might say: hello, Tear.]

[cantic]

Asch? [ She heard he'd been here, but she didn't think— ] When did you arrive?

[have_hat_will_travel]

Fufufu~ A lot of people don't seem to like the Initiative much... But they're not kidding when they say that the United Earth is nasty business.

As for the clinic, it looks like others are covering that.

[cantic]

Is it any surprise they don't? The Initiative conscripted us against our will. No one would be kindly disposed towards that.

text

[crocodilesmiles]

Riku and Feferi have said it best. It wasn't nuclear weaponry on that world. You don't need nuclear weaponry to do a whole lot of damage. But it was bad. Billions of people died, and die all the time, on other worlds, ones we may or may not have to do anything with at all. It's so stupid! "Show us our worlds, show us it matters to us." Does it matter less if it's happening to other people? Because we don't know them or something? Because if our homes are safe then we can have our heads stuck in the sand?

I'm not saying, "Oh, yes, trust these guys!" That's dumb too. Make up your own mind! Decide what you do or do not want to believe. But "proof" is such a stupid idea, because it'll never be good enough. Even Elmer's world, couldn't that be a fluke? Or the standard we don't know about, because until his home, we never could send anyone back willingly.

Now I don't think all our worlds are in danger right now. But I do think they can be, and someday, they will be, if the UE is left to do like they're doing now. Especially after this stuff with the kidnapping, they know there are resources to manipulate, and if one of us is attuned to a different place than here, could any of our clones be too?

What the Initiative does isn't right. What the United Earth does is even worse. Figure out what you feel, no one should tell you how to feel about that, but please don't sit here and think proof is the one thing that should change your mind. People won't believe proof happening right in front of them. I know. I've seen it happen a lot more than I ever wanted to, but that's part of life, just like the unfairness.

text

[cantic]

[ There, she said it: clones. The word sits heavily in Tear's stomach like a lead weight. ]

Of course it doesn't matter less. Lives are precious no matter what world they're from, but not everyone is prepared or able to throw themselves into war for complete strangers, and it's cruel to expect them to do so. You cannot go through life selfishly expecting all others to sacrifice their own lives and happiness for you or for anyone else.

I will make up my own mind, but I said nothing about 'proof'. The United Earth is unquestionably guilty of slaughter, that much is clear. But the Initiative has done nothing to engender any kind of allegiance from us, beginning first and foremost with the forced conscription of people from entirely different worlds to do their fighting for them.

Tell me: do you think there are only ever two options, or do you intend to blindly follow the lead our hosts set before us out of some belief that theirs is empirically the best course of action?

Voice

[wilder]

[Auldrant, huh...?]

I wouldn't say I trust the Initiative so much, but the world destroying part is true. At least, for one world it was.

Voice

[cantic]

[ does that sound familiar or something kaneis hm ]

So I've heard. But that hardly gives me cause to trust in our hosts.

video.

[duty]

I haven't heard anything about a formal clinic being set up, but I've also got 'healing'. [she manages to grin a little] I can only hope there are more than just the two of us. If there are as many people here as it seems, we're not going to cut it as the only medical staff.

video.

[cantic]

Which is why those of us capable all need to do our part. Whether the Initiative is trustworthy or not is beside the point; while we're here, we at least have to look after one another.

[ video ]

[umadrobin]

Don't eat the rations. They taste bad.

[ Priorities. ]

[ video ]

[cantic]

...Um. I'll keep that in mind.

video;

[outway]

Cooperation born of necessity, rather than trust. It may not be the most ideal arrangement, but sometimes such measures are necessary.

[ he's been thrust into more than his fair share of uneasy alliances. ]

A sergeant... so you're a soldier? I suppose you do give off that impression.

video;

[cantic]

Yes, with the Oracle Knights, the military body of Auldrant's main religion.

[ She might guess the same about him. He has a certain sense of propriety and authority to him. ]

It's not the most ideal arrangement. But I'd like to understand fully what such an arrangement entails.

voice;

[tetherwithme]

[She has decided you're interesting so..... Sorry Tear.]

It seems wisest not to trust anyone, does it not?

voice;

[cantic]

[ Great just what she needs, more crazy stalkers. Because her brother wasn't enough??????????? ]

No one can survive like that.

[Video]

[protects_no_one]

[Say hi to one angry demon.]

There is no innocent party in the destruction of the world below us. Both are responsible.

[Video]

[cantic]

[ Say hi to one unflappably calm hymnist. ]

What makes you believe the Initiative is culpable?

video;

[comprises]

How much is anything anyone says is actually true? Aren't we all working to our own agendas?

[That means no, he does not trust the Initiative at all. He doesn't trust either of them, really.]

video;

[cantic]

Absolutely. But that doesn't mean I should disregard your points of view outright. Your experiences could shed better light on our situation.

[voice]

[unholy_rebirth]

Well met, Sergeant. [She's not sure if "Locrian" is part of the title too so we'll just go with that.]

Have you heard about Elmer Albatross's Earth?

[voice]

[cantic]

Likewise.

[ Elmer Albatross...? Oh. That must be the name of the young man whose world was destroyed. ]

Unfortunately, yes. A devastating tragedy. But that doesn't mean the Initiative is trustworthy, merely that the UE is not.

video

[selfless]

Hello, Ms. Grants! [she doesn't seem that much older, but such a formal title, Colette wants to respond in kind]

And I'm not sure... I only arrived here recently. [mm...] But it seems like their intentions are good!

video

[cantic]

[ "Ms" Grants...that's a new one. This girl seems sweet, but naive. ]

Their intentions may be good, but can you truly say the same for their actions? They didn't even ask us before bringing us here against our will.