two ➳ voice.

[argentite]

"Nous protégeons ceux qui ne peuvent pas se protéger."

We protect those who cannot protect themselves. [ her voice is stronger for the translation that had followed and as she continues talking, allison's tone remains even (though it's not hard to pick up the passion behind it). ]

That's the code I took on back home. The circumstances were completely different, of course, but I've been thinking a lot about it lately. Maybe things here aren't quite as dissimilar as I'd thought. [ there's a pause as she takes in a deep breath. there's a lot of doubts in her mind about everything, but she doesn't want any of them to be heard. ]

I know it might be too soon to start talking about some kind of official protective force - we're still in the process of deciding on a code, or a council, or something else entirely - but.

But even if it's unofficial, I want to do something. I don't know if it will help, but a lot happened this past month and I just want to make sure that no one feels unsafe or scared again.

If you're interested, come talk to me. Even if it's for something as simple as maybe learning to protect yourself in a bad situation.

Comments

private audio

[controlledvariable]

[And in a show of how much she's come to respect Roslyn in the past week:]

I get what you're trying to do, but saying something like this is kinda undermining the police force, you know? They already exist, they're doing the best they can under the circumstances, and it kinda sounds like you don't think they're here at all.

private audio

[argentite]

That's not -- [ she hesitates, realizing how it may have come off. give her a few seconds to compose her thoughts ]

That's not really what I meant. I mean, I'm not looking for something to replace the police. But back in Gotham, you protect people without being part of the police force, right? Maybe there's things they can't immediately react to, but someone else can.

private audio

[controlledvariable]

I know it isn't, but it kinda comes across that way.

[Which isn't fair to the police force, not when they're doing the best they can.]

I dunno, Allison. It sounds like you're talking about a militia or something.

voice;

[lar]

So we have the police force.

[ It's more a passing comment than an accusation, based on the tone. ]

Which is cool, and I guess keeping people safe it's kind of their job, but maybe you're talking about something more...flexible? In all honesty, I'm not exactly sure of what you had thought; I mean, self defense classes are sort of unofficially held now and then, so maybe that along other things like weapons training and the like could be taken over by...people, I guess?

Then there are the dangerous missions, I guess that even if we always have a handful of handy people it wouldn't hurt to put some more effort on getting others up to speed in the fine art of kicking butt, right?

[ She pauses for a moment here. ]

To me it sort of sounds like taking the Initiative's training program and making it ours, but, you know, better. Was that something along the lines of what you meant?

voice;

[argentite]

It's really open, to be honest. I don't want to replace the police -- or at least, whatever has been in work so far, you know?

We could do all of those things. There's people here who probably haven't had to deal with situations like this ever [ and she remembers personal experience where being thrown into things like that made her feel more helpless than anything ] -- and it could even be something to help them feel less like they can't do anything.

It wouldn't hurt to make it all sort of organized.

voice;

[lar]

I mean, you can totally find other concerned people and like, patrol and be combat ready for when the next awful thing hits us, I guess? There's just that whole power struggle business that needs to be handled carefully.

[ It would be kinda ironic if they moved from being completely disorganized to extensively so, right? Or maybe less ironic and more stressing, Ella thinks. ]

It does sound like a good idea, I guess.

[voice]

[highfrequency]

We exist already. There's a security team that the Initiative assigned. Not police, exactly... more like guards. We protect the Hold and make sure people stay in line.

[A sad pause]

It's just me, now, though...

[voice]

[argentite]

Oh, I didn't -- sorry, I didn't know there was anyone else outside of the police.

[ she phrases the next bit cautiously: ] Did everyone else get sent back?

[voice]

[highfrequency]

Mmhmm.

Before it was just me and Barney Calhoun, though. Out of the Transports, anyway.

We were the ones that the Initiative would call on if someone attacked or something went wrong, the rest of the time we just did our best to protect everyone.

Guess you could say that police are political and we're more paramilitary, like an auxiliary police.

I work with the police, though, and deliver anyone I arrest to their custody.

[A metallic shifting]

The group was never that big, though, even with Initiative members involved. I tried to make up for it back on earth by training people in self defense and battlefield survival but.... Then the UE came....

voice

[kneecaptain]

C'est dans le besoin qu'on reconnaît ses vrais amis. [ It is in difficult times that we recognize our true friends. ] Sorry. My French is rusty.

Are you tryin' to teach people how to fight?

voice

[argentite]

[ the first part makes her smile, though bucky can't really see it ] I haven't gotten much of a chance to practice my french either.

If they're willing to learn, I can. Or maybe more to protect themselves, independently of anything else.

voice

[kneecaptain]

I got sent on a mission to Paris, a while back. Didn't get much time to sight see.

The Initiative has their drill sessions. But I think it'd be good… to have something else. Not everyone likes the Initiative.

[Voice]

[pactfulfilled]

"We protect those who cannot protect themselves"... [It's an admirable code, even if he couldn't possibly pronounce what she just said before all that.]

Yeah... I understand how you feel. Lately it's been one thing after another, and none of it's done much to provide people with a sense of security.

Have you considered maybe doing something like a group self-defense or a survival workshop? A protective force is a good idea, and I think giving people the tools to be able to protect themselves in certain situations could definitely add to that.

[Voice]

[argentite]

I'd thought about it a long time ago, back when we were still in Exsilium, but I never got the chance.

If a workshop will encourage people, I don't see why it'd be a bad idea.

text;

[totallytrustworthy]

charming to see offered help is treated like an insult these days

text;

[argentite]

Excuse me?

video;

[braavado]

[She has no idea what the heck you even said in that first part, but if it involves protecting people, she's in.]

Why not "we protect everyone who needs it"? Sometimes even people who already know how to fight can get hurt, too.

video;

[argentite]

[ allison shrugs in response ]

Back home it was more about changing an already existing code and anyone who could fight - well, they were pretty good at protecting themselves. But anyone who needs to be protected can and should be included.

text

[freezerburned]

recruiting more argents?

just kidding. its not a bad idea but it seems like everyone around here who tries to be proactive winds up either in jail anyway or emotionally wrecked

text

[argentite]

Interested?

That doesn't mean that no one else should try.

text

[replicates]

[ well, he's not great with authority and that extends to the police force and he needs something to do... ]

do you need help teaching people?

[crocodilesmiles]

I think it's an important code. Maybe that's what Ros needs to be involved with... not calling anything a police force, but a protection squad. For us and for people working with us, you know?

If I can help, let me know. I want to help. I don't... I don't want people feeling that way either.

( Because she does, still, at times, and she hates it herself. )

private text.

[boughtabookstore]

I appreciate your intentions, but this might be something better considered in private first before announcing it publicly.

voice;

[transuniversal]

A protective force. You mean like superheroes, yes?

[oldsoldiersneverdie]

It's a good code. And there's a difference between protection from internal threats and from external threats - the difference between a police officer and a soldier, though I realize that's a broad generalization.

I've been training some people in small-unit tactics, though most of them had prior training already.