thirteenth rune; frost; video

[deadelfwalking]

[Hello, friends. A cold-eyed elf with a fairly significant skin condition stares at the camera, his jaw set, his mouth a thin, inscrutable line.]

Talk of a council is all well and good, but we have another matter in front of us.

As many of you have pointed out, there is no formal system of law in place. At present, those of you who acted as peace officers have simply continued as you were in your own worlds. If you brought others to justice, if you spoke about justice -- you have continued to see this as your right.

[His eyes narrow, drawing his long eyebrows together.]

But it is not your right. Your laws are not universal. Your morality is not sacrosanct.

We must decide on appropriate conduct as a whole, with consideration given to perspectives outside of our own.

I propose that any code we settle on be simple and direct. For example:

1. Murder shall be abolished. In the case of murder, execution.

2. Theft shall be abolished. In the case of theft, the hand shall be cut off at the wrist. Repeat offenders shall lose both hands.

3. Conspiring with the United Earth shall be considered treason. In the case of treason, suspected or actual, execution.

4. Bodily autonomy shall be respected. Knowing efforts to mind control, telepathically invade, steal, or otherwise forcibly take spiritual or physical authority over another sentient being will constitute assault. In the case of this assault, execution.

And so forth.  These are merely ideas, of course.

[His lower lip twitches, suggesting that he's perfectly aware of the extremes he's recommended. Suggesting that he's just trying to get your attention, to get you to think about how you would define your own terms. What constitutes murder? Theft? Conspiracy? Justice? He's only asking.

Maybe.]

[After several hours, the post is edited with a very carefully recorded text attachment.]

Proposed countermeasures to theft:
public humiliation 
fines
time locked away

Proposed countermeasures to murder:
temporary exile
(where?  to a safe place?  to a random location in time?

General countermeasures
better jail system (?)
compassion (???)
mercy (???)
trials (how?  who receives authority?  who takes what position?  what verdicts should result?)
jail time (general solution?)
punishment via the VR room (?) 

Comments

[applethief]

Probably not
But I didn't take you for an advocate of your own execution

[lexiconning]

[ A DELAY. This is something she's NEVER GIVEN MUCH THOUGHT; the idea is a little scary!small> ]

But
but that isn't true. You said it yourself we have authorities in place. Even if they appointed themselves they should have a better idea for rules of conduct than the rest of us.

[speakveryclearly]

Technically that's what the Royal Family was, wasn't it?

[overclocking]

It's not about punishment. It's about keeping the Initiative's army from cutting off its own legs before it even gets to the battlefield.

And why wouldn't they allow it? [ Asked honestly, frown growing deeper. ] They send people home arbitrarily already—people who might have been able to actually help, people who maybe even wanted to be here—so what difference does it make whether there's slightly more rhyme and reason to it than before?

[ Realizes his tone has slipped right off the ledge into bitterness and makes a face, smoothing his expression back down to something more neutral. ]

... It makes sense in my head, at least.

[maddeninghatter]

Well, you know, I can't take credit for it. I just did a bit of poking about in this world's history and came across the musings of one Mikado, whose approach to the judicial system went thusly:

My object all sublime, I shall achieve in time, and make the punishment fit the crime, the punishment fit the crime!
And make each prisoner pent unwillingly represent a source of innocent merriment, of innocent merriment~!

[ This is a sung phrase. Break's voice is high, breathy, and definitely out of tune. ]

[lazyinlove]

isn't that what you wanted?

text;

[logically]

There was a trial last year. However, if my memory serves me correctly, it was riddled with even more issues than just the ones you've mentioned.

[moralperil]

[quietly] I don't think it's my place to tell people how we should be doing this. I have some good examples of how it shouldn't be done, but that doesn't mean I know a better way.

Anything I'd think of would depend on appealing to people's better natures. Assuming that at some point, somewhere along the line, that we could come to the same conclusions and agree on what constitutes the truth and a fair consequence. I don't think that's possible. There's no infallible law, but we can't just expect people to behave reasonably either.

[crocodilesmiles]

Executed people usually don't.

[acclimatized]

Sorry, didn't think I needed to be, what with corporal punishment being discussed.

ooc

[bodilesswarrior]

OOP I

forgot barbara is earthside

[deadelfwalking]

[Oh, Martin ... this is getting into something far beyond the scope of his original purpose. He kneels down so that he's eye level with Martin, shakes his head.]

You know now, Martin -- that is not true.

[deadelfwalking]

I suppose, but we never knew anything of them. Nor did they seem to possess any power.

[deadelfwalking]

Would that true death were possible for me.

[deadelfwalking]

Quite a magnanimous position.

[deadelfwalking]

If it's not your place, then whose place is it? And fair consequence is the matter at stake. We seem to have no system in place for deciding that.

[deadelfwalking]

Why? Self-appointed authorities are no authorities at all. No more so than you, certainly.

[deadelfwalking]

Then how should you punish them?

[theguideless]

[smiling, a shade apologetically. he puts a hand on the wrist still at his shoulder and nods.]

Mm, I know now. But that's how it was before. And I don't think it's something that can work here... [a thoughtful pause.] But...everyone came here as a resource, kind of. Right? Except it wasn't to fight monsters like the ones I know. [frowning.] But...we still get to live around people, and that's different, too.

I don't really...have the head for this... [obviously.]

[hyanaimne]

If it is truly honorable combat, as you say, then I do not see that as murder.

[deadelfwalking]

[Koltira's tone is not unkind.]

It's not necessarily a bad idea. But we have no control over the transporter -- and after what just happened, I doubt we ever will.

[speakveryclearly]

I revered them but I'm pretty sure now that they're dead.

[deadelfwalking]

Hmm. So you suggest differentiation in punishment for someone forced to, perhaps, pour someone else a cup a tea, versus someone else forced to put a knife in another person's back? Both represent the worst kind of violation, to my mind.

[deadelfwalking]

It is not uncommon.

[deadelfwalking]

Then our solutions are equal.