exsilium | thirteenth rune; frost; video

[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 (?)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I think we need to consider which hand to remove first as well as the alarmingly significant possibility of an offender without hands. It interests me that theft, which you do have to admit is the foundation of our current sanctuary, is the only offense you consider noncapital, but I'm a little alarmed that your code seems to completely overlook the possibility of mutiny. Perhaps as an expansion of the third or fourth clause?

[A teenage girl should not be sounding so matter-of-fact and cold about this but hey Koltira understands how hard being undead is right]

[Well, truth be told ...]

Mutiny implies the subversion of an accepted authority. I do not believe, therefore, that a mutiny has taken place. What authority was subverted? The Initiative's? Was that a group we considered ourselves 'lawfully' beholden to? I would say no. The people being detained are not there for mutinous actions. They are there because they deliberately created a situation of threat in order to get what they want. Another matter entirely.

Alright... a separate matter... still, "creation of a situation of threat" or "endangerment" is not an offense you enumerate either. If you're suggesting the event that occurred is noncriminal in nature, then fine.

It was not an exhaustive list. What would you suggest?

Well, my argument would have been that treason includes not only pro-United Earth conspiracy but also anti-Initiative conspiracy - and that unauthorized alteration of the Transporter's operation qualifies as the latter. So from there I would suggest execution or another harsh physical punishment for the ringleaders and community service for lower members of the conspiracy who can prove their only crime was affiliation, not orchestration or harm. Not missions, base maintenance work.

[He has to admit: he's surprised at how many people agree with his suggestions, in any measure at all.]

You truly favor execution as punishment, then? And what would constitute anti-Initiative conspiracy? There are remarks, broadcasts, and disgruntled mutterings about our hosts on a regular basis.

Speech is not crime; action is. I have my doubts about the sweeping principles of your suggestions - there is a reason so much squawking about "lawyers" has gone on and self-defense is a key issue - but I do not exactly see the virtue of preserving the life of someone whose only purpose seems to be spitting in the face of all the work that occurs here.

Speech leads to action, however. Should we censure anti-Initiative speech? Why does it matter, when the Initiative as a concept is so terribly unpopular, anyway?

I guess not? I really don't understand why a predominantly human population is even trying government.

What do you mean?

Humans are naturally inclined, in my experience, towards anarchy, which is only effective in a particularly pacified group; what we see now is the ineffective version. Imposed imperial rule is the inevitable alternative.

Do you speak of instituting a monarchy?

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

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

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

Revered them? How could you possibly revere a group of people we knew nothing of? Simply due to their status?

Okay, maybe revere is a stronger word than I should have used. I was aware of their existence, though, in abstract terms, and was prepared to receive monarchical mandates from them. Not that they ever materialized.

I wonder how long they've been dead.

A dangerous position, even so. And considering that we never heard a word from them ... it seems possible that they died long before any of us even arrived here.

That would be a little sad, never seeing their life's work realized. At least they would have been spared the sights of the concurrent massive failures, though.

I cannot say it for certain, of course. But if they were alive before, then -- as you say -- they undoubtedly perished in the most recent attack.

[He's not that broken up about it -- not any more so than any other death.]

All the more reason to sort out our own governance.

thirteenth rune; frost; video

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