[Video]

[superoverachiever]

Okay, the kedan are seriously getting on my nerves. [Ava's standing in front of her console just so she can keep her hands on her hips and glare unhappily down at the screen.] We didn't ask to be here!

And I really doubt we're gonna get any help we don't make people give us. So, I say we figure out who all's responsible for actual attacks on people and turn 'em over to the guards. Then they pretty much have to something, right?

And seriously, does anybody here know how to read this language yet?

Comments

[audio]

[cynisme]

[The voice that comes through? Dry, unimpressed, as if he's heard this a hundred times and responded the same way every time, which in some ways he has.]

The guards don't have to do anything if they're on the side of their own. Good luck finding a guard who isn't a nationalist loyal to their ruling class. Even more reason for them to allow the people to blame us rather than their Empress.

[audio]

[superoverachiever]

Look, I'm not saying they like us. They're not even trying to pretend that. But they need us, and they'd probably prefer the streets not to be full of brawls every day. I think if we do enough of the work for them they'll chip in. [Ava's voice implies she's said this a number of times before, but it also has that teacher's pet quality that suggests she takes pleasure in giving lectures.]

[audio]

[cynisme]

Your faith in people be they human, kedan, or whatever else is around this place, will go woefully unrewarded. If doing work was a qualifier for being respected and appreciated, then slavery would be a dead business indeed.

[audio]

[superoverachiever]

I think it's worked out well so far. [Just barely, but now's the time for that. Now is the time to peer dubiously at her console.] And I'm pretty sure slavery IS a pretty dead business.

[audio]

[cynisme]

[And now it's his turn to look at her dubiously.] Perhaps in your time, but not in mine. Nevertheless I imagine the name for it has simply changed. You will find that most will have a hard time doing their own manual labor when given the option not to at the expense of others.

[audio]

[superoverachiever]

I mean, the name and the fact that people who do that stuff get paid now.