[Console/Video] An open invitation

[lasergrenades]

[Pepper appears a bit nervous when the feed comes on. She's standing in the new police force headquarters, dressed neatly and smiling.]

Hi everyone. I'm here to talk to all of Keeliai, so I hope everyone is watching; and if you know anyone who isn't watching, find them and sit them down in front of a console after this. Tell your neighbors, tell your friends, please.

Most of you have probably noticed that there's been a lot of changes lately - the new police force especially. I know there's been some bumps, and there's probably going to be a lot more, but that's what happens when you try to build something new and big and great. We work best when we work together, all of us. When we work as a team. We can get a lot more done and we're a lot stronger when we're all willing to work together, even if we don't all agree on everything. This is our home, even if it's only temporary for some of us.

The point of a police force is to protect people and to protect laws, and we're doing what we can, but right now it's an incomplete picture. It needs a government of Keeliai - really of Keeliai, with real citizenship - to guide it. There's a phrase for it back home: of the people, by the people, for the people.

So I'm proposing a way to get started: a council made up of two kedan representatives from each sector and one Foreigner to start laying the groundwork for a new government, and to enforce the existing laws that Valdis collected and distributed in the meantime. They'd also be responsible for oversight of the police and any other similar groups - making sure rules are followed, and that things like trials are conducted by a separate, neutral group.

The hope is that the council members won't have any super significant ties to any one family or group so they can represent all the kedan in their sector as a whole. I'm asking for volunteers. Same goes for the Foreigners - one of us either needs to volunteer or be elected to the spot.

Everyone is invited to the Courtyard of Public Opinion on the 6th to discuss all of this - I know it's a lot and getting more input is important - and to pick who the reps will be if this is a direction we want to go in. If there's a lot of kedan interested, we can do a short election.

This is big. This is really big. And big changes don't happen overnight. We're gonna make mistakes, and that's totally okay as long as we learn from them. I may not have grown up here and I know I won't be here forever, but Keeliai is my home now. I want what's best for it, now and a hundred years from now. We all need each other's help to do that.

So. [She grins broadly.] Yeah. Thanks, and I'll see you all on the 6th.

Comments

Video

[purrns]

[Hey, look, Chat will offer up some non-sarcastic clapping and everything.]

Very nicely said, Pep.

[Yes, Pep. That's a thing now.]

I'll stick to what I know, with the police force. Catching bad guys, saving lives, basking in adoration. Paw-litics really ins't my style.

[But seriously.]

It's a great idea, though. Making sure there's a fair justice system. Our jobs aren't exactly worth much if the people we catch aren't allowed fair trial. Or...you know, having actual laws to break in the first place. It'll make it a little less like we're fighting blind.

Video

[lasergrenades]

Thanks, Chat. ['Pep' is a thing back home, too. She appreciates that it's a thing here now.]

Any help is good, seriously. And that's exactly it - that's what I've been saying since a certain someone suggested a police force in the first place. It can't operate in isolation and be the best it can.

I hope you come anyway. Even if you're not into politics.

Video

[purrns]

Very true. Everything needs a good foundation. Especially this.

[He tilts his head, offering up a lazy smirk. ]

Well, I'd hate to disappoint you. I might turn up, listen to what ideas people are slinging around.

Video

[lasergrenades]

Yep. It's going to be an adventure and a challenge and all sorts of crazy sometimes, but that's when things get fun.

[Pepper nods, her expression turning a little impish.]

You had better. Or I'm going to come give you a play-by-play afterwards.

Video

[purrns]

Bien sûr, that's what makes it an adventure worth having.

[That gets a full-on grin out of him. ]

See, now you're saying that and not showing up means I'd miss out on your delightful company for a few hours. It's not selling me on the showing up thing, to be honest.

[Chat, it's for reasons like this that Ladybug doesn't take you seriously. ]

Video

[spoilsfun]

I haven't heard very much about the police force here yet. How large is it? If you haven't had a government behind it, what has it been doing?

Video

[lasergrenades]

It's about twenty people mainly, and some of the gangs are kind of working with us too. Right now we've been enforcing what laws we've been able to find - Valdis did a lot of research.

But I've said we needed a government behind the police since Tu Yunxu suggested I start a police force a few months ago. That's why I'm trying to do this.

Re: Video

[spoilsfun]

Mmm, it's a good idea. Without government and law to back it up, a police force can't operate as much more than vigilantes.

Video

[lasergrenades]

Well, there are laws that exist. Some, anyway. A lot are pretty old, but we've been using those to work from. It wasn't enough though, and it wasn't gonna last without a real government. [She gives him a small smile.] So here we are.

Video

[starspangled]

The next time I have to give a speech, I'm coming to you for a few pointers.\

[Blew it out of the water.]

Video

[lasergrenades]

[Well that sure was a compliment from Captain America. Pepper's cheeks turn a little pink.]

I've heard you give pretty good speeches all by yourself - but thanks, really. I practiced.

[She'd been told a few times to be careful about how she said things, and this kind of announcement didn't lend itself to an off-the-cuff approach.]

Will you be there?

Video

[starspangled]

I've been told that I play something called the "mom guilt card". You sounded very natural, sincere. People respond best to that.

I'll be there.

Video

[lasergrenades]

[Pepper giggles a little at that.]

Well, if it's effective that's not the worst card to play. I'll look for you, if I get the chance. I might be a bit busy exercising my considerable skills in talking a lot.

[no_light]

First Valdis and the Police Force, now you are speaking of a ruling council. You seem to be serious about this.

[lasergrenades]

That would be because I am serious about this. Like, super serious. I'm not really sure how it could look like I'm not.

[no_light]

I didn't doubt your sincerity, but I doubted your ability to move so past.

[lasergrenades]

It's been a few months in the making. [Her expression turns a little sly.] Plus, I'm totally determined and all kinds of stubborn.

Video

[mrsarcastic003]

[grin]

The timing of this seems particularly apropos. [He hums a few bars of the Star Spangled Banner] I'll be there.

Video

[lasergrenades]

For some of us, anyway. You must be from a version of Earth, then. I don't think we've been introduced just yet - I'm Pepper.

Video

[mrsarcastic003]

Yeah--Gotham City, to be exact, which is in New Jersey, if such a place exists in your reality. [He shrugs, still grinning.] These things get so confusing sometimes.

Sorry--I'm Tim. It's nice to meet you.

Video

[lasergrenades]

Well, New Jersey exists. I live in Manhattan, so I can usually check to be sure it's still there if I look out a window.

Funny how it takes being in a different reality for that to make us neighbors.

[aprettyflyboy]

Ey Piper, nice to see you.

I agree that some more organization would be more than welcome but how do the current gangs, like The Snakes, feel about this? From my experience, those in power like to keep that power.

I admit I don't know much about the Police Force here yet but some people mentioned it to me before. How does it work?

[lasergrenades]

Hey, Poe. Some of the gangs are actually working with us - there's been some, uh, wrinkles there and that's a big reason for trying to get some oversight. The Snakes, well... they're not exactly thrilled, but it's not the first time there's been a Foreigner-run police force. Any Snake is welcome to join if they're willing to follow the rules.

Right now we're trying to work off of old laws that Valdis has dug up, and some of the most common ones that aren't always written but people follow anyway. There aren't any jails or judges yet, so obviously there's a need for that. Basically we're trying to be a more neutral group - not run or owned by any one family or group and interested in protecting all of Keeliai.

[aprettyflyboy]

A thing like this is bound to cause trouble at first, wrinkles are the least we all can expect. Hopefully, a proper agreement between all the involved parts can be reached without causing more problem than necessary.

A Neutral stand sounds like a good one. I saw far too many good intentions take a darker turn when personal interests got in the way of what was better for a society as a whole.

[lasergrenades]

Exactly - all of that. I know it's not gonna be easy or simple, but I really think we can make this work. And by 'we' I mean everyone who lives in Keeliai, not just the Foreigners. This should be theirs; I'm just trying to get the ball rolling, you know?