[ QUOTE ]
"Yes, and for every one 'baddie' who dies, two of its relatives take its place," returned Cafea. "And they shall return the favor, and the feud shall grow ever greater and fiercer as the entire world begins to form two sides. One that says 'You hit me first,' and the other saying 'You deserved it'."
[/ QUOTE ]
"Oh, come on, man! You make it sound like every bar fight that ever happened ended up wit a galaxy collapsing into a smeggin black hole."
[ QUOTE ]
"Daaamn straight!" Leeni said, turning back towards the conversation. "Besides, I gotta stand up for the Ush. 'S what I'm here for ya know. All the peeps are all like kablamblam! And I'm like, 'Oh hell no you di'int! Twitch gonna mess you up now!' Blamblamblam! An' then it's all--"
[/ QUOTE ]
Kreigg chuckled at the fiesty little rodent. He was starting to like her.
"That's the way to do it, Spunky!" he cheered encouragingly.
[ QUOTE ]
Teide frowned a bit looking at the collection of bills, coins, and cards presented to her. "I'm really sorry, but most of this is useless to me. I rarely trade with any of these races."
[/ QUOTE ]
"Put the Twitch on my tab," he called across to Teide.
[ QUOTE ]
"Yes, and for every one 'baddie' who dies, two of its relatives take its place," returned Cafea. "And they shall return the favor, and the feud shall grow ever greater and fiercer as the entire world begins to form two sides. One that says 'You hit me first,' and the other saying 'You deserved it'."
[/ QUOTE ]
Aurak looked up from the steak that he had been devouring and like he wanted to say something. Waving one hand for attention, he used the other to quickly wolf down what was left of the meat and swallow loudly.
"Ever escalating warfare only happens if you donhpm-" Aurak coughed, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and continued. "It only happens if you don't completely get rid of one side. It's what my race did, at least. Whole planet, split between the Chosen of Draco, me, and the Neth'mok, some really nasty mammals. Two big wars, only us left. Works really damn well in my opinion."
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
"Ah, yes," Cafea answered. "And wiping out an entire race is no doubt an excellent way to solve a problem. As for bar fights. . . I do not think that was really what I was talking about. I can hardly say I have never engaged in violence myself."
He glowed blue for a second. "And yet, I have only fought in self-defense, and I fully understood the idiocy of what I was doing. Indeed . . . were you to simply agree that war was a foolish thing, I would hardly object to your practising it. It is those who take every means available to deny their faults who are truly in the wrong. No race can possibly be perfect."
"Damn right we're not perfect," Aurak said, his head nodding. "That's why we're alive. If we were perfect, what would there be to live for any more? And I'm drunk."
Aurka's head dipped lower until it was almost resting on his plate. His eyes were still about half-open, but it was pretty certain that he wasn't going to be thinking straight for a while.
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
Kreigg considered Cafea for a long moment after Auraks head his the table.
"So I guess what you're saying is that your philosophy could be summed up as the phase 'I'm-stupid-and-you're-dead'"
Cafea considered. "I am really not sure what you are talking about," he said. "My philosophy, frankly, works only for my own race. No matter how many beings there are who do not wish to squabble over trivia, there are just as many for whom it is a delightful treat. I really do not expect anything else."
Grunting in disgust, Kreigg returned to his food, shoveling more into his mouth and chewing on it several times before spitting it out. He pushed the plate away, signaling that he was finished.
"Was it not to your liking," Frosch asked with concern as he gathered up the remains.
"Nah, it was fine," Kreigg said, "Just something about the smell of self-righteousness makes me lose my appetite." The comment was clearly directed at Cafea.
Chiming to himself, Cafea floated over to the other side of the bar to see what else was going on. He got that a lot.
After observing the situation for a while Wraithwind seemed to come to a decision. He *slid across to the bar and seemed to lurk just above one of the bar stools, never actually touching it, more like casting himself on it. Scanning the shelves behind the bar he noticed a bottle he had not expected to find here. As he spotted it his glowing eyes flared a little and he formed an arm and pointed at it.
"I would like a container of that substance." he intoned, indicating a bottle that seemed to absorb light so that it was little more than a spot of darkness on the shelf."I know not what it is called here but in my laguage it is called....." at that he made a noise like wind whipping down a passageway. While gesturing he extended part of himself over the counter and a thin rectangular ber of what appeared to be solid gold dropped onto the smooth surface with a clink.
((OOC:I almost forgot I posted in here I've been pretty busy. BTW sliding is how Wraithwind moves in his natural form. It resembles a shadow moving across whatever surface is behind him. It's kind of disconcerting as no matter what angle you view him from he always appears to be cast on the opposite side of the room as the viewer, he can also shadow jump in areas with lots of shadows, making him very difficult to spot.))
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Dechs Kaison See, it's gems like these that make me check Claws' post history every once in a while to make sure I haven't missed anything good lately. |
Kei, finally translating the English enough to order what she hoped was a steak, sat back and listened to the conversation about war and violence. Her eye's narrowed at Aurak's claim of genocide. I would seem his kind are not so different from the hybrids. Leaning back, the archer thought she would at least share her position on the matter.
"Violence is part of nature. A requirement to survive and grow. Does the deer resent the wolf that kills it? It is only when sentients engage in violence that things become senseless." She shrugged, "But there will be times when it can not be avoided. My own people have engadged a centuries long battle aginst the fellkind. All they seek is to wipe all life from the planet. Thusly, we have developed a means to defend ourselves. Do I see the idiocy when I kill one? Never, because each invading party I kill will mean less deaths in the city."
Pinnacle
Heroes
When in danger, or in doubt; Run in circles, scream and shout.
Frosch shook his head at the remains of the meal. As he put it away to be emptied and cleaned he considered the whole debate for a moment and then put her out of his mind. He had a job to do. But still, Frosch understood what Cafea meant. War was terrible, but often needed. He focused on the debates real problem. Cafea was too far on one side and Kreigg was a bit to far to the other, though no where near as far as Cafea. He shurgged as the shadow thing ordered a drink, "We call it Reahu." Frosch said, "Ice cold even in the heat of the day. Got some chemical in it that eats absorbs energy, banned on a few worlds because drinking too much can freeze your vital organs." Frosch warned.
((I should point out a lot of the weird names like Reahu are just mythological names. There's no real reason for this other than they a ready source of weird words.))
Cafea glowed warmly at Kei's words. "I am glad someone here has some sense. I should, perhaps, have made it clear that I did not extend the philosophy to inferior beings. They exist to be consumed by the superior. Of course, though, the eradication of even inferior beings is wrong, as it harms the superior indirectly."
He chimed. "Of course, now I have probably made even more enemies. Few other beings seem to accept our superiority criteria. I merely wished to say, though, that our race would consider both the wild animals you speak of and the fellkind that hunt your race inferior, and would have few qualms killing tham in self-defense."
"Seems kind of stupid of them to want to kill everything," Aurak spoke up, his words slurred a bit. "Or do you just mean they want to kill your race? Cause I don't think that'd be everything. And also, if you could, would you kill all of them?"
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
(( Can sarcastic Vulcans apply as well? ))
There's a little commotion outside the doors as the bouncers are argueing with someone there. It appears to be a teen kid, covered in freckles and fake Vulcan-ears. After pointing out the house-rules, which are clearly posted on the wall next to the entrance, the kid has no other choice but go away and watch the Inn from across the street. Which he does, holding a large collection of newspaper photos.
A few seconds later, a woman wants to step in and as the kid, she's pointed out the same rules. Taking off her square little sunglasses she peers at the man and hrms. "I tought dat my appearance was already odd enough." she notes. And true, the woman looks like someone mixed a porcupine and a human in almost equal measures.
She then sighed, putting her glasses back on "Ok den, but remember dat you made me do dis."
One implosion later, one of the more 'traditional' aliens in Paragon city floated itself through the doorway, the Dark Nova form of the Warshade appealing enough to the rules.
TechDefender Rad/Ele Defender
D'20 Gladiator DM/SR Scrapper
Cyclonite Cat Fire/Fire Blaster
[url="http://www.dutchfurs.com/~taross/w/screenshots/Ferretgal/Ferretgal.jpg"]Ferretgal Claw/Inv Scrapper[/url](Virtue)
@Cyclonite Cat
(Names changed at GM 'request')
"Yeah," Kreigg exploded, unable to tolerate anymore of Cafeas pontificating, "I think we're all pretty smeggin' clear on what your races 'superiority criteria' are. You know what burns me? The fact that you're just like every other non-mass event I ever met. Haugty, aloof, or just plain arrogant. And you know what makes you folks that way? The way where you come into bars and start insulting all us 'inferior' life forms? AIN'T NOBODY EVER PUNCHED YOUR TEETH IN FOR IT, THAT'S WHY!! Y'all ain't nothin but a bunch of self-righteous cowards tryin to bully us inta feelin worse about our own central nervous systems. But I like mine, so bite me! Oh wait, you can't! And you better not be thinking I can't harm you.
"Hey, Frosch, how much for a bottle of that Reahu?"
Kreigg kept right on staring at Cafea and didn't even notice the Warshade enter.
Cafea made the fading strings noise again. "I should probably say that your race is not, in fact, considered inferior. I admit, however, that I plan to discuss the matter heavily with the Collective."
"As for being high and mighty and all that. . . of course we are. We were, to use the old cliche, born that way. You are hardly being fair to blame us for our basic nature."
"And for your information, a group of pathetic humans nearly wiped us out once. Can't imagine how."
He made his best effort to keep a straight face, but soon enough Kreigg was smirking and snickering, and pretty soon after that he was rolling with laughter.
"HahaHah! I can't believe I almost got into it with you! *snickers* I get it now. The high and mighty energy race gets whooped on by some fleshies, and in a fit of embarassment, concedes 'superior potential' cause ain't no way they were just better at violence than you folks. And... and... *highly amused giggle* ...and yer distinct genetic lack of an imagination means you have to dispatch an observer to try and figure it out.
"Oh, man, I see what you mean. The truth must suck."
When Kreigg offered to pick up her tab, Leeni's ears perked straight up and she grinned like she won the lottery. Gathering up her dropped monetary detritus, she literally bounded over to the other extraterrestrial.
"You doin' right by the Twitch!" she exclaimed gleefully, her little orange wings flittering. "What d'you call yourself, anyhow?"
The argument with Cafea seemed to go right over the little creature's head and she just stared at the verbal combatants with a blank look and a rare bout of silence.
The silence was short lived.
"DUDE you're like one of those pacifists that the Ush is always talkin' about like from those planets that always get blown up by other people because they don't have weapons! Man, that sucks! My planet got blown up too a while ago so I feel ya man, it's why I hang with Ushlax and my boys, that is when they don't ditch me on some backend rock...no offense to any natives."
Leeni twitched her nose slightly with a grin.
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
"What?!" Kreigg bellowed in shocked amazement, Cafea all but forgotten in that incredulous instant. "Ditched you here? Wow, that sucks. It's so... backend rock is a good way to say it," he didn't seem to share her concern for the natives.
"Anyhow, names Kreigg, and I'm what you might call a Freelancer."
Cafea chimed. "Well, you are right, in that the truth sucks. I am truly embarrassed that the entire Collective, save the Alpha, was wiped out by a lone army of human kinesists."
"But I am afraid your conjecture is wrong. We do not have weapons, no, and are relatively peaceful beings, but I would hardly say we cannot defend ourselves."
"As for our planet. . . never had one. Not our style. But I am sorry to hear of your homeworld. I suppose that must be equivalent to the destruction of all our physical embodiments in the War of Ascendance."
"Huh?" Leeni blinked at their concern. "Oh, hey, I don't really care at this point, most of us bailed anyway and I've spent most o' my life as a bum anyway. But then..."
Clasping her little hands together, Leeni's eyes glittered as she looked off into the distance.
"But then like I was stowing away on this ship see and they found me but this guy saved me and he was green and had four arms and cool sunglasses and was so nice! An' then we were bestest friends and he could sing and I could write songs and we got a band and now Ushlax is a huge star!"
Calming down, she alighted on the table, twiddling her toe a little.
"I'm sure he just lost track of me or something, it's been known to happen. But whatevs, nothin' keeps the Twitch down for long!"
Turning back to Kreigg, she smirked. "A freelancer, huh? That's pretty sweet. Been known to dabble in such things myself when record sales are down."
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
"I'm sure he just lost track of me or something, it's been known to happen. But whatevs, nothin' keeps the Twitch down for long!"
Turning back to Kreigg, she smirked. "A freelancer, huh? That's pretty sweet. Been known to dabble in such things myself when record sales are down."
"Yeah," Kreigg agreed, a hint of concern tugging briefly at one corner of his mouth before vanishing, "Yeah I'm sure they'll swing back around in no time."
A moment of silence hung in the air. Kreigg rubbed the back of his head with one big mitt. "Hey, in the mean time how about I buy you a drink? And don't you worry about the charity or nothing, I'm betting a well-known song writer like yourself has plenty of scratch so you c'n just buy for me on the next planet."
Rulaag licked his eyeball. Looking at the hyper...rodent...creature...He spoke up.
"So, uh, what are you again?"
Leeni squealed happily when Kreigg offered to buy her a drink and plopped down on the table. At her size it was ridiculous to consider her sitting in a chair, so it worked for now.
"I'll have what you're havin', Kreigg!" she cheerily said. At Rulaag's inquiry, she turned, overlarge ears tilted.
"I'm a Gugerde. Though less flattering reports have labelled us Space Rats." Folding her tiny arms, she pouted, sticking her slightly pointed nose in the air. "After seeing one here, though, I think personally I'm more of a 'Space Bunny' except with different ears and better hands."
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
Teide frowned a bit looking at the collection of bills, coins, and cards presented to her. "I'm really sorry, but most of this is useless to me. I rarely trade with any of these races." She admited as she looked for coins that could be used. She really didn't turn anyone away from her Inn. First she could use the business, second she didn't like throwing people out onto this planet. It was tough to be an outsider here. Teide had been listening to the conversation on war and remained out of it. Peace was a fine ideal, but it was just an ideal really.