Private to the Admiral THEN PUBLIC HEY JERKS HE NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION.

[lacksconviction]

[This is a tentative post, and Loki's voice has the faltering quality of a man who suspects he may be talking to himself:]

Admiral? There are questions I have which I do not believe anyone else here is qualified to answer.

First among which may be the most futile of them:

Are you listening?

[EDITED IN LATER: Public]

[Hey Barge, Loki is just going to make this conversation with the Admiral, fully public.]

I must indeed be becoming tiresome with my questioning today, because I have one more. This one for the wardens, for those of you serving this man willingly:

Why?

Yes, I have asked before, and yes I've heard answers. For your deal, for your inmate, for the sake of doing some good in the universe, but I wonder how you justify it to yourselves. To serve an entity who not only is little known, but actively refuses to surrender his intentions, the masters which he serves, or even the reward which he will reap for his work in controlling all of us.

I have been told by many among you that he is not a God, but what other beings deal in secrecy and souls?

Why are you content with this?

Prey tell me, that I might lay to rest my fears about what more this place is, than just a prison.

Comments

[persuadeyou]

[Oh fuck you Admiral. :|]

How would you justify it?

[lacksconviction]

[Snapped:]

I wouldn't.

We are expected to fixate on the floods and the ports and the petty deaths, while not questioning the fact that we are blind to the workings and purpose of this place. The only conclusion I can draw is that we are marked for a sinister design, and if I were a warden I would leave!

[persuadeyou]

Maybe why most of us are here is worth being blind.

[Private]

Did you expect him to give a real answer?

[lacksconviction]

Of course! Your own petty deal would justify anything for you.

How unchanging are your values, Ms. Romanov.

[Private]

Forget what I expected from him, now I ask for one from you. Why is it enough? Are you honestly so content to be used by whatever soulless force should put it's hand to you?

[persuadeyou]

It's Reese. It's not exactly a hard name to remember. You know, like the candy?

[Private]

No.

[Especially not after that flood. She pauses, like she isn't going to bother adding more, but.]

I don't believe there isn't something you'd be willing to do anything for.

Private

[lacksconviction]

It's very easy to promise to do anything when you have no way of knowing how far the limit of that word extends.

It's possible that there are things no named price would deter me from, but I will tell you now that there is nothing that could be offered to me that would make me work for a thing so obviously my enemy.

Private

[persuadeyou]

Why is he an enemy, and not just a nuisance? Maybe it's just a joke to him. A prank.

Private

[lacksconviction]

If a man goes picking through your mind like a hawk, rearranging the pieces as he sees fit with neither explanation or apology, does he cease to be your enemy because he thought it a game?

Private

[persuadeyou]

[She's keeping as neutral as can be, but she has to wonder if that's the kind of brainwashing he used on Clint.]

Has he hurt you? Have you been harmed since you came here?

Private

[lacksconviction]

[But Natasha! It was just a prank! Surely it was fine.]

Creating new questions does not unmake those asked of you. If your best defense is to whimper that someone who has been here for less than a month has suffered no ailment, then look to those who've been here years.

The truth is, you've no answer to my questions, and that is why you've offered none. Your decision to remain here is selfish and short sighted. At least be honest with yourself about it.

Private

[persuadeyou]

[She is going to keep ignoring those hot words, okay. :c] Sorry, I wasn't clear: I know staying here is selfish. I wasn't trying to be dishonest. [Ahahahah. :c]

Sometimes you have to work with your enemy to get what you want. It isn't a new tactic. And I intend to see it pay off.

Private

[lacksconviction]

You aren't working with him. You're serving him blindly. Still, I won't tell you that your greed is a crime, I just wondered if you had considered the consequences of the choice you have made here.

Private

[persuadeyou]

I have. But I doubt that puts you at ease.