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

[lacksconviction]

I notice that the two things are not mutually exclusive.

What they were is irrelevant, but an admirable attempt at dodging the question.

Should I presume you have no answer either, then?

[timesbureaucrat]

You should presume that if you try to play interrogation games with me, I'll play them right back.

Tell me, are you actually morally offended at the Admiral's behaviour, or simply jealous that it's not you who has that power, Inmate?

[lacksconviction]

The question I pose is a simple one. If you have not the mind to answer it then I think you'll find it easily within your lofty privileges to merely walk away.

As you ask though, I will answer your question. I am frustrated because I am tired of being handed between gods and megalomaniacs, and because it has happened enough for me to want to know who keeps me now, and why. I am offended by the fact that some of you have been here years and never wondered, and I am angry that the vast majority of you here to save our souls simply do not seem to care.

If I am jealous of anything, then it is of those of you permitted to leave who are squandering the chance.

[timesbureaucrat]

All right, then, since you gave me a serious answer, I'll give one back. Hypotheses of reasons other than evil intentions that he might keep secrets: One, security. This is a ship full of criminals after all. If I were him, I'd keep all information I could close to the chest myself. Two, his alien nature. Communicating motives and methods can be immensely difficult when your fundamental thought processes are vastly different from the person you're talking to. Three, the Admiral is perhaps a trickster, a practical joker. He likes to keep us on our toes, and his sense of humour is vastly irritating but not necessarily malevolent.

Should I go on? I'm sure I could think of a few more hypotheses, but I think that proves my point. Your supposition is no better than any of mine.

Now, here are a few facts as I know them. One, if the Admiral wanted to conquer a planet, or distort space-time, or engage in otherwise megalomaniacal activities, the Barge gives him the technology to do so. He wouldn't need us for that. Two, there are inmates have gone through the rehabilitation process and afterwards chose to remain on the Barge. Their souls are not swallowed up by an evil force, nor are they brainwashed. I recommend you speak to a few of them.

I don't think the Admiral is good--if he were he wouldn't require these deals to save a species from annihilation. But if his goal is to spread evil, he's not very good at it. He'd be the most inefficient and inept evil entity I've ever seen.

[lacksconviction]

[These are exceptionally good points and Loki can not really argue with you about them. So... have a bit of rare honesty:]

I may not be convinced to share your beliefs, but I must confess it is a relief to hear a kind of reasoning that transcends blind faith or mindless greed.

[The argument about the Admiral's alien nature is especially interesting. You are good at thinking of things, Narvin... And now that Loki's thinking about it...]

Does it not drive you mad to have these hypotheses unprovable?

[He's not trolling anymore, in fact, he sounds amused. It's driving him kinda mad.]

[timesbureaucrat]

[Narvin is smart when he's not being really dumb.]

I loathe having so little information and so many unanswered questions. But, as an old acquaintance of mine used to say, "needs must."

[He smiles slightly, because he's quoting Braxiatel and he hates Braxiatel. But they do agree on some things, like pragmatism.]