And this, Aria, is where the internal inconsistency comes in. Her methods with regard to you and your feelings about those methods mesh pretty well…
And so right now, you’re involved in military action to supplement the violent suppression of people who hold the same viewpoint you do. Their crime, it seems, is not being you—or at least, not being able to get away with it by dint of personal power and connections.
Which brings us back to the point you’ve evaded and obfuscated by making this all about your experience in the Empire… as usual…
Widespread, systemic abuse, specifically of the helpless. People being killed and injured by the millions regardless of offense or innocence, with no legal recourse[1]. Inconsistent laws where the outcome depends entirely on personal wealth, power, and connections.
That is not civilization. That is barbarism, wrapped up in a high population density and lots of large buildings and byzantine rules to make sure the people in charge get to stay in charge, and everyone else stays yoked. That’s a system built to resist ‘improvement’, and defy those who try to actually civilize it.
And for all your pontificating about how ‘nice’ and ‘kind’ the privileged elites you surround yourself with are to you, another privileged elite, you cannot natter that away with words that amount to ‘I’m obedient to the person who’s nice to me because I made a promise that says I have to do the thing I want to do: protect Luna and her family’. How do I know it’s what you want to do?
If someone wants to make you do something you don’t want to do (which is doing something to you: forcing you to do it) you don’t let them.
“I do what I want and don’t let people make me do things I don’t want to. But when someone else tries to act the same way, screw 'em, I’ll lend military support to the people killing them for it. Because I want to. After all, I do what I want.”
This is what your position comes together as, Aria. No, you haven’t said those words all at once, but that’s how the different parts of what you’ve said come together.
I’d really love it if you could show me the difference between you and Veikk, given that. Other, you know, than the fact that you criticize and decry her as ‘untrustworthy’… for being just like you.
- Yes, Kahah is in the Khanid Kingdom. The Kingdom has been welcomed back into the Imperial fold, and at no point did any Imperial authorities more influential than Samira say ‘maybe this orbital bombardment thing is a bad idea’, and she’s not an Imperial authority at all!
1a. And no, Kithrus doesn’t count as either an Imperial authority or more influential than Samira. She, at least, got a reaction. He just got ignored.