[IC Inbox | Meadowlark]

[lifetothefullest]

@lance.sweets | ■ ▲ ◌ ▼

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[evocation]

Yeah, but there were a bunch of people who were convinced they didn't. And isn't it good if we don't have as much value?

[lifetothefullest]

There were maybe ten people.

[Which is not exactly a bunch, as far as he's concerned, unless he vastly underestimated how many people might've been interested in participating since he's basing his number on the interest shown on Rey's post plus the possibility of some people who stayed quiet.]

In some respects, maybe; they might have less interest in actively interacting with us. In other respects, no; holding value to them means they may not want anything to happen to us, because we could benefit them in some way.

[evocation]

But we know that they don't care about our powers. The science excuse was a front. We didn't know that before.

[lifetothefullest]

Sure, maybe.

[He can't necessarily argue that, though a large part of him wonders if it matters. Maybe it's useful though, so he won't discount it outright without having time to think about it.]

But is that worth everything else?

[evocation]

What do you mean, "everything else"?

[lifetothefullest]

I mean Riverstone knowing that Displaced broke into their building, poked around in it, and then used one of their powers on someone who worked here in order to find out information they didn't want to share.

[evocation]

But a bunch of us handed ourselves right over, too.

[lifetothefullest]

Do you think that's going to just cancel out and they'll let it go?

[evocation]

No. But if Meredith Ling is that obsessed with us, I don't think she's going to punish everyone for what four people did.

[lifetothefullest]

Maybe not, but if she wants to get something out of us and you have proof of that, it's going to make her job very difficult. Are you planning to tell the rest of the Displaced about this?

[evocation]

[She was going to, but...]

Do you think we shouldn't?

[lifetothefullest]

No, I definitely think you should.

[evocation]

Okay.

[At least there's that.]

You think this was a huge screw up, don't you?

[lifetothefullest]

Yes.

[No point in denying that.]

But that's not exactly the biggest problem I have with it.

[evocation]

[She's bracing herself again.]

What's the biggest problem?

[lifetothefullest]

That the four of you made a decision like this, one that could have major repercussions for all of us, and decided on behalf of everyone else that it was worth it.

[evocation]

[That gets her to shut up for a second, expression wavering.]

They're only mad at us, not everyone.

[lifetothefullest]

For now. And what if that hadn't been the case?

[But he thinks, from her expression, that he made his point, and so he doesn't press further for now. Instead, he decides to comment more broadly.]

There's a trend here--not just this specific instance--of individual Displaced deciding that they know better than anyone else, and so they can make whatever choices they want no matter what might come of it. Even if they tell everyone else what they're doing, they're completely set on it and it's a matter of giving notice, not entertaining discussion, because they've already decided they know best.

[And that said, he finally crosses his arms, giving an annoyed shrug.]

I'm getting a little tired of people treating being here like it's some low-stakes game where they can just take whatever risks they feel like, as though it doesn't affect all of us.

[evocation]

[He's definitely made his point, and she feels a sudden rush of guilt.]

I wasn't— I wasn't thinking of it as low-stakes.

[She thought Ren's idea would help, but he's right, isn't he?]

[lifetothefullest]

I'm sure you weren't, but I doubt you were thinking of it as high-stakes either.

[But he can, again, tell that he's made his point here, and at least she seems to care.]

But like I said, it's done, so now we all need to be prepared to deal with what might come out of it. The others need to know what you found out, and that there's a potential problem with Riverstone.

[evocation]

Okay.

[It's not like she wasn't planning on doing that anyway, so that doesn't throw her so much. What's tangling her up right now is that he seems so deeply disappointed in her.]

You think I'm a total idiot, don't you?

[lifetothefullest]

I think you should've put more thought into your decision.

[But that isn't the same thing as being an idiot. Being an idiot is far more simple; he's so disappointed because he knows she isn't stupid, or careless, or ignorant. She's none of those things, but chose to make a decision like this anyway.]

[evocation]

I'm sorry.

[She says it again, softer this time, because she doesn't know what else to say.]

[lifetothefullest]

[He knows she means it, and at this point he thinks she understands why he's upset; even though she still doesn't actually owe him an apology specifically, this time he decides not to say that.]

I know. It's okay.

[Making her feel guilty isn't going to help, and although he's genuinely frustrated with her actions, it's part of a greater issue that her part of is comparatively very small. He doesn't have any reason or desire to stay upset with her.]

[evocation]

Okay.

[She's still not entirely sure he's not upset with her, but there isn't much she can do about that.]

You think people have been treating things like they're low-stakes?