"Here in the Rock, we have Three Rules...!"

[reactorhead_russians]

[1] [Locked to prisoners]

Two tall figures comes walking down the UG's prison block, carrying stun batons, wearing UG security uniforms and light riot vests. Sieljie and maybe Serak would recognize them. Aaron and Ilinka probably haven't seen them before.

Sasha and Alexis Kaidonovksy, newly minted prison guards, stroll back and forth for a bit, walking the beat, feeling out the perimeter. Alexis's face is open and friendly, Sasha's furrowed and scowling.

Seemingly on a whim, they stop by one of the prison cells and nod to its occupant.

"We are your new guards." Alexis speaks up. "Is there anything we can do for you?"


[2] [Open to UG members]

Responding to an network message, you show up at Alexis and Sasha's new office.

"Thank you for coming." Sasha says, leaning back in her desk chair. "As the email indicated, we are not hiring new security guards: the UG base already has a fine, qualified staff. We wish to recruit powerful physical combatants in the UG who can respond to prison breaks and riots when on base, moving to protect assets from and help recapture the more dangerous individuals in detention."

She gestures at you to sit. "As briefly as possible...what do you feel qualifies you to join this emergency service?"


[3] [Open to prisoners and UG members]

As senior prisoner guards to the UG POWS, the Kaidonovksys have installed some equipment in one of the unused bomb-proof confinement chambers.

Specifically, a speaker system, a projector currently shining against a white wall, and floor cushions.

"Welcome to the first Unity Group Prison movie night!" Alexis declares as certain prisoners and certain UG members file in. He holds up several data chits. "With a show of hands, indicate which genre you'd prefer: Action, Romance, Historical, or Comedy?"

Comments

3

[stupidhonor]

...

What is a genre?

What is a movie?

2

[booty_chaser]

[Ashe simply grins confidently in response]

Well, I did kick your most dangerous prisoner's butt twice.

Mostly, well, I put her in there, so I kinda would feel responsible if she escaped and hurt anyone.

1

[srwu_mods]

Ilinka's attention slowly turns to the newcomers.

"Why are Rangers my new guards?"

Re: 1

[reactorhead_russians]

"Because we asked for this job." Sasha says simply.

"Sasha." Alexis chides. "I think she more wants to know why we asked for this job."

Sasha grunts. As laconically as possible, she says. "Because we feel we can do some good here."

Re: 2

[reactorhead_russians]

"An excellent point, and an excellent attitude." Sasha approves. She shuffles the papers on her desk.

"Do you have any work experience pursuing or capturing criminals alive and turning over to authorities unharmed?" She asks.

Re: 3

[reactorhead_russians]

Alexis grunts in thought, stroking his beard.

"To answer, I must first ask you something." He says. "On your homeworld, how do stories and tales get passed down from person to person? Through books? Storytellers? Minstrels?"

Re: 2

[booty_chaser]

Weeee-e-e-ell... define "unharmed". Most of the time I have to beat them up a bit. For some reason nobody ever just drops their weapons when I tell them to.

[stupidhonor]

There are books, but mostly as records of old, and chronicles. Tales are spread through word of mouth, the kind of book I saw on Earth is almost unheard of on Ankaia.

[srwu_mods]

"What good do you hope to accomplish?" You are not the only one who can be laconic.

[reactorhead_russians]

"Do you have theatre or plays?" Alexis grunts. "Live performances that reenact past events?"

Re: 2

[reactorhead_russians]

"Eh." Sasha shrugs. "If you're able to put a person down without killing or crippling them, that's good enough."

She grunts. "There's no wrong answer to this next question, but answer with care. Suppose you received an emergency message alerting you of a prison break. You rush to the scene and intercept a prisoner. The prisoner, however, has a knife to the throat of a hostage, and threatens to kill them if you come close."

She meets Ashe's eyes. "What would you do?"

[reactorhead_russians]

Alexis rumbles to himself in thought. "We hope to keep the world safe from you all...with as little cruelty as possible." He says. "And if we believe any of you have changed for the better, we'll work to get you released."

[booty_chaser]

Hmmm... [Ashe spends a moment thinking] Well, I guess it depends on a lot of stuff. Does this guy already know what I can do?

Because I can teleport. Acting like I'm doing what he wants and leaving and then turning into Siarnaq, teleporting behind him and taking out his knife before he notices I'm there seems like the best option, but that only works if he doesn't know I can do that.

[srwu_mods]

"What is your definition of that? Change for the better?"

[stupidhonor]

No... this is a strange idea. I have read about it but never saw it with my own eyes.

3

[a_louse]

What do you have from historical flicks?

[reactorhead_russians]

"Well," Alexis concludes. "These are image and audio recordings of performers that reenact dramatic stories and events, some historical and some...let's say mythical."

He raises the data chits. "Would you be interested in tales of action, fighting and conflict? Or of romantic courtships? Or farcical misunderstandings? Or tales that recount the history of Earth?"

[reactorhead_russians]

"As far as hostage rescue skills go, that's very useful." Sasha acknowledges.

"Last question...suppose you were called in, not because two prisoners were escaping, but because two powerful prisoners were fighting each other in a public space with intent to kill. How would you stop them from fighting and return them to their cells, with minimal damage to people or infrastructure?"

Re: 3

[reactorhead_russians]

"Well..." Alexis flips through the titles. "We have "Kusha: the First Buddha", a bronze age drama. "Siege of Port Arthur", about two soldiers on opposite sides of the Russo-Japanese war. And also..."

He frowns at the title. "Simple Artist: the Raymond Chandler Story."

[reactorhead_russians]

"In your case...no longer feeling inclined to blow up civilians to please your crush." Sasha says curtly.

[booty_chaser]

Are these guys at least a little reasonable? I mean, I'd probably know the prisoners a little, right? Do I have any reason to think that trying to talk to them is going to work?

Because that'd be my first option, but we kinda deal with a lot of fanatic nuts here.

[reactorhead_russians]

"Imagine the brawl is between, say, Serak and Ilinka." Sasha suggests. "What would you do then?"

[stupidhonor]

Ah. It is just as your books, then.

[Sielje does not seem too impressed.]

Can I choose a theme of any of those you spoke of? Any single one of them?

...

The courtship one.

[booty_chaser]

Oh boy. [Ashe frowns] Then yeah, I'm going in with my stun guns and putting both of them to nap before anyone notices I'm there. That lady is all sorts of crazy and if I take more than, like, four seconds she'll probably already have killed Ilinka.

[a_louse]

A movie about a man who made movies? Talk about multiple layers. I like the sound of that.

[reactorhead_russians]

"Hmmm..." Alexis says, looking through his data chits. "We have "The Tale of Gawain and Ragnalle", "Trysts at the Hotel Dubai", "Indubitable Sleeplessness", "Dream of the Green Chamber"...and "Broken-spine Asteroid". "

He peers at the last one. "This seems to be a tale about love between two asteroid miners."

[reactorhead_russians]

"Well thought out." Sasha says. She extends a hand to shake with. "I think we'll associate in the near future."

[stupidhonor]

Miners?

No, nevermind. Any will do.