Implications

[itbelongsinamuseum]

1
[After the defense of the Macross as it tried to return, Alex hung around the hangar back on base for a while rather than going to get changed immediately. Mostly she seemed to have just stopped in place, lost in thoughts.]

So...Did Enki lie to me, did Enlil half-assedly cheat or does Humbaba mean something else entirely?

2

...Just drop it. We haven't talked in ages and that's what we end up talking about?...Right, we should. Goodbye.

[Alex was just on the phone with somebody and it didn't go well. She looks quite angrily at the poor, innocent piece of consumer electronics even after hanging up. Her expression quickly slumps slightly, though, the anger fading away.]


I should have guessed that.

Comments

[whats_a_good_end]

Bad luck with family... I can relate to that. Not quite the same way, but... my whole family was not pleased when I decided to become a test pilot rather than a proper soldier.

[a_louse]

If I had to guess, it was the same thing that makes us constantly put our fingers into new matters, some of which turn out to be way too big for us; curiosity about the unknown.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Yes. And most people don't even get it, it's a respectable business after all.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Well, yes...And wanting to stick it to the other guys if my high school history class can be trusted.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

You're from a military family, then? Who wanted you to follow in their footsteps?

[jianai]

I suppose they have enough troubles in their own, everyday existence. Considering the fate of cultural antiques is simply something they do not do - not out of ignorance, but out of necessity.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Or just plain being busy. It's not like I pay a lot of attention to conservation of endangered animals either...There's just way too much to pay attention to everything.

[whats_a_good_end]

Pretty much. A rather rich and distinguished one too... or at least they try to present themselves as such.

When word came to them that I was being put in the Unity Group I got a message from them inviting me to finally come home and see them again. Fat chance after the years of total abandonment.

[jianai]

That's true, and nobody should be forced to worry about all the issues in the world.

It's alright if only someone knows and cares. So that it does not get forgotten.

[a_louse]

Admittedly I'm not an expert on international politics. I'm reading up a lot about them, but for most of my life I lived in a place where they just didn't exist.

It looks like the principles on which they operate have a lot in common with what I'm already familiar with, however.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Yeah, serves them right to be abandoned themselves.

They're probably just trying to use you to get praise themselves.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Right. But it does make things trickier when public policy doesn't address them.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Politics are just rich people trying to grab power by convincing others to support them. I don't really bother with them.

[a_louse]

I suggest you stay away from Paradigm Corp then. The only difference in their modus operandi is that sometimes they don't bother with the convincing part.

[jianai]

As long as someone cares, I'm sure the problem will be fixed eventually. Maybe not any time soon... but eventually.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Sounds like a really charming government you have out there. Why do people even put up with them? Hired goons?

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Right. And even if not, there is a long history of the proper owners actually buying things back.

[a_louse]

You don't need to bother with that when most of the public sector is on your beck and call, the police included.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Doesn't that just make the police hired goons?

[a_louse]

I know some men on the force. They really want to protect and serve the people of Paradigm.

But as long as the police is controlled by the corporation, that is not possible. If you want to make a difference, you have to do it on your own.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

And nobody has the confidence to try to challenge the corporation? Seems like nobody actually likes its government.

[a_louse]

Schwarzwald does, if his crazy ramblings are to be believed. But I doubt anything good is going to result from it.

This is not something that can be changed by force. That will just result in chaos.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

That doesn't sound much better, no. And there's got to be something that can be done other than hoping they change what they're doing.

[a_louse]

To change your life for the better, you need to look for an opportunity and grasp it with your own hands. But there are some people working in Paradigm to make sure everyone gets that opportunity, and that it won't be swooped away from them.

Why do you think I took the job of talking with ESUN about establishing mutual relations?

[itbelongsinamuseum]

I've had a lot to think about, so I didn't consider it. And most countries have embassies with each other.

So it was in hope that the rest of the world could help Paradigm get a better government?