Maslov's pyramid

[jianai]

[1]
[Ren notices that others enjoy their Unity Group meals with less enthusiasm than usual.]

Would you like to have mine? The portions are small recently but if we pile them up... and don't worry, I didn't touch it yet.

[But they got the reason behind it all wrong.]

[2]
The truth is, I'm worried.

[Ren has a confession to make - directed only at people who'd accept this kind of thing, and don't have a lot of problems on their own plate.]

I'm worried because such tragedy happened, and now our friends were captured by Zentradi. I was even there, I was there to see it... but sometimes even if you do your best, it's not enough and you can't do anything. It only makes you feel more guilty.

I can only pray for their safe return.

[3]
[Be it as a result of one of the other prompts or it happened offscreen, but either way Ren wants to do something to put worried minds at ease - and asked you to come. You have a way to travel - down Star Rose's space elevator to Earth, then towards the seedier parts of the city founded at its base. Just where exactly is Ren going?]

[To a soup kitchen. Where the horned individual (horns in question cleverly hidden under a hat and hairnet combo) waves at the staff and immediately joins them at the counter.]

Hello Maya. You're looking shining today, did something good happen? Did anyone see Carl today? It'd be bad if he started hitting the bottle again... me? No, don't worry about me! A little thing happened that stopped me from coming for a few days, but I'm fine now, really!

[And it looks like Ren knows a few of the patrons by name, too.]

Comments

2

[abugslife]

Do not worry. The operation to retrieve them is already in progress.

[jianai]

That's a relief. My thoughts are with the rescue team - let everyone return safely.

[abugslife]

You spend a lot of time hoping and praying for the well-being and safety of others, do you not?

[jianai]

Hmm.

Pretty much my whole life, yes.

[abugslife]

Your life must be incredibly restless and full of worry.

[jianai]

I think we had this conversation already, didn't we?

Through this, I express my care - and love. Love is my strength and the source of my happiness.

You may call me worried, but definitely not unhappy.

[abugslife]

We had it, yes. There is one facet of this that we have not perused.

What is it that you pray to, exactly?

[jianai]

Whomever is willing to listen. I don't know what form does a higher being take - God, fates, or someone else altogether. But I believe someone is up there, watching us.

[abugslife]

Is that not a very opportunistic approach to faith?

[jianai]

Are you familiar with Pascal's Wager, Hetepheres?

[abugslife]

I am. I also do not agree with it.

[jianai]

Neither do I, actually. It seems like a cheap cop-out, doesn't it? If you want to believe in someone, do it out of true faith, not because of rewards given at the end.

But, Pascal raised one good point. We're not aware of the true nature of the divine. I won't assume what form it takes.

[abugslife]

If you want to see the closest thing to a divine being that was ever witnessed, talk to DeWitt and ask her to show you her giant friend. The second closest were my ancestors, who took advantage of the beliefs of ancient Earthling and impersonated their gods for free supplies.

[jianai]

Your ancestors were surprisingly mischevious, Hetepheres.

[abugslife]

They did not do it out of desire to prank the natives. They did it out of laziness. Gathering food and resources is easier then the locals do all the work for you.

This episode in the history of my people left me disillusioned towards any kind of spiritual presences in this world.

[jianai]

It's very unlikely that all signs of divine intervention in the world were actually fabricated by lazy aliens. You must admit that.

[abugslife]

Indeed. Instead, the rest of them are coincidences, exaggerated rumours, or frauds.

[jianai]

How sceptical. Perhaps you are right, Hetepheres.

Still, faith doesn't need any kind of proof. Faith, belief in something, exists without proof.

If there was a 100% surefire way to prove God exists, there would be no need to believe in his existence, because it's right there.

[abugslife]

Believe in whatever you want. You have the right to do so, and it does not harm anyone.

I have no faith. There are no gods who will make things better if we pray to them hard enough. If we want something good to happen - retrieve the kidnapped people, for example - we have to accomplish it by our own hands.

3-hey, 2.5 tiers outta 5 ain't bad

[brought_it_back]

[As Eva follows along through the town, she keeps quiet and avoids eye contact. When she arrives at their destination, it takes her a little bit to stand up straight again and adjust.]

...Oh...it is this sort of place.

[She relaxes a bit.]

...I've never helped in a place like this before...

[jianai]

You don't have to do anything if you don't want to Eva. Just being here is enough.

[Ren pours some soup and gives it to people in line. The food here is... well, cheap and low quality, even more so than what you get at Unity Group at the moment.]

"Are you Rennie's friend?"
[Eva, you're being asked by a man in worn out clothes. Just killing time while waiting for his food.]

[brought_it_back]

Coworker. We entered...well, we became part of the same group at the same time.

[And back to talking to Ren for a second.]

...I...would not mind helping, if I may.

[jianai]

There is no reason why we can't be both!

Alright then Eva, come help me here.

[Ren gestures at the counter.]

You'll pour the soup, okay?

[brought_it_back]

Friendship is a strong word. Though you do try.

[She comes, and pours soup dutifully.]

[jianai]

I believe we can all be friends if we try.

[This results in a few chuckles from the crowd and an exasperated look of "here Ren goes again" or two.]

I'm really happy you can be here with us tonight, Eva.

[brought_it_back]

...Right.

[More people filter in, and Eva looks around nervously.]

...Is it okay if I...help in the kitchen? I can do a little cooking...

[jianai]

Of course. There's not much to do, this place gets most of its food premade. But I'll show you around!

[When Eva feels like going to the kitchens, Ren will swiftly follow.]

Is something the matter?

[brought_it_back]

[Head into the kitchen she does, and speedily.]

I'm not a...'crowds', person.

There are too many attack vectors. I have not had anything bad happen in a place like this before, but...

...I'm not like you, I cannot trust people easily.

[jianai]

There's nothing wrong in preferring smaller groups or being alone. Everyone has their reasons.

[Even if Eva's is being afraid of a sudden ambush, apparently.]

Still... I'd like to ask you a question, Eva.

Everything you see around us could easily have been automated. Instead of a kitchen you could have machine food dispensers, or something similar. And yet it's not like this at all. Do you know why?

[brought_it_back]

Yes. The cost of automating such a facility is more than that which society is willing to bear for people like this. And...if it were automated, people could not bear it. They are dehumanized enough already.

...When they're not crowded, these sorts of places were very...nice.

[jianai]

We have reached the stage where automatization might be cheaper than live, human workers. But you are right - we're almost all volunteers here, which means we get paid nothing.

And the second part is even more important.

This is a place not just to eat. It's a place to spend time and socialize. Even if you are down on your luck, you are still a part of society. For all those people, being here helps remember that.