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Post by Kaden on Oct 31, 2009 1:28:16 GMT -8
Kaden looked at Deux and stopped exercising. He sat on the floor and thought about what he had been taught. So many of his lessons had been of the type that didn't seem to apply to his life any more. He'd been taught how to be a Takatifu citizen. That was the most important part of a Safi's training.
"I was taught the history of my planet in its entirety. I was taught a little of the history of the galaxy and the formation of the UIR but not too much, the Elders did not want us being infected with wander lust. We were all extremely well versed in the sciences, especially biology. I went on to study animal anatomy and veterinary care. I am very well read for a Safi which is to say I have read all of our own classics which are not allowed off the planet and have sought to read the classics of the greater human culture in the few years since I've been off Takatifu. Most importantly my instructors taught me to think and to learn so that, where ever I went, I could be my own teacher."
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Post by Deux on Oct 31, 2009 2:05:38 GMT -8
“Can you tell me about it,” Deux tilted his head, “your planet?”
He did notice Kaden said the name Takatifu and Safi and wondered if he said it intentionally. If now he was answering the previous question or if it had slipped out. Unsure he did not bring attention to that part of the conversation.
“That sounds,” he looked off for a moment, “nice.” Deux supposed that word was most appropriate. “Must have been fascinating, I don’t know much about animals,” he paused and pulled at his hood, “don’t know much about people.”
Deux bit the inside of his lip, unsure what prompted him to say the last part. It was true but the information had not been called for by Kaden. His mind however jumped back to what the man had said. “Why didn’t they want you to get wander lust?”
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Post by Kaden on Nov 4, 2009 19:32:06 GMT -8
Kaden looked up, realizing he'd said too much. He had already decided not to tell Deux about Takatifu, fearing his reaction, and he'd let it slip into conversation anyway. But it didn't seem to inspire the reaction he'd thought it would. Perhaps he was being too paranoid about it. Most of the people he'd come into contact with had either come from the core planets or spent a lot of time there. It was easy to forget that those who came from other regions of the galaxy or had nontraditional upbringings may not know as much about the reputations of the planets that made up the UIR. It wasn't as if Takatifu encouraged visitors or tourism.
"My planet, my culture, is very strict about our genetics. They did not want their genes to be carried off the planet, nor did they want any off worlder genes diluting our gene pool. We have a fascination with genes where I come from. And we take our responsibility as the nurturers of many of Earth's proudest species, including humanity, very seriously. That's why veterinary care and later zoology were honorable occupations for me to aspire to."
He sat down on the floor, giving up any pretense of doing anything else for the moment. "What about you Deux? Where and how were you raised?"
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Post by Deux on Nov 5, 2009 1:37:45 GMT -8
Deux sat with his head tilted, chin rested on his one raised knee and listened intently as Kaden spoke. It wasn’t what he was saying exactly that fascinated him, more hearing it come from another person. While interested in the society of Kaden’s home world, until now he never had information presented to him in this manner.
He found the part about animals particularly interesting. Deux’s only experience with them had been walking next the on docks. With his brother guiding him he did not have a chance to stop and look. They also got extremely loud when he was near and a few even swiped at him out of their cages at him. His only calm experience with them involved gazing at pictures and species specs.
“All over,” Deux answered after a moment’s consideration, “my brother kept us moving. We traveled on ships similar to this one and stayed at various ports. Never stayed in one location for long periods of time and rarely returned to the same locations.” He let out a light sigh before continuing, “I’m not sure what you consider raising. When he wasn’t training me we rarely spoke. The only time he was around almost every day was on board a ship. He usually left me in Inns, sometimes with reading material. I was not allowed to leave whatever room he selected. Unless the establishment had a strict no delivery policy, food was delivered to the room. If I had to go anywhere I went with him.”
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Post by Kaden on Nov 14, 2009 15:49:27 GMT -8
"You know, in an odd way that sounds like my child hood," Kaden said, leaning against the back wall of his prison cell, remembering the nights he'd spent on the streets of the Lion's Den, the constant search for a place to sleep that was secure or out of the sun in the summer or warm in the winter. It had been one of the hardest times in his life, as it was meant to be. "Except for the training that is. My teachers were very demanding."
"So you've seen the galaxy all over Deux? Can you tell me, what do people think of the UIR? Is their rule just?"
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Post by Deux on Nov 14, 2009 23:09:06 GMT -8
His extended foot began to swing a little, an action he could not recall doing before. He liked the idea of his past sounding like Kaden’s childhood. That meant they had something in common other than a shared space. It also could mean his wasn’t as strange as he originally thought it was.
“Well,” Deux shifted slightly, “I’ve never been to the inner planets that I know of.” He felt it was important to say this, perhaps to clarify. Deux felt that admitting to seeing the galaxy all over would be misleading.
“All I could tell you is what inn has the better stew and beds. I don’t know what the people thought about the UIR. From what I gathered my brother didn’t like them. Said we had to avoid them. One time he came back early and told me to pack. He said,” he paused and his features darkened, his voice changed to mimic his brother’s including the inflections his own never had, “’If those UIR bastards catch us, you’re the one that’s gonna deal with them.’” Deux sighed slightly and his face returned to it’s typical neutral state.
Deux watched his foot. When he stopped it, part of him noticed it ceasing other than the muscles. He allowed it to move again and immediately noticed he was more comfortable.
“Why do you work for them?”
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Post by Kaden on Nov 24, 2009 16:34:56 GMT -8
Kaden nodded. "I do. I'm an officer in the UIR Fleet. A pilot to be exact." Kaden chewed on Duex's story for a bit. He wondered if Duex's brother had been an outlaw of some sort or if Duex himself was wanted for some reason.
If the child knew he was wanted he probably wouldn't have told the story in the way that he had. Still, there were other reason the UIR wanted to get its hands on someone. The most innocent of them would have been if Duex were one of the many children kidnapped from the inner ring and sold to the farther out and often less fertile planets. Life was hard on the out rings and a child could often help a business succeed or fail but some of these planets had population laws and some of them just inhibited human procreation for some reason that no one had been able to figure out. It meant that there was money to be made in the kidnapping business. Only problem was everyone's genetic code was registered with the UIR when they were born, or at least it was supposed to work that way and it often did on the inner planets. If Duex had been kidnapped any police officer that took his finger print would be able to tell in seconds. It would be a good reason to avoid the officials.
Kaden looked up and realized he was projecting an entire story onto someone he hardly knew. Most likely his brother had just hated the UIR. And even if there was a deep dark secret there Kaden certainly didn't have enough information to figure it out.
He shook his head to dispel his theories and decided to deal with facts. "If what you say is true then you were never instructed in your rights and responsibilities as a UIR citizen were you?"
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Post by Deux on Nov 24, 2009 22:47:14 GMT -8
He nodded and lowered his hood off his head as Kaden answered. It made sense that he was a pilot since it was the one ship in the hanger he was constantly trying to escape too. If he couldn’t fly, the method of escape would be ineffective.
“How are you as a pilot?” He asked.
Deux stared hard at Kaden after his last question. He wasn’t sure what exactly what the man was asking. “My…rights?” he said slowly, “I don’t understand what it is your talking about. I don’t have any rights. Responsibilities, yes but not to the UIR.”
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Post by Kaden on Nov 25, 2009 16:27:02 GMT -8
Kaden was about to answer Deux's first question when he was caught up by the boy's reply to his own inquiry. He wasn't exactly surprised but he was slightly...offended. He had run into enough wayward citizens of the UIR that didn't even know what the letters stood for to know that ignorance of their own political system was widespread. But for someone who had been drilled in his rights and responsibilities as a Safi citizen and even a UIR citizen though that education had been limited, he was always a little shocked and dismayed to see that the same care wasn't taken everywhere.
He had been taught that a man, well a person really, wasn't worth more than what value they were to their community. Each person lived for everyone else and there was no purpose to life if it wasn't to help promote and ensure the survival of one's own species. That is what evolution demanded of each living creature, that and that only. To be a constructive member of any group you had to know what the group expected of you, you had to understand your role in community life. Rights, laws, responsibilities, governments, constitutions, leaders, ranks; these were all the ways that the human animal organized itself and you had to understand it to be a part of it, or at least to be a good part of it.
"You live in this galaxy. Whether you agree with it or not, and know, many don't, this galaxy has been claimed by the UIR. Any human inside this galaxy has rights under the Constitution. And most of those humans qualify for citizenship. So yes Deux, you do have rights. And responsibilities to the UIR but maybe not in the way you are used to thinking of them."
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Post by Deux on Nov 25, 2009 18:21:00 GMT -8
Deux let out a sigh and looked the man. He shook his head slightly as if to convey the fact Kaden just did not understand his situation.
“It was made very clear to me that I have no rights and at most I have privileges,” he said slowly, this time in explanation not confusion, “and my responsibilities were to those I served under. I follow orders, nothing more.” He shrugged at the last bit to emphasis his belief and acceptance of that fact.
“If not sure how the UIR applies to me,” Deux went on, “even if I do live in this galaxy. I don’t contest it’s claim, I just…” he stopped and looked off trying to find the right words to explain himself. He thought maybe if he did the man could see his perspective. When he couldn’t Deux just let the idea go.
Looking back at Kaden he tilted his head, “Why are you so insistent about me having them? I don’t see how it matters.” He waited patiently for a response, maybe Kaden’s explanation would help him understand.
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Post by Kaden on Nov 25, 2009 18:25:22 GMT -8
Kaden sighed and wondered where to start. Duex was not unusual in his beliefs. There were especially prevalent in the larger communities and the UIR was as large as human communities got. It was hard to see your place in something that was so big, to feel like you effected it any way.
"Alright, well, let's start at the beginning. Learning about the UIR is not the same as learning about Takatifu but the basics are the same so we'll start there. What are you Deux? And I mean at the most basic level that you can think of, what are you?'
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Post by Deux on Nov 25, 2009 19:30:10 GMT -8
He sat for a moment and considered Kaden’s question. Biologically he was human, that was indisputable from what he could tell. Deux wasn’t sure that was what the man was asking. What he was at a basic level, from what he could remember, was never told to him. Left to his own devices Deux doubted every possible answer he came up with.
Tapping his thumb on his lip, Deux mentally ran through all the options available. As he considered each he debated the validity of each. When he finally found a definition that work, he ran through it twice before deciding it was accurate.
“A means to an ends,” he said meeting Kaden’s eyes again, “a tool, a weapon, whatever is needed of me.”
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Post by Kaden on Nov 25, 2009 19:59:35 GMT -8
"Interesting answer," Kaden said slowly. Honestly it hadn't been one he had been expecting. Most kids in his class had went with the literal answer. Human. Animal. Combination of cells. Molecules or atoms put together. Some answered the way Deux had though they had said they were tools of their House. In a way Deux's answer was closer than the rest of theirs.
"Well you're right but I wonder if you ever think about what ends you serve? Still, that is jumping ahead of the game. Your answer is elegantly simple and I applaud you but it isn't basic. I wasn't trying to trick you. What are you? Physically?"
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Post by Deux on Nov 25, 2009 21:01:50 GMT -8
After nodding in acknowledgement of Kaden’s response Deux stretched out his other leg. He crossed them as the man spoke, thinking lazily that his foot wouldn’t be able to swing anymore. In his rearranged position it no longer seemed to affect him.
“Human, I suppose,” he answered, “but I believe my first response was more accurate.”
He exhaled and allowed his shoulders to sag slightly. Deux had no idea where Kaden was leading him with his questioning. More so than before, but before had been random conversation for him. Kaden seemed to have a point now, which escaped him. It made Deux wish he would hurry up with his answer and stop with the tedious approach he was currently using.
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Post by Kaden on Nov 25, 2009 21:11:12 GMT -8
"I think your first answer was fairly accurate as well. But you never said what end you are a means too. Care to elaborate?" he asked. He wasn't very good at this he realized as he looked at Deux. He'd never been much of a teacher and the teaching style his kind used was very specific, at least at the beginning stages. The teacher was only supposed to ask questions and let the students draw what conclusions they wanted. The hard thing was, the teacher still had to find someway to get them to the answer and to the knowledge they were trying to teach. How did you do that if you couldn't steer?
Still he would try. He decided to sit back and see where Deux's line of thinking took them. He guessed it was all about faith. If what you were trying to teach was really true then all paths should lead to it.
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