video

[captain_by_the_book]

[When the feed turns on, Cassian and Bodhi are sitting outside in the garden after cleaning and putting away the decorations of the home-warming party. By the small pond, Cassian‘s mudkip pokemon plays and splashes around while the vanillite freezes water droplets in mid air and turns them into ice while giggling.

Kay, the one who set the camera, comes into view holding his cat Fest in one hand and ice teas in the other. The image of a group of 'radical terrorists' Palpatine acused them to be doesn't fit them. Instead, this is a view that says: We are comfortable. This is our life now. We're not about to bring a war here.

The droid doesn't sit down but stays close to Cassian, petting the cat, and finally looks up at the camera.]

It had come to our attention that with the arrival of people from our world some things need to be explained. We would like to shed some light on the issue and ease any possible confusion about our endeavors back home.

Thank you, Kay. [Cassian gives him a smile that shows more warmth than he would let on in public under normal circumstances.] Emperor Palpatine‘s accusations against us members of the Rebel Alliance, or Alliance to Restore the Republic, were heavy. I understand if some of you are alarmed, but we have no intentions to wage war here. We understand that to battle here won’t save any lives at home.

[He pauses, struggling to hold on to the placidity he has been wrangled into for this broadcast.] Make no mistake, lives are being lost at home every day. The Empire is no benevolent government spanning the stars, it‘s a cruel dictatorship which will sacrifice millions, even billions of lives to keep its citizens enslaved. When we died fighting it, we died trying to stop a new weapon which could destroy entire planets with one shot. They have no qualms to use it. We fell victim to it.

But it‘s one word against another, and we don’t expect you to take sides. We just ask that we may live our new lives in peace. My duty is to protect and guard Attleton. That includes any Imperial citizens who choose to make it their home.


[OOC: Specify if you'd like a reply from someone specific]

Comments

[gotabadfeelingaboutthis]

It gets better...I promise. Everyone's contribution helped. There's still fighting in places, but things are a lot better.

[captain_by_the_book]

Thank you. Hope is what we must cling to, and you have given us much hope.

[gotabadfeelingaboutthis]

Yeah, sometimes, that's all you really have.

[captain_by_the_book]

It is, but it's enough to motivate entire planets to rise up. There is no more powerful weapon in the hands of the Rebellion. Fear might make people fight one battle, but hope will keep them fighting till the war is won.

[gotabadfeelingaboutthis]

I can see that more now.

It's also something you appreciate more when you're stuck in Carbonite with not much else but hope. I kept telling myself my friends wouldn't give up. And they didn't.

[captain_by_the_book]

That... Yes, I can see how hope would suddenly become very important.

[ Force! That's some bad luck you had there, Han, he's kinda baffled. ]

May I ask how that happened?

[gotabadfeelingaboutthis]

Let's just say it was a combination of not being important enough for Vader to keep and getting on the wrong side of Jabba.

[captain_by_the_book]

That sounds like an interesting story. You'll have to share it some day, when there isn't an Imperial crisis on our minds.

[gotabadfeelingaboutthis]

Yeah, at some points it is. Kinda painful at others.

I might share it sometime, yeah.

[He's at least starting to see who he can probably trust, at least among the ones he's talked to a lot. So that's a good thing.]

[captain_by_the_book]

[ It's hard when you have no way to verify people's stories. ]

I look forward to it. Maybe I'll share some of my own... history stories, for you, I guess.

[gotabadfeelingaboutthis]

I bet there'd be some interesting ones, so that sounds good.

[captain_by_the_book]

I don't know about interesting, but I'm sure we can exchange valuable information, at least... and some horror tales of missions gone wrong. There's never a shortage of these.

[gotabadfeelingaboutthis]

Yeah. That's very true, on both counts. Might be helpful, and there are way too many horror stories to count.

[captain_by_the_book]

For sure. But there's something to be learned even from those... or so the counselors say. I'd rather do without these learning experiences.

[gotabadfeelingaboutthis]

Yeah. So would I.

It's complicated, though, when some of the worst times are responsible for some of the best things that happened in my life. I mean...if I hadn't taken that job and hadn't stayed put with the rebels as long as I did, I'd have avoided the torture, Vader and the carbon freeze...but I wouldn't have Leia and the kids. I wouldn't have Luke. Weird how things like that happen.

[captain_by_the_book]

It is, yes.

Maybe... maybe the good things are the reward we get for sticking around when it gets hard. I don't really believe in the Force, but I think a friend of mine would have suggested something like that.

[gotabadfeelingaboutthis]

Yeah, maybe. At least it was worth it.

I never used to believe in it either, then I met my brother-in-law and my wife.

But if you really want an education, try keeping control of three Force-sensitive kids who won't quit trying to use it to get what they want. I really do not miss my kids' toddler days, believe me.

[k2so]

That's a consolation, even if we will never get to see it.

[gotabadfeelingaboutthis]

I'm sorry you all weren't able to see it.

[k2so]

It's fine. We at least got to know what happens thanks to you.

[gotabadfeelingaboutthis]

Glad I could give you that.

[k2so]

[Kay nods briefly.]

Will be safe with imperials around? They might not be from your time but they're might still be against you.

[gotabadfeelingaboutthis]

I don't know. I hope so. I'm keeping my guard up.

[k2so]

Let us know if you need help or someone to watch your back.

[gotabadfeelingaboutthis]

Thanks. I'll keep it in mind.