Re: Epic Clash Round 2 - The Wax Colosseum
05-23-2010, 01:56 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by Pinary.
Something came over Eric as Spender talked, a light coming on in his head. "You're right, you know," he said, "we don't know, really, what it means to be a soldier. In our time, we are a united people. There are conflicts, of course, but automated drones have eliminated the need for human sacrifice in those situations. We don't need soldiers to lay down their lives for the sake of humanity.
"But we still know honour." He turned as he spoke, talking more to Bern than to Spender. "The Old Laws are clear, and we have broken them, plain and simple. You, Bern, you have broken the Laws. I don't know why I tolerated it before, but no more. You. Have. No. Honour."
Bern dove at Eric, yelling his rage in animalistic fury. His hands reached out, grasping for his throat- but Walt was there. With a quick twist, he used Bern's momentum to drive him into the wall. "You can't fight the truth, Bern. You have abandoned your honour, and you know as well as I that there is only one way to repent."
Bern got to his feet, still furious. "You- I- My-" He looked around, grasping for any thing. "Greg! You know why we did it! It was right! The most optimal situation! You said so yourself!"
Greg was still facing away, staring into the mess of diagrams and figures on his whiteboard. After a moment, he turned, slowly, his a face cool and composed mask that didn't quite hide the horror he felt. "...No," he said slowly, facing Bern. "It wasn't. Spender is right- I ignored the prize in my considerations, and the potential future losses that could be prevented far outweigh even the survival of four here."
"But- You said-"
"Wrong," Greg said, his voice wavering. "I was wrong, as were you. Our actions were wrong, and in blatant contradiction with the Old Laws. We must repent if we have any desire to regain even a tiny scrap of our honour."
Bern's eyes dimmed. "I- I..." He sat down, falling heavily into the couch with his head in his hands.
Eric stepped over to Spender, taking him aside. "If you're worried about time," Eric said, "don't be. We are conversing at the speed of thought." He pointed out the window at the game clock. 10:55 "You've only been here a few seconds."
"You are a good man," he said, "and whatever you decide to do, we will back you. You can go now, and we will be ready shortly. We are going to make right what he have done." He looked out the window again, staring at the colosseum outside.
"This competition is bringing out the worst in us. I just hope it can also bring out the best."
Something came over Eric as Spender talked, a light coming on in his head. "You're right, you know," he said, "we don't know, really, what it means to be a soldier. In our time, we are a united people. There are conflicts, of course, but automated drones have eliminated the need for human sacrifice in those situations. We don't need soldiers to lay down their lives for the sake of humanity.
"But we still know honour." He turned as he spoke, talking more to Bern than to Spender. "The Old Laws are clear, and we have broken them, plain and simple. You, Bern, you have broken the Laws. I don't know why I tolerated it before, but no more. You. Have. No. Honour."
Bern dove at Eric, yelling his rage in animalistic fury. His hands reached out, grasping for his throat- but Walt was there. With a quick twist, he used Bern's momentum to drive him into the wall. "You can't fight the truth, Bern. You have abandoned your honour, and you know as well as I that there is only one way to repent."
Bern got to his feet, still furious. "You- I- My-" He looked around, grasping for any thing. "Greg! You know why we did it! It was right! The most optimal situation! You said so yourself!"
Greg was still facing away, staring into the mess of diagrams and figures on his whiteboard. After a moment, he turned, slowly, his a face cool and composed mask that didn't quite hide the horror he felt. "...No," he said slowly, facing Bern. "It wasn't. Spender is right- I ignored the prize in my considerations, and the potential future losses that could be prevented far outweigh even the survival of four here."
"But- You said-"
"Wrong," Greg said, his voice wavering. "I was wrong, as were you. Our actions were wrong, and in blatant contradiction with the Old Laws. We must repent if we have any desire to regain even a tiny scrap of our honour."
Bern's eyes dimmed. "I- I..." He sat down, falling heavily into the couch with his head in his hands.
Eric stepped over to Spender, taking him aside. "If you're worried about time," Eric said, "don't be. We are conversing at the speed of thought." He pointed out the window at the game clock. 10:55 "You've only been here a few seconds."
"You are a good man," he said, "and whatever you decide to do, we will back you. You can go now, and we will be ready shortly. We are going to make right what he have done." He looked out the window again, staring at the colosseum outside.
"This competition is bringing out the worst in us. I just hope it can also bring out the best."