013 + WE ARE ALL THE WORK OF YOUR HAND

[trenchcoatedly]

I wonder if the Admiral has ever chosen a warden or inmate incorrectly. Has there ever been a warden who was unkind and vicious? I'm well-aware that someone can be a good person while being unfriendly at some points, or narrow-minded, but I wonder. Likewise, has their ever been an inmate that was righteous and good?

And that inmates return as wardens... I wonder if all inmates upon graduation become this good. Is is capable for an inmate to graduate but not be permitted to warden after? Surely, there can be steps between a redeemed inmate and someone capable of being a warden.

As a side note, I'd like to politely request that all nonhumans, notably vampires, be treated in accordance with their actions and not their species.

Dracula, I haven't seen you in the greenhouse lately. Are you all right?

Buffy, how are you feeling?

[LOCKED to LUA]

I'd like to discuss something with you.

[LOCKED to MCCOY]

If we could speak regarding my inmate.

Comments

tl;dr is what Prefects are made of.

[buywithme]

The first inmate who was assigned to me was a better person than I have ever been in my life. I believe that she was here because the Admiral recognized that the life she had been left to was unjust, and that she deserved a chance at something better. However... I did not know how to help her, Comrade. To my mind, she was a hero, and there was nothing at all that I could have wanted to change.

There also have been bad wardens, Brother, in fact, there was a time when wardens on the whole were held entirely unaccountable for their actions, and controlled the inmates through whatever means necessary. The Majority of them were still good people, but they were good people who... saw injustice, and looked away. Mistakes were made, and things changed, but the wardens have never become... singular in their approaches, Comrade.

It's less that they are good and the inmates are bad, and more that we all exist on the same spectrum. The difference is, that inmates require guidance and help, a second chance, and wardens accept responsibility. As long as a warden can fulfill their responsibility to their inmate and do no harm, then how good or bad they are is less important.

And finally, Comrade, in theory when you graduate you are ready to take your second chance. Whether that is on the Barge, serving as a warden, or finishing something back where you came from, or on another world entirely. Graduation means that your inmate should be ready to make that choice, and to make the right choice.

I think there are many inmates who would have been extremely bad wardens, had they remained on the barge, however, none of them chose to stay after they graduated.

[trenchcoatedly]

Thank you. These is an extremely detailed and thorough answer, more than I expected.

[buywithme]

I've been here for a long time, and having been an inmate myself... it's something I've seen from both perspectives, and had a lot of time to think about.

[text for some reason]

[nolongerhollow]

There have indeed been Wardens who were unkind and vicious, and there still is at least one aboard. I cannot speak to righteous inmates. Any righteousness I possess was hard-won and is recent.

[private]
I apologize for my absence. The last month has been extremely difficult.

private;

[trenchcoatedly]

Would discussion help your difficulties?

private

[nolongerhollow]

To some extent. Yes. I merely...

Someone altered my memories, Castiel. They made me forget my Bride Aleera. And now that I have no emotional association with what I have read about her on the communications net...I am glad that this person did so. She was a large reason for my depressions, my desperation and self-loathing.

But not all. Now, it seems, every time I turn around something happens that is calculated to drive me into a rage. Rayne, the evil Warden I mentioned, decided to hold a public discussion on whether vampires are diseased corpses or not--strenuously advocating the former, of course. Then the Comedian murdered my best friend--whose convalescence almost everyone ignored because he is unpopular. Then that brain-dead vampire Willow comes in and undoes all my efforts to show the Barge that vampires can be people, by acting like a bad stereotype. It just continues.

I haven't had full emotional capacity since I was twelve. I have no idea how to deal with it. I have been swallowing everything, and I fear I am going to explode.

[paradoxlol]

I once had a warden congratulate my inmate for murdering someone. We're definitely not all good people. [Like this warden right here who breaks into people's minds for a living.]

[trenchcoatedly]

Fascinating.

Thank you.

Are we acquainted?

[creatingalegacy]

I'm sorry, is this aimed at anyone specific?

[Paranoia wooo]

[trenchcoatedly]

None, except perhaps myself.

But that you show concern that it might be most likely means you wouldn't apply, either way.

[19centconstable]

I think anyone is capable of being a warden if they are willing to attempted to help others in making good decisions.

At the same time, even a righteous man can make a poor choice.

[trenchcoatedly]

What concerns me is that some wardens view certain decisions is good when they may not be. Murder and revenge, for example.

Yes, so much is true.

[ Video ]

[surfaceshine]

[Cas, Dean is forever destined to be your Unpopular Opinion Man, isn't he. The elder Winchester is, as he usually is on network communications, distracted when he activates his feed to respond. He's also in his room, for what feels like the first time all week.]

You're assuming the Admiral is some kind of stand-in for your God. Like there's a plan here or some kind of requirements.

Wardens and inmates can't be chosen incorrectly - he chooses them because he wants them, plain and simple. There's no good here, there's no evil, there's just people cast in roles. It doesn't matter what we think.

Re: [ Video ]

[trenchcoatedly]

I don't, and will not, and will never under any circumstances consider any other creature my Father.

It simply seems to be that one must have certain qualities to be a warden, and others to be an inmate. I wonder if the Admiral sometimes picks those who do not qualify to fit into roles that may not be adequate.

[ Audio ]

[darknessb4me]

[Absent:] What he said.

[Private]

[lastmanstanding]

When I was an inmate my warden forced me to feel the fear of all of the victims that I had hurt, after I had been beaten up by another warden.

Re: [Private]

[trenchcoatedly]

Potentially effective methods of redemption are not always kind to the inmate.

[championoftime]

There have been unkind ones. There have been cruel ones. [He still regrets how he lost his temper with Jim] and I was a part of two bad matches myself, in which I was more of a detriment despite my better intentions.

Is something troubling you?

[trenchcoatedly]

The misuse of power constantly troubles me, as does the potential for awry actions from good intentions.

So, no more than usual, I suppose.

[most_feared]

Oh yeah, there have been some wardens that were absolute dipshits. [Kay, always a gem.] And some that were just bad matches. It wasn't that the warden meant to be cruel or insensitive, but their wardening tactics weren't what was needed and ended up exacerbating shit that would set off their inmate. Rarely is it the desire to do wrong and more that people didn't mesh up. My first guy was a good guy deep down, but I'm pretty sure I couldn't have done anything for him.

When I was paired with my current inmate, I gave him a rundown of my duties as I saw them, and asked him if he found the terms agreeable.

I think working things out like that from the start, laying down some terms and opening up the option to repair if you can't come to an accord help avoid a lot of those bad pairing mix-up. All of the other inmates I've had, I was pretty sure I could help except two of them were yanked out from under my feet.

[And he sends him a copy of his agreement with Crane in text.]

My duties as I have come to understand them are:
• to provide you with protection against hostilities from other inmates and wardens
• to protect other inmates and wardens from any damage you may intentionally or unintentionally inflict
• to provide you with a constructive environment so long as it doesn't violate the personal welfare of yourself or others
• to ensure that you have life skills to sustain yourself after graduation
• to generally be observant of your physical and mental well-being
• to act as a representative when addressing other wardens and the Admiral concerning your health, safety, comfort, and productivity
• to judge your actions fairly administer punishment as it is deserved and not in excess of your actions

[trenchcoatedly]

That is what I first thought, that perhaps all of the wardens brought here had the potential to be good wardens, but only in specific circumstances or with specific inmates. Wardening style, as you said.

This is a useful contract. Thank you, Kay.

private

[surrenders]

[ She's got a good idea of what this is about, but is going to let him bring it up instead; she doesn't want to start out on a tone that sets up what she doesn't want to call an argument. ]

What you looking for?

Re: private

[trenchcoatedly]

[For what it's worth, he doesn't sound mad.]

Were you involved in Richie's doctor visit?

[Private] sorry this is late /o\

[imaythrowuponyou]

I was just about to get in touch with you about that. What's up?

Re: [Private]

[trenchcoatedly]

Actually, I think you're the more informed one between the two of us.