IC Contact post for Mask or Menace

[dun_moch]

"You have reached Count Dooku. I regret that I am unavailable to answer your hail. Kindly leave a message, and I shall respond at the earliest opportunity."

Text | E-mail | Voicemail | Phone call | Hologram | Other

Comments

[ Text ]

[ghoulking]

And here, how has he been since he arrived?


A group of imPorts I'm involved with were looking for information on OTO and DARPA. One employee from DARPA mentioned the name Anakin Skywalker by name, which isn't particularly popular and there is an imPort by that same name.

[mathemagier]

Certainly not overtly, but I expect those involved will find themselves on an updated watch list.

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[dun_moch]

If anything, he is more unstable here than I ever knew him to be during the war. He was boasting of dismembering common criminals not long ago, publicly on the Network.

If he has joined with the OTO, he will be a serious threat.

[dun_moch]

That would be a risky move on their part. Such a list would cause a fresh scandal if it was exposed. And imPorts have repeatedly proven that they can breach the government's security to reveal secrets, as you yourself have so amply demonstrated.

Nonetheless, I think you are right to be cautious. The government could very well choose more repression instead of compromising with our goals. Which leaves us with a choice, Doctor. Do we submit to intimidation? Do we allow ourselves to be silenced by what the authorities might do? Or do we stand, and speak boldly for our community?

I know what my decision is. And I would be grateful to have your support in this matter.

[mathemagier]

I agree that there need to be changes on the government's part, but I don't believe rallying against them is a constructive course of action.

We have Ambassadors for a reason, and they have quite the unenviable position as conduits to the government as well as being imPort representatives. What we need is an open conversation and to strike a compromise between both Native and imPort interests.

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[ghoulking]

Yes, I remember that. I'm surprised he isn't enjoying his two months in jail.

Have you been keeping an eye on him, Count? have you noticed anything more suspicious than the ordinary?

[dun_moch]

Ah yes, the Ambassadors. The honourable officials whose election takes up so much attention and energy within our community. I agree their position is most unenviable, and they certainly do their best. I hope to have their support for this effort.

Still I must ask you Doctor: when was the last time you ever heard of an Ambassador successfully changing the government's policies toward our community?

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[dun_moch]

As always, justice in the Porter cities is a poor joke.

I have been observing him, yes. His behaviour has certainly been concerning. Yet I would not expect the OTO to have made an alliance with him. They seem to be an organization that prizes their secrecy very highly. And if there is one thing Anakin Skywalker is incapable of in any universe, it is subtlety.

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[ghoulking]

The government doesn't care in the least. They have access to our network and yet I've never seen their reaction to posts about imPorts claiming to murder natives.

What do you think it'd happen if I approached him?

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[dun_moch]

I am convinced that it is in their interest for such crimes to continue. They can use imPort violence as an excuse to maintain control of us using the nanites and other methods.

Approaching him could be dangerous. He is volatile, and his power is great. He could even be a match for you, Kaneki.

[And Dooku has a fairly good idea of how strong Kaneki is. Vader may well be stronger.]

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[ghoulking]

[ it's not a bad theory ]

Maybe. But we have done a lot of extremely violent things - Lucifer tried to open a portal to hell once, we have the fear Gas by Crane; this in itself would be plenty of justification.


I understand that, but our research on him has gone no where. We have been hacking him, we found silly things about it, but nothing out of the ordinary. Approaching him is a bit of our last resource at this point.

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[dun_moch]

And yet the authorities do so little to bring order to this chaos. Perhaps they view the lives of their own citizens as expendable.

If you have no option but to confront him, then I will wish you the best of luck. He carries a lightsaber: an energy sword.

[Pause.]

What kind of silly things did you find, precisely?

[Please let it be something embarrassing to Skywalker.]

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[ghoulking]

I'd quicker believe that. We are more important than them, so they can keep the power.

Energy sword? Does it cut through anything? [ would he cut through his kagune? kaneki just doesn't know


and sorry, Dooku. Nothing too embarrassing. ]

Well, he appears to be a daredevil. Also loves droids, and appears to be quite a good haggler, really.

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[dun_moch]

Alnything except certain minerals that do not exist in this world. It can even slice through a starship's armoured hull.

Those are things I already knew. His true secrets must be buried deeper.

[Because of course Dooku assumes he has them.]

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[ghoulking]

Hm. It will certainly be a Challenge then. If he relies on the weapon alone I might be able to do something though.

[ ... ]

What about the name Darth Vader?

[dirtyredneck]

Didn't go no where, is where it went. He said ta grab whatever I'm comfortable with. I grab a knife. He pulls two fucking swords out and wants to go to town. 'Less you got superpowers with a knife, one knife against two swords is a fuckin' slaughter.

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[dun_moch]

He has powers similar to my own, even without the weapon. He can move matter with his mind. 'Darth Vader' is a title he has earned. A sign of how very strong he has become.

[dun_moch]

[Dooku sat back in his seat. Clasped his hands across his chest. His mouth twitched downward, and his eyebrows drew together.]

Surely you are capable of fighting at a disadvantage, are you not? You could easily face far more unfair situations in real combat, after all.

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[ghoulking]

Would that be the "force"? [ why yes, kaneki and friends have been busy ]

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[dun_moch]

Yes, it would.

What do you know of the Force?

[They have been busy.]

[dirtyredneck]

Ain't about what I'm capable of. It's about what he decided to throw at me in the first twenty minutes ta figure out what I'm capable of. Throwing a kid into water ta teach 'em to swim works fine if it's shallow and you got people around to jump in and save 'em if they don't. Throwing a kid in when it's ten feet deep and it's full of acid, don't do nothin' but damage 'em. If they's luck enough to survive ta get out.

[Daryl's glare doesn't lessen and his anger rises, though outwardly his tone cools to something that sounds less outright hostile. Images of the session, him pulling a few more knives off the table only to be met with Mars gaining two arms and bringing out a lightsaber to compensate skittered around like he was considering bringing it up. Ultimately, he decided to leave those details for the time being.]

Point is, you don't test someone you barely seen do anything with excessive force right off the bat. You work up to it. If he'd met me with two knives, that's one thing. But two fucking swords? And the whirlwind thing he does when he spins his hands? Ain't about to step inta the path of a walking blender for a what shoulda been goddamn training session.

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[ghoulking]

Not much. I know it's something that exists in Anakin's world and all the powers the Porter have given him seem to fall under the "Force".

[dun_moch]

[All of this seems sensible enough to Dooku, and he accepts it with a nod. One day they will have enough resources to casually cull the weak during training, but that day is not yet here.]

I see. Mars always has been one of the most... aggressive warriors I have known. I will pass on your concerns, Daryl.

[But what really interests the Count is that he can sense in the Dark Side that Dixon is choosing to hold something back. Which leads to the testing follow-up:]

Is that all that transpired during your encounter?

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[dun_moch]

It is a very strong power in our Galaxy. I have been trained in it as well.

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[ghoulking]

What sort of power is it?