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Post by elizar on Nov 22, 2008 22:02:55 GMT -5
"We're going to have a repeat of history here, if we go the basic path." Aron said. "Even if we secure the Caliph's co-operation, the people may not follow, forcing the guerrilla tactics and that yet again."
"That's going to be a problem." Stefán said. "Not many will be willing to accept a big black dog of unknown parentage."
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Post by Evangeline on Nov 22, 2008 22:16:31 GMT -5
Zoe understood what Stefan meant. "Therein lies the problem. I've had to keep to situations where being a bit conspicuous can be made to work for me. Even in my own world, in my own shape, I stand out, and there are a lot of political reasons for that as well."
"Which means we have to figure out the tribal networks and win them over or at least get them to figure out that neutral is a better place to be." Rachel answered. "I'd just as soon leave Al Din to his own mess, but the breakdown of authority over there will lead to just as much trouble over here."
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Post by elizar on Nov 22, 2008 22:24:50 GMT -5
"So you need to figure out how to have an inconspicuous shape?" Stefán asked.
"And it isn't like we can abolish piracy." Aron said. "It's even active in your world."
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Post by Evangeline on Nov 22, 2008 22:43:54 GMT -5
"My father always said that you can never really put an end to trouble, just move it." Rachel shrugged. "But once enough people in a certain area agree that they need to be smacked down, the troublemakers find somewhere else to be."
"That's the idea." Zoe regained human form. "There is one other user here now, at the airport. She was one of the users who taught me how to manage my power."
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Post by elizar on Nov 22, 2008 23:50:24 GMT -5
"But where will they go?" Aron asked.
"How did your bloodline come into power?" Stefán asked.
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Post by Evangeline on Nov 23, 2008 0:03:47 GMT -5
"Wherever we aren't." Rachel answered. "If that means "keep them out of territorial waters and shipping lanes," that's a good start. We can't be everywhere at once, but when other people have had enough of them, they eventually become shark bait." She snorted with her usual gallows humor. "Somehow, that doesn't bother me."
"Doesn't bother me neither." One of the dock workers cracked a crooked grin. There were concurring snickers from the others.
"The original six of us were what are known as "futuremods." Zoe answered. "In our races, genes jump around and change a lot more rapidly, to accommodate to changing conditions, even social and societal pressures. It's our version of opposable thumbs. The gift seemed to come with those changes."
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Post by elizar on Nov 23, 2008 9:23:22 GMT -5
"So we are going to have to convince others to have armed guards, enough to make any pirate think twice." Aron said. "I know that some ships, bearing valuable enough cargo, employ some convoy for them."
"And then, what do we do about privateers? Do them in like Captain Kidd?"
"Yet I am seeing a Land Rover Discovery, identical to the one we brought with us." Stefán said as looking at Mark.
"So the future is magic?" He asked.
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Post by Evangeline on Nov 23, 2008 14:46:17 GMT -5
"A combination like us is quite rare, almost a once-in-a-century thing." Zoe explained. "Usually these things are passed along family lines, in more modest amounts. It's one thing that tends to stay constant even as generations change physically."
"Fighting fire with fire might have some benefits." Rachel smiled. "Put a price on their heads, draw in the bounty hunters, and the pirates will have more worries than just us."
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Post by elizar on Nov 23, 2008 15:42:00 GMT -5
"Steinþór told me that his line was old, almost as old as settlement on Iceland." Stefán said. "That's over one thousand years ago. It has to be that something will dilute, though some lines will not falter, if new one are being born."
"I'm never a big fan of vigilantes." Aron said, even though his old history may tell otherwise."
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Post by Evangeline on Nov 23, 2008 15:56:40 GMT -5
"I think that is the other reason for "futuremods". Zoe concurred. "To kick-start stagnating lines, magic or no."
"Some form of licensing and control will almost certainly be established." Rachel shrugged. "The equivalent of a letter of marque and reprisal. If they find anyone provably engaged in piracy, they get to catch them and keep a portion of their stuff. Of course, a certain percentage will abuse the privilege, and we'll have to go out and smack them."
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Post by elizar on Nov 23, 2008 16:05:09 GMT -5
"So, how does the future look like?" Stefán asked.
"And how will we go about punishing them?" Aron asked. "Claim a stray bullet on all of them? That no one surrendered?"
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Post by Evangeline on Nov 23, 2008 18:07:11 GMT -5
"I'm thinking of all the same possibilities you are." Rachel was viewing this as another sort of chess. "Securing the shore and keeping the lanes safe for commerce is about all WE can do right now with what we've got. We can only hope that the national governments choose the wisest options for filling in the rest of the holes. Years from now, people will probably look upon this era the same way they look on the previous times of piracy and instability."
Zoe pointed a finger upward. "Your world had a greater interest in space exploration. We have terrestrial satellites, but never went beyond that or really thought of it until the humans popped up. But a few years back, a space shuttle was born."
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Post by elizar on Nov 23, 2008 18:15:57 GMT -5
"Not what I would want the world to know this time era." Aron said. "Imagine, maybe three hundred years from now, school kids are asked to sum up this time era in one sentence or word. I hope that they will not say 'pirates'."
Stefán leaned in and looked at the wolfbikes. "Do you think that could have happened if the humans hadn't come to your world?" He asked.
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Post by Evangeline on Nov 23, 2008 18:39:06 GMT -5
"We don't get to choose what historians will say." Rachel was philosophical about it. "Though we can hope that they will remember the good things that happened. Hopefully those schoolchildren will sum it up as "the end of the pirates." I can definitely work for that."
"It might have, but would have taken many more years." Zoe scratched another wolfbike head. One of them sniffed at Stefan's hand and gave it a lick. "This is what adds fuel to the fire in our own evolutionary debates, because there were already theories of change in response to the stress of social pressure. Isaac Randolfsen's "Field of Influence" theory is the most popular right now."
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Post by elizar on Nov 23, 2008 18:48:05 GMT -5
"And what do others say? That it is simply a random occurrence?" Stefán asked.
Babel had a folder in her hands as walking around, looking for Laurie. She had discovered discrepancy in the supply count, and needed to address that.
Aron sighed. "I hope that the saying is true: History is written by the winners. There is no real way that we will be the losers, we have just too much tech up the arse not to lose."
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