outer_divide | 002 ⌥ VOICE

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dropped: commander shepard (crau)

002 ⌥ VOICE

[In sharp contrast to her professional tone the last time she addressed the public, this time she's most definitely pissed. In a more level voice than she'd like to use:]

I don't know who you are or what you want, but stay the fuck out of my head.

[Yeah, Charles, this means you. Years of being mindraped by ancient alien beacons of doom and then a dozen curious asari have made her profoundly sensitive to when someone's poking around inside her head.

She's not going to put out any threats. She's hoping she doesn't have to. Her point's been made.]

[ ooc: sorry for posting again so soon, I'm done spamming the comm after this one. |D She just. Wouldn't have let this slide, and this is the only way to make sure whoever it is (cough charles cough) hears it.]

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I'm not in your head. Strictly speaking, it's a generalized emotional broadcast without targeting any specific individual. For instance, I may be speaking with you now over this network, but in actuality I have no idea which mind in this city might be yours, nor do I know any of your personal details or secrets. Frankly, I'm quite surprised that you noticed. It speaks well to your psychic sensitivity -- or perhaps you are a psychic yourself? Unless, of course, you are speaking of a particular psychic intrusion, in which case I am most certainly not responsible and I apologize for taking up your time.

Shepard, what's wrong?

So is that kind of shit considered okay, where you're from?

Edited 2012-03-13 16:38 (UTC)

[Sent a couple of minutes later--you'd be proud, Charles, she's attempting diplomacy.]

No, not a specific one. What you described sounds about right.

And I'm not psychic. Just had enough people in my head for one lifetime.

What's going on?

We've got psychics here. At least one, maybe more.

They've been putting out-... Shit, what'd he call them, broadcasts.

['He' is just a general term--she has no idea the gender of the psychic in question.]

Blanket-sweeps to make sure everyone's finding their happy place. The way I figure, that should be our choice.

Psychics. ['Psychics who don't know how to stay the fuck out of where they aren't wanted' is the full sentence there, but she's swallowing the rest of it.]

I can't tell what they're doing. [And this makes him extremely nervous. He prefers to know what's going on. Here he has no sense to compensate, he's at a loss, and it's making him edgy. There was no reason for Nietzscheans to develop psychic resistance of any sort.]

[She exhales slowly, because as much as she hates to admit it:] They're not hurting anyone. I just want them to stay the hell out of my head.

[Oh, that is SO not what he wants to hear. Basically, all the alarm bells in his head go off.]

Son of a bitch.

[When he answers his voice his tight with controlled anger but the underlying rage has a personal note to it. He's had his fair share of brainwashing and mind-meddling and he is not going back there.]

You in contact with them?

Yes. Well, to be more specific, few people have ever noticed it before, but it constituted a significant morale boost at a time when it was desperately needed. People felt better.

You can't force people to feel better. That's just not how things work.

[By 'can't', she means 'that's not kosher'. She definitely knows by now that he's physically capable.]

I've been raising crew morale for almost ten years now, and I don't have an ounce of psychic power.

If you want to help people, use your goddamn words. This is cheap. So knock it off.

Vaguely. [If she had her crew, or even just Tali or Legion, she'd have Charles pinpointed in a second, but as things are she's stuck talking to an anonymous text.

After a minute, her voice drops just a little:] It's personal for me too. I'm ending it, take my word.

Edited 2012-03-13 17:07 (UTC)

It hardly has any more effect than a rousing speech would; however, it's subtle and people believe it comes from within. The end result is that they believe in themselves, not in a leader, and I believe that end is worthwhile.

Ah. That would explain a few things.

And here I thought I was the only one. [Because so far, the overwhelming reaction's been 'THERE ARE PSYCHICS?' rather than 'oh that's what I'm feeling'.]

But it's fake. Built on a lie.

[But a minute or so later, another text:]

That's not even the point. These people are god knows how far from wherever the hell they call home, getting attacked by the only people we've seen so far with bigger guns than we have.

The only place anyone has that's theirs is the inside of their own goddamn head. But obviously, you have the right and privilege to disregard that entirely just because you can. Nobody complains because nobody knows.

Try announcing it on the network. You don't even have to put your name on it--just tell the general public you're putting ~good vibes and happy thoughts~ in their heads and see what the hell they have to say to that.

Understandably.

I would much prefer to be in control of my own thoughts. [He is also a little nervous, considering how steeply his culture is based in subterfuge and reading each other through veiled statement and body language. No, more than a little nervous. Outright scared, and none of it will ever reach the surface.]

[Private]

Are there ways to protect yourself?

The broadcast is more for the inhabitants of the Old City than those in the ship, which would make a network broadcast somewhat ineffective. Furthermore, if the effect of a speech isn't fake then neither is this. It's simply real on another level, and one you refuse to accept because, I can only assume, you've had bad experiences with psychics before. You'll be doing these people a favor if you can overcome your prejudices.

[There's a silence. Not neccessarily uncomfortable, just a pause at being called out on it. He's not used to talking about this.

Then he exhales, the words coming out somewhere between a huff and a humorless chuckle.]

Yeah, you didn't sound too thrilled about it. You need a hand?

[She didn't mean to call him out, necessarily. It's just... That's the only time someone sounds that pissed and alarmed about something, is when they're kicked in the face with something that strikes a nerve.]

A hand with what? He could be anywhere. Anyone. [She shakes her head a little, not that he can see it.] At this point I just talk him down and hope to hell I don't have to hunt him down.

Not that I know of.

Yet.

[Shepard herself isn't scared, fortunately, just... She's done the whole mind-invasion thing one too many times to put up with this shit.]

Try announcing it.

I'm by far not the only one with 'prejudices'. But I guess that's too damn bad for us, then, right?

Seemed quite obvious. People who previously refused to leave their shelters suddenly venturing out.

I would definitely be willing to help you look into it should the opportunity arise.

How invasive can it be? [I.e. Can they read actual thoughts? is what he's wondering. He's a little more concerned about what River's abilities might be. He'll have to try to watch what he'll be thinking around people (if he can figure out which ones are psychic), especially with his Captain around.]

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