audio; un: PARTY.

[wardance]

Three things.

The first. I'm requesting if you know anyone of our group that was transferred during this mission at any point, whether it was already announced or not, to list them here. If you knew anything about them, particularly unique to them—information, capabilities, whatever—I'd ask you disclose the information, as well. [ he may be able to get the first part, at least, by looking it up but it helps to have confirmation from files that are not documents provided by ALASTAIR. ]

The second. I'd like to know of any of you that are of leadership status back where you come from, particularly if you are responsible for the lives of others. Militarily, politically, socially, whatever. [ not the time to be picky. ]

Lastly, what's the value of a life to you? Both your own and others around you and how far does that value extend? They say there's a time to kill and a time not to kill: what're yours? [ it'd be nice to know who the self-sacrificers are versus the kill-happy. and then everyone else in between. ]

...Allow me to introduce myself, if you don't know me: I'm Date Masamune, a daimyo from the north.

[ yes, he's got a different tone to this from the last time he addressed the network, but the serious nature seems necessary, if not because of the content but because of what they're all sitting in the middle of while they wait to leave chantes. might as well be somewhat productive. ]

Comments

audio; un: Tohsaka Rin

[defenceless]

I don't know what to think if you were one of the leaders responsible for the lives of anyone.

[shots fired

... sorry, masamune.]

I can't say I've spent too long musing over it [this is a lie.], but I can probably share some details about the ALASTAIR recruits I met who are no longer here.

audio;

[wardance]

[ OhhHhhHHHH rin RINNN.

his response is cheeky: ]

Who knows. Good thing you have a servant that will ensure you never find out, anyway, right?

[ they're apparently too close in age for him to be above this sort of thing.

his tone is a little more serious when he continues, though. ]

Perhaps you should start, it's good to know where the people you are with stand, don't you think?

[ and to the recruits: ] Shoot.

video; username: adlantisag

[adlantisag]

I remember some names.

[ Thinking back on it, it feels distant, and yet it was barely a half-blink ago. ]

video;

[wardance]

Whenever you're ready. [ he's got the paper in hand, although he is pointedly looking down at it. while he's asking for this info, he's still really unhappy about a few disappearances in particular and he knows they'll be eventually mentioned somewhere.

but masamune also doesn't feel a need to keep things audio with her, either, to hide any of that if it arises, so... ]

chillbonedudexcv; audio

[humerous]

Well, where I'm from killing's kind of a last resort.

[Even if sometimes he's, uh, more inclined towards it than most monsters.]

But if it's someone putting everyone else in danger...you don't have a choice.

audio

[wardance]

[ details who needs those. he's rather okay with the overall answer, to be honest. ]

What is done where you're from prior to killing, usually? [ he's from a war era, he can't assume it's all nice until they have to go shank someone as there are arguably worse fates than death... ]

text. un: huntsman

[dishearten]

what do you intend to do with this information?

( there's one loss in particular he's especially mourning, but this doesn't seem like an inquiry he wants to be involved in. )

I was a sheriff back home. it's a position of some margin of power, but I'm not looking for any here.

text. un: huntsman

[wardance]

about the transferred?

i have heard this title used by foreigners in passing but would not know if they are the same position. where do you hail from?

un: pearl | audio

[beyourrock]

Does a Guardian qualify?

Besides, what are you hoping to achieve by gathering up leaders, Masamune?

[Not that it was a bad tactic but, she's genuinely curious.]

audio

[wardance]

Yes, I think even a guardian has a place among that.

[ he doesn't mind her asking, either, although he takes a moment to try and word it without explaining too much that she may not care to hear as part of the answer. ] There are two types of warriors where I come from and I think this team ALASTAIR has put together is no exception: you have the ones that carry out their orders at all costs and then you have the ones that do everything to ensure the survival of the ones carrying out the orders... as well as the ones neglected by the former for the sake of success.

Those who ascend to leadership positions usually [ --not always, but usually ] have the capability to be both, but will almost always lean towards the nature of the latter. I want to know who exists here that will be more likely to ensure the survival of their companions versus sacrifice them for a goal. If nothing else, we have too many noncombatants, including children, that my concerns lie in minimizing loss of life due to our inability to work together and share ideals as a whole.

[ make no mistake, he's silently keeping tabs on the other group, as well, but he's also not interested in cooperating with lone wolves that will backstab. He may speak to many and engage casually, but his trust is incredibly hard to earn. ]

text @ happybirthday

[adoube]

Mmmm... ' d a i m y o ' ?

I lead myself to pancakes very often!!

text, @TARANTO

[heavyhitter]

oh shit YOU'RE the one with the happybirthday un! that's a great fucking name just fyi

text

[wardance]

just stick with ' d r a g o n ' ?

congratulations. the question is do you know how to share them very often, too.

voice, @TARANTO

[heavyhitter]

I think someone covered him already, but all I can really think of is Bolin. He did rocks.

Also, yes, I'm actually the head honcho back home. I control a buncha stuff, it's all pretty impressive.

[ that last question gets conveniently skipped. she totally just forgot it! clearly! oversight!! ]

voice

[wardance]

...'Did rocks'? Is that all you remember about him?

[ thank god he knew about bolin himself, but man, that poor guy getting remembered by a woman as 'he did rocks'?? that sounds like slang for 'he did drugs', or it could be...?!

also you people are all suspiciously avoidant of this last question, he's noticing...! ]

Mind giving some examples?

voice.

[strictdiscipline]

[She's already been pinged for the first, and she's far too tired for the last, so answering the middle question it is.]

The girl I was sharing a room, Frey, with when we first arrived in Chantes was transferred shortly after. She didn't appear to have any unique abilities I was aware of, though she had prior knowledge of goblins and other creatures from her home world.

Another youth was transferred shortly after. Harry. He was a wizard, capable of both offensive and defensive magic.

Anna Kushina. Capable of creating and wielding fire from a source she called 'the red'.

[She lists off a few more names. Kurogane, a samurai. Diane, a girl of great height. Sora Takeuchi, someone with an insistence on referring to himself as a 'king'. Mikasa, a talented soldier under Levi's command. For all that they're brief descriptions, she sounds pretty worn by the end of it.]

Trying to find patterns?

voice.

[wardance]

[ he takes the names down diligently, only extending silence between her asking the question and answering it to finish the notes. ]

Yeah, I don't think we'll get any until we go through a few rounds of this, however; if there even really is a pattern to begin with.

What do you think?

voice; UN: red streak

[sanicspeed]

I'm not going to claim to be a leader or anything but every life is important. Even so called villains. I mean, everyone should have the chance to do the right thing and I plan on sacrificing what I can to make sure people have that chance.

But....I mean, if there was no other route, I'd probably resort to killing. I just want to make sure all other options are available.

voice;

[wardance]

Innocent until proven guilty and all nonviolent solutions of dealing with said guilty are exhausted, then?

[ it's a little soft to Masamune but it's a sound and honest assessment from this person (or so it sounds like), which he appreciates. ]

Are you a warrior of any kind? Or any experience dealing with violent situations?

audio; un: merlin

[servant]

Err...what's a dai myo?

audio;

[wardance]

Are you familiar with the term warlord? [ he has no idea if the westerners even have something remotely like a warlord in their hierarchies, now that he thinks about it. ]

audio | un: leonardo

[kamiizumi]

...the Date Masamune?

[He's, uh. He's heard of you.

But there's only a slight pause there before he gets back on topic, because that's more important than the pang of slight weeaboo glee that just ran through him.]

- anyway. My family are ninja; I'm in charge in the field, but the orders that put us there usually come down from above.

[Usually. When they're not isolated and having to act without Splinter, or when they're not taking matters into their own hands because even the perfect son Leo can sometimes see when their father's blind spots are taking them in a bad direction.]

I've been taught to avoid killing. I prefer it that way. But I also take the lives I'm responsible for more seriously than the lives that might threaten them.

[On an intellectual level, Leo's always been aware that someday, things might not work out that neatly. He'll hope for it, but if it's his family or someone else...well, that's not a difficult decision, even if he'll exercise every option at his disposal to keep things from going that far.]

audio;

[wardance]

[ he's beginning to like these messages that start with that question. even if they are far and few between. ]

That's right.

[ he listens, and he's plenty familiar with ninja. Sans the lack of being used as an assassination tool (or so it sounds here) this guy seems pretty on target with what he's familiar with. ] Marvelous! I didn't know there was a ninja leader here. And I like your answer.

[ he does. it's realistic with a positive spin on avoiding killing. But, that isn't bad, it means he's even more likely to have another member's back. ]

audio | un: redlikeroses

[craterface]

[She doesn't know about the first one, but as for the other two: ]

I'm the leader of a 4-man- or well, 4-girl team in school, if that counts! Still kind of new to it, though...

And the value of a life...to be honest, I don't think I can kill anyone that's not a monster. Even if they've done bad things, I still think there's hope for them.

audio

[wardance]

It totally counts. [ new or not, the time to learn is now!! ] What does your team do in school?

Do monsters exist in your world? [ this is interesting to him that she separates a monster versus everyone else. ]

audio; UN: Scott Summers

[evenslimmer]

My name is Scott Summers. I'm the leader of the X-Men.

[ But he's certainly not going to reveal under which circumstances he'd be willing to kill. Admitting that you'd been willing to murder the shit out of the head of a galactic empire for hurting your closest friend...one of those things you should play close to your chest. ]

audio;

[wardance]

[ damn straight mr. summers that'll lead you to a big red exclamation point next to your name...

well, maybe. no one said Masamune wasn't the same... and perhaps why he also didn't state his opinion to begin with.

but this is interesting—he doesn't know of the x-men, of course, but it sounds pretty important. ]

You're used to overseeing a team, in particular, then? [ this is where Masamune does not have the experience: small groups where individuals can make or break a situation with their actions as well as whether they live or die. while he also isn't sure how big or small the "x-men" are, it sounds a hell of a lot more selective a group than an army.

therefore, it gets his interest quite quickly. ]

audio; un: h. wells

[hsalf]

I was the director of a major scientific research organization. Much of my role was overseeing productive research for the future, as well as dealing with the politics of running a major business.

As for the value of a life -- all life has value to it. But the way that value is quantified is different. That is to say not all lives are created equal.

audio;

[wardance]

Research for the future? ALASTAIR-like overseeing research? [ he hears major businesss and overseeing research for a future it could be totally similar, he has no idea. but that would be really useful...

damn being pre-1600s... ]

How would you say is the best way to judge the values individually?

video un; julius

[viscontree]

Muneshige Tachibana. He was the name of a man I trusted although... I believe that he's off on another mission currently. There weren't any significant abilities to note -None that I know of at any rate. I noticed that he was fairly level headed and responsible.

[ALASTAIR needs more people at other places apparently.]

As for your other question:

I've been leading a military unit for some time. [He did retire willingly at an early age but that doesn't mean he's not experienced.]

At some point I held the ranking of Captain. May I ask a question of my own? What have you gathered so far from all this?

audio;

[wardance]

[ excuse him as he stays on audio because he is absolutely miserable concerning Muneshige's departure and still not over it. ]

You are correct, Tachibana has been transferred. He is also a clan head like me in our country. He is of the west whereas I am east. [ but despite that japan is a terribly small country when war is being fought... ]

From which part? Asking you about missing individuals, being leaders, or your willingness to kill? [ or, all three is fine, too. but it's always good to make sure before answering with too much. ]

audio / un: melanblue

[ninmu]

Date Masamune. This is Melan Blue. What is a daimyo?

[ an almost militaristic response, followed by an innocent question. He's listening, at least. ]

Your question. Killing is sometimes a necessity in order to complete missions, but it should be avoided.

audio

[wardance]

I hear that foreigners refer to us as "warlords". Is it a more familiar term to you, also?

[ --wow, super well-trianed soldier, maybe? (wait till he finds out you're a gundam he'll think it's so cool and kind of cute with innocent questions?! also blue is the best color).

the answer is something Masamune can work with, so he'll question future. ]

You are used to completing missions back home, then?

audio / un: melphis amekia

[1300yen]

It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. [Although tbh it feels a little weird when she can't even see his face. It's not like anyone's hiding anything by using voice, but as convenient as this technology is, she honestly still prefers meetings in person.] My name is Alisha Diphda. As for your questions...

In my world, I am a knight. My duties often involved ensuring the safety of the citizens and directing other soldiers, as well as discussing plans with the government. [Not that.... most of those go particular well...... But you can't say she doesn't try!!

Her next answer doesn't come as easily though, and there's a bit of a pause as she chooses her words.]

... Ideally, no one would ever have to be killed. ["Ideally." She's had plenty of firsthand experience at this point to understand how reality often doesn't live up to ideals.] However, there are times where killing is the only way to quell a threat. All life has value, and I personally would not resort to such methods unless absolutely necessary.

audio;

[wardance]

[ he understands you, alisha he prefers face to face, as well!! especially since video is just sort of awkward in his opinion. ]

Ah, the western version of a samurai! Excellent! [ he sounds a bit excited then.

He actually is impressed that she takes the time to choose her words. ] Then, is a mission success or your teammates' well-being what you personally would favor?