Don't expect mercy from my government

[poll_the_stars]

One elf is starting to run out of time. The assassins plotting to kill her could show up any day now. She would really rather they didn't.

The irony doesn't escape her. She's still sending messages about her plans to sell off all of her lifespan and die to become a daeva with a lot of OTC currency. If she wanted, she could mint a ton of Ka, then let the assassins kill her. But the idea doesn't appeal. Some form of giving up, of letting them win. She's not often petty, but in this particular instance she thinks she'll indulge herself. Besides, it's not like they're the merciful type. She recalls Aisilian's perfect comprehensioned words. You were in quite a lot of pain...

No. No, she'll - not do that. She'll go spend a little while in Nexus.

She sends Miles a message.

So everything is packed and I have everything I need with me to flee my dimension before I get assassinated. Is now a good time?

Comments

[poll_the_stars]

She giggles a little inanely at this pronouncement.

"I left myself breathing room and sold it now because I realized that even if I didn't want to figure out a way to quickly off myself, I live a somewhat dangerous life. If left to my own devices, I might get myself killed next month, and if I die I might as well have sold off all of my lifespan first, right?" She makes a face. "But with how this feels I am sincerely considering just not waiting for the rainbow goddess's answer on whether the immortality will stick or not and just." Handwave.

[all_the_worlds_have]

The businesswoman nods.

"Personally, I'd ask your rainbow goddess friend who's good at knowing stuff whether you'll really become immortal before you try and commit suicide. That seems like a sensible precaution."

[poll_the_stars]

"Right, that's what I did," agrees Inavet. "Before I minted it, even. But she hasn't replied for days, and I realized that I can mint most of my lifespan, so that if I get offed I don't lose the Ka, without actually risking my life. I'd also be keeping it in reserve for if I turn out to live through the next several hundred years on my own merits."

[all_the_worlds_have]

"But now you're considering killing yourself anyway because it's so awful to live like this. That doesn't seem like a good idea. I probably wouldn't take a fifty-fifty shot at immortality or death. Death is rather final."

[poll_the_stars]

Giggle.

"A bit, yeah. I wouldn't take a fifty-fifty shot at immortality or death, either. And I mean. There's considering and then there's considering. So I'll likely just throw up again and curl up in my room and probably eat a lot of misery food and suck it up rather than jumping aboard the suicide train."

[all_the_worlds_have]

"I would offer to mint that, if we actually had a sickness coin. But we don't."

She sighs.

"Is there anything else I can do to help?"

[poll_the_stars]

"Thanks for the offer."

She snorts. "I don't know, do you want to help me overthrow my terrible government so innocent people can stop being used as horrible tortured immortality fodder?" Pause. "Well. I suppose some of them aren't innocent, exactly, but - no one deserves that."

[all_the_worlds_have]

She half-smiles with a shake of her head.

"Sorry, that's pretty far outside company regulations, regardless of the whole torture thing. Unless you'd like to buy the services of some of our mercenaries? I hear they have the *GO! GO!*."

[poll_the_stars]

Inavet snorts.

"It's not actually the takeover I'm worried about. I can probably pull that off myself. It's the... Everything after. Fixing a government that's been awful for thousands upon thousands of years. Figuring out how to... The government's done a thing where they censor everything they touch, and don't give people room to grow, and give them this safe little world where they are technically happy but don't - grow up. As people. Anyone who tries... Well, they either get their minds changed, die, or end up like me, on the run. And that is sort of a hard problem to fix." Pause. "I mean that last one's easy, they just stop doing that, but - everything else. Not so much."

[lurkingkobold]

...

...

...

...

...

Perhaps Inavet has been improperly categorized?

...

Perhaps the kobold has been kind of an asshole.

Oh dear.

[all_the_worlds_have]

Eva goes on speaking, unaware of the fireworks inside the impreceptible kobold.

"Would you believe we have specialists in that as well? You might even be able to hire them for a discount: the OTC generally disapproves of theft like that."

[poll_the_stars]

"I have one or two good sources of help," says Inavet. "But I wouldn't turn down another. And I should probably do something useful with my large amount of magical money. I will keep the OTC in mind."

[all_the_worlds_have]

Eva smiles. "Well then, thank you."

She tilts her head.

"Oh, incidentally. This last part isn't OTC business, but... would you mind carrying this for me?"

She produces a smooth orange gemstone that neatly fits into her palm.

[poll_the_stars]

"That depends, what does it do?"

[all_the_worlds_have]

"It records your sense-impressions while you carry it on your person. Apparently you lead an interesting life. As a Sensate, I'm about preserving and sharing the kinds of experiences that you have when you lead an interesting life."

She smiles.

"Incidentally, if you do decide to go commit suicide once you hear from your rainbowy goddess friend, consider this an invitation to go sun-diving with me."

[poll_the_stars]

"Sun-diving. I assume that's what it sounds like?" wonders Inavet, amused. "Maybe. I'll think about it. Uh - does it just record, or do you get a copy...?"

[all_the_worlds_have]

"It records, and is also really amazingly indestructible. If you decide to go diving into a sun it will almost certainly be recoverable."

[poll_the_stars]

Inavet... Doesn't think she has a problem with this. Actually.

"All right. Then uh, sure. Sense impressions don't include thoughts, right?"

[all_the_worlds_have]

"No, your internal commentary on having tea, being shot, or carrying a big awkward heavy crystal around will be entirely yours: the crystal only gets the taste, the pain, and the heaviness."

[poll_the_stars]

"How does it handle magical senses?"

[all_the_worlds_have]

"It handles them well!"

Eva does not quite manage to hide the momentary flash of interest and envy.

[poll_the_stars]

Inavet considers her.

"Do you want to feel a moment of having my magical senses?" offers Inavet. "Though, fair warning, a part of them's still going 'Aaaaa your body is decayed aaaaa.'"

[all_the_worlds_have]

"I'm a Sensate. Having experiences is what I do. What, did you think that diving into the sun was entirely fun for me?" She chuckles.

[poll_the_stars]

"I felt it was fair to warn you!" she snorts. She holds out her hand for the gem. "How do I send you the experience?"

[all_the_worlds_have]

"Just hold the gem for a moment and then pass it back to me. It's practically foolproof."