@peter.benjamin

[thwipandrelease]

So I know I can't be the only one who's had the unexpected pleasure of coming into possession of messages that aren't intended for my consumption. I'm not talking about you getting someone's private love letters or metaphorical cat video links, which I've gotten and deleted.

If I were back home, I'd be sliding this info to my nearest and dearest investigative journalist type. Since I'm not, well, I guess I've got to take matters in my own hands.

It's an interesting read, so, I'm just going to include the unedited details for all.

[what follows is a copy of the message that peter had received earlier, sent from lydia gill-jade, which seems the sort of thing that would come up in a current headlines search if it weren't presumably a secret. well, so much for that, huh?]

Maybe it's just me, but do people usually name successors for campaign donations?

Comments

[windowsills]

[ good reunion topic, the best even ]

I thought it would appear strange to the other campaigners if the same pattern of leadership happened over and over again.
Maybe it’s a new trend?
Passing the role on, I mean.

[thwipandrelease]

I can't speak for anyone else's society other than my own, but a successor might be endorsed, and the previous office holder might even help them campaign for donations but... not quite like this.

[windowsills]

I see
I wonder what it is about their vision that makes them so appealing to support

[ But literally. What is it? ]

What do you think would happen if the city became aware of this? Would anyone care?

[thwipandrelease]

Your guess is as good as mine.
Maybe it's a grass is greener on the other side situation.
Pick the person who is the loudest about doing the things you feel the previous person didn't.

I'd like to hope that people would care, but I get the feeling an attempt is just going to get squashed.
It's just a matter of if it would be quiet or bloody.

[windowsills]

I see
So they would have to appeal to what people want the most
Even though this is immoral, if people are happy with what they have is it right to disturb it?
Especially if the outcome could ruin lives?

[ what you don’t know can’t hurt you, etc ]

[thwipandrelease]

That's the big question, isn't it?
Who are we to judge when we're not from around here and we have our own preconceived notions about what is or isn't right.

I have a hard time ignoring people who are clearly in need though.
And I am pretty sure I'm not the only one.
Nor do I think this world could be so far from my own in beliefs that ignorance is bliss is the solution here.

[windowsills]

I’m not sure either, Mr. Parker. This world is very different from mine. Politicians did not exist and people were fine with others suffering.

How did people make a difference in your universe?

[thwipandrelease]

Depends. For some it was opening up their pocketbook.
Others? Giving their time, whether that was to feed people, or help them find work, or just being an open mind and source of kindness.

That was my aunt. Always giving even when we didn't have anything to give.

[windowsills]

[ That's seems to be a deeply personal tidbit that she wasn't quite expecting him to mention. The had only met the once but he seemed to be the type of person where the world's problems rolled off his shoulders. Surprises everywhere. ]

Giving everything... I see
I'm sorry that you've been separated but she sounds like an amazing person
In this situation, what do you think she would do? If that isn't too nosey of me to ask

[thwipandrelease]

[he's not that immune from the world's problems. personal lifewise, maybe. but since when has he been able to keep his personal life separate from his professional one? oh right. not since he was a teen.

still it's been a long time since he's been this open with anyone. maybe it's easier because there's not the added pressure of expectation.]

she was.
she's been gone awhile. well before i ended up here.

[wow. that's hard to say to someone who doesn't know the first thing about may parker.]

she'd tell me it was important to do everything in my power to not cause harm.
and above all else to trust my heart because it wouldn't steer me wrong.

[windowsills]

I see
I'm sorry. A passing of a family member is very difficult.

[ Does that make being here easier or harder? To be taken away after everything is said and done. Are there any regrets or does it feel like the complete end of something? A final goodbye.

but cause no harm? Oof. Too late on that one. ]

Trust your heart...
I don't think I would be very good at it, but I'd like to try.

[thwipandrelease]

Thank you. It's never easy.

[May. Ben. His parents. Peter's life has been marked with the loss of some of the most important people in his life. It doesn't get easier, but it does make him value their teachings above basically all else.

Even if he'd lost his way for awhile. He's not great at pep talks but if that's what the situation merits, he'll do it.]

That's the spirit.
So, what are you gonna do with this info?

[windowsills]

[ a hard question to answer after she just said she'd like to try and follow her heart. Doing shady business to save one or two people, Alex could probably live with that. Large scale shady business? That's a different story. Something that could effect everyone, maybe even on a global scale is in a word; scary. But Ojiro's pitch is ultimately about helping others. That's what she'd like to believe. ]

I'm not sure... Maybe I'll wait. [ A lie. But just a small one. ]

A lot of us know now. It would be chaos to be careless with this information, wouldn't it? This sort of thing is powerful, or at least I think.

[ And Ojiro is smarter. Alex will let them handle it. But... ]

May I ask what you would want people to do with it?

[thwipandrelease]

Yeah it would be disastrous to fly off the handle.
We have to consider all the angles.

[something that he's not especially great at, even now when he's had plenty of time and experience.]

I... honestly, I don't know. Probably keep it in mind. Find the right opportunity to disseminate the information.
Figure out a way to tell people without it blowing back on us, but that's wishful thinking, isn't it?

[windowsills]

Yes, I think that’s very wise. [ alex isn’t really keen on the idea that someone amongst them will have to be a sacrificial lamb of sorts to offer this information up to the right people. But those decisions are always hard. ]

I'm not sure if there is anyone among the displaced who specialize in this sort of thing...
Like.... a secret service agent?

[thwipandrelease]

There are some of us that I'm aware of who have the background from before.
But as for who might have the connections here? Clueless.