I’ve traveled all this way for something

[maskormods]

WHO: YOU.
WHERE: Eden East's cruiseship
WHEN: Saturday February 15th, around 5 PM EST
WHAT: Registration in motion... among other things.
WARNINGS: None anticipated; let us know if this should be edited.

" The new frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises -- it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook -- it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security. But I tell you the new frontier is here, whether we seek it or not. "
( from jfk's speech "the new frontier," 7/15/1960. )

The sun hasn't set yet and the temperature hovers somewhere just below 70 degrees this evening; imPorts, both recently arrived and not, will have been escorted to this event so that they can meet each other, have a good time, and of course officially state their registration status. Or lack thereof. It's your decision, they emphasize, even though the unspoken "but" is always there.

It's an elaborate spread, certainly much more elegant than last time. Eden East herself, elegant in her backless champagne-colored dress, meets and greets each and every imPort as she flutters to and fro. She'll find you and chat for a few moments, shaking your hand and complimenting your dress. She'll know your name, and she'll have an entourage of aids and cameras following her wake. Captain Holiday, in contrast, maintains the energy of someone who feels out of place holding the Swear-In ceremony somewhere so extravagant. As imPorts arrive he tells them where to be for the ceremony part of the evening, but that they are free to enjoy themselves until then and after.

( Please state your character's official status -- REGISTERED or UNSETTLED -- in the subject header of your thread. Characters who are UNDECIDED may be contacted later in the week for their decision via their IC contact post. )

Comments

[pyms]

[ Seeing Matt here is levels the place a bit. He may be a blind, building diving made man but at least there's two of them here to handle whatever mess comes their way. ]

You're right about that, I'm not. These are usually things Jan would drag me into. I've learned to like it as much as I could. Appreciate the finer things, she said.

[ Hank put a hand on Matt's shoulder and pointed out one of the cameras currently not flashing at them. ] On appearance it's old and "retro" compared to ours, but I had a closer look earlier. It's not as behind as it's been made to look. I suppose it's goes along with the "theme" of the night.

[notdaredevil]

It's not the worst advice in the world.

[These are the nuances that are beyond a blind man, and one of the reasons why Matt has come to deeply appreciate Hank's help. How would he know? Most of these things give him trouble, and lacking the ability to detect colors makes it difficult to necessarily understand most directions or explanations of the inner workings of anything.]

I'll take your word for it. You'd know. [The man builds crazy AIs. He can probably handle the technology of the camera.] They want us to deliberately underestimate them, do you think?

[pyms]

[ Hank's expression changed and he looked out at the cameras. Matt may not be able to see but he can probably read the tension in his heartbeat. ]

I don't know. It would be a very subtle way of doing it. We're here already, they've given us tattoos to match. It's so minor, I don't think it would be part of the agenda but you never know.

[ And at that moment, he looked at Matt's wrist. ]

Which side of history are you going to be on this time around, Mr. Murdock?

[notdaredevil]

[ If he could see, he'd know what Hank was trying to look at. His suit hides the mark very well, until he shifts his arm, and then it becomes clear that he's declined to register himself this time around. ]

I wasn't available to take a role in any of the proceedings last time, Dr. Pym.

[ He'd retired from being Daredevil, after all, landed himself in jail through the FBI and not through the registration crusade. But that's semantics, really, because he knows what side he would be on. Danny Rand pretending to be Matt Murdock wasn't far off at all. Down to the line, he would have done the exact same thing. ]

But I disagreed then. I'm not going to change my mind now just because someone's decided they can't leave well enough alone. It goes against every moral principle I've tried to live by.

[pyms]

Matt.

[ Hank spoke in a sincere tone. All smiles were gone and Hank is anxious, uncertain, a mix of a thousand thoughts with an underlying optimistic note in a some, the opposite in others.

He knows every there is to know about the "Civil War". He poured over records and logs and anything everyone was willing to give him. When it's all done, Hank's only thought was what they could do to make this right. And for that reason, he felt like this is his second chance, an opportunity to fix the mistakes and rest the worries of the civilians that demands responsibility and superhero repercussions. ]

I won't try to convince you. I don't think that's my place to and I value our friendship too much to go that down that road. I just hope you understand why I decided to register.

[notdaredevil]

[What should he say to that? Karen told him once that although she'd always known he'd forgive her, she'd still felt judged. But should he hold other people to the standards to which he holds himself? Things are understandable. The reasons might not be the most pure, but that doesn't mean they're worth standing in judgement. Worth ending a friendship over.

And does he understand? He thinks maybe he does. But more than that...he trusts Hank. Knows him in a weird and awkward way that nevertheless gave some good insight. His heart is in the right place, even if he does accidentally make killer robots.]

...I'm not going to stand in judgment, Hank. You have to do what you feel is right. What works for you. I'm not going to ask you to justify your actions to me. If you're the man I think you are- and I'd like to think I'm a good judge of character- it won't matter. And it's because you allow that I have a different opinion, and respect it, that I can say that. [He smiles, wry, with only a shred of happiness or good cheer.] If you want to talk about anything, I'll listen. You'll always have that from me. But you've been in my head, remember? You know I'm too stubborn to persuade anyway.

[pyms]

[ Hank returns a similarly wry smile. Things are going to be weird and awkward before it gets better, right? They're not outright throwing insults and yelling or God forbid, throwing fists, Hank takes that as a good sign. A sign that things can mend and can be changed for the better.

Hank placed a hand on the man's shoulder. ]

Thanks Matt. I knew I could count on you to listen. I'll make this right.

[notdaredevil]

[There's an instinct to try and reassure him, when he reaches back for Hank's shoulder in return and squeezes emphatically. But this isn't one of those things that gets better. This is one of those things where there's not going to be an easy answer, and people are going to get hurt.]

Hank, if you can do anything...try to make him listen- [His head inclines just a bit, in the direction where Tony Stark stands in the crowd.] - all of them. No Negative Zone prisons without due process, no breaking into a man's house to threaten him in front of his wife and newborn baby to intimidate him to sign up. No supervillain goon squad. This isn't worth destroying people's lives over. If it has to be this way...don't let people get hurt, this time.

[pyms]

[ Matt. Don't tell him that. Hank has high hopes for this. Yes, his expectations for this will most likely be his downfall and cause another mental breakdown. But for now, Hank is focusing on the positives, on what he can do. And he is listening, looking at Matt's Judas and Hank's oldest friend. ]

No one's lives are going to get destroyed by this. I promise I'll do everything in my power. But you have to let this have a chance too. If we convince ourselves this is going straight to hell from the get-go, we're not helping anyone. We're dooming our future and allowing history to repeat.

[notdaredevil]

[Matt really wants to believe Hank. For all their sakes. This is already bad enough as it is without adding in that sort of fascist behavior; they've been dragged from their homes and forcibly conscripted and tattoo'd and it really does not need any sort of power plays to make it much worse.]

I've made a choice, Hank. I'm prepared to live with it. What anyone else wants to do about it is their call. But I'm not going to change what I do or who I am because of this.