maskormenacelogs | STRANGE, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN WE STARTED THIS GIG?

STRANGE, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN WE STARTED THIS GIG?

WHO: All diplomatic imPorts that have signed up HERE.
WHERE: The capitals of Mexico, South Korea, and France. UN-attending imPorts will be placed in Davos, Switzerland.
WHEN: January 26th.
WHAT: Democracy in motion as imPorts attempt to use their skills of persuasion to convince each government or organization to lend the imPorts - and America - their help. Players may also use this log to play out the long flight over, planning, and other associated activities.
WARNINGS: None anticipated; let us know if we should change this!

Depending on their assignment, all imPort diplomats will find themselves either in Seoul, South Korea; Mexico City, Mexico; Paris, France; or for UN attending imPorts, Davos in the Swiss Alps. They will be housed in the American Embassies and regardless of their Registration status, will be treated as American citizens. UN-attending imPorts will be housed in a hotel close by. Their accommodations will be that of an extremely luxurious hotel, and they will be provided with anything that they should require, be it books on the art of rhetoric, access to state of the art computers and laptops, food or drink. They will also be provided with boardrooms in which the teams may convene to assemble a strategy. Don't be distracted by the free drinks; this is a task that will require clear minds!

After one night of preparation, on January 26th, each team of imPorts will meet with either the government of their assigned nation or the UN. They will be placed at a podium in front of a room full of politicians and diplomats, and will be expected to state their argument. They will be allowed to have an opening speech before each assembly asks each group three questions.

When either the opening speech has been concluded OR the question has been answered to each player's satisfaction, please put QUESTION NEEDED in the subject title of your comment, and we will deliver the next question.

Just remember: an invasion is coming! Even if acquiring the alliance of these governments and organizations do not help with the imPorts' immediate predicament, it will impact the future of the game at large!

Get ready, our silver-tongued imPorts, and good luck!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Kanaya had made a mistake. She is well out of her depth in diplomacy, and she isn't even sure her ulterior motives are even still applicable anymore. But then, that was more of a contingency, maybe it's a good thing if she turns out not to be needed. If all she's come to Korean to do is participate in these talks, that means the search is going better than expected, now that the government has lent their support.

Still, it also means she's not in a position to help, and that's more than a little frustrating. At least she still has her daughter with her, though carrying an alien larva has raised more than a few eyebrows, and Ashiah seems confused to see her mother looking suddenly human.

She tried to learn as much conversational Korean as she could on the plane. Even if they'll have translators, she thought it might be a show of good faith. Unfortunately, she never got much further than anyoung hashimnikka, so the most she can offer is a greeting. But, given that she doesn't have much to say, it may be better if she doesn't say anything that she can't say in their native tongue for now. ]

[And then there's Saul, who's just as uncomfortable with this whole thing as the other two. He'd spoken to Francis and gotten a much-needed pep talk before leaving, but the fact remains that this isn't some client consultation or performance in front of a jury — this is war.

The word leaves a dirty taste in his mouth. War. Jesus. Who'd have thought he'd ever find himself here, making an argument for this shit?

The crowd they're facing today may not be a jury, but he still knows what he has to do: play the part, just like he always has. An audience is an audience is an audience, and an argument is an argument is an argument.

He's ready.

He thinks.]

[ Kanaya takes a deep breath, remembering she actually needs to breathe in this form, and puts on a polite smile. They're here to work, and she has to make sure she has something to offer. She rises to her feet and passes along an info packet to each of the delegates, giving them each a small nod. Ashiah chirps happily at them, all the while clinging to Kanaya's shoulder.

The packet includes an outline of charitable and industrial contributions that have originated from imPorts over the past two years, including research from a few studies she's found examining the positive economic impact of imPorts on the Porter cities. It might be a bit narrow, but it's the best she could collect in the few days she had to prepare. She did manage to pay one of their translators to help get it all in Korean for easy digestion, at least.

Nothing to make an argument on by itself, but it's more a companion piece. Something they have in lieu of a Powerpoint presentation. ]

[While Kanaya does that, Saul clears his throat and speaks, voice unwavering.]

Anyoung haseyo, and thank you for welcoming us to your country.

My name is Saul Goodman, this is miss Kanaya Maryam, and this is miss Sadie Doyle. [He gestures, indicating his partners.] We're here today as representatives of the United States' imPort community, and we'd like to talk to you, our valued trade partners, about the situation unfolding as a result of actions taken by the USSR. As you know, tensions between the United States and the USSR have escalated since the kidnapping of several imPorts earlier this month — an aggressive, reprehensible act meant to cause panic and, as a result, provoke action.

Unfortunately, they got what they wanted.

[A pause, for dramatic effect.]

I would like to take this moment to remind you that none of us asked for this. We had no choice in being brought to this world and overcoming fear, prejudice, and the acts of violence perpetrated against us as a result of that all-too rampant combination, but we have had the opportunity to choose whether or not we'd rise up and contribute to our new society. And many of us have: Miss Maryam just provided you with a packet detailing a number of imPort-run businesses and foundations, all of which have been beneficial to both the communtiy and the economy.

Maintaining your relationship with the United States, even in this trying time, is crucial. It's our goal today to show you a few of the myriad reasons why the imPort community is an asset to the country we currently call home, and why we can be an asset to you as well — provided that we, as a country, have your continued support.

[Handing out the pamphlets was, it seems, a good icebreaker. The diplomats present had been staring curiously at the alien baby brought into their midst somewhat astonishingly until they were given something else to look at -- and they do indeed look at it briefly, murmuring approvingly all the while.

Once Saul speaks, however, he has their full attention. It is a courtroom of an entirely different sort, but one thing remains static: all eyes are on the speaker. When it has become clear that he has finished, a young woman takes the microphone.]

Before we attend to the business at hand, allow me to take this opportunity to welcome you to South Korea on the behalf of us all. We appreciate the urgency of your situation, and thank you for taking the time to speak with us personally. We hope that only good things will come of it, and that in the end, we will have a greater understanding of one another.

We also appreciate your provision of your own, independent research, and rest assured that we will be going over it once this conference has ended. In the meantime, we will ask to hear your answers directly from you. This will be... shall we say, supplementary material.

Surely, you understand our concerns about the drain that imPorts have been on the citizens of America. You are supplied with a sum of money on a regular basis, provided you maintain your status as Registered imPorts, are supplied with health care, housing, and all the amenities one needs in order to live a supported life. And while these were not the actions of all imPorts, of course, you have been a drain on their economy as America continues having to rebuild after the attacks struck by your people -- attacks that are distressingly frequent.

That is something to address at a later time, perhaps, but for now, we ask that you tell us of what you have brought to your host country, and the people that inhabit it. How do you believe that they have benefited from your presence, in ways both great and small?

[It takes some energy for Saul to keep himself from jumping on the mention of imPort attacks — #NotAllimPorts — but he manages, and instead nods politely, attentively as the woman speaks.

Once she's finished, there's a brief pause from their end. Saul glances to Kanaya and Sadie, then looks back at the audience with a good-natured smirk on his face.]

Well, for one thing, we've proven ourselves entertaining.

[A pause for laughter, which he hopes comes. Then, fixing a serious look onto his face:] We've brought with us experience, knowledge, and in some cases, technology, from cultures across the universe. StarkTech and Wayne Enterprises come to mind immediately: The former is a leader in creating cutting-edge electronics, and Wayne Enterprises works not only to literally build a better community, but rebuild when needed. Other organizations, as detailed in your packets there, are leading the way in medical research and robotics.

These are all contributions the world can share: We're innovating and creating freely and openly; we're not hiding our research. We're not hiding anything, in part because we can't — not with these [He lifts his arm and rolls his sleeve down just enough to show his tattoo.] — but mostly because a lot of us, and I'd even go as far as saying the majority of us, want to help.

[Saul drops his hand back down, and his gaze goes with it. It seems he's thinking of where to take this next. It's a performance tactic.]

We hear the word "hero" a lot. Now, I can't speak for Miss Maryam or Miss Doyle. They'll be speaking for themselves shortly, but I can tell you a little bit about where I come from: We had two types of heroes in my world. You had your real-life heroes, your servicemen and women, your doctors, your good samaritans who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. You'd hear about them on the evening news every so often, or you'd read about them in school. But they were never as interesting, at least not to me, as the fictional heroes — the comic book superheroes who could fly into burning buildings and come out unscathed, who could shoot bank robbers with laser vision, who could stop time and push someone out of the way of a bullet.

Here's the kicker, though: I didn't think those real-life heroes existed any more than I thought the fictional ones did, 'cause I never really saw anything that qualified as "heroic" happen in real life. Like I said, I saw it on the news. I saw it on television — the same television I sat in front of to watch cartoons and movies about space aliens. None of it seemed real. So now that I'm here? Now that I get to see these things happen on a daily basis? You bet I believe heroes are real, and boy, do the people I've met in this world ever fit the bill.

And I think that's part of the problem. I think this is part of why so much of the world looks at us with suspicion: You see us on the news. You hear about us and read about us from sources who skew stories to fit the tone of their network or their newspaper or their radio show. You get to observe our lives from what, up until now, seemed like a safe distance, and you were free to believed and imagine whatever you wanted about us because it didn't really matter what was true and what wasn't. We could be good guys, sure, but we could also be bad guys. We could be unhinged, overpowered. Some of us were, some of us are. This, of course, leaves the door open for questions to come flying in: If this imPort committed a crime, if this imPort killed someone, well, what's to stop the rest of them from doing it?

I'm guessing this is, for a lot of you, your first time seeing imPorts in real life. I don't know what impression we're giving off, though I hope it's a good one — [Another quick pause for a chuckle or two.] But you are, of course, free to wonder if our intentions here today are honest. If I were in your shoes, I'd be wondering the same thing, but the fact remains that we have no real obligation to this world. imPorts don't have to Register. We can choose to deal with the consequences — we're still operating with our free will intact. We can be dumped back home at any time and not remember a thing about our experiences here, which I know from personal experience: It's happened to me twice. So all that we've done? Everything in that packet? All the good deeds carried out, all the discoveries made, all the money raised, the blood donated, the children cared for? We chose to do that. We chose to live up to the label that's been slapped on us, not because we had to, but because we wanted to.

[ Kanaya stands once Saul is done, Ashiah still in her arms, making sure everyone has a chance to get a good look at her. The grub looks at them, too, blinking her large black eyes, while pouting with an inquisitive click. ]

To follow what Mr. Goodman is saying, I just want to express that while we may be outsiders to this world with no inherent obligation to it, for many of us this will be the best world we will ever inhabit. Whether through lack of a future to return to, or less kind conditions when we do, we've found a more peaceful home here. I say this not to inspire any sort of pity, but to tell you that we are just as invested in preserving that peace as you are as native inhabitants. I've been an imPort for a very long time, and with any luck will still be for a long time hence.

[ She nuzzles Ashiah against her shoulder, giving her a smile. The baby lets out a happy trill, wrapping its little legs around her hand. ] This is the only world where I will have the chance to see my daughter grow up, and to see her own life through. A place that will enrich her as much by its very existence as she will enrich it by hers. I work at Starrware, am imPort-founded company devoted to researching technology that benefits the environmental health of the world, because it is a world all of us will need to inhabit, and ensuring it continues not only now, but beyond when we leave is something we will all need to be concerned about.

It is a shared responsibility, that the majority of us take very seriously. We want to ourselves be safe and live prosperous lives here, and that means adapting, to see what we can do within this world to make us worthwhile contributors to it, and to leave it in better shape than when we arrived. And, many times, that very sort of attitude can inspire others to follow it, to be the best we can, not only for ourselves, but for those we share this world with.

And...I would like to think that is a benefit that we provide.

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STRANGE, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN WE STARTED THIS GIG?

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QUESTION NEEDED

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