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Dr. Spencer Reid (thisiscalm) wrote in marinanova,
@ 2017-01-26 00:15:00

Entry tags:

aigis, jezebel mephistopheles, malcolm reynolds, pavel chekov (au), peter parker (stnas), spencer reid, tieria erde, ton phanan

412 - closed video
[ VIDEO - FILTERED AWAY FROM JACK HARKNESS, IANTO JONES, KITTY PRYDE THE OLDER ]

[ Reid has spent some time carefully setting up the encryption, knowing fully well that his attempts to keep this discussion away from from the people that might take it the wrong way may result in them taking it the wrong way, should they ever find out. This is the best way he can think of to discuss this though, as a community and after yesterdays events he feels a stronger need to rally than ever before.

He's in full on Serious Mode when he clicks on the feed, voice even and confident, perhaps more so than most are used to seeing him. ]

Good afternoon. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Spencer Reid. I'm a member of the Behaviour Analysis Unit of the FBI back home — law enforcement. I used to be part of the Investigative Team- [ Pretty much co-founded it back on day 150. ] - but quit the Force some time ago... and that leads us to what I want to discuss.

As some of you might know, the Defence Force has been controversial for longer than we've been in this prison. I feel, and I doubt I'm alone in this feeling, that it has outgrown its original purpose. There aren't that many of us left, certainly not enough to warrant an internal police force like this. Concerns have been brought up in the past that the Force acts without taking into account the wishes of the rest of the population, with regards to escape plans as well as punishments of our fellow inmates.

This is why I'm addressing you — I want to hear your opinions on the current state of the Defence Force. What is your impression? And, in a broader sense, what do you feel we as a community should do to better protect and care for each other?

Oh, and - please be discreet. I'm not looking to cause trouble with the current leaders of the Force, but I also don't wish to provoke them with this discussion. For the time being, please keep this between us.

[ Video - Chekov ]

Chekov - a word?

[ Video - Karev ]

Hey, uhm... Alex? Can I talk to you?

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	Video wraith_7 2017-01-29 01:25 pm UTC (link)
	[He's not thrilled about what he's saying but Reid is is friend and he's never that he takes him down off a roof once so he'll hear him out and not share this with Kitty.] It sounds like you've already got a few suggestions for changes or younwouldnt be making this call. Mind if I ask what they are? (Reply to this) (Thread)

thisiscalm
2017-01-30 05:23 pm UTC (link)

[ Different times, huh? Seeing as they still haven't really found their way back to the friend thing after the breakup. Feels like forever ago that they sat on rooftops, not killing themselves. ]

I have some ideas... most of all I'm interested in hearing what other people think. A lot has changed since I arrived nine months ago and I'm not so sure the Defence Force has changed with them as much as it could.

[ Trying to be diplomatic - he has some concrete ideas but he doesn't want to lay it all out there before other people have spoken. ]

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

wraith_7
2017-01-30 06:09 pm UTC (link)

[He regrets that, since he's pretty sure he's the one who let their friendship fade. So he sounds serious but not accusatory as he asks his next question.]

Alright, set honesty to on. Does the way things went with Kitty have any influence on this? Any at all? Because if it's personal I don't want to get involved. But if you're really trying to change things because you objectively feel it needs to happen and it's the right thing to do then I'll give you my input and try to help. Deal?

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thisiscalm
2017-01-30 06:16 pm UTC (link)

[ That's a valid question and one that has him pausing for a moment. Does this have anything to do with Kitty? Yes. With the breakup? Absolutely not. ]

The way I work, personal is personal and professional is professional. Those two shouldn't mix, but that's... admittedly difficult here. The only effect my history with Kitty has on this is me not going to her directly. I don't think hearing this from me alone would benefit anyone. She, uh... she takes her position on the Force very personally, for good and bad.

[ Good enough? ]

If anyone else was the leader of the Defence Force right now, I'd have the same concerns.

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wraith_7
2017-01-30 06:30 pm UTC (link)

[Good enough.]

In that case I'll share my insights although I don't know how useful they'll be. I've been in the military for the last five years, and any problems I have with the Force stem from it not being a military. Frankly I don't think anything can fix that. We're all too close here; there is never going to be a more defined chain of command or protocol for emergency circumstances because as good as Kitty and Jack are as leaders no one is ever going to view either of them as commanding officers.

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	thisiscalm 2017-01-31 06:54 pm UTC (link)
	Do we need to be a military? There's barely fifty people here, give or take. Some of them minors. I honestly don't know if more rigorous structure is helping or alienating at this point. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	wraith_7 2017-02-01 01:27 pm UTC (link)
	Hey, you just asked for my opinion and that's what it is. I know it's not a practical solution or something that will realistically happen. But I also know that not having a clear and respected chain of comment makes us slow to respond to a crisis and hard to agree on how to handle problems. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

thisiscalm
2017-02-03 12:22 am UTC (link)

And just how well do you feel you're responding to a crisis right now? Or any time that either or both of the leaders forget who they are? Or, for that matter, when things happen and there's no word from the Defence Force for several days, leaving the rest of us in the dark?

I understand the importance of a chain of command but this is far from a normal situation.

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wraith_7
2017-02-04 06:49 pm UTC (link)

All those questions bring me back to my military comparison. If your commanding officer dies you know who takes over after that, and if something happens to that person there's another and another in line, and an understanding that what they say goes. We don't do that here and I think we're all too friendly to make it work, but that's the way I look at things and think they could be better. As for being in the dark that's what happens when you don't join the top secret club.

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	thisiscalm 2017-02-05 01:10 pm UTC (link)
	So you honestly think that the only ones who deserves to know if anything is done to ensure our safety are the ones who are part of the Defence Force? [ Why were they ever friends. ] (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

wraith_7
2017-02-05 01:51 pm UTC (link)

[To be fair he's used to secrecy. Even the higher ups in the military don't know what the Wraiths get up to. It's safer for everyone that way.] No. If we are taking active measures against something or know there's something everyone in the dome can do of course that's something that should be shared, and I think Kitty does a good job of making announcements about what's being done to handle situations or how people can respond. But there are always going to be times when secrecy is necessary to make things more efficient. For example making a call about the Defense Force but excluding its leaders so they don't take things the wrong way. Maybe they do deserve to know about the doubts you have but your reasons make sense and aren't malicious. I'm sure you can agree there might be times the Force does similar things for similar reasons.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

wow that was some html fail

thisiscalm
2017-02-06 03:28 pm UTC (link)

Of course there are exceptions, but I can think of a pretty good example about a month ago where the Defence Force was suspiciously quiet for several days and then suggested we build a raft to the surface in case we break through the impenetrable dome of a virtual prison.

[ So dry. That was the last drop, really. ]

And let's not forget that while I was a member of the Defence Force, I was frequently harassed and assaulted by someone who later went on to dismember, torture and murder another one of our members. I don't know what you think of this whole situation, but I don't exactly feel all that protected.

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wraith_7
2017-02-06 03:54 pm UTC (link)

I wasn't on team raft idea. I was on team I'm in the clinic providing medical care to people. Which is also where I was after you got all your fingers broken. Which, for the record, sucked and shouldn't have happened. Then again, maybe we're coming at this from such different places it's hard to connect on it. I don't expect to feel protected, because it's been a long time since I've relied on anyone to be able to do that. [With a big Chuck exception. But it's hard to look at someone with half a face and imagine he has many expectations that the world will ever treat him fairly.]

I'm not trying to start a fight with you over this, for the record. I get what your saying, I've just got a different perspective on it. What do you think we should do to change? What suggestion would you have made in your raft example?

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

thisiscalm
2017-02-06 04:34 pm UTC (link)

If we're not expected to feel protected, I think the Defence Force has a branding problem.

[ But that's besides the point. He feels about as safe now as he did as a member, perhaps more so since he armed himself. ]

For starters, I would've made a statement sooner. Something short, to show that people are aware of what's going on and that something is being done about it without going into details that may be irrelevant at the time. Public relations goes a long way – not saying I even think we need such an organised form of government here considering how small the population is, but if we are going to have one it needs to work with the rest of us instead of behind our backs.

[ He's a Federal Agent. He'd like to think he knows a thing or two about this sort of stuff, even if it's just second hand. ]

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

wraith_7
2017-02-06 04:59 pm UTC (link)

Then get involved and make those statements. I can honestly say it's not something I think about. We operate on a need to know basis back home and that's where my thinking stems from. Even the higher ups outside our Squadron don't know where we are or anything more than our requisition orders. That works for me but other people need other things and if you can help provide them in some way I think you should try to. Or at least suggest it to Jack and Kitty.

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	thisiscalm 2017-02-06 05:05 pm UTC (link)
	I was involved! I became a member on my fourth day here, Ton! Do you honestly think I would've quit for good if I thought that my suggestions would've been heard? Have you actually tried to bring your concerns to either Jack or Kitty? Why do you think I've filtered this away from them? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	wraith_7 2017-02-06 11:31 pm UTC (link)
	I wouldn't call mine concerns. Also as you may have noticed I mostly just sort of do what I want in the end. [A smile to try and break up some of the tension.] Would you like me to bring some of this up with her? I won't even say it's from you if that would help. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thisiscalm 2017-02-07 12:09 pm UTC (link)
	No. No, I'll talk to her. Mostly I wanted to find out if I was the only one who saw a problem here before I brought it up to her. [ And judging from the response... well, most people seem to not give a shit. ] Can I ask you something? Why are you a member of the Defence Force? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	wraith_7 2017-02-07 01:52 pm UTC (link)
	Because I like working in a team. You get more done, you make the impossible ideas possible, and generally do a better job than one person trying to keep this whole place safe alone or everyone looking out for each other. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thisiscalm 2017-02-07 03:15 pm UTC (link)
	And with that in mind, do you think the Defence Force is successful? Even if you don't think about these things or bother with having concerns. [ Or do things your own way regardless, apparently. ] (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	wraith_7 2017-02-07 06:34 pm UTC (link)
	By normal standards? No. Based on the resources we have here, the limited information and the general craziness of this place? Yes. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thisiscalm 2017-02-08 11:30 am UTC (link)
	Alright. Thank you for your input. [ He doesn't agree but if people in general are happy with the way things are, who's he to do anything about it? ] (Reply to this) (Parent)

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