Fwurg

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

((OOC: Related to this page.))

As the days go by, so goes the people. Sometimes it seems that there is no end of the people who likes to meet a living ship. For every shuttle who brought away people who visited Shadow of War, another came to bring new interested ones. One of those people was Fecta Irgo. Together with about 20 friends he stepped on a hover plateau which was brought higher and closer to Shadow of War by a droid. Just as with the other people, a small camera crew recorded the interview and made shots for a documentary, but they didn't actively interfere.

"Avé, Shadow of War, it is a pleasure to meet you," Fecta Irgo said, "It is a relieve to come out of the rut for a change and meet somebody special."

[Shadow of War]

"Greetings, sir. You seem to have me at a disadvantage." Shadow said, not knowing the man's name. "Also could you tell me what 'rut' is, I am unfamiliar with the term."

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Ah, yes of course, I am Fecta Irgo and these're my friends," after which Irgo introduced the other teprogrena, "and rut is ya'know, just a saying. 'Daily rut', the routine, the same thing over 'n and over which can become quite boring. After workin' at the vehicles company for 30 years the distraction 's very welcome."

[Shadow of War]

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mister Irgo." Shadow said also greeting the other people in a similar manner.

"If you are unsatisfied with your current job, would it not make sense to find a different job? Or take a long vacation and travel around for a while. It's my experience that people have a routine because they fear the unknown of the future and it gives them the illusion of control.

Most things will simply happen, whether they are predicted or not and it's no use to worry about them."

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Nah, I'm not that dissatisfied, tis just that life 's sometimes dull. And b'sides, where do I have to go? If we take long v'cation, we loose our jobs, or we be 'promoted' to Sacarerantes. And I'm not leaving town. Did ya know, there's a war goin' on out there. The outside space 's way to dangerous, with all kinds of loonies shooting at each other."

[Shadow of War]

"You don't have to tell me there's a war going on Mister Irgo." Shadow's voice was as calm as ever.

"The planet I was born on is practically on the front line, I still have family and friends there. I don't consider it to be home any more but I still worry.

It's not like it's safer down here either, you've got criminals and murderers and those are just the obvious ones. At least out there you usually have a few lightyears between yourself and trouble."

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Murderers? We aint havin' any murders. Thieves, we have those, b't no murderers. And tis simple here, keep ya mouth shut and ya stay safe."

[Shadow of War]

Though Shadow highly doubted that on planet with over 3 billion people there was no murder, he decided not to go into the matter further and possibly upset the man. They did say ignorance is bliss.

He found more concern in the last sentence of Mister Irgo.

"I sure hope that last part was a joke Mister Irgo. I was under the impression the Teprogrenaian Consensus had freedom of speech. I very much doubt most Union members would stay quiet if your government was threatening it's citizens."

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Well... ya know... it's not like we're bein' threatened or so, 'nd we have freedom of speech 'nd all," Irgo sounded like he didn't know how to say it right and took some time to select the right words, "ye see, t's an consensus so you have to think what the h'gher Consults say, otherwise none will l'sten to ya.

And don't think that tha Union wo'ld do somethin', ya know the barbar'c Veolian 'Commonwealth'?" Irgo put extra emphasis on the word 'commonwealth', "They 'ave slaves and 'n very oppressive culture, and d's the Union anythin' about that? Noo-oo they let't go by because th'se fat blue skins pay money."

[Shadow of War]

"Well if you say so." Shadow replied, not entirely convinced. "But even if it's a consensus you can still disagree with your government right? People in the ACA disagree with the government all the time."

"As for the veolians, they probably think of you the same as you think about them. Personally I don't really care as long as I'm not involved."

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Ye, 'f cours' ya c'n d'sagree, 'nd then nobody w'll l'sten anymore 'nd ya loose half ya rights 'nd pr'tections, all in the name 'for the great'r good'.

Isn't that what 'appened on ya world 's well? People d'sagreed with each other 'nd then there w's a military coup 'nd now 'veryb'dy has to l'sten to the Mast'r of ya h'ghest Consult."

[Shadow of War]

"Not exactly, the Triad Boards of the former STF were incompetent and paranoid. They refused to give up their power when the people demanded it. The military stepped in to prevent the loss of innocent lives, as they where obligated to do. The military must protect the people not their leaders.

And nobody is obligated to listen to anything the Lord-Master says, he isn't the law nor is he infallible. The way the ACA works is very similar to how the Union works. On a very different scale of course. The Lord-Master would be like the Chancellor of the ACA."

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"wait, ya confusin' me. So the Lord-M'ster is not 'n charge, 'nd n'body 'as to list'n to him, b't he 's the lead'r of the m'ster consult. I doubt he 's the chosen spok'sman either b'cause th'n he does h's job terr'ble, I never heard 'r saw h'm."

[Shadow of War]

"Oh he's in charge, but that doesn't mean you have to listen to him. He can't order around random civilians, there are rules he has to follow.

It still takes a bit getting used to having a single leader.

I would like to ask you a question if I may? Is it true that most non-astrians eat eight times a day and that they sometimes spend hours on a single meal?"

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"But if ya do not h've to l'sten to h'm, then he 's not 'n charge right? I mean, if he's the leader, then peopl' l'sten to h'm, if peopl' do not l'sten to h'm, he's not the leader. Or 's he the representative, 'nd h's he to l'sten to the people? Like our Consults: we l'sten to our representatives, 'nd in r'turn the representatives l'sten to us. 'nd if we don't l'sten, then the representatives also don't l'sten."

[Shadow of War]

"There is a difference between being in charge and people having to do whatever you say, Mister Irgo. It's a practical impossibility to always agree with someone. If your leaders suddenly ordered you to jump of a building, would you do it? I don't believe anyone in their right mind would follow such an order. And not following that order is not something you should be held accountable for.

Now can you please answer my question?"

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"I wouldn't j'mp no, b't that's b'cause we have no leaders. Only representatives. 'nd any one who would t'll ya to j'mp from a buildin' without that bein' f'r the great'r benefit 's a terr'ble representative and th's h's to be replaced by another ch'sen representative.

So if und'rstand it right, ya leader 's in f'ct just a representative without actu'lly representin' anyb'dy, 'nd thus a n'body like us, me 'nd my friends?"

Fecta Irgo paused for a moment so Shadow of War had a moment to think.

"'nd about ya earl'r quest'n, I can't say anythin' 'bout any of the weirdo aliens out th're" while Irgo made a gesture to the sky. "B't a Teprogrenus Danar c'mmonly eats 'bout two t'mes a day, h'lfway the mornin', 'nd h'lfway noon, wh'n the 'nsects we eat are gen'rally most act've. We don't spend ours 'nymore on a meal, s'nce we hav' th'se f'ctory farms pr'oducin' tons of bugs so we don't h've to catch them no longer, b't just c'n buy 'nd eat th'm. I th'nk an av'rage meal tak's b'tween f'fteen and th'rty m'nutes. 'nd in c'se ya wer' w'nderin', a Teprogrenus Danar drinks b'tween one 'nd three l'ter water a day.

Why ya ask? Ya not gonna tell me that ya h've to eat 'll day to keep that body of ya runnin'?"

[Shadow of War]

"I don't require food, I don't even require fuel. Normal Astrians on Stellaria eat about once a week, though they eat more often on most other planets. It also depends on how large a percentage of the body is cybernetic.

Do you only eat insects or do you also eat other things like plants, fish or meat?"

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"Wait, are ya some k'nd of ghost or s'methin'? Ev'ryb'dy needs food that's how the b'dy works. It needs food to live, s'methin' w'th cells that die 'nd needs to be r'newed. I don't really know how that w'rks, but it w'rks.

We only eat 'nsects. Plants are used to set tea w'th. Eatin' them's just s'lly."

[Shadow of War]

"You don't have a lot of cells when your body is a starship. It's energy what you really need and I produce plenty.

You say eating plants is silly, the thought of eating insects would gross most Astrians out."

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"If ya say so. Tis ya body, ya prob'bly knows best how to take care of it.

But eatin' 'nsects gross Astrians out? Why, they're del'cious 'nd full with nutrients too. Very healthy!"

[Shadow of War]

"Plants are full of vitamins and minerals. I guess most people find insects creepy. On Stellaria most insects are invertebrates and poisonous.

You said you work at a vehicle factory, are you a mechanic?"

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"That's a shame, 'nsects are really tast'ful 'nd good for ya b'dy. To bad they're pois'nous on ya pl'net.

Ya can say I'm a mechan'c, 'though tis a big word for what I do. My j'b 's to mount the subn'clear space-t'me knot c'nduits in hover cars. And som'times I'm assigned to paint dut's to have a l'ttle change at work."

[Shadow of War]

"Could you explain to me what a subnuclear space-time knot conduit is? Be cause if it does what it's name implies it seems needlessly complex.

And to be honest the jobs you say you do sound more suited for droids. No offence."

[Teprogrenaian Consensus]

"A subnuclear space-t'me knot c'nduit is a c'nduit for the subnuclear space-t'me knots which're 'ssential components for grav'tational d'vices like repulsorlift gen'rators. They're used on virt'ally everythin' that mov's 'nd flies. I bet ya have al lot of very advanc'd subnuclear space-t'me knot c'nduits to keep that b'dy of ya from fallin' down.

And ya can't let these dev'ces be 'nstalled by droids, droids 're way to stup'd for that. Every car's a peace of art 'nd needs to be handl'd with care. Droids can't handl' the m'ny d'fferent types of cars we m'ke. 'Nd droids 're not creat've 'nough for a decent paint j'b.

I bet on Stellar'a not ev'ry j'b is f'lled by droids either."

((OOC: I have the subnuclear space-time knots from the repulsor lift page from wookieepedia, and gave it a small redaction as the page was surprisingly unhelpful :(.))