✨ XIMILIA TOWN HALL MEETING ✨ ( video/audio/action )

[farr]

[ some morning in the middle of the week, during their return to the station, an invitation will be taped on the door of every orber. though the calligraphy would suggest this must have been typed on a computer and printer, each invitation is actually very carefully hand-written and reads as follows: ]

[ the idea is for everyone to meet in the mess hall at the intended time, but if some choose not to attend, the meeting can still be accessed by the earpieces, allowing all orbers to watch or listen in and contribute however they wish, no matter where they are.

however, for those who do decide to attend, the mess hall features a full display of bagels and donuts, along with plenty of fresh coffee, all to help everyone wake up and feel refreshed for the meeting that's about to take place.

a makeshift little stage, arranged by stacking together a few metal boxes is at the center of the room, atop of it being the one and only rita farr herself, with a bright optimistic smile. when she sees enough people present and settled, she speaks up, loud and clear: ]

Hello, everyone! Welcome to our first Annual — or monthly, or however we decide to do it — Town Hall meeting! Thank you all for coming and please enjoy the food to your heart's content. For those who don't know me, I'm Rita Farr. Now— though my name does appear on the invitation, this is hardly about me. This is about all of us.

After our ... last mission, it became quite clear that our group could use a bit of improvement with how we approach our next missions moving forward. And I thought the best way to plan for that is to allow all of us an opportunity to discuss how we all feel about what we've done well and what we could do better. After all, everyone deserves a say in this, right?

[ she points behind her where a giant board is on display on an easel, once again, hand-written with careful and precise calligraphy in giant letters: ]


Here, I've written some sample questions we can all try to offer answers to, but the floor will also be open for any other questions and suggestions that anyone might have. Remember, there are no wrong answers! We're all here for an open forum discussion. But before that!

[ she reaches over to the board, pulling it off to reveal another one behind it. this one reads as follows: ]


Please consider the "Keys to Success", not only on our missions, but as we talk together in this room right now. We'll go ahead and take turns either stepping up here on the stage or speaking out from wherever you are. There are no microphones but the earpieces should get your voices out to everyone. Now, who would like to start?


( this post is open to all! the idea is that everyone is taking turns in each thread to speak out to the entire group (whether from within the room or from elsewhere), but thread-jacking and hopping around for discussion is the key here! feel free to run wild with ic suggestions or questions regarding mission layouts or planning or whatever floats your boat (ic complaining/protest is always an option too). though rita is organizing it, it's open to whatever people are inclined to discuss. )

Comments

[hatejakku]

[ Welp, Finn's apparently going to speak up for the first time. His voice just as tired as he looks, though. ]

What if the damage is already done? Like-... Like in Gyeongje. If we were able to take the orb and leave... what would have happened to them? They didn't have the means and knowledge to stop the- the virus or whatever it was.

We could interfere on a case-by-case basis, but how do we know when it's the right thing to do and when it isn't?

[lateness]

Well, it's not an inflexible rule, just one we ought to follow as much as we can, whenever we can.

[ And that isn't the same as taking back what he's said by any means. He still believes that their best course of action as a general rule is to remove the orb and be on their way with it in tow for the good of everyone involved.

The orbs do no one any good. ]

And unfortunately, in a case like Gyeongje, that's where we ought to take a breath, step back, and figure out the best way to undo the immediate mess the orb might have made before we leave. And we did it with minimal fussing, and minimal damage as you'll recall, eh.

The difference between the orb there and the orb in E-23b, I think, is that the orb's influence was very directly related to the illness it caused the people. In the case of E-23b, there had been problems far beyond the orb's direct influence. Taking the orb out of the equation only solved one aspect, though it was quite a big one, but the city was already quite troubled beyond that and I believe the Fables had it under control. They had a plan even before we arrived, and so it didn't need us.

[ He shakes his head. ]

You are right, Finn, in that it's hard to know when it's the right thing to do and when it isn't ... because sometimes it will be the right thing to do and sometimes it just won't. But that's life and that's what comes of making decisions.

You forget that our stay on E-23b might have cost another planet waiting for its orb to be removed. We might have doomed some other place we've never even been. It's always going to be a difficult balance.

[hatejakku]

[ Finn nods throughout most of this, because the Doctor is totally right. And so long as it's not a rule that everyone must follow all the time, Finn's okay with it. And he's also right in the comparison between the troubles of Gyeongje vs E-23b.

Live and learn, Finn supposes.

It's the last part that makes him wilt, though. Even though he hadn't really been disagreeing with the Doctor, he... had forgotten about that. Their decision may have cost a civilization, a planet, a galaxy- But his only reaction is a slump against the door frame and looking away for but a moment. Then he looks back and appears as steady as he's been all day. Which isn't a lot. ]

You're right. I agree.

And I also think that staying-... No matter what the situation, staying too long is not going to be a good idea. Ever. I think.

[lateness]

On that we can agree too.

[ The Doctor exhales. ]

But knowing that now ... we'll know better for next time. We won't make the same mistakes.