Video: Who Do You Trust

[marvelous_murderbot]

[She had been considering this post for a long spell. She's seen friends leave, in recent months. Entrapta's departure pressing most of all. There are others here with the knowledge she wishes to share - but they might not stay for long enough. She might not be either.]

[The image focuses on her, sitting on her bunk, legs crossed. She has a short easel next to her, with large white bristol boards on it.]

Greetings, fellow train residents. I am Guri. Some of you already know that, but this video is made for posterity, in case I am no longer present on the train. Hopefully, it will remain in data storage. Now, the following are people from my universe - and near-variants thereupon - whom you should not trust, engage with, or allow any chance to infiltrate normal life on the train.

[She pulls off the first card, and behind it are a series of carefully drawn versions of men and women in uniform - olive, grey, black, and white armor. These are the various uniforms of the Imperial military. Standing aside from it are two uniformed figures, one all in red, the other all in white.]

These are the various ranks of the military in the Galactic Empire. A totalitarian regime that was in my time bend on galactic domination. By and large, they preferred brute force and terrified submission to cleverness, but are likely to be well-armed and capable combatants. These two...[She indicated the red and white] are exceptions. The white uniform is that of an Imperial Grand Admiral. Only the best, brightest, and most ruthless achieved this rank. The red is a high official in the intelligence services, dangerous for broadly similar reasons. Especially do not trust anyone named Ysanne Isard.

[She moves the card, and the next...well. Any resident of her universe will recognize the two central figures - Darth Vader and the Emperor. Around them are various members of the Imperial Court.]

These are the high members of the Imperial Court, or at least the moment prominent. Here, however...is Darth Vader, chief enforcer of the Empire and extraordinarily dangerous. A fallen Jedi, or Force-wielder, his physical and mental powers are immense. Do not engage unless in a powerful, concentrated group. His master, the Emperor...was even more powerful, according to all known accounts. He may not be overwhelmed by a sheer show of strength, and in the case of encountering him, retreat and fortification upon the train is recommended.

[She moves to the next slide.]

This is a Hutt. Do not trust any Hutt.

[She moves on, to one of a green-skinned man.]

This last is Prince Xizor, my erstwhile master. Full disclosure: in case of his encounter, I will be terminating him or otherwise permanently incapacitating him on sight.

[One last slide, showing a wide range of figures, all of them bearing red lightsabers.]

These are various depictions of members of what is termed the Sith cult. They are dark force-wielders, generally very clever, and thoroughly murderous. They may not appear like this on the chart, but the red lightsabers are fairly consistent. They are duplicitous; even when overwhelmed, they cannot be trusted.

[She nods.]

This concludes my primer video. Thank you for your time and attention.

Comments

[marvelous_murderbot]

[That in turn, prompts an...unexpected reaction. She covers her mouth to prevent a giggle, covering it by rolling her eyes, tilting her head from side to side.]

Yes, Alice, that is quite true. But it's more...the same reason a gigantic predator doesn't bother with tiny prey? I think that metaphor works.

[irrationally]

[ Alice does wonder for a moment if Guri almost laughed there. She isn't too sure, though she likes to think she knows the other well enough to assume that was a laugh - even though it was quickly hidden.

If it was, though, then she's glad. Guri deserves more reasons to laugh, especially nowadays. ]

I am not quite sure I like being thought of as small prey.. [ She can't help but remark, but then shakes her head, not lingering on it. ] What do you suggest we do if he ever were to appear here again though?

[marvelous_murderbot]

Whether or not you actually are is secondary to what they perceive you to be...I think any Sith seeing you and your horse, for instance, would be lulled into a very fatal and false sense of security.

[She ponders the latter question, though.]

DEMP devices. Destructive electromagnetic pulse weapons. He relies on a life support suit, these could disrupt his systems enough. Beyond that, engagement with flechette launchers or slugthrowers - they would be more difficult for his lightsaber to block or deflect.

[Oddly enough she's put some thought into this, previously, with updates now on the train.]

[irrationally]

...

[ There's a slight pause.

One during which Alice is most likely pondering if she's ever heard of any of those things, but she's.. pretty sure she hasn't.. ]

Do you have those? [ Hey, Guri is a robot. And also amazing at combat, which is saying a lot, since Alice doesn't easily grant people that sort of title. Who knows what kind of tricks she has up her sleeves. ] Or are they present here on the train?

[marvelous_murderbot]

[She shakes her head a bit sadly.]

No. I could replicate schematics, but it would take an expert hand to create - Entrapta could have done it, but she has since departed.

[irrationally]

We can order weapons though.

[ Through the train shop. The option has been there for a long time, even though Alice has never had the need to use it herself, considering she always carried her own weapons with her. ]

Unless they are too.. big? I must admit that I have absolutely no idea what these weapons look like. [ It's all future mumbojumbo to her. ]

[marvelous_murderbot]

I could draw them but not...too large - what's the maximum size? If you know it.

[irrationally]

[ Alice hums.

Apparently she's not too sure, considering she never really did spend much time looking at the weapons section.. So she shrugs a little to indicate that nothing she says is truly 100% accurate. ]

Those large items cost much more than the weapons, so I imagine any weapons you'd order through the weapons section of the shop would not be able to be much larger than your average weapon. And by 'your average weapon' I assume the standard would be.. something such as a sword? Or a bow?

[ Those seem to be the weapons a lot of people on the train use. ]

[marvelous_murderbot]

Ah, I understand. Though my average weapon are my blaster pistols. Frankly, I was saving up for a heavy repeating blaster. For the next time we have to deal with hordes of demons.

[She pauses]

Which should be a worse memory than it is, but I find it is better since we worked in concert and it was a good thing.

[irrationally]

Exactly. These missions are so much easier to deal with when it is just about straightforward fighting, right?

[ Alice thinks so, at least. Fighting is something she can do, after all. Dealing with those demons got tiring, sure, but it was better than anything in her head being messed with.

And she knows just how badly Guri took to her own head getting messed with, especially when she found out it was all a lie. ]

But I imagine our upcoming missions will be more like that again. Especially now we dealt with that awful thing that was going around and creating all those illusions. So investing in weapons might not be a terrible idea.

[marvelous_murderbot]

[She nodded.]

Thus my future investment in heavy weaponry. I expect hordes sooner or later.

[irrationally]

[ She nods, understanding. ]

I am.. glad to hear that you will be taking care of yourself. [ Is that what Guri said?

No, not really. But Alice likes to think that said heavy weaponry won't just mean that Guri can protect others better, but also that she can protect herself better. And it's the latter that's the most important part to Alice. ]

[marvelous_murderbot]

[She manages a small smile.]

I can't do anything else, can I? Someone has to ensure you eat properly.

[irrationally]

[ Maybe it's since she's already coming off something that left her vulnerable after saying it, but Alice definitely looks a little embarrassed when she hears that in return. Her hands are suddenly very, very busy smoothing out her hair, like they're trying to hide nervous energy. ]

I always eat well! [ Sure, Alice.

That's why you look so terribly thin and pale all the time. ]

[marvelous_murderbot]

[She tilts her head, smiling. She finds she likes making her redden, just a bit, though she hasn't the faintest idea why. Perhaps it's the gentle ease of it? She'll figure it out eventually.]

So you wouldn't be interested in my attempt to make a dish known as jambalaya tonight? It is from somewhere referred to as 'Louisiana', which is a term I just find I enjoy saying.

[irrationally]

.. I will eat it.

[ Please, as if she would say anything else. Alice has so far enjoyed pretty much any food Guri has made and shared with her, so there's no reason to back out of it now.

Not even to try and strengthen her argument from a moment ago. ]

But that is just since you somehow seem to know how to make anything taste good.

[marvelous_murderbot]

[She smiles, warmly.]

You are entirely too kind - I am merely following recipes. Though your eating them makes it a better process - I can taste, but making judgments about good and bad is a bit difficult.

[irrationally]

"Merely following recipes" is already more than anyone did where I come from.

[ Ugh, if she had to eat that disgusting orphanage food even one more day.. And even that was already an upgrade from the asylum. ]

Besides, I refuse to believe that there is not some special personal touch to them, considering it was not made by a machine. [ It's a very deliberate choice of words on Alice's parts. She knows Guri struggles with that, after all - so she's always glad to confirm she never thinks of Guri as just a machine. She's a person, just like any other person here. ]

[marvelous_murderbot]

Their loss.

[She is very definitely of the opinion that Alice was, and is, the best of where she came from. She can't promise if she met some of the people who had clearly harmed here there wouldn't be a sudden outbreak of defenestrations.]

[And the reminder is appreciated, and warmly received.]

I do make sure to introduce irregularity to the rhythms on occasion, you know - it adds an interesting element of chance.

[irrationally]

See?

[ Guri is proving it herself, right here and now. Her meals are something special, because she's making them in her own way. Alice is fairly sure that the food would be tasting differently if Alice was the one preparing it. ]

That is why I eat everything you make me. Because you are the one making it.

[marvelous_murderbot]

[She effects what might be termed a coy, or coy-ish, smile.]

And my company is certainly better than a food mixer, after all.