spherenpc: (Default)
spherenpc ([personal profile] spherenpc) wrote in [community profile] thespherelogs2018-12-13 07:41 pm

Town meeting

Who:Everyone and the Council.
Where: The theatre in the rec dome.
When: Evening of December 13th.
What: The City meeting.
Notes: This is the plot event for the month of December, as laid out in the plotting post here! Remember, all activity on this post will account for triple points with AC rewards. I know it seems like a lot but all you need to do is remember five things. 1: Characters are voting on the currency system. (One vote per character please.) 2. Opening the floor for the possibility of a player character police force. 3. Opening the floor for a guardian system for child characters 4. This is your chance to have the NPCs answer questions about things. 5. Alex will be posting a recap of what happened if you don't wanna read and your character would want to know and :6 Max is a sketchy ass dude.


 The auditorium doesn’t look like one that should be hosting a meeting like this. The entryway looks more like a theatre, and judging by some of the flyers and signs in it entryway, it has done just that in the past. But nothing is listed for the last year or so. It’s not as if the place is a dusty old hole, but it does have a stale sort of sense of disuse despite the fancy opulence of the place. On the steps that would normally lead to the theatre’s upper levels, there are several tables set up with baked goods, or coffee, tea and punch. On a different set of stairs, there are the same sort of tables that were present in the welcome log: tables for possible jobs and clubs of almost anything you can think of.

At six-thirty, the doors to the theatre itself open up, and there’s a table on the stage, with three microphones standing on it. In the three chairs, the councillors are seated. Max, the older gruff man with the beard looks annoyed, Laurie, the older woman looks slightly bored and Annie, the youngest of the three looks the most engaged. At the end of both of the aisles there is a microphone stand as well, obviously for the question and answer portion of the evening. At precisely seven, Max bangs a gavel before he practically growls out: “Alright so this city meeting will come to order. Let’s get this shit over with, shall we?”

The meeting is actually quite well attended by the people of the city, it can be difficult for people to find an aisle seat, or with three or more seats together. All total, the meeting definitely has something in the range of five hundred people present. Like with so many other things in life, the more enthusiastic and engaged people of the city tend to sit in the front, where as the more angry people are sitting in the rear with their arms crossed in front of their chest.

Starting with old business, something that Max brings up is obviously something that has been on the agenda for a while, judging from some of the groans of the various people in the audience. “Look, we’re finally going to vote on the creation of money and economy here in the Sphere. It’s been too god damn long since it was introduced and we’ve done all of the fact finding about this shit that we’re gonna do. Yes, you’ll still be able to live and eat and have clothing and shit. The Sphere wants us to be here so we ain’t gonna just throw people out into the street and shit. This is above that, so people can do things other than just trying to get the shit they want other than with a sob story.” Yeah, Max just scowled at that before he continued on.

"Everyone will make a living wage, and as we said before no one will have to work. The new currency will be called 'bucks.' I know most of us are from versions of Earth and I don't see no reason to go about changing that. If you wanna open a business, the council will be opening grants to everyone in town to someone who wants one. We want our community to grow people, and it's not growing if we just keep hoping that the lot of us are just gonna end up like being nice enough to give people the things that they want. 

Laurie just scowled and interrupted him, "we are not here to debate whether or not people would do it. Enough people here in town have asked for this change that we're opening it up to voting. It's there if you decide it, and if you don't then it isn't. It's as simple as that."  

Annie added, "we will be doing a secret ballot that's tied with yourselves on the network, all you need to do is think of how you want to vote, and it'll be recorded."  (Actually, the place to vote is here! )

When they announce new business, Laurie is the one who spoke up. "I know we haven't talked about it in a long time, but it's certainly time to reconsider the matter of some sort of law enforcement community. Officially.  The fact that we don't have one already is troubling enough, but if we're actually going to be forcing people to work, then we should be able to protect the things that they're going to own. If for no other reason than the fact that it would create new jobs. Is there anyone who wants to speak in the audience as to why or why not we should do this? 

Following that debate, it's Annie's turn now to state her proposition. "We've all seen how we seem to have an influx of children once again," there's a casual glance to Max that's rather decidedly too casual,  but neither one of them remark on it. Instead she just continued on, "so we should consider their welfare. I move that we once again consider the creation of a guardian system here for the children to make certain that they are properly fed, cared for and educated. We would make this a volunteer position, and there is the potential..." Just staring off into space for a  moment, the woman looks completely blank as if she's listening to something that's distant. Then she nodded, before she continued. "We will look into the creation of domes for family units should it become required. Also, if there is a concern about the safety of children placed with these people, there needn't be," Annie's voice was firm and clear and perhaps even a little bit threatening: "the Sphere would never allow any harm to happen to the children here." 

There's a quick and angry flash on Max's face that just appeared for a quick second before he barked out, "and now we're going to open the floor for questions. We're limiting you to three if you wanna ask any." 

In the lobby of the theatre after the meeting, the three Councillors are standing around in varied distances from one another. There had been a small delay between when the meeting had actually closed and when they'd come out, and all three of them carried tension in their shoulders. Annie and Max are as separated by the space within the area as the two of them can be. 
nobasisinfact: (4)

[personal profile] nobasisinfact 2018-12-25 05:11 am (UTC)(link)
The softening is noticed and noted, as is the comment. Richard could believe that there wasn't another way. It didn't seem like people here were exceptionally interested in protecting the children (unless you counted foisting them on a brand new system that would probably fail almost foisting) at least by the way they had explained it. Of course, there are things that he's sure are left unsaid.

"How long have they been left without guardians so far?" Not that Richard cares about the children, or anyone other than himself and Alex ... and maybe Simon.
nobasisinfact: (7)

[personal profile] nobasisinfact 2019-01-02 04:19 am (UTC)(link)
The unsaid words were screaming in Richard's face. Max had been one of those people who had been in the wake of The Sphere's whims. The whole thing brought of a curious thought that he doubted any of the newcomers had thought of. Any of them could disappear at any given time. They could be separated just like that, with no warning or goodbye. He could lose Alex as easily as they'd found one another at the start of this. Easier, in fact.

"So the populous would rather not deal with having anything permanent in place. Because permanency brings attachment?" It's a question, but it's also a hypothesis. The people up there didn't seem too invested in the conversation when it came to taking care of the children.
nobasisinfact: (2)

[personal profile] nobasisinfact 2019-01-03 04:42 am (UTC)(link)
Richard can't help the soft puff of a cynical laugh that escapes at Max's observation. He knows better than most how losing people over and over can harden your heart. How much easier it is when you pretend not to care about anyone but yourself. Alex, on the other hand, and even that man he'd met in the orchard weren't 'lucky' like him. They became attached easily, and Alex already had several people that she blamed herself for their missing status (even if Alex told her over and over that it wasn't her fault).

"Some of us don't have to, but there should still be something that can be easily passed as people leave." Something stronger than just tossing children out into the spheres or at unwitting people to do whatever they want with them.
nobasisinfact: (4)

[personal profile] nobasisinfact 2019-01-06 07:14 am (UTC)(link)
"Instant plans aren't something I like doing." He accepts the flask and takes a drink, handing it back. "I'm afraid I'll need a bit more research and planning before I can give you a solid plan." Meanwhile, he was certain that Alex would be taking in as many strays as she could find.
nobasisinfact: (5)

[personal profile] nobasisinfact 2019-01-06 11:56 pm (UTC)(link)
"I can confidently state that a vetting process is at least required." He didn't think it was too much to decide. Making sure that the children were going into safe homes with safe people, or even, if they insisted on being left to their own devices, that those checking in on them were trustworthy and not apt to take advantage of their nievite. "And if my companion has anything to say about it, I'm sure I will."
nobasisinfact: (Thoughtful)

[personal profile] nobasisinfact 2019-01-07 02:06 am (UTC)(link)
He'll let Max take his indignation at the comment and live with it. It doesn't matter to him what Max thinks of him. Alex, on the other hand ... "A journalist and we happen to be together. There is nothing even remotely whorish about her."

nobasisinfact: (8)

[personal profile] nobasisinfact 2019-01-07 04:45 am (UTC)(link)
"I prefer companion. The others sound lacking." It's a strange thought for anyone else, but between him and Alex, there is so much more than just lovers or boyfriend and girlfriend. There's a connection that is deeper in every way. Besides, who else than a companion would face a supposed demon apocalypse with you?
nobasisinfact: (4)

[personal profile] nobasisinfact 2019-01-07 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes." It's a simple answer, but an honest one. Of everyone here, he thinks he's probably the best to be able to deal with people and have them disappear in the blink of an eye. After all, he's already prepared himself for when it happens to Alex.
nobasisinfact: (7)

[personal profile] nobasisinfact 2019-01-13 04:01 am (UTC)(link)
"If there is, it's mine to tell, and I prefer not to." His words aren't harsh since Max's questioning isn't a push, just a question in and of itself. He got the feeling that the man knew secrets and when to keep from prying into them. If that was actually the case, he would be glad for it.
nobasisinfact: (13)

[personal profile] nobasisinfact 2019-01-14 04:45 am (UTC)(link)
"Alex is, difficult to prepare for anything, but we'll talk." His eyes wander to her, watching her become so ingrained into this place that it's almost like she's been here her whole life. There's a part of Richard that's jealous of that. "I'm afraid she won't understand fully until it happens though."
nobasisinfact: (10)

[personal profile] nobasisinfact 2019-01-18 04:39 am (UTC)(link)
Richard keeps watching her, vivaciousness and brilliance. It's, off-putting, to say the least. "No. She cares more about others than herself; no matter how much she shouldn't." There's more to that, something profound and unsaid, just like with Max. Alex should have never tried to take up with him, interview him or go anywhere near him. Despite that, he had entangled her in whatever it was that he was the center of. Pulled her deep in with her and probably destroyed her whole life. Something she'd gone into head first and hadn't looked back from since.

That was the sort of person she was.

"She'll probably get herself killed because of it." At least, if he weren't there by her side, she would. If he weren't trying to protect her from herself and her destructive tendencies, if he suddenly disappeared, she'd probably do something stupid; something for the good of everyone, and end up dead because of it.
nobasisinfact: (9)

[personal profile] nobasisinfact 2019-01-19 02:23 am (UTC)(link)
Richard wasn't looking for reassurances. The things he'd stated about Alex were simple facts, and no one, not even him could keep her from her stupidity if she genuinely wanted to do something. He knew that probably better than anyone. The assurance of returning to life was far from comfort. Richard had been dead, metaphorically speaking, and there had been days where he wondered if it would have been better not to be alive at all. The thought of it had brought a sort of peace in its way - this place took even that.

"I'm sure she'll find it both fascinating and horrifying." Not that he exactly planned to tell her about it.