nexus_crossings | business and a question

business and a question

In light of recent Nexus events, Freddy has been busy the past several weeks. He's been helping repair and rebuild, including his own business. The anti-violence field left him completely unprepared for that level of violence. Things like that usually didn't happen in his country, in the time he is from.

To say he's unhappy would be a vast understatement. He's pissed and it's bringing out a side of his nature that he doesn't like.

While he's been working, Freddy has been having an intense debate within himself about vengeance, justice, and protecting other people. He hasn't reached any conclusion that satisfies him. It seems he can make his mother proud and keep his self respect...or he can do something about what happened, which...might protect people in the Nexus. Maybe. Then, again...maybe not? Maybe he's just pissed and looking for an excuse to lash out.

Freddy walks to the middle of the Plaza, watching people go by, before addressing anyone who wants to listen.

"Y'know, one of my parents was scum, the other a saint, at least in my eyes," Freddy announces. "I choose my character every damn day."

Well, that was dramatic, at least. He took a deep breath, starting over.

"What's going to happen to that Khan guy? Anything?"

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"He was left to die. It was a kinder fate than he deserved."

Now, in truth, Natasha has been more worried about what's going to happen with Steve Rogers than she was worried about who did what with Khan's body. She's slipping up a bit, not making sure she accounted for his body among the dead.

So as a first, she doesn't know for sure what happened.

But she's not about to admit that. Besides, her words were truth enough. That is what happened to him.

"Left to die," Freddy muses out loud, grabbing a chair and sitting backwards in it. "Meaning he wasn't dead yet. You think he really is dead? They seemed pretty hard to kill."

"Let's just say I have far more confidence in the power of the people who put him down than I do his ability to shrug it off."

The spy doesn't want to even consider the possibility of Khan still being alive. But this person has a point and now it's needling at the back of her thoughts.

Freddy shifts, because he doesn't really know anyone involved and relying on a stranger's trust in someone? Yeah, no.

"Did you personally see his body? Was it buried or something?"

"Dead."

Dean simply says with a cold look on his face, and voice that is just as cold. He saw everything from his sniper's nest on the roof. He even took a solid shot at Khan, a shot that felt good.

He has been keeping to himself, and he finally decided to come rejoin the world. With a borrowed sniper rifle slung over his shoulder, Dean was about to head out to the Atomic Range when he happened to stumble on Freddy.

"And he better stay that way. Cause nobody kills my little buddy. Nobody!"

"I hope you're right," Freddy says, then winces. "I mean...hell, I just want everyone safe. I hope."

He frowns at the last part, becoming more alert.

"Is that possible here? People coming back from the dead?"

Edited 2017-06-15 03:31 (UTC)

"I think everyone wants to keep the people here safe. Well mostly everyone."

Dean frowns at the thought of Khan coming back from the dead. And this is coming from someone who has cheated death more times than anyone should.

"I don't know. Unless he's got some special powers, he's dead. Problem is making sure we don't have shit like that happen again."

"I think everyone's also more than a little pissed off," Freddy adds, dryly. "And that level of anger can get a bit messy."

Freddy shakes his head, lips quirking in both humor and anger.

"So, fifty-fifty chance, based on whether he had powers? I don't like those odds much. He seemed pretty damn powerful, when he was tearing everything to hell."

Dean has a hard look on his face. The much needed vacation this place offered was shattered. And he still feels horrible about the death of Steve.

"That goes without saying; I'm pretty pissed off myself. Half of the under city is in need of repair, and people got killed out there." Dean saw the chaos in the plaza, a place that was meant to be safe for people of all types to come, chill, and shoot the shit with people from places he hasn't heard of before.

With a nod of his head, Dean looks over to his borrowed sniper rifle. "Yeah, I never saw anything like him before. And I've seen some pretty fucked up shit before I got here to the Nexus."

"I've been helping anyone who bothers to ask," Freddy says, shrugging. I can't pave streets or anything, but I can do carpentry and electric work. I own a hardware store, here in the Nexus."

Freddy gives a laugh.

"I come from a little town in the Midwest and, so far I as I know, I'm the weirdest thing about it. What sort of stuff have you seen?"

"My forte is automotive mechanics, and I got a scrapyard out in the wilds if you're looking for any scrap. Though if you need someone who can swing a hammer, I've done my share of carpentry work."

Dean raises an eyebrow at the mention of Freddy being from the Midwest. "Where abouts in the Midwest? I'm originally from Ohio myself."

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

Freddy laughs.

"Huh. I wonder if we're from the same reality. I'm from Ohio, myself. You ever hear of a little town called Springwood?"

"Nope. Never heard of the place. And I'm kinda surprised seeing I've spent more time on the road than at home."

Though perhaps it was Kansas that he once called home. Dean scrunches his face, and he then offers out a hand. "Name's Dean. Don't think I got yours."

"Well, it's a really small place, but we could be from different worlds," Freddy says, grinning and shaking his hand. "I'm Freddy Krueger."

He's mostly forgotten about his conversation with Grace and her mention of a certain movie.

Dean has yet to make the connection. And then again, the Freddy he knows is a movie monster who kills people in their dreams. "I'm going with the whole different worlds part, Freddy."

"You're probably right," Freddy agrees, smiling. "Although, I'm not sure even a multiverse needs more than one version of Ohio."

"Well considering how this place works, there's a million Ohio's out there. You might have one where the world has gone to complete shit. And one where the people are robots, or they might be some dog hybrid."

Dean's been making use of his time here in the Nexus. "Or the physics or morality of the people in it aren't the same. I visited a place where people didn't bat an eye if you accidentally ran someone over."

Freddy winces.

"Nice folks. I'll try to avoid that place," he chuckles. "I can kinda imagine the morality thing. The dog thing might be fun, too, or at least funny!"

Dean doesn't seem too phased by his trip to San Andreas.

"It wasn't my fault. That and the physics of the place were a little wild. And I'd be more than willing to head back there too."

"Uh, if you say so. It's not like I was there," Freddy agrees, a bit surprised. "Personally, there's enough weird stuff in the Nexus to satisfy me. I just prefer it, when the anti-violence field is in place. It makes things simpler."

"I'm totally, totally down with the argument that genes are what make us, but like. Good job on not being some kind of sociopath, I guess? You want a medal or something, spanky? You're socially acceptable; congratulations."

Shark shifts himself stiffly in his nearby recliner, as if moving his middle is somehow painful or at least a delicate procedure.

"Who the hell is Khan again? Is he the blowjob that caused the Underbelly turning into a fuckin' warzone?"

Edited 2017-06-15 14:09 (UTC)

Freddy stares at him for a moment, then bursts out laughing.

"Socially acceptable is the most meaningless piece of shit intelligent beings ever invented! It doesn't mean good or moral or...anything. It just means the losers around you have decided you blend in," Freddy scoffs. "Yeah, that's him."

"Oh man, is a local Hot Topic missing their employee of the month? That was supposed to be a jab at you workin' the bare minimum of being tolerable, but make it a manifesto about how society is the real cage or something. I super don't care.

"Anyway, on that note, we got some kinda court system for psychos who try to blast a whole sector? I'll pony up for legal input if we do."

"Be careful. You'll throw your back out, jumping to all those conclusions," Freddy said, laughing. "I don't even know what Hot Topic is. Sounds like some newspaper aimed at kids. Anyway, society isn't a cage. It's a bunch of idiots running around like headless chickens, trying to pretend they have everything under control. It's amusing and annoying, but better them, than me."

"Oh, good, a system," Freddy says, with a complete lack of enthusiasm. "So, there's a chance he can hire a slick lawyer and get away with it?"

"Man, I got blown the hell open during that attack. Doc said no jumping and I'm following orders. I could argue with you about how society's still a fuckin' structure we need to have as a framework for managing the masses and how society is a natural effect of sapients coming together to protect the herd's greater good, but like. You're sounding more and more like you've got the Anarchist's Cookbook up your butthole and I'm sorry about your condition. Also, my buzz is wearing off." Shark grimaces as he pulls a little Rx bottle from his pocket, pops the lid and shakes two pills into his mouth before swallowing them dry.

"So let's move onto the better topic! Yeah, get him whatever lawyer you want, cuz ain't no lawyer gonna be slicker than ME. I've got skin in the game cuz of that whole, you know? Getting a hole blasted into me and nearly bleeding to death on a sidewalk somewhere? So yeah, I got faith in the system because I can ratfuck him mercilessly with it. How's THAT for society."

Freddy likes this guy. He can appreciate a good dose of cynicism and he makes Freddy laugh!

"Wow, you do like taking things to their extremes!" Freddy chides lightly. "I'm not a anarchist. That's the only thing stupider than governments. Nah, ya gotta have structure and politicians. I just don't think they should be taken too seriously. I mean, they're just people mucking about."

Freddy laughs a bit.

"Hey, if I had a drink, I would toast you with it. If the guy turns up alive and goes to trial, I hope you get him buried. It's always nice when the system simplifies things for us. I'm sorry you were hurt."

Edited 2017-06-22 01:52 (UTC)

"There's extremes and then there's just connecting the dots, Beavis. No one's gotta kiss ass to the higher-ups, but structure's a good thing, my dude. That's all I'm saying." But he's willing to drop it now because it's no good to argue when you're waiting for the pharmaceuticals to kick in. No harshing the mellow allowed.

"The second you hear a trial's going down, someone get me on goddamn speed dial. I dunno how people feel about the death sentence, but terrorism charges aren't cheap. What even happens if you try to, like...hang someone here? Just curious."

"I'm not disagreeing," Freddy assures him, giving him a look of sympathy.

He considers the question.

"I don't know. I'm not sure how powerful the anti-violence field is. Will it make exceptions for those in authority? Though, that sheriff guy doesn't look like the executing type, to me."

"Yeah, but what's authority in a place like this? The guy who screams the loudest? The one who does the most good deeds? I just want to know when you do something that SHOULD be lethal to a guy, does it follow through or are they left hanging? Literally, in this case. Because, hey, there's fates worse than death, right? One could argue that we just test this theory on a guy who deserves it, right?"

Freddy shifts, swallowing hard and looking away.

"Isn't there a difference between justice and revenge?" he asks, genuinely unsure, at this moment, of the answer. "I don't know. From what I've heard, violence usually just...misfires. The gun doesn't fire or the aim ends up off. I've even heard rumors of it backfiring. Though..."

Freddy stops, unsure how to frame his thoughts.

"Pfffft." Shark blows against his lips, making said scoffing noise. "LAME. Guess we should skip that and if we DO advocate and negotiate the death sentence, which I totally will, we just drag his white ass to someone's planet where you can pull the trigger. I got a guy who's not afraid to play executioner, for instance. Party at my planet? BYOB, come watch a bastard get shot in the fucking head, followed by tapas."

"My question is how far does the field extend," Freddy argues. "A bullet is direct, maybe too much so. People here have some pretty strong abilities. Maybe we need to get clever about it."

"Well, the second we step back into my world, injuries are back on the table. Source: I punched my legal assistant in the thigh and he felt it. Don't worry, he said something stupid and deserved it.

"So again, party at my place. If we wanna get wild, I can rent an Ekose freighter and we'll shoot him out an airlock. It'll be tight as FUCK."

"Is that really a good idea? Look at what that guy did here!" Freddy objects, impatiently. "You really want to risk unleashing him in your world? If we get someone like that under wraps, the only place they should be taken is to a cemetary. Otherwise, leave them rotting in jail."

He sighs.

"Look, were you here when those dream bubbles were floating around, about the time that priest guy got people sick?"

Shark frowns, thinking. "Bubbles, no. Priest, yes. I mean, from a distance. I saw the guy swishin' around and I was like, oh son, I'm not going near THAT. I don't need the virtue rubbing off on me, y'know? No gods can keep up with my rockstar lifestyle."

Freddy is not about to argue religion with this guy. He just shrugs.

"Okay, never mind," he sighs. He's kept his abilities secret all of his life. He's not sure his reasons justify breaking his silence. "I'm just saying, we got lots of people here with weird abilities. We oughta be able to test the anti-violence field and see how it reacts to things."

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business and a question

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Sorry for the delay :(

Also sorry for the delay. :]

:D

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