24 ⊗ video ⊗ might've liked to know this earlier

[professorlionface]

[Hank is huddled over his worktable, playing with a small camera.]

I've always been something of a tinker, even since I was a child. [He gives the lens a momentary smirk.] But you'll know this already, you've seen it.

Even with having some sort of block this past month, wondering if I was doing something wrong when all the pieces seemed like they were in place. I know that because I checked, double-checked, ran diagnostics, tried alternatives. Took the every prototype apart and rebuilt it numerous times, trying my best to isolate and work out any kinks.

And even then, we never detected a single Skrull until they revealed themselves. But see, there was still one thing I'd never gotten to tinkering with. Funnily enough, the first thing I noticed when I returned.

[He points to the camera.] I keep this remote camera for Network interface when I prefer to work hands-free. It shorted out while I was gone, and I hadn't had time to repair it. Doing so would require familiarizing myself with the circuitry of the new communicators, in order to copy it.

So, tell me. How many of you had your communicators in Times Square last night? [He holds up a small silicone tube to the camera, almost buried in his large fingers.] And who can tell me what this is?

Comments

[professorlionface]

I didn't say everyone. But we have to know to trust someone. Trying to go at it alone only gives them what they wanted: paranoia.

[hellionated]

But anyone could’ve been a Skrull. So how were we supposed to trust anyone?

[ Genuine question there. Julian had trusted certain people by default, but not many. ]

[professorlionface]

Anyone could have? Perhaps, but it didn't end up that way. Everyone wasn't a Skrull, and everyone wouldn't be.

The paranoia got us nothing, sometimes we need to take the risk and hope for the best. Not all variables will be under our control.

[hellionated]

But they never are. We just have to deal with the hand we're dealt.

[professorlionface]

That's exactly my point. This situation wasn't special in that, but we let it get the better of us, and we collectively made a bad play.

The pot went to Vulcanus, we just managed to salvage enough chips to stay in the game.

[hellionated]

There was still no other way but fighting them. That wasn't a bad move, it was the only move.

It still is the only move. Except now we're waiting, again. Like we did before. Waiting for them to move on us first, and it's gonna go down exactly the same way.

[professorlionface]

And again, just because we hadn't found one did't mean it wasn't there. We allowed ourselves to be backed into a corner as a result of our paranoia! That's what I've been saying all along, we let ourselves be played into their hand.

[hellionated]

[ Grudgingly. ] Maybe. But that doesn’t mean there’s always a better way, and it definitely doesn’t mean it’s right that people hate us. We did what we could, and they want us gone. Vulcanus should be taking the fall, not us.

[professorlionface]

Even if it isn't our fault, it's still our damage to control, and we can't just ignore it. Vulcanus has been playing on their fears, we have to find a way to alleviate that, to counteract it.

[hellionated]

We have to stop them. Vulcanus.

Everything they do, they just keep going and making it worse. We have to take them out completely.

[professorlionface]

I don't disagree, but this won't all just magically go away once we do. It will require more than that.

[hellionated]

The best PR exercise we can do is beating them.

[professorlionface]

Not necessarily. We do it wrong, we'll just look like bullies, tearing down the only one the public thinks is on their side.

It has to be righteous. We have to leave them laid bare for all to see, make it known that the emperor is naked.

[hellionated]

You mean show them that Vulcanus isn't on their side at all.

[ In theory, that sounds exactly like what they should do. The only problem is, Julian has no idea how. ]

We'd have to find them first.

[professorlionface]

We wouldn't necessarily. We'd just need the evidence.