[If during a port, he was probably hung over or in a stranger's bed while Hilbert was getting brainwashed. Not good. But it does reassure him that he himself isn't brainwashed. He's loud enough and social enough that he's fairly sure people would ask him where he's been if he'd been caged for a week.
Unless it was during a port and people assumed he was just off getting himself hung over or finding strangers' beds.]
Why have him murder Abel? I know you don't like him, but it seems a lot of effort over a petty quarrel where you punched him.
I do believe you felt once you made a promise you had to keep it. Why your promise to Cain meant more than your promise to me is a mystery, however. Since only one of the two of us is actually here to potentially appreciate your devotion to keeping your word.
Ah, don't go making it personal, Norton. It didn't have anything to do with you.
[It was his own self destruction, a way to get out of the corner he found himself trapped in. He had no escape except the nuclear option. Abel is a convenient target.]
It is personal for me, whether you intended it to be or not! [His voice turns shrill, his control cracking a little before he tamps it all down again.]
You know as well as anyone official power isn't everything. I could take out my communicator to ask the Admiral to turn you into a duck and you could snatch the communicator out of my hand before I could make the request, knock me unconscious, and lock me in a cage and brainwash me.
[His knuckles are turning white as he clings to the rail.]
[He considers it seriously, and maybe he would have kept it to himself, but Pyotr had been such a dick about it when Jacob had done all the work. Vincent had been right.]
That little shit commie, Pyotr. I was telling him how to actually control people, but he sucks at it. I told him to pick a target. He chose Hilbert.
[Norton shoots him a vicious glare at the laughter.] That's none of your business, is it? Maybe I just have strong moral objections on ethical grounds.
No. Zero's no punishment, especially not for you. You know real gaol, seven days in Zero is like a peaceful monastic retreat in comparison.
[He takes a breath.]
Here's what we're going to do: First, I'm going to search you and your cabin. I'm sure you've already stashed away any contraband you really want to keep with other people, but I won't have people say I'm not doing my due diligence. That's not punishment either, that's just common sense. I'm even inclined to let you keep a weapon for self defense, in case any of Abel's or Hilbert's friends come after you, but I'm still pondering that.
For punishment, for the next week, five mile run every day. Must be done on deck. Must be completed between 2pm and 4pm. You can take breaks, drink water, have some flexibility when you do it, so long as you complete the miles within those two hours. If, on any given day, you don't complete the task within the timeframe, there will be a trigger set up with the Admiral so that for the rest of that day you'll feel compelled to talk about your feelings. If you want to avoid feelings, got to run the miles. If on any day you can't complete your run, if you're sick or injured or anything like that, tell me and I'll modify the terms for that day and you'll make it up another day. It's supposed to be hard work, not torture.
Oh, and I'm going to arrange some sort of alert so people will know if you're keen on hurting them.
Sound fair to you?
[And he'll think about telling Jacob more about himself, but that's harder, especially right now when he's already feeling agitated by everything that's happened.]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 03:14 am (UTC)Same way I did it at home. [He takes his water bottle from the ground and drinks from it, though he still doesnt look at Norton.]
A cage, some deprivation, some conditioning, and time.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 03:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 03:19 am (UTC)I made sure it was the right time. Everyone was at port. His inmate was down. Everyone assumed he was in a coma.
No one fucking checked.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 03:33 am (UTC)[If during a port, he was probably hung over or in a stranger's bed while Hilbert was getting brainwashed. Not good. But it does reassure him that he himself isn't brainwashed. He's loud enough and social enough that he's fairly sure people would ask him where he's been if he'd been caged for a week.
Unless it was during a port and people assumed he was just off getting himself hung over or finding strangers' beds.]
Why have him murder Abel? I know you don't like him, but it seems a lot of effort over a petty quarrel where you punched him.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 03:37 am (UTC)Wasn't his original purpose. Guess I just got sloppy.
[Said very flippantly.]
Told Cain I'd do to Abel anything he did to me. Promised him I'd kill him for stabbing me.
So I did.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 03:46 am (UTC)I do believe you felt once you made a promise you had to keep it. Why your promise to Cain meant more than your promise to me is a mystery, however. Since only one of the two of us is actually here to potentially appreciate your devotion to keeping your word.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 03:56 am (UTC)[It was his own self destruction, a way to get out of the corner he found himself trapped in. He had no escape except the nuclear option. Abel is a convenient target.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 05:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 10:38 am (UTC)[He shrugs, still staring out at the stars.]
Can't help how you fucking feel about it. I didn't want you involved.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 06:39 pm (UTC)[Norton steps up to the railing next to Jacob and rests his hands on the rail.]
Can the brainwashing be undone?
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 06:47 pm (UTC)[He finally eyes him, wary of being 'bound' to anyone. He doesnt move.]
But I'm not telling you how.
[He wants this control still, as terrible as it is. Even if he won't use it.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 07:15 pm (UTC)[He shoots in retort, which is probably not the most convincing argument, but it feels good.]
Why not?
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 07:30 pm (UTC)I want insurance.
[He knows what's coming next. Yelling, the whip, the abuse, the belt.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 08:34 pm (UTC)You want me scared? Fine, I'm scared. But that just means I have to make sure nothing like this happens again.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 08:37 pm (UTC)You got nothing to be afraid of from me.
[He leans on the railing.]
I did it for somebody else, and he shit all over it. Wasn't worth it to keep him, so I used him for Abel knowing I'd get caught.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 09:11 pm (UTC)[His knuckles are turning white as he clings to the rail.]
Who did you originally do it for?
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 09:40 pm (UTC)Not today, Norton.
He's a piece of shit, not even worth getting in trouble.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 12:01 am (UTC)I want to understand why this all happened.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 12:03 am (UTC)That little shit commie, Pyotr. I was telling him how to actually control people, but he sucks at it. I told him to pick a target. He chose Hilbert.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 04:58 am (UTC)He stands in silence a little bit longer, then takes his hands from the railings to wrap his arms around himself.]
I don't like mind control.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 06:24 am (UTC)I can fucking see that.
Why? Someone fuck with you?
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 05:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 05:07 pm (UTC)And that's the reason I won't give you shit. You have my whole goddamn file. You knew John. You have the fucking Book of Joseph, I'm sure.
I don't know shit about you.
So what's the punishment? Do I need to walk myself down to Zero?
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 05:31 pm (UTC)[He takes a breath.]
Here's what we're going to do: First, I'm going to search you and your cabin. I'm sure you've already stashed away any contraband you really want to keep with other people, but I won't have people say I'm not doing my due diligence. That's not punishment either, that's just common sense. I'm even inclined to let you keep a weapon for self defense, in case any of Abel's or Hilbert's friends come after you, but I'm still pondering that.
For punishment, for the next week, five mile run every day. Must be done on deck. Must be completed between 2pm and 4pm. You can take breaks, drink water, have some flexibility when you do it, so long as you complete the miles within those two hours. If, on any given day, you don't complete the task within the timeframe, there will be a trigger set up with the Admiral so that for the rest of that day you'll feel compelled to talk about your feelings. If you want to avoid feelings, got to run the miles. If on any day you can't complete your run, if you're sick or injured or anything like that, tell me and I'll modify the terms for that day and you'll make it up another day. It's supposed to be hard work, not torture.
Oh, and I'm going to arrange some sort of alert so people will know if you're keen on hurting them.
Sound fair to you?
[And he'll think about telling Jacob more about himself, but that's harder, especially right now when he's already feeling agitated by everything that's happened.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 05:41 pm (UTC)Yeah. Fine. Whatever.
[He looks behind him, to the door, annoyed and tense.]
Laura already got Mae, so you can search away.
I'll give Trevor's gun back to him.
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