Jouska
Active member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2020
- Messages
- 50
- Points
- 18
I Want Better
Standing at the pulpit of the Monroe church, Gerald Bechet addresses a collection of friends, acquaintances, and curious passersby who heard by word-of-mouth that the man intended to speak out to the people. Lit by the morning sun peering through boarded up windows, Gerald gives the assembly a welcoming smile and begins to speak.
"My brothers and sisters of Monroe. I am Gerald Bechet, longtime citizen of this town. Some of you may know me as a guard, standing watch over our gates against the dangers of the world outside. Some of you may know me as a preacher, rambling on about the human condition and the nature of the soul. Some of you may know me as a chef, and for that I apologize and promise I’ll figure out where I’m goin’ wrong with that gumbo recipe one’a these days. But all, I hope, should know me as a neighbor, living alongside you all, offering my support as I can and sharing in your triumphs and tribulations.
We all come to this town for different reasons. Some for the prospect of work, some for the safety and security of strong walls and stronger men to guard ‘em, some for the freedom to claim your own futures and fortunes. Then there are those who didn’t find Monroe so much as the town found them. Wanderers or outcasts that maybe didn’t know what they were looking for, maybe didn’t know what they needed outta life, until their road brought ‘em here. Whatever the reason, each of us found in Monroe a purpose. A slice of something bigger, something we could be a part of. A home. A community. Even a family. We all saw something in this town worth having.
When I washed up here an age ago, I was a shell of a man. The world outside is a cruel one. Bitter and cold that does not suffer the kind or gentle soul, and generosity is merely a weakness to be exploited. This world is one of suffering and of callousness. We’ve all seen it, we’ve all lived it, and we all have done what we must to survive. I do not mean to shame anyone of these choices, and I am by no means free of sin. It’s just the way of the world, just the times we live in. Hard times breed hard men, and I would sooner have spat on my fellow man than share my water with him. But when my road brought me at last to this town, to these walls, I found my purpose in the form of a question, and it is a question that I now bring to all of you.
Brothers and sisters of Monroe .. what do you want?
What do you want out of life? What do you want out of the world? What do you want .. out of yourselves? When faced with these questions, when looking at myself and everything else on this green earth, I came to a realization. An understanding of myself. An epiphany, if you will. I wanted .. better. I looked at the harsh realities of life outside, at the cruelty and injustice of it all. I looked at how the strong bent the weak to their will, and how one’s survival hinged on the suffering of another. I looked at that and I knew in my soul, in the very bones of me, that I did not want that life. I wanted better. I wanted a world where the weak were not prey to the strong. I wanted a world that cooperated, that helped one another rather than taking advantage of those it could. I wanted better. I wanted a place that was better, a world that was better. I wanted to be .. better than what I was. What I am.
I had thought it no more than a dream. And yet, in Monroe, I found that place. Or, at least, the possibility. Oh, we’ve had our faults and flaws. No man is perfect, after all. We’ve fallen, at times. We’ve made our fair share of missteps. But always, I could see the drive. The earnestness and willingness in striving to be more than what we were. And you know as well as I that it’s been a hell of a time. The road we all walk has not been an easy one. We’ve all struggled and suffered, we’ve fought and bled to keep what we have. For all of my time here, I have whole-heartedly joined in that struggle. I have put my life on the line, just as all of you. Maybe you aren’t packing heat or wearing a uniform, but by living here and standing side-by-side with us you are making a statement all the same. You are all taking a stand to preserve your way of life, and I could not find a more noble cause than that.
But then, we found ourselves in troubled times. Worrying times. We were faced with a threat that none of us were prepared for. Something we could hardly understand. A terrible and unfathomable enemy loomed outside, as if the worst cruelties of our new world had taken form. We’d just suffered heavy losses, and even now I feel we are still reeling from the absence of our former Minister and our former Heads. We were rudderless, directionless. Frightened and confused. In Monroe’s darkest hour, a champion stepped forward and offered us a way out. Miss Chen took the wheel and navigated us into a peace treaty with the Miller family. There were those that had their reservations, but many willingly grasped for this chance at peace and stability. And for months, all was well. Of course, their true nature eventually won through and those that would call themselves men betrayed our trust. Blood was shed in our own homes, no little of it our own, and the Millers that were within our walls were put down. But for a time, there had been peace.
Only .. I ask of you all .. is that what you wanted?
I needn’t speak of the Miller family. There’s no need to go into their misdeeds, because every man, woman, and child I wager is more than well-aware of the atrocities associated with their name. Their reputation speaks volumes as to the quality of their character, and I needn’t discuss it. But I will anyway, because it deserves to be said. The vileness of their deeds cannot and should not be forgotten. It deserves to be addressed with the vehemence it is due. Every crime we have a name for, every sin to blacken the soul, the Millers willfully and gleefully committed. Their guilt is undeniable and their victims are many. The region as a whole has suffered under them, Monroe no less than any other. Lives were lost. Families broken.
And yet, we could have had peace. Crystal Chen’s peace. Just imagine if the Millers had not succumbed to their base desires, and had held their end of the bargain. Is that not something to cheer for? Is that not something amazing? I could see the walls of their embassy in Monroe from the towers of our gates, and for months we were unmolested despite their proximity. If I live to be a hundred years old, I will never understand how our Minister managed to pull off that miracle, as short a miracle as it turned out to be. But a miracle nonetheless. Surely, that can only be a good thing. The worst evil imaginable .. thieves, rapists, torturers, murderers. Right here in Monroe in peace, leaving us alone. We no longer had to fight against it.
Monroe .. is that what you want?
Even in my dream of a world of cooperation, free from the cruelty that plagues the wasteland, I do not see a world without conflict or strife. The evils of man are rooted far too deeply for that, and there will always be those that will take twisted pleasure in preying upon others. A better world does not happen passively simply because we wish for it. We can only make the world better by our actions and by our example. Our peace did not stop the Miller family from slitting the throats of merchant caravans. It did not stop the Miller family from taking slaves to work to death in their fields. It most certainly did not stop their crude blood sacrifices for their sick beliefs. The only thing the peace stopped was us.
We stopped fighting against those actions. We turned a blind eye to every evil the Millers ever committed in the interests of our own safety and well-being. We allowed those people into our walls, not because they were repentant for their crimes or that they planned to turn a new leaf, but because we were weary and hurt and frightened. And in doing so, what did we show to the world? What did we broadcast to the traders who are our lifesblood, to the other factions vying for power in the wastes? What lesson did the bandits who would prey upon innocent travelers learn of our justice and our determination? What message did we send to them? That Monroe is a place of peace for everyone? Or that Monroe will not lift a hand to stop the injustices outside our doorstep?
I know that this peace was a tempting prospect. I know that the possibility of more bloodshed was and still is frightening for all of us. I know that we all have families whose safety we fear for. Even children. I know how much we all wanted an end to the fighting. Lord knows, if I never had to touch my rifle again, it would be too soon. But is this what you all want? Is this peace, this passivity, what you want? Is the prospect of a better world not worth fighting for?
I’m not about to suggest that we become crusaders against all the collective evils of the world. I know a few people who can attest that it’s far too large a place for one community to police, no matter how well funded or prepared. I cannot even say we should be a beacon of unyielding moral superiority, because this world is varying shades of gray and I imagine being a perfect boy scout gets boring after a while if it could even be accomplished. I can only suggest that you all ask yourselves the same question that I do each and every morning. Do you want a better life? A better world? Do you want to be a better person?
If there is one thing I have learned in my years, it is that the most effective way to enact change is by example. Only by choosing to be better can we hope to make this world better. Only by taking a stand for what we believe in, by showing the world our values, can we hope to change the world. I believe that Minister Chen, for all her acumen and savvy, has shown everyone what she is willing to accept. Her platform is of ‘Monroe First’, but her peace with the Millers has shown that to more accurately be ‘Monroe Only’ to the exclusion of any victims that suffered under their hand. It is surely a valid stance. An understandable and reasonable stance.
But I want better.
I still believe in my dream of a better world, and breaking bread with those that have abandoned their humanity like the Miller family is not how it’s done. I believe that we all can take a stand to make that dream a reality, despite the risks involved in standing against injustice rather than kneeling before it. I believe our first step is to elect a Minister who embodies our ideals and has shown the strength of will necessary to fight for those ideals. A Minister who has led by example in both peace and in war, who I have willingly followed into cutthroat trade agreements as well as battlefields. A Minister who has put her safety on the line .. but never her soul.
Brothers and sisters of Monroe, I believe in Terry Winters."
Standing at the pulpit of the Monroe church, Gerald Bechet addresses a collection of friends, acquaintances, and curious passersby who heard by word-of-mouth that the man intended to speak out to the people. Lit by the morning sun peering through boarded up windows, Gerald gives the assembly a welcoming smile and begins to speak.
"My brothers and sisters of Monroe. I am Gerald Bechet, longtime citizen of this town. Some of you may know me as a guard, standing watch over our gates against the dangers of the world outside. Some of you may know me as a preacher, rambling on about the human condition and the nature of the soul. Some of you may know me as a chef, and for that I apologize and promise I’ll figure out where I’m goin’ wrong with that gumbo recipe one’a these days. But all, I hope, should know me as a neighbor, living alongside you all, offering my support as I can and sharing in your triumphs and tribulations.
We all come to this town for different reasons. Some for the prospect of work, some for the safety and security of strong walls and stronger men to guard ‘em, some for the freedom to claim your own futures and fortunes. Then there are those who didn’t find Monroe so much as the town found them. Wanderers or outcasts that maybe didn’t know what they were looking for, maybe didn’t know what they needed outta life, until their road brought ‘em here. Whatever the reason, each of us found in Monroe a purpose. A slice of something bigger, something we could be a part of. A home. A community. Even a family. We all saw something in this town worth having.
When I washed up here an age ago, I was a shell of a man. The world outside is a cruel one. Bitter and cold that does not suffer the kind or gentle soul, and generosity is merely a weakness to be exploited. This world is one of suffering and of callousness. We’ve all seen it, we’ve all lived it, and we all have done what we must to survive. I do not mean to shame anyone of these choices, and I am by no means free of sin. It’s just the way of the world, just the times we live in. Hard times breed hard men, and I would sooner have spat on my fellow man than share my water with him. But when my road brought me at last to this town, to these walls, I found my purpose in the form of a question, and it is a question that I now bring to all of you.
Brothers and sisters of Monroe .. what do you want?
What do you want out of life? What do you want out of the world? What do you want .. out of yourselves? When faced with these questions, when looking at myself and everything else on this green earth, I came to a realization. An understanding of myself. An epiphany, if you will. I wanted .. better. I looked at the harsh realities of life outside, at the cruelty and injustice of it all. I looked at how the strong bent the weak to their will, and how one’s survival hinged on the suffering of another. I looked at that and I knew in my soul, in the very bones of me, that I did not want that life. I wanted better. I wanted a world where the weak were not prey to the strong. I wanted a world that cooperated, that helped one another rather than taking advantage of those it could. I wanted better. I wanted a place that was better, a world that was better. I wanted to be .. better than what I was. What I am.
I had thought it no more than a dream. And yet, in Monroe, I found that place. Or, at least, the possibility. Oh, we’ve had our faults and flaws. No man is perfect, after all. We’ve fallen, at times. We’ve made our fair share of missteps. But always, I could see the drive. The earnestness and willingness in striving to be more than what we were. And you know as well as I that it’s been a hell of a time. The road we all walk has not been an easy one. We’ve all struggled and suffered, we’ve fought and bled to keep what we have. For all of my time here, I have whole-heartedly joined in that struggle. I have put my life on the line, just as all of you. Maybe you aren’t packing heat or wearing a uniform, but by living here and standing side-by-side with us you are making a statement all the same. You are all taking a stand to preserve your way of life, and I could not find a more noble cause than that.
But then, we found ourselves in troubled times. Worrying times. We were faced with a threat that none of us were prepared for. Something we could hardly understand. A terrible and unfathomable enemy loomed outside, as if the worst cruelties of our new world had taken form. We’d just suffered heavy losses, and even now I feel we are still reeling from the absence of our former Minister and our former Heads. We were rudderless, directionless. Frightened and confused. In Monroe’s darkest hour, a champion stepped forward and offered us a way out. Miss Chen took the wheel and navigated us into a peace treaty with the Miller family. There were those that had their reservations, but many willingly grasped for this chance at peace and stability. And for months, all was well. Of course, their true nature eventually won through and those that would call themselves men betrayed our trust. Blood was shed in our own homes, no little of it our own, and the Millers that were within our walls were put down. But for a time, there had been peace.
Only .. I ask of you all .. is that what you wanted?
I needn’t speak of the Miller family. There’s no need to go into their misdeeds, because every man, woman, and child I wager is more than well-aware of the atrocities associated with their name. Their reputation speaks volumes as to the quality of their character, and I needn’t discuss it. But I will anyway, because it deserves to be said. The vileness of their deeds cannot and should not be forgotten. It deserves to be addressed with the vehemence it is due. Every crime we have a name for, every sin to blacken the soul, the Millers willfully and gleefully committed. Their guilt is undeniable and their victims are many. The region as a whole has suffered under them, Monroe no less than any other. Lives were lost. Families broken.
And yet, we could have had peace. Crystal Chen’s peace. Just imagine if the Millers had not succumbed to their base desires, and had held their end of the bargain. Is that not something to cheer for? Is that not something amazing? I could see the walls of their embassy in Monroe from the towers of our gates, and for months we were unmolested despite their proximity. If I live to be a hundred years old, I will never understand how our Minister managed to pull off that miracle, as short a miracle as it turned out to be. But a miracle nonetheless. Surely, that can only be a good thing. The worst evil imaginable .. thieves, rapists, torturers, murderers. Right here in Monroe in peace, leaving us alone. We no longer had to fight against it.
Monroe .. is that what you want?
Even in my dream of a world of cooperation, free from the cruelty that plagues the wasteland, I do not see a world without conflict or strife. The evils of man are rooted far too deeply for that, and there will always be those that will take twisted pleasure in preying upon others. A better world does not happen passively simply because we wish for it. We can only make the world better by our actions and by our example. Our peace did not stop the Miller family from slitting the throats of merchant caravans. It did not stop the Miller family from taking slaves to work to death in their fields. It most certainly did not stop their crude blood sacrifices for their sick beliefs. The only thing the peace stopped was us.
We stopped fighting against those actions. We turned a blind eye to every evil the Millers ever committed in the interests of our own safety and well-being. We allowed those people into our walls, not because they were repentant for their crimes or that they planned to turn a new leaf, but because we were weary and hurt and frightened. And in doing so, what did we show to the world? What did we broadcast to the traders who are our lifesblood, to the other factions vying for power in the wastes? What lesson did the bandits who would prey upon innocent travelers learn of our justice and our determination? What message did we send to them? That Monroe is a place of peace for everyone? Or that Monroe will not lift a hand to stop the injustices outside our doorstep?
I know that this peace was a tempting prospect. I know that the possibility of more bloodshed was and still is frightening for all of us. I know that we all have families whose safety we fear for. Even children. I know how much we all wanted an end to the fighting. Lord knows, if I never had to touch my rifle again, it would be too soon. But is this what you all want? Is this peace, this passivity, what you want? Is the prospect of a better world not worth fighting for?
I’m not about to suggest that we become crusaders against all the collective evils of the world. I know a few people who can attest that it’s far too large a place for one community to police, no matter how well funded or prepared. I cannot even say we should be a beacon of unyielding moral superiority, because this world is varying shades of gray and I imagine being a perfect boy scout gets boring after a while if it could even be accomplished. I can only suggest that you all ask yourselves the same question that I do each and every morning. Do you want a better life? A better world? Do you want to be a better person?
If there is one thing I have learned in my years, it is that the most effective way to enact change is by example. Only by choosing to be better can we hope to make this world better. Only by taking a stand for what we believe in, by showing the world our values, can we hope to change the world. I believe that Minister Chen, for all her acumen and savvy, has shown everyone what she is willing to accept. Her platform is of ‘Monroe First’, but her peace with the Millers has shown that to more accurately be ‘Monroe Only’ to the exclusion of any victims that suffered under their hand. It is surely a valid stance. An understandable and reasonable stance.
But I want better.
I still believe in my dream of a better world, and breaking bread with those that have abandoned their humanity like the Miller family is not how it’s done. I believe that we all can take a stand to make that dream a reality, despite the risks involved in standing against injustice rather than kneeling before it. I believe our first step is to elect a Minister who embodies our ideals and has shown the strength of will necessary to fight for those ideals. A Minister who has led by example in both peace and in war, who I have willingly followed into cutthroat trade agreements as well as battlefields. A Minister who has put her safety on the line .. but never her soul.
Brothers and sisters of Monroe, I believe in Terry Winters."