Shinji: "You're just... giving me this?"
Chris: "Sure. It's one of the privileges of being stupidly rich, I get to give nifty toys to people I like."
Shinji, a little confused: "You... like me?"
Chris: "Er... not that way. Sorry. Actually I barely know you. This you, not the one on-screen. But you've got potential. I like what I've seen so far. So does Rei. So do lots of people."
Shinji: "I don't even know what I want to be yet..."
Chris: "From what you told Ben, you don't want to fight. That's ok. There's all kinds of things to do here that don't involve fighting. You could be a courier, just you, the ship, and an urgent message to get somewhere. Or construction worker. Or professional musician, I hear you're pretty good at that. That's the thing about Fen. We're all about finding your own place, /choosing/ your own destiny. Did you really think three heads of state drop everything they're doing to race halfway across the solar system just because some kid's in a funk, is normal?"
(insert Shinji reply here, asking why they -did- drop everything for him)
Chris: *sits down, stretches, loosens his tie* "Well... that's a long story. It's all wrapped up in why and how I got into this business. When things took off, out here, I could see what was happening. And I knew that there would be people who'd want to go it on their own. Who'd want to get out, get rich, get famous... and who were more likely than not to just get dead. That's how I got started, a school, a brokerage, a place to rest and refit... and it worked. People made a living, we had a viable export to get our economy kick-started, and people stopped dying."
(insert noncommital response from Shinji)
Chris: "It's hardwired into us, you know. The response to a cry for help. We can't look away, can't -not- feel -something-, even the craziest psychopath will at least giggle... That's where a big chunk of my money goes, you know. Nikaido, International Rescue, the Banzai Foundation. I'm not saying that's what you should do. But it's out there. It's a choice. And that's what life's all about."
(Shinji complains that he doesn't know how to fly a Valk)
Chris: "If you want to, Rei and Gina will teach you. Or you can ask Ben, or Jet. It's your choice, kiddo. That's what this is all about."
ETA: This came to me after....
Shinji: "Why do you keep calling me 'kid'?"
Chris: "Do you want to be Shinji Ikari? Do you want to change what that name means? Embrace it? Or choose a different name? Something to think about."
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.
Chris: "Sure. It's one of the privileges of being stupidly rich, I get to give nifty toys to people I like."
Shinji, a little confused: "You... like me?"
Chris: "Er... not that way. Sorry. Actually I barely know you. This you, not the one on-screen. But you've got potential. I like what I've seen so far. So does Rei. So do lots of people."
Shinji: "I don't even know what I want to be yet..."
Chris: "From what you told Ben, you don't want to fight. That's ok. There's all kinds of things to do here that don't involve fighting. You could be a courier, just you, the ship, and an urgent message to get somewhere. Or construction worker. Or professional musician, I hear you're pretty good at that. That's the thing about Fen. We're all about finding your own place, /choosing/ your own destiny. Did you really think three heads of state drop everything they're doing to race halfway across the solar system just because some kid's in a funk, is normal?"
(insert Shinji reply here, asking why they -did- drop everything for him)
Chris: *sits down, stretches, loosens his tie* "Well... that's a long story. It's all wrapped up in why and how I got into this business. When things took off, out here, I could see what was happening. And I knew that there would be people who'd want to go it on their own. Who'd want to get out, get rich, get famous... and who were more likely than not to just get dead. That's how I got started, a school, a brokerage, a place to rest and refit... and it worked. People made a living, we had a viable export to get our economy kick-started, and people stopped dying."
(insert noncommital response from Shinji)
Chris: "It's hardwired into us, you know. The response to a cry for help. We can't look away, can't -not- feel -something-, even the craziest psychopath will at least giggle... That's where a big chunk of my money goes, you know. Nikaido, International Rescue, the Banzai Foundation. I'm not saying that's what you should do. But it's out there. It's a choice. And that's what life's all about."
(Shinji complains that he doesn't know how to fly a Valk)
Chris: "If you want to, Rei and Gina will teach you. Or you can ask Ben, or Jet. It's your choice, kiddo. That's what this is all about."
ETA: This came to me after....
Shinji: "Why do you keep calling me 'kid'?"
Chris: "Do you want to be Shinji Ikari? Do you want to change what that name means? Embrace it? Or choose a different name? Something to think about."
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.