Town meeting

[ezra_of_lothal]

WHO: Ezra and anyone who shows up or messages him directly
WHERE: The amphitheater or network
WHAT: Call for a town meeting and the meeting itself
WHEN: A couple of weeks after Coruscant event end
WARNINGS: None yet

After they all get back from the 'mission' to Coruscant, Ezra's of the opinion that the work on newly appointment Temple and calls and offers of help on the network are good signs. The right direction at least. Still, it seems to him that there's not a lot of momentum as a group to actually figuring anything out about this planet and their general situation.

He knows he's not the only one curious or bothered, so what gives?

After talking a little more with some of the other Temba residents, he puts up a written message on the network, that he's labored over longer than he'd care to admit to anyone:

I'm inviting everyone to a town get together or meeting, midday tomorrow at the amphitheater. Talking as a group, face to face, might be productive. I'll send out another message right before I head that way myself, so everyone knows when to show up.


He debates putting on his Jedi robes for the meeting, since that's the closest thing he has to formal wear, but decides the full get up might inadvertently send the wrong message. He's fully believes getting the community together to talk is a Jedi thing to do, but he's picked up on the ideas some co-residents have about authority and religion. He ends up wearing one of his new brightly colored sets of clothing, and throwing a brown cloak over it.

Then he goes to the stage area of the amphitheater and waits for people to show up. Once he's pretty sure most of the people who are coming are there, he gives them all a smile and says a few words.

"Thanks for coming, everyone. I'm not going to stay up here. I didn't ask you to come, so I could be 'in charge'. Or even because I have a list of things I want to accomplish, really. But...as long as we're all here together we are a community, whether we like it or not. So I thought, it might be a good idea to at least compare notes and talk about concerns. Things that might take more than a person or two working on it to get done. Goals.

Life here isn't bad, but I believe it could be better, if we work together. So let's talk about how we can do that. That's all I really wanted to say."

He gives them all one more smile and goes to pick a place to sit among the gathered.

Comments

[doubled_speed]

Well fuck, bro. When he said he was going to stand up and express some of the concerns Tommy had talked to him about, he hadn't expected, well, that. Next to that it was like Tommy was a lazy fuck here. Okay, guess he better stand up and throw in his two cents.

So enjoy the familiar face of a speedster who shoved his hands in his pockets, trying not to look awkward. He can't make speeches. It's not who he is. But he can say something.

"Just gonna agree here, and point out that while we maybe didn't get a lot of shit down here before you all started rolling in here, that's not because we weren't trying. Some of us have been here from the start, which is a year and three-quarters ish ago. And we get by. We do shit, we don't starve, we don't die of exposure. Sure, we could be doing better, and more hands will help. So just don't, like, assume that we don't know how to organize or we need big group talk-a-thons to do it. I can get that it could be fun or something, but yeah. Just... I don't know, we've done pretty good with people going to the network to announce projects or look for help, so we could probably stick with that sorta thing too. If it ain't broke and all that whatever."

Okay, that's too much serious talk for him. And then Tommy's back down, seated with his legs kicked up before anyone in the room would be able to blink or look at it. And if his legs were maybe bouncing a little bit that's nothing. Just ignore it.

[kyley_b]

Kyle's been making speeches since childhood and it's just in his nature to speak up when he thinks things are unfair.

He pops back up. "That's another thing - we should not discount the experiences of people who've been here longer. I mean, I just got here like a month ago and I nearly died my first week. I don't know shit about this planet.

"I do think keeping tabs on who is doing what is a good idea, and taking people's prior experience into account is smart. But I think what Tommy's saying - and correct me if I'm wrong, dude - is we don't necessarily have to form rigid committees, but should really foster a sense of open communication. I mean... that's what we're doing right now. We should all feel comfortable talking to each other. Not agreeing with one another all the time, but feeling safe in expressing our opinions. So. Thanks for that, everybody.

"And Tommy, thanks for keeping most of us fed before any of us even thought to help out."

/No Response Required

[doubled_speed]

Oh man, don't draw people's attention to him more. The speedster sinks more in his seat and tries to hide behind his roasted pea-like-veggies.

"I eat more than the next five people combined. Sorta have to do it," he mumbled to himself. Yeah, he's going to pretend it was fully selfish and not that when he'd gotten here he's just wanted to make sure Billy had enough to eat and Tommy had enough power to get them out of emergencies. And that now he's not just totally in love with plants.

/Also no response required

[thesepreciousthings]

Clarice had watched both of them speak with the interest and respect she knew they both deserved. Once each had finished, she made a point to catch their eyes and give them each a little nod and a smile. She's not about to make a big deal out of it - it's not her style, and neither of them would love it in the least - but she feels like some subtle encouragement wouldn't be remiss.