Constant Vigilance 2, Session 10. Friday November 17th, Period 4

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

The Doctor was sitting in the chair behind his desk, juggling apples.

As everyone entered the classroom, they'd find an apple at each of their desks. Once everyone arrived, the Doctor dimmed the lights and projected a bizzare figure with a big metal unit over its chest and tubing everywhere.

"That, ladies and gentlemen, is a Cyberman. One of the earliest models, and the first I encountered. They are not a race of robots, as inside there are bits and pieces of what was once a person. There are from the planet Mondas, a twin planet of Earth that was knocked out of its original orbit. One thing led to another, and there's more about that in the packet I have for you."

The Doctor did, in fact, start passing out a packet.

"The thing is, that as technology improved, their look altered as well. This clunky design gave way to another, and another, and then we had something more like this." The Doctor hit a button on the projector and the shape changed to a sleeker, more silver looking thing. "So, what do I have to say about the Cybermen?"

He paused and thought for a second.

"I'm not going to judge them, quite yet. At least not to you. I have a question to pose to all of you. The Cybermen were created to remove the imperfections of the Mondas race. In order to survive, they said. Furthering the species. Though now, they sort of forcibly improve all the other humanoid species they come across, as well. Assuming they don't kill you on sight. Now, there's a lot of thinking you can do on this subject, lots of moral posing, etcetera. Now I want you to do just that. Pair up, and talk about this."

He cleared his throat. "Is giving up things such as certain emotions, physical sensations, a few pounds of flesh... is that progress? Is that an acceptable cost if you'd then live effectively forever?" The Doctor smirked at the class. "Well? Would you?"

[ooc: Wait for OCD OCD up up and away! Go forth and talk!]

Comments

Re: Ask the Doc a Question

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

"Only when it saves another," the Doctor said.

Re: Ask the Doc a Question

[stykera]

"Only then?" Stark was entirely unconvinced, but then he was Stark. "There are other times."

Re: Ask the Doc a Question

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

"When death is better than living? Hardly," the Doctor said. "What do you suppose these conditions are?"

Re: Ask the Doc a Question

[stykera]

"You think the, what did you call them, 'partially processed' people should have had to stay that way, trapped? Sometimes death is kinder. But then," Stark said, reaching up to tug a bit at the strap on his neck, "I'm Stykera. Not going to have the most conventional views of death, usually."

Re: Ask the Doc a Question

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

"What views on death do you have, then?"

Re: Ask the Doc a Question

[stykera]

"That it can be a kindness. That it doesn't have to always be feared. That sometimes there are worse things. That it isn't necessarily going to be the end."

Stark paused, then shook his head. "I don't mean to say it's always a good thing. I know better than that. Believe me, I know. And I'm not going to go around killing anyone, far from it."

Re: Ask the Doc a Question

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

The Doctor nodded. "Everything has its times, and everthing dies. But making a choice of death is usually the wrong one."

Re: Ask the Doc a Question

[stykera]

Stark could live with that, so he nodded again. "Reasonable enough. But not for me to judge that. Not what I'm here for."

Re: Ask the Doc a Question

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

"Very true," the Doctor said. "In the end, it is rarely our decision to make."

Re: Ask the Doc a Question

[stykera]

"And that's as it should be," Stark said. "Thank you. For answering the question."

Re: Ask the Doc a Question

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

"That's what I'm here for," the Doctor said.