[Video clicks on, and Horatio is holding his communicator up one handed, just high enough to show his head and shoulders. He's out in the corridor, and his expression is surprisingly mild, considering how bad of an idea he thinks all of this is.

The picture is accompanied by a horrible shrieking sound. Like if fingernails on a chalkboard could be angry.]

Despite my total lack of faith in the--

[The shriek coalesces into words, cutting him off.]

“AAAAAAAAAAALET GO OF ME YOU WET BAG OF FLESH. I CAN’T -“

[The little, tinny voice of the second person in the video squeaks even higher with confusion.]

“I CAN’T SEE…?”

[Horatio clears his throat, then speaks louder:]

My lack of faith In the Admiral's reasons for this change, his post claimed that this will--

“GET OFF OF ME, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS IS DOING-”

--be a permanent alteration to the rules here. I understand that for many of you--

[This time what cuts him off is just a string of alien cursing. Those with universal translators will notice insults to Horatio’s parentage, symmetry, organ systems, and house pets.]

For many of you, this change will be a relief, and it is with regret that I cannot share your optimism.

“I DIDN’T EVEN DO ANYTHING! HE JUST GRABBED ME!”

That said, there are now two options open to us:

“BRAIDS! LEIA! WHERE IS MY WARDEN! YOU D̥̹̘̗̺̩̭O̘̟̳̼͚̰̣̒̆͋̊ͭ̐ͤ ̆̾̒҉̻̯N̙͖͋ͪ͜ͅO̹͈̞ͣͬͤͩ͌ͦT̘͙̝̟̞̰̫̑ͫ̆̓ HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DRAG ME TO ZERO FOR NO REASON. DUE PROCESS! I WANT A LAWYER!”

[Horatio stops talking for a moment, taking a deep breath, and trying to contain some of the unbridled delight which is shining in his eyes right now.]

Forgive me, we have two options:

Either we do what I believe the Admiral expects us to do, and use these powers to cause chaos, and suffering-

“OH, THERE’S GONNA BE SUFFERING IN A MINUTE HERE, PAL. YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE A WORD IN THIS DIMENSION FOR THE KIND OF SUFFERING -”

--and in doing so allow him to justify the way he runs this place when he inevitably takes back these freedoms.

[A disgusted whine from the peanut gallery:] “YOUR HAND IS SO GROSS AND WARM.”

Or, you could use your abilities to protect one another, maintain the stability and safety of those who live aboard this ship. Justify this experiment.

“YEAH? YOU JUMPED ME AND TOOK MY MAGIC TO PROTECT ME? I DON’T BUY IT, PAL, AND NO ONE ELSE WILL EITHER.”

[He takes a deep breath, and tilts his communicator down at Bill, just to make clear that he isn’t being horribly tortured.

Said evil triangle is dangling off of the ground in Horatio’s grip and struggling to get his little hand out of the warden’s much larger one. His usual yellow glow has gone warning-siren red, and his expression looks like genuine (angry) panic.]

And just to be clear, Bill’s fine. We shook hands on a deal, which in the past has been of grave misfortune to many of us on board.

“HE HAS MY MAGIC LOCKED - MY POWERS ARE A PART OF ME, IDIOT, I’M MADE OF ENERGY!”

[Bill kicks out ineffectually and pries at Horatio’s hand with his free one.]

“I’M - rrrgh - ONLY HALF A PERSON WITHOUT THEM! AND I’VE BEEN AWFULLY NICE, I DIDN’T TELL THE ADMIRAL TO DO THIS, WILL YOU JUST GIVE ME A DAY TO REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE?”

[Horatio is just, coolly ignoring him.]

Princess Leia Organa? I don’t know what your plans are for his immediate future, but if you let me know, I will defer to your authority in this matter.