A simple enough piece of advice, wouldn't ya' say?

Well, it is if you want ta' be somethin' more than a pawn one day. Sure, pawns are necessary and bein' a pawn is a good place to start. You can make your bones and prove your worth, but if you've got your eyes set on greater things then you need ta' step out of that shadow and cast your own.

How do you know if you're a pawn? I'll give ya' an example. 

If ever your city is thrown into a war, you may receive tha' order to shoot at a targets bodyguards. Why? Ta' lower his defenses, right?

Wrong. See when you shoot at a targets bodyguards, there is a chance he or she will see ya'. There is then a greater chance that you will be shot dead for it. In the majority of cases, this is an undisclosed fact that is not explained to the masses, to tha' numerous Wise Guys and small time shooters who make up the ranks. If it was, they would be reluctant to expose themselves, and that isn't helpful to the bosses.

The priority is gettin' tha' target to void their protection by shootin' at you, not to keep you alive. There is a greater good element ta' this though, whereby more lives will be saved by the sacrifice of one, however, do you really want to be that one? For the veterans, the old time faces, this is known. There are some who willin'ly accept this is their role, understand the danger and that it is necessary. Those people in too few words are hero's, an' will likely have their children honoured should they lose their lives.

So, back to tha' point, how do ya' stop being a pawn?

Ya' need to stand out. The time you have to commit to the job, make it count. Speak up, but don't ask too many questions. Be efficient and make yourself a valuable asset.

If you're a new face listenin' to this, come and look me up in Las Vegas. I'll gladly offer some insight and critique to your approach from within tha' ranks of Smog.

There are some of us who would certainly lay down our lives if it means that a rogue or war was ended sooner than later. This would prevent loss of many more lives, at least we hope so.

There are many ways to become a pawn though. Even if you are valued there may still come a time that you could get moved to another city to be shot at a later date. We have seen this tactic in our communities and the people don't always realize it. On the flip side though there are genuine people that get moved to create cities, so the lines can get murky and things aren't always clear. This is just another example of a way that you can become a pawn even if you are valued.

I agree that you need to make yourself stand out. Doing this can have a down side though, if you are great at certain areas then at what point is your value then turned to be viewed as a threat? Everything in our community has upsides and downsides. I think that everything should be considered when it comes to each situation. None are exactly the same.

John tucked his hands in his pockets and let out a low whistle. The woman was beautiful and smart. A deadly combination in his experience. Unfortunately for him, he was sober this time around, so his usual wit and charm was nowhere to be seen. 

"Not being a pawn in some cases is good, but one key thing to point out is that even pawns have their use. And while some may want to break away from it, encouraging everyone to do so just isn't going to work."

He pulled his lighter out, flipping it open and snapping it closed as he thought about what to say next. 

"Besides, if you're just a pawn then sometimes the odds of you living longer out of the limelight are better. If a woman wants to use me for her own reasons and means, I do not have a problem with that at all." 

He tried to wink at Tammy but rather than being smooth and intriguing, he probably looked like he had something in his eye. After that failure he turned away, ready to stay quiet. 

For there to be success, pawns must be used well. This simple truth cannot be avoided. Large in number, they are the soul of our world and it is they which uniquely determine the winning or losing of this game we call life. Remember, if you are to never to lose a pawn, then you will never lose at life and no man or woman in our world today has gotten to their standing without the help of at least a few noble pawns. 

Outkast had just flew in from DT after a few days of, some would say, dubious ventures. He was on his way back to the HQ when he overheard a speech about pawns. Being a chess player, he was intrigued and listened for awhile. When the opportunity arose, he spoke up..

On one hand Miss, you stated that being a pawn is a bit of a lowly position, or a bad thing to be. Then in the next breath you describe them as hero's. In the game of chess, and, let's face it, this thing of ours is simply a real life game of chess, the pawn is the single most important and most powerful piece on the board.

The pawns are what keep your kings and queens, or, in our terms, our bosses and their hands, alive to make decisions..to make moves allowing the other pawns, us, as soldiers...the knights and bishops, also soldiers but with unique skill sets, and the rooks..our hitters if you will, the opportunity to win the game. All three of these subsets are pawns in a sense, but it is the pawn him, or herself that dictates the ebb and flow of the game.

Obviously, in this life, none of us play a single game, but multiple matches of wit and intellect keep us all alive. I think you will find, if you ask any well versed leader, how important these pawns are to their existence. I, for one, am proud to be a pawn. If I must give my life to save my family, so be it.

Now, I understand that some people will use their pawns incorrectly, get them killed needlessly, throw them to the wolves without care...these folks, in the end, always lose. Always. 100% of the time. Eventually no one will be on the board for these types, and they'll find themselves naked, without the protection of the pawns they never thought they needed to keep around.

He nods subtly, and continues off towards HQ.

Some wise words, Tenley, standin' out is a development thing. The best times my family have had were durin' that time, when nobody is familiar with your family line and your expectations are not pre-defined. During that time you become wise an' start ta' really learn the way of the world. After this point, you're smart enough and experienced enough to be responsible for your own decisions. 

Mista...John? You are indeed correct, however the ones that that tha' time to listen here will be the ones that break away and become more. It takes a certain type of person, all I'm tryin' ta' do is widen the net and catch a few more diamonds in the rough. 

Outkast, excellent observations. The only 'ting I can add is that I wouldn't describe a pawn as a lowly position, only the startin' square that we all must begin on. The hero's are those who understand their role and accept it, steppin' up where and when required. A good example of this is the late Kamikaze, who knew the risks of shootin' at a certain rogues bodyguards and thus invitin' him to attack her. In doin' so, she was killed, however so was the rogue shooter.

Freddie, welcome to tha' streets and great comments. I can tie into a response for ya' referrin' to my previous statement, and the reply I have given' to John. A pawn is a lil' part of a bigger picture, if I can help a couple to realise they can be more, I'll do jus' that.

Freddie tipped his cap in Tabitha's direction as a mark of respect. He wasn't sure whether the two agreed, but he could certainly understand where she was coming from. He wanted to dig a little deeper though, if only to broaden his own horizons. 

"Tabitha, if i can put it this way, how does one cease to be a pawn, especially if square one as you put it, isn't related to our standing in this world? If I am a pawn, and I'm yet to consider my own position on this spectrum, how would I go about changing such? I fear that anyone aspiring to greater things will not achieve them simply by wishing hard. That is fanciful thinking at its best. So I ask again, how do pawns move to square two?"