audio; un: hopscotch

[clavesregni]

[Caitlyn sounds a bit out of breath, like she just did one too many push-ups. Did Narula make her double her exercise regimen for stepping out of line? And has she been doing it even though there wouldn't really be any meaningful consequences if she didn't? Maybe so.]

I've been down to the docks, and Lan Wangji and I spoke with a man there. A whale, really. Who confirmed that Matthias is the recipient of the tainted grain. Matthias met with Caius Justus, and the whale claimed that it was Matthias' counsel that influenced the founding of the Hand, which of course went on to supervise the grain production.

The whale also mentioned that Matthias was notably unremarkable, and no one recalls his face. And that his merchant credentials are suspect.

What's more, Narula confirmed his knowledge of the use of black water to transform Hand soldiers. The hand that Wen Kexing found was clutching a scrap of purple fabric, which Narula also confirmed most likely belonged to him, though he claimed to know nothing of the hand and that his clothes must simply have been torn during the chaos of the Colosseum. Whether that's true or not... [She doesn't love the idea of accusing a superior officer of lying or committing underhanded deeds, but it's pretty clear that in this case, Narula can't be trusted.] He's involved with Matthias and the grain shipments, whether or not he knows of Wen Kexing's hand.

Comments

un: life's a drip

[fiercechains]

So the black water was used to transform soldiers? As for Matthias, is that to say that no one will recall his face?

[ Of course, her being out of breath catches his attention too. ]

Are you alright?

[clavesregni]

Yes. Quite alright. Thank you. I've been exercising.

I'm not sure whether anyone would be able to recognize Matthias, only that the whale said he was so unremarkable that no one he knows of recalls Matthias' face. It does seem odd to me; I imagine I'd remember the face of even someone with common or plain features.

[fiercechains]

If you are not then let me know and I will do what I can to help.

I believe that I would be able to remember the face of someone with common or plain features. Which makes one wonder why someone would be so unremarkable that no one would recall a person's face.

[clavesregni]

Perhaps magic is involved. Perhaps a spell that prevents anyone who sees him from remembering what he looked like?

[fiercechains]

That is possible. Perhaps there is a reason to keep him from being remembered.

[clavesregni]

To hide his tracks? To make it more difficult for people to figure out where he's been or what he's done?

un: absterge

[downswing]

A wretched man.

[clavesregni]

Which one of them?

[downswing]

Narula, he who makes monsters of men.

[clavesregni]

I suppose so. He must have his reasons though, mustn't he? He seemed truly convinced that the water was in the best interests of the soldiers. He believes he's doing something beneficial, as mad as that is.

[downswing]

Do not all purveyors of evil?

[clavesregni]

You don't think most people know when they're doing wrong?

text — un: starburst.

[valeas]

[ Emilia hesitates in her reply, but only briefly.

She and Caitlyn went through an ordeal in Alem, to say the least, and the way they left things was not great. But Emilia does care about her, and she isn't surprised in the least Caitlyn has been in the thick of things, investigating. ]

This transformation leaves the soldiers erratic, struggling to contain themselves with the need to strike out. Their ability to mimic is nothing short of unsettling. Be careful.

[clavesregni]

[Caitlyn, for her part, bears no ill will towards Emilia. Their disagreement may have been heated, but she knows Emilia did what she thought was right. Caitlyn still respects and cares for her.]

I will be. [That's a lie. Caitlyn has never been careful in her life.]

It's terrible, what's being done to these soldiers.

[valeas]

I had the misfortune of seeing it up close.

Someone from the Hand came to the arena, inviting us to a special game, that we may showcase our skills. What he truly wanted was for these recruits to learn how to mimic our fighting styles.

[ it was exhaustive, and needless to say, upsetting. ]

They were deeply unwell.

[clavesregni]

When I spoke with him, Narula seemed quite convinced that he was... helping. That the water improved the soldiers, allowed them to grow into their full potential. I don't understand how anyone could turn someone into what you're describing and think it was good.

[valeas]

[ Emilia almost smiles, though there would have been a great deal of rue to it.

Of course Catelyn does not understand: she is truly a good person. ]

You would be surprised at what people can convince themselves of, so long as they can remain justified in their actions. Narula tells himself what he needs to believe, perhaps. What lets him sleep at night.

[clavesregni]

Do you think he truly does believe it?

[valeas]

I think what he believes, ultimately, matters less in the face of his actions.

[clavesregni]

I thought perhaps he could be reasoned with. If he could just be made to understand that he's hurting people, not helping them reach their potential, he could be a valuable ally. [And he'd stop hurting people, of course.]

[valeas]

Not everyone can be reasoned with. We know this.

[ Deimar. Haiva. ]

There is a time for diplomacy, and a time for force.

[clavesregni]

Not everyone, no.

[She's still grappling with the fact that the world is quite a lot more complicated than she was led to believe, and much more difficult to navigate when one has no institutional power.]

But even when diplomacy fails, I'm not sure force is the answer.

[valeas]

Then what is?

[ She asks in earnest.

Emilia may not always agree with Caitlyn, but she does wish to know what she thinks. ]

[clavesregni]

Before I arrived here, there was a debate amongst the Council, the rulers of my city, whether to negotiate with a criminal or start an all-out war with him. This wasn't a man who could be negotiated with.

[Even without considering Vi's perspective on Silco, the scope of his crimes and the depth of the harm he'd done made that clear.]

But they were talking about going in by force, as though that wouldn't have caused more harm to more innocent people. Violence only ever leads to more violence. That man should have been arrested, tried, and imprisoned. And if Narula can't be reasoned with, his crimes should be exposed and he should be imprisoned and replaced as leader of the Hand. The answer is justice, not force.

[valeas]

Noble though the sentiment may be, the world does not work in such absolutes.

[ Wrath tried to tell his this once, when she was less inclined to believe it. He employs diplomacy and violence with equal ease, and though Emilia does not have her husband's restraint, she sees the merit in the former. As well the latter. ]

You will not always be met with a lawful people who will try Narula. After all, the hand was created by Caius Justus himself. Anger and violence is sometimes necessary, and even productive.

[clavesregni]

If there's no proper system of justice to deal with people like Narula, shouldn't we try to create one instead of simply... murdering him?

[valeas]

I am not actually against alternative methods of dealing with Narula. Only initially skeptical that your desire to make him see the error of his ways would prove effective.

I suppose in the end, the people of Ephes have the greater right to decide.

[clavesregni]

I suppose so.

It hardly feels right, coming into a place, upending so much, and then not staying to help the people who live there manage the consequences.

[valeas]

The road to hell can be paved with good intentions.

[ Or sometimes just meddlesome. In her case, righteously furious ones. ]

You're right, however. It wrong to leave a mess others will suffer for. It will be best to act with prudence. [ Still doesn't regret Haiva, though. ]

[clavesregni]

You're not suggesting we act with bad intentions? [She is... not familiar with this phrase.]