psychic thread

[agentlenpc]

[The gentle brush against the Strangers' minds comes in early evening. It is, as all mental touches are from Fayura, soft and unassuming, much like a polite knock at a door. Once as many minds are connected as she thinks will open the door to her, she speaks.]

I am curious, Strangers, what you would do with the young man who shot and killed Councilwoman Vera.

Many of you come from worlds where there are laws against murder. While we have no such laws here, when a Blood male in a Queen's Territory kills another without cause, she may demand a price from him. Sometimes, that is his own life if he was negligent enough with his temper and sometimes, it's something less.

My trouble is this: if I execute him according to the laws of the Blood, of which he is not one, the Guilds will rouse their people into a furor and attack not only me, but the people of Draega. If I turn him over to the Ebon Council, the Guilds will do much the same, and that will incite the Council to strike back. And if I return him to the Guilds for accolades instead of punishment for taking a life, the Ebon Council will have cause to rip apart the Guilds and anyone in their way to extract from him the price for murdering one of their own.

Were you me, what course would you take? And please try not to shout over each other; this is as many of you as I could reach.

Comments

[midship]

With respect, ma'am, the utility often comes with the capacity to exchange prisoners in instances like this.

[agentlenpc]

[Ah. Hostages, she understands. She understands that concept very, very well.]

Then that is something to consider in more detail. [The whole idea repels her, but she isn't young and naive; idealism only gets a person so far. And, well, she's still Blood. She's gotten her hands dirty before. It's just that manipulation like this seems a worse thing to her than killing someone.] And I will. Consider it, that is.

[midship]

Consider treating yours well, ma'am.

[agentlenpc]

I would not abuse him. There has been enough abuse between the Blood and the landens. [This grieves her.] He is quite comfortable. But the reminder is appreciated.

[midship]

I'm certain you would-- hardly mean to.

[But it never hurts to be cautious. And it always hurts to think on his glimpses of the civilian prisoners of Ferrol languishing away.]

Being held, even gently, can... grate.

[agentlenpc]

[She winces, and for a moment, a feeling of being crushed in darkness washes through their connection. Wandering aimless roads that are as much freedom as they are prison. A mountain collapsing around those roads, and a lost, little girl overwhelmed by the yawning abyss beneath her.]

Yes. [Her mental voice is soft, so soft.] Yes, it can. I will see what I can do about balancing freedom with protection.

[midship]

--thank you, ma'am.

[What for? Unclear, even to himself.]

[agentlenpc]

[All that darkness fades in the face of a quiet laugh.]

For doing what is right? I'll take the thanks, I suppose. It comes rarely enough.

And I fear I've kept you too long. Thank you, Horatio, for your thoughts. [Kind of literally.]