Logs:Regarding Murder
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| RL Date: 12 October, 2015 |
| Who: Hattie, E'dre |
| Involves: Fort Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: A Discussion of the Impending Weyr Council Meeting |
| Where: Council Room, Fort Weyr |
| When: Day 24, Month 13, Turn 38 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Azaylia/Mentions, Aishani/Mentions, Oriane/Mentions, R'hin/Mentions, Mirinda/Mentions, M'kris/Mentions |
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| There could be any number of reasons why Fort's Weyrwoman is seemingly progressively more grim as the autumn and winter months have worn on, but at least there is an evident explanation for today, given the subject matter that Elaruth shares with Wroth when she reaches for the brown. « She asks to talk about the 'Reachian. And the idiot woman. » It can't be the little queen's own phrasing that she uses, for it even has something of Hattie's inflections about it, but the message is dutifully repeated nonetheless. She needn't say where - Hattie doesn't seem to manage much time beyond the council room and caverns these days. Wroth is drowsy when Elaruth's reach touches him and so his reply is far more subdued than it normally would be. « He will be there shortly. » He fades from her then to return to his nap, his hide barely warmed in the winter sun. E'dre enters the council room, his face refreshed looking with the tan that his trip gave him. He's dressed in his riding leathers, though he takes the time to strip his jacket off and toss it over a chair before he sits at his usual chair. "I'm unclear as to which woman is the idiot, but otherwise," he begins with a lifted brow directed at her, "I'm prepared for the discussion we're set to have." "Are you?" Hattie near demands from her seat at the head of the table, the work stacked before her a neat little barrier between her and him - and the world - whether she realises it or not. "Ready, that is," she clarifies. "If we're to go to Council over this whole sorry affair..." She shakes her head. "Why none of this for Azaylia or Aishani... No-one questions how many queenriders they lose..." is nothing more than bitter mutterings, still tainted by long-cold grief. "If we go to Council, you can't just go saying any old thing you please. I think Oriane's a fool, but I won't be saying so in so many words." "And why shouldn't I?" E'dre counters, lifting both brows high. "I'm not going to run my mouth and lose my temper," he clarifies, "but if no one else will bring up the obvious, I certainly will." He leans back in his chair, arms folding in front of him as he scowls at her self-created barrier. "Our Weyrs are little better than the Holds, killing each other for whatever reason best suits the current mood. And you have to realize," he continues, lifting his gaze back to hers as he smoothes out his scowl into a more neutral plane. "That the only reason this is going to council is because of Monaco. There's something to gain there, isn't there?" "Because if you show your hand, the next person anyone will be aiming to manipulate will be you," Hattie warns lowly, reaching across the hidework to sip at the dregs of icy tea. "I highly doubt that it's just a matter of High Reaches' leaders wanting justice for R'hin," she agrees. "Their ties with Monaco have been rather odd for turns now, not that I really have a leg to stand on there, with my former juniors now Southern's leaders. If they can get a controlling interest in how the place runs, I doubt they'd pass up the opportunity. This is if anyone agrees with their line of thought concerning the succession." "This is all based on the assumption that R'hin's death was a plotted murder and the Weyrleader had no cause for committing it," E'dre replies blandly, "we're already asked to proceed like judgement has come to pass. That alone seems suspicious." He shrugs a shoulder and moves to rest a hand on the table. He drums his fingers as he collects his thoughts. "We're in an Interval," he continues, tapping onto the subject of Ali's position, "and there aren't as many queens as there might be within each Weyr. It stands to reason that we shift them when the need arises. But since Oriane doesn't feel capable to run her own Weyr under these circumstances, and the junior is the accused's daughter, I guess we're in the position that someone must be placed there." He shakes his head. "And if we're going to be shifting a queen, why shouldn't we go so far as shifting a bronze or brownrider? The leadership is too shaky as it stands now." "Oriane or Mirinda passing judgement are equally displeasing options." Hattie lapses into silence, seemingly about to say no more, but then she shakes her head and murmurs, "There's no telling how any of this will unfold until everyone's arguments have been put forth," with a twitch of her shoulders. "For Oriane to take M'kris into custody and have resigned her knot is foolish. No matter what she could be trying to protect of her reputation or morals, she'll be remembered for the mess she's made more than anything else." She cannot quite hide the flick of her eyes towards the ceiling. "I don't want Mirinda in charge any more than I want Oriane to keep her knot, even if she could hold onto it, but it might not be as simple a matter as moving in new blood. And truly, even that will not be simple. We may be autonomous, but none of us are impartial, or oblivious." "I don't want to pass judgement on someone's decision made under extreme pressure and likely shock," E'dre adds his thoughts following Hattie's lapse into silence. "She may regret her rashness later or she may not." He rubs at his temple with a forefinger. "It'll be interesting to see how the Council unfolds and where people choose to stand. I think until we can suss out the rest of the Weyr's reactions and discuss their motives, we really can't do much." He pauses, looking at the wall behind Hattie with a distant expression. "This isn't the first time I've found myself feeling relief that I am no longer a Reachian. I imagine," he adds sourly, looking back to Hattie with the same distance to his gaze, "it won't be the last." "Or she might not have been shocked at all." There's no attempt on Hattie's part to keep it from being a damning condemnation, whether she seems to believe that it's true or otherwise. "As it is, there may be no time to discuss anything when the time comes," she goes on, watching E'dre and not watching him at the same time. "You're not bound to agree with me, should it come down to any rounds of votes. I won't hold it against you if you don't." The implication being that others might. "Whatever happens, it's not a pissing contest. Too many goldriders may have lost their lives at the 'Reaches for me to ever trust them, but I won't vote against what they desire just to spite them. We need to do what's best for us... And sometimes, what we can live with." "Before we head into that Council, we should consider what is best for us," E'dre agrees, waving between the space between them and lifting a hand to wave over his shoulder to indicate the Weyr at large. "And it may very well be best for Fort to come out agreeing on this point rather than each of us casting a different vote. I see absolutely no reason to show anything but a stable leadership between the two of us. If you give me your opinion now, I'll respect it and we can agree to what we may vote on prior to the meeting. If things change due to knowledge we gain, well, at least we tried. We can always have Wroth and Elaruth talk for us while we listen." He shrugs, splaying his fingers out on the table. "I haven't been to one of these before, so your guidance will be appreciated." "I'm not sure that I have any more of an opinion right now than what I've told you," Hattie admits somewhat reluctantly. "But you're right. It wouldn't be a bad thing for them to speak for us, provided they can each deliver accurate information without colouring it with their own thoughts." She leans back in her chair and lets her head drop back for a moment. "I don't have any particular investment in Monaco, but I'd rather no-one else did either. If it's a choice between making a move for us and letting someone else do the same..." When she straightens again, she grips the edge of the table and hauls herself forward, as if she needs the support. "I can make you notes about everything I know about the others Weyrleaders. Some of the juniors. If you don't mind playing pretend, we can even run through what it's like at Council." "I'm sure Elaruth is more reliable than Wroth," E'dre admits dryly, "but if the stakes are high and it involves the strength of our leadership, he'll behave as best as he can. Elaruth doesn't offend him, so he should be fine." He winces slightly and then rubs at his temple again with a grimace. "He says he will be." The mention of pretend has him smiling, despite the gravity of their discussion. "I've just returned from spending time with my children. I'm well prepared to play more pretend. Especially if it'll serve us well to do it. And yes, I've met all of the Weyrleaders over the turns but none of them have recently come calling to me." He shrugs at this, unbothered by that admission, "so let's haggle this tidbit out and then we can move onto more enjoyable pursuits." "Maybe you can," Hattie says under her breath. "I'm beginning to forget what they are." She's not bitter, for all the darkness of her words, her answer matter of fact and nothing more. "I'll need some time to write everything down and put into manageable segments, or you're not going to remember any of it. I don't suppose I need say that what I tell you doesn't go beyond yourself. I might be up for gearing for battle, but I'm not going to give anyone else the means to harm someone else's leadership unnecessarily." Thumb and forefinger press to the bridge of her nose. "I can have everything ready by this evening, if you're willing to dedicate the time." "That sounds reasonable to me. How about we have dinner in here then?" E'dre asks as he scoots his chair back with an audible scrape to the floor. "I'll let you return to your work," he continues as he heaves himself up with a small grunt for the effort. "I'll see you for dinner and we can take as much time as you need," E'dre continues and for someone who has been away from their weyrmate for the last few days, he seems a little too eager for the opportunity. "Just have Elaruth send word to Wroth. We can practice that too," he adds with a crooked smile, "and I'll bring a meal here." Hattie's only response is a bob of her head and a smile that doesn't make it past a thin, strained thing. She directs her focus back to her work just as it seems E'dre is headed outside, but there's little interest there for the tasks that lie before her. Hour upon hour will pass, and nothing much will change at all, save for the stack of hidework growing smaller and the appearance of a set of notes in its place. Upon his return, it might seem like the Weyrwoman hasn't moved at all. |
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