aladyofqualityswords | INBOX | TEXT/VOICE/VIDEO

[Katherine nods, wincing a little.] Yes, that was... difficult. It seems you always go out of your way to help people.

[She knows in a sense that that's what he is made for, he told her as much. But... she can't help but think the kindness he shows is more than that.]

These sort of things seem to happen fairly often from what I've heard.

﹙ he folds his arms on the table, leaning forward so as to give her his undivided attention. ﹚

They do. It seems as if roughly once a month there is some manner of event that affects us. They are generally geared towards inspiring either nakedness or copulation, which I suppose at least follows the city's overall theme.

Yes... that is roughly what I've heard. I suppose it shouldn't surprise me, but...

[Even thinking about it makes her angry, and the knowledge that they're very much in public keeps the following outburst much, much quieter than she would be inclined in private.]

How dare they, really? There are-- I certainly mind what they want from us, or most of it anyway, less than other people, but that doesn't change the fact that it's horrible. People should be allowed to make their own decisions about these things!

They should be.

﹙ the ch'tat may have had emphasis on the community over the self, but free will was still a strongly held component of their belief-system. perhaps as a direct result of that, he too cleaves strongly to the ideal of self-governance. as their drinks arrive, he shifts one arm back to make room, and then curls his hand around the cup. it's warm, with scents of rose and black tea wafting upwards in the sinuous steam. ﹚

Unfortunately, as is often the case, those who have power over others seek to use it in ways advantageous to themselves, often without consideration for those they see as being beneath them. I believe that to be the case here.

[Katherine cups the drink in her hands, huffing as if that that will dim her temper. It does not.]

Well, they're obviously wrong. I think hardly anyone is beneath anyone else.

[It might be better for her to say that no one is, but really this is an unusual stance from a noble in her world as is. Especially since the person she thinks would be beneath others is (was) also a noble.]

﹙ he considers that. it is not his nature to play devil's advocate intentionally, but — ﹚

I think all sentient creatures should be inherently equal by their very nature, but I do believe that one can come to be lesser by one's own actions. If I found myself in a situation where I had to choose between two lives, and only one could be saved, I do believe my decision would be biased against a murderer. Is that very terrible of me?

﹙ he understands his own morality. takes no issue with it. he would, of course, prefer to save both. a murderer may be a terrible sort of person but he holds true to the idea that someone still deserves the opportunity to better one's self, which one cannot by nature do when one is dead. but were that not an option, then he would not lose (metaphoric) sleep over the outcome. ﹚

I don't think so.

[Katherine doesn't even really have to think about it, herself. She has never been driven to kill, but there are certainly people who deserve to be punished and she's certainly acted on that. If she'd had to chose between the lives of Artesmisia and Lord Ferris... the choice, to her, was obvious.]

It's more... the whole caste of people, who've done nothing wrong. That is what I find objectionable.

﹙ he makes a gesture of concession, the sort of errant wave of one hand. ﹚

Yes. It is troubling to me. If I saw a clearer path to amend the situation here, I would take it, but it seems plain that any who try are unduly and severely punished, as well as any allies or friends they may have had. It would be easier if it were limited to only the punishment of those directly involved.

﹙ he stops short of saying what he'd said to ronan — humans take martyrdom very seriously, even though rev thinks of it as a clear and logical choice. the one who can endure it should, and given both his age, his physiology and his purpose it ought to be him. but katherine has a gentle heart and a steel spine, and he doubts she would take so kindly to hearing it. ﹚

[He is right, Katherine would not stand for him making a martyr of himself. This did not mean that she wouldn't be trying something more if she thought it would do any good and it wouldn't come back to hurt those she cared for; she was not the most tempered of souls so who knew how long that would last, but it had been made quite clear to her than most efforts were in vain.

Basically, she absolutely agrees with Rev's reasoning, just not that he should be the one to do it.]

I have heard of that. I suppose it is effective, if they want to ensure people cooperate. [There is an unmistakable hint of bitterness to her tone. It just makes her even more mad at this place, that they would stoop to that.]

Of course. It is how dictatorships throughout history have maintained power.

﹙ he knows everything of humanity, at least relative to earth. every story, every song, dating back as long as such things have been recorded. the planet was always his to love, and love he has — dearly and well. he exhales, the motion itself unnecessary. he's found a curious comfort in the humanness of it all of late. ﹚

Things are not so bad that they cannot be withstood. I believe most would prefer to endure things as they are than risk worse.

I suppose.

[Even Katherine isn't entirely sure which part she's addressing; maybe most people would prefer to endure, but Katherine isn't personally prone in that direction. And for things not being so bad...]

It seems like much of it depends on the situation you wind up in, though. I can see easily how the contracts could happen in such a way that they would become unbearable.

Yes, there is always that concern. The society is structured in a way that makes it very easy for a Dominant to take advantage of their submissive. It's one of the things I greatly dislike — the presumption of an imbalance in a forced relationship.

﹙ he's cautioned everyone he knows with the submissive's stripe to take care, has overseen contracts and offered advice, but at the end of the day one is still relying on the good graces of their dominant, and they have very little legal protection besides. ﹚

It is certainly not my favorite aspect.

[She has not felt powerless in a while, and that element makes her feel like it's only a matter of time.]

...Dominants could be taken advantage of as well, though I suppose it might be harder. Still, there's so much at stake and there's nothing that can be done about it.

Oh? Do you think so?

﹙ it isn't that he disagrees. it's just that she is the first submissive he's aware of holding such a view, and he is curious about her thoughts on the matter. it's been ronan's primary argument against him jumping into a contract without caution — ronan, as it happens, thinks that rev is like to be taken advantage of. ﹚

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