I know. And he might easily not think it's enough, if he did believe.
You urged me to take a chance, to try trust. I offered him his sword back. He didn't take it. Furious enough to be dangerous, too honest to reach for something he wants badly. He is trying.
[It's frustrating, because he thinks Flint wouldn't feel the injustice of it all so keenly if he were armed, but Jedao can't push it on him, not carelessly, not when James is truly trying to do this in an honorable way, despite all his bitterness.]
...asking about his captain, Blackbeard, one of the other wardens, will get a reaction.
He's a professional. And a practical man. He hasn't survived in the world he's lived in without avoiding trouble he can. His pride is second to that, even if it can be wounded. And he has pride in that sense.
He follows his own code, strictly. Implying otherwise is an insult. But he's still a pirate. A criminal.
We had criminals - petty crimes, or crimes of passion, and border smugglers that exist on the factions' sufferance, the better to help smuggle our agents across when called upon. But nothing...nothing with community. Unless it's heresy and treason.
Anything from innocent mistakes to open rebellion.
[He shrugs awkwardly.]
It’s different now, with the Compact. But it’s only been two years since the fall of the Hexarchate, so any underworlds starting up are probably still local.
Not that anyone would tell me if it were otherwise, I suppose.
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You urged me to take a chance, to try trust. I offered him his sword back. He didn't take it. Furious enough to be dangerous, too honest to reach for something he wants badly. He is trying.
[It's frustrating, because he thinks Flint wouldn't feel the injustice of it all so keenly if he were armed, but Jedao can't push it on him, not carelessly, not when James is truly trying to do this in an honorable way, despite all his bitterness.]
In time, if I can bring him to listen, would you?
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Of course.
Flint-san... was a friend. I would see that wound healed, if it can be. And I'm not unaware that he approached Hands-san on the network.
And not with a chair to the back of the head.
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I don't mean to step into that conversation. It would be salt to no purpose, right now. But I'll keep my eye on it as best I can.
And I think I ought to have a proper conversation with Israel. Is there anything in particular I should be careful of?
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He's a professional. And a practical man. He hasn't survived in the world he's lived in without avoiding trouble he can. His pride is second to that, even if it can be wounded. And he has pride in that sense.
He follows his own code, strictly. Implying otherwise is an insult. But he's still a pirate. A criminal.
[ One of his own, really. ]
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It's funny, we don't really have any pirates in the Hept - in the Compact.
[He wonders, sometimes, why he was chosen for James, except when his whole chest hurts with knowing.]
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Pirates are more rare when I come from. But the underworld I know, society outside of the law... it isn't much different.
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There's nothing outside of the law but heretics. And until quite recently, heretics never survived long enough to build anything.
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[ He's curious. That's... certainly a name to put on outsiders. ]
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We had criminals - petty crimes, or crimes of passion, and border smugglers that exist on the factions' sufferance, the better to help smuggle our agents across when called upon. But nothing...nothing with community. Unless it's heresy and treason.
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[He shrugs awkwardly.]
It’s different now, with the Compact. But it’s only been two years since the fall of the Hexarchate, so any underworlds starting up are probably still local.
Not that anyone would tell me if it were otherwise, I suppose.