Then I expect you won’t mind assuring Trixie of that yourself.
[ He says it briskly. ]
In the meantime, I’ll have to mention all of this to your current temp. He’s the official touchpoint for you here at the moment so I expect he’ll want to weigh in.
[ He holds the cup in one hand and holds the saucer in the other. ]
However, the point stands that my actions have, by your own admission, been escalated in the perception of the wardens. Meaning that they may, either intentionally or unintentionally, 'warn' others of my actions.
In such a small place as this, that news will make the rounds and soon enough, be in all corners.
And for a person like myself, physically frail and extremely limited in my defenses, without a permanent warden to adjust that and largely useless even if handed a weapon, my survival and safety may rest on the element of surprise. Alternately, I may rely on Johann, but we all know that will only have one end, extremely limiting my choices if I do not wish for my attacker to be murdered.
[ He places the cup and saucer down. ]
I have no objection to some punishment, if you truly think that my actions warrant such a thing, but I had thought you would consider the relative cost to me in relation to what was done.
[ The eyebrow somehow moves even higher at that. ]
These are all points I am sure you considered before doing this. And I very much doubt you expected to get away with it indefinitely.
Whether you expected Henry to get to the point where it seems he’s been starving himself, I couldn’t say - but that is what has happened.
So as little sympathy as I have for his present circumstances, the fact remains, you still made the choice to do this. And I don’t think it’s asking too much for you to take responsibility for this, at least to Henry’s Warden. I haven’t told her it was you, and I’m not going to tell anyone else besides Xie Lian. You can answer to both of them directly and make your concerns known to them.
[ That earns him a delicate crinkling of his nose. ]
Of course not. I was intending to stop tomorrow, as that might move beyond the intention of my actions. And as long as it does stop, and the method of my actions is kept away from other inmates so it cannot be repeated, I don't see what value my confession might bring.
The value of it is that part of taking responsibility is facing others impacted by your actions. And however justified you may feel in terms of the damage done to Henry, Trixie deserves to hear from you that her charge will no longer be targeted.
And yes. I have every reason to believe that both of them will. Xie Lian is an old soul with a very patient, understanding disposition, and Trixie is well aware of the pain Henry’s actions have caused. I don’t even think she’ll hold it against you - provided you deal honestly with her.
[ Florian takes a moment to reach into his pocket and pull out his communicator. Then he flicks his fingers until he's at a specific conversation. ]
Clearly not a concern of Frau Kiryu's.
[ He'll wait until Archer has seemingly read it before he continues. ]
What would you have had me do instead, Herr Archer? The entirety of this ship, his warden included if what I have heard is to be believed, behaved as if his actions were an unfortunate hurricane instead of the choices of a thinking being.
He did not even work to clean up the mess left throughout the ship. He did not apologize to all he harmed.
Explain to me, Herr Archer, how my largely harmless act against one who ripped Johann apart time and time again, who killed several people and injured others, including myself, is worth my greater safety.
[ A single breath. ]
Yes, of course I weighed my options before I took action. But you are also not an act of nature. Will you continue to act as if this is a simple situation, aggression unwarned against an innocent, 'poison' as opposed to discomfort... or will you consider another option?
[ Archer takes the communicator and reads the conversation. There’s nothing truly surprising in it — and honestly, Florian is touching on something he personally finds annoying. He has no idea what Trixie did or didn’t do with Henry following the attack on the ship, and after a ship wide assault, more could have been done to show others that Henry truly was being held accountable.
Still, he hands the communicator back, his expression unchanged. ]
You can present your alternative, Florian. But I’m not going to hold you - or anyone else, for that matter - to a lesser standard simply because someone else wasn’t held to one.
Nor will I have words put in my mouth that I did not say - because I have not at any point attributed innocence to Henry.
I hardly put them there, Herr Archer. But how, in fact, would you treat this differently if I were to have gone after an innocent?
[ He turns his hand towards Archer. ]
If you are, as you say, not holding me to a 'lesser' standard because someone else was not held to one, if you remove the extenuating circumstances, then what is the material difference between the two?
I would not speak to your opinion as I do not know it further than you have stated, but the bottom line is as I have said... unless it is not?
If you had targeted an innocent - or multiple innocents - I would be handling this with far less discretion that I presently am.
Because if you were that much of a loose cannon, I would consider it important enough to make a note on your ledger, for any Warden to come across.
Trixie herself, however, does not want everyone up in arms over this. She just wants it to stop and was at wits end over what else to do besides ask others for help.
As for the bottom line, from where I'm sitting, you made the choice to do this knowing full well that there was a high risk of discovery. You used a method adjacent to what I've been teaching you so you had to know I would catch wind of it, eventually. I'm not proposing a harsh punishment for this, and I'm certainly not going to encourage it when I speak to Xie Lian. However, I do think it is right and fair for you to at least assure Trixie that this matter is settled.
Because while some of your criticisms are fair, I would remind you that she was also injured and in the infirmary at the same time you were. She did not escape harm. And if she did not address everything the way she should have, that is most likely the reason why.
She is not a monster herself but has the unenviable task of humanizing a foolish man who thinks himself inhuman. And you made a judgment about how much she does or doesn't care about the harm he has done when, as far as I can gather, you didn't bother addressing the matter with her at all. Instead, you decided to take matters into your own hands.
There is more, of course - but I am also looking much further down the road from this moment, and ultimately, this strategy will not serve you well. So I am addressing it now and dealing with it now, because the last thing I want is for you to be stuck here indefinitely.
The lady essentially requested I keep my distance from her, Herr Archer, as she fears trouble from Johann given their shared warden. I assured her that I could keep him from harming her, but she still expressed discomfort. Given that, it seemed ill-advised to bring my concerns to her as she may have thought of it as a threat.
Nor was my comment on Frau Kiryu a criticism of her, only a comment. I do not prevaricate, Herr Archer; if I thought ill of her, I would say as such. I do not. You will notice nowhere in my choices have I sought harm against her, though it is obvious enough that she would be another avenue in 'reaching' Herr Creel.
Is there some reason why you could not assure her that her troubles are at an end?
[ It is a distinct sign of how much Florian does, in fact, trust Archer that he lets out a little giggle at the mention of 'the shits'. But once he's recovered, he will sigh very tiredly before he nods. ]
Only if you will be there to assure her of her safety, Herr Archer. I would not do harm I don't intend to do, whether you believe me or not on her concerns.
[ Archer can’t stand being lied to like that, especially when he already knows the truth of a matter. ]
I don’t doubt you when you say there is discomfort on her part. And I believe that you have no ill intentions towards her. But I also don’t think she’s as nervous about you as you may think, particularly if Johann has no involvement in this.
So it will be the three of us - though I don’t anticipate I’ll have much to say.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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I didn’t ask. [ Mostly because he didn’t care enough to. ] And while I can certainly understand your rationale, this conversation is where it ends.
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Hardly 'rationale'. But of course it's over, Herr Archer.
If it got to you, the point has been made. It would be boring to belabor it.
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[ He says it briskly. ]
In the meantime, I’ll have to mention all of this to your current temp. He’s the official touchpoint for you here at the moment so I expect he’ll want to weigh in.
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So this is worth my safety to you? I see. Not what I would have thought, but if you wish...
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Are you expecting to be tarred and feathered for this?
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Hardly.
[ He holds the cup in one hand and holds the saucer in the other. ]
However, the point stands that my actions have, by your own admission, been escalated in the perception of the wardens. Meaning that they may, either intentionally or unintentionally, 'warn' others of my actions.
In such a small place as this, that news will make the rounds and soon enough, be in all corners.
And for a person like myself, physically frail and extremely limited in my defenses, without a permanent warden to adjust that and largely useless even if handed a weapon, my survival and safety may rest on the element of surprise. Alternately, I may rely on Johann, but we all know that will only have one end, extremely limiting my choices if I do not wish for my attacker to be murdered.
[ He places the cup and saucer down. ]
I have no objection to some punishment, if you truly think that my actions warrant such a thing, but I had thought you would consider the relative cost to me in relation to what was done.
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These are all points I am sure you considered before doing this. And I very much doubt you expected to get away with it indefinitely.
Whether you expected Henry to get to the point where it seems he’s been starving himself, I couldn’t say - but that is what has happened.
So as little sympathy as I have for his present circumstances, the fact remains, you still made the choice to do this. And I don’t think it’s asking too much for you to take responsibility for this, at least to Henry’s Warden. I haven’t told her it was you, and I’m not going to tell anyone else besides Xie Lian. You can answer to both of them directly and make your concerns known to them.
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Of course not. I was intending to stop tomorrow, as that might move beyond the intention of my actions. And as long as it does stop, and the method of my actions is kept away from other inmates so it cannot be repeated, I don't see what value my confession might bring.
[ A small huff. ]
Do you trust them to consider my well being?
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And yes. I have every reason to believe that both of them will. Xie Lian is an old soul with a very patient, understanding disposition, and Trixie is well aware of the pain Henry’s actions have caused. I don’t even think she’ll hold it against you - provided you deal honestly with her.
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Clearly not a concern of Frau Kiryu's.
[ He'll wait until Archer has seemingly read it before he continues. ]
What would you have had me do instead, Herr Archer? The entirety of this ship, his warden included if what I have heard is to be believed, behaved as if his actions were an unfortunate hurricane instead of the choices of a thinking being.
He did not even work to clean up the mess left throughout the ship. He did not apologize to all he harmed.
Explain to me, Herr Archer, how my largely harmless act against one who ripped Johann apart time and time again, who killed several people and injured others, including myself, is worth my greater safety.
[ A single breath. ]
Yes, of course I weighed my options before I took action. But you are also not an act of nature. Will you continue to act as if this is a simple situation, aggression unwarned against an innocent, 'poison' as opposed to discomfort... or will you consider another option?
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Still, he hands the communicator back, his expression unchanged. ]
You can present your alternative, Florian. But I’m not going to hold you - or anyone else, for that matter - to a lesser standard simply because someone else wasn’t held to one.
Nor will I have words put in my mouth that I did not say - because I have not at any point attributed innocence to Henry.
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[ He turns his hand towards Archer. ]
If you are, as you say, not holding me to a 'lesser' standard because someone else was not held to one, if you remove the extenuating circumstances, then what is the material difference between the two?
I would not speak to your opinion as I do not know it further than you have stated, but the bottom line is as I have said... unless it is not?
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Because if you were that much of a loose cannon, I would consider it important enough to make a note on your ledger, for any Warden to come across.
Trixie herself, however, does not want everyone up in arms over this. She just wants it to stop and was at wits end over what else to do besides ask others for help.
As for the bottom line, from where I'm sitting, you made the choice to do this knowing full well that there was a high risk of discovery. You used a method adjacent to what I've been teaching you so you had to know I would catch wind of it, eventually. I'm not proposing a harsh punishment for this, and I'm certainly not going to encourage it when I speak to Xie Lian. However, I do think it is right and fair for you to at least assure Trixie that this matter is settled.
Because while some of your criticisms are fair, I would remind you that she was also injured and in the infirmary at the same time you were. She did not escape harm. And if she did not address everything the way she should have, that is most likely the reason why.
She is not a monster herself but has the unenviable task of humanizing a foolish man who thinks himself inhuman. And you made a judgment about how much she does or doesn't care about the harm he has done when, as far as I can gather, you didn't bother addressing the matter with her at all. Instead, you decided to take matters into your own hands.
There is more, of course - but I am also looking much further down the road from this moment, and ultimately, this strategy will not serve you well. So I am addressing it now and dealing with it now, because the last thing I want is for you to be stuck here indefinitely.
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Nor was my comment on Frau Kiryu a criticism of her, only a comment. I do not prevaricate, Herr Archer; if I thought ill of her, I would say as such. I do not. You will notice nowhere in my choices have I sought harm against her, though it is obvious enough that she would be another avenue in 'reaching' Herr Creel.
Is there some reason why you could not assure her that her troubles are at an end?
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I’m not asking you to repent and grovel before the rest of the ship for forgiveness. A case of the shits, however terrible, hardly warrants that.
But if you do respect her, you should address the matter with her. This, I believe, supersedes any distance she might have asked you to keep.
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Only if you will be there to assure her of her safety, Herr Archer. I would not do harm I don't intend to do, whether you believe me or not on her concerns.
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I’ll be there to ensure the matter is settled properly.
I’ll also reach out to her and let her know you’ve agreed to speak with her.
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Do you think that I would lie to you, Herr Archer?
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[ Archer can’t stand being lied to like that, especially when he already knows the truth of a matter. ]
I don’t doubt you when you say there is discomfort on her part. And I believe that you have no ill intentions towards her. But I also don’t think she’s as nervous about you as you may think, particularly if Johann has no involvement in this.
So it will be the three of us - though I don’t anticipate I’ll have much to say.
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Though I suspect anything ugly you have to say about Henry, she wouldn’t hold against you.
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Apparently.
Since “the shits” is now an actual term I’ve had to say to discuss all of this with you.
[ Is he actually cross? No. Just let him have this one (not actual) complaint. ]
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There are countless other terms you could have utilized, Herr Archer. I could list them for you and allow you to choose if you like.
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And a foul result is best described by foul language.
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