Fiat Justicia 1.1: Part 4ish (Complete)

[02:20]	Arkalest	Sabina: You find Natah sitting on a baclony in the housing complex- Legs furled under her as she meditates in the lotus position, wearing a pair of white pants and a sleeveless blouse
[02:21]	Sabina	waits a polite distance away, not wanting to disturb Natah
[02:22]	Arkalest	"Sabina?" Her ears perk and he twists her head 280°s to look at you.
[02:22]	Sabina	"Hello, do you have a moment?"
[02:23]	Arkalest	"Yes, sure." Their thoughts are pleasantly soft-edged, lazily sloshing into each other like fishes dipping into a stream. She pats the ground next to her.
[02:23]	Sabina	sits, down, taking a moment to clear her head.
[02:25]	Arkalest	"What did you want to ask me?" Their eyes narrow and widen as they join their hands.
[02:26]	Sabina	"I found out that the glaive belonged to the previous chief. I'm not upset, just curious as to why you didn't say anything. I'm somewhat worried I may have stepped on some toes by taking it, not that it would have stopped me had I known."
[02:28]	Arkalest	"Nobody ever tells me anything /important./ "THey close their eyes. "And whoever did the armory inventory forgot to mention that tidbit."
[02:29]	Arkalest	Their tone is soft more than disappointed- The corners of their mouth slighty bared on needle-like perfect teeth.
[02:29]	Sabina	"Ah, additional the records are out of date. The Archivist's records noted it was only a HF blade still."
[02:29]	Sabina	*Additionally
[02:38]	Arkalest	Their ears perk up like knives, and his pupils slowly dilate.
[02:42]	Arkalest	"Out of date, or purposefully obscured?"
[02:42]	Sabina	"I hope the former." She fidgets slightly "I may have let my. . . displeasure with the Archivist get the better of me and told her about the upgrade out of spite."
[03:00]	Arkalest	"You insulkted her througly?"
[03:01]	Sabina	nods and then relays the incident in its entirety to Natah.
[03:12]	Arkalest	By the end of it they're staring intently at you, elbows on their knees and hands under their "chin".
[03:13]	Arkalest	"This is worrisome.."
[03:17]	Sabina	nods. "Were it just her, I would be worried, but her fear of the other's reaction had she not dealt unfairly with Ikris lends the appearance to something more systemic and ingrained." She frowns, eyes flashing angrily "and /that/ appears to be having a negative impact on people's duties as well."
[03:26]	Arkalest	"Sadly that is an uncontrovertible thruth...One which I am afraid I contributed to...."
[03:28]	Sabina	blinks. "You have?"
[03:29]	Arkalest	"Mostly by....Treating Ikris too outlandishly.."
[03:29]	Arkalest	Their ears lower ande Natah looks away guiltly.
[03:29]	Sabina	"Oh, uh. . that. ."
[03:31]	Sabina	"I don't think poorly of you because of that you know."
[03:32]	Arkalest	"I know. I still can not stop feeling that."
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[03:45]	Sabina	nods. "I'm not really sure what to say."
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[03:46]	Arkalest	"Neither do I..."
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[03:47]	Arkalest	They close their eyes. "And as far as the stave goes, I am afraid it may be the least of our problems with the old Constables."
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[03:48]	Sabina	"How bad is this going to get then?"
[03:52]	Arkalest	"It depends on how we play it. Your and Sarah's arrivals have tipped the scale, methinks."
[03:52]	Sabina	"In which direction? I'm almost entirely ignorant of the politics of this place."
[03:55]	Arkalest	"The possibility is that Tuissant's intention to widen the numbers of the psionic department is seen as an attempt to overshadow the kill teams."
[03:56]	Sabina	"And they may feel that they have to force her hand or lose any chance of limiting her influence?"
[03:58]	Arkalest	A slow nod.
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[04:00]	Sabina	"And what would their goals be exactly? limit the hiring of further psionic agents?"
[04:01]	Arkalest	"Or showcasing that we are not the end to all things in terms of caspaibilities. Perhaps it'd be a good idea to check on them- To go there and present yourself as disharmingly as possible, to siddociate yourself from the perceived scheming of Tuissant."
[04:03]	Sabina	"I think there is wisdom in that. Perhaps try and bridge that gap as well to a extant. If nothing else it would be good to see the other sections."
[04:08]	Arkalest	"We will not certainly win their favor by staying in our own section and acting like we are scheming for something, after all. And the stave- Did the archivist give you any sigifnicant input on its history?"
[04:08]	Sabina	"I  put forward a request for it's history. I expect her to fulfill that within a few days."
[04:10]	Arkalest	"Interesting. COuld you forward it to me as well?"
[04:11]	Sabina	"Of course. . " She leans back, "Do you know why Tuissant is expanding the Psionic department so aggressively?"
[04:12]	Arkalest	"I think it is a mixture of her knowing how to work better with fully fledged psionics and something else. Something related to the paintings."
[04:18]	Sabina	"We, my clan that is, have a  word that would closest translate to "The Duty of Existence." but that doesn't quite encompass it really. It's. . . a sort of description for the natural order of. . . everything. It doesn't make moral claims, insomuch as it describes the. . . " She taps her leg "It has a number of meanings, part of why it is so hard to explain it in a concise manner."
[04:19]	Arkalest	"And the paintings do not fit in that order?"
[04:19]	Sabina	"It proscribes the nature of existence, the path and cycle of reincarnation."
[04:19]	Sabina	She holds up a hand "Not exactly."
[04:21]	Sabina	"But there are. . . things that do not fit within this. We call them Abomination, for they are aberration to the natural order of things. Wounds in the Universe itself. They are to be cast out to the void. Cast down from Heaven, barred from the Earth, and forbidden from the 13 hells. They have no place here."
[04:22]	Sabina	"Of course," She smiles in a way that doesn't quite reach her face "these are stories, myths. They hold truth yes, but more in how one should conduct their life. We are found of metaphor and allegory in my clan you see."
[04:22]	Arkalest	"That sounds like a lonely existence. " THey close their eyes. "Appropiate, considering what the artist must have felt."
[04:24]	Sabina	nods
[04:24]	Arkalest	"No wonder the old Constables feel boxed in, then. This is beyond the scope of their abilities, beyond the scope of their understanding. Faced with the unknowable and faced with loss, they retreat in themselves.
[04:24]	Arkalest	"....Or they could simply be assholes."
[04:25]	Sabina	"The former does not preclude the latter, but I prefer to be charitable to them as well. We should not be at odds."
[04:26]	Arkalest	Either way, Tuissant's behavior must not have helped." THey crane their neck backwards, looking a the fake sky. "She seem to be proficient at obfuscating meaning and twisting the truth just enough to serve her cause."
[04:26]	Sabina	"I
[04:27]	Sabina	"I'm sure she has her reasons."
[04:28]	Arkalest	"TO protect others, probably. But fact is, the old Constables are smart enough to have the hunch they're being mislead- But not knowledgeable of her enough to just power through her labyrinths."
[04:29]	Sabina	"If they were fools they would not be here."
[04:30]	Arkalest	"Which makes me wonder about the previous Chief. Ikris belatedfly mentioned the presence of  Ashen Age settlement ruins spanning a considerable amount of the habitat, after all.."
[04:31]	Sabina	nods
[04:31]	Sabina	"She told me the same. If you dig down a few meters you'll find ruins." She sighs "This place is a grave."
[04:37]	Arkalest	They close their eyes. "That is why I love it."
[04:37]	Arkalest	"It reminds me of home."
[04:37]	Sabina	"Oh?"
[04:45]	Arkalest	Natah slowly joins their hands, tail arching behind her back. "You do not know of our history, do you?" There's no malice or reproach in his voice.
[04:45]	Sabina	"No, I don't. We're a rather insular people I'm afraid."
[04:49]	Arkalest	"We were made."
[04:52]	Arkalest	"And then left to our own devices in worlds full of the remnants of our makers. Ruins spanning the horizon, seas fdilled with the remains of megastructures- Orbitals dangling in the sky like jewels."
[04:52]	Sabina	"That sounds like a sobering childhood, if you do not mind me speaking my mind."
[04:53]	Arkalest	"We never had one."
[04:54]	Arkalest	"We never grew like Man did. We just one day found ourselves among the graves of giants, and it is liberating."
[04:55]	Sabina	"How so?"
[04:56]	Arkalest	SHe straighetens his neck. "Because we knew we were not the only ones. That someone had made us for a purpose- And in not knowing that purpose, we were free."
[04:57]	Sabina	nods
[04:58]	Arkalest	"It may sound silly, but when you are primed to /know/, not knowing something is...Enticing. It frees you."
[04:59]	Sabina	"It makes some sense, in a way, though I think also that my lack of perspective hinders full comprehension as well."
[04:59]	Arkalest	"You do not lack perspective. You simply have a different one."
[05:01]	Sabina	'True, I would have been more accurate to say I lacked the needed perspective to understand that."
[05:02]	Arkalest	"Perhaps we should apply that to the old Constables..."
[05:03]	Sabina	"Oh? What are you thinking then?"
[05:05]	Arkalest	"They do not understand us, and vice-versa."
[05:08]	Sabina	nods
[05:11]	Arkalest	"SO we may enhance each other's perspective.."
[05:11]	Sabina	"And alleviate some of their concerns about the Psionic department as well."
[05:14]	Arkalest	-------------
[05:15]	Arkalest	Sabina: The elevator's doors opens intoa  similar arrangement to the psionic department- Still, the walls seem to be more rudimentary. A dull grey rather than a light white, and there is an actual keypad near the elevator- With worn buttons. The air does share the same amount of adrenaline and stale coffee, but there's a nticeable stench of gun-oil as wlel.
[05:20]	Sabina	steps out of the elevator
[05:22]	Arkalest	Sabina: You can hear the chatter of people going about their business down the corridor- Mostly NM pidgins and other fluent, sparse-worded dialects spoken by low and high-pitched voices- SOmetimes hidden by a robotic reverb.
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[05:24]	Arkalest	Upwards theres  the more animate kind of talks- Sometimes a shout rings out, or even a low morph growl.
[05:25]	Arkalest	Judging by voices alone the department outnumbers yours considerably.
[05:30]	Arkalest	Sabina: You spot the same tigress who accompanied Tuissant. Just slightly under your height and wearing a black suit, she strides into the corridor- Sipping from a coffee cup, whiskers twitching
[05:31]	Sabina	makes eye contact and gives a small nervous wave
[05:32]	Arkalest	Her green eyes widen, thoughts slowly turning from grey to a soft hue of green- Interest. "Hello there." Her voice is a rumbling purr.
[05:34]	Sabina	bows her head. "Hello Agent Fontaine."
[05:34]	Arkalest	"Norland. How may I help you today?"
[05:39]	Sabina	"I've seen a fair bit of the Psionics department, and have met several co-workers within it, but I haven't seen much of the other sections. I wanted to familiarize myself with the other sections."
[05:45]	Arkalest	Her long whiskers twitch. "You have talked to the right person, then. May we move to a more private setting?"
[05:46]	Sabina	"Of course." She nods again and follows Fontaine
[05:53]	Arkalest	Sabina: She leads you into a well-furnished office at thje end of the corridor- No windows, but tek-covered walls that smell of flowering roses, grey filaments masterfully threaded throughout the bark. Her desk is boomerang-shaped, a plastic thing covered in slots and dirtied lenses. Overall the place just reeks of wet cat and catnip, with little to no other furniture except for a grey...
[05:53]	Arkalest	...beanbag. "This is, ah." The catmorph's tail arches as she gesture amibably at the inside, green eyes fixed on you. "My temporary office."
[05:54]	Sabina	"I see, and thank you for your time as well. I appreciate it."
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[06:16]	Arkalest	She gestures at the beanbag chair. "So, I assume Tuissant's little show brought this on?"
[06:16]	Sabina	"You mean what happened at the Archives?" She takes a seat, long limbs fitting awkwardly
[06:18]	Arkalest	The chair creaks under her weight, and she makes a displeased face at the sound of plastic and wood bending- Which is more or less her baring her upper teeth."...Sorry." Fontaine's voice is hoarse, and there is a slight UD accent to her.
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[06:19]	Arkalest	"I mean, for the teeth. Not the scene. Jocelyn was out of line."
[06:20]	Sabina	"Ah, no offense taken. physically intimidating acts lose their punch if there is no intention behind them."
[06:25]	Arkalest	"Smart remark- Wholly in line with what I'd expect out of you. Did you use telepathy to single me out?" Her voice is filled with genuine curiosity, and she slowly tents her hands. What you can see of her arms suggest a powerful musculature and a neatly kept fur that smells faintly of oranges- Although her breath is stained with some blood type and coffee.
[06:26]	Sabina	shakes her head
[06:27]	Arkalest	"Interesting. "
[06:27]	Arkalest	SHe closes her eyes, whiskers twitching. "So I assume you want to know more about this issue of ours?"
[06:28]	Sabina	"I refrain from actively using my telepathy on people without permission." She nods slowly "If you would like to share, but I was being honest in my intent to learn more about the other sections as well."
[06:29]	Arkalest	"Truth to be told, I've been here for only five years. That is a pitiable amount of time compared to some others agents, but still enough to draw a map of this place."
[06:31]	Arkalest	Fontaine slowly unclasps her hands. "It all started with Dubiers' idea of putting together a proper psionic department. Twas...Eight years ago, perhaps?"
[06:31]	Sabina	nods listening attentively
[06:34]	Arkalest	"Now- You are not corp-bred, are you?" Her nostrils flare. "No....Mmh, your genemods- No, you were born like this in an natural womb."
[06:34]	Sabina	nods in agreement.
[06:35]	Arkalest	"Dubiers was many things, but fearful wasn't one of them. She wasn't afraid of people like me, like you- Like your friend the Vorak."
[06:39]	Arkalest	"She wasn't afraid of breaking a little rule here and there. Disregard.." The tigress runs a clawtip across a whisker. "A few formalities. Among them was the idea that there is a sort of bar to clear for entry in the psionic department."
[06:39]	Sabina	thinks back to some of the faces in the department.
[06:40]	Sabina	"What sort of bar was there beforehand? I assume it was something pertaining to abilities or previous records?"
[06:40]	Arkalest	"ABili
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[06:41]	Arkalest	"Abilities and records, mostly. If you were a specialists of sort you'd be sent there, but...She skimmed on that."
[06:41]	Arkalest	Fontaine closes her eyes. "And she paid for it."
[06:42]	Arkalest	"Enter the white scar syndicate." her whiskers twitch.
[06:42]	Arkalest	"Voraks."
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[06:44]	Sabina	"I'm not familiar with the exact details, but I know that she lost her life due to the White Scars."
[06:45]	Arkalest	A slow nod." Can you guess who was blamed?"
[06:46]	Sabina	"The Psionic Department. My guess would be that someone from that department let her down, which contributed or was even responsible for her death, or at least that events happened in such a way that it could be seen that way."
[06:47]	Arkalest	Another nod. "Flawless chain."
[06:48]	Arkalest	"Then enter Tuissant. She loves you guys. Really does. Diverts lots and lots of funds, get part of the Precinct redone. "
[06:49]	Sabina	"Expands the Psionics Department, starts bringing in aliens, even a Vorak."
[06:51]	Arkalest	Another nod."I am not saying their hatred is justified, Norland- But you have got to have perspective."
[06:51]	Sabina	nods
[06:53]	Sabina	"That's part of why I am here. I want to understand how things work here, how and why there is this tension." She hesitates a few moments "I do not think poorly of anyone who has issues with the Psionic department, especially in this light, I can't hold their feelings against them."
[06:54]	Sabina	"I've stepped into a situation that I am unfamiliar with, back at home I knew the stakes, who and what was at play and why, but my position was that somewhat outside of the. . . positioning of the families as well."
[07:00]	Arkalest	"Tuissant has told me about the Instrumental, and trust me."
[07:01]	Arkalest	There's a flicker, a distortion of light- And the fur on her arms disappear, replaced by midnight black muscle fiber and golden inserts.
[07:01]	Arkalest	"I know what it means to sacrifice something for the oens you love."
[07:03]	Sabina	"I do not doubt that."
[07:05]	Arkalest	"Then- I think you may want to just roam the department and see. You are a darling child, size aside."
[07:05]	Sabina	"Is there anything I should be aware of? Off limits areas or the like? I don't want to get in anyone's way here."
[07:14]	Arkalest	"They would be tetchy about you getting into the armory zone- And don't go to the evidence level, which is below this one. "
[07:15]	Sabina	nods, "Stay out of the Armory and Evidence room. I don't have any business in those nor much interest so that will not be a problem."
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[07:31]	Arkalest	"Pretty much. "
[07:31]	Sabina	stands up and bows. "Thank you again for your time and words. I appreciate both of them."
[07:34]	Arkalest	"Here's my contact info if you need anything more.."
[07:36]	Sabina	"And mine in turn."