impure_tale

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130

Short and unpleasant. I suppose that when the Admiral gives us ports that turn out to be completely unsalvageable, that's the best he can offer us.

Not pointless -- you might have noted I did not use that word. If anything, my brief sojourn into the mad wilderness yielded some experiences that were most illuminating. Even on top of knowing what it feels like to be shot in the face -- an advent about which I'm certain Monsieur Swing will be delighted to hear.

Note also that I didn't say "eaten alive". I'll let the lot of you ponder on that. I might have to write about that one someday, but for now? Rest, I think.

[Private to Iago]

Are you safe?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yes.

Speak to me.

No.

Did he harm you?

Of course not. He had no reason to.

Nothing that he did, and nothing that got him here, implied the use of good reason.

But I'm pleased you were not hurt.

No. I worked with him. He got us through.

For the time being, I want you to stay away from him. Before you object, I will explain why.

My feelings regarding the events in port are...less than favorable, and before anything is said or done I know I should take time to rest and reflect. Really, both of us should. And then we should conference regarding your experiences there, to maintain what parts were good for you and what is best gotten behind you. In the time between then and now I would prefer that you reflect on the matter privately -- or with Judas, at your discretion. It looks as though he might need a hand to hold, himself.

And if you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them.

He does.

Marquis, I-

I'll do that.

I am saying this to you in confidence, Iago -- Henry West and I were not on poor terms before this port. He and I have been here for an equal length of time, and we have almost always been friends. Once even more than that. As such, I understand certain things about him that he will not disclose to others.

But telling and seeing are two different things. And since I am having trouble separating that port from the man I've known these last two years -- you can imagine the difficulty, I should hope. I can tell you that before that port, there have been perhaps one, maybe two incidences, out of two years of knowing one another, where he has not listened to my council, and none that we came to harsh words over where we did not seem to immediately reconcile. I had good reason to be concerned.

What was done was done out of necessity.

I don't want to talk about this.

You don't know that, and neither did he. He was just afraid, and too stupid in his petrification to wait and see what happened.

If I had changed, then I would arguably have already been dead, would I not? And even if I were to try to kill anyone, all of you were younger and faster than I am. I've no doubt I could have been stopped.

There's every chance in the world that I wouldn't have changed at all.

I said I don't want to talk about this, Marquis.

Tell me why you don't -- truthfully -- and I will be silent.

I have a headache and I just want to sleep. I don't want to think about that. I don't want to remember it.

Sleep, Iago. But remember what I said before.

You are excused from your shifts, unless you find you need the distraction.

We shall see.

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130

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Private - Yeah Iago, like that's gonna work

Private - He can always TRY

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