First Duel

[misplacedxsheath]

*There is a very irate looking man glaring out through the feed, although he looks like the kind of person who considers 'irate' his base state.*

An antiquated communications device to say the least, but no matter. Someone had better be on the other end of this pathetic thing and ready to answer my questions. I find it highly questionable that this is any sort of afterlife, but I'm quite certain that explosion would have been fatal. Since the only remaining explanation is that someone saw fit to violate the Species Preservation Act to revive me, I want to know who and why, and for what purpose I've been left in this ridiculous reproduction of an ancient city.

Comments

[truthsnomiracle]

I have ideas concerning how to deal with our worst offenders, though others are busy with the details of implementation. The difficulty lies in how we might punish those guilty of lesser crimes when it's no challenge for most of us to escape prison, even if we could obtain the authority to place people there. Without a well-defined spectrum of punishments, we cannot know where to draw that line in the first place.

[misplacedxsheath]

And there's no way you can limit access to resources as a means of punishment?

[truthsnomiracle]

Given that we have no power over the city proper nor the actions of its citizens, no.

[misplacedxsheath]

Is there no way to get people who are aware of the reality of the situation into positions of power?

[truthsnomiracle]

Not to the extent necessary. The ex-Senator who made the announcement concerning the church is also responsible for Prospero's founding and creation, and continues to hold a great deal of sway. The mayor is his son -- and, if rumors are to be believed, his pawn. I've personally learned how great a level of obstruction those who hold us are capable of; it took me two months simply to learn the name under which the hotel was purchased.

[misplacedxsheath]

So those in charge of the government are aware of our presence and intent on keeping us in the dark. How ironic, I wonder if this is karma finally catching up to me.

*That last part is said more to himself than to anyone else.*

[truthsnomiracle]

[Unfortunately, the phone caught it and the prosecutor's gaze hardens to match its steely color when he hears it.]

I beg your pardon?

[misplacedxsheath]

This situation unfortunately resembles certain political manoeuvres I've been known to employ in the name of Ormus. Our situation didn't involve kidnapping, but it's similar enough that I have to wonder if this is the universe's way of punishing me for my more unethical actions.

[truthsnomiracle]

(I cannot help but be reminded of certain irrational flights of fancy that have crossed my mind concerning being here and my arrogance of years ago.)

Given that not everyone here bears the burden of shame, I doubt that plays into the kidnappers' motivations. In fact, I speculate that their control over whom they obtain is imperfect, but biased towards those whom they feel would be of use to them rather than towards any particular moral quality.

[misplacedxsheath]

The URTV did mention that the people here seemed as much pawns as lab rats. Have you recognized any discernible goal or are we merely running around in circles and hoping they go counter to what our captors have planned for us?

[truthsnomiracle]

All we know with certainty is that the strange phenomena that sometimes envelop the island due to powerful Shadows have been referred to as "tests" by an anonymous, untraceable poster, and that someone almost certainly connected with the Church of Three took action to guarantee us housing via the hotel. The only goal that would seem to run clearly counter to any our captors might have is to escape, but that's difficult when we hardly understand how it is that we're here to begin with. For that matter, we don't even know whether by escaping we might abandon Prospero to an ill fate.

[misplacedxsheath]

*Trying to be less willing to sacrifice others, trying to be less willing to sacrifice others...*

Then there's a possibility that whatever's going on here may affect the natives, despite their seeming immunity to everything during Dark Hour?

[truthsnomiracle]

It's more than just a possibility. As an example, nearly the entire population of the city, both native and kidnapped, lost all semblance of impulse control as the last moon waxed. Usually the natives simply fail to notice anything strange about the occurrences, but I've been told of a crisis that occurred prior to my arrival in which multiple natives died, yet once the crisis ended it was as though nothing had happened at all.

[misplacedxsheath]

Hmph...well, I think I'd rather have a word with our hosts over slipping out under their noses, regardless.

[truthsnomiracle]

Only time will tell whether that will even be possible.

[misplacedxsheath]

The same can be said of any escape plan. I see nothing wrong with deciding on my favorite now.

[truthsnomiracle]

I, on the other hand, do -- we're much too far from the truth to fairly judge.

[misplacedxsheath]

I'm by no means excluding other possibilities. If a better option emerges, I'll take it without hesitation. But as things stand, I have my idea of what might come close to an ideal outcome.

[truthsnomiracle]

Violence as an ideal answer may allow for stirring works of fiction, but in the real world it's typically inferior to simple discussion.

[misplacedxsheath]

There's a time and a place for both. In a case like this, I have little reason to believe that your so-called "simple discussion" wouldn't turn into a battle of some form, be it physical or verbal. After all, why resort to kidnapping if their reasoning was something they could expect a friendly compromise on?

[truthsnomiracle]

A verbal battle would still be preferable to a physical one -- and quite doable.

[misplacedxsheath]

I never claimed my desired confrontation was physical. I'm a swordsman, yes, but I'm also a former colonel and high inquisitor. Both positions require some form of skill with words and either outcome would satisfy me.

[truthsnomiracle]

Then I apologize for my presumption.

[misplacedxsheath]

You seem to be an intelligent man, an unfortunate rarity where I come from. What's your name?

[truthsnomiracle]

Miles Edgeworth -- and I know precisely what you mean.