[Mkguild] Life V: Know Your Place - B

[Jack Moore]

Life V: Know Your Place - B

“Not everyone would lose their jobs, no doubt some of us would be sent to
work in other places.” Triche said. “But again nothing has been decided
yet. I’ve managed to be party to certain conversations about the fate of
the Watch.”
“And?” I tried keeping the fear from my voice.  You have to hide your
emotions at all times on the Watch.
“And it isn’t pretty.” Triche said. “The Wardens are divided into three
groups by other Keeprs. First are those who put on the lantern to
intimidate their fellow Keepers and collect bribes. Second are those two
stupid to even collect bribes. And third are those who are genuinely
committed to making Metamor a better place.” I was taken aback by this. “Oh
come on Janelle, surely there disrespect for us doesn’t surprise you.”
“That isn’t what surprises me.” I said. “What surprises me is how it
affects us.  No one in this Watch House has ever accepted a bribe.”
“Corporal.”

“We’ve never accepted bribes, we’ve never ignored someone in need.” I said,
tail slamming against the stone.  “We are not damaging the Watche’s good
name.”  Triche laughed.
“At this point flaming debris flung by giants couldn’t damage the Watches
name anymore.” Triche said. “You’re right this Watch House is not guilty of
any of those things.  But the Watch is the laughingstock of Metamor. From
the day we were chartered we had no clear powers or goals.” I tried to
interrupt but by now it was too late.
“We are supposed to dispense justice throughout Metamor, except we can’t
arrest nobility. And Low justice can only be processed by us, the Knights
take those criminals away. And mean justice amounts to stoping people from
breaking rocks and getting drunk in public. We are the Metamor sobriety
squad!”
“Yesterday Warden Remmie broke up a four person drunken brawl involving
magic and clubs.” I said.  “I just resolved an investigation on prisoner
Chamomile in just one day.”
“Not a hard problem.” Triche pointed out.
“You’re right but the point is I solved it.” I said.  “I didn’t just ignore
the problem.  So what if we’re the sobriety squad?  Metamor might need
one.  We do good work.”
“We do work.” Triche’s ears drooped. “And we’re made up of people who can’t
find work anywhere else. Corporal Janelle I am proud of you and of every
Warden I have under my command. I am lucky to be your Lieutenant. But I
have no illusions about the Watch.”
“I agree the Watch needs a change.” I said. My tail began treminbling in my
hands. “If the government of Metamor gave us more authority-”
“They don’t give us authority because they don’t trust us.” Triche
interrupted. “I can’t say I blame them. Corporal, do you know why the Watch
was created?” I shook my head. “An easier way for people to serve Metamor
and a way to bring justice to the people.”
“And we do that.” I said.
“This Watch House does that. Because if I received reports that any of my
Wardens were shirking responsibility I would throw them out on there tail.
I keep reports on every arrest we have in case we need the information for
later.  But thus far that doesn’t matter.” I swallowed. “Something wrong
Corporal?”
“Possibly…” I rasped. “Uh, what does your Captain say about this?”
“Captain Menhenick told me about the discussion.” Triche said. “He’s
ultimately not in favor of the Watch being dissolved, obviously.”
“But?” I asked.  My tail stilled in my hands.
“But he won’t do anything to stop it.” Triche said. “It’s in the hands of
our Duke, our Senschel and those who have something to gain from the Watch
being disolced. Our worrying about this won’t change a thing.” But I did
worry. I worried a lot.
Outside of the Watch who was I? An observer, eternal and on the outside.
Not a good enough fighter to join the military, not a conventional mage.
I’d be a private citizen again, able to see the flaws in Metamor and not be
able to help them. To know I can make my Metamor better and having to sit
on my hands.
Would I be better able to care for my son? Yes.  And the terrible thing is
even with that reason I couldn’t give up on the Watch.  If we died, what
would be left? The terrible justice system Metamor has would be unchanged
by dissolving the Watch, I know that. The Knights would probably officially
take over all duties of the Watch, while those who actually understand the
flawed justice system could only watch.
And that frightened me. All of my life I had dreamed of making a better
Metamor, in my limited capacity. Through the Watch I could do that. I could
become Justicar, fix the justice system, angle for more authority for the
Watch...but there had to be a Watch.
This isn’t something I do out of mere ego, though I admit ego is a part. I
love my city, I have fought for it and will do so whenever I am called. And
I want to make it a better place. On that day with Triche I believed I
could do it alone. Looking back I know I was wrong there, but I was right
to want to create a better Metamor.
I wanted to serve my fellow citizen. I wanted justice that was equal,
unbiased and beyond corruption. To be a lantern with the light of justice,
always burning in the dark. This is the goal of the Watch.
“Corporal there's no reason to discuss this matter any further.” Triche
said. “And please remember these matters are being discussed and only
discussed. With the Assault still in recent memory I wouldn’t expect any
sudden changes to the structure of Metamor.”
“Yes of course sir.” I said. “May I request more information as it comes?”
My Lieutenant’s shadow-masked eyes narrowed.
“Request denied.” Of course. “This is a private matter for those of
Lieutenant rank or higher. You shouldn’t even know about it. Now will there
be anything else?” Well just one more thing…
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