[Mkguild] Life V: Know Your Place - B My comments

[cokane8116 at aol.com]

LifeV: Know Your Place - B
 
“Noteveryone would lose their jobs, no doubt some of us would be sent to
workin other places.” Triche said. “But again nothing has been decided
yet.I’ve managed to be party to certain conversations about the fate of
theWatch.”
“And?”I tried keeping the fear from my voice. You have to hide your
emotionsat all times on the Watch.
“Andit isn’t pretty.” Triche said. “The Wardens are divided into three
groupsby other Keeprs. First are those who put on the lantern to
intimidatetheir fellow Keepers and collect bribes. Second are those two


>>>Typo - too not two





stupidto even collect bribes. And third are those who are genuinely
committedto making Metamor a better place.” I was taken aback by this. “Oh
comeon Janelle, surely there disrespect for us doesn’t surprise you.”
“Thatisn’t what surprises me.” I said. “What surprises me is how it
affectsus.  No one in this Watch House has everaccepted a bribe.”
“Corporal.”
 


>>>What of the others?





“We’venever accepted bribes, we’ve never ignored someone in need.” I said,
tailslamming against the stone.  “We are notdamaging the Watche’s good
name.”  Triche laughed.
“Atthis point flaming debris flung by giants couldn’t damage the Watches
nameanymore.” Triche said. “You’re right this Watch House is not guilty of
anyof those things.  But the Watch is thelaughingstock of Metamor. From
theday we were chartered we had no clear powers or goals.” I tried to
interruptbut by now it was too late.
“Weare supposed to dispense justice throughout Metamor, except we can’t
arrestnobility. And Low justice can only be processed by us, the Knights
takethose criminals away. And mean justice amounts to stoping people from
breakingrocks and getting drunk in public. We are the Metamor sobriety
squad!”
“YesterdayWarden Remmie broke up a four person drunken brawl involving
magicand clubs.” I said.  “I just resolved aninvestigation on prisoner
Chamomilein just one day.”
“Nota hard problem.” Triche pointed out.
“You’reright but the point is I solved it.” I said. “I didn’t just ignore
theproblem.  So what if we’re the sobrietysquad?  Metamor might need
one.  We do good work.”
“Wedo work.” Triche’s ears drooped. “And we’re made up of people who can’t
findwork anywhere else. Corporal Janelle I am proud of you and of every
WardenI have under my command. I am lucky to be your Lieutenant. But I
haveno illusions about the Watch.”
“Iagree the Watch needs a change.” I said. My tail began treminbling in my
hands.“If the government of Metamor gave us more authority-”
“Theydon’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
wascreated?” I shook my head. “An easier way for people to serve Metamor
anda way to bring justice to the people.”
“Andwe do that.” I said.
“ThisWatch House does that. Because if I received reports that any of my
Wardenswere shirking responsibility I would throw them out on there tail.
Ikeep reports on every arrest we have in case we need the information for
later.  But thus far that doesn’t matter.” Iswallowed. “Something wrong
Corporal?”
“Possibly…”I rasped. “Uh, what does your Captain say about this?”
“CaptainMenhenick told me about the discussion.” Triche said. “He’s
ultimatelynot in favor of the Watch being dissolved, obviously.”
“But?”I asked.  My tail stilled in my hands.
“Buthe won’t do anything to stop it.” Triche said. “It’s in the hands of
ourDuke, our Senschel and those who have something to gain from the Watch
beingdisolced. Our worrying about this won’t change a thing.” But I did
worry.I worried a lot.
Outsideof the Watch who was I? An observer, eternal and on the outside.
Nota good enough fighter to join the military, not a conventional mage.
I’dbe a private citizen again, able to see the flaws in Metamor and not be
ableto help them. To know I can make my Metamor better and having to sit
onmy hands.
WouldI be better able to care for my son? Yes. And the terrible thing is
evenwith that reason I couldn’t give up on the Watch.  If we died, what
wouldbe left? The terrible justice system Metamor has would be unchanged
bydissolving the Watch, I know that. The Knights would probably officially
takeover all duties of the Watch, while those who actually understand the
flawedjustice system could only watch.
Andthat 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
becomeJusticar, fix the justice system, angle for more authority for the
Watch...butthere had to be a Watch.
Thisisn’t something I do out of mere ego, though I admit ego is a part. I
lovemy city, I have fought for it and will do so whenever I am called. And
Iwant to make it a better place. On that day with Triche I believed I
coulddo it alone. Looking back I know I was wrong there, but I was right
towant to create a better Metamor.
Iwanted to serve my fellow citizen. I wanted justice that was equal,
unbiasedand beyond corruption. To be a lantern with the light of justice,
alwaysburning in the dark. This is the goal of the Watch.
“Corporalthere'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
suddenchanges to the structure of Metamor.”
“Yesof course sir.” I said. “May I request more information as it comes?”
MyLieutenant’s shadow-masked eyes narrowed.
“Requestdenied.” Of course. “This is a private matter for those of
Lieutenantrank or higher. You shouldn’t even know about it. Now will there
beanything else?” Well just one more thing…


>>>Powerful stuff. If they want to save the Watch they had better act fast! And do what?



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.integral.org/archives/mkguild/attachments/20170823/0e8cfea5/attachment-0001.html>