[Mkguild] Life V: Know Your Place - B

[Jack Moore]

Life V: Know Your Place - B

I could only see part of my Lieutenant’s face, but I only needed to see
part. Triche’s black eyes had turned to ice and the cold was penetrating my
core. I began to tremble.
“I understand you are upset Corporal. If I was given this news I would be
to. But I am your superior. The Watch is viewed as a pit with no respect
for hierarchy, and by rushing into my office yelling you validated those
views.” Triceh said. My heart sank.

“I’m sorry sir.” I said.

“I appreciate that Janelle, but you do that frequently.” Triche said. His
pink lips lifted slightly when he spoke, showing fang. “Knock before
entering and adress me by title. Do not address me by ranting. Understood?”
My lieutenant seemed completely clam, but I could feel his anger just under
the surface.
“Yes sir.” I said. Triche nodded.
“Now have you told anyone else what Sir Moss told you? Or do you know if he
told anyone else?” I shook my head. “Well then let's hope he didn’t. The
last thing I, or any other Lieutenant needs is a Watch House full of
Warden’s scared they’ll lose their jobs.”
“Lose…” I let go of my tail. “I hadn’t even thought about that. I figured
they’d send me to work in a different part of the military.” Triche shook
his head. “I can’t lose my job, I have a son. I have a son I can barely
afford to raise as it is.”
“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 ohter 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 dissolved. Our worrying about this won’t change a thing.” But I did
worry. I worried a lot.
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