Mutanitarianism
23 Vhalar, Arc 717
Experienced fingers brought a sigh to the lips of Ministress Jillian Terris, as she crumpled her head back to allow her neck muscles to embrace the massage. The sigh became a soft moan as her shoulders joined in the celebration.
The fingers gave a suggestive hesitation midway down her arms to indicate a new goal. A devilish smile graced those same lips as she crossed her arms "protectively" over her chest.
The fingers gave a suggestive hesitation midway down her arms to indicate a new goal. A devilish smile graced those same lips as she crossed her arms "protectively" over her chest.
"No, no. Not now, Berry." she chastised playfully. But her mood dipped considerably as she looked back on the stacks of reports before her. "Fates Fangs! What am I going to do about this? These are all just about mutants!" She started rifling through the stacks, "Frightening children, Malicious Stalking, Attempted Infection, Theft, Vandalism, Assault...Murder!"
The sheets ruffled as her hand gestures fanned the stacks. She quickly flattened them to avoid a mess. "Berry" came around from behind her. Black Guard Captain Berrit Segrille sighed, half in sympathy, half in annoyance. "Yeah, I know what you're going to say; half those murder charges are being levied against my men for their brutal tactics subduing them. It's real easy for them to criticize when they've never been one of a two-man crew, investigating a 'disturbance', to find themselves being charged by something halfway between a iron lion and a battering ram. And then find their escape cut off by three guys with horns and tentacles."
It was becoming an old argument; one for which there was no clear solution, no obvious "right" and "wrong". Those that had ever believed they had reason for a grudge against even a single guardsmen were quick to assume the worst about them. Those that had ever had a family member killed by some mutated monster were naturally inclined to want less tolerance. What had brought the subject to its current sensitivity was that the last time a mutant had been killed in plain sight, it had morphed into the size and shape of a little girl when it died.
There had been an outrage, regardless of the fact that this "little girl" had been covered with venomous spikes, was nine-feet tall, built like a bull and could run as fast a jungle cat while she lived. All Segrille heard though, was an outpouring of grief for the "poor little girl". And while he fully understood the sentiment, it infuriated him that there was not one word spoken for the families of the three guardsmen the beast had killed as they tried to subdue it.
Ministress Terris nodded sadly as he finished his usual rebuttal with remarks about "...those poor little children, now fatherless, with an unemployed mother. What about them?" Capt. Segrille looked at his Lady, his boss and dropped his gaze a notch. "I'm sorry, Terri. You know all this. You don't need to hear it again." He brightened somewhat with a new tack, "Besides, I've got someone who claims to have a possible solution."
Lady Terris rolled her eyes, anticipating a half-dozen new pages of reports about to be added to the stack. "Who is it this time?" she half groaned.
Capt. Segrille chuckled, "Now now, have some faith, Babe. Several of my mean swear by this girl. She's an avriel...No no, let me finish. I know I thought the same thing. She's an avriel, probably been treated like shit from day one. Gonna come in like shock troops demanding genocide. But I'll tell you what, this may surprise you, but the fact that I don't think she likes me gives me hope."
Lady Terris' brow raised briefly, then perched at a puzzled half-mast as she rolled her hands to suggest he continue. "When I killed Lewis Perrin, I told you it was some force that jammed my sword arm forward. I hadn't meant to kill him, but everyone heaped praise on me for my quick thinking and resolution of the problem. But she was in my face for my...what was it...barbarism or something. Anyway, I simply mean she is not one of the screeching maniacs like that one at the auction. Oh yeah, in fact, she was the one he attacked. And she beat him. Her name is Nightshade Eld. Or, that's what she calls herself anyway."
Lady Terris nodded slowly, her eyes viewing memories, "Yeah..I think I know who you're talking about." She looked Segrille in the eye, "So you think she's here to offer a solution? Not just another rant? Okay, send her in." She briefly considered clearing her desk; but decided it was better to have this guest see the 'size' of the problem.
The sheets ruffled as her hand gestures fanned the stacks. She quickly flattened them to avoid a mess. "Berry" came around from behind her. Black Guard Captain Berrit Segrille sighed, half in sympathy, half in annoyance. "Yeah, I know what you're going to say; half those murder charges are being levied against my men for their brutal tactics subduing them. It's real easy for them to criticize when they've never been one of a two-man crew, investigating a 'disturbance', to find themselves being charged by something halfway between a iron lion and a battering ram. And then find their escape cut off by three guys with horns and tentacles."
It was becoming an old argument; one for which there was no clear solution, no obvious "right" and "wrong". Those that had ever believed they had reason for a grudge against even a single guardsmen were quick to assume the worst about them. Those that had ever had a family member killed by some mutated monster were naturally inclined to want less tolerance. What had brought the subject to its current sensitivity was that the last time a mutant had been killed in plain sight, it had morphed into the size and shape of a little girl when it died.
There had been an outrage, regardless of the fact that this "little girl" had been covered with venomous spikes, was nine-feet tall, built like a bull and could run as fast a jungle cat while she lived. All Segrille heard though, was an outpouring of grief for the "poor little girl". And while he fully understood the sentiment, it infuriated him that there was not one word spoken for the families of the three guardsmen the beast had killed as they tried to subdue it.
Ministress Terris nodded sadly as he finished his usual rebuttal with remarks about "...those poor little children, now fatherless, with an unemployed mother. What about them?" Capt. Segrille looked at his Lady, his boss and dropped his gaze a notch. "I'm sorry, Terri. You know all this. You don't need to hear it again." He brightened somewhat with a new tack, "Besides, I've got someone who claims to have a possible solution."
Lady Terris rolled her eyes, anticipating a half-dozen new pages of reports about to be added to the stack. "Who is it this time?" she half groaned.
Capt. Segrille chuckled, "Now now, have some faith, Babe. Several of my mean swear by this girl. She's an avriel...No no, let me finish. I know I thought the same thing. She's an avriel, probably been treated like shit from day one. Gonna come in like shock troops demanding genocide. But I'll tell you what, this may surprise you, but the fact that I don't think she likes me gives me hope."
Lady Terris' brow raised briefly, then perched at a puzzled half-mast as she rolled her hands to suggest he continue. "When I killed Lewis Perrin, I told you it was some force that jammed my sword arm forward. I hadn't meant to kill him, but everyone heaped praise on me for my quick thinking and resolution of the problem. But she was in my face for my...what was it...barbarism or something. Anyway, I simply mean she is not one of the screeching maniacs like that one at the auction. Oh yeah, in fact, she was the one he attacked. And she beat him. Her name is Nightshade Eld. Or, that's what she calls herself anyway."
Lady Terris nodded slowly, her eyes viewing memories, "Yeah..I think I know who you're talking about." She looked Segrille in the eye, "So you think she's here to offer a solution? Not just another rant? Okay, send her in." She briefly considered clearing her desk; but decided it was better to have this guest see the 'size' of the problem.