“Yessir.” Ky dipped her head and followed him obediently.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Gaius shut Tadaaki's door again and limped toward the stairs. "You thought I was going to hurt you two?" he asked her as he walked.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“I mean… you just learned we were here to spy, sir.” She blushed and dropped her gaze as she walked half a step behind him. Respectful. “Spies get hurt.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I didn't expect you to be a pair of slaves and a master," he mused. "I did threaten Tadaaki, but I had no intention of harming him or you. Sera and I suspected from the beginning that he was no threat and that you and Aleth were the ones to keep an eye on."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky grimaced. How was she even supposed to respond to that?
“I…” she hesitated, feeling heat rushing to her cheeks. “…was it the binder? Or did I do something wrong, sir?”
She’d thought she’d been playing the part well.
Apparently not.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"It was a combination of things. The binder was certainly a component. But Aleth's attitude was not that of a man who'd just spent two weeks out in the cold after escaping somewhere. He sounded more like a man inconvenienced."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky glanced at him, then ducked her head. What did that have to do with her, though? Why was she being lumped with Aleth rather than Tadaaki? She didn’t like how that felt. She didn’t like it at all.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"You were also less..." He thought about it. "There was something rather rehearsed in everyone's presentation, but particularly Tadaaki. He's not a good liar at all; his poker face is a travesty."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Yes sir,” Ky agreed. She hesitated then added, “…that’s why we didn’t tell him. We… had been banking on him shutting up… apparently he didn’t.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"To be fair, he did try. I told him you and Aleth changed the story, brought Captain Bay in to stare him down a little. He was afraid for you, I believe."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky grimaced. That made more sense. He got tricked indeed. It was well done. She’d give Ash that. She dipped her head, acknowledging his victory there.
“I suppose… that makes sense.” Ky glanced down the hall. “Aleth beat Tadaaki until he was scared to keep a secret at all… and I suppose you discovered his pressure point on your own. Sir.” Her.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"He was immensely complimentary of you when I asked about you and Aleth. And I saw how he watched you in the infirmary; I figured there was something there." He nodded. "Aleth described you both as 'compliant,' in contrast."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
How generous. Ky kept that dry remark to herself and instead said after a pause, “… honestly, that’s one of the bigger compliments I’ve heard from him. He doesn’t call me compliant to my face… though I do try! I try very, very hard, sir. I’ll do-do anything. I’ll comply. I swear it. I-that’s not want I meant. Sorry. Sir.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I don't need compliance," he said with a shrug. "I already have plenty of servants. Do as you please, so long as it's not spying or assassination."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Yessir.” Ky ducked her head. That she could manage. A rather low bar, as it were. It didn’t answer what she’d done wrong, though. Aleth was too prideful; Tadaaki too easily confused. But what about her? She didn’t have the courage to ask again. Lest it look like she wanted to know so that she could correct her persona in the future. Especially since that was exactly why she wanted to know.
Well. That. And sheer dumb curiosity. If the others had fucked up, she was sure she had, too. But she didn’t know how.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Now I realize that there is no righteous path, it’s just people trying to do their best in a world where it is far too easy to do your worst. — Castiel
