Log 0008 - Cosplaying as Judge Dredd, apparently

[keeps_a_cool_head]

[Broadcasted to all citizens of the Emperor is the weekly list of names and photographs of men and women suspected to be in allegiance with the rebel forces directly]

Please peruse these names carefully and report suspicious behavior directly to any officer of the law. Compensation remains generous. All citizens are expected to do their part to keep our systems safe in times of crisis.



[Broadcasted to his inner circle of politicians, officers of the law, and the Emperor's private staff is a much larger list of supposed loyalists who are suspected to have rebel sympathies]

Please keep in mind the several dozen names of new addition at the bottom of this list.



[Open to spam, up to individual players whether they want to appear on one or both lists]

Comments

Private

[forsaken_queen]

Thank you for the update.

Private

[keeps_a_cool_head]

My duty is only to serve.

[Scorpius it's less believable when you're grinning like that]

Private

[forsaken_queen]

[She doesn't return a smile. The Emperor's personal bodyguard has a reputation for being very serious and extremely suspicious.]

As it should be.

Private

[mightthinkthat]

Most useful. [Francis is obstensibly loyal. Certainly, he's never displayed interesting in being disloyal and he's certainly always obsequious to those he can't control. He just occasionally lets people slip by if there's an interest to be served.]

Slight critique, if you wouldn't mind it? Possibly better if the word 'crisis' doesn't pass your lips? Suggests you lack control of the situation.

Private

[keeps_a_cool_head]

There is a Rix ship hovering above the atmosphere as we speak. That is a crisis. The insurgency grows stronger. That is a crisis as well.

But I concede your point. I'll amend my statement for next week's report.

Private

[mightthinkthat]

Your judgement there is quite correct, of course. But they're crises for the police and the military, for the populace, merely a problem. Thank you for listening.

private

[godsays]

[ He suspects that if Scorpius were truly given free rein, he would list Zane on those suspected.

Scorpius probably does not know the whole story: that Zane broke in to the palace, that his powers allowed him to slip past guards and detection, that he was sent to kill the Emperor but offered a deal instead. The riskiest move Zane had ever made, out of desperation, out of murderous revenge. He wanted his father dead. He got what he wanted.

But now he is the son of his father - and Straff Venture was clearly some kind of rebel, and now Zane has the Emperor's ear in a way no one else can match. Resentment breeds far and wide over Zane's role in the government.

He enjoys it. He would rather be hated than ignored. ]

I will remember.

[ A soft voice, and calm.

It is amusing to him, too, because he has never leaked any information. On the contrary: he has rarely said a word to anyone who would manipulate him for political gain, or who would use him to manipulate the Emperor. He is absolutely, scrupulously reliable. He does not depend on Scorpius' lists. ]

private

[keeps_a_cool_head]

[Scorpius loathes Zane but does not suspect him. Zane is above him in most aspects: pay, influence, favoritism. One of the elite who seems to just be blessed with good luck, unlike the surly police officer who fought his way every step to get to where he is.]

You've been quiet recently.

private

[godsays]

I do have a newborn.

[ Which Scorpius knows, of course. It's almost an insult to say it so directly.

Augustus Demetrios Khaman. The boy resembles Aslan more than Zane, but there is, as ever, something of them both in him. ]

private

[gard]

Another day, another list.

Is this another set of guessing games, or have you made progress?

[ She asks genuinely, and actually means the casualness with some respect. She likes police officers. Senator Gard has proven herself to be a little bit of a meddler, but a mostly harmless and sometimes very generous one. She has a great interest in justice being done. ]

private

[keeps_a_cool_head]

I'm afraid I can't afford to release knowledge of an impending investigation, Senator.

private

[gard]

[ An unreadable flicker of expression - amusement, perhaps? ]

I'm forwarding an invitation to dinner. I hope you come.

Private communication

[to_dust]

[Many of the political apparatus are serene; emotionless, as if they were all the risen dead instead of only some of them. Adept Charis, on the other hand, tends to sound bored and irritated by nearly everything.]

Well you're as subtle as ever. Has it occurred to you that fearmongering is exactly what we don't need at the moment? We are trying to prevent a large-scale panic.

Private communication

[keeps_a_cool_head]

Subtlety does not become me. I leave that to the political arm of the Emperor, who I will remind you gifted me with this position.

Private communication

[to_dust]

You'll be gifted with something else if your clumsiness starts a riot. Public accusations put the targets on their guard as well as making the citizens feel unsafe. At this stage, shouldn't the unified message be that his Majesty the Emperor is in control, instead of warning people that we're conducting full-scale investigations?

[private: assuming he was on the ~law officers~ filter, feel free to correct me <3]

[neuropathy]

You don't think you might be goin' a little overboard with this?

[private: totally!]

[keeps_a_cool_head]

Not at all. If we are to root this uprising out at the source, we will need vigilant eyes everywhere.

[Say his name was on a list recently and he had to clear it up in court -- now he's squeaky clean]

[impure_tale]

And here I was beginning to enjoy infamy.

[Waaaait a second..]

[keeps_a_cool_head]

[Oh, yes. It's you. Scorpius was riled up enough as it is, but now he's fuming]

Whatever you did, whomever you spoke to, is not enough to clear your name with me.

I hope for your sake you remain off this message.

public, voice only (oh shit how did i get on these lists, mum's going to kill me)

[this_corrosion]

[Someone here is trying to do a backwater-world accent. Badly.]

Think you've got some of those wrong, mate. I know for a fact some of those are innocent men. And women. And, you know. Various. I'm not judging. Unless you are.

public, voice only (Damn it, Gary)

[keeps_a_cool_head]

My list is not wrong. Being wanted for questioning is not the same as being guilty of a crime.

Inner Circle filter

[darknessb4me]

Hardly a crisis. Many of these citizens are already in the process of being dealt with through the proper channels.

Inner Circle filter

[keeps_a_cool_head]

Then I will do my job to bring them in to let you deal with them.

i'm having a really good idea

[agoodboyreally]

...um, mister? I know something. About this woman here.

hell yeah

[keeps_a_cool_head]

Which woman would that be?