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It's...I didn't have very many friends, before I got here.
[He stares into his drink rather than meet Rawne's eyes as he admits this.]
It's - I'm so grateful but it's awful, too. I must have been here two weeks and my first friend was murdered, just like that. And he's an inmate - he didn't have any way to defend himself.
[He stares into his drink rather than meet Rawne's eyes as he admits this.]
It's - I'm so grateful but it's awful, too. I must have been here two weeks and my first friend was murdered, just like that. And he's an inmate - he didn't have any way to defend himself.
That's lousy.
[He was lucky enough to get here between murder sprees.]
Who's your friend?
[He was lucky enough to get here between murder sprees.]
Who's your friend?
Fitz.
But, I mean. It could be anybody, you know? How are the inmates supposed to believe us about anything if they can die any time and we just...keep going?
But, I mean. It could be anybody, you know? How are the inmates supposed to believe us about anything if they can die any time and we just...keep going?
It takes a lot of trust. But some of the wardens try to keep people alive. It's just. It's just hard.
Yeah. But we can't be everywhere.
If your inmate asked you for weapons, for self-defense - how would you decide?
If your inmate asked you for weapons, for self-defense - how would you decide?
If I trusted them, I'd give them one. I gave Norton a gun. It'd be hypocritical if I denied another inmate the same thing.
You trust Norton?
[He raises an eyebrow, although he's smiling. He likes Norton, and he's rather glad someone did arm him, but that's not quite the same as trusting him.]
[He raises an eyebrow, although he's smiling. He likes Norton, and he's rather glad someone did arm him, but that's not quite the same as trusting him.]
I trust him to be himself. He's not the type to go around killing people for no reason.
He did just plant a bomb in a public area.
[Jedao points out, though not sharply. He's not, personally, very mad about it, but it does seem relevant.]
Not saying you're wrong about him. Just...not all reasons are great reasons, even if you have them.
[Jedao points out, though not sharply. He's not, personally, very mad about it, but it does seem relevant.]
Not saying you're wrong about him. Just...not all reasons are great reasons, even if you have them.
Right. That.
[He'd forgotten, for a moment.]
I'm not happy he did that either. I thought... if someone tried to pressure him like that, he'd come to me.
[He'd forgotten, for a moment.]
I'm not happy he did that either. I thought... if someone tried to pressure him like that, he'd come to me.
I'd have hoped he'd fight back. In some ways it shows restraint that he didn't.
What convinced you? About him.
What convinced you? About him.
A while back, my commanding officer showed up. He wasn't very nice and Norton tried to kill him, for me. That meant something. That he'd try that, just for me.
[It's not a traditional romantic gesture, but it affected Rawne deeply.]
[It's not a traditional romantic gesture, but it affected Rawne deeply.]
[Jedao smiles into his drink, thinking of Gonou's reaction to finding out about Kujen.]
I know the feeling.
I know the feeling.
[Good. It's not just him that gets like that, then.]
Do you like it here, mostly?
Do you like it here, mostly?
[Oh no. That smile looks good on him.]
Yes. I've got a life here. Friends. Boyfriends.
Yes. I've got a life here. Friends. Boyfriends.
Giant. I come from a place that's... like where you come from, from what I've been told. Very violent. Full of war.
Me, too.
I'm glad you're here, too. No one deserves to live in a place like that.
I'm glad you're here, too. No one deserves to live in a place like that.
It's getting better.
I mean, we're still at war, but...the worst excesses are over.
[He wonders how much Jedao One told Rawne about those.]
I mean, we're still at war, but...the worst excesses are over.
[He wonders how much Jedao One told Rawne about those.]
[His mouth twists in an extremely wry grimace. Question answered!]
Yes, those.
Yes, those.
[Jedao one had told him a few things, and he'd seen some others from various floods.]
Good. We had similar things, though not as formalized as what you did.
Good. We had similar things, though not as formalized as what you did.
Some people have friends, even in places like that.
Not me, but. The General, certainly.
Not me, but. The General, certainly.
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