2021-04-13: Betrayed by Our Leaders
- Log: Betrayed by Our Leaders
- Cast: Citan Uzuki, Leon Albus
- Where: Karlsefni
- Date: April 13, 2021
- Summary: Citan checks up on Leon, wounded in the sortie in the Ethos Headquarters, and provides a little context for Billy's situation, among other things. A request is made.
<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.
Simply put, Solaris had attempted to purge the Ethos, an order of the Granas church that had been under their own control -- and for some time at this point, it would seen. Centuries, Citan had mused within the control room, after reviewing some of the more recent reports.
They had moved whoever it was safe to move (as in, their status rather than the severity of their wounds preventing such) in the aftermath. While a retreat (as such) had been forced upon Solaris' people within the cathedral, the toll had been staggering.
Still, anyone who had been alive when they'd found them hasn't died yet. That's some minor miracle, as much as anything could be considered such in this world.
Or so Citan had mused to himself, upon his approach to where Leon is recovering.
There's a knock at Leon's door; Citan waits a moment for a response before opening it.
"How are you feeling, Leon?" he asks, after stepping inside.
"It seems that the agent from Shevat is recovering well." He shakes his head. "She was fortunately able to 'play dead' at the time. ...Admittedly, given how many times she had been shot..." He winces, faintly, and fidgets with his glasses. "...I must say, Lily is a fine surgeon. I am not as, ah... practiced with major surgery as such." A country doctor is a slightly different thing from a surgeon, and both are a far cry from what he had been trained in, back in Jugend.
<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.
Leon didn't need any reason to fight Solaris -- but stopping a purge is a good one. The realization that Solaris had such a control over Ethos -- for generations, as long as most of their kingdoms existed -- was sobering. It is a reminder of how dangerous their enemy is. When the knock comes, Leon speaks.
"Come in," he says.
He nods at Citan as he enters. "Well enough," he says. "Lily helped tend to me. I'm glad that our Shevat agent is well, too. What of the others? I... take it that they're moving on those ruins that I heard about?"
<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.
"Are you?" He regards Leon a moment, as if to survey his current statue, then nods. "Yes, it would seem so... I must say, if she decided to settle down and become a doctor, I might be out of a job!" Citan shakes his head, smiling almost at his own joke. "Yes... it is quite fortunate. It seems that Jesiah was searching for her, himself. It is why he was even in a place such as Saint Heim. And ourselves as well, of course... Fei and Elly were interested in making contact with Shevat but that is certainly 'easier said than done'."
Stepping to one side, he closes the door, taking up a position somewhat catty-corner to where Leon is.
"I believe that is their intent, yes. Billy was worried about his orphanage, so I expect he would have traveled there. ...I suppose we shall hear if he requires assistance. The others are likely to travel to the ruins as soon as they are able." He pauses a moment, as if in thought. "If they have not traveled straight there, in any case. Hm... the report in the Ethos Headquarters had said that there was an 'ancient computer system' within the ruins..."
<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.
"Perhaps, but don't sell yourself too short. Most people aren't afforded medical training," Leon says. He runs his hand through his hair, then tilts his head to the side. "Jesiah... that's Jessie. A friend of yours?" he asks. "From your... ah... Solaris days?"
He nods his head. They don't have a Shevat contact -- they certainly don't have some way to simply walk up to Shevat. Or fly up, for that matter.
His nose wrinkles for a moment. "If this is healed up, I'll try to join them," he says. "Otherwise... well. We'll see what happens." He tilts his head. "An ancient computer system? That's worrying. And this... Billy is with them? The Etone?" A beat. "Former Etone?"
<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.
"Of course. I have no intention of that," he replies, though the smile doesn't quite leave him. "That is correct. He was my senior in Jugend. Billy is his son," he adds, glancing the once towards the door as if he were expecting one or the other to enter. "It is... a somewhat long story, and perhaps he might prefer to tell you himself. Nevertheless... he is no longer allied with them." Citan pauses a moment, then adds, "I do not think his children even know from where they descend. Perhaps that is for the best, at present."
Ignorance, as they say, can be bliss.
There is simply no easy way at all to contact Shevat... unless you are an active agent, that is.
Citan Uzuki is not an agent of Shevat.
"I am certain they would welcome your assistance." But he hesitates. "If it were not for our wounded, I might also go. However... do not strain yourself. They are more than capable in this, I believe." He nods the once, then. "Yes... though I suppose that might depend on how you consider, ah... the status of their order, at present..."
<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.
"I gathered that much, from his reactions..." Leon trails off, then he shakes his head. "It likely is. I saw some of how Billy took the news -- and I can't say that I blame him. I'm not faithful, but to think that Solaris was so involved... it is rattling to me. For him, I can only imagine."
He hesitates a moment; then Leon nods his head. "I won't push myself. At worst, I join up with them afterward." He hesitates, then he wrinkles his nose. "I imagine the Etones may be finished, given what we learned."
He hesitates. "Unless, of course, it's all swept under the rug."
<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.
"Jesiah has..." Citan remarks, glancing at the far wall for a long moment. "...Forgive me," he says, shaking his head. "There is little else I can say regarding their family situation. It is not my place."
It's just a complicated, tricky situation however you look at it. As it seems to be for all of his old friends these days -- all of the old Elements.
"Yes..." is his sole remark on the situation at large, as he shakes his head again. Many of those present had seemed struck by the revelation.
And that had even been before he'd left the premises in search of the agent.
"It is... hard to say. They appear to have spared the rest of the church, though to what end...?" The doctor sighs, deeply. "Their intentions are... difficult to understand, at times. Perhaps they will rebuild the order to serve their needs again. Or perhaps the church will denounce them as heretics and frame the incident as some... necessary action."
He folds his arms over his chest, bowing his head for the moment. "...Not unlike Yevon to the Crusaders, I believe."
<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.
"Far be it from me to pry," Leon says, with a shrug.
He listens to Citan's musings -- his brow furrows -- and then he nods his head. "I could see exactly such a denouncement. As you said... it makes a certain sort of sense. Religions tend to want to rid themselves of the types that cause them trouble."
He frowns. "And the Etones... well, if they're angered their backers in Solaris... they're a liability." He rubs his forehead. "The hypocrisy never fails to disappoint."
<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.
"Yes. This has often been the case, or so I have read," Citan remarks, shaking his head. "In either case I cannot see this becoming a 'liability' as such for them. There are ample opportunities for them to use this to their advantage, should they so choose. It is unfortunate, but it is likely how it will proceed..."
If Solaris still has any sway left in the remainer of the Granas church, then they will not fail to use it to their advantage, one way or another.
The doctor is silent after, gaze turned vaguely ceilingwards as if in thought.
"Forgive me," he says at last, returning his attention to Leon. "I was merely thinking. However, this... situation is not unlike your own and Lily's. In regards to Kislev's actions against the both of you. Is that correct?"
<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.
"It is." Leon sighs. "Disappointing... but I have no illusion of how they will use it."
He is quiet for a moment; then his expression is more withdrawn, as he considers the question. Strange, he thinks; that pain of being betrayed by those he trusted and believed in, those he followed, has never left him. There is still, sometimes, the whisper of a voice: that it's his fault.
He has learned to ignore it more and more, now. He finally nods.
"Yes," he says. "Betrayed by our leaders--finding out that our ideals were false. And finding out that we were... used. It's terribly familiar. I fear that I have a very good idea how Billy must feel."
<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.
"A difficult thing to endure," the doctor remarks after a moment, glancing away from Leon. "...Particularly when one is still young. It is... but a thought," Citan continues, raising a hand to readjust his glasses a moment as he continues to think out loud, "but once everything is settled he will likely need... somewhere to be. I do not think there will be a future for him within the Granas church, whether he realizes that yet or not. ...It is a strange thing to ask, for the consideration of the son of an old friend."
He glances back at Leon.
"...Nevertheless, if you would please think this over, Leon, I would be grateful."
<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.
"Mm."
Leon is quiet for a moment as he considers. Despite his own lack of faith, he has little trouble with those who have it. Lily is -- or was, perhaps -- more religious than him. Argus, the former priest that manages the Wolves' bar, is sill a devout ALthenan.
He rubs a hand over his chin, then nods. "The choice is his, Doctor Uzuki," he says. "But... if he needs a place and wants it, he'll have one here."
<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.
While knowledgable of many religions, it has yet to be seen what, if any, religion to which the doctor himself adheres. Of course, he would hardly be the only one to be so agnostic of faith in their little group.
"Of course," says Citan, slowly glancing up towards the ceiling. "It is a decision that only he can make. ...Nevertheless." He glances back at the Black Wolves' captain. "Thank you, Leon. Is there anything that you might need, or...?"
<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.
Leon shakes his head after he thinks, for a moment. "No, I think I'm well. I'll be up soon enough." He hesitates, then looks up. "I'll have to speak with him, then. Once... we're on the other side of all this."
<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.
Citan nods after a moment, as if something were on his mind. "...Very well. In that case, I will leave you be. I should return and see how the survivors are. No doubt there is much we could learn from them."
Though he does pause but a moment before he opens the door and glances Leon's way. For a moment it might seem as if he were about to thank him again...
But instead the doctor simply nods and opens the door to go.