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--- plot:reshigah:2012-12-22 [2012/12/23 06:54] – Links pinkgothic
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-It was unusual for a Council session to be held without the victim of the trial. It was equally unusual for a Council session to have a neutral observer - another human, especially.
-[[character:Yarver Bakema]] was not usually easily summoned by anyone, but he made an exception for [[character:Jagdish Tsukinaka|Jagdish]] whenever his schedule permitted, and the [[place:Taqnateh]] gymleader had been lucky in that regard. Tips of white hair coiling on the ground behind him, Yarver sat with the curve of his spine lightly touching one of the Council room pillars, attention cast into the room, legs draped into the casual variant of a lotus, elbows lightly set down on his thighs near his knees, fingertips of his hands rested against each other. The respect he felt for the Sehto [[:legendaries]] was certainly in part fearful, especially given that the memory of his own trial, however many years ago it might now lie, was simply not fading - but now he had a steady air, attentive, not infected with the nervousness that he had briefly shown a hint of during his arrival in the subtleties of his bow.
-Jagdish had asked him to watch over the proceedings and he would stay for as long as it was requested of him. The subject matter was clear to him, and it infected his stare along with a gravity that Jagdish certainly wasn't going to be able to ignore.
-Of course, that was the point.
-Jagdish Tsukinaka himself was currently half leant, half sat against the edge of the altar, not quite central to it, staring out toward the entrance of the room, gate-like but without a gate as it was, leading into one of the halls that had collapsed years ago, leaving it open to the air and entirely accessible to the legendaries. They were almost complete.
-<fc #008888>The ruined hall and the landscape beyond is cast in the long shadows of the cathedral's spires, the sky turning to a deep blue as the sun sets somewhere behind them, hidden by the stone walls of the structure. A glow of white light slowly begins to build in the hall - weak ambience at first, building until it's bright enough to cast shadows from the ruined sections of wall. Then the source is visible, at last - a raptorian pokémon, bathing the hall in light shining from his scales. He steps towards the threshold into the Council's chambers proper, before casting a glance over his shoulder. A moment later, a second pokémon, this one with dark crimson scales, steps into view.</fc>
-<fc #008888>[[pokémon:Solalon]] nods once, turning his gaze back into the chamber and stepping forward, towards the other gathered legendaries. ~I apologize for the delay,~ he says. ~[[pokémon:Crinyx]] was... distracted on his way here.~</fc>
-The [[Types:Blood]]-type legendary gives a soft snort at that particular explanation, but does not raise a psychic voice to object. In truth, he disliked Solalon treating him like a petulant child, and this exaggeration was no different, but he'd hardly fix his reputation by going off about it. It was true that he'd much rather have strayed from the path for an evening meal and 'distraction' was probably the least offensive way to put that, but it was precisely that trait that made it so hard to bear. His metallic plume rattles lightly as he jiggles his neck, silently making his way past Solalon into the chamber, letting his gaze travel down to Yarver Bakema.
-Another human. How peculiar - and unwelcome. His lips draw back from his teeth, but his expression doesn't quite morph into a full-on snarl as he passes the Vale gymleader, letting his gaze break off him the moment he does, as if he were of no consequence. Then he pauses, before turning to the rest of the Council, posture proud yet respectful to the raptorian participants, announcing: ~It would seem we are now complete. Let us discuss this matter, then... providing any of us feel there is truly something to discuss.~ Despite the obviously venomous reference to obscenity of the case, even if the tone it's presented in is pleasant, the barb is not directed at any of his raptorian companions, and they would know him well enough for that - if one of them truly deemed it worthy of discussion, he would hardly be mistaken as trying to forbid as much, he's simply assuming a consensus obvious.
-<fc #008888>A mildly irritated expression briefly crosses Solalon's features, but it's quick to dissipate, barely noticeable in its transience. ~Much as I might wish there weren't, there is,~ he replies. He pauses briefly, eyes scanning across the room to ensure he has his fellow legendaries' attention before continuing.</fc>
-<fc #008888>~Here is the situation as I understand it. During his trial, [[character:Dakarai N'Sehla]]... //greatly exaggerated// his account of what transpired. In particular, his stated motivations and perceptions for his actions were entirely fabricated. Jagdish only discovered this after the trial concluded, and after informing me about it, requested that we reconsider his sentence given that much of what we based our decision on was untrue.~ He pauses, glancing over towards Jagdish, before turning his gaze back to the others and adding, ~Were it anyone else, I might recommend a retrial. However, given the circumstances, that would only succeed at being exceedingly unpleasant for everyone involved. I took the liberty of... interviewing the accused, and any relevant questions I can't answer, Jagdish can.~ His eyes find Jagdish once more, and he asks: ~Is there anything else you'd like to add?~</fc>
-Half of the statement was known to all participants of the trial already, making for very little commotion, though [[pokémon:Stasycl]] shifts in a nervous motion, thus far the member of the Council most unsettled by the notion of a 'false' verdict.
-An awkward silence lingers between the occupants. Crinyx gives a light snort, derision intended against Dakarai rather than the Council members, and a light glare comes to rest on Yarver, the Blood-type legendary wary of the man's motivations. He'd been informed that Solalon had permitted a neutral observer to partake in the Council, but the Light-type legendary had neglected to mention that it was going to be a human watching over them. Crinyx found that wholly unfitting, almost offensive - the notion that a human being could be allowed to judge any of them, however silently, did not sit right with him for a second.
-Jagdish, meanwhile, has clasped his left hand against his right arm, casting his gaze down and working his jaw for a pensive moment. The past days have been interesting for him and certainly complicated the matter. Where he'd been viscerally inclined to argue against his own objective request back when he'd summoned Solalon, now he was less certain, but hardly stemming from more reasonable motivations. In a word, Dakarai N'Sehla confused him, and his biggest emotional objection to letting him live was that some grain of him refused to trust his words. It was bizarre, given that it'd been established by now that Dakarai could not be anything other than truthful to him - he wasn't a particularly good liar if he tried to lie to anyone about things they weren't hoping to hear, at least. Nonetheless, he couldn't shake it. The surreality of the whole thing gnawed at his psyche.
-"I've had the unfortunate chance to speak with him quite intimately the past days," Jagdish comments, pressing his lips to a thin line for a moment, then raising his gaze to Solalon, unease subtle in his posture. "For what it's worth, he is still greater at ease with the notion of his punishment continuing as initially assessed than he is with his own survival, which I feel speaks for him. I understand granting him survival is difficult not only from your emotional understanding of justice, but from a logistic point of view as well. For that last aspect, I would like to share one insight: I believe we have his unflinching loyalty if we do choose to let him live." 'Against better judgement?' the part of him smothered in scepticism hisses at him, but finds nothing to present as evidence.
-Yarver's expression darkens subtly and in his bubble of social isolation, he sucks on his teeth quietly, discontent with the palpable tension. This entire Council session felt like it was asking for trouble.
-<fc #008888>Solalon pauses briefly at that comment, before nodding slowly. ~I see. We'll keep that under consideration.~ His muzzle turns back towards the other legendaries. ~There are at least three independent issues at play here. First, there's the general matter of whether a scenario like this, where potentially exonerating evidence comes to light after the trial, means that we should adjust our sentence accordingly after-the-fact. Second, there's the matter of whether the evidence in Dakarai's case should actually reduce his sentence. And third, there's the logistical question of what exactly his new sentence should be, should we choose to reduce it. Unless there are any objections, I suggest we start with the first and move down the list.~ There's a momentary pause, followed by a simple prompt: ~Thoughts?~</fc>
-~By all means,~ [[pokémon:Psynateh]] remarks, inclining her head in a single gesture, the subtleties of her tone suggesting her speaking for all pokémon participants in the room. Of course, with her connection to the other legendaries, that's likely to be the case - and in any case, no one is speaking up to correct an onlooker in that impression.
-Instead, the first point on the agenda finds itself addressed. ~As I understand the matter,~ Crinyx begins. ~The human in question lied to worsen his own punishment.~ He raises his right forepaw to scratch idly at the side of his sinuous neck, his expression suspended somewhere between a distant, aloof resentment and boredom. ~Would it not stand to reason that we accept such manipulation in light of all participants' clear agreement with the outcome? This is hardly a case of someone getting off too lightly,~ he argues. ~If someone wishes to suffer, who are we to deny them that?~
-Of course, anyone who knows Crinyx would recognise his tone of voice, that attempt at sounding indifferent, as something wholly different. He's not interested in doing the human a favour. He's not interested in doing any human a favour, ever, which makes it that much easier to spot, of course. No, instead, he's far more interested in simply knowing someone who's portrayed such psychotic behaviour in as much pain as the Council would possibly allow for. It's no secret he deems most judgements too lenient.
-~For the same reason we'd deny them the wish to get off lightly,~ [[pokémon:Fyrrcla]] deadpans, although without much conviction behind those words, simply poking the obvious hole into the narrative because it was there for the poking.
-<fc #008888>Solalon nods slowly. ~Indeed. On the one hand, had the opposite occurred, and they'd lied to get off light, we'd hardly be having this argument right now. On the other... if the trial is intended to give us enough understanding of a person to decide their fate, and we only later discover we were manipulated into making the wrong decision, what purpose exactly does the trial serve?~</fc>
-~Exactly,~ Crinyx comments, evidently choosing to ignore Fyrrcla's barb with his practised indifference. ~We can't go around changing our decisions whenever we so please, that makes a mockery of the whole ordeal.~
-Stasycl's posture has shrunk a little, caution infecting her, the current spoken train of thought alien to her and mildly intimidating. It takes a moment for her to gather herself enough in light of all of it to speak to her fellow Legendaries: ~Respectfully, I disagree. If the purpose of the trial is to enact justice, which I am sure we all agree it is, then we //must// pursue that very same justice if circumstances reveal new evidence. I daresay //not// doing so would undermine our efforts far more than otherwise. Surely we are all aware that the trial cannot be perfect in its assessment every time it is done? Trivial deviations will hardly require additional intervention, but I for one trust the Arbiter enough not to present us with such cases for reassessment in the first place. And this is certainly no trivial deviation.
-~It is unfortunate that evidently none of us were lucid enough to catch on to the manipulation, but as much as it enrages, consider that it is our group that decides on the fate of the human so-called 'pokémon trainers', and it is arguably a greater insult to us all to let the manipulation stand. We have always transcended judgement on personalities but in the most basic form of aggression-potential - it is actions that concern us. We may not like Dakarai N'Sehla or others that lie to us, but that should not poison our judgement - it is far too precious to be corrupted so easily.~
-<fc #008888>There's a brief glare from Solalon at Crinyx's enthused endorsement - he's supporting it only because it means harsher punishment for the accused, or at least that's the impression he gives. After a moment of silence, though, Stasycl thankfully speaks up, and makes a number of good points. One or two of the others are even beginning to nod in agreement. ~Good points, all. Any other thoughts on this matter, or do we have a consensus?~</fc>
-~I doubt we do,~ Crinyx comments, managing to quash his annoyance at being effectively ignored. ~They may be well-spoken points, but alas, they hinge on one detail - when exactly we consider 'justice' to be attained. By her own reasoning, the answer is 'practically never'. As such, I don't see any particular reason why our best efforts to come to a fair decision should be changed after the fact. I suspect any further attempts at 'correcting' an initial assessment would be so bogged down in some form of prejudice - or rabid overcompensation for it...~ - he lets a glare touch Jagdish for a moment - ~... - that we'd be more likely to undo whatever good we hope to attain.~
-<fc #008888>Solalon considers this argument for a long moment, then a light grimace distorts his features. ~By that logic, when, in a case like this one, our judgement in the initial assessment is regrettably impaired by prejudice, we're doing much more harm than good by holding the trial in the first place. We are by no means infallible, and no matter how much we might wish it, we never will be, as rare as our errors are given our collective judgement. Is denying ourselves the option to fix the few rare errors that occur really a better alternative than allowing ourselves that chance?~</fc>
-~I'm not in disfavour of 'allowing ourselves the option',~ Crinyx argues. ~I'm in disfavour of treating it as a moral obligation, which is what Stasycl has presented it as. Meetings such as these are hardly easy on the resources,~ he observes. ~And if there is no net gain by them, we are, to use frank vernacular, wasting our collective time.~
-✘ **in progress**
-{{tag>[raw]}}