ukan | IC CONTACT

And I will, of course, continue to look out. Hopefully they can settle out a bit given everything going on. Their little plot hardly did as they hoped for, after all.

I think it made her more determined to make waves.

Certainly. [ Oh, he never thought different. ] But as ‘murder’ clearly isn’t the solution, they’ll have to figure something else out. That? Will take some time.

I think you overestimate how quickly people grow bored with murder.

Murder is just-

I hate to put it this way, but murder is just a method of expression. She's- she's checking a load of boxes to get to murder: intimidation, control, anger expression?

But it is not, in itself, the objective. She's smart enough to know she's not accomplishing anything here; she can't get rid of anyone. It's probably why they went after Fitz, of all people.

I know.

But if we start treating murder as anything but a big deal it defeats a lot of what this place aims to do. I can't stress how little I cared about killing people after I graduated, Jon. I don't want anyone else to have to struggle to remember that ending a life matters.

Do you honestly think that's how I feel, Lark?

[ His volume lifts a little, but more in hurt than anger. Both are there, but it's more about expression than it is about actual rage. ]

I'm not saying to treat it as less. I'm well aware she doesn't care about people. I know why she was in prison. I heard it from her. I've talked with her rather a lot about it.

What I am saying is... she has to go back to the drawing board. And my goal will be to make it clear murder, big deal or no, will not get her what she wants.

...I've honestly never seen someone so afraid of the alternative. And that's the problem.

I didn't mean to imply that you do.

This job seemed more doable before I decided to care who gets hurt. I used to see pain--and death--as lessons and didn't ever weigh their cost. It's still new to me and I'm... [he looks away, shaking his head.] I'm still not sure how to balance letting people fuck up, and keeping people safe. And there are people here who don't give a damn about the murder or the torture that goes on. But I've never thought of you as one, and I don't think it now.

[ His hackles go down a little and he rubs at his face. ]

My apologies, I didn't-

Christ, the whole thing has me a bitch hair-trigger. And Daniel is-

[ He shakes his head and pushes it aside, away, out of his head for the moment. ]

Nothing that can be helped much by discussion. But I'm sorry for snapping, that's unfair to you. I know that. I've- I've known that since you were an inmate.

[ His shoulders sink. ]

For me, I've-

I've always tried to make it as hard as possible for someone to make the wrong choice. I accept that people will- they'll make the wrong decisions. I certainly have. But the easier you make it, the less- the less meaningful that fuck up will be. And the less you can learn from it because as you've said: how much does it really matter?

I don't know how successful I've been with that. But... that is my intention.

It's all right. [Lark doesn't hold it against him.]

You make an excellent point about how meaningful those mistakes are. And how we can help make them matter more.

You're always too kind to me. But I'm not going to question it too hard.

[ A breath out. ]

Well, I'm glad someone thinks it makes sense.

That's why I'm here, Jon. To make sense of things.

Forgive me for thinking it's for the sock toys.

I do my best thinking when I have a good toy.

And ear scritches?

Just my observations.

I like to think those are a small price to pay for my advice.

I don’t believe I’ve ever complained about your fees.

I hope you won't complain if the price ever goes up. All the new puppies have been finding my toy caches around the Deck. I might need to charge an extra tennis ball.

It's blood from a stone, but I'll make it work somehow. Can't have you without a tennis ball.

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