[semi-open] a friendly query

[stabsbooks]

WHO: Cassandra and rifters/shardbearers
WHAT: Rifter interrogations
WHEN: Following Cassandra's log with Galadriel and the advisors' conversation
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: For planned rifter/shardbearer interrogation threads with Cassandra! If we haven't discussed your character's thread, please drop me a note here or hit me up on Plurk for general (this can be very general) setup/discussion of what you hope the outcome to be. She'll be most interested in talking to rifter mages, but we can swing her interrogating anyone with a shard.

With or without your support, she had said to the Spymaster, and she had meant it. She would have preferred that Leliana understand her position, the necessity of action - but she does not, and dwelling on it will do nothing to change that now. Whether anyone else sees it or not, Cassandra at least recognizes the risk that the shardbearers pose. If nothing else, they must understand who the rifters are, what they are capable of - and what they may do.

There are still plenty who agree with her, who are not as idealistic in this matter as Leliana, and it's not difficult to find soldiers willing to find those of interest and bring them to her, one at a time. She waits until each is seated before she turns to face them, and always begins the same way, whether she recognizes them or not.

"I am Cassandra Pentaghast, and I represent the Inquisition. State your name, and where you come from."

Comments

[stabsbooks]

"Seeker Pentaghast," she corrected him automatically. "Where I come from is not important." This was not a conversation. It was an interrogation.

But so far, despite his strange words, he wasn't making a terrible impression. Peace and justice were laudable goals. In fact, his answer was almost too perfect, and she eyed him, wondering if he might not just be telling her what she wanted to hear.

"What is the 'Republic'? she asked him. It was either a country or, perhaps, a religion, based on what he had said, and it might tell her much about his conceptions of both peacekeeping and justice.

[obi_wanmanshow]

"Seeker," he acknowledged, with a nodding bow, the friendly version of a more formal gesture, "It's a democratic state. The democratic state, in many ways, encompassing thousands of worlds and species, and most of the galactic core worlds. Unfortunately, not this one."

He folded his arms, thinking, and wasn't that the strangest thing about this all? These people seemed human, in every way-- well, except for the ones who weren't at all human. Near-human, then. And yet, there was no sign of higher technology, no hidden hatchways or clever camouflage hiding a holo-interface. No knowledge of the Republic, nor any Republic representative to speak on its behalf. He highly suspected that if he ever got his communicator working again, there'd be no artificial signals whatsoever.

An awe-inspiring loneliness, to be stuck in one place without the hope of rescue. He can see why some of these 'Rifters' seem so edgy.

"I must disagree. Anyone with the authority to arrest whomever she pleases, without probable cause or any warning, is certainly someone we all need to know more about. It's very suspicious."

[stabsbooks]

"Suspicious?" Cassandra's eyes narrowed immediately. It was the first time anyone had made her such an accusation. Even Leliana, for all the awful things she had said, had never questioned her authority, or her right to do as she had to Galadriel. Her surprise and disapproval was so great that she completely passed over his incomprehensible talk of 'democratic states' and 'galactic core worlds,' at least for the moment.

"I am the founder of the Inquisition, and a Seeker of Truth," she explained, and frowned. Wanting to understand the basis of her authority was fair enough, she supposed, but knowing more about her beyond that was completely unnecessary. "I arrest only those who threaten the safety of the Inquisition." Galadriel, for one - and the only one, thus far, since the Herald herself at her first appearance. "There is nothing suspicious about my authority."

[obi_wanmanshow]

"Dangerous by your presumption, of course, under an authority you assumed for yourself. What could possibly be suspect about that?" He offered one hand, palm up, a gesture of supplication as if to show his conclusion arose naturally from the circustances, "I don't mean to imply that it's a legitimate fear. I'm very sure you're doing your very best for these people, no one should accuse you of doing otherwise."

At least, not if they wanted to keep their eyebrows safe from the scorching glare she was giving him. Gracious.

"Just the same, consider it from our perspective. None of us came here of our own volition, nor do we have anywhere else to turn. This needn't be a struggle for dominance; surely we can be friends."

[stabsbooks]

"Friends?"

The thought is incredible. Friends, after he had so questioned her authority? After he had cast such aspersions? She clenches her fists at her sides, glaring daggers at him.

"And who should judge what is dangerous to the Inquisition, if not its leadership?" She thinks of Leliana - and then pushes the thought away, slamming her hands down on the table and looming over him. How dare he speak to her this way.

"This authority was granted to me by Most Holy herself, Divine Justinia V, the late leader of the Chantry and the Exalted Servant of the Maker. I have assumed nothing," she tells him. He does not understand, that's all. Once he recognizes the validity of her authority here, these irrelevant questions will end. "This has never been a struggle for dominance. It is my sacred duty to safeguard those under my command, and those who have come to Skyhold seeking refuge. That is why you are here, and why I am asking the questions, and not you."

That should do it. She takes a moment to breathe, then straightens. It is far past time to return to the actual subject of this interrogation.

"Tell me more of this Republic, and your order. Who do you serve?"

[obi_wanmanshow]

Obi-Wan had a sarcastic reply on his tongue almost before she finished speaking. Her authority was granted by a religous figure-- a late religious figure. Something twanged, sharp and dissonant against his inner sense, and Obi-Wan checked himself before he could say something inexcusable.

"I'm sorry for your loss. You must have worked very closely together, to be appointed to this position," He meant it, too, despite his gentle recalcitrance, "I apologize-- but, really, there was no way I could have known that, had you not told me."

Certainly, he couldn't have anticipated this much resistance over the simple question of a hometown. And yet, here she was, as aggressive as anything, looming over him as if she could cow him with outrage alone. You're a strange, fascinating puzzle, Cassandra Pentaghast.

"I serve the Jedi Council, and the Republic Senate, in that order of presidence. The former is, of course, comprised of senior Jedi, chosen from within the Order. And the latter is--" He hesitated, wondering how to explain it best. Perhaps a youngling-primer view would serve best. If she didn't like to be talked down to, well.... he'd alreayd angered her, might as well earn it, "The Senate is a body of representatives from various Republic worlds, with members duly elected from their constituencies, and representing the interests of their people to the Galaxy at large."

[stabsbooks]

If Cassandra was being talked down to, or being given a heavily abridged version of events, she didn't notice.

"The...galaxy," she said slowly, and frowned. "I see."

He was insane, clearly. He spoke of serving this Senate directly, and named no clear leader. His talk of multiple worlds brought to mind strange images of the people of Thedas and the spirits of the Fade living and working side by side. His use of nonsense words such as democratic and constituencies could perhaps be excused by his having come through the rift from his own strange land, but -

But this Senate, by his own admission, gathered the opinions and fears of his people...and then shouted them into the sky. To the galaxy at large.

She bent closer, but the gaze she leveled at him now was no longer aggressive or hostile, but warily curious. As if she were interrogating a madman, and there was no knowing what he might say or do next.

"And how does the galaxy respond?"

[obi_wanmanshow]

If Obi-Wan senses her caution, he only sees her confusion, and her curiosity. An opportunity for education? Fantastic.

"Well, typically there is a certain amount of discussion, or arguing, as the case may be, and then the issue is put to an appropriate vote or, if necessary, relegated to a relevant committee," Democracy is a complicated creature, and never moreso when you are dealing with dozens of species' interest spread over hundreds of planets, most of which are engaged in open war, "It's a government, made of people: they will argue, inevitably. They wouldn't wish to be leaders, if they weren't passionate about what they do."

[stabsbooks]

"Indeed," Cassandra says dryly. Arguing, yes, she is intimately familiar with. It is difficult to see, however, where anyone wishing to be a leader has anything to do with it. In her experience, leadership is not something pursued so much as thrust upon people whether they want it or not.

Herself included.

He had not answered her question, though, at least not to any sort of satisfaction. Does he truly believe that the galaxy responds to him? Perhaps this Jedi Order, this Republic, is a part of some...some cult, like the one in the Winterwatch Tower in the Hinterlands. Such things are not unheard of.

Still, he could do worse than shouting at the sky. Certainly she sees no harm in it, though she does feel a spot of pity for the man.

"If...it makes you happy," she says doubtfully. "But what will you do here, in the absence of your Republic?"

[obi_wanmanshow]

"If what makes me happy, Seeker? Arguing on the senate floor with obstinate representatives? Certainly not," Very little about even the crudest act of governance is about making the people that are participating in it happy. This particular interview included, "Didn't you say you were the... self-appointed leader of this Inquisition, to some degree? Does it make you happy?"

Of course it doesn't. Looking at Cassandra, it doesn't take a Jedi to tell that happiness, whatever the cause, has been elusive for her. Obi-Wan folds his arms again, puzzled and, somewhat annoyed.

"In the absence of the Republic, I will do what Jedi have always done when isolated-- I will observe without interfering, when I can. When, and if, I feel I should act, I will do so as a representative of the Jedi as a whole," He gestured with one hand, palm-up, and expansive gesture as if encircling a large population, "On many worlds, a Jedi will work alone, meeting people who may never have met our like before-- how I conduct myself will forever color their perception of the Order, and all Jedi who come after me will have to deal with the consequences of my actions. Thedas is no different than others in that regard."

[stabsbooks]

Cassandra's brow dips down, and she frowns. Self-appointed leader sits poorly with her, though she cannot quite find the words to rebuke him, and the pointed question about her own happiness...

It is irrelevant, entirely. And none of his concern, in any case. She does not have the time or the luxury to worry about being happy, not when there is so much to do - and what does he know of her, anyway?

Unsettled, and uable to find a suitable response, she chooses to ignore the question entirely, and move on. This Obi-wan is still a mystery. Perhaps he is mad. And he asks too many questions. But, she thinks, for all that, he does not seem dangerous.

"An ambassador, then?" she guesses. "Or a spy?" There are open spies, after all; simply because he acknowledges it he is does not change what he may be. "What sort of impression do you hope to make, on behalf of your Order?"

[obi_wanmanshow]

"An accurate one," His reply is succinct, tossed out without missing a beat, the ends of the consonants bitten off with clear intent; this is an answer he has given before, "Everyone is an ambassador for their cause, in some way, Seeker. As you yourself are, of the Inquisition's leadership."

He left the question deliberately unasked, but it hung between them like a beam of sunlight, scattering dust motes into brilliant points of light. What impression did she hope to make, on behalf of her people?

"I am neither, by choice. Even if I were, I didn't choose to come here either. Why must you assume hostility?"

[stabsbooks]

Cassandra doesn't take the bait. She's never bothered to worry very much about her reputation, preferring to let her work speak for itself. She is not good at diplomacy, at people, and she knows it. So why try, when people like Josephine are so much better equipped?

"I assume nothing," she snaps back. "That is the point. I did not know where you came from or what you might do. Why do you think I called you here?"