Do you have an estimate on when it happened? [Narvin wonders if this was in any way related to Ben's query on capital punishment. And if he inadvertently encouraged Ben to kill Mr. Russo.]

During the flood. [A lot of people did.] Even before Mr. Russo's very public announcement, he was aware of what he had done, and I tried to express my own difficulties with the matter.

Sometimes your people are your people, and it's difficult to decide whether you need to abandon your morals for your status, or to maintain them. I ultimately found reason not to, but apparently I didn't thoroughly explain why this is a bad idea before departing.

I see.

Well, for what it's worth, I can understand why trying to explain that killing Ladd Russo is a bad idea would be very difficult indeed.

[Narvin understands why there are reasons related to Barge politics, warden standards and setting a good example, and the lack of a judicial system here that makes Ben killing Ladd in an act of vigilante justice a bad idea. But from an ethical standpoint, he can't say that he wouldn't gladly send Mr. Russo down a short trip through the Oubliette of Eternity and consider the universe better off for it.]

In any case, it is a mistake that has caused him to regress. Coupled with the fact that he brought a blue-skinned woman a tribute. I may be required to ask Wade Wilson's warden for more information on her, possibly from Wilson himself, to prove her lack of divinity.

I have noticed that he's been unusually pleased. [And he feels a little silly now that he thought it was because Ben was just happy to see him.]

You have reasons to suspect? Has your inmate admitted to doing it? Because otherwise, if you don't have enough proof I find it a little premature to assume he was the one to do it as much as he might have a motive to do so.

Because we all know how excited people can be to admit to a crime.

"Reason to suspect" in this case means enough proof, and I'm going to deal with him.

[A long 'hum', but he has no reason to distrust a warden so he ends up noding to himself. Not that he can see it.]

Is there any way I can help then?

[He sighs, because today is a hard day.] I think the difficult part is done. Ladd's body is in the infirmary.

[no no no this isn't her problem anymore. This isn't her business, this is an unpaired inmate who got himself killed and the murder's being dealt with by the people whose responsibility it is.

If she reminds herself enough she'll start to believe it.]

You got anyone planning on bringing him back? Guy I had to watch him disappeared.

No. The infirmary usually does, but I wouldn't recommend it without a guard on duty.

Or rather, I should actually recommend it to them. [He'll go do that now.]

...the guy I had watching him disappeared. Rinzler. Heard about it yesterday, but it must have been before, or this wouldn't have happened.

[She's pointedly not volunteering to look for someone else.]

You might want to tell them that.

Why's your Inmate have access to the CES?

He doesn't. He has only his senses and none of other above human attributes, either. He took advantage of the flood, and the fact Rinzler disappeared while two of the other wardens that agreed to monitor him were affected.

Edited 2013-02-22 12:39 am (UTC)

Wait . . . where's his warden? [Lia hasn't had access to any of the discussions that might have told her Duo's been gone.]

Duo left. [He doesn't think the kid would have disappeared, not with the trouble that Ladd was.] It occurred while Ladd was in Zero.

I see.

Thank you.

[Ben doesn't bother responding, nor running and hiding. In fact when Rhade first made the announcement, he'd aborted his journey from the dining hall to the library and went, instead, to his room to wait. It's simple, then, to gather up the specified clothes, to swap out his new leather coat for his old field jacket; he'd take the knife, too, but when he goes to pull it out, it's missing. Rhade's scent is all over where it was.

He's wary through the hallways, just in case, and slinks past the wardens on duty like he's expecting them to lash out at him, but he's quick about reporting to level Zero. He's absolutely neutral - not withdrawn, simply lacking any overt opinion on the proceedings beyond his obedience - as he searches for Rhade.]

[Rhade has a bag of his own. The last time he spent time in Zero was when he was waiting off mind control- he was released when he was paired with his second warden. This is an odd situation.

He lobs it into the cell that will be beside of Ben's.] We're still going to do the dinner shift. [He starts with that. For once, he's not even wearing leather. He mostly has his practice sweats on.]

[The bag itself is strange and almost gives Ben pause simply due to the unknown nature of it, but Rhade has given him no reason to fear what might be done to him; it doesn't mean he doesn't sometimes fear anyway because that's his default, but he can override it deliberately and does so now.

He does stop walking, however, when Rhade tosses it into a cell, cocking his head slightly to one side in confusion. He asks flatly,] What are you doing?

Well, that's better than I would have done. He deserves to have his corpse sealed up in a boulder and left there.

[Wanda's voice is shaky. She knows she's supposed to discourage such thoughts, but after so long of dealing with people like Morgana and Ladd spreading misery far and wide, she's ready to break. She doesn't want to--she has to get out--but this system is so fucked up, and these people keep getting away with it with nowhere near the punishment they deserve.]

I had to. I may resent him, but I wouldn't want someone to do something similar to my inmate. And I know he acted because he knew I hated Ladd, at least in part.

[Which means it's partially Rhade's fault that he's dead (despite his better efforts) and he has to take some responsibility.] I won't be leaving him alone for the week. I'll be in Zero too, if you need me. I'm willing to leave for an emergency and we will still be doing the dinner shift. Ladd is no longer my concern. [Spoken with so much disdain.]

There are people here who should be locked up away from everyone else so they can't hurt us anymore. They'll just keep doing it. Morgana, Ladd...they'll never change.

[She also believes that about Ben. But she doesn't say it.]

I'm so tired of monsters like that. I'm so tired of having to tolerate having them around, knowing they're evil, knowing they'll just do it again, but unable to do anything about it or I'll be punished! It's cruel to make the rest of us live with people that evil while taking away our right to do something about it.

[Her eyes tear up.] This place...treats the really evil ones too well and the rest of us too badly.

[She walks away from the communicator to try and compose herself. She knows now that she can't stay no matter who needs her. It's too horrible here.]

I have to get out. I can't take much more than this.

I used to be worse, you know.

I know. I hate admitting this, but I really believe that people who keep going on rampages against everyone, spreading suffering...they need a bit more of a boot in the ass than a week long timeout. And yeah, that includes you. I know about your past. I have met some of your victims. I don't gloss over that.

But I also don't gloss over the fact that the only time you ever tried to hurt me, we were both wacked out on Wonderland. That matters too. It matters that you made that kinda effort with me when it's not natural to you anymore. Because I know--it's fun to destroy. It's enjoyable to dominate and terrify people. And this place makes people feel powerless, so why not go back to the rush?

But you've been sparing a lot of us lately.

Ladd though...he crossed a certain line you didn't. It left me feeling all bitch. It's like, I know Rhade did the right thing, but...I'm not sure I could have.

Could you tell me what happened?

[She leaves a lingering note of fear in her voice, after everything that happened, but she's sitting upright, eyes level in the feed.]