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[sterngaze]

Liem Talbott

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Liem's mindscape is dark; quiet; contemplative. Any feelings or sensations that Liem doesn't intentionally project himself seem distant, as though echoing from a far-off room. Following any given sense to its source is bafflingly difficult.

Comments

[sterngaze]

[Liem also doesn’t like the implications of Aetós — or whoever it was — being aware enough of those encounters to influence them, and to possibly even know things about the people who might want to come looking for him. He much prefers when his quarry doesn’t know he’s hunting for it. But then, chances of that lasting long were always going to be slim.]

It’s politics, [Liem says without hesitation, with the air of long familiarity.] Regardless of why Lady Yima wants the shard back, her best chance of getting the Tribune to hand it over is to make him look like a villain for refusing. His image is important to him, after all — just as I imagine the Matron’s image is important to her.

[vapour]

Oh. ... I didn't think of it like that; that it would increase chances of simply being returned, but you're right. I guess since it's politics it's just as easy for it not to be taken as personally in certain cases as the other way around...

[sterngaze]

That said, I am curious to know what the Matron might be concerned about, in demanding Manon’s return. The Tribune’s goals are fundamentally opposed to her own, from what I understand, but I had not previously thought hostilities between the two sects were so pronounced. And he has been fairly open about his intention to heal the corruption afflicting his shard, which it seems unlikely she would take issue with.

[There are reasons that she might take issue with it, of course, but that isn’t the point of his line of inquiry.]

So I wonder what she fears would happen to a hostage in the Tribune’s care.