Consider this a disclaimer: what you are about to hear is not a question regarding the Admiral's motives. If I might be blunt, I don't actually care what his motives are, or indeed if he has any at all. Thank you so much for your time.

What purpose does it serve to assign legitimacy to one moral code over another? People subscribe to a moral code because it's what they've been taught, or because it allows them to survive, or because they enjoy it. Some give credence to their own code and consider it better than all others, while some aspire to a code they consider to be superior to theirs.

If one's moral code indicates one's ability to lead and make the "right" choices - the absurdity of which statement I'm not about to delve into, it's far too easy - where do people with elaborate designs on world peace by means of violence fit in, or, conversely, those who would kill to eliminate violent crime, or those who relish crime but would view assisting others as an equally worthy adventure? Of course, there are also hypocrites who betray their own code, or those golden, selfish few who exist alone and codeless.

I would like a definition of right, please. I would like all of them. Maybe I'll make a collage.

spam | merlin

[In a way, he's surprised he wasn't saddled with baggage sooner. Surprise and curiosity don't mean that he wants to be approached or even approach himself, however, so he has been steadfastly ignoring any and all messages from Merlin. They're excruciatingly unimportant.]

[Instead he takes a seat in the gardens - an unusual place of rest for him, which is part of the point. Besides, there's something enjoyable enough about plant life. It doesn't ask annoying questions.]

[ The marquis's voice is completely calm, betraying none of his irritation. ]

Catching up is so tedious. None of you have anything very interesting to say. I suppose I'll do it for the sake of being a good neighbor, but there are hundreds of things I'd rather be doing.

A piece of advice, for anyone who's willing to listen: there are two sides to every story, so you might as well stop being surprised when unexpected things happen. For example, in the French tale, Sleeping Beauty's mother-in-law was a cannibalistic ogre who tried to eat her darling grandson. Happily-ever-after doesn't exist, and neither do straight answers. Being consistently surprised at horror is wasteful, particularly given the fact that none of us have any measure of control here.

[ SPAM ]

[ If anyone's still hanging around the infirmary having happy fun PTSD times, guess what? So's this guy. Someone will probably kick him out soon enough, but in the meantime he'll be hovering. ]