The Black Order Meeting

[noblerise]

WHO: Jusis and Kaisou's TBO Team
WHERE: An undisclosed location
WHEN: After the Zodiac post
WHAT: It's time to discuss Teresa and a certain message that Jusis received.
WARNINGS: WHO KNOWS WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT IN POST

[Jusis has already set up the rec center to accommodate everyone on the team. It's a very kitted out meeting room that he's gotten on such short notice. The table is big enough to seat everyone comfortably, with a projector in the middle and a screen behind Jusis, who is standing at the front with his arms crossed. There's a podium next to him that already has papers on it. His completely silent as everyone files in, though he does nod his greeting to each of them.

Once everyone is settled in, he picks up the top piece of paper and gets straight to the point.]

I've received a message from The Order that reads as follows:

Teresa Hathorne is no more.
Consequences sit now at your door.
One chance more we give you now,
Find the culprit, or this we vow:
This chance, Albarea, shall be your last.
You have until April's last.

[He sets it on the meeting table to allow anyone who wants to see it for themselves to do so. It's typed out rather than a printed screenshot. He looks to each of them.]

I won't lie to you. I respect everyone's intelligence here, but I must drive home the point: this is a high-profile case and how we handle this will have long-lasting repercussions. Since I doubt any of you have been given this notice, I can only assume that I've been assigned to this Mission personally.

That being said, now is the time I'm going to have to ask where everyone's thoughts and feelings are. If you are satisfied with how The Order handles their affairs, I grant you permission to leave this room and wash your hands of the situation. If you are unsatisfied with the current state of affairs, then you can stay.

I will give you five minutes to make your decision. After that has elapsed, we will have a discussion.

Comments

The Discussion: Teresa

[noblerise]

[Once everyone has made their decision after five minutes and the only ones here are in on whatever crazy idea Jusis has, he will begin speaking again.]

To business, then. I will speak bluntly: I have no intention of being The Order's dog and I have discussed this with Zhongli during the operation to free him from his contract. Things must change in The Black Order if we are to move forward. This will be one of the topics we discuss in tonight's meeting.

The other thing we have to discuss is our strategy into investigating Teresa Hathorne's death. How we proceed is going to directly impact many lives, not the least of which that of the murderer. Also, keep in mind that since Hathorne is now dead, we will be under even more scrutiny than before. They may even send more zealots to investigate us or keep a closer eye on us.

Therefore, the more immediate topic we should discuss is this one. How should we proceed with the investigation and how should we deal with the murderer? I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts on this and hold a vote.

[lowestclass]

The way I see it, they're going to expect us to give interrogations. And not just half-assed ones like we did with the Warriors of Light. Chances are, they're going to expect thorough, driving ones, likely with some sort of proof that we did so.

So the question is, if and how we conduct these interviews, would it be smart of us to find out who the killer is, first, to avoid interrogating them? [ ...jinwoo knows who the killer is, but he's. Not going to say it. Not even to his fellow members. Sorry. ]

[scourgingstars]

I for one think it would be wiser if we didn't.

[For whatever reason, Ardyn had elected to stay--though with the usual feigned disinterest.]

Can't very well inadvertently reveal what we don't know. Past that it's just a matter of putting forth a convincing act.

[lowestclass]

I don't like the idea of doing it either, but we can expect them to start putting the pressure on.

In a way that won't be easy to just skirt off, this time.

[crisantemo]

But that could still make them stand out, if we avoided them. If we avoid anyone, I bet they'll notice and ask why.

[ Lapis slumps a little more in her chair, heaving a sigh as her arms fold over her chest. ]

If need be, we can always falsify things. We can give thorough reports, but so long as we keeps our stories straight, they won't have to be truthful.

[lowestclass]

I agree with that.

I'm all for falsifying records, or even discussing the interview with them beforehand so they keep their stories a certain way.

[fiddlestick]

[Instead of Elliot in human form, in the chair next to Jusis is a blue cat-dragon looking creature. It honestly looks like a pokemon. This whole thing is way too stressful to maintain human form. He's doing his best ok]

Well, I don't know much about murder investigations so I'm willing to go along with everyone else.

But I would like to propose a veto on any plan that'd result you falling on the sword.

[crisantemo]

I agree with Elliot.

[ Don't you dare Jusis!!! Also Elliot looks so cute but now is not the time for that - ]

[wiseoldbartender]

[They are not bringing up the cat thing. They are NOT.]

Last thing we need is you playin' the fuckin' hero here. It wouldn't do shit in the long run anyway, they're just find another scapegoat so yeah, don't do anything stupid.

[kanka]

The Order will not be kind, regardless of who we will investigate or say who may have done it. They need a scapegoat- and it does not matter if the person actually did the murder or not- they want to make a point and show their power.

[A beat, and Ayato crosses his arms.]

There is also this: Teresa visited my home a few days prior, and warned me that there would be other members who would come, and more than likely not be as kind as her. She is the first- but she will not be the last, and we need to make sure all of us keep an eye out for each other in the meantime.

[crisantemo]

- Wait, Teresa what?

[ Hello??? Lapis is sitting upright now, hands on the table as she frowns. ]

Did she - She didn't do anything else, right?

[unreachableside]

[Blade is in the corner drawing on his hand with a pen. The Black Order's sigil has been emblazoned on it, so naturally he's drawing a cool robot hand around it. Promise he's paying attention.]

The smart thing would have been to get out in front of this by finding the body before they did, but now we don't have a choice.

If there's any evidence, we need to destroy it. Surveillance footage can be wiped and DNA can go missing in the bottom of the ocean or a big hole in Hyrule. That's easy enough to do.

I'm guessing we aren't going to try to pin this murder on someone we don't like?

[scourgingstars]

I find that an unwise choice. Not only because I doubt we would come to an agreement on someone we all hate enough, but also I suspect the Order's about to lose whatever shreds of goodwill we had remaining with the residents of this city. Damaging that further will do us no favors.

[crisantemo]

[ At some point, amongst all the "Blade no" and "Blade wtf", Lapis has gravitated over to the seat next to him. With her own pen in hand she is -

- Adding little flowers to the doodle on his hand. She is also paying attention but also this could use more flowers. ]

[sg09r]

Well, first, I’m thinking I should make a PowerPoint about the value of shutting the fuck up. For the network at large.

[Giving Blade a very pointed look. Then:]

I was thinking we do witness interviews, see who saw what around the time of her death. We have to at least look like we’re trying even if we’re not. Are we not?

As for the murderer—I’m not gonna lie, I kinda want to give them a commendation, whoever they are. Teresa was shit as a person. [He sighs.] I don’t know. Order might want them dead for the insult—what if we just. Do this the legal way? Put them in jail for murder, if we find them.

[unreachableside]

[Blade stares back for a long minute. And then:]

... Put them in jail? What are you, a cop?

[scourgingstars]

If we figure it out, perhaps an anonymous gift basket in a few months. I'm sure they'll understand.

[noblerise]

[Jusis now has a Styrofoam cup of Lipton tea in his hands after everyone comes back from a 15 minute break. When everyone is settled again and hopefully feeling a bit better, he'll start.]

I've been hearing a lot of people agree that we should treat the investigation seriously, and some concerns about making sure we don't jeopardize our relationship with the Libra users at large while we do so. There's also been a strong sentiment to not use a scapegoat or for anyone to take the fall. Given that, I believe that the way we should do this is by doing all in our power to proceed with the investigation while ensuring nobody innocent takes the fall for Hathorne's murder. This then leaves two questions:

What will we do with the murderer if we find them, and how do we keep our relationship with the Libra users mostly intact?

[lowestclass]

I feel like we don't have a choice but to 'do our jobs' this time around--or at least appear to be trying to.
As for what to do with them while maintaining our relationship with Libra?

Whoever did this, unless the person is one of us and isn't fessing up...
Throwing the person to the dogs if we do find them is how we destroy our relationship with them once and for all.

[sg09r]

Fake their Sealing or their death. Or give the Libra users a chance to break their friend out.

[Leon has acquired an iced caramel latte, because he deserves to treat himself damn it.]

Either way, we can tell the Order that we found them, and we did our best to mete out justice for Teresa’s death. Not our fault something went wrong and they managed to weasel out of it somehow.

[scourgingstars]

I would say we have one of two options.

[15, 50, he's still gonna be tired.]

One, we put forth an exhaustive and thorough investigation that mysteriously ends inconclusively; either we can't find any likely culprit, or we find so many with equal motive and lack of alibi that there is no way for the Order to penalize every single one without more trouble than the affair is worth.

Two, we do present results, and at the same time we casually develop a terrible information vulnerability in that the Libra users somehow know exactly where their wayward vigilante is and have whatever happens next left in their hands.

...Frankly, the second's a bit more high risk, high reward. We stand to gain the greater goodwill, but if the culprit dies in the process we'll lose far more.

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot's human now, drinking a cup of tea to help calm his nerves.]

I think if nothing else, we should try to hear them out first and then decide what to do. I mean, if they're a good person with good intentions - I wouldn't be against trying to find some way to help them.

But we also can't rule out that the culprit might be just a person who just likes to murder and saw an opportunity. The app has certainly had some of those types....

[He's trying real hard not to look in Ardyn's direction as he says that]

[wiseoldbartender]

[Husk did not go and get coffee, but he has brought a flask out of his pants pocket to drink out of. It definitely doesn't have coffee in there.]

However the fuck this rolls, if we've got any chance of this batshit plan to fix the Order, we need the Libra users on side. That's just fuckin' math. They got numbers, they got power. We need 'em as allies, if we turn them against us as enemies, then we've already fuckin' lost this before we've even begun.

[He drums his claws on the metal of the flask. ]

As for what to do. I dunno. We can't half-ass it. They'll know and that'll fuck us. But keeping the Libra users involved might not completely disintegrate what you've built with 'em. If it's one of them, let them be involved in what happens. Shit, we could even pass it off as recruitment tactics to the higher ups if we're smart about it- keeping them sweet to make it easier.

[unreachableside]

It'd be a shame if we caught the culprit and then their friends somehow got a hold of a blacksmith's skeleton key. Just awful. There's multiple blacksmiths in the city, could be anyone.

[The sarcasm is pretty audible here.]

... But that doesn't eliminate our part in this. We can look incompetent to a point, the Order is expecting that, but they could bring their wrath down on the whole city as a result.

My money's on the app users, though. If it matters.

[adtendo]

To be honest, I think you all are missing the forest for the trees.

What should we do with the murderer? Well, we ask them. We don't know who did it.

Given the way most people on this app tend to think, chances are your "murderer" would be against a scapegoat, too. If the murderer is difficult to cooperate with, we have this conversation again. But given the goody two shoes on this app, that seems unlikely to happen.