Scene #2170: Questions and Answers

Owner	Pose
Setsuko Kaminagi	Nathan will have received a simple plain-text request via the most convenient digital message service available. 'I would like to speak, if you have time and willingness. Nothing urgent, but possibly important or difficult. I will be in the Ring of Philosophy. -Setsuko' True to her word, she's taken an instance of the Ring for her own, active and waiting when Nathan arrives. When he enters, he'll find a curious sort of environment. The sharp cold of a winter night, a broad courtyard surrounded by Japanese-style walls, with a large similarly-styled manor - or perhaps a small similarly-styled castle - at one end. All of it dusted with a light coating of snow. The entirety of the yard is taken up by meter-tall poles wide enough for feet, each spaced a quarter of a meter apart. Setsuko herself stands atop them, stepping from one to the next as she goes through a slow, deliberate kata with the fully-released form of Zanjintou. Despite its twelve-foot length and accompanying mass, she's able to move it slowly and with precision, going through the movements in patient silence.
Nathan Hall	Nathan Hall is here. These days he doesn't look sick, sleepless, or starving as he has before at varying times and to varying degrees. But he also lacks the intense, severe energy, liveliness, and health he seemed to have during his fit of hateful madness. He looks lifeless, lacking energy, without any particular kind of terrible source. He doesn't mind the cold, though, for whatever odd reason there may be. His cloak, robes, and similar coverings that come with his adventuring outfit probably don't hurt, though. As he shuffles through the light dusting of snow, he makes no particular noises but doesn't try to hide his presence. Once he reaches the poles, he'll wait, patiently, at their base, doing no fidgeting whatsoever, patiently waiting for Setsuko to speak up first. He'll assume she knows he's there, and that she'll speak when she's ready, be that during the kata or after. He knows better than to interrupt a warrior in the middle of warrior business, given that that has about a two percent chance of getting the interrupter stabbed most times.
Setsuko Kaminagi	The kata doesn't last much longer. It ends with the massive blade held perfectly horizontal, the crossguard just beside her head, and then with a snap and a soft rush of air and energy, the titanic blade disappears and the hilt and grip return to a size more befitting the katana blade left behind. "General," she greets, bringing the blade around and sliding it into its sheath. "Thank you for coming." The swordswoman steps across the top of the poles smoothly, and then hops down off the side, turning to look at the courtyard. "A recreation, of one of my clan's practice grounds. Kaminagi-ryu has a strong emphasis on stable, solid footwork. I learned to use a sword in a place that looked almost exactly like this." Given her divinity, using a practice ground almost seems odd for her; she's shown a knack for picking up any given weapon and knowing how to use it perfectly.
Nathan Hall	Nathan remains essentially motionless as he looks up. "As you requested. It seemed as though you had something you wish to discuss." But he's in no particular hurry. He lets Kaminagi come down on the ground somewhere in front of him, and speaks as she looks over the courtyard. "A good footing, a steady foundation, is important. One who falls first dies first." He examines the poles, the image of the couryard, and other aspects of the environment. "I am no combatant, but this seems like as good a place to train as one could hope for, in terms of both practicality and atmosphere." He says, nodding once. "I certainly respect the choice, however little I may understand its context." He turns back to her, seemingly passive in the conversation; he'll let her make as much small talk as she likes, but he's open to whatever she may need to discuss when she feels like it.
Setsuko Kaminagi	"The resemblance to my old home is..." Setsuko pauses for a moment, considering her word choice. "...meditative. When I need to think, or simply to focus, it helps. And despite my ability to use any weapon I can pick up, coming here to practice helps me know my own fighting style. 'Being able to do what I want' is one thing, but going through a practice routine, learning what moves I'm capable of, how I perform them... 'Knowing what I can do', is entirely another. Familiarity with one's own nature is important." The demigod's eyes close, and she rests a hand on the place where her sheath connects to her belt. "...But we both know I'm not exactly given to long small talk when other matters press. I wanted to hear of what happened, directly from you, if you'd be willing to tell me. Reading reports, listening to brief explanations over the radio, those don't give a whole picture. So if you're willing, I'd like to listen to it."
Nathan Hall	Nathan seems to accept Setsuko's statement about knowing oneself. There's little that he needs to say about it, it's just a simple statement of facts and truth. He gives more attention to the latter half here. "What happened is a rather complicated affair. I believe it may be best for you to decide your preference in how you approach the complexity." He gestures with one hand. "I can explain the event itself, and answer any questions you have about it to explore the context as you see fit." He gestures with the other. "Or I can attempt to explain things from the very beginning, which will leave the explanation of the incident you refer to specifically to the very end." He clasps both hands together. "How would you like to receive your explanation?"
Setsuko Kaminagi	Setsuko seems to consider that for a moment, before opening her eyes. "...From the beginning, I believe. I have a loose understanding already, but hearing all of it as it happened would be helpful for the context it puts things in." Without a further word, she steps up onto the poles again, drawing Zanjintou; but rather than expand it to its full size, she keeps it in its katana form, and begins a practice form more suited to the smaller blade. Her own way of listening and contemplating, it seems.
Nathan Hall	"Well." Nathan says, unclasping his hands and folding his arms behind his back, going fairly motionless. "I'll explain then. Start the story from the beginning, figure you should get that. Figure it'll make things make more sense. Let's start things back in Urbania. Where I started figuring things out, really. Easy situation to describe, very simple. Very easy. Had a friend of mine, an old acquaintance. A Variant of her showed up one day and tried to burn me alive. Difficult to deal with, very difficult, since we were friends. Start of a trend."
Setsuko Kaminagi	Setsuko's movements are smooth and fluid, never stopping, but she speaks up with a question: "A friend that I would know, or a friend from your world?"
Nathan Hall	"A friend you might remember. This variant had been corrupted by an eye that was in her chest, a sort of gem. Awful thing, really. I heard it was the sun. Name was Utsuho Reiuji, you might remember it. Past this part of the story, she's got not a lot of relevance, really, not any importance to the story." Nathan says. His eyes are starting to close as he slips into a sort of extended mental flashback.
Nathan Hall	"Few months later. Just a few months, another friend. Might know him too, might know him a little. No. 9. Nine's a good friend of mine. Still a good friend, really, still a very good friend. Best friend at the time, you know." Now Nathan sighs heavily. "He was kidnapped by his creators. Nearly killed me, you know, just about. Had an eye lodged in his chest. Forced him to nearly kill me. Had to nearly kill him to pull through."
Nathan Hall	"It was a lot like the time before. Time before, you see, I had to do just about the same thing. No other choices, otherwise she would have killed me. Same for Nine. Keeps on going that way. George Weissman was the third one. Might remember him better. Unionite. Renowned Unionite, really. Tried to wipe my brain, tried to wipe my mind to make sure I wouldn't ever figure out what he was doing to hurt my friends. Had to pull the gun on him. Alternate personality, you know, making him do this sort of thing. Eventually shoved it into a Device."
Nathan Hall	"Nice watch, eventually. Big eye on it, if I remembered right. Gave himself away, gave himself away on accident. Entirely on accident, really. Accidentally said 'I' when he was supposed to say something else. Everything clicked after." Nathan seems to be fully in a proper state of flashback now. "That's about the first third of things."
Nathan Hall	"Two incidents, after that. One, then the other. Lady by the name of Salty Gale, you might remember her. Less renown than George, much less. Still, notorious in a way. Twice, I think it was, twice she attacked me. Twice she decided, for some reason I was never quite clear on, I needed to die. Never did quite understand. Nearly did it both times. Had to have her nearly killed." Looking up to Setsuko, he taps the side of his head, near the eye. "Major symbol in her Anima, you know. Familiar. Just one." A single eye.
Setsuko Kaminagi	"You have bad luck with eyes," Setsuko replies in a vaguely dry tone, foot coming down on one pole, only for the other to lift and move on the diagonal.
Nathan Hall	"You're starting to understand, I think. Gets worse from here on out." Nathan says, nodding to Setsuko. "She was a friend of mine. Claimed she had a bit of a crush on me, in fact. Unionite, stable most times. Most times, really, you could depend on her for combat backup. Except when she was around me. Who knows." Nathan shrugs. "Had to get her brigged the second time. Wouldn't stop it. Just how things were. Half the story's done now, I suppose. The setup."
Nathan Hall	"Now. You know by now. I'm a trusting kind of man, I'm a man who puts his trust in people. I don't distrust people, not until they've... Squandered trust, not until they really abuse it. I trust people. Just by default. Can't be any other way, you know, just can't manage to. If you wanted, it wouldn't have been tough to kill me here, for example." He gestures around at the Ring of Philosophy. "You and your sword, and all."
Setsuko Kaminagi	At that, Setsuko does stop briefly; but rather than speak with any words, she merely turns her head, just far enough to regard him with a flat, unflinching stare. Then she continues, as if she hadn't heard the last remark at all.
Nathan Hall	Nathan makes a plaintive gesture at the stare. What? C'mon. It's true, Setsuko could totally kill Nathan. Maybe after she gets a scarred eye or something. "Now the main plot starts, the main... Event, of sorts. Probably heard all about this one. The betrayal of Elliana Fairchild."
Nathan Hall	"Probably don't have to explain much about that to you, bit notorious really. Very well-known. Used my blood, meant to... Spare my life. Meant to kill all my friends but meant to keep me alive. Step one was obvious. Binding a titanic one-eyed dark god into her soul, you know." The gesture Nathan makes is plaintive and indicates that he thinks this is starting to get self-explanatory.
Nathan Hall	"Lot of fallout, lot of fallout from the whole debacle really. A fiasco. Botched betrayal, turned out very badly. People were very angry at her, you know. Lots of vows to hunt her down, lots of vows to make her suffer." Nathan says. He's stopped staying still and instead begun pacing, unable to sustain his pure lack of movement quite that long.
Setsuko Kaminagi	Setsuko's movements serve a similar purpose; her progress is slow, but with every move, she also takes a step, and slowly but surely it takes her everywhere on the expanse of wooden poles. "Some of which, to my understanding, are still held, while others are not." It's difficult to say whether she would still hold such a vow now; she wasn't there for the betrayal, and knows of the following justifications only in passing. That it's been so divisive since then only makes the start of it all the more significant.
Nathan Hall	"Sure. Plenty holding them. Nothing ever really came of it. Did what I could to stop it, did what I could to keep her safe. Wanted her to come back, really, wanted her to... Well. Suppose she'd face some demotions. Suppose she'd face a bit of brigging. Nothing much. Tried to... Accept her, tried to work with her. Suppose I was a bit too much." Nathan says. He keeps his pacing somewhere near Setsuko, intending to let her move around freely as he speaks.
Nathan Hall	"Wound up... At odds, again. Followed along with her. Wound up being used again. Used me to spark a war. Suppose she didn't want to, I guess, suppose she just wanted to help the Confederacy. She... Chose them, though. She chose them to be loyal to. It was fine to betray us to grab at power, fine to... Hurt us when we were her allies. But she chose them. And I guess that sort of tore it for me. Can't blame her, really, can't blame her much. Same choices I make. Just felt unfair, felt a little bit unfair."
Nathan Hall	"I started to hate her. Really hate her, just want her to get some kind of punishment for what she was doing. Never really got anything, never had anything bad happen to her. She did so much and she was just never punished. Nothing ever balanced the score, nothing ever put things back to center. I suppose, after all this, after... So many times I'd been betrayed without anyone, not anyone really to balance the score, I grew weary of it. I started to hate her myself."
Nathan Hall	"It felt wrong. Had to keep up with her, you know, I'd been trying to thwart her. I'd been doing it for a long time, of course. Utusho nearly kills me, so Untamed Breeze helps me, helped me out with a little Solar essence, a little sorcery. Nine nearly kills me, so I get a little more, some weapons. George almost wipes my brain, I got a little more, went and got some storm and earth magic..." Nathan stops pacing and looks down.
Setsuko Kaminagi	"'One sword keeps another in the sheath'. 'To achieve peace, you must prepare for war'. 'Even a combat medic should carry a sidearm if he's going to a battlefield'. Something along those lines," Setsuko observes. "You wanted power with which to protect yourself. To deter enemies, and to punish the next person who would betray you the way the last did. ...a form of fear, in a way. Something you weren't used to. Perhaps even didn't recognize. And so, every time it happened again, you reached for more."
Nathan Hall	"Maybe. Didn't have a choice, I figured, but maybe I did. Doesn't matter. Choices already made, no use figuring out who's all wrong." Nathan says. "But it was different for Lady Fairchild. I couldn't ever keep up, couldn't ever seem to really catch up. She hurts all my friends, I go for more, I go for magic from the Unspeakable One and godly power from another world, and..." He sighs, still staring at his feet. "I kept going a lot more after that. And then Damcyan happened, and... She didn't just betray me once. She did it twice, and nobody did anything. Only reason I didn't die was because of..."
Nathan Hall	"...I don't know. Her mercy? Her sympathy? It let me stew in my inadequacy. Couldn't just... Let her go. She didn't come back, and as far as I cared, as far as I was thinking, that was just me, making a mistake. Failing. So I had to fix it. If I was gonna fix it, I had to be more, I had to be better than I was. After the second time I started resorting right to psychospiritual surgery from ghosts. ANd it just... Hit me how much I had to change for it. For the whole vendetta."
Nathan Hall	"My choices were letting my sins run around starting wars and stealing power unopposed, or changing so much I had to become..." Nathan makes a disgusted sort of noise. "Well. Something that's not an ordinary librarian. I'm not supposed to be anything that's not an ordinary librarian, you know. I was never supposed to be anything more than that. So I just started hating her so much, so much I guess it started being tough to control. Tough to manage. I let go a little. Thought, maybe if I did that, someone would... Fix things."
Nathan Hall	"I went to go rescue her. Had to pull her out of her own soul, you know, she went to deep going after power. Got possessed by the dark god. Rescued her, helped rescue her. But I just... Hated her for it. Hated her so much for all of it. Figured if I yelled at her, told someone about it, someone would just punish her finally." He makes a plaintive gesture now, turning up. "Figure you can guess how that turned out."
Nathan Hall	"Lost faith in my friends, lost faith in them really having any interest in stopping her. In making the score balanced. No consequences, no punishment for the crime. I stopped trusting her, stopped really trusting her ever, honestly." Nathan says, going back to pacing. "So, long while later, a very long while later you see, when her subordinates in Terra Majora started stealing pieces of dark gods..." He shrugs. "I didn't want to help them. Really didn't want to help them at all."
Nathan Hall	"But, well, by that time, the opposite had happened. Much the opposite, you know? I'd hoped maybe someone would try to get her some consequences, some real punishment for what she'd done. Some kind of punishment. Instead, I suppose, I wound up with a lot worse. Psyber'd been being friendly toward her. From then on, I guess, he decided he had to be my..." Nathan sighs. "Opposite? I don't know. Don't know what he wanted."
Nathan Hall	"Came to a head when they started stealing the power from those dark gods. Figured they weren't going to do anything good with that. Figured... /She/ wouldn't do anything good with that. And I guess that didn't sit well. So I decided not to trust them. I decided I wouldn't trust her." Nathan says. And then he begins looking up, at nothing in particular in the holographic sky. "But, well. Lady Fairchild wasn't the last betrayal."
Setsuko Kaminagi	Patches of clouds hang overhead, but despite the snow on the ground, there are still stars to be seen up there - glimmering and silent, peeking out of the cloud cover. They offer no particular solace, but neither do they judge or scorn. They simply Are, much as Setsuko is now. "Psyber, if I'm not mistaken," she observes, her voice soft. All the while, her movements never stop, never slow down or speed up. It is simply a state of being for her.
Nathan Hall	"Right. Suppose maybe that was the right choice. I don't know. I don't know if she deserves more of that power, don't much know anything about that. I don't know if she can be trusted with it, don't know if she deserves it. Didn't trust her, didn't trust her allies, and, well, I suppose that's all that mattered to me. All that made sense. So he betrayed me, and she worked out some trap to keep me occupied while it happened. That arranged marriage."
Setsuko Kaminagi	"That," Setsuko says, "I don't actually know the details of. I know that she tried to entrap you in an arranged marriage, but nothing more than that." There's a note of curiosity in her voice; if nothing else, it will provide a little context.
Nathan Hall	"Doesn't really matter, honestly. Got me wrapped up in paperwork. Had a... Diversion, you know, a distraction, something that would keep my focus on acquiring something important. Something very important, had me... Trying to find a third option. Very occupied." Nathan says, explaining it sparsely. There's a feeling that maybe there's a bit of embarrassment to it, like there were extra parts involved that he'd rather not talk about. "Clever addition to the conspiracy though, you see."
Nathan Hall	"Found out, eventually. Found out, I mean, about the conspiracy, wish I hadn't. Maybe all this would have been avoided." Nathan says, gesturing helplessly. "Don't know. Don't know, don't really know at all. All I know is, I found out. Found out the conspiracy, and I just..." He sighs. "Couldn't really stand it. Couldn't really take it anymore. Another betrayal. From my best friend this time. Just couldn't bear another one." He makes that helpless gesture again. "So I just gave up."
Nathan Hall	"Couldn't take it anymore. Couldn't stand it, couldn't keep going. What was I going to do, punish my best friend?" Nathan says, going back to pacing. "Couldn't. Couldn't, really, didn't have the guts. So I let it go. I worked with the Confederates, according to his plan. Worked out, for a while, you know, it mostly worked out. 'Till the end." There's a sigh there. "I didn't want to trust the Confederates because I thought they'd misuse the power. Took it a little poorly, I suppose, I took it a bit bad when they tried to shove a god of hatred into my soul. Make me more like Lady Fairchild." "Puts us to our final act now."
Setsuko Kaminagi	Once again, a question comes from Setsuko amidst her unending movements. "Who was responsible for that? Did Fairchild herself have a hand in it?"
Nathan Hall	"One of her allies. One of the... People she chose, you see. Lot of the problems, I don't really put to her. I don't really resent her for them. I hated her for chosing the people who did this sort of thing, this sort of wrong to me. And it hurt. I'd given up, you know, I'd given up and just trusted my traitors anyway. Trusted that they knew what was right. Being vindicated, well..." Nathan shakes his head, in a stressed way. "Didn't make me feel as good as it sounds. It hurt. And so things got a bit messy. Everything went wrong. Had a lot of hate-god energy on the mind, had a lot of pain I was dealing with. So I just..."
Nathan Hall	"Well. I guess this is where I get to the incident itself. The main event, the big finale. The incident you asked about at the start of this. Try to say this in as few words as I can. Bit of shame to it, just a bit of shame. I hunted down Lady Fairchild's home, burned it to the ground, and tried to kill anyone who got between me and her. And, well," He makes a plaintive gesture. "Most of them were on my side, most of the people who were getting between me and her. My best friend. My girlfriend. 'Till I suppose they made me realize I didn't much have a right to hate her in the first place. Didn't have much of a right to feel anything, if I was going to be like... That." "So, now we're here. That's the story."
Setsuko Kaminagi	It takes a moment or two, but the movements finally cease, and with a last flourish, Setsuko Kaminagi goes still. She holds a posture for a few seconds, then comes out of it, and returns her blade to its sheath. Even still, it's a moment or two more before she speaks, composing her thoughts. "...It's only natural to hate. It's only human. The human who has never felt hate, even a little, even for an instant, is someone I fear more deeply than I care to admit to most people. If you've been wronged, if you've been betrayed, you have a right to hate." She turns, one blue eye looking back over her shoulder at Nathan. "I know that better than anyone." And now she turns around, and her expression is... perhaps a bit softer than usual. "But hate is dangerous. It's the most dangerous emotion a soldier can feel - my clan had strict teachings on it, on how to manage it, on how to set it aside or even let it go. I do believe in retribution for wrongs committed. When I claim the head of the king who ordered my hometown's utter destruction, it will be fulfillment of hate, retribution of a grudge... but duty and honor will be what guide my blade. Justice will be what heats my blood. I've been taught well. Psyber has had thousands of years to learn on his own." A small shake of the head. "...but you don't have either of those. You said it yourself - you aren't a soldier. You're just a librarian. It shouldn't have been this way. That's another thing my clan had a strong stance on - those who have chosen not to pick up the blade, shouldn't be forced to do so anyway."
Nathan Hall	"What is natural is not what is right." Nathan says. "A disease kills a man; this is natural, but it is not right. My hate nearly killed my best friend, wounded the woman I love. Too many wrongs. I've no particular right to my hatred, no particular right to feeling in general. My rights end where the safety of others begins." He takes the soft look with the same stoic and expressionless face as always. "But you're correct. I failed, in no small part due to my human nature, my nature as one mere mortal. I shouldn't be forced to pick it up the blade, but what I do with it in my hands is still my responsibility." "And so everything that happened that night is, in its core essence, my own fault, my responsibility. Can't much act on justice, myself, can't much be an agent of that now. So I do what I can. Help what I can. Make sure I don't do any feeling now, from here on out, from now on. Don't have a right to it. If the eye comes after me again, I just do what needs doing to survive and I don't push it more than that."
Setsuko Kaminagi	For once, Setsuko's tone grows sharp. "No, Nathan Hall. You have a right. A right to feel. A right to be. A right to live, as a librarian if you so choose, as a general if you so choose." She finally turns to take a step down off the training poles, turning to face Nathan directly. "You should learn to manage those feelings, but never deny them, never bury them. At that point, you cease to be human as well, and poison yourself as surely as if you had given yourself over to hate entirely. That route lies an entirely different sort of madness." She closes her eyes for a moment, taking a breath to steady herself. "No leader can truly guide his men if he doesn't believe in his own worth. And there are many who look to you for guidance, Nathan Hall. Many who rely on you, and believe in you. If I had one criticism for you in all this, it would be that you didn't ask one of your allies how to handle hate like that; didn't turn to one of us and say, 'help me, I don't know how to deal with this.' But that blame lies as much on those around you as it does you yourself. They... no, we, should have known better. You aren't like us. If no one else would have spotted it, I would. If I hadn't remained so detached." Another little shake of the head. "But, to assign blame at this point is meaningless, unless we learn from our mistakes. Learn the /right/ lessons, at that."
Nathan Hall	Nathan stares for some time at Setsuko, visibly seeming to construct a counterargument in his head, while internally dealing a bit poorly with the sharper tones. Then he seems to let it go. "I don't agree. Respectfully, I mean, I don't agree. I appreciate the sentiment, but I think that your stance, your opinion here comes from a lack of information, and that you've not got much interest, much interest at all really in a drawn-out debate on the subject, as well as... Little interest in the more shameful elements of the reasoning." He gives a polite, respectful sort of nod. "I won't blame the people around me. If you want to, I'll not... Disagree much, I don't have a good qualification for this." He shakes his head now. "Sorry. Made this mistake once before, you know, tried this sort of thing. Tried 'opening up' after, and it just doesn't... Well. Just doesn't much work, I guess. Saw how it turned out. I know you mean well, and I think your advice has a good place. Just not quite sure I'm up for that sort of thing. Can't really depend on the third time being the charm here. Sorry."
Setsuko Kaminagi	"Then the only other alternative," Setsuko replies, "Is to learn to deal with it on your own. Learn not to let it control you. You /are/ human, Nathan Hall, and that's a part of why I respect you. And to be human is to feel. I'm not saying that you have to be completely open to everyone. There are very few people to whom I divulge my private thoughts and feelings. I was raised to play my cards close to my chest, as it were. But you will feel, no matter how much you may wish otherwise. And to simply bottle and suppress those feelings will get you killed. It will tear you up, rend holes in your very being, leave you a shell of a man, and in that state you'll die. That state has killed countless men throughout history." She turns, to look up at the sky. "You must learn to simply work through, work /with/ those feelings. To recognize that they're there, but to not let them guide your actions. That's the purpose for codes of honor, rules of engagement, any number of philosophies. If I could help you with it, I would offer. But my methods are... not suited to you."
Nathan Hall	Nathan nods. "I'm going to do what I can. To ensure it doesn't affect what I do, however I can, however I really can manage to get this done. It needs to get done though. Has to get done. I have to make this work." He says, and at that last part, there's a hint of determination on his posture. "I'll find some way. I don't claim to have full and comprehensive, some superhuman knowledge of how emotions work. I'll figure it out. Best I can do, you know, best I can do to get any of this done. Have to do it though. Have to keep it from affecting my work. Well, anyway." He makes that plaintive gesture again. "Hope that answered your question, hope that gave you some insight into what happened. Figure a major like yourself can keep it under your hat. Psyber seems to want it classified. Don't know why myself, but, well. Suppose I'll take any relief from the shame of it that I can get, you know." He shrugs. "That answer your questions? Hope you've figured out what you needed to."
Setsuko Kaminagi	"It did," Setsuko replies, turning her eyes back towards Nathan. Calm and neutral now, she seems to be regarding him with thoughtful consideration. The demigod thinks on whatever it is she's pondering until the instant before Nathan might ask about it - and then speaks of her own volition. "...There is one other thing. One way in which I might be able to ease your burdens, if you're willing to hear it. With everything your time in the Union has put you through, it's the least I can offer."
Nathan Hall	Nathan nods once more. Doing that a lot recently. "Good. Good, hope it's a help. Hope it... Eases confusion. Want to make sure you're not uncomfortable. Still need to be a good leader, I suppose." And then, he does wait, seeming like he's going to ask about something, the minute she speaks up, but patiently letting her speak here. He seems to give it his own consideration. "I'm certainly willing to hear any offer, hear anything like that. No question about that. What do you mean?" He tilts his head, curiously.
Setsuko Kaminagi	There's a slight tilt of Setsuko's head; as if to say, 'these are my thoughts'. "I still stand by what I said - you should never have been forced to take the battlefield. That you have, is an unutterable cruelty to you. You have friends willing to fight alongside you, subordinates willing to fight on your orders, myself included. You have guardians, willing to suffer any wound to prevent it from reaching you. Offering any of these would range from 'redundant', to 'folly', to 'impossible' for me. Instead I would offer you what I myself can. You already have my loyalty as an officer, but-" Standing up straight, Setsuko adopts a rigid posture, resting her left hand on her sheath and her right on the grip of her weapon in what appears to be a formal stance. "I would offer to be your blade." "In personal matters or in your office as a general, I offer to take your place in battle. To be the one who dwells in the battlefield, so that you don't have to. To advise from the standpoint of the warrior, so that you need only be a librarian. To counterbalance your guardian angel, by being the agent of your will against another should a need arise. And to watch that you don't stray too close to the edge, as a dispassionate servant rather than a friend clouded by conflicting loyalties or emotions. I would serve as a counterweight against the chaos your life brings you, if you will have my service."
Nathan Hall	Nathan considers this. He seems to give it a great degree of thought, turning it over in his mind for a long time. "...I believe you'd do well. I think you'd do well on the field, I think you'd... Ease the burden. I think you're right, that maybe it would right some wrongs going on. But, I don't think I can be that selfish, not quite so selfish, really." He says, coming to a more peaceful sort of posture at the end of it, though still remaining expressionless and monotoned. "I think after this, my friends, especially Psyber, I think after all this I need to show I can trust them. I need to show that I'm willing to depend on them. I think you'd do well, I think it'd be relieving in a way. In the way it ought to be, the way you want it to. Probably the way I want it to too. But, I don't think, I can accept. At least not right now. I think, maybe soon. Sometime, a better time. Just not yet. I still have the people around me, I need to think of them. Need to figure out where I stand, have to... Avoid making big decisions like that. While I'm still dealing with the aftermath of this, I mean." He gives another bow-like nod, respectfully. "Thanks. But, sorry."
Setsuko Kaminagi	There is a quiet, thoughtful silence on Setsuko's part - and then she closes her eyes, and nods. The nod becomes a formal bow. "I understand. And your answer reminds me why I hold respect for you as a leader, Nathan Hall." Straightening up, she takes a breath. "The offer will remain open. And even without it, you know that you can ask my aid at any time, whether as my superior officer, or even simply as a comrade in need of help. Be well, General. And thank you for coming to speak with me."
Nathan Hall	Nathan gives another of those nods. "Thank you, Setsuko. Your understanding is appreciated, as is the offer. I hope that one day I can accept it, hope that I can... Let that happen. Given your abilities, your skills, it would be quite an easing of the burden. Looking forward to the day when I can accept it. Dreading the day when the burden gets so much that I have to, that I don't have another option, but. Well, thank you, Setsuko. Glad I could clear things up, glad I could give you an explanation." He'll head on out now, turning around and quietly shuffling back out the way he came in.
Setsuko Kaminagi	As Nathan turns to go, he can hear behind him a distinctive sound; a snap-FWOOMP, the sound of a hilt and grip expanding, and a fast rush of divine energy as a tremendous blade takes shape. As the door closes behind him, the last noise to be heard is her boots touching down on the meter-tall wooden poles again.