11-21-2013, 11:25 AM
Mr. Smith was growing bolder. Where before his phrasings were selective and unoffensive, he was outright correcting Armande's assessment of the hunting trip. Such elicited raised brows from Armande, who acknowledged a sense of interest rather than a flicker of annoyance as his younger self might have experienced. With age brought perspective, and Armande understood the impulsive Mr. Smith to be more erratic than pensive. There was something slightly off about him that Armande could not quite put his finger on, but wealth frequently bred heterodoxy.
Further testament to Mr. Smith's mercurial logic. In the end, the promise of money meant little to him. A one-time gift of a million dollars was a drop in the bucket. The Atharim was not holding a telethon. His ignorance did not grate at the Regus' frustration, however. What did was what fickle outline that followed.
Armande circled slowly as he spoke. He was studying the room's contents. The layout of escapes. The shadows.
"Let us deconstruct your words, Mr. Smith. You will hunt evil. This is generally considered to be a mark of virtue. However we assume your definition of 'evil' conforms to mine." It was an ancient topic of discussion in theological, philosophical, and moral debate alike. Evil is based on morals. Morals are based on cultural interpretation of ethics, and what is evil to one man is not to another. Therefore who is right? Unless there exists an arbitrary standard against which to judge morality, all discussions of right and wrong, good and evil were invalid.
"Then you say you have no interest in involvement in political disputes, but are willing to brand the Ascendancy as a monster you would hunt." What an enormously conflicting statement. How disappointing Mr. Smith did not think more clearly what he spewed.
"You condone the elimination of potentially thousands of people, if they conform to your definition of evil, but yet detest genocide. When does war turn into genocide? If the enemy is evil? Or if the enemy is simply your enemy?"
Armande circled back to steel Mr. Smith with a delving glare. He MUST learn to select his words with a sharper edge, or he would be useless to Armande. "I am no fundraiser, and you are no grant. Contributors to our cause delve through the centuries. You will receive no more reports about our financial status as the pious does of the tithes they offer the Church."
He paused for effect. "So what is it you REALLY want from our relationship?" Armande held the secrets he needed, and he may yet receive them. That door was not fully closed.
Further testament to Mr. Smith's mercurial logic. In the end, the promise of money meant little to him. A one-time gift of a million dollars was a drop in the bucket. The Atharim was not holding a telethon. His ignorance did not grate at the Regus' frustration, however. What did was what fickle outline that followed.
Armande circled slowly as he spoke. He was studying the room's contents. The layout of escapes. The shadows.
"Let us deconstruct your words, Mr. Smith. You will hunt evil. This is generally considered to be a mark of virtue. However we assume your definition of 'evil' conforms to mine." It was an ancient topic of discussion in theological, philosophical, and moral debate alike. Evil is based on morals. Morals are based on cultural interpretation of ethics, and what is evil to one man is not to another. Therefore who is right? Unless there exists an arbitrary standard against which to judge morality, all discussions of right and wrong, good and evil were invalid.
"Then you say you have no interest in involvement in political disputes, but are willing to brand the Ascendancy as a monster you would hunt." What an enormously conflicting statement. How disappointing Mr. Smith did not think more clearly what he spewed.
"You condone the elimination of potentially thousands of people, if they conform to your definition of evil, but yet detest genocide. When does war turn into genocide? If the enemy is evil? Or if the enemy is simply your enemy?"
Armande circled back to steel Mr. Smith with a delving glare. He MUST learn to select his words with a sharper edge, or he would be useless to Armande. "I am no fundraiser, and you are no grant. Contributors to our cause delve through the centuries. You will receive no more reports about our financial status as the pious does of the tithes they offer the Church."
He paused for effect. "So what is it you REALLY want from our relationship?" Armande held the secrets he needed, and he may yet receive them. That door was not fully closed.