SWITCHBOARD

[wordsmithery]

If you're deciding to actually use that phone in your room, go right ahead; the Wordsmith is a busy man but he's often around, and he has no real reason not to talk to you, assuming that you do it correctly.

Comments are screened for privacy; it's rude to eavesdrop.

Comments

[wordsmithery]

I can hear you, Noble.

[firstaid]

Oh! Hello! [She sounds chipper that she got a response!]

So, yesterday I don't think we got off to a good start. Um, I suppose you already know my name, Estellise, even if you do call my by that title.

I was hoping we could get to know each other and perhaps I could come to understand why this is happening.

[Optimism at its finest...]

[wordsmithery]

That is, to say the least, not likely to happen.

[firstaid]

[He can probably FEEL the pout through the phone.]

Why not? I'm sure if you could do so much for us as letting us to get to know you, it would make us more likely to cooperate and seek a peaceful resolution.

[wordsmithery]

...There isn't going to be a peaceful resolution, Noble. You must be aware of this by now.

[firstaid]

Why can't there be? There's no need for anything bad to happen whatsoever!

[wordsmithery]

You're right. It's not necessary for anything bad to happen. And if nothing does, you Apprentices will be here for quite an extended stay. But I am sure there are people and things some of you want or need to return to very badly.

So in that sense, it's very necessary after all.

[firstaid]

Yes, I know that's a possibility and that's all the more reason why this shouldn't be happening. There's no reason for that to become potentially necessary!

[She takes a deep breath.]

I know you disclosed 'why' before. That it's about initiative, trust, and responsibility, however, how can we call this 'trust' if it sounds like people may have reason to... end the course?

[wordsmithery]

That is, shall we say, up for interpretation. I, however, would call it a valuable lesson in who is and is not trustworthy.

[firstaid]

[There's a forlorn sigh from her.]

But until anything happens, we perhaps won't even know. I...I don't want to find out someone is untrustworthy because they murdered.

[She has conflicting thoughts on murder, though.]

Even so, if someone did have to resort to that, like you mentioned, what if it ends up being a necessity? How could you make someone choose between their world and someone's life here?

[wordsmithery]

Quite easily, really.

[firstaid]

Why? It seems so cruel to do that! What purpose--

[She cuts herself off, no, she understands this is going to go in circles. Trust.]

You want us to trust each other and those who we affiliate with at home enough to not have to make that choice, isn't that correct?

[Even now, she wants to find the optimistic view of this.]

[wordsmithery]

If that's what you want to believe the goal of this exercise is, you're welcome to believe that.

[firstaid]

But is that the goal? I know what I want to believe, but I must admit, I feel uneasy when I don't know for sure-- that you're not answering my questions clearly!