6/28/02 - Kicking at Foundations

Warren Hunt told me that I have a habit of "kicking at foundations" - he said that maybe its the best way to see if they'll hold. Funny, I never looked at it that way, and even more amazing how the Toreador can describe a piece of shit and make it sound like roses. But I like warren's version better than Elena's "too spineless to keep the job" - she's one to talk. So, its like amazing how much shit I get for resigning from the Keeper position, most of it is from Ms Hawkley herself, but I suspect she wants me to continue this job for her own ends. She quietly needled me to go after the real problem last week, Arkady Filitov, and she wasn't even that subtle about it. Said that why should I be picking a fight with Trog when I should go after the "real" problem. I wonder how she's so convinced that she's not the real problem.

I could break it down, dig a little and kick at the foundations, we're searching for the real problem. There are several suspects in the case. Lets start with Trog, since he's my favorite subject..

Trog, an anarch, anathema and general bad boy of Rieux's era. Now sheriff with a huge chip on his shoulder. I wouldn't mind him being a bully, sheriff's are bully's, but goddamn, keep that attitude on the streets, pick on anarchs. Sheriff's shouldn't be in Elysium picking on little Toreador girls and stealing their lunch money.

Elena, suspect number two, her problem is basically the same problem all elders have, lack of scope. Its a classic case of ivory tower syndrome. The woman couldn't even be bothered to attend the council meeting and she says "i'm shirking responsibility". Stand up to Trog she says, well that one might suggest a larger scope, if her goal is to get me killed. As much as I've had status and protocol grilled into my head, she wants me to "stand up to the sheriff" . In doing that, I'd break a ton of rules and bylaws, breach of etiquette, breach of protocol, breach of tradition (I'm sure they could think of plenty of others.) Course, she might consider taking charge herself here, Ms. Shirker of responsibility, through ommission or design, she put Trog where he is, now he holds the status card and the license to kill. If the primogen and prince don't stop him or at least give him some direction, why should I?

Suspect number three: Jayson Rilux. Definitely a problem. I wonder when the mighty sabbat hunter became such a limpdick waste of space. The man actually cowered before Trog. I know Jayson can match nearly anyone physically, maybe even Arkady himself, perhaps he's intimidated by the politics. Perhaps he doesn't realize how the pecking order works and that he has authority over Trog, not vice versa. So while I'm trying to get Dario, the Brujah inside the trainwreck - which is not Elysium- Trog is blockading the door and Jayson is stammering like a 2 month old neonate.

Of course, I couldn't leave Ren Several off the list of suspects. I'm not sure what the hell he's doing, but I have a sneaking suspicion whatever it is, isn't good for the sect. Collecting blood from the city's inhabitants as a "punishment" bullshit. That's extortion, not punishment. But here we would go back to Jayson Rilux's shortcomings, what primogen would allow that, why doesn't Jayson just roll over and hand over blood samples of all the brujah and save us all the trouble and drama later, because you know they're going to get in trouble, and Ren can continue to fill his coffers with vitae to suit whatever dark purpose he has for it.

Mel Duchesne, an unlikely suspect to be sure, after all what does she do, if you ask anyone out there they'll say she's the sweetest most nicest...blah blah. No vampire is the sweetest nicest anything and if they are, they sure as hell shouldn't be on the council, its like putting a fancy goldfish into a tank with pirahna. Her clan may not have suffered yet, but it won't be long until some dispute occurs and the pirahna's start looking at the goldfish in terms of what she can do for them and how much they can push her around. It will be interesting to see how this new elysium she's hosting works out.

Kalista Edan, another primogen, she makes my list only because she fits the stereotypical model of a flighty malk. On the council, off the council...back on again. I'm pretty sure, just from comments made to me about Kalista that he accepted her back just so he wouldn't have to listen to her whine and bitch and moan. Its not like she has a malkavian force behind her here, so she must have just been annoying the hell out of arkady until he gave her her little token council seat back, like giving a pacifier to a baby.

I'd pick on the Nosferatu primogen here as well, if I knew who it was.

And last but not least, Arkady Filitov. Here's where Elena sees the "real problem". Hes no better and no worse than any of the others. Why bitch now when we knew exactly what he'd be like when it was suggested and ultimately accepted that he seize praxis when Emmanuel Rieux left. Arkady hasn't changed, people's expectations of him have changed. He's not going to do anything about Trog because he doesn't care about the political side of things, or how his actions will affect the sect as a whole. He's a problem-solution man, and the means he uses to solve the problems usually don't take into account the many factors of politics and kindred society. One would think that it would be the council's job to advise him on the more delicate aspects of society, but.....see above. And if the primogen are bitching about it now, they only need to look in the mirror to find the real problem.