[Rowyn] Date: May 3rd, 2004 From: Kaede Takeuchi To: soleil.sungirl47@laposte.net Subject: In need of advice Sorry to bother you with the sudden email. I need some....rather obscure advice. If you had knowledge to do something that was potentially life-shaking, that could save a life but could potentially ruin the world if not done properly or if it got into the wrong hands.... Would you do it? Or would you keep it to yourself? I don't mean to message you out of nowhere. I mean to ask you how things have been going over there. But this has been weighing on my mind lately... -Takeuchi --- [Grysar] Date: May 3rd, 2004 From: soleil.sungirl47@laposte.net To: Kaede Takeuchi Subject:Re: In need of advice Your dilemma sounds like a strange twist on a Talmudic saying. If I focus on ends, it depends on the probability coefficients of the "could save a life" and "could potentially ruin the world." I tend to focus more on the means, but you have given me so little that I can only give you questions and warnings in return. 1) You speak of having the knowledge, but do you have the right to share or to keep secret this knowledge? Do you have the consent of the one whose life would save or those put most at risk? 2) If use of this knowledge would ruin the world, you may have discovered a larger problem. Anything with the power to ruin the world is of interest to many people, who may separately seek to discover it. 3) Think very carefully about how others will react to whatever you choose. Think also how doing this thing may change you for the future. To touch a sensitive topic, there are some that say that once the United States spent billions on the bomb, not using it in war became unthinkable. But then, France has its own bombs and we have never used them in anger. Though by then, all the world knew the cost. 4) What have your dragged you into now? Soleil --- [Rowyn] Kaede frowns as he looks over the email. He was getting reckless. Not that he actively suspected any spying on his personal email. But he was not bothering to encrypt this. Up to this point. He looks at his fingers, still a little shaken as he closes his eyes. He had held it together, there in the end. But Masaki.... He shouldn't have taken over like that. The guy was an asshole. He knew it well. He was trying to get information. But there was a leak. And that leak was dangerous. It shouldn't work like that. He shouldn't lose....Sho did. Sho was going to.... If the cycle continued, someone would have to deal with him, wouldn't they? And all of his foibles, all of the struggle, all of the issues of closing down the portals.... He takes off his glasses, closes his eyes hard, and gets to work. The encryption doesn't even take much, even when he's sending it from scratch, sending it to alternative servers... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Encrypted) Date: May 3rd, 2004 From: Kaede Takeuchi To: soleil.sungirl47@laposte.net Subject: Re: In need of advice You put it down so simply. And organized. I do not feel so straight forward with this. It is...a dilemma to be sure. I could, potentially, give you more... But even I don't use the words "probability coefficients..." Anyway... What gives someone the right to share? The information was shared to us. There is no way, if the informant chooses to share, for us to prevent it. That said, I'm not sure it would do to make it easy. I will say it has to do with the cycle of reincarnations. They can happen again. We didn't think it possible, though I shouldn't be surprised. If they do.... Well. You remember what happened last time. It should have ended with us, Cardinaux-san. It should be over. Why is it never over? -Takeuchi --- [Grysar] Date: May 3rd, 2004 From: soleil.sungirl47@laposte.net To: Kaede Takeuchi Subject: Re: In need of advice , , but I could not open your picture! All I see is a series of nonsense characters that go on for half a page. The fault is on my end no doubt, I have no antipathy towards computers, but I fear that this is not mutual. But please have patience with me and resend. In return, here's a recent one of me. [Soleil sits with other students on benches at the Abattoir cafe outside the École nationale d'administration. She's wearing an uncomplicated blazer and slacks that by some combination of fabric and poise elegantly drape on her lithe frame. She's just looking up from one of the books arrayed on the table, holding a small cup of coffee in one hand, driven to a moment of distraction by the photographer. Kaede's not an French linguist, but glancing at the titles of the books and calling back his school days, this group appears to be preparing for some sort of high stakes admission exams, which is a little odd as they are already college students, but who knows how the French system works? Standing out in the ensemble, a young gentleman sits further down the bench, a little more interested in studying his fellow student than his books. He is granted no attention in return. The ends of her silvery-white hair rests on the bench, saturated by the colors of the setting sun. Either this photographer was quite skilled, or this was quite the lucky shot, chosen over a number of rejected alternatives.] Soleil --- [Rowyn] Kaede looks in anticipation over the email and squints that it seems larger than normal. Still, he scans it, and opens it. And.... Really has to stare. He can't be sure what to think of it. Oh right. Foreign. Foreign...but... He rubs the bridge of his nose. It's already been a long night. And this would just make it longer. He couldn't be upset. There was an ironic humor in it all, but likely it was just the Wheel playing favorites again. Back to his post... ---------------------------------------------- Date: May 3rd, 2004 From: Kaede Takeuchi To: soleil.sungirl47@laposte.net Subject: Re: In need of advice Sorry. That wasn't my intent. If you can't click the link... Sometimes I try to send emails encrypted. Internet security. That's all. I wasn't really thinking of sending a picture. Would you *like* a picture though? - Takeuchi --------------------------------------------- Part of him frowned at the last bit, hesitating before he hit send. Why would he put that? It wasn't like... Send anyway. Click. --- [Grysar] There's a gap of a few hours. Date: May 3rd, 2004 From: soleil.sungirl47@laposte.net To: Kaede Takeuchi Subject: Re: In need of advice My cheeks are red, but I have learned encryption. One of my fellow students found me instructions. It would have been faster had she done it herself, but that would no doubt defeat the point. Also, you have caught me in the use of a -Japanese dictionary to find my fancy words. But now to your actual message. This is a different sort of dangerous knowledge than i was thinking, but yes your words and fears are all too solid. Your question of why it is never over reminds me of an English philosopher, Oakeshott, speaking of government (I paraphrase a bit): "the ship of state has neither starting-harbor nor destination...the business is to keep afloat on an even keel. I think Oakeshott might say that it cannot be over because we are not over. But then, Oakeshott sought to warn against utopias. But with us, perhaps our special mission is done, and we should run the ship aground, beat the steel plating of its haul into ploughshares, live out our lives and see an end to it. Of course, it is one thing to choose that for ourselves, it is another for everyone else to do the same. So perhaps it was over. And it will remain over if enough of us wish it to be so. You now know how to unmoor us. How you handle that knowledge is important, but from what you say, others may learn it as well. Soleil P.S. I will not insist on a photo, though I will confess my curiosity. It has been some time since I have seen you after all. --- [Rowyn] There is a little gap in reply here, although a small breath of relief to accompany it. (Encrypted) Date: May 3rd, 2004 From: Kaede Takeuchi To: soleil.sungirl47@laposte.net Subject: Re: In need of advice I apologize for the confusion. I was not...sure? If you would want a photo. I admit that I am not the best at maintaining relationships. Especially not long distance. I do not know the requirements. You would think there would be some sort of manual about these sorts of things... But I am glad you were able to get to the heart of the matter. But there is more. Like I hinted at, if we were to act, it would be able to save a life. Also if we were to act, it would only work partway. Which means choosing to act could be seen as acting in selfish half interests... I know you think my friends are foolish (I think. I had to look that word up), but believe me, this was something that I chose my involvement into. But for it to come to this... I am not sure why I reached out to you, but you have always seemed to have too level a head. And my group seems to be getting more and more into simply going along with what the group decides is best. Well. Not that. But I think we feel sometimes that we know better than anyone else. We've let a new member into the group lately. Interesting to work with. Thoughtful, so far. But can't get a good read on him. But up until that, we've seemed fairly close-knit. And not seeking outside advice is slightly dangerous. It leads to thoughtless acts... I apologize if I seem rambly. I've been thinking on this too long and too hard since it all started and it is late. Akemi probably thinks I should go to bed soon, but I'm not sure that is an option for me... -Kaede --- [Grysar] (Encrypted) Date: May 3rd, 2004 From: soleil.sungirl47@laposte.net To: Kaede Takeuchi Subject: Re: In need of advice Ah, yes, time zones. It is quite late their, no? I never really got to know Akemi, but I hope she is well. If I remember the right person, she was quite the buoyant sort and I hope that is still the case. To use an English term does not translate well is a real risk of course, I am glad to be help to help you avoid it. You should not be up at this hour when a woman awaits you in bed, . Let us continue this another day. Soleil --- [Rowyn] More stares. More uncertainty. More lost.... (Encrypted) Date: May 3rd, 2004 From: Kaede Takeuchi To: soleil.sungirl47@laposte.net Subject: Re: In need of advice ...awaits me in bed? --- [Grysar] [Kaede does not get an immediate response. Soleil reliably does respond, eventually, but if Kaede wants her full thoughts tonight, he'll have to follow up convincingly, although two emails in a row does always leave one feeling a bit exposed.] --- [Rowyn] Kaede isn't waiting for Soleil's response, but he's having a difficult time focusing. A difficult time sleeping. It was still a confusing statement. And the picture...well, it made no sense to send a picture. It wasn't like.... No matter. Akemi didn't wait for him. She understood. She would hang out with him for as long as she wanted, then go to bed when she needed. She wasn't exactly waiting for him here. Tomorrow, she had a photo shoot. Photo shoot. Kaede finishes looking through work, through email, drowning out the dronings on of his computer as he tries to sift through a few things. He does look at Akemi's Shuffle Account before he goes to bed, just to see if there was anything interesting to discuss with her for tomorrow. There was no real need for the subterfuge any more after the meeting with Yorihisa. Beyond that, though, he would go to bed. And he'd want to focus on what exactly it was that Masaki felt was so interesting about the Council. It still gnawed at him. Why did he feel the need to take over? Why _did_ the past selves take over? Did Yamada-san even know that was a concern? That if they started the cycle again, it'd mean that they would live vicariously through other people. That someone would have visions of him going into the World Reversed and seeing it falling apart, and the reincarnations failing and.... Would know that he was the one to make the decision to bring them back. Or at least one of them. How would the future Two of Pentacles really feel about that, he wondered. Thoughts were unusually non-static in his head and he felt it hard to grasp one or the other. And it was with these thoughts that he would be going to bed. And kind of wondered where things would go from here.... --- [Grysar] [The bedroom is quiet, supporting Kaede's assumption that Akemi is likely asleep. Logging into her account, Kaede finds that some of her promotional materials do appear to be finding traction. She's getting link request and people are sharing materials. On first glance that's overwhelmingly a non- Arcana population. The Arcana-to-Arcana communication and Council messages portion of the site has the two factor authentication, with a card draw as a second factor. The security on that is regularly reinforced, so if Kaede wants access to those messages he'll have to have Akemi draw for him or lay out his approach (e.g. the Shuffle Custom move, to the internet, or a reading to try to intentionally draw someone else's card. In the past, you've successfully worked with Akemi to make a lot of the settings for her account accessible without that check being necessary, but Shuffle is built to be paranoid about Arcana-to-Arcana communications encrypted by default, unless overridden on a case-by-case basis. That said, it looks like Akemi was drafting a presently blank response to Yusuke on something. His message is also showing and starts with some social media strategy thoughts, some obvious, some insightful, some a waste of Kaede's valuable time. The message closes on a personal note though: ...Enough about the trade for today. I should say I'm glad to hear things eventually worked out with the sister. You win that bet. I do always enjoy our (not-so) little talks, even if I don't always get to be right. P.S. I heard Matthias Weiss is also running. Do you know anything about this?] --- [Rowyn] Kaede reads it over, considering. It's not really something he should just dive into though. This isn't his account to mess with and the consequences of tinkering with it without Akemi's input would really be more dire than to make sure they are all on the same page. It wasn't life threatening. It could wait.... He does tap on the keyboard slightly though. "The sister..." Shika? Or... It was way too vague to jump on. He would have to speak with Akemi about it. When she was awake and not overloaded with work stress. It could wait.... Never thought he'd be saying that. But it really could. There were firmer priorities to focus on. The Matthias thing though.... He'll consider his response. Send out an email. The question was: To the whole group or merely to Katie and Kyon. Kyon, at the very least, needed to know. But maybe other people had input on that as well.... But all of those were things for tomorrow. Tonight? He really needed to try to get to sleep and figure the more pressing things out.... --- [Grysar] [Kaede drifts off to sleep, his partner long since gone to bed, snoring lightly.] [He then wakes suddenly with a sharp pain in his thigh. Masaki instantly rolls out of bed in the dimly illuminated pre-dawn hours, ready to fight back. Someone just made a big mistake, take a man on in his own home, you better kill him with your first strike.] [But as his eyes acclimate, he sees no threat. He doesn't hear one either. Just Tomoya sprawled across her and his side of the bed both, eyes moving fast, rolling about and kicking as part of some dream. She's been listless of late during the day, going to work, but quiet, pottering about, giving more attention to her plants than they really need. If Masaki's being frank, she always does that, with her talent she could just touch them once a week and be done with it, but lately it's been worse.. She's got something boiling and bubbling in her brain, but nary a whistle to be heard.] [Hard to sort out cause and effect, but when she's in this sort of a mood, she often gets those dreams. He hadn't thought much of it at first, not before they found out about the Arcana. Since then he stopped attributing them to her overly active imagination.] [She's still tossing and turning, probably only joined you in bed a few hours ago if the club was keeping its normal hours. Times like these, he wished he had a bigger bed, but then, times being what they are, there's a lot of stuff you wish for that you'll never get. What do you do, Masaki?] --- [Rowyn] [Masaki curses the wound to the thigh and starts rubbing it, sitting up. It wasn't pleasant. Not at all, then let out a sigh. Way too early to go wandering. And he didn't want to waken Tomoya. Not while she was like this. Waking her up would be no good. He takes a breath and reaches over to feel his "Press" badge, then tries to suppress the urge to get a cigarette before grabbing a cigarette. Tomoya always hated when he did it indoors, but whatever. This Council business had made him jumpy. Ever since.... The first puff relaxed his lungs and his chest as he let it out, letting the thought drift out in smoke with him as he watched the woman with interest. His notepad was close, if anything relevant came up that he needed to remember. A sharp intellect and intuitive mind only got you so far. It was his journalism itch he couldn't help but scratch. Especially when the adrenaline was still pumping in his veins.] --- [Grysar] [Tomoya settled down not long there after and roused from the dream before Masaki's second cigarette was spent. When she woke up they talked a bit. Didn't shed much light on the current predicament, but Tomoya's spirits were lifted. She was afraid it was a nightmare at first, apparently her predecessor had some power that could lay waste to crops. But times after talking to another Arcana, it turned out there was a way to turn it around and preserve food instead. Masaki dryly observed that "We have refrigerators for that now." Tomoya laughed at him, which meant she stopped glaring at the cigarette butts, "I'll bet in your past life you were Captain Telegraph or something, like out of the radio serials." Sometimes she was a little funny when coming out of one of those dreams, but this time it broke one of her dark moods, bringing back the light of his life. All in all, Masaki thought that past memories seemed like the rare part of being an Arcana that wasn't a raw deal. The cycle was not limited to Arcana. Yeah, technology was changing faster every day, it was easy to think of everything as bright and new, or dangerous and startling. But he was a realist, his journalism might make one thing better in one place for a time, but new problems would appear. He was also a man with a few history books under his belt. Humans, like fashion, were cyclical. Nations, empires, whole civilizations rose and fall. Golden ages were supplanted by dark ages. People in the past faced many of the problems that they were facing today just all mixed up based on what conditions each generation grew up in and the problem their parents faced. Masaki didn't give a damn about the theology of reincarnation. But he could learn something from someone with the balanced temperament represented by the Two of Pentacles. Some people said experience was the best teacher, but other people's experience was a lot less painful than your own. Tomoya had been furrowing her brow as he'd let his mind wandering, suddenly stirred when Tomoya put her hand on his shoulder. "Masaki, there's something more, the person I was talking to. I think it was actually... Kaede!" Kaede awakes to see Akemi standing next to him, dressed, hand resting on hsi shoulder, and ready to go. "I'm off to line up for that open play tryout I told you about." She leans in to kiss his forehead. "It's stupid early, but I didn't want to leave without saying good bye."] --- [Rowyn] Kaede shoots up in a cold sweat, startled by the hand on his shoulder, but then pinches his eyes closed, breathing out a sigh of relief. "I'm still..." His fingers go up to the bridge of his nose slowly, letting it all out. "Still here." There's a creasing of his brow in confusion, right at the end as he mumbles, mostly to himself but loud enough that Akemi can still hear it. "....really need to start keeping a notepad next to my bed if it's going to continue like that. How early is it anyway...?" --- [Grysar] Akemi grimaces. "A little after 5." She smiles sheepishly, "That makes like an hour or two of sleep for you. Go back to bed, sleepy head." She then slips away; at this hour, best to not ask for either permission or forgiveness. --- [Rowyn] Kaede watches her go, then grimaces a little himself. He'd meant to ask her about the account. Dammit. Next time, maybe. Next time. Then he sighs, flopping back onto the bed and staring onto the ceiling, trying to block out the various buzz of electronics coming through as background interference at the edge of his consciousness. It was hard to sleep at times with all of that going on... "Two hours..." Then he winces again. That means she probably did notice when he finally went to bed. Soliel was right after all. And he'd wanted to talk about Soliel with Akemi too. So many things to talk about with their busy schedule. Maybe they should have a lunch date later today. Dinner date. "...I hope it goes well..." Whispered. Almost to himself. After all, Akemi wasn't there to really hear it. Always a second too late. --- [Grysar] (Encrypted) Date: May 4th, 2004. Within an hour of Kaede's awakening. From: soleil.sungirl47@laposte.net To: Kaede Takeuchi Subject: Re: In need of advice Kaede, It is time for me to fall in the west as you rise in the east. I perhaps misunderstood the implications of your earlier comment, but that is not for me to stick my nose into. Having had some hours to think about it, two last thoughts. First, I think you have two separate problems. One of secrecy and one of politics. The question of secrecy is not an easy one, but I think it is also a of yours, that is you have some expertise. Trust your instincts, do what must be done, and separate it from the larger problem. Saving a life, dangerous secrets, predicting the behavior of future generations, these are all political questions. I think you are wise to shy away from deciding this by yourself, but you also face the challenge that there are no formal mechanisms for representation, consultations, or to poll the deck, as it were. Places without what we would call Democracy or even government at all often have informal mechanism, but even this is largely lacking. The way your group, and that lady with her own individual sense of fashion, came closest two years ago. However, then you had the "advantage" of an external enemy and a crisis forcing action. Perhaps find an ally, determine what they can safely know, what they can safely share, and then give them time. This will help insulate your secret, for you and your hidden knowledge are not the spokesperson. But also, politics requires much nonsense. I do not think you would be fulfilled spending your time in that manner. Soleil P.S. Please tell Akemi that I have said and wish her well. --- [Rowyn] (Encrypted) Date: May 4rd, 2004, mid morning From: Kaede Takeuchi To: soleil.sungirl47@laposte.net Subject: Re: In need of advice I will when I can. She's already left for her shoot. As for the formal mechanism... I don't think I've mentioned that they are trying to bring the Council back. Here's a link: [Link to Shuffle included, as well as voting rules.] I worry that they run the same pitfalls that they did in the former generation. There's too few to really have this system work, as one vote could have a lot of sway, but too many to really corral in the way that they might think. To think that they would impose this in place when we're supposedly the last generation.... ...I hadn't actually considered that before. Why *would* they put this in place if there's no moving forward? Is one generation of Arcana really that important that we have to impose an entirely separate rule of law? It doesn't make a lot of sense in the long run... With that, I kind of wonder who already knows. That it's possible. If they already do... I appreciate your time and your words of wisdom. It helps give me perspective. I will make sure to pass on your regards. P.S. Make sure you message me if you need help with the site. I would be more than happy to work through that with you. -Kaede Takeuchi ============================================= Kaede starts to pack up his things and get to work that he needs to do today. Once he does and he's settled, he sends off another email to the group. Well. Some of them. ============================================= (Encrypted) Date: May 4th, Early Afternoon From: Kaede Takeuchi To: Katie Andrews, Haruko Kinsha, Kyon Sorata Subject: Candidates for Council Did any of you know that Matthias was running for the Council? This is the first I'm hearing of it. -Takeuchi --- [Grysar] Encrypted) Date: May 4rd, 2004, early evening From: soleil.sungirl47@laposte.net To: Kaede Takeuchi Subject: Re: In need of advice Ah, I was wondering whether someone might try this. As for your questions, I have ideas, but let me with this 2nd (or perhaps 1st or perhaps n-th?) Arcana Republic. In a week, ask me your questions again, and I may have answers. Soleil P.S. Thanks for the offer of help, we will see if the machines like me today. [End thread]