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knowmyplace

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From:

knowmyplace

Iago doesn't seem amused in return, but he does glare at the table a little.

The food does help soften the impact.

"That's right. That's why Othello's marriage to Desdemona was...questioned. Othello might have had a high military status, but his own upbringing and social station was too much of a detriment. My wife's family was all too happy to get rid of her, but they weren't of high breeding. Emilia was beautiful, but we were of equal footing in the eyes of her father."

From:

packhounds

Mikodez adds that 'equal footing' to his list, but he just nods.

"Most factions in the hexarchate put high value on 'merit', so those sorts of alliances are rare. As I've worked with the faction where it isn't rare, I'm all the more grateful for that. Now that I have a little more background, would you walk me through the matter of - what was it - oh, yes, Cassio's promotion and what followed?"

From:

knowmyplace

He snorts. "Cassio had been promoted, though he was not the right choice. I had been the one beside Othello, the one he trusted. I had worked for it, but Cassio stole it."

He sits back. "I wanted to punish him. I knew about his secret marriage, so - I convinced a friend to simply ensure her father knew, as well."

He shrugs.

From:

packhounds

As far as Mikodez's concerned that's extremely reasonable - and appropriate - behavior.

Well, not as punishment, but as proof of what you can do. But that's among Shuos. 'Trust' is measured differently.

"Why do you think Cassio was promoted instead of you?"

From:

knowmyplace

"Because of his name," he says flippantly, picking one if the cookies.

"Did you make this?"

From:

packhounds

"The double bind of name based society. It can raise up someone unready for the position they're given, and provoke reasonable resentment in someone not chosen."

He smiles. "Do you like them? I've started baking since I came here."

From:

knowmyplace

"They are sweet, but I like them. Is that molasses?"

He takes another and breaks it in half.

From:

packhounds

"It is. I made some with frosting, but no one would eat those."

He leans back on the couch, draping an arm along the back.

"Before we continue, I think I should say that I believe you were completely wasted. It's due to the nature of your world, not because you chose some limited path when there were better ones open to you. I'm interested in what you could do when given a proper opportunity. I judge on talent, not on some idea of 'ethics'. We don't teach those."

From:

knowmyplace

"Mm, is that not what Jedao teaches?" he wonders, sitting back with his hand pressed to the chair.

From:

packhounds

“That’s what I’m planning on calling it,” Mikodez says, taking a cookie for himself.

“It’s been suggested that we should have a few course names that don’t sound completely evil.”

From:

knowmyplace

"If you want to curate a better impression," he laughs, hut circles back to what he said before.

"I...have never been seen for what I can do. Until the end, I mean."

From:

packhounds

“I’d say it might encourage a little less drama, but that’s as likely as fixing our reputation.”

He nods. “It doesn’t seem like you were given a proper chance to express it.”

From:

knowmyplace

"No, but what does that mean? What opportunity?" He looks skeptical, even over his cookie.

From:

packhounds

Mikodez spreads his hand. "A chance to use your ability to understand and manipulate people on a bigger scale. In my experience, the military prefers a lack of imagination. I was able to find a job that values creativity, and which respects achieving results that aren't straightforward."

From:

knowmyplace

He eyes him warily. "You want me to manipulate people?"

Edited Date: 2025-07-03 08:44 pm (UTC)

From:

packhounds

"No, I want to offer you potential employment." Some might say that there's not a huge difference. "I think you have potential, and I'd hate to see potential go to waste."

From:

knowmyplace

He crosses his legs. "Well, you could certainly do worse. But - first I need to escape this place."

From:

packhounds

"What do you think that escape looks like?"

From:

knowmyplace

"I don't know. Can't be difficult, since there is a murderer graduated and willing to be sonething as tedious as a killer now," he points out.

From:

packhounds

Mikodez nods. "That's part of why I don't consider these to be separate matters. I believe that to graduate, you need something to do with the life that will be returned to you. I suppose you could be meant to learn how to settle, but if that was true you wouldn't have been assigned to me."

From:

knowmyplace

He snorts.

"Humility is not a Shous trait, hm?"

From:

packhounds

"Not a drop!" He grins. "It's why I chose them.

From:

knowmyplace

"You chose them? What are the other choices? Aside from...Kel," he wonders.

From:

packhounds

He ticks them off, just as they learned in school - though with his own commentary:

"The Rahal, who are obsessed with the legal code to an extent that's even duller than it sounds; the Nirai, who do higher mathematics; the Vidona, who cover teachers and torture; and the Andan, who are like the Shuos but without any of a flair or fun."