[Nick's eyes fall, his face along with them as lingering doubt colors him. The memories of that night are still fresh on his mind, and yet, he's one of the lucky ones in terms of what could have happened -- what did happen to Maketh and Henry.]
I did what needed to be done. I just wasn't expecting to lose both you and Henry so quickly.
I don't think anyone wakes up expecting to die that day. I was just surprised it was me rather than Sheriff Bigby or Damianos of Akielos. Someone with experience in leading people. I'm just an old detective.
[Maketh shakes her head briefly.] Experience in the field is one thing. Having the trust of the people is another.
[She could have put a soldier in charge, someone who knew how to command troops, but that wouldn't have held the community together. The people here believe in Nick, know his word can be relied upon, and won't balk when he speaks. Besides, the defenses had already been put in place. The soldier's work was done. They needed a leader and Maketh gave them one.]
Don't mistake me. Damian and Bigby are capable men, but they don't have the sway that you do.
[Nick's eyes flick to Maketh, meeting them as her gaze lands on him. She's right, of course -- the Guard isn't about leading the city, nor is it about policing them. It's about keeping them safe, getting them to cooperate. Doing that takes some level of trust with the people, some rapport they're still working on. Not everyone trusts them, and not everyone will, but what they have is a good start. They just have to maintain it, build upon it -- and that takes a finesse not everyone is capable of.
So Nick can absolutely see what Maketh means, even if he doesn't believe it himself sometimes. Even being a detective, it sometimes takes another pair of eyes to see the answer that's staring him right in the face.]
Not sure how much sway I really have around here, but... I appreciate the trust you put in me. I won't let you down, Maketh.
[She smiles, ducking her head over the coffee.] I have faith.
[Not so long ago she would have never dared to put a civilian in charge of such an operation. So much has changed since she's come to Hadriel, not all of it for the worse. On Lothal, she had no trust in the civilians, had thought them simple and weak, easy to manipulate. Worth protecting, but perhaps a little naive - never quite good enough to know how to do anything themselves.
She'd been cruel then, Maketh thinks. Perhaps she still is.]
[Maketh smooths her thumb over the rim of her mug.] We need to put protocols in place, in case--well. In case I am not there. People die, or sometimes they simply leave--it's not efficient to leave this things to chance.
It wouldn't be a popular decision. We could be seen as attempting to take control. Which is why I think it should be kept quiet for the moment. Informal.
Informal is probably best, knowing some of the folks here. It's not as though we have any laws, and trying to put some into place this late in the game might just make things worse.
It would. At least you know we can follow directions, and that most of us are on the same page when it comes to keeping this city safe.
[He says "most" because there are some with methods he doesn't approve of, and some who don't seem to know just why they're on the Guard in the first place, save for that they wanted something to do. Whatever their reasoning, the important part is that they cooperate, especially when things start to go haywire.]
Yes. It would be--useful, to have officers in place to delegate work and give orders of their own. [And to know that they would be followed. Still, the whole thing has an edge, coming ever close to a formal militia, and Maketh worries. It's far too easy to fall into old patterns. What she was before cannot exist here. This place cannot be the Empire. She's sworn to make something better.]
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no subject
Date: 2016-08-19 06:43 am (UTC)[He rotates the mug in his hand, lightly whirling the liquid inside.]
Aside from all that worrying, you holding up okay? Not working yourself to death, are you?
[Says the guy who is the textbook definition of a workaholic.]
no subject
Date: 2016-08-20 02:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-08-21 12:17 am (UTC)You've got to take care of yourself, Maketh. You're not a machine, and we can't afford to lose you.
no subject
Date: 2016-08-21 10:42 pm (UTC)[And even if they did, Hope would just bring her back again.]
no subject
Date: 2016-08-22 08:01 am (UTC)I'm gonna hold you to that next time I regroup with everyone and find out I'm suddenly in charge.
no subject
Date: 2016-08-22 01:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-08-22 09:09 pm (UTC)I did what needed to be done. I just wasn't expecting to lose both you and Henry so quickly.
no subject
Date: 2016-08-25 02:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-08-25 02:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-08-25 02:21 am (UTC)[She could have put a soldier in charge, someone who knew how to command troops, but that wouldn't have held the community together. The people here believe in Nick, know his word can be relied upon, and won't balk when he speaks. Besides, the defenses had already been put in place. The soldier's work was done. They needed a leader and Maketh gave them one.]
Don't mistake me. Damian and Bigby are capable men, but they don't have the sway that you do.
[Maketh meets Nick's eyes.]
People here trust you. That matters.
no subject
Date: 2016-08-25 02:44 am (UTC)So Nick can absolutely see what Maketh means, even if he doesn't believe it himself sometimes. Even being a detective, it sometimes takes another pair of eyes to see the answer that's staring him right in the face.]
Not sure how much sway I really have around here, but... I appreciate the trust you put in me. I won't let you down, Maketh.
no subject
Date: 2016-08-25 11:25 pm (UTC)[Not so long ago she would have never dared to put a civilian in charge of such an operation. So much has changed since she's come to Hadriel, not all of it for the worse. On Lothal, she had no trust in the civilians, had thought them simple and weak, easy to manipulate. Worth protecting, but perhaps a little naive - never quite good enough to know how to do anything themselves.
She'd been cruel then, Maketh thinks. Perhaps she still is.]
no subject
Date: 2016-08-26 06:53 am (UTC)[He worries about Maketh and how much she deals with -- how much she doubts herself.]
no subject
Date: 2016-08-27 01:28 am (UTC)[It might not be much, in his eyes. But it's what she can give.]
There was--another matter I'd bring up, if that's all right.
no subject
Date: 2016-08-27 01:45 am (UTC)Sure, sure. What is it?
no subject
Date: 2016-09-01 01:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-09-02 05:45 am (UTC)[And given the way folks just up and vanish, there's no telling if tomorrow is guaranteed for any of them.]
What did you have in mind?
no subject
Date: 2016-09-02 05:25 pm (UTC)[To put it bluntly.
Maketh rubs her face.]
It wouldn't be a popular decision. We could be seen as attempting to take control. Which is why I think it should be kept quiet for the moment. Informal.
no subject
Date: 2016-09-02 08:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-09-02 09:12 pm (UTC)[Someone needs to give the orders, after all. It doesn't work to put things to a vote in an emergency.]
no subject
Date: 2016-09-03 07:42 am (UTC)[He says "most" because there are some with methods he doesn't approve of, and some who don't seem to know just why they're on the Guard in the first place, save for that they wanted something to do. Whatever their reasoning, the important part is that they cooperate, especially when things start to go haywire.]
no subject
Date: 2016-09-05 05:49 pm (UTC)