2009-06-12 Not over this

[Boss Out of Town]

Helluva thing, war.

Sarine is doing what she has to do at this moment, just like she was doing what she had to do several breaths ago when she stuck the knife in.

If killing an old friend isn't painful for you, what the hell are you worth as a sentient being?

[KurtDunn]

Oh I get it.

This is paralleling the death of that one god, so long ago. They were fighting and it was more of a game than mortal combat, until someone lost their eye.

[theMycon]

So, this is the second time this fight Sarine's said "Not over this." Was she expecting to have to kill Sarna sometime? How many times does a 3,000 year old soldier have to kill a friend they've known longer than we can comprehend?

[Jexihal]

...Frak. And here I'd really been hoping she'd thought the fight through enough to not do this.

She can't help it. If there is one thing that we've learned about Sarine, it's that she kills reluctantly.

At the same time, I do wonder how else she thought this could end. In some happy world filled with rainbows and cute bunnies, maybe Sarna could be "subdued," see the error of her ways, and join the party. Sarine is worldly wise (not to mention world weary) enough to know that she doesn't inhabit that world. So what was her alternative?

I think we might be thinking about it too logically. It's safe to assume none of us ever had to kill any of our close personal friends, even in self-defense. It doesn't seem like Sarine had any illusions about being in a fight to the death, more that the adrenaline rush ended and she was just hit with the enormity of what just happened. That's how I see it, anyway.

[Slamlander]

That may be true but, there was only the one way that this could have ended. Sarine is just in denial.

Note: Labrat is wrong, two shots of JW black Label, one bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah, one bottle of Ombres Bleues (still in the planning stages, operation yet to be completed), does not enhance coherency. However, it does increase the edit rate requirement and reduce the typing speed.

P.S. We are planning to watch the Bol D'Or opening tomorrow (hangover none withstanding).

[normalphil]

I see it as a "Oh my gods it's all going horribly wrong (again)" thing. She may be in denial, but it's not denial that starts from her and Sarna squaring off, it's denial that starts from her last group meeting in Tsuiraku. That's where the foundation of the illusions lies.

I think we might be thinking about it too logically. It's safe to assume none of us ever had to kill any of our close personal friends, even in self-defense. It doesn't seem like Sarine had any illusions about being in a fight to the death, more that the adrenaline rush ended and she was just hit with the enormity of what just happened. That's how I see it, anyway.

[runic]

you can't blame her for trying for to save her friend/former lover in the least. that was a fight she did not pick so you really can't call her out for not seeing the outcome in advance in terms of doing something she would regret.

That may be true but, there was only the one way that this could have ended. Sarine is just in denial.

Note: Labrat is wrong, two shots of JW black Label, one bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah, one bottle of Ombres Bleues (still in the planning stages, operation yet to be completed), does not enhance coherency. However, it does increase the edit rate requirement and reduce the typing speed.

P.S. We are planning to watch the Bol D'Or opening tomorrow (hangover none withstanding).

that sounds good, might have to dig that up tonight (tgif)

Totally saw it coming, Sarna would probably show some regret, but wouldn't do the same.

Sarine shouldn't keep betraying her people if she isn't emotionally ready to kill her old friends/ex-friends/beloved aquaintances.

i wouldn't see that as betrayal. most of us can see the fricking incredible potential downside to disturbing another elven demigod. sarine is just another example of the road to hell being paved with good intentions

[Sareth]

Sarine shouldn't keep betraying her people if she isn't emotionally ready to kill her old friends/ex-friends/beloved aquaintances.

i wouldn't see that as betrayal. most of us can see the fricking incredible potential downside to disturbing another elven demigod. sarine is just another example of the road to hell being paved with good intentions

Yes, *you* wouldn't, and most of us readers, having the inside story, would understand her motivations as being trying to *save* the elves, not *betray* them. Even if it means turning against their rules to do it.

However, *we* have that inside story. The elves do not have it, and Sarine doesn't even have some of what we have. From their perspective, Sarine has taken their secret plans to restore their former glory and possibly restore their virility as well, turned it over to a potentially hostile nation (that may or may not include half-elf blood in it), and then, as if setting a foreign nation in opposition to their plans isn't enough, has taken up arms directly against them in an effort to stop them.

Betrayal *is* the word...

[erewhon]

The fictional archetypes of all duelists is "The Duelists". A good story, better film. It is a hard act to follow.

[erewhon]

'I have no friends stupid enough to take part in such a farce."