Chapter 4 - fair & foul: Part 5

38 minutes

Rosch's voice faded, and for a brief moment there was silence in the room. The chronicler, Colonel Rosch, had probably died shortly after. They never found his body, but he was listed as having been killed in action. He had sent for the list of casualties at the request of Hope, so that was certain.

Hope had silently stared at the forwarded list of PSICOM casualties for a long time.

Their escape from the Hanging Edge, to Bresha Lake, to Vile Peaks, to Palumpolum, to the inside of the Palamecia, through to Edenhall was constantly accompanied by conflict with PSICOM.

P156-157

That long journey was littered with soldiers' corpses.

Of course, those who they fought made up only part of the casualty list, and it's not that everyone they fought had died, either. It was wishful thinking, but maybe they had only suffered grievous injuries and gotten away with their lives. But, Hope harbored disdain for that way of thinking.

He wouldn't make excuses for something he had done, and he wouldn't think to turn away his eyes either. It appeared as if that was what the profile of Hope's face as he stared at the casualty list had been saying.

“After this, Colonel Rosch gave his last orders. PSICOM ceased fighting and turned to protecting the citizens, and the Colonel met his demise.”

Rygdea nodded his head. Even though Eden had been destroyed beyond repair, the fact that human casualties were on the same level as other areas can be solely attributed to PSICOM's success. It had been forgotten because of how they're treated now as evil personified, but they too devoted themselves to the citizens.

“There are those who push all of the blame onto that PSICOM and continue to escape.”

Them being dignitaries of the old Sanctum.

“The folk who raked in the profits thanks to the fal'Cie and PSICOM still assume their privileged class status.”

It was ironic that while the fal'Cie were around, even if there were those who assumed privileged class status, there had been no complaints from the citizens. It was because their lives had been stable thanks to the fal'Cie. In a society where such blessed lives were guaranteed and everyone was satisfied, “privileged” didn't have much meaning to begin with.

The problems would come afterwards. Now that the fal'Cie were hibernating, there were shortages of all and everything on Cocoon. Whenever the need to share something arises, it will always be accompanied by something called disparity. Even if you try to do things as fairly as possible, it is impossible to achieve a completely equal level of distribution. Here, for the first time, privilege holds the definition and merits of privilege.

“It's ridiculous, isn't it?”

“That's why,” said Rygdea meaningfully.

“I'll crush them,”

He knew what Rygdea was trying to say. But the old/former Sanctum dignitaries were cunning. While they bided their time by pointing their spears at PSICOM, they continued working steadily to solidify their own social status. There was only one way to break that down.

“A coup d'etat, huh?”

“Yeah. But, I have no intention of resorting to dangerous methods. This is our bullet.”

Rygdea pointed a finger at the ID card. Indeed, it was the truth behind the Purge from the director of the implementation unit himself. Moreover, Colonel Rosch clearly states that they were instructions from the old/former Sanctum. If they went public with this, they could hold accountable any former Sanctum affiliates.

“But that alone is likely not enough. They always use the same methods. The weakest individual is made the scapegoat while the rest of them make good their escape. A few would be forced out, but you won't make a clean sweep of the old guard.”

P158-159

If they still wanted to make a clean sweep then they would have no choice but to resort to weaponry. If this recording was their only bullet...

“Of course, this isn't our only ammunition. Almost all of PSICOM's communication logs and reports, as well as other inside information of that caliber has been brought forward.”

“So you're saying if you're former Sanctum associates, then they'll definitely be caught up by something or another. But, even if we do manage to net the whole lot, there will be certainly people who try cut a hole in the net and escape. What would be our measures for that?”

For the time being, we'd have to hide ourselves and wait for the winds to change, then return to the political world pretending as if nothing had happened. That too is the usual tactic. As long as we're not labeled the bad guys by the law, then we will have any number of opportunities.

“The groundwork has already been laid for the military. It's thanks to the fact that those guys have gathered PSICOM up and kicked them to the curb. Unlike PSICOM, the Guardian Corps isn't so closely tied to the Sanctum.”

They're the same as ordinary citizens, so it was also a first for former Sanctum associates to be involved in a so-called “emergency situation.” So that might be connected to their insufficient follow-through.

“On top of that, we've seized air superiority. Even if they try to call back PSICOM now, they won't be able to.”

He had heard that the PSICOM soldiers were on the fringes of Gran Pulse. On the surface it looked as if they had migrated, but really they were more or less exiled from Cocoon.

Even if those former Sanctum associates recall PSICOM and try to join forces with them, the Cavalry is already keeping close tabs on the airship routes connecting Gran Pulse and Cocoon.

From the moment Rygdea first landed in Gran Pulse, he probably realized the importance of the airship routes connecting these two points. The Cavalry had been the first to pilot airships for Cocoon evacuees, and they were also the ones to undertake the delivery of goods to their destinations [of migration].

While they were conducting rescue operations shipping evacuees and materials, Rygdea had set out to seize mastery of the skies. It sounds bad to say they “profited from the chaos,” but the shell of Cocoon that PSICOM had control over was now under the jurisdiction of the Cavalry. There was the fact that they couldn't possibly have handled that with the local Guardian Corps, but above all else, the shell was the gateway to Gran Pulse.

If they got a grip on that, then they controlled the flow of people between Cocoon and Gran Pulse. Those who would invade Cocoon and those who would escape to Gran Pulse would have no chance of getting away.

“So then the preparations are all done. But, after you make a clean sweep of the old guard, who will you put in their place? What would you have in their stead?”

It was simple to just destroy something that existed. Anyone was capable of denying.

But, what would you construct in that vacant lot? That was the real question.

“We won't place anything there. Even if we placed something where they were, it would be a repeat of the same thing, right?”

“We don't need any more inbred minds, huh?”

“Exactly. I want to create a society where we don't just do what the fal'Cie say, where people think with their own heads and where people work by their own wills. That's why we don't need somewhere that is the same. We'll place something else, someplace else. These are just borrowed concepts, though.”

P160-161

To show all of the peoples of Cocoon how to live not as livestock.

That was ideal General Raines strived for. He hadn't just heard it from Rygdea, but also from other soldiers. Within the Cavalry gathered those like-minded with General Raines.

“We were supposed to entrust this society to the very individual who had said those words. But I shot down that person with my own hands.”

Raines had been a l'Cie. If he could have turned back to human like Hope and the others, there could have been other possibilities, but he couldn't have been the leader of a new society as a l'Cie. Even if he didn't do as the fal'Cie said, l'Cie were only given a very limited amount of time. He wouldn't have been suited for a position that necessitated the maintenance of political power as well as the stabilizing of political affairs.

When one think of that, one wonder how deeply he fell into despair when he was made a l'Cie. He didn't know him personally, but simply based on hearsay, he was someone who had more than enough power to bring about societal change. He might actually have been relieved when he uttered the simple words, “shoot me.” He could finally put an end to it all.

“I take responsibility for that. I'm not cut out to be a leader, and I'm not much of a politician either. I know better than anyone that it's out of my character. But, I have no intention of using that as an excuse to shirk my duties.”

He knew that Rygdea wasn't someone hungry for power. He would give you a sense of closeness, however briefly you associated, and he would speak frankly at length too. He also heard that he joined the military academy and became a soldier based on the simple reason that he wanted to fly airships, but it didn't fit his personality so he probably would have retired long ago had he not met Raines

“Fitting the bill is something that will come after.”

He was a man who understood reason. Certainly, he might not have “fit the bill” when it came to his lack of concern for his unshaven face and personal appearance, but those were really just issues tied to his outer appearance.

“You're not stopping me?”

Rygdea asked with a bit of a smile. The fact that he couldn't go without adding in some sort joke, no matter the situation, was one of this man's merits as well as one of his weaknesses. At the same time, it was the most cunning aspect about him.

“I thought you had called me here to talk about something a little different, though?”

“Sorry. Let's get back to the main issue. There are two reasons why I had you come here today. The first is so I could apologize.”

“Apologize?”

Hearing these completely unexpected words, he was a little confused. He couldn't recall anything warranting an apology from Rygdea.

“I got my hands on this quite a while ago. I should have gone public with this a soon as possible, but because I was caught up with things like the restoring infrastructure, and distributing supplies, I neglected it for more than half a year.”

“I don't believe that was something that could have been helped. A trump card can only be a trump card because it can only be used once. So, it should be used somewhere where it will be the most effective. To restore the reputation of the former l'Cie or to place blame on the former Sanctum associates. It should be clear which of these it should be used for.”

A plot to drive out the former Sanctum associates required preparations of that caliber. In fact, it's a real something that he was able to achieve that much in just half a year.

“In theory yes, but that's not how those who are involved feel, right? I think I've done something shameful to your son. I would have liked to free him from the people's misconceptions and prejudices sooner.”

“I don't think Hope would have complained if what could have happened a week later turned into six months later.” It was as he began to say this.

“I plan on making compensations for having him wait.”

The moment he heard “compensation,” alarm bells went off in his head. Rygdea wasn't a good person by nature. His codes of practice weren't based on such ethical things as good and evil, but rather something more rational. When Rygdea performs a good deed, it's not purely out of good intentions. It is no more than the result of his decision that such a course of action would be rational.

For example, he fully cooperated with the construction of New Bodhum not because he felt sympathy for the poor people who had lost their hometown, nor because it was at the request of his old friend, Snow Villiers. It was because he perceived it as the most effective method of  winning back the trust of the people.

The residents of old Bodhum harbored a deep-seated distrust of the military and legislature. Eradicating that was no easy task. When he was at a loss, Snow proposed the “New Bodhum construction project.” Well, rather he just suddenly showed up and fervently said, “We want to build a new hometown with our own hands!” and the one who polished it into a proper “construction project” had been Rygdea.

Regardless, as predicted, slowly and surely, the hatred of the military harbored by residents of old Bodhum gradually began to dissipate. Although, in Rygdea's words they were still only halfway there. It seemed the mission would finally come to an end when the residents held the image that “military equals friends.”

He was a guy who can do that sort of calculating. Bartholomew himself was by no means against that. Rather, he thought it interesting.

It was easy to pass objective judgement based on standards of interest and competition. Virtues and kindness were things with no tangible shape, so they were hard for a third party to judge. Above all, people's minds are things that change. We have the tendency to forget, but actions based on good intentions are filled with such hazards. If that were the case, then actions based on interest and competition are in no way inferior to those based on good intentions.

Such a mercenary point of view only becomes a problem because it involves the ego. When people perceive interest and competition as greed, it is simply because they seeing the ego intertwined.

That was what was interesting about Rygdea. When he passes judgement based on interest and competition, he separates ego from the process. He does it with little trouble, but it's not something that just anyone can do.

P164-165

Though there was the difference in rank between Brigadier General and Captain, the reason behind why Raines saw Rygdea as his right-hand man may have laid there.

In any case, seeing as how Rygdea is that type of a person, it would be dangerous to happily accept his “compensation.” No. While he says “compensation,” he is analyzing. I'm being tested here as well...

“It's fine to clear misconceptions, but I'd like you to refrain from turning the former l'Cie's ordeal into some heartwarming tale.”

The Pulse l'Cies who opposed fal'Cie Barthandelus who would bring destruction and bloodshed to Cocoon, and then gave themselves to protecting the falling Cocoon. If you turned it into a heroic tale that anyone would like, then it is likely the people would quickly abandon their animosity and hatred for Pulse l'Cie.

If their view of l'Cie changed, then their fear of Pulse would fade as well. Then the Gran Pulse resettlement project should progress rapidly too.

Resettlement was among the most urgent aspects of the restoration plan. Now that the fal'Cie had entered hibernation, it would be difficult to support the same number of people as they had within Cocoon. At this point, they couldn't even adequately distribute rations to those remaining around Palumpolum. They were even less able to do so when it came to other areas.

If Cocoon's population fell to thirty percent of what it was now, then they could somehow maintain the people's standards of living. If they limited the residential area to within Palumpolum and sealed off the other areas, then the distribution of water and electricity would improve dramatically.

Yet, resettlement was moving at a glacial pace. People from areas which could no longer be inhabited had little choice but to relocate, but in areas that were habitable given that you endured the inconveniences, many of the residents still remained.

While Rygdea the increased the transit of people by increasing the number of Gran Pulse-Cocoon commuter flights, to soften the resistance people had for Pulse, there were limits to how far that could go. If they could improve the image of Pulse here, then the problem could be dealt with in one go. The fastest way to do that would be to set the Pulse l'Cie up as heroes...

“If you have them perceived as heroes, people who will try to use them will certainly show up.”

“Like how I do?”

Rygdea was the most untrustworthy when he said things jokingly like this. In that tone where couldn't tell if he was joking or being serious, he would say some pretty ridiculous things. So he chose to give him a warning.

“Wouldn't even you resent playing second fiddle to a certain Ms. Nabaat?”

When the young Dajh turned to crystal, PSICOM's Jihl Nabaat tried to turn him into “The tragic hero who saved Cocoon.” The image of a hero was useful for selfishly guiding the human heart.

“You sure do know how to hit it where it hurts. But, there's nothing wrong with the methodology. If you wanted to move the masses, a simple fairy tale works better than a complicated theory. Though, Jihl Nabaat's fairy tale was perhaps a bit on the dirty side.”

P166-167

“The former l'Cie are living people. Characters who appear in fairy tales are not.”

“Then let's say this. The heroes we'll extol for saving Cocoon will be the Pulse-born Fang and Vanille, as well as former Sergeant Farron. Those girls are holding up Cocoon even now. ‘‘Let's give our thanks to the three l'Cie who supporting our motherland' is how it will go.”

If we could have them harbor gratitude and good will toward the Pulsians Oerba Dia Vanille and Oerba Yun Fang, then it would greatly aid the progression of the resettlement project. Also, if Sergeant Farron's achievements are mentioned, it could turn into an image booster for Guardian Corps too.

“If those in question were crystal, then you couldn't exploit them even if you wanted to, huh?”

“Say we reveal that it was six l'Cie that defeated Barthandelus, the evil of all evils, but we don't release the names of the other three. How would that be?”

“If that's the case,” said Bartholomew with a nod.

“Sorry to trouble you. It's cause special treatment won't do any good for the person in question. It's not a problem for adults like Snow and Mr. Katzroy, but Hope is still a kid.”

Well, although that's what he said before Rygdea, he really couldn't be called a child anymore. On that day when he went down to Gran Pulse on that material transport airship, the Hope that he was met with had completely grown into an adult. He was a lot calmer than on the day he was shipped out of their home in Palumpolum. He thought it was because he didn't have to worry about being pursued anymore, but that wasn't the case.

He didn't just stay quietly under the protection of the adults, he had put his all into fulfilling his duty as a member of the group. He could certainly see from his expression that he was aware and proud of the fact he wasn't just someone who needed to be protected anymore.

Though it was probably second nature to him, but it was inevitably astonishing when he saw Hope doing manual labor alongside the soldiers. If his wife could see how he didn't care at all that his clothes had become filthy, and that he was still laughing with the soldiers despite being covered in dirt, then she would no doubt be surprised as well.

When one of the soldiers praised him saying, “You work pretty hard,” Hope replied with a smile as if he'd recalled something.

“Fang was a lot tougher on people.”

“Ahh, that woman, huh? I'll bet she'd work you hard.”

“She really showed no mercy.”

When he asked about it later, he discovered that he ridden the Lindblum along with that soldier. He had his faith restored by the fact that even in the midst of their treacherous escape, there were still people who treated them warmly.

In the Cavalry where the truth had been known, each and every person had treated Hope amiably. There was even someone who lent him a uniform thinking it unfair that he had to stay hidden so as not to be seen. If he blended in with the soldiers then he could move about freely without attracting attention.

Looking at Hope who had been saying “this might be a little too big for me,” he realized that he had grown quite a bit taller...

“But, you sure are hard to please as usual.”

Rygdea's voice brought him back to the present.

P168-169

“Was I being too reckless for trying to match wits with you, Mr. Scholar? I thought that was a pretty good trade, though. That we make your son the hero who saved humanity in exchange for you joining the provisional government.”

He thought he was joking again, but Rygdea put on a diligent face and said, “that's the other reason why I called you here.”