Sixth Haiku [Voice, Locked to X-Men and Staff]

[koukai_kirai]

This is the moment where we have to ask ourselves:

Is sheltering her worth the trouble? We're at a very real risk of making enemies of S.H.I.E.L.D., which could compromise the safety of a number of people here.

Perhaps we've let her borrow enough time. She got herself into this mess willingly, after all.

[He'll be the absolute last to suggest doing anything against Xavier's orders or behind his back -- but he's more than willing, at this point, to question the decisions that have been made.]

Comments

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[thirdarrow]

I am of the same mind as you, but our hands are tied as well.

private

[koukai_kirai]

We don't owe her anything, do we? The best we can do is pass her off to S.H.I.E.L.D. quietly and try and get them to keep quiet about our involvement.

[thirdarrow]

That may be the best in the long term.

But the students have been rather vocal as well. I fear this will influence the Professor's decision.

[koukai_kirai]

He'll decide what he thinks is right, either way. But it might not be bad for him to hear what's on everyone's mind.

[In a less literal, psychic-y sense.]

[flamingfists]

We really only have two options. We give her up, in secret, away from the school, or we fight. Either way the public can't know she was here.

[S.H.I.E.L.D. worried her, but the idea of the public knowing? That was really frightening.]

[koukai_kirai]

I'm not convinced fighting for her is an option worth considering, when it would put the students in danger.

[flamingfists]

Neither of us want to put the students in danger but we'd be fooling ourselves to not consider the possibility of the alternative.

[koukai_kirai]

Let me put it more bluntly: Why should we waste a moment fighting for her?

[blooming_resonance]

I am... in general... against anything that endangers the students. And a direct... conflict with S.H.I.E.L.D. greatly endangers the students, for the chance to... protect one person. When it... may not even work.

There is... still danger in letting her into their custody, yes, but... I would rather that than have... another battle here. Those people are not like... the last ones to attack this place. The last ones were... misguided individuals. S.H.I.E.L.D. is far... far more dangerous.

[koukai_kirai]

If there's any potential of keeping good relations with S.H.I.E.L.D., we need to try. In this case, that means handing her over without causing too much trouble.

And it isn't as if she's a fugitive for no reason. We're not obligated to protect her from her own decisions just because she's a mutant -- certainly not at the risk of the students.

[blooming_resonance]

Yes... it seems we have a similar way of thinking. Were it... possible to better ensure her safety... as there is someone who clearly tried to take her life... perhaps I would agree with that method. But I can't... support anything that puts the students at... further risk.

I would not... like to make enemies of S.H.I.E.L.D., either.

Do you... trust Xavier to make a similar decision? [She wants to, but she'd rather like someone else to echo that thought.]

[koukai_kirai]

[He softens a little, at that last question.]

I trust him to do what's right. Not always what I'd choose, but what's best for this school.

[knowledgeandshadow]

There is no longer any need to keep her here. If this is about her safety, I'm sure SHIELD would be more than capable of keeping her out of harm's way.

[She is in a very foul mood. And is firm in the belief that Renko has to go.]

We have a duty to our students and their welfare, first and formost.

[koukai_kirai]

Most of us seem to be in agreement there.

We're going to have to hope S.H.I.E.L.D. is willing to keep quiet about us holding onto her for so long in the first place, though.

[Video]

[dandyelegance]

I don't believe it's worth the trouble at this point.

[For once, Tomas looks very sober.]

[Video]

[koukai_kirai]

You're not alone in thinking that.

[Video]

[dandyelegance]

We should turn her over. I don't want to think about the consequences otherwise.

[Video]

[koukai_kirai]

Even if we did have a reason to protect her, it's looking difficult to get around at this point.

[voice]

[bluishgreymatter]

There won't be a battle. I know that much. You should, too. We've both known Charles a long time...

[voice]

[koukai_kirai]

[Hijikata sighs.]

...I know. I have every bit of faith in him.

I just hope he had good reason to put us in this situation in the first place.

[At the end of the day, he does believe in Xavier with the closest thing he has to religious fervor. But he's too cynical to do so quietly or without question, and always has been.]

Re: [voice]

[bluishgreymatter]

Because she needs to be protected. We don't have to agree with her beliefs, her actions, but right now she, as well as people like Stryker and Creed, are lynchpins. And when they are pulled, the entire balance will come crumbling down, and the war that Miss Renko was so certain she was ready to fight in... will indeed happen.

He's never turned anyone away who sought shelter. Criminals, saints, it makes no difference. This place has always been about hope... But no man can fight the tides of fate forever.

[voice]

[koukai_kirai]

It isn't our place to protect every single person, not when some of them could compromise the whole. This isn't the first time I've disagreed with his choices on this sort of matter.

With any luck, it won't be the last, either.

[aquawayfinder]

"We agreed to protect this person. Therefore, she should have a say in what happens next. I have a trust and a faith in these students, but there is more than simply that."

"If this group who demands we turn her over is a group of good people who would not do anything we would feel the need to protect her from, they likewise would not act in such a way that would harm the students. If they are such a group as would harm the students, what lesson do we teach handing anyone over to them?"

[Aqua shook her head softly.]

"If all parties, Master Xavier, the woman herself, and the leader of this other group, cannot or will not meet civilly to discuss the options and come to a consensus, what more can we do than defend our word and be true to who we are? If it comes to that, we defend the students by showing the proper path, as well as by defending them."

[koukai_kirai]

We didn't all choose to give our word, and she did choose to stir up violent anti-human sentiment. Frankly, I couldn't care much less about her say in the matter while her presence is a threat to the students.

And it isn't so simple as a "proper path" or whether they're "good" or not. They've got an agenda, but they also have more legitimate authority in this than we do, and we may have to rely on their backup in other matters again someday. They aren't an enemy we want to make.

[Hijikata's word and honor are priorities, but they rank somewhere far below the safety of the school and its students to him. He's, at his core, a somewhat vicious pragmatist.]

[aquawayfinder]

"We did, however, give our word to follow Master Xavier and aid him. I do not agree with what she did, however, I do care about keeping my word and the lesson that we teach the students by how we act."

"We cannot stand united to protect the students, or to guide them, if we spend our time second guessing and questioning our leader constantly. This is a case where there is no perfect or right answer. It is not that The Master has chosen a clearly wrong path, it is that he has chosen one path of many when no good ones offered."

"It is for us to offer council if it is requested, and when it is not, to support him, not to make the path more difficult."