>>@SGT | TO: @ALL.

[byhand]

I usually reserve these communications for private networks, but it seems necessity has hastened our meeting. For the safety of myself and my family, I would be of no uncertain gratefulness if you would refer to me as Sargent, and little else. Though I am sure, with time, some of you will come up with more colorful nicknames.

Pleasantries aside; welcome, new faces and old, and I must ask this with all seriousness and kindness: What have you done?

Things are moving at the wrong speed. The prognosticators were not expecting to compensate for such a load. Several droids have begun misfiring, our protochron readouts are gaining sentience, a prophet is missing, and the birds are growing increasingly agitated. This is not the series of events your ancestors knew, much less my progeny.

To put it simply: things are not moving apace. I cannot say for sure if this is your influence, or the influence of an outside power, or perhaps both. And yet:

Mary Wollstonecraft, who was not supposed to enter Paris until next month, is already here.

The King's Trial has not even been proposed by the revolutionary government.

Mirabeau sleeps still in a place of honor.

I will put more work into discovering the source of this snarl in history. But you must be warned: every action you have here changes the lives of untold million not yet born. Tread carefully, for as the poets say: you walk upon dreams.

Comments

un: @MINIMALCAT

[hakanai]

@SGT We don't know enough to know 'what we have done,' or if we have done it at all. Most of the terms you use are unfamiliar to myself and probably many others.

From my observations the COST members I am familiar with have done nothing to make themselves obvious and only followed orders. We've had no grand mistakes according to the information we have been allowed to know, which is something of a miracle considering some of the delightful personalities amongst our number. I've been tracking as many as I can to make sure. Of course, there's always a chance someone decided to sneak off and cause trouble.

Perhaps if you enlighten us more we might be able to take more care. As it is, we can only go with the flow... or perhaps you mean to tell us we should know more, and our lack of knowledge would be strange to you?

@ALL (forever).

[byhand]

I've always striven to be delightful; I welcome the compliment.

In any case, I seem to be misunderstood. My fault, I am sure. Chastizing is the dear Commander's job. I am asking. What have you done? An inventory would be preferred; your actions have consequence beyond staying in character, hidden away. A moth's wings are apt to inspire hurricanos, as it's said.

[hakanai]

@SGT Delightful and poetic both? I must admit I was talking about my fellow comrades from across time and worlds; most aren't the best suited to delicate work like this, though if you ever find us a battle that involves pointing and charging you're in for a win.

I can detail the Battle of Valmy and the taking of the spy if you'd like a very long report, though I'd be surprised if you haven't spoken to the Commander about that. Paris has been a succession of being praised for being 'heroes' and then many, many riots, whilst several of our number have infiltrated the palace. You are saying the King ought to have been on trial by now?

[byhand]

@MINIMALCAT And I suppose your comrade, from your home, is so blessed?

Yes, that was my implication. Your file leads me to believe you may not be familiar with this, but the death of the royal family is a pivotal moment in the history of this dimension and time. It must happen just so.

[hakanai]

@SGT He's amongst those who aren't at all delicate and would be very good at charging; there aren't many battles where he didn't end up on the front line, which any medical notes you have on him will no doubt tell you. Those scars are a a map of his history.

So yes, he's delightful.

This time and place is completely unknown to me, so I have so far gotten by on very minimal information. I assume this pivotal moment is still fixable, and that the Regency has already been at work here. Can we do more right now, or should we remain quiet until the snarl has been found? I would usually have an idea of what is coming and what to do, but there is not enough fuel for my foresight and no room for my philosophy in this current situation.

[byhand]

@MINIMALCAT He does indeed sound so. I am glad you are alone together, here at the end and beginning of time.

My suggestion to all problems is always to attempt to fix it. Fools rush in, of course, where angels fear to tread, but once a problem is known, one must act. The convention of Paris should have called by Louis' head by now. Their Marat already has, I believe, but what is stopping the masses?

[hakanai]

@SGT I will take that with sincerity. This is a difficult war, but the opportunity he and I have would never have been ours had we not joined it.

There is energy enough in what they write; you are correct when you say Marat has been calling for blood. The 'Friend of the People' was... clearly written by a man of great passion towards the goal of executing royalty and nobility as well. The Old Man Duchesne was not so fierce but equally firm about getting rid of the royals as well as being an excellent source for time appropriate insults. Both are talked about loudly in many of the places I haunt for information.

I have compared this city to gunpowder before. It is waiting to explode, but it lacks a flame which you say should be burning already. Interesting. Perhaps less delicate and more provocative action really is what is required here.

[byhand]

Far be it from me to credit war with the upheaval. Life, surely, which goes on despite conflict, is responsible for such fortune.

Have you read the papers yourself? I mark myself as impressed. I had worried this cell would be under-performing, after the data breach caused so much memory loss, but I am heartened to hear you are making the most of your resources.

Do you know what must happen in this city? I suppose not, given what we've discussed already, but I would be curious to hear your projections.

[hakanai]

@SGT Ha. Perhaps. I shall consider thinking of it in such a way.

I am a strategist on small and larger scales; this is what I am good at. Different culture, different time, yes, but there are still certain things that remain common across humanity with great consistency. At the very least I have that to work with.

Judging by the talk I have heard, what's happened since I arrived and the publications I have read? Well, you mentioned the King's trial. That should happen, quite possibly after a massive and bloody raid on the palace happens, and the King found guilty of treason. He will be sentenced to death which will not really solve many of the problems here and there is likely to be civil war in the future. Food shortages, invasions and even slight differences in opinion on the question of 'how this country should be run' tend to result in such things.

This Marat might incite something too. His fire and rage ignites fire in many hearts; I can only imagine he has already led a rather interesting life where he has made others very angry about either life or himself.

I can explain why I suspect these things, if you wish.

[byhand]

I cannot imagine you think happiness or luck comes from war; it has never seemed too much a stretch in my thoughts, at least.

Why do you think the king will be found guilty of treason? It's a very specific detail.

[hakanai]

@SGT If you want to get rid of a King or ruler, or even a 'mere' noble, judging them guilty of treason is simply the best way to do so. Speak of a man or woman as a traitor to the country or cause and you're more likely to convince your people that the execution is legitimate.

It was a common way of disposing of troublemakers or enemies in my own time, right or wrong. My first Lord was killed by his brother-in-law under such a charge. I have no doubt that after my own death, the army I supported shall be portrayed that way by our victorious enemies in order to justify the seizure of land and power from our families as well as executions of surviving male heirs in any group that refuses to bow low.

Can't trust those 'traitors' with leading the brave new world, after all.

Combine that with the sheer rage and anger towards the King, and the calls for their execution from several sources, it simply seems like the most likely charge in a trial. What else would they attempt to pin on him? Unless, of course, you are going to tell me he will commit some grand and obvious murder.

I did only settle on this once you confirmed a trial, however. Had you not I was still not certain if he would simply be killed via invasion of the palace. The crowds that gather outside there sometimes and the tension in the air suggests a certain level of blood-lust.

[byhand]

As you see this outcome as inevitable, you have no qualms in aiding it?

[hakanai]

@SGT I will aid it as the flow demands. Or requests, perhaps.

[byhand]

I am not, as you put it, the flow. I do, however, have requests.

[hakanai]

One might say your request is moved by the flow, especially as the work we do is to restore it to its natural course.

No matter. Make your requests and I will see if I am capable.

[byhand]

I would request you keep an eye out for orders on the horizon. The flow, as you are apt to call it, is one to change rapidly.

[hakanai]

Very well.