(2004) Consilium - Venus in Converse

[Aurora]

She listens, of course she does. That was important.

“So, let me get this straight. You want a Hierarch, but limit their powers.” A slow nod, “So a neutered Hierarch?” just making sure, always good to check these things. “I see nothing wrong with a Hierarch, they’re supposed to be wisest among us, the ones we look to for guidance and leadership. And you want to appoint one to be a glorified tie breaker? Trust them to break ties, but nothing else. If you don’t trust the position, ok. If you want more oversight over what they do. Ok, but don’t try and sell it as something it isn’t.” Seriously?

“I’m all for a voice of reason to help break ties, but don’t insult the position of Hierarch. If we want a glorified tie breaker, fine.” She could get behind that. “Call it what it is. Though what happens when we have a full Council? Does the tie breaker go away? Or just set off to the side until it's decided they're needed?" clarification.

But Phoenyx, she got it, and gets a nod from the Shaman.

[Anima]

Pixel's speech strikes him like a Jehovah's Witness walking through his neighborhood with a flamethrower. On their own both things are to be avoided, combined, they should be put down. He visibly winces as his fellow Libertine speaks. Calling for the neutering of the role of hierarch just might make everyone forget about the onion incident. Aurora's response brings a smile to his face.

Anima pulls a scrap of paper from his attache and scribbles on it, then folds it, before reaching over and dropping the note into Igor's lap.

Igor

The nature of Anima's income is no business of your's, and currently he wishes to avoid being dissolved. But is always open to hearing the thoughts of others.

Anima fist pumps, pen in hand, at Pheonyx's speech, finally a councilor Anima could have worked with, and only moment too late.

The doctor fidgets.

[Abacus]

All revolutions had a Washington. He supposed Pixel fancied himself as Patrick Henry. A firebrand, to be sure, but one held in the hands of one capable of leadership. A masthead for which he could drape his standard.


He could forgive the argument, but Pixel was suggesting the Pope at the United Nations. Not a Hierarch.


“Councilor Phoenyx is right. I’m less concerned with how many passengers we can squeeze into this car, and more focused on where the car is going, ensuring it has everything it needs to function effectively. What good is a driver without a chassis? Instead of trying to make this a more perfect union, let’s work with the pieces that we have, so that we don’t always have to build from scratch every time someone is in the mood for usurpation."


The Circle looked awfully like Westminster—beautiful as it is. But Abacus was starting to see that the similarities didn’t end at aesthetics. Oh, the vapid nature of tumultuous governments! It was these kinds of pronouncements—while they did serve a purpose—that made the Council something to scoff at rather than something to respect. Headless chickens inquiring about the status of their beaks.


He just wanted to work. Not meander.


And unlike the ones cocooned in their indifference, he’d advocate for it.

“A council of two, or three, or seven, is still a council. Hierarch or no. We wouldn’t be sitting in these seats if there wasn’t an ounce of Wisdom shared between us all.”

How would they settle a tie? Unanimity could drive them into the ground, but the stone would roll. Throw it to them and see who bites.

"Here's an idea. Feel free to disagree."

"Consider an unanimous vote. A temporary measure until an empty seat can be filled and one that we can resort to when the membership falters. Now, I know what you're thinking. Surely, it'll breed complacency and any sycophant can side with the company line. Surely, it's doomed to fail."

"But will it?" If you're going to sit here and proclaim yourself Wise and staple your virtues to your chest for all of us to see, you'll do your job and govern or you won't sit here at all. The least you can do is deliberate and a tie doesn't mean we freeze until someone comes along and makes the decision for us."

"We simply revise until it works."

[Star]

One thing We agreed on: conflict is okay.

The Devil's Advocate ensures an argument is proven. Also? Consistently unanimous would make at least one person wonder if there were something going on. Something not right. This isn't a murmuration of starlings, yo. It's a filter. A distillation.

And you can't con a conner.

These angel's eyes see. Pixel is playing them all. Start extreme. Settle for what was the actual goal all along. Better yet? Make the opposition think that compromise was their own idea. Give them a sense of accomplishment. Congratulations. It's all but a Voter-driven Assembly in name. But hey. This isn't the Pear Advisory Board with their fruity tyranny.

Just. Someone tell Winter.

Because wrong Machiavelli.

"You know. Maybe?" he answered Campanella quietly. "Obviously focused on. You know. The parts about me."

The good stuff.

[Tyche]

Briar Rose's remarks at the Thrysus shindig earn a glance from the Enchanter.

She would have smirked too if she hadn't brought the pear to her mouth.

Then came an eyeroll. Another Libertine play as a means of controlling the Consilium. Luckily it seemed Aurora and Pheonyx were there to neuter the idea so Tyche didn't have to speak up.

Not that I'd have the clout anyway.

Soon though, Tyche's eyes find purchase on Camp, Star, and the new guy, gears turning in her head wondering whether their hushed conversation had a deeper theme than merely informing Igor on the happenings of the COuncil. Campanella didn't seem the type to offer the council the finger publicly, however. Thus, the conversation was considered innocuous.

So Tyche just keeps sitting and waiting for the Council to finish its business.

[Pixel]

Pixel was caught!

His ploy to become Heirarch was revealed! He would propose a role less then a Councilor, yet covet the position for himself. He would play both Heirarch and Councilor, despite hating every moment in his current position alone. He would even wish for the position despite his mistrust of authority and centralized power. Today the malevolent machinations of a rogue Libertine would be laid bare for all to see their true source! The overactive imaginations of suspicious Diamonds.

Pixel rolled his eyes.

"You guys win." Hands fly up. They 'got' their Machiavelli. "There will be no Heirarch. I do oppose the unanimous vote though. My concern isn't that actors vote in poor faith or abdicate responsibility. It's that they believe so fervently they are just they refuse to compromise. Forcing the vote to be unanimous worsens that scenario rather then fixing it. I'd still prefer majority rule, three out of four votes gets my vote."

Truth be told? The Heirarch talk was what he said it was. The Kaze sentencing was a mess and Pixel just wanted a fifth vote to move things along before the nastiness began again. There was no illusion. There was no scheme. It was an honest attempt to fill the hole in a flawed system. Phoenyx and Abacus were one thing, there thoughts valid but not to Pixel's liking. But Aurora getting condescending and indignant as her first act as Councilor? It wasn't worth indulging further.

This is still a teachable moment though. It's a public display on the problem with the notion of innocence among the Awakened.

It was invisible to the cynical, hubristic, or paranoid.

[Kaze]

Kaze sees things in peripheral, note passing, meaningful looks, maybe; he focuses on whichever Councillor is speaking at the time, devoting his full attention in a show of respect, for the office.

Kaze is just sort of sucking on the protein bar now, no bites at all.

No Heirarch either, apparently.

The unanimous thing seems appropriate, actually, if the hierarchy really is all of equals. Better to have all the equally wise have to come to an agreement or compromise than to have an incompletely wise solution pushed through with some wisdom ignored. After all, just 'getting stuff done' isn't, shouldn't be the highest priority.

Which is his opinion. Which is pretty irrelevant. But Aurora and Phoenyx have got this. He really likes the idea of either of them having total veto power on any idea the Council comes up with by a requirement for a unanimous vote. He doesn't really know the other Councillors, and he doesn't really expect them to necessarily stay the Councillors for their Path anyway; things just change too fast for that around here.

[Campanella]

Campanella gives Star a mysterious little smile.

His attention is then drawn to his side, where he observes Igor settle in and Anima sashay past.

Despite his recent aversion to politics, he finds himself staring at the reconstituted Council with a renewed interest.

His seat creaks as his weight shifts. The Moros gets more comfortable.

[Naga]

“So a neutered Hierarch?”

Aurora's words echoed Naga's own disgruntled thoughts. Thankfully, the idea was quashed rather quickly. No need for her to speak up. Better for the more established voices, and Councilors to boot, to cover the issue. The Thyrsus and the Arrow defended Diamond tradition quite effectively.

Better yet, she could sit back and not have to contradict her own Path's Councilor in public. Again.

The Théarch noticed Winter's look towards herself and Igor. Did he expect them to speak up? Logical, certainly. Unnecessary, as it turned out. She merely flashed the disgraced Guardian a slight smile and resumed watching the Consilium move forward.

[Igor]

Igor buried his children, again, behind his granite cenotaph face.

Which was timely, as Anima’s note surprised him. Such a small moment in a large palm. He read it expressionless,… What the hell was that supposed to mean? ...nonchalantly crumpled it, and stuffed it deep in his pocket.

The giant’s watery eyes unblinkingly absorbed the procession of claims. What's the point of having a council or a Hierarch with no authority to carry out responsibility that serves no need? *crack* *crack* *crack* Settle the rosepettle mound within his hungarian pipe.

Igor had a suggestion but he buried that too.