On Mon, 31 Jan 2005, Scott Schultz wrote:
> The definition of "work", to me, is the
> creation and discharge of this debt between the two people. The justice of
> the thing is just icing on the cake.
Your definition seems to be at variance with the more commonly accepted one.
> Let's look at it this way. Suppose Vlad was still in the Jhereg. The Demon
> comes to him and says "I have a problem that I need handled with utmost
> discretion. The person who handles this problem for me can expect to have
> his territory doubled in size." Vlad says "My territory is big enough for
> me, but I have a friend who is interested in expanding. I'll let him know
> about the opportunity." He then carries out the hit and is rewarded with a
> larger territory. No cash changes hands. Is this "work"?
Sure. It's contracted out.
> Let's change the scenario slightly. The Demon visits Vlad and says "I'm
> impressed with your operation. I'm recommending that the Council make you a
> baron (he's originally a baronet)and double your territory." Vlad is
> flattered and proud. The Demon makes good on his word and Vlad is made a
> baron. A week later, the Demon drops by unexpectedly and asks "Do you like
> your new digs? All happy and cozy?" When Vlad replies in the affirmative,
> The Demon then says "BTW, I have this little problem and I was hoping you'd
> know someone who could help me with it." Vlad accepts the contract and
> performs the hit gratis as repayment for the promotion arranged by The
> Demon. Is this "work"?
Bit of a grey area -- value recieved before contract was in place. Vlad would
be within his rights to say he knows a friend who will do it for some money,
or to refuse entirely. This would piss the Demon off, of course, but the
way we've seen the Jhereg work, this sort of favor-in-advance doesn't really
happen, at least not vis-a-vis work.
> Maybe we should remove financial gaine from the picture entirely. Morollan
> finds himself being blackmailed over some minor but embarassing thing. Vlad
> visits The Demon and asks him to call off the blackmail. The Demon, an
> obliging fellow, says "Seeing as it's the Lord Morrolan and that blackmail was
> unauthorized, I'll write the blackmailer a note telling him to knock it off.
> As it turns out, this fellow has caused us a bit of embarassment by
> blackmailing several Lords and possibly even embezzling from The Organization.
> Maybe you could deliver a letter to him? He'll be at location X at time Y
> tomorrow evening for a meeting." Vlad ices the guy. Is this "work"?
Not at all. No money changes hands, and Vlad is serving his own interests --
or, at least, Morrolan's interests, out of personal loyalty to same.
This situation is the most analogous to the killing done in _Orca_.
> Is it the money changing hands that makes it "work" or is it the intention
> of the two parties that makes it "work"? Is it the justice of a "deserved"
> death over an "undeserved" death that makes it "work" or not?
The justice of the act is irrelevant to its type. The classification depends
on the lever that engages the killer's action. If the motivation is coin,
then it is murder-for-hire. If the motivation is a different sort of personal
gain, such as power, revenge, or fixing a problem for a friend, then it's
just killing, such as any Dragon might perform. See also Cawti's conversation
with (Aliera?) regarding the differences in payment for the Jhereg and the
Dragonlord ("What can one buy with bloodlust?" etc, _Yendi_ if I'm not
mistaken).
pe