On Wed, Mar 23, 2005 at 11:54:56AM -0600, Matthew Hunter wrote:
> > If . . .
> > If . . .
> > If . . .
>
> Remember Mellar?
>
> The Organization will not back down on this simply for threatened
> consequences. They were willing to start a Dragon-Jhereg war
> over a theft of money, fer cryin' out loud.
Actually, no. Jhereg steal from each other all the time. What Mellar
did was designed to make the Jhereg as a whole vulnerable. If it were
merely money (I'm assuming "fer cryin' out loud" means "merely"), it
would be a trivial matter.
> Vlad may be able to negotiate a settlement, but that negotiation
> will need to be something more than "Leave me alone or else."
Oh, yes, I'm assuming some face-saving settlement will be negotiated.
Vlad may resign his position in House Jhereg, and be fined $50, and have
to pick up the garbage in the snow. What will make the settlement work
is the threat that Those Who Want Vlad Alive will step in and punish
the Jhereg as a whole if someone assassinates Vlad.
Those Who Want Vlad Alive include Sethra, Morrolan, Aliera, and Verra.
And probably the Necromancer. I feel fairly sure that the Empress would
be glad to back them up if it were pointed out that Vlad is a key piece
in the war with the Jenoine.
The Jhereg were willing to risk a war with the Dragon over something that
would have permanently weakened them. I don't think they're willing to
risk war with the Dragon, the Lavodes, one or more gods, some semi- and
demi-gods, and whatever allies that group can dredge up just because Vlad
did his duty to the Empire (translation: ratted out the Jhereg). War with
the Dragon (and survival of the most powerful) to preserve the long-term
place of House Jhereg? Sure. Certain death of the entire council (not
to mention large chunks of the rest of the Jhereg) because Vlad ratted? I
don't think so. They'll take the settlement.
--
"History will be kind to me. I intend to write it."
-- Winston Churchill