He tsks softly. "Lark," he says softly. "Inquisition is Confession. Confession is Inquisition. They're one in the same."
He frowns. "It was cruel, what would I would do." A lie, copper on his tongue. He loves it. Delights in it. He isn't ashamed of his lies, doesn't shy from them. He embraces them. Loves them. Is eager for more. "I told you that I could get people to tell me things, to Confess, and that's true. But I would use that information to blackmail. I would use it to hurt them. And, when it came to my brother, I would bring people into the cult, and the Confession would tell me their secrets. I would know who could be trusted. And I would know how to control them if they stepped out of line. I knew who was fucking who. I knew who had done drugs. I knew who had cheated. I knew who had lost the family's savings to gambling. I knew every secret they didn't want getting out."
"It would be wasteful not to," Lark says, perhaps not entirely serious. But from a strategic point of view? Well there's a reason he's never trusted religious authorities.
"Though with inquisitions you always have to wonder how much is true, and how much is just said to build up their worth to you."
Lark has plenty of secrets, but truth be told even he doesn't know what it would take for him to spill them. Even Alec hasn't heard them all; not the ones that are only half-formed, not the ones that are only could be's.
"Offering answers and protection from the Collapse seem like a very positive form of inquisition," he points out lightly.
"And I'm sure that's enough of an answer for most people," arching an eyebrow. It is not enough for Lark. You aren't the only one who sees through bullshit, John. "But we were talking about something deeper."
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2021-10-21 12:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-10-21 12:25 am (UTC)He frowns. "It was cruel, what would I would do." A lie, copper on his tongue. He loves it. Delights in it. He isn't ashamed of his lies, doesn't shy from them. He embraces them. Loves them. Is eager for more. "I told you that I could get people to tell me things, to Confess, and that's true. But I would use that information to blackmail. I would use it to hurt them. And, when it came to my brother, I would bring people into the cult, and the Confession would tell me their secrets. I would know who could be trusted. And I would know how to control them if they stepped out of line. I knew who was fucking who. I knew who had done drugs. I knew who had cheated. I knew who had lost the family's savings to gambling. I knew every secret they didn't want getting out."
no subject
Date: 2021-10-21 12:31 am (UTC)"Though with inquisitions you always have to wonder how much is true, and how much is just said to build up their worth to you."
no subject
Date: 2021-10-21 12:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-10-21 12:38 am (UTC)"How would you get me to Confess?"
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Date: 2021-10-21 12:43 am (UTC)You're not prey, he says without saying.
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Date: 2021-10-21 12:46 am (UTC)"Offering answers and protection from the Collapse seem like a very positive form of inquisition," he points out lightly.
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Date: 2021-10-21 12:52 am (UTC)An easy explanation.
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Date: 2021-10-21 12:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-10-21 12:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-10-21 01:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-10-21 01:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-10-21 01:08 am (UTC)