After informing Coach Don of your decision, the man sighs. Not with relief, but not with despair, either. Just a sigh of pure release from responsibility for what's occurred - For now. Goalie Dembowski frowns, but doesn't argue with it - If she had, you'd probably have had to ensure that was publicized as well, after all. It wouldn't bode well if she had tried to argue against the democratic militia structure the Reds prized. Far too much damage has already been done. You don't want to submit a report declaring that the entire Garrison is beyond salvaging and needs a full replacement, though every time you think about the mess they've caused, the temptation to do just that gets stronger. Still, it would pull valuable trusted personnel off of regions that, frankly, are in far more need of an active military presence than this district
was before this entire thing kicked off.
"Janice, Bill - Go get Cysat and bring him here. We're finishing this farce now. Once we're done cleaning house with command here, we'll interview Hellas and finish cleaning out the lower-ranking personnel of his influence, but the Garrison's command-" You nod to the Goalie and Coach. "Are having their reckoning right now." They nod, accepting your word on the matter, as your team goes to fulfill your orders. River drifts to be by your side, while Galle moves to offer what seems to be some small words of comfort to Dembowski and Don, who both look…stressed. Which is fair, of course - You've some small sympathy for them. Not as much as you would have if they had actually reported all this, but this seems like a difficult situation. Regardless - Don will have the soldiers decide his fate. Dembowski…well, she hasn't done anything wrong, as far as you can tell, besides not reporting things that were, frankly, outside her remit to investigate. Not like you can penalize her for being too good at sticking to only doing her job.
Within a few minutes, Bill and Janice return, Cysat in tow. "Oh, uh, Conductor. Don, Maxine - Good to see you all. Is something going on?" You grin internally - It's showtime. You stand, a stern expression on your face. "I think that's what you ought to tell us, Referee Cysat." You nod to Bill and Janice, and they step behind him, blocking the exit. He glances back and swallows nervously. "I-I'm not sure w-what you mean, Conductor." Dembowski speaks up, and you swallow back what you were about to say. "Look-" She glances at you. "Look - Jacob. They think you've been messing with some reports - But that's bullshit, right? You wouldn't lie to me, to us, to the Garrison like that." Don rubs the back of his head. Seems he's not as sure about that.
Jacob swallows again. "I-I, uh, I…" He stares down, at the ground, fingers tapping against his leg. You press on before he can collect himself. "Referee Cysat - We need an answer. Have you been falsifying reports against local businesses? Have you been forging documentation? Have you been sabotaging the Garrison in service of-" He interrupts you, face red with indignation. "I would never! I would never sabotage the Garrison! This is, this is bullshit - No, I didn't fake any reports. I took what I got from Alex and I collected them and I passed them along." You take note of that - Alex as in Alex Byrd…Might as well ask. "Alex Byrd, of the Watson Council?" Don winces. He knows Cysat just made a mistake - One that's likely doomed him. Your estimation of him goes up a notch. Cysat doesn't seem to notice, though, and nods. "That's right - I didn't fake any of them." You tap your fingers against the desk, leaning forward. "Then why have so few of them turned up results? Why have the Enforcers not been handling it, if it wasn't insurgent activity? Why have you been targeting nigh-exclusively local cooperative businesses? What possible reason could there be for that, Referee? Explain yourself." He stammers and stutters some more, not managing to get a coherent sentence out, before Dembowski moves to his side, offering a calming hand on his shoulder.
He nods to her and takes a deep breath. "I-, look, I just handled Hellas's paperwork. He…was a good soldier. He wasn't a good commander. And so we all had to pick up the slack, you know? No offense, Maxine, but you got off pretty lightly - The martial aspect of things was something he was good at. Don, you know what I'm talking about, though, right?" Don coughs, before nodding slightly, an embarrassed look on his face, given that his particular indiscretions in aiding the Captain's lack of knowledge have already been revealed to you. "And I had to handle the relations with the public and the Council. Alex's been a huge help to me - I couldn't have done any of it without him. We're making a path forward for the District - One that sees it integrated as an equal part of Stadium under local governance." You slowly nod, raising an eyebrow. "And what does this have to do with the reports filed, Referee?" He snaps a bit. "I'm getting there! Just, just please
wait." You shrug.
"
So-Look. I'm just a Referee-in-Training - I couldn't stand up to Hellas. But when I heard his plans, I knew they spelled disaster with a capital D. Everything Stadium was trying to build here was going to fall apart around us - Everything me and Alex had worked on! It was a nightmare waiting to happen, and the Laborers weren't helping. So, measures had to be taken. Alex collected reports about all of the people he thought were helping insurgents on the Council, and their business - People who would turn the strike into a bloodbath. Meanwhile, I…held up Hellas's plans - Kept him too worried about official responses from up high and the Council's reports to take decisive action that would burn everything down. But, uh…then you arrived. And…just…kind of wiped Hellas out." He coughs, looking straight at you. "Yeah. That's the truth."
River leans in, to whisper into your ear. "
I'm sure you get this - But this man is definitely lying through his teeth." You nod to her, and she nods back. "
Let's finish this, then."
"I'm afraid your explanation is unsatisfactory, Referee Cysat - It would be,
if this pattern of behavior had not been occurring since before the Laborer issue began. After all, it was the Laborers who collected this information and gave it to us - One of their initial grievances against the Garrison and Council, you see." He blanches. Seems he didn't expect that. "Now, then. Let's hear the true story,
if you would." He glances up at Dembowski, who squeezes his shoulder a bit, as she looks down at him with uncertainty in her eyes. "I…Jacob…I think you'd better tell the lady whatever happened. I dunno what to think anymore." He sighs. "I-I…"
"Alright. Alright." He steps away from Dembowski, starting to pace while rubbing his forehead. "Alright. Fine. Yeah. I…I didn't want it to come out like this. Me and Alex…ugh…Well…The Captain hasn't exactly been subtle. Especially not to me. I knew he wanted the District in his palm - That he thought it was the best way to do this. I knew that he would screw up, that he was nowhere near as competent as he thought he was. Alex and I got to talking since we came into contact a lot through my work. He believed in the cause - He believed in
Stadium. We knew if we worked together, we could outmaneuver Hellas and the Council." The tone he talks about Byrd in…you frown. Something's…not off, but something's there.
"...In some cases, that meant directing the Garrison's attention to certain…parts of Lederberg's machinations - Those businesses weren't insurgent, but they certainly weren't innocent, either! Lederberg and her Enforcers would never have investigated them - She's as corrupt as Hellas was." Dembowski groans. "Oh, Jacob…" He glances over at her with a guilty look on his face. You're picking up more of that oddness - This isn't just about the scheme. What is it…You just can't pick up on it. Curses.
"The rest is true - I kept Hellas too worried about watching eyes to take drastic action. Though…it seems he found a way to circumvent that." Ah-hah! That does answer a lingering question you had - Why did Hellas not want to move against the Laborers directly unless he absolutely had to? The answer, apparently, is Cysat stoking his paranoia about oversight causing him to be removed if he did. Which, in turn…meant he turned to the FLA…
Mars. "Meanwhile, Alex worked on the Council - Fought back against Lederberg's brutish force and Dollfus's bourgeoise apathy." Dembowski is pinching her nose at this, and Don is just staring at the ground. The idea of replacing the entire Garrison is once more becoming a tempting prospect in your mind, in the face of this. If this gets out, Byrd's faction is likely as good as dead - Dollfus and Lederberg will likely temporarily unite forces to drive him out, if the people aren't calling for his head first for collaborating with the Garrison to, essentially, shoot the District in the foot economically for his own political gain. This, of course, is to say nothing about the impact this will have in validating the Laborers…honestly, though, you're having some issues not validating the Laborers in your own mind, at this point. This is…certainly something!
"Conductor, you have to believe me - Me and Alex, our plan is the only hope for this District to actually integrate into the MPA. If he manages to drive out Dollfus and Lederberg, and if you all-" He gestures to the Garrison. "Agree, then we can ensure that the Watson Council reforms to Stadium standards, becomes truly democratic without ceding ground to University or Lederberg, end all the corruption plaguing the Garrison from Hellas, and finally have peace in the district!" He smiles, hopefully. "Alex and I have it all planned out - We just need your support. And once that's done, he won't even keep power or anything, he's not Hellas - He promised that we'd retire together, to some quiet part of the city." Your mind runs a mile a minute. This is…god, what a clusterfuck.
There's only one answer to this. You resolve to…
[] Back Byrd and Cysat's plot.
- You can't afford to let the MPA's reputation degrade any further, and this would practically be a deathblow to Stadium's legitimacy in the District. Hellas is bad enough, but this validates everyone's worst accusations about the Garrison interfering in local politics. It is what it is, but sometimes some eggs must be cracked to make some omelets.
- Your thread options will shift to driving out the other factions in the Watson Council, bringing the Laborers to the table, and ensuring that the Garrison goes along with this.
[] Arrest Cysat and investigate Byrd quietly.
- You can't allow this to get out, but you can't allow Cysat to walk free either. You'll arrest him under charges of corruption and disguise it as part of the general sweep against Hellas's influence. Byrd will have to be brought in through either his own crimes or less savory means, such as blackmailing him with this entire affair.
- Cysat will be arrested, but Byrd will take extra work to be rid of.
[] Arrest Cysat and just publicly arrest Byrd for his indiscretions.
- Fuck it! Not like it's the MPA's reputation being trashed here - Heck, if you spin it right, the MPA might even come off looking like the good guys here. At the cost of Stadium's reputation, most assuredly, but they got themselves into this mess and now you're having to pick up the pieces. Besides - if you intend to favor anyone other than Byrd (or the Garrison), this makes that much, much easier.
- Cysat will be arrested and, at a time of your choosing, so too will Byrd. This provides you a powerful trump card to play in many circumstances…if also sinking any chance that the Garrison or Stadium will remain a dominant power in the District.
A second after you make your choice, before you have time to say anything, Goalie Dembowski and Coach Don seem to put something together that none of your group have. Don audibly gasps, and Dembowski flushes red. "...
Jacob." She growls out. "You're going to retire with…with this…with this-Are you, but, what about Max, what about-" …Max? Who's Max?
Cysat puts up his hands, stepping away from Dembowski. "...We love each other, Maxine. I was going to tell Max eventually." Dembowski's clear anger seems to only intensify. "...You son of a bitch, you cheated on my brother with some, with some fucking politican out here-" She's taking deep breaths. So, wait, Max is her brother? Max and Maxine? Really? You suppose there's no accounting for taste. As you're ruminating on that, blissfully unaware of what's about to happen, Don is hastily standing up, while Janice, River, and Bill, having correctly read the room, are already stepping forward - Or in River's case, stepping in front of you.
From behind River, you hear Dembowski roar - "I'll
kill you, you fucking
CHEAT!
NOBODY HURTS MY LITTLE BROTHER!" And then the room devolves into a cacophony of noise and crashes as numerous people throw themselves at each other. You stumble slightly as River forces you backward, yells echoing throughout the office as the fight begins in earnest. "Get offa him, Maxine! He ain't worth it!" "Goalie Dembowski, get off of the suspect,
NOW!" "
I'LL KILL HIM!" "Holy shit, she's stronger than I remember-Janice, get her other arm before she-!" "Mars, Maxine, I was going to tell him-ACK!" That last one is cut off with a wheeze, as if the speaker had his air supply cut off in the middle of speaking. Fortunately, by the time River moves out of the way to assist the other three in holding Dembowski back, while Galle watches in stunned silence and Cysat lies on the floor, clutching his neck, where several bright red hand imprints are visible - Presumably from Dembowski attempting to choke the life out of him.
You collect yourself from your brief stumble and take a second to think…So, that's what you'd been missing about Cysat's behavior earlier! Ah…that makes sense. Well, time to lay down the law, now that that's all figured out - This required correction of some kind…or, maybe it didn't. "Now that
that shameful display, unbefitting of Stadium officials-" You glare at Dembowski, who glares right back, even as she slowly stops straining against the now four people keeping ahold of her. "-is concluded, it seems I have
another decision to make."
[] "Goalie Dembowski, you are hereby relieved of your position effective immediately, for committing the crimes of assault and, possibly, attempted murder, though I will leave that up to the judgment of the Referee Corps. You will be placed under arrest for said crimes, and held until trial can be arranged with an
actual Referee."
- Goalie Dembowski is arrested. It is highly likely that the Garrison is left, essentially, rudderless unless Cysat is aided or Coach Don survives the likely recall attempt.
[] "Goalie Dembowski, you're on enforced leave, pending an announcement of what occurred to the Garrison, who will decide if you are to be recalled over this. Take the time you need to cool off and prepare for the announcement."
- Goalie Dembowski will have her situation announced at the same time as Coach Don. The Garrison will decide her future. You, however, will not have her arrested, regardless of the outcome.
[] "Goalie Dembowski, you are dismissed - Not from office, no, don't take that the wrong way. You're dismissed from this office, but not-You know what I mean. Just take whatever time you need to cool off, then get back to work. The Garrison needs you to be on top of your game, and with all the disruption already, we need to ensure that
actual counter-insurgency work isn't disrupted, an area in which I consider you to be one of the few, if not the only, competent commander left within this Garrison to perform."
- Goalie Dembowski will remain in her position and continue to work as per normal.
QM's Note: The vote is open, and it is time to decide the fate of (most) of the Garrison's remaining leadership, as well as decide whether or not to take advantage of yet another plot to take over Watson District...how many of those could there be left?
Also, our first actual fight, short as it was!
