[Radio]

[highprofilerichkid]

((In response to all this nonsense.))


Yes. Milyn's alive. We faked her death so nobody would get it into their head to try again. Maybe it wasn't the best thing to do, but we didn't have much time to make a decision. I'm sorry we lied to all of you.

And before anyone asks, no, we're not handing her over to anyone for any of her proven or unproven crimes. Keeliai has the right to decide if she's guilty or not and what her punishment should be, but it'll be when there's a real representative government and a real judicial system in place, and when we've figured out what the hell is going on. Not before then. Because right now, the city is basically being run by the guy who probably tried to have her assassinated. I'm not handing her over to anything less than a fair trial. That's not up for negotiation. If you've got a problem with that, you can bring it to me.

[He may not have liked this plan, but he went along with it, and it's his responsibility to own it.]

Also, if anyone's thinking of going after her again...

[There's an odd emphasis on "anyone" - Tony knows the Foreigners probably aren't the only ones listening in.]

Don't bother.

[Cold, hard, final. The message is clear: Milyn is protected.]



[[Private, to Valdis]]

I'm sorry. [His voice is softer now. He sounds genuinely troubled.] I wanted to tell you. I didn't want you to think it was your fault for getting her killed.

I was outside when they were healing her, and everybody had already come up with the plan by the time I went back in - we all promised we wouldn't tell anyone who wasn't there. I... I don't know. I wish I'd handled it better. We should have told you.

Comments

[purered]

All things considered, I believe you made the best possible choice out a number of bad options. There will be fallout regardless, but this way, at least Miss Milyn is alive.

And I quite agree about the fair trial - if what I've heard in that prior broadcast is true, then she has much to answer for. But justice shouldn't be in the form of one man's grievance.

Please let me know if there is any help I can offer.

[highprofilerichkid]

Thanks, Klaus.

I don't... know what we should do, now. We didn't exactly have a plan for this. [Truth be told, they didn't have much of a plan at all, other than 'pretend Milyn's dead and hope this all gets sorted out.']

All I know for sure is, we can't trust Yunxu. And that's not news. [Though it does, perhaps, have a little more immediacy to it now.]

[purered]

The cat is out of the bag, so to speak. If I may impart some advice?

(Private to Tony)

[redlightgreenlight]

It's ok, Tony...I don't hold it against anyone.

[Her voice is quiet, contemplative and she chooses to not mention that she already knew that Milyn was alive.]

Despite what others might expect of me, I want Milyn to have a fair trial as well. That's why I'm working on creating a Police Force that will serve Keeliai.

[highprofilerichkid]

Thanks, Valdis. [Tony sounds a little surprised, but also relieved.] I still feel like a pretty huge asshole, [he admits, his voice tired and wry.]

Are you... okay? [He feels an obligation to look out for Valdis, since she saved his life and all, but he's a long way from understanding what goes on inside her head. He's not sure how to approach this.]

[redlightgreenlight]

I'm fine.

[Now, anyway.]

private;

[wrathfulkhan]

...I'm going back to bed. Wake me up when this place stops fucking exploding.

[Gene has not had a good three weeks.]

audio;

[peacefullywreathed]

You know, there are times when I don't have to wonder at all why the kedan hated us.

[He sounds almost musing. Almost.]

[highprofilerichkid]

If I say you win whatever contest we're apparently having, will you stop butting in at totally inappropriate times just to say shitty stuff to me? Someone almost died, Solomon. I'm really tired of the one-upping game.

Radio; Open

[holbydelboy]

And just so everyone's in the clear, it was all my idea. No-one else gets the blame.

[There's a heavy sigh, though]

Although, I think I might have to go into hiding or something. Something tells me this isn't going to be bloody popular.

[highprofilerichkid]

We were all part of it. We're all responsible. Everyone keeps saying the Foreigners need to stick together - so let's not throw anyone under the bus.

[They should stand together, even when they screw up. Maybe especially then.]

[denyamenti]

Planning on setting yourself up as the head of Keeliai's newest faction, herset?

[highprofilerichkid]

No. [What an absolutely awful suggestion. Tony hates all this political bullshit.]

The only faction I'm leading is the 'everyone please stop trying to murder each other' faction. I didn't want to be involved in any of this.

[And yet, here he is. Seems like he's involved, whether he wants to be or not.

(Maybe if he doesn't want to be involved in everyone's machinations, he should stop sticking his nose in them.)]

radio

[backwordscompatible]

[There was a heavy sigh--in fact, the transmission began right in the middl of it, before Zatanna's voice could be heard on the other end.]

Why do I have a feeling this isn't going to end well?

[highprofilerichkid]

Weird, I'm getting the same feeling.

Private;

[ten_zero]

...I guess you've been rather busy with other things.

private;

[highprofilerichkid]

[Sheepishly:] Yeah. it's... there's a lot going on. Don't worry about it - I'll make time.

[He'll 'make' the time by cutting his sleep, inevitably, but it's nothing he isn't used to. He can't just go back on his promises, after all. Dealing with Milyn isn't his only responsibility.]

private;

[lasergrenades]

We're gonna have a time and a half trying to keep her out of harm's way if she starts going back to the clinic. I think our new police force'll have to launch doing protective detail.

[She sounds a bit annoyed with the state of affairs, but there's nothing to be done now but handle the fallout.]

[highprofilerichkid]

...How do you feel about her running the clinic out of our kitchen? [Tony jokes.

Kind of. Because they, uh. Might want to consider that option, actually.]

audio;

[amonster]

I've really walked into a messy situation, haven't I? Have you any idea how hard it is to keep track of these going-ons without having lies thrown into the mix?

Even more surprising, I'm legitimately curious as to why you've gotten yourself so involved in the first place. You're a foreigner to this world, this city, correct?

[Amon actually let out a small chuckle.]

And you couldn't stand aside and let injustice from the government sit idly by...

I think I may actually have some respect for you, kid.

[highprofilerichkid]

[That's a voice Tony doesn't recognize. Someone new? He's not sure what to make of that introduction, so his response is wary.]

A lot of us have been here for a long time. Some of us have been here for years. We're a part of this city too, even if not everyone's happy about it. And it's not a 'government' - it's one guy with way too many guns, goons, and grudges.

[Dear mysterious stranger, let's please not start promoting the idea that one organized crime bully counts as a government and saving someone from being assassinated by him counts as trying to topple it.]

private; to fellow conspirators

[highprofilerichkid]

[A few minutes after his initial radio broadcast, Tony sets up a private channel for Fletch, Raine, Jackie, Zatanna, Gene, and Pepper.]

I think Klaus is right - we need to tell the kedan about this. We kept it a secret to protect Milyn, but now that that's ruined, we should be upfront about what happened. I can't guarantee that the radios are secure anymore, so this could go public at any time, and it'll look a whole lot worse if we're not the ones who do it. And I don't want to give Yunxu any more time to manipulate things.

But we were all in on this, so... we could be opening ourselves up to a lot of trouble. We should all agree on how we're going to do this.

Private

[holbydelboy]

I'll announce it if everyone agrees. It's better it comes from me.

similarly private;

[ruinsprofessor]

Yes-- I believe explaining will be the best course of action. It's better if we come forward, rather than being confronted with it.

This was never a secret that could last forever, nor should it have. I only wish we'd made a bit more progress first.

private; I am so sorry I am slow

[lasergrenades]

Maybe we can go to the family heads first? Not necessarily individually, like, get them all together and discuss. Then we can try to agree on language on how to tell everyone else.

I'd like to say leave Yunxu out of that but... Well, we don't have proof that he did anything other than Meisheng's word although I'm totally inclined to believe her. Still, telling them all together means they might all hold each other accountable for not doing something stupid. Maybe.