JUNIPER
you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do
"I don't," Juniper admitted. She could hardly lie to Gideon -- but she wouldn't have wanted to anyway. She could afford to be straightforward about her thoughts and plans; she'd already shown her hand to Wessex and the Ascended, so her intentions were now public. "But I can't punish someone based on what they might do in the future, only for what they've actually done. And as much as I would like to have the Ascended's plans laid before me, I can't react to things I don't know about."but it's the easiest thing to do
She took a sip of her tea, then added, "Even if I personally wanted to go after all the Ascended -- and I genuinely don't believe they all deserve punishment for the actions of a few -- I would receive no support from Torchline or Halo in such a project. It's better to pursue an achievable goal than hold an untenable, extreme position."
Looking Gideon in the eye -- even if she had to crane her neck a bit to do so -- she finished, "I know the Greatwood is not safe from the Ascended. I've made what arrangements I can to protect us in case of an attack, and others are also working on defensive measures. In the meantime, I hope that addressing past wrongs will help discourage future ones."
if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.
