Settling Scores

[Thaal Sinestro]

A smile crept over the korugaran’s red lips, his fingers folding into a steeple as he slowly slinked backwards in his seat. His hat tipped down, the shadow concealing every part of his face but the glint of his hazel eyes. “Yes, I know that I still imagine a better for these people,” he said, his words slithering across the table.

“I can see these sands prosper once again,” he said with a cold assuredness, “In every person that suffers, there is a chance to help them rise up and create a new world. In every outlaw and criminal, there is the opportunity to make an example, to show these people what is acceptable and what is not.”

His fingers unfurled and waved in a grand gesture over the battered wooden table, “We don’t need to punish the good or the kind, only those that disturb the order, those who break the LAW we lay down.”

Leaning forward, the sun struck his eyes and for a moment they reflected the golden light. “Fear is the enemy of will, and the will of the criminal is his greatest weapon. If we will create a new salvation for these people, they must fear the consequences of their misdeeds. We must shatter their will.

“We will show them the light, and those who hide in the shadow will suffer. Is that really so selfish?” The ex-lantern lifted his hat from his head and placed it on the table, smoothing back his sweat-slicked hair. He glanced between every member of the table as he continued his lengthy address, “I know that Ganondorf speaks of selfishness, and for that I cannot blame him. However, I do not think of this in terms of my own gain. Certainly,” he glanced to the side with a shrug, “I must tend to my own needs, but after I have created my power ring and brought it to full strength, I will want for nothing.”

He felt the eyes of the table upon him, judging, prodding, asking what possible purpose he could serve. “I believe that once the Town With No Name is under our control, we will be in a much better position to strike out against other pockets of chaos.” He swept his hat from the table and waved his hand, indicating the surface as a place of demonstration.

“If we want to succeed, we must start with a base of power,” his dirty finger planted itself in the center of the display. “If we do not have a sure place of safety and support, then we are nothing but leaves in the wind. I hear that Ganondorf has a base nearby…“

“I have a base nearby,” Enel corrected, a twinge of condescension in his tone. The red-haired juggernaut and the broad-shouldered pirate shared a tense look, but the gerudo quickly took the high road and offered a smile and a nod.

Sinestro allowed their tiny conversation to play out, and continued without correcting himself, “… which would support our choice of the Town With No Name as our first choice. If we were to use his base on its own, it would give him more of the impression that the owner was more our ‘leader’ than a member of equal standing to the rest of us, wouldn’t it?”

Not waiting for anyone to interrupt, his finger drew a circle around the point he had motioned to before, “The surrounding areas will be ours to cleanse, control and conform to our standards. If we cannot control our borders, then we do not control the town.”

Strazio leaned in, “What about Nippur? Isn’t that what Gilgamesh calls his little city?”

Ganondorf shared a look with the other entrant into the Abyss, his bushy red eyebrow perked and he leaned back, crossing his arms. “That is an issue for another time. I don’t see why we can’t work with, or around, him for now.”

“I have some business with him that I have to take care of,” the white-haired mage said, struggling to keep his inner turmoil from bubbling to the surface. Still, the air around him wavered with anxious restraint.

“A perfect opportunity,” Sinestro purred, drawing a line with his finger to the imaginary outpost on his ‘map.’ “Perhaps you and Ganondorf could spearhead an attack on some of the bandit factions that exist on the outlying sectors while you make your way to Nippur.”

“A possible diplomatic opportunity,” Ganondorf purred, stroking his red beard, “Certainly something to consider.”

Strazio clenched his fist, arcane power surging over it, “And we can finally settle our score.”

“Psh, I won’t be told what to do!” Enel interjected, as if speaking the obvious.

Sinestro fell silent for a moment, carefully choosing every word he was about to speak. “Of course not,” his voice growled with as much sincerity as he could muster, “A God may do exactly as he chooses. Wherever your travels take you, know that we will be available and that your aid is invaluable.” When Enel seemed pleased enough to quiet himself, Thaal returned his attention to the table.

“As for me,” Sinestro continued, “I will remain in the city and work alongside Roland. The more I can convince him of our utility, the more easily he will be swayed to our way of thinking. Surely he sees that order is not being maintained, that more drastic measures must be taken. He is a good man, and one that wants the best for this town. I can show him that the best thing is our control.” As if admitting a great defeated, he sighed. “If I am unsuccessful in his conversion,” he tossed his hat onto the table with a small spin, “we will be forced to take him off of the board.”