[backdated to day 44: mental link]

[adamance]

[Withholding information had not been Lexa's goal, but she had wanted to thoroughly research what she could before she brought it to the rest of the Nest. For that reason, Lexa has been busy, but has been careful not to reveal what she has in hand until she's ready. Even as she prepares to speak to the Nest, she's not completely prepared, and there's a sense of agitation over this.

By now, she already knows the results of them following Ven, but they haven't yet received the information they require. Why they didn't take the opportunity is bothersome in and of itself, but there is little that she can change about that. It's about moving forward, and it's not as if she has the fullest degree of faith in the Nest. Nothing changes that.]

( Today, I'd like to speak to you all about the results of our meeting with Mind Life. The conversations we had prior to this meeting with the hacker group that privately contacted us may have been accurate on this front. ) [She deliberates revealing what she told them about their goals, but decides against it: Mind Life's desperation to remain stagnant and inactive is worrisome, to say the least.] ( They have their hearts in the right place, but not their minds. I'd say it's ironic given the name of their organization, but not surprising. They prefer passive communication over action. Their idealism may be worthwhile, but they have little help to offer because they refuse to make a show of any aggression.

As a result, our only boon from them is a list of people who they deem trustworthy. Or untrustworthy. Unsurprisingly, Saffit is on the list of unsavory individuals. She doubts that even the untrustworthy men could be behind the bombings, but we may come to see her perspective as one of denial given her unwillingness to act.

I've done the beginning search into many of the other individuals named, but I cannot be as thorough as any of our technical people. Trust that I will not be handing over this list lightly, and that the contents of it will not be available to everyone in the Nest. I would rather prevent any reactionary behavior as a result of what Sheena Frey chose to write down. ) [If anything, she refuses to share everything on the list with the Nest. She may give names, or an idea of whether or not someone is on the list, but she doesn't want any of the Hosts to set out on a crusade.

Especially when she can barely trust Sheena's judgment.]

Comments

[greentech]

( Correct me if I'm wrong, but we are all supposed to be on the same team, right? Why do so many of you act like we're not? )

[greentech]

( You actually have a point. )

[ You know, for once. ]

[sizeofyourbaggage]

( At least you're honest about the secrets you're deciding to keep. )

[ Sam kind of thinks it's stupid, given how easy secrets are discovered in the mind link, but he understands the hesitation behind it, and not wanting to give out sensitive information to someone you might not trust. He wouldn't have been able to be part of a top secret government experiment if he didn't. ]

( What would make you willing to give names to someone? )

[snaphiss]

[Heh.]

( These are the actions of someone who wants to weild power over us, and be seen doing so. I don't pretend to be everyone's friend, but I'd never pull something like this. )

[greentech]

( If there are people you want to keep information form, just keep it from them. Or explain why, at least. )

[snaphiss]

( She's more interested in our asking, and her getting to decide. Her actions don't make sense, otherwise. )

[exhuxperation]

[ Mara you're literally the best

Love your not ginger son
Hux]

[adamance]

( People are angry because I've put words to what it is that everyone else already does. ) [Her tone is surprisingly calm, but that's because she sees no reason to feel any anger toward Sam. Then again, she hadn't really set out today to be angry with anyone.]

[adamance]

( I crossed a line by stating a theory he was not yet ready to hear. ) [There's some distance to her tone, and the sense that she's not saying all that there was.] ( I fight my own battles, Steve. If it's a situation with more time, I will ask for your assistance. But that was a battle of my own, and I saw more of how he views himself within this Nest. I've seen the same with others. ) [It's not being attacked that bothers her. It's the whole summary of the situation, from top down.]

[adamance]

( Oddly enough, you'll find that people have decided to rally against my choice here. If I knew this would inspire teamwork, I would have done it sooner.

If you want a serious answer: not everyone is so altruistic that their lives are worth protecting another. )

[adamance]

( Yes, why else would I have reason here? Those who are privy to the situation know well enough why I'm keeping information away from others. )

[adamance]

( Reassurance that whoever takes the list, or parts of it, would use it to perform research and delve into the pasts of the names involved. Assuming that I hope to keep it to myself and do nothing with it is what has led to me granting access to no one. ) [Because apparently arguing with her about the initial decision is going to change her mind. Lexa still feels as if she didn't make a mistake there. But she's obstinate about things like that.]

( I am largely keeping it where it is so that we can continue with the plans we have in place. Taking us off track may prove unwise. )

[greentech]

( We're supposed to protect each other, right? We could start with that.

Who'd they even ID as possible contacts? Or potential enemies? Is it really such a big deal that you don't think people can be trusted with the information? )

[headinjuries]

( Maybe they should be telling everyone more, too. )

[ Working as a team doesn't work as well when you feel like you're in the dark. something something civil war ii ]

[greentech]

( Maybe you should fill in those of us who aren't aware of the why and the who. Or you could leave us in the dark, because that's always worked out great for everyone! )

[greentech]

( Reminds me of someone else I know. )

[snaphiss]

( Would you accept that answer from me? )

[snaphiss]

( ...Do you really think I'd make a show of my knowledge and then try to hide it? At least credit me with more subtlety than that. )

[adamance]

[Lexa would be a part of either the Cabal or Illuminati (if they weren't a bunch of know it all dudes), let's be real, Sam.]

( Why do you think that? People will keep secrets regardless. It's how we hold on to who we are. )

[adamance]

( You assume too much use from this list. It's meant to narrow down our search, and it doesn't do that on either end of the equation. We need to answer the questions we have before us before we turn to the list itself, as it only offers more.

The first question we must answer is whether the list is reliable. I can comfortably say that we currently have a plan in motion that will test that. )

[adamance]

( I believe you and I have too many personal biases toward one another for me to answer that fairly. You assume you know me, and I assume that I know you. It leads to us butting heads.

Is that a well-reasoned enough answer for you? )

[sizeofyourbaggage]

[ Yeah, he's noticed the outcry, he's just staying out of it. He agrees with a lot of the points people are making, and it's definitely not a move that's going to get people to trust her or necessarily be willing to do what she says - but arguing with her more about it is pointless. ]

( I learned a long time ago that trust is something that's gotta be earned, and I wouldn't expect you to be willing to share information with me just because I demanded it. But I'm not interested in getting anything off track, I just wanna explore any angle we got. )

[adamance]

( An example: though she is currently comatose, Ilde killed a man without hesitation on our previous mission. The results of her actions led to one of our own dying. Here, she has expressed a desire to speed up this mission, to be done with it. She has no investment in our success or failure. What adaptations she's made seem nothing more than temporary. She seems unreliable, and when encouraged with kindness, she reacts because it is the last thing she wants. No, she wants someone to agree with her, to tell her precisely what it is she wants to hear.

With this information, her actions could be devastating, as she has proved herself untrustworthy. )

[Lexa feels no great concern in sharing this, because Ilde's actions were known by many, and she had shared her own issues with her in private. There is no saying whether Ilde is asleep for good. She may be. That would certainly help matters.]

[snaphiss]

( No, just terribly convenient. )

( You say I don't know you, so my point is void. You don't know me either, or anyone else in the nest. If you treat someone as untrustworthy, they'll live up to your expectations. )

[adamance]

( Here is a less convenient answer then: I began in the Nest trusting no one. Now there are those I do trust.

You have done nothing to change my mind. )

[She assumes it's the same in reverse, but doesn't say it. In fact, she's curious to see if Mara will prove petty enough to point it out unnecessarily.]