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[angelofthenight]

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[14thcommander]

[Hange pauses for a moment.

When she speaks her tone is gently playful.]

If my choice is between doing this work here and my people being eradicated, how much of a choice is it, Demona?

What would you choose?

[angelofthenight]

[Heavy sigh.]

No choice at all. I would do whatever it takes.

[If the Admiral had come to her and offered to bring back her clan... but he didn't. He put her on this side of the bars instead. She's the pawn, not the player.]

You'll do what you must. And so will Lark. Nothing but desperate souls on this ship, it seems.

[14thcommander]

What about when you graduate, Demona? You could have the chance to take your own inmate through things, gain back some of what you'd lost.

And, since you mentioned it, what is important to you?

[angelofthenight]

I could...

[She could play the long game. She has the time. Does she have the patience?]

My clan was important to me. Making humanity pay for what they've done to us is the only thing that is important now.

[No. That's not quite true.]

That and...my daughter.

[14thcommander]

You have a child...

[it shouldn't be surprising, when she thinks about how long-lived Demona has been, yet it somewhat is.]

How old?

[angelofthenight]

I do not know for certain. She must be...centuries upon centuries.

[As Demona herself is.]

I was not there to see her grow. The humans took that from me too.

[14thcommander]

[Hange is not a parent. She doesn't have anything like what she's observed people calling "maternal instinct." And yet, when she turns the idea over in her head... if Demona cares for this mystery person, the absence of what should have been a strong relationship is probably devastating.]

What happened?

[She's taking this seriously, it shows in her tone.]

[angelofthenight]

[It's only because Hange is giving it her most serious attention that Demona continues.]

The night I returned to find my clan destroyed, I witnessed the humans loading the eggs from the rookery into their cart. Steeling them!

I thought they were lost for good. But It seems that was not the case. Angela claims the humans raised her on the Isle of Avalon. They have indoctrinated her.

[14thcommander]

They killed the adults and stole the children.

[She can easily picture why. The adults would have independent mindsets, their own loyalties and ideas about things. The children would be malleable.]

I see...

[angelofthenight]

So you see why I can never forgive them.

[14thcommander]

Are the humans who did this to you still alive?

[angelofthenight]

Their descendants live. Some of them yet hunt me.

[14thcommander]

Those humans carried out actions worthy of hatred. I'm not trying to strip that from you. And some of their descendants probably aren't angels, but... I don't agree with holding someone who never did such an action responsible as if they're the same people who did the action.

Hold them responsible, but not in the same way.

[angelofthenight]

I do not care how guilty they may be. All but a handful of Gargoyles in the world are dead by human hands. I intend to return the favor.

[14thcommander]

[Easy to see why Demona's an inmate. This uncontrolled blast.]

You met Angela again?

[angelofthenight]

Yes. She is with ...Goliath.

[Her father.]

I still don't fully understand how he found her when I couldn't.

[14thcommander]

You mentioned him before.

[you got territorial over him, in fact.]

Is he good for her? Is she safe with him?

[angelofthenight]

He was a member of my clan. One of a few others who survived that night. He won't hurt her because...

[A long sigh.]

He is her father.

[She is sure Hange can infer all the implications of that for herself.]

The last thing I asked him to do before I was brought here is to keep our daughter safe.

[14thcommander]

[She sure can. No wonder Demona got possessive, that's about the least surprising trait anybody can ever display.]

I'm glad she's with someone who cares about her.

This place could offer you your chance to restore your clan, to return to those people the futures they lost. You'd pick vengeance over that?

[angelofthenight]

No. If I thought I had a true chance to undo what has been done, I would take it.

But I am not a warden.

[14thcommander]

You could become one. And for what it's worth, in my limited experience and perspective, I think you'd probably be a pretty good one.

[angelofthenight]

If I should have the opportunity, I would try. But I have little faith that I would be a good warden.

[14thcommander]

You have a direct attitude I bet some inmates could probably benefit from! So don't sell yourself too short on a supposition.

[angelofthenight]

Does the direct approach work on your inmate?

[14thcommander]

Actually, sometimes it does!