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Petra avoided Life division and any of its duties for the sole reason of hoping to avoid Dr H. Now, do to unforeseen circumstances, she once again found herself in a room with him. All the more reason to dislike Amrita; this was clearly all her fault.

Stepping over the threshold into the meeting room, the death-transfer politely skirted the walls to avoid walking directly through the discussion, ears perked even as she seated herself nearby Deryk to listen to the conversation. So far, many of the other trainees had differing opinions how the students should be handled. Some she agreed with, and some she didn't; for example, Petra found herself staring at Dakota with a blank expression as he described his own strategy, one which (surprise surprise) involving heavy flirtation and the possibility of sex. Why he would want to have sex with a monster was beyond her, but the pale-haired girl had a sneaking suspicion that Dakota had watched a little too much porn.

"The subject I observed was fearful, distrustful. She admitted to asking Deryk for my attendance specifically because she knew I hated her. I was a known variable, one she expected. Hospitality only made her more suspicious," she offered in a clinical tone, "We cannot maintain a hospitable environment and still hope to intimidate the citizens of this world. The exception would be if Life Division sought to improve it's reputation, although this would all but ensure their exclusion in a battle."

Dakota just gave Ceres a flirty grin.

;'DDDDDDD

Leon thought a demonstration on the finer points of threatening via chair throwing was of the utmost importance right now.

Deryk could almost feel a sense of disdain coming from Dakota when he mentioned Wash and himself. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but it felt like he was being looked down upon or mocked there. Personally, he did not want to see any torture. That wasn't necessary. But he didn't say anything on that. In fact, he was quiet for most of the discussion until Ami brought up some questions regarding two of the students.

"The undead girl is too wary of us. Too hateful. Even if we manage to coax her a little more, don't think she's one we can use. No," he said.

As for the grey boy, he didn't have any input.

Dakota turned his flirty smile on Marcus instead:

;'DDDDDDDDDD

At anything else to add, he shrugged. "I was in for a second and then out."

"Well," the Life leader began, his voice a smooth purr, "...now that your input has devolved into d**k jokes, I believe your part of this little meeting is indeed quite over. Now sit and listen well, my ducks," his voice had a snapping quality, and teeth gleamed as his smile widened, lips parting. "Good cop, bad cop. Intimidation. Seduction. Sympathy. Trust. Torture."

The Doctor walked around the table, hand occasionally landing on a shoulder here, the nape of a neck there as he listed their suggestions. Not quite threatening. Not...quite. "All of these are viable tools at your disposal. The key of course, is to choose the correct tool for the job. It is indeed, a time consuming business, Miss Kently, because it requires getting to know the subject quite while. Not just checking off questions from a list in rote fashion, and yes that was, in fact a test. Most of you failed it in one way or another, by the by, but that was to be expected."

H sighed dramatically, "Their words, their silences, their body language, what they ask and what they ask for. To put it as simply as possible: start with what. Investigate why. And then you will discover how to move them. How to shift and adjust their opinions, emotions, and world views."

The leader gave them a moment to think on it, some finding what he said rather obvious, some maybe finding it not at all simple. He moved to stand behind Rep, hands resting on the sub-trainee's shoulders. "Some of you may feel the gentler persuasions are best, but keep in mind there is a line you must walk. You want to appear trusted and sympathetic, but it's so very easy to slide into uncertain, weak, to inspire hope of escape rather than consideration for the alternatives. Of course, making an aggressive a** of yourself," Rep's shoulders got a brief, painful squeeze and then the doctor moved on,"...is only useful if you plan and coordinate with your associates. A sad few of you did well in utilizing other hunters and trainees. Simply going straight into it as most of you did...well, it's a very good thing this isn't a critical batch of potential weapons. At best we can hope they carry tales emphasizing our incompetence home with them."

The grin widened, "Being underestimated as an enemy is preferable. Being underestimated as a captor is like shooting yourself in the foot before a marathon. You revealed much too much and without thought or consideration. If they ask questions, feed them the truth in such a matter that you gain more than you give. Your own questions revealed a great deal of your own ignorance, and that, my pigeons, is entirely unacceptable. Trite as it may be, knowledge is, in fact power, and you've shown yourself to be quite without it."

He stopped once more, behind Deryk, eyes low and hooded, "A few of you may find this...distasteful. They are but adolescents. So friendly! Adorable even. Children. And you feel just so very...terrible, for fighting them. Capturing the poor dears. These aren't the shadows and shades that twisted your life. These aren't the horseman that slaughtered your comrades. And that aspect of weapons conversion is, indeed, the saddest of necessities. Unfortunately, it is the young that have the best chances of surviving conversion, as their core is so much more malleable, less cluttered with the scars and miscellaneous junk of adulthood. It's more humane for us to find those suitable now, rather than later, when their own authorities decide to send them here anyway to get rid of those malcontents they find inconvenient."

Another sigh, and he continued circling them, a shark in calm, bloodless waters, "There are those, of course, who need little persuading. They're the ones who understand that they don't fit well into their own world, a feeling I'm sure you, yourselves, can sympathize with, hm? They're often dissatisfied or simply curious, restless and chafing, and so very lonely. It's as rare in their world to find a true partner, a soul mate, as it is in ours, you know. Some of them understand what transformation can offer them right away, the perfection of form, the belonging and purpose, the bond. Others," the doctor trailed off, eyes sliding toward Rin, "...simply need the right kind of persuasion."

The smile widened.

"Well, Washington, you're a bit ignorant, aren't you?" The smile remained, "If you don't understand the power of fear, even now, then perhaps you never will." The doctor met his eyes, and there were no apologies or excuses within that gaze, "We all have our limitations, and it is best to seek out those blind points of willful ignorance now, rather than later when something actually depends on you." The doctor lifted his hands, head tilting slightly, "Though it's doubtful that will be coming anytime soon, of course."