Welcome to Gaia! ::

Leucite had not taken to walking through the cathedral much. As of late, he either in his office, overseeing the Training Corps, or working to keep his gym going as a civilian. His recent marriage had done little to change his schedule, save that he did try to make a concentrated effort to spend more time with his wife - likely to her chagrin, but he had yet to hear any complaints as of yet.

But since the cathedral of the castle was technically hallowed Leucite walked through it, Rosary in hand, rolling the rough stones between his fingers, remembering the seven long days in the Rift, the wounds sustained, and how light he had felt coming away from the ordeal. It had been what had propelled him onward - and he was thankful for it.

Turning to head out of the building he passed by a table stacked with books, at it seated a Captain - one of the youma-merged ones at that. Leucite’s eyes glided over the books and he was reminded of all the philosophy courses he took in college, cashing in on the fact that his fine arts degree allowed him to swap “logic” courses for his math requirement. Which he’d happily done.

“Fancied a bit of light reading?” He asked the Captain. “Surprised there isn’t any Plato in there…”

The salute earned one back in return. “As you were, Captain, this isn’t an inspection.” Leucite said good naturedly, nodding his head as he stood there, looking over the stacks of books and their numerous sticky notes. He listened to Faustite’s bitter tone, grinning as remembered the long nights of pouring over text after text looking for the proper quotation to argue your point.

He much preferred painting. Art history and theory had sucked though. You could only look at so many classics before realizing the medieval and renaissance painters were just making bible fanart. An amusing thought in its own right.

Given the material on the table, the half-youma’s question should not have been a surprise - but the bluntness of it caught him by surprise. His fingers gripped the rough beads of his Rosary.

“An interesting question, and one we have been trying to answer since we could reason,” Leucite said, looking at the stack of books. “In truth, the answer depends on who you ask - that is the nature of philosophy, Captain.”

“Like the Buddhists and their koans, there is no right answer. Oh - doubtless, some will argue that theirs is the right way - because that is how ego works, but that’s a completely different argument.” Leucite added, before shifting his weight to his other foot.

“Why, is the question you should be asking - and the one I ask you now. Why this question? What is it about it that has its claws in you and won’t let go?”

Leucite had his own opinions - dogmatic ones - opinions he tended to keep close to his chest. But if pressed, he would make them known.

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them,” Leucite said, not moving from his place. I

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so,” He continued with a nod.

“Humans, are human. I am human,” he said as he placed a hand on his chest. “God willing, I will remain so until the day I die.”

“Others, by either their own foolishness, neglect, or willingness, have shed that humanity - and have merged themselves with that which man was never meant to mingle. They have taken the forms and powers of the angelic - becoming nephilim - abominations.”

“Don’t mistake me - an officer is an officer - and sometimes a job needs someone inhuman. Even humans can be monsters, but they never stop being human in their core. It is that nuance, the duality of man, that allows us all to cloak ourselves in greys and function,” he added dryly.

“Youma bend their will to humans - as God willed. For humans were wrought in his image. We control them, as God decried for his greatest of children.” He brought the Rosary in view then.

“It is by his grace that when I die I shall go to purgatory, and eventually - in time - heaven. Or if I am too wrathful, perhaps a seat in hell awaits me, but I have his sweet forgiveness, and so I must choose accordingly, and repent. For I am a sinner.” Leucite continued.

“Half-youma - being an abomination - are free to do as they will, with no guilt or need to beg The Father’s grace. For when they die they shall be cast into the pit. They should take solace in that. Their life is easily led.” He added with a firm nod.

“But, that is not to say I don’t respect them - or that they should not be respected. They are officers, due the respect of their rank and service. This is more important above such trivialities of personhood. Even people can be fashioned into tools, after a fashion.” He continued. “But only we officers have been blessed with the powers granted to us by Queen Metallia - The Living Saint. An officer is due respect as per their rank. Then the corrupt senshi, and then our enemies… It is by that truth that I chose to live by, rather than the vagaries of personhood.”

"Most Officers are - I've found - and it is their right in the end. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink," Leucite said with a small nod. "It's Leucite - I run the Training Corps - the newest barracks building?" He motioned with a hand vaguely outside the cathedral toward Negaspace in general. "Though, rest assured - theology is not part of the curriculum there."

"My ideas - my opinions - are my own, are I doubt shared by many at all." He added dryly. "And I've always felt people are welcome to their own thoughts and opinions. Who knows - maybe in the end I'm the one that's wrong. But won't know until we get there."

He pocketed the Rosary again, slipping it into his jacket with gentle fingers. He had given much to craft it from the crystals of the Rift - seven days of fasting and tribulation. He would be loath to see it harmed by his own carelessness.

"But, I've usually found that philosophy and theology are generally irrelevant to the grand scheme of things. It is one's actions that derive meaning in life. If you want to be a better person - then be that better person. You have a will - some vestige of humanity. Use it."

"Hardly, but it is good to let people know - if the they feel they have a need for brushing up on their fundamentals." Leucite replied to the question, shaking his head. The next statement caught him a little bit off guard and he frowned.

"Most don't believe in God - but religion is not a litmus test here - nor should any officer shirk their responsibilities. The actions you take are yours. Sometimes we kill - that is the nature of war. Death is death. I do my damnedest to ensure we keep civilians out of the line of fire - others hold different views. But at the end of the day - if one of my officers kills a civilian - their blood is on my hands just as much as theirs."

The last part though, was what rankled him - the frown deepened and he stood a little taller. "Are you... attempting to dismiss me?" He asked, his voice stern. "Just because I chose to stand - does not mean I am in any particular hurry."

"We sit - far - too much in our duties at times. Our duties also require us to be physically fit to fight if called upon. Standing when I can allows me to do that." He added - as if in clarification of his actions, which in all honesty he felt no need to impart, but did so this once to highlight his point.

"I will go when I chose to go - and you will know when I chose to leave." He said plainly. "It's talk like that that gets you in trouble - better me, who is willing to show you your error, than another - who would just punish you for it."

"Partly that, but mostly because as their superior their actions are a direct reflection of my leadership. If they are unruly, undisciplined and violent - then I'm hardly showing them the proper way of doing things. This is a war after all - but we should be avoiding collateral damage as much as we can." Leucite stated flatly. "It is the responsibility of the superior to see to the needs of their subordinates - to see to their training, care, and well-being. All the subordinate need do is follow orders - it's a fairly simple system."

"Presumption is not politeness," Leucite countered, but more gently than before. "You presumed I had somewhere to be - but it is not your place - as a subordinate officer - to suggest so. Were you a general - then your statement would have been polite, not presumptuous."

"But you are - not - a general," His said, watching the captain rise from his seat and watch him in return. "But since you seem to be gunning so hard for a punishment... fine." He said with a click of his tongue.

"I want a detailed report of your general idea of a half-youma officer's proper place in the Negaverse. At least one thousand words, single spaced... I want it on my desk in a week - I think that's more than fair." Leucite said, a sly smirk spreading across his features. "And with that said - you are free to go and start it now, if you so chose. I shall not keep you any longer."