Shooting Star

[Keller]

He wasn't quite expecting her to really bother about the latter half of his response, but perhaps he was right that the human spirit of curiosity outweighed the need for alternatives. Though it was unlikely that she would care about the answer, curiosity was rarely a sincere expression. A rather sickening trait associated with humanity as a whole. Blind pursuit for answers to even the most remotely interesting questions, but without much of a care for what the answers just so happened to be. "Honestly, I didn't think you'd want to know. It seemed unlikely that my personal realizations would matter to you at all. Especially given my reputation and what I've done", A moment of silence ensued after those words. Primarily because his mind thought it necessary to relive the instances that brought about such realizations, and also because the silence would make his next choice of words more impactful. "Quite ironic that the worst betrayals of trust can only ever come from friends. When Bretonia first made its intentions in.. Exeter clear, I had no intention to oppose it. The late Commodore Dagon approached me directly about what would be happening, but I'd made the mistake of giving someone else leverage over me. Worse yet that in the recent past I'd killed a Hessian officer for his crimes. So like it or not, I had to guard someone else's interests. Or face personal consequences if I disobeyed."

It might have been fairly obvious who the perpetrator was, or at least he was hoping Hall was sharp enough to connect the dots he'd provided her with. There was also the likelihood that she'd pick up on the fact that he wasn't telling her the full story. But that was to be expected given the mutual lack of trust. Then again again, Keller felt he could have trusted only two people, out of which one had met an untimely demise and the status of the other was doubtful. The fluctuations in his behaviors, even to someone on the outside should have been obvious. From adamantly opposing the annexation, condemning the IMG for associating with Gallia, and ordering a direct intervention during the Leeds crisis. It was as if two people had been making these decisions, but at least now it was somewhat clear that there was a second person and that Keller himself wasn't mentally disabled.

He had no expectations of sympathy for his position or what he might have endured thanks to 'allied' interference and the Coalition's cutthroat politics. But something he felt he could count on was for Hall to exploit the potential his position represented. "I have bridges that I need to burn, and each act of arson would be justified."