In matters of grave importance, the young shall fall silent and let those speak that can understand the effects of their words and deeds.
You, Katsuo-san, may be too young to have known me personally, but I am convinced you have already realized that I am speaking for the young who fell silent after hearing the Guild's verdict.
Mioshi was raised and is still being educated by a strict code of honour, a code of behaviour that puts loyalty and integrity at the top priority in her life.
Now, the experience of age tells me, that decisions that the young make are often forceful. They are often made by intuition that is lacking in experience, which is a privilege of age and not available for the young. They often decide in a rush of emotion and without proper thought, that's why their decisions are often flawed. Thus they err, often. So does Mioshi.
I will not pretend that Mioshi made no mistake. She did. She should never have questioned your authority, and I am surprised she did, as she has always been obedient and well-behaved.
This is why we went over the comm logs of Kanchi and I can partly understand why she reacted upset, which does not excuse her bad decision:
Quote:"Germanica": This one sounds like a female .... how interesting .... VERY much so ... I would just LOVE to meet you in a dark room one day .....
GMG|Mioshi.Hakamoto.: Can be the last voice you hear, if you are brave enought to return to the plane. *seems self-confident in that*
"Germanica": OooooOoh ... and what you are going to do to me in that dark room that YOU would be the last voice I ever hear ...No doubt unspeakable things!
GMG|Taro.Katsuo: You sound like someone with a speech impediment. All that Cardamine going into your brain?
GMG|Taro.Katsuo: I've spotted a gunboat.
"Germanica": (laughs) my brain or some other part of me ???! (wink wink)
GMG|Mioshi.Hakamoto.: In a dark room, you'd be dead before you could do anything...
GMG|Mioshi.Hakamoto.: At gate!
"Germanica": (grins) are you SURE ... some people tend to call me mentally unstable ... and I do NOT even know WHYYYY. In a dark room I am VERY scary .
GMG|Mioshi.Hakamoto.: Stop. You are a pirate. GMG hunts you.
GMG|Mioshi.Hakamoto.: *angry* He took the lane. And I disrupted it a second after he went through.
I can still feel the stress of situations like this physically, and Katsuo-san, do not forget that she has not been flying for years. She was provoked and insulted in a way that had to hit a young female hard. She should not have reacted. She should have kept her composure. She should not have let anger rule her decision making.
But I am not surprised she did react when she faced the gunboat whose pilot had uttered the words. The stress of the chase of the second gunboat, the fear of failing, also the fear of not being able to stand against the superior firepower while alone long enough for assistance to arrive took its toll.
Anger and lack of knowledge and thought made her wish for the destruction of the tormentor.
Frustration about the denial of action against the pirate made her question your order.
Continued provocation by the target intrigued her to do it.
Quote:"Germanica": (laughs) we shall meet another time just me and you Mioshimoto (winks) I will make sure to bring something more suitable to our date ...
Sadly, the lessons that I have taught her about defending her and the family's honour at any price was more powerful than your order. I failed in that aspect, more than she did. Loyalty would have been the principle to follow, not the wish to preserve her honour and revenge the insult.
I do not seek to excuse what she did. I never will as long as I live.
But I assure you that she regrets her decision as deeply as a young emotional being can feel pain and shame about having failed you and the Guild. She wanted to leave the Guild for bringing shame on it, a thought that was dropped as cowardice is not acceptable, and a loss of honour is followed by the unbreakable resolution to restore it.
I am here to tell you that she is willing to make every atonement that the Guild gives to her. She will see it as a chance to restore her honour, not as a punishment to evade.
Let me end with one sentence that carries an almost universal truth to me when looking back at my life:
'Don't be afraid to make a mistake. But make sure you don't make the same mistake twice.'
I hope, you will see the validity of this saying in the case that I am making for my granddaughter, when I ask you to look at what she can become, instead of the young and inexperienced person she is now. She needs guidance and not restriction. She needs to collect experience, not be barred from it.
I assure you, she will never ever question or disobey any order again.
Matahuro Hakamoto, Arrigato.
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