Turks RP 4

[glacialphoenix]

Description: Last story round of the Turks game!



ROUND 3 END PHASE

Laguna prays as hard as he can, so that he may be spared from the wrath of his son...

"Rinoa has been taken into custody today..."

"... On one hand, I hope that we've caught the right person, so that all of the murders will stop... on the other, it's just hard to believe, you know? She's a sweet girl..."





"Alright," Laguna sighs heavily, addressing the remaining thirteen of you.

"Since we're down to two suspects, I'm holding both of you in cells until one of you caves and tells the truth."

"This way there won't be any more murders; even though we may find some clues left behind."

He motions to Kiros and Ward; the two of them move towards Squall and Reno and lock them away.

"We'll all be able to see and talk to them, and then we'll make a decision in three days."





LIGHTNING, CELES and SQUALL

LIGHTNING: Squall had the fewest ties (so as not to point back to himself) to the victims, was mysteriously quiet during the proceedings, and never directly denied involvement to my memory in the murders.

CELES: It's either Squall or Reno, isn't it...? Squall's been strangely distant from Rinoa lately, hasn't he? I thought they were close; at least, that was what I heard.

Reno's vouched for by the rest of the Turks... I think Squall's the less trustworthy one now.

LIGHTNING: Celes, do you have any recommendations regarding how to approach this last phase? Perhaps review transcripts for revealing details?

CELES: Both Squall and Reno were rather quiet, I think... Squall did explain Guardian Forces to me, though. I'd ask Rinoa, but she's in prison as well...

Hm. Squall said Guardian Forces - which SeeD uses - cause memory loss if used long-term.

I also remember hearing Elena commenting that it was curious that Squall didn't come to Rinoa's defense...

SQUALL: If you remember correctly I as having mechanic difficulties and wasn't able to defend Rinoa, be it from your verbal attacks or a murderer.

I told you about the GFs because I have nothing to hide but now I wonder if you are trying to use my generosity against me.

CELES: Wouldn't it have been even more suspicious if you had refused to tell me anything about them...?

If you're trying to guilt me, don't. I'm not trying to "use" anything against you. I've no grudge against you. I'm just putting together the pieces as I see them.

LIGHTNING: [to SQUALL] Your "generous" nature extends so far as to verbally lambaste those who seek to uncover the truth? Tch, give me a break.





CISSNEI and KAIN

CISSNEI: [to SQUALL] You're under arrest for suspicion of murder, anything you say can and will be used against you in a crow court of peers :)

KAIN: What evidence do you have for this arrest, aside from that which is circumstantial?

CISSNEI: Hate to break this to you metal-head, but they're already locked up, but don't worry, they're only being held, not charged.

KAIN: Amusing that you Turks believe you are the ones in charge here.

Another case of the Turks closing ranks to protect their own - even if that Turk is a cold-blooded serial killer.





CECIL, CELES, BALTHIER, LIGHTNING and RIKKU

CECIL: Letting everyone suspect Rinoa benefited him. Reno is a Turk, but even other Turks think these murders don't match up with Shinra's normal actions.

... but I wonder what the motive was.

CELES: For all we know, he's gone mad. Or become a vigilante... Aren't all the victims magic-users?

BALTHIER: That *does* seem to be the only connection all the victims had.

LIGHTNING: Well, to be fair, we had established a connection until it was mentioned in front of the group. Sazh did not fit the established MO, but that may have been intentional.

RIKKU: [to CECIL] Perhaps getting powerful magic users or females out of the way in some twisted salute to Rinoa? I don't believe that she's involved in this anyway, but it's possible that Squall took his role as night just a liiiittle bit too seriously, y'know? That's all I can really think as far as a motive...





SQQUALL, LIGHTNING, CELES, RENO and KAIN

SQUALL: If you are now directly asking me if I committed the murders Lighting since you never asked before(to my knowledge at least)the answer would be no but since I'm sure you don't trust the man currently sitting behind bars I guess I will just wait...

by the way (moron)Laguna I agree with your decision to put me and Reno behind bars no one else will get killed this way

LIGHTNING: What do you have to say in your defense, Leonhart? Why should we suspect the Turk?

CELES: [to SQUALL] I agree with Lightning. If you think I'm "using" your "generosity" to accuse you - then defend yourself. Tell me why you think we should accuse Reno.

SQUALL: I would have thought accusing Reno would be quite obvious wouldn't you think? I didn't work for an evil power hunger group that created crazy super soldiers that tried to destroy the plant...I didn't drop an entire plate onto the slums killing hundreds of thousands.

I am a mercenary and I am a knight but I worked for Garden. Any and all "missions" had to be checked and rechecked to make sure what we were doing was not going to harm the Garden (reputation or physically), where several young students and the neighboring Balamb reside. Also most times when we were hired it was to help outnumbered rebelling factions that do not have a great enough force to rebel an oppressive government or organization.

RENO: Well, why would you think the killer wants to be obvious? It's been already said that Shinra doesn't hide stuff about our actions, I don't go around killing people without orders. I am not even the type to go out of my way to do stuff like that when i didn't get such an order. Putting all the guilt on me only because I work for Turks it pretty close-minded? But why should you care.

SQUALL: and I do go around randomly killing people?!

Yeah I know Shinra always covers up places their misdeeds in the public eye...like that town that got suddenly burnt town and filled with random Shinra employees...and I am well aware that just because an organization you work for might be corrupt it doesn't necessarily mean you are! To judge too harshly on an organization instead of the individual is unfair but since I stand by my statement that I have done nothing wrong and killed no one unfortunately it just leaves one other person...

KAIN: [to RENO] Shinra... doesn't hide their actions? Let's see. Project G. Project S. Hojo's nefarious wrong-doing and genetic experiments, all covered up by military factions. The town of Nibelheim, the experiments in Shinra Mansion, Project Chaos, Deepground - Exactly what monsters will Shinra's legacy unleash on the world next?

CELES: [to SQUALL] [flatly] You're more than just your organisation. I don't doubt that Garden has earned more trust than Shinra. This is about you and Reno, not Garden and Shinra. It's not the same.

As for working for power hungry groups that created crazy super soldiers... does that make a person a murderer? Because Terra was one of the Empire's super soldiers. As am I.





SQUALL, RENO, LIGHTNING and CECIL

SQUALL: Hmm well at least I know Rinoa is safe from inside her cell and no murderer can kill me from in here...I hope. I keep wondering if I'm next.

RENO: Well, suicide isn't the smartest move unless you cannot stand the guilt for killing so many people.

SQUALL: That would first be a cowards way out and second wouldn't you just let the actual guilty party (RENO) go then causing the murders to repeated several more times.

RENO: I don't see a different way for you to get killed in that cell kid. Considering how you're still here after doing all this you could always make it look like I was the one who killed you but i doubt it's worth your own life.

LIGHTNING: Don't think you're beyond suspicion yourself, Reno. Make no mistake - though I believe Leonhart here is our target, you fit the profile as well. Cockiness isn't your color.

CECIL: [to SQUALL] If Reno is the murderer, he could since he's the only one in there with you. This suggests you're not truly afraid of the other one accused, and hadn't even thought that he might kill you. In that case... you're the only suspect left.





KAIN, RENO and SQUALL

KAIN: Interesting. While pulling at straws to claim one man mad, we take the Turks on their word and fail to critically analyze the other. If Reno - also suspiciously absent during critical times of this investigation - was given but half the attention provided Squall, then perhaps all would be over already.

Think, if you will. Which of the suspects worked for a morally bankrupt corporation that had a history of cutting down those in its way? Which of the suspects murdered thousands upon thousands of innocent people by dropping the Midgar plate on a sector?

While SeeD is a mercenary organization, it has shown to be capable of morality and justice.

Reno is far from the just and honorable man the Turks paint him as. Never forget, the most heinous killers are the ones that walk among us, seeming normal. Such is the way of psychopathy.

I fear that I cannot stand by any longer, and allow the Turks to close ranks, all to protect a blatant killer.

RENO: If I remember correctly, Rinoa did say SeeD were brainwashed or something like that, maybe I didn't pay enough attention. Although if it is true, who knows if Squall haven't been brainwashed himself and did all of these terrible things. Why excuse me if i am don't remember it properly or if she meant something else. The fact how much he have been defending himself and how much he accused me is rather suspicious as well if you asked me. Why an innocent person would defend yourself that much, no? Then again, there is no point of me to say anything since whatever I say can be taken the right and wrong way as I am the suspect.

I am far from honorable? look at yourself Kain. Using such strong words for someone you don't even know and for someone who might be innocent. I am saying might because I won't just go around accusing someone even if I know the truth. It's not right to speak either of me or of Squall until you know which of us is actually the killer. Oh wait, i forgot Turks are awful organization, killers, assholes, hehe.

SQUALL: Brainwashed? I think you must be, mistaking us with SOLDIER or the Turks...

If you are referring to the Guardian forces they actually cause long term memory loss. Meaning I forgot some of my early childhood memories more specially my time spent at the orphanage with Matron and the others not something that could have happen last week or a month ago...

RENO: Nope, I was actually talking about you and the SeeD members. Just like Turks, you do what you're ordered to do as well. Who knows if you weren't ordered to do all these crimes.

KAIN: The difference is, SeeD's actions occur only within the context of a war. Their actions are open, not confined to the shadows of political maneuvering.

SeeD has many other wrongs to answer for, however.

The case with the GF connection appears to be long-term episodic memory loss. Meaning, that Squall and other SeeD who junction lose small parts of their past.

It is improbable that such a memory degradation could have occurred in such a short time. Was this common, I have no doubt that SeeD would cease the practice of junctioning and paramagic.

The 'brainwashing' angle, I believe, is beyond the realms of reasonable feasibility.

As for the Turks... they have a reputation that they built themselves. Do not take offense when people begin to believe it.





CECIL, KAIN, CISSNEI, and CELES

CECIL: I know I had my doubts before, but from everything I've heard, Shinra is straight-forward about their misdeeds. As you say, they willingly murdered thousands... what would they hope to gain by being silent about three deaths now?

That is not to say that Reno couldn't have committed the murders by his own accord, but Squall is the one from a land where strong magic users are decried as vile sorceresses... His girlfriend may have been one, but perhaps that is also the spark that started it all. He did not seem as close to her as I would expect.

KAIN: As with all, the truth lies within the details. Reno, like most Turks, does not hesitate to murder in cold blood, all to protect a company as corrupt as that which comes from Zemus. One has to ask, what kind of individuals would such a company and such a career, draw?

It is not beyond the realm of possibility that Reno joined the Turks to sate his bloodlust. Given the company's turn for the better, this career choice no longer plays its part and so Reno turned his attention to one of those responsible for the company's change - one Aerith Gainsbourough.

From there, who knows? Perhaps it was just the start of what would become a murderous rampage.

CISSNEI: Speaking as one who was raised by the Turks i can tell you that not everyone Chooses to become a Turk, in fact i can name a few who were given little choice but to join, and it's even harder to leave. I believe official records state my death at the hands of AVALANCHE a few months before the death of President Shinra Snr.

I still say Tseng would have killed Reno by now if he was the murderer. *nod*

KAIN: And yet there have been reports of mass-desertion of Turks from ShinRa's ranks. If Reno did not enjoy murdering the innocent to save face for the company, then he would have left as well.

*laughs*

Interesting that you would direct me to official records, when all know Shinra doctors information and records to suit their needs.

CELES: [to KAIN] It's still a job, isn't it? Someone orders him to kill, he kills. You could say the same about most of us when it comes to 'murdering in cold blood'. You aren't your organization. Not everyone gets to choose who they work for.

KAIN: No, you are not your organization. But when an organization as ruthless as Shinra comes into being, it draws all kinds of individuals. Hojo, for example.

As for choice? Who is to say that Reno did not make the choice to join a section of employees that act as political assassins.

CECIL: [to KAIN] If this were the case, I would think Reno would be considered more loyal to his job. If his interactions with Tidus are any indication, he seems to like drinking more than killing.

People who have to do jobs they dislike on some level often do turn to the bottle to drown it out at the end of the day...

We left when we started to disagree with our orders, but we were lucky. We could appeal to other regions and acquire their aid. It seems more complicated in this case.

KAIN: Reno's loyalty might only extend so far as to allow him access to easy murder. And do you really believe that substance abuse and psychopathy are mutually exclusive, Cecil?





ELENA, KAIN and LIGHTNING

ELENA: *cracks up laughing* Just and honorable? No way did I ever make THAT claim, oh most worthy and serious dragon knight.

Reno wouldn't randomly kill women and fathers without orders - with them, I have no doubt that he would. Simply put, unless our bosses are hiding information from us, Cissnei and I have no knowledge of orders to that effect, and I see no reason why those orders would be issued.

As for your "the most heinous killers are the ones that walk among us, seeming normal" argument - Reno never claimed to be normal, and none of us ever said that he was. I mean, you have to have a few screws loose to be a Turk, but we're not psychopaths.

If you want crazy lurking behind a mask of sanity, I would look at the pretty little merc boy over there.

KAIN: What reason was there for the reconstruction of Nibelheim? What reason was there for official records to lie about the deaths of many SOLDIERS? While you claim you are close to your President, do you really believe that Rufus Shinra does not play dangerous games that you are unaware of?

Being a Turk does not mean that one is a psychopath. However, that does not preclude that a psychopath cannot be a Turk. In fact, one would expect a love of killing and a lack of empathy to be a trait ShinRa's assassins would find attractive.

Has Reno ever publicly expressed his remorse for the Sector 7 incident?

LIGHTNING: I fail to see the relevance. We've already established that Reno follows orders, completes the mission. How would embarrassing his employer by expressing distaste for his job be at all rational?

KAIN: I find it interesting that lack of empathy is a quality that you find damning in Squall, and yet when presented with evidence that suggests that Reno suffers much the same deficiency, it becomes irrelevant.

LIGHTNING: *scoffs* Empathy for a target? I understand regret over a botched mission, but none of us can afford to allow mistakes to cripple us if we intend to stay alive.

Turning your back on your friends and family, on the other hand, is another matter.





ASHE

ASHE: *sighs* I know that I don't act like the princess at all. However, how long MUST I SIT IN THIS CELL! *stamps foot*. I mean come on! Its obvious that its Reno!!! ;)





RIKKU, CELES, KAIN, and LIGHTNING

RIKKU: Um, wow! I'm like, really surprised. Well...not exactly with Reno, I guess. I mean, he is a Turk, but I've never really had anything against them...they just sort of do their own thing, and some of them aren't that bad. Like...um, Cissnei in particular seems pretty level-headed. Soo, I don't think it's fair to jump on Reno because of his profession, y'know, guys?

Of course, I can see why anyone would, but I'm definitely thinking it's Squall.

I've kinda like, kept quiet a while, now, but this has gotten pretty ridiculous, guys. We've lost some valuable people, and we have innocents behind bars. That's not cool.

I feel kinda lame, because my murderer through track was completely off!

Let's look at some former clues, shall we, guys? Detective Rikku is totally on the case! *puts big magnifying glass to eyes*

Unfortunately, we don't have much with the initial clue about sand to go on, because both Squall and Reno visited Edea's Orphanage, which was likely a place Aerith would be, anyways.

Unfortunately, we don't have much information on Terra's Death either, as both Squall and Reno both had each a rifle (Squall) or pistol (Reno) - Laguna told us that it could be like, either of those weapons, so...again, sort of a tie there, too.

Also, remember how Tidus was hauled off suddenly after ruffling a few people's feathers recently? (Still miss Tidus. My blitzball buddy! *whine*) Tidus was on track as far as Reno and Squall, here. In this thread, Reno defends himself, and basically says what his job is. Not that suspicious. He does try to put blame onto a female and also tells Tidus that he might be next if he doesn't shut his mouth...but isn't that very...I don't know...Reno? It doesn't necessarily make him the killer.

Squall has bothered me for awhile as far as his complete lack of feeling for Rinoa whenever she's accused, and he even goes as far as to basically put the blame on her here as Elena stated, and then didn't bother to defend her afterward. That, and his complete lack of empathy when Rinoa is taken into custody makes me even more suspicious. I did talk to Rin a bit when she was around, and she talked about Squall like he was the love of her life. Does he seem like the Knight who swore to protect her? He can't even come up with a proper response to her arrest, nor does he respond to a comment someone left about attempting to save her! Preeetty suspicious, if you ask me, hum hum hum!

Funny too, when Sazh's death happened and we weren't aware that Reno was a suspect, Squall was very quick to point him out to Rinoa who herself, even seemed to have doubts with his logic. He talks about others with magical abilities as well, and yet he like, totally accused people with powerful magical abilities in the post above, aka as Elena pointed out, RINOA! I believe Squall's playing two sides, like, seriously! Really though, how did Squall come to the absolute conclusion about it being Reno before the rest of us, hmmm?

Trying to shift the blame on the only other person to possibly be in the same boat as him early on in the game, huh!?

Finally, tonight...instead if simply trying to defend himself or put some sort of argument against Reno he simply boo hoos when he's accused, almost in a way to evoke sympathy. Not defending himself much, eh? Maaaaybe, because there's nothing to defend, because he's guilty!

Celes and Lightning seem to have noticed the same thing here where, instead of defending himself, he simply says "I didn't do it" and then proceeds to sound like the "total nice guy" as he mentioned that behind bars, he and Reno may do no harm. If you're innocent and behind bars, wouldn't you be more concerned with defending your name, man??

Lastly, I swear! Sudden sympathy for Rinoa, say what? As if he's trying to use her as a shield, when she herself suspects him! It's not cool! As Cecil points out here, he doesn't worry too much. He wonders if "he's the next one." If Reno was truly the murderer, wouldn't Squall be next? Shouldn't a man bound by honor (that's SeeD, right? Honor and all that jazz!) try to defend his name, his girlfriend and basically his princess, and also himself once accusations are made?

Hmph. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind, guys. I'm putting it all on Squall. Totally
guilty, you big meanie! These senseless deaths have to stop, and I mean right now! *stamps foot*

CELES: Squall says he wasn't able to go to Rinoa's defense because his vehicle broke down, but that doesn't explain the lack of empathy, considering everyone seemed to think they were close. Including Rinoa herself.

The lack of empathy is what's bothering me most about this.

LIGHTNING: *listens silently, nodding slightly at random intervals* Agreed. Leonhart's all talk.

RIKKU: Okay, okay - his car broke down? A likely story! Even if it did, I still agree with the lack of emotion on his part! He was sooo uncool about Rinoa's capture, and didn't show much consideration about it until peeps started complaining about it!

Yeah...that, and Rinoa has stated on more than one occasion that despite being in love with Squall, she sort of suspects him, too. Isn't that worrisome in itself?

I'd like to hope some kind of brain mumbo jumbo washing has been done if it seriously is Squall, though! I mean...him and Rin seemed so close, that it's kind of sad. :(

KAIN: Imagine that. Squall, not being emotional. Has the Feymarch frozen over? *amused*

RIKKU: Haha, you make a good one there, Kain! Really, though...didn't he take like, vows to be her knight and stuff? That's what I mean...a knight should have more concern for his beloved, should he not?

*scratches head because she's not a knight, but thinks she's on the right track.*

KAIN: And what, exactly, is the mystical 'knightly' standard that Squall is being measured against?

Surely not Seifer. *distaste*

As for concern, do you believe this is the time or place for temper tantrums, love-lorn platitudes?
This is a murder investigation, not a soap opera.

LIGHTNING: Murder investigation or not, empathy was due, Kain. None of us are stone. That's how teams -
and relationships - work. Reassurances, or at least acknowledgement, hardly qualify as "soap."

KAIN: Nonetheless, there is a time and a place for such emotions, and this 'battlefield' of ours is not it. Who is to say that such reassurances took place away from the public eye?

LIGHTNING: Rinoa's body language said it all. And you call yourself observant? Tch.

KAIN: And when did this distress occur? Within the public eye. Perhaps you should cool your heels and listen.





CECIL, RIKKU, CELES, KAIN and LIGHTNING

CECIL: If it is Squall, Sazh's death may have only been to mislead us. Sazh is the one who originally brought up the magic association, then Squall tries to avert attention from himself by suggesting it was someone killing off the competition. Sazh mysteriously ends up dead next... Almost as if Squall wanted us to believe that his girlfriend was the killer, as she was the easiest for him to use.

This is unsettling on many levels. Ugh.

Don't they say the only emotion sociopaths genuinely display is anger? From what I've heard of Squall's constant personality...

RIKKU: Exactly! Rinoa seemed to almost turn into a shield for him to use, and Sazh was the innocent bystander caught up into it.

Geez, poor Rinoa. This is pretty bad...

Yeah...well, I haven't exactly seen Squall happy myself, but according to Rinoa, they've had a lot of good times, which is why his lack of caring is so suuuuspicious, if I do say so, myself! I wish Rinoa wasn't locked up so that she could help us out, more. :( Darn!

CELES: Maybe we could ask Laguna if we can talk to her? If we can talk to Squall and Reno, I don't see why we can't talk to Rinoa, particularly since we now know she's innocent.

SQUALL: [to RIKKU] and you won't see me happy for a while since

1) My girlfriend is locked

2) There is a crazy murderer on the loose...

KAIN: That is correct. This was hardly the time for lovelorn platitudes, and Squall knows this.

LIGHTNING: Stop rationalizing his behavior. He crossed the line between stoically focused and mercilessly cold, a behavioral defense mechanism necessary to carry out these heinous murders.

KAIN: In which instance was this behaviour considered 'too far' or even outside the normal behaviour for a man as withdrawn as Squall? On the subject of defense mechanisms, have you never heard of isolation and dissociation?

We can play at psychoanalysis all day, but what one person considers normal and acceptable, another does not. Such is the way of the perceptual set.

LIGHTNING: Stop pulling this into an academic debate, Dragoon. We all have experience in both battle and loss - this is nothing in excess of the norm for most of our occupations.

The simple fact of the matter is that neither of us knows Squall as well as Rinoa. If she felt he was acting strangely, withdrawn, and unnaturally moody, it is worth noting.





ZIDANE, CELES, and RIKKU

ZIDANE: well, it kind of suck that no one used the bribe system, but i'm keeping mum about this until
more debates is being formulated

CELES: No opinion at all, Zidane?

RIKKU: She's got a point, Zidane. I just put a bunch of info up there for debate, and we've got two suspects narrowed down...and like, everyone's trying to figure it out.

You seriously have NO thoughts by this point? How much clearer can things get!?

ZIDANE: My problem is both suspects can be portraying themselves when they chose their targets or can be more random. It is possible that they chose the victims knowing full well that we would suspect the other person than him.