Questions and Answers

"I don't think I have, until recently," he answered. "Not really, at least. You see, I knew what it was in my mind, but..."

He stopped, and shook his head. 'A state of emotion, driven by passion and opposition.'

"What is it like, to be hated?"

"I do not know." Vissica sniffed, her whiskers straightening as she rolled the question in her mind.

"I have not taken time to consider it. What most people think of me is irrelevant."

"So you do not dwell on it?" he asked. "Or is it that you don't notice that others hate you?"

Khoovi shifted on his feet, but remained standing.

"I do not dwell on what others may feel, unless it is necessary that I know it."

Vissica's tongue flicked up, wetting her nose before retreating.

"I have no doubt that I am hated. A Knight of the Empire is an instrument of Imperial power, wielded against our enemies. To be effective, we must be feared, and fear easily transmutes into hatred. If that hastens my enemy to show themselves and fight, rather than to run and hide, it is useful to me. There is little else to feel on the matter."

The Selonian paused, as if winding something alien in the room. Her gimlet eyes narrowed.

"This is more than an academic question from you, Cadet. Explain yourself."

As he had been trained, he snapped to attention and stood straight the moment Vissica had commanded her question.

"I have empathic abilities, and sometimes what I feel from others affects me physically," the cadet responded quickly and without hesitation. "This is a new experience for me, and I wanted to ask you and others who might be able to direct me on how to handle it."

Khoovi kept his eyes locked on an indistinct point in front of him.

Vissica's whiskers raised, as if they tried to feel the emotional affectation through the air.

"I see."

She took to a closer examination, moving at a slow pace in Khoovi's orbit to look for signs of a physical malady.

"Then you ask not as one exercising hatred, but as the subject?"

One full revolution completed, Vissica squared to face the Shistavanen once more.

"Where is this feeling of hatred coming from?"

wrong account

Do not lie.

"Teachers, mainly. And students. It's to be expected here, isn't it?" He paused. "My main concern isn't who it is. After all, if I will be a Knight, I will be hated. I simply am trying to deal with a new obstacle in the most efficient way possible."

Khoovi's reticence was annoying, but understandable. There was a tendency in internal matters to resist naming names, out of fear of stigma or reprisal or both. It was an obstacle to resolving this situation, but one that Vissica resisted punching through herself. If she did so, what would this cadet learn?

"No, Cadet. I do not expect comrade Knights and Cadets to hate one another. That runs at cross purposes of our goals - especially if this hatred is acted upon, knowingly or not."

She narrowed her eyes.

"You should confront the source of this hatred. It must be dealt with directly. No insinuations."

"I plan on it," the Cadet assented. "I am also unprepared to deal with this. Which is why I came to you, since I expect this won't be the first time I'll have to deal with my abilities like this."

He paused, sensing that the Knight was just about finished with him, aware as she must be that he was reticent to speak about everything.

"Thank you."