Chapter 59 of 78 · Book 5, The Butcher's Masquerade

Chapter 59 — The sheriffs of the wild west

Book: The Butcher's Masquerade · Part: The Butchering · Previous: Chapter 58 — The last stall in the women's bathroom · Next: Chapter 60 — The raids · Floor: Floor 6 — The Hunting Grounds · Series: the series

Opening

» Time to the Butcher’s Masquerade: 62 Hours.

Summary

Forty-five minutes out, Carl wakes in Orren's chair with blood-magic debuffs; Donut is lapping a cherry drink ordered from the kitchen ('Do you know what capers are? They're really gross'). The changelings were ejected, banned, and blamed for the sink. Orren is leaving at the collapse until the ninth floor's Faction Wars, 'assuming that even happens' — his other function has been rendered moot. What a liaison is: someone passionate about the game who fundamentally disagrees with his own nation's goals, because host nations have aims counter to 'the spirit and true purpose of the game'; he survived the Valtay takeover by seniority and by being a known dissenter. 'There are some of us who meet that second requirement a little too much.' Donut: 'But he’s struggling with how to do it because he doesn’t like us, and he’s scared about breaking the rules.' 'I like you two quite a bit […] circumstances have changed.' Sheriffs, he says: some good, some bad, some who go too far — and Carl thinks of Chris and of the caprid liaison who seemed to be working with the Skull Empire. Business: the courts have frozen every crawl case until the AI's stability through a floor change is known, so Quasar cannot get his court order; Orren circumvents it once, in the room. Quasar appears in smoke — with Jenn'ifer, in a scrolling 'Goddamnit, Donut!' shirt, Maggie waving on her head, and both of them burst into tears at the sight of the cat.

Characters

• Orren — Leaving until the ninth; explains what liaisons are; warns without warning.
• Carl — Debuffed and impatient; thinks of the caprid.
• Princess Donut — Reads Orren better than Orren; capers.
• Quasar — Summoned around a frozen court.
• Jenn'ifer — In a Donut shirt, weeping, with her symbiote.
• Astrid — Delivered them to the liaison.

Locations

• The Desperado Club — Orren's office again.

Motifs

• The Syndicate — Liaisons as dissenting sheriffs; courts frozen; one who goes too far.
• The lawsuits — A court order impossible; a one-time circumvention.
• The Princess Posse — Its chapter president in the room.