As with all tents on this journey, Kin's is quite sparse in its accommodations. The ground is covered with two simple bedrolls. To one side are Kin's weapons, the Autumn Harvest and her own fighting fans that are eerily similar to the ones that fought them their recent battle used. Kin retired immediately to her wagon once they returned to the camp and had relocated it for safety further away from the ruins. The reptile has been quite for hours since as she has gone into deep meditation. In fact, she even put the mirror mack back on for some reason known only to her.

There isn't way to 'knock' at a tent flap, so Xander just talks through it instead. "Kin? Can I have a word with you?" the buck asks.

There's a delay in Kin's reply, but it does come. "Yes, Xander. You are welcome to enter," she says.

Pushing aside the flap, the Fire Mage crawls into the tent and sits down. "Am I interrupting anything?" he asks.

"Only thoughts," Kin answers from where she sits with her back to Xander, hands folded in her lap. She reaches up and undoes the strapping on the mask, then slips it off and sets it to the side. "How may I help you?" she asks.

"Well," Xander says, rubbing the back of his head. "I know you've had a really tough day already, but I thought this was important. It's to do with your Warrior's Code."

"I'm listening," Kin says in her quiet monotone.

"I know it's important to you, but I need to you to understand that if you continue to follow it, you'll lose to Hakuu," Xander says, bluntly. "And I can tell you why if you're willing to listen."

"I do not expect you to understand our ways," Kin replies after a bit of uncomfortable silence. "But I will listen to what you have to say."

"Well, at the very simplest, from a strategic viewpoint: Hakuu can predict exactly how you will respond to any given situation," Xander points out. "That's the real purpose of the Warrior's Code – to protect the ruling class from being overthrown by their own warriors. Everything about it – individual sacrifice, duty to the death, imposed honor – it's all there to allow them to control you. Hakuu knows that, and he'll use it."

"I … there is some wisdom in what you say," Kin admits and her shoulders slump a bit. "But it is all I have."

"No it isn't, that an illusion," Xander insists. "You think it's all you have, because that's what you've been taught. True honor isn't about protecting the status of others. It's about defying your own weaknesses and rising above them. You gave up your name, Kin. Not for some sense of 'honor' but to protect the people you care about. That's all that matters now. You do this to protect people. Lilac didn't throw herself into defending you out of some abstract or ingrained sense of duty or obligation. She did it because she loves you. That's honor."

Again Kin sits quietly for some time, motionless. "I wasn't trying to protect their status," she says, "His handmaidens are victims; both from our attack and from what he did to them. It would have been a mercy to end their journey. All we have done by sparing them is worsen our odds. How does that protect people?"

"They were following the exact same code of behavior that you do, weren't they?" Xander asks. "It made them slaves. And it protects people because by sparing them, you've broken their rules. Something like that stays with a person. Maybe it will allow them to question themselves or their master. Maybe not. But death isn't a mercy. It isn't their lives that are causing them pain, it's their devotion to something that was set up to control them."

"If we'd had the time, we could have used their devotion to our advantage," the buck adds.

"I … yes, I would have done the same," Kin admits, her head hanging down. "What would you have had me do?"

"There's a reason for the whole 'death before dishonor' part of your code," Xander says. "And this is it: once someone has been brainwashed into obedience, it isn't difficult to manipulate them further. That's why you – and they – are conditioned to commit suicide before they can be used against their own masters. If we'd kept her as a hostage, it might have been possible to convince her that the best way to protect her master is to kill the foreigners that she will believe are conspiring against him."

To that Kin snorts. "I do not think we could go take her now. You should have suggested that before we left," she remarks and shakes her head. "Perhaps you should be the leader of this group than everyone looking to me for the answers."

"I was upset at the time, and I'm just as big a hypocrite as anyone when it comes to certain things," Xander admits. "As a Fire Mage, I could have tortured her until she talked, causing her agony without physically harming her. But I know I'm not really capable of that. You didn't want to kill her either, did you?"

"No, I did not. I wanted her to walk away. I was praying she would take that choice. She was young, perhaps my age, perhaps a bit younger. I was hoping that her seeing me, really seeing me, would have had an effect on her," Kin admits quietly as her voice cracks a bit. "I do not like killing; I do not want to kill. I do if it is necessary, but never easily."

"But according to your code, you would have known that by talking to her, you were taking away the choice for her to live on with honor," Xander says. "In your heart, you don't really agree with the codes of behavior and honor you've been taught, do you?"

"To be a good Jadaian, the code is everything. To be a good person, it is not. I am not sure what I am anymore," Kin answers, "Or what I am becoming. I wanted her to live. I wanted all of them to live, to have a chance to see a world without bonds. I was hoping they would be more like me, I guess. I don't know if I can even explain how I feel; I feel as if I am betraying my entire kind."

"You're only betraying the ruling class," Xander says. "It's false guilt. It's what they want you to feel – questioning yourself instead of them." He moves closer and tries to draw the Kiriga to his chest. "You need to look beyond that, but still keep it in mind. Hakuu will use it against you, but that means we can also use it against him."

"I am from the ruling class, Xander," Kin says and doesn't resist when the Lapi pulls her back. She continues to look down and at being close now, Xander can readily tell the dragon has been crying. "I should know what to do, but I don't. I feel that this is a hopeless battle and that I've lead you all into something you may not survive. It was wrong of me to bring you here, to bring Lilac here, and to bring Anisa here. For Gibson … he has a duty to see to the end of Vandringar."

"Don't feel that way, we actually have a good chance of success," Xander says, and strokes Kin's mane to try and relax her. "Hakuu expects you to behave a certain way. That means you can examine a given situation, and understand what he is planning by knowing what you would do according to your code. This can give us a means to affect him indirectly, through a secret technique I learned on Caroban. Something that I was told makes armies irrelevant."

"If he even knew I was acting against him. He knows now, though," Kin points out, then sighs. It might seem amazing on some levels that the Kiriga, who was a fierce warrior only a few hours ago, is actually rather small and thin when held close. She remains quiet for a bit, content to just be held for a time. "What technique?" she finally asks.

"Well, when I was studying military tactics – a requirement for Fire Mages – a friend of mine introduced me to another student, an Exile," Xander says. "She had a lot of strange ideas and was usually pretty entertaining, so when she invited me to attend a special secret seminar, I figured it would at least be worth a laugh. But I learned something amazing instead. The secret of 'counter intelligence' and how it can be used to make the enemy self destruct. I've had some time to think on it, and I have a strategy to suggest to you now. It may seem bizarre, but I want to know what you think."

Kin twists her torso around a bit and drapes her neck over Xander's shoulder. "I said I was listening," she comments quietly, "I haven't stopped yet. Please tell me, even if it is strange."

"Well, Lilac told me she saw those masked women before, in Hakuu's home," Xander explains. "That leads me to think they may have been his elite personal guard. And now they've been defeated, but one was suspiciously left alive with the knowledge of who defeated them. We need to spin this into the following scenario: You are actually an unknowing tool of Vandringar, while the rest of us are secretly working for him. Your purpose is to provide both a distracting threat and eventual solution to dealing with Hakuu when he has served his purpose. We must make him believe that his guard was defeated so that he would have to rely on Vandringar's mercenaries for protection. But when the time was right, those mercenaries would let you through to assassinate him, thus leaving Vandringar's hands clean. This will serve as a wedge between our two enemies, and may actually isolate them from one another in time."

Kin pulls back and gives Xander a rather peculiar look. "That is strange," she admits, brow ridge lifting a bit. "Though, I do not see how we can make it appear that I am an agent of Vandringar. I have met Vandringar only once. Even more so, I am not sure how to convince him I am an assassin in Vandringar's employ. I am not saying the plan is bad, I just do not know how to implement it."

"Well, we'll work out the hows when the opportunity arises," Xander notes. "But right now, according to your code and how Hakuu believes you think and from his contact with you – what reason will he assume for you to be here now, and suddenly opposed to him?"

"I left the night his compound was raided by Gibson. The same night I met Vandringar. Hakuu knows I am strong willed, though, and may just assume I left because I did not approve of the union," Kin points out. "I really do not know. Following code, it would have to be something related to the protection of the honor of my family or my lands. But … I truly know little about how Hakuu thinks. If I knew more, I might have a better idea of what he wants with me. Given what he did to those girls, I can only assume it would be that, plus more."

"But were you obedient and submissive in his presence when you went to him?" Xander asks.

"I was, but he said he knew I was not normally such," Kin admits.

"Still, an ego like his would not easily accept that a mere woman could actually defy him, I think," Xander suggests. "Okay, new scenario! You aren't here to hurt him, but to help him! On the night of the raid, you learned that Vandringar plots against him – the theft of the documents was a ruse by Vandringar to keep them out of Hakuu's hands. You stumbled upon this, and are trying to warn him, but can't do so directly because Vandringar would have you silenced. Hakuu already knows the Cervani is a megalomaniac, after all. Would he not much more readily believe him to be his opponent instead of his future wife?"

"That would then require me to get close to Hakuu again," Kin says with a noticeable shiver. "I fear what he might do to me. You saw his handmaiden's eyes. I could survive that, at least he didn't remove them … but. Vandringar has been a longer ally of Hakuu's than some woman he just chose to marry. So … I don't know. Both plans have risk. I am not sure how I would even get close to him again."

"That's the beauty of counter-intelligence," Xander says. "If Hakuu is convinced of the lie, then he will seek to meet with you in private, away from his supposed enemy. He would leave the protection of the camp, in other words."

"And how would he know to try and meet me? And I doubt he would come unguarded. He would bring those women again. There is no way I could defeat seven alone," Kin says.

"You wouldn't be alone of course; it'd be a trap we set," Xander says. "But don't worry about details yet. The key here is coming up with a strategy that plays upon Hakuu's weakness: his vanity. It is natural for the vain and powerful to imagine everyone else to be jealous, even their closest friends. If our goal is to get him away from the army and into a situation of our choosing, then we need to think of ways to make Hakuu cooperate with it. We can't go to him, after all."

"In that we agree," Kin says with a short nod. "And bringing the Imperial army here may not help us, either." She picks up the mask and holds it in her hands, looking down at it. "I had hoped this could be used to sneak into the camp, but I do not see that as a possibility now."

"We only need the edges of the camp," Xander says. "It's big, so the foot soldiers can't be expected to know everyone. There may be a chance of planting some disinformation with them by impersonating support people or other mercenaries. Didn't Gibson already do that before?"

"Yes, he did impersonate a mercenary," Kin says with a nod, "And I can certainly wear this … but I will need a crystal to see through or it will be pointless. I need to be able to see." The Kiriga rolls her jaw, then asks, "What if Hakuu demands some proof of my loyalty to him?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Xander cautions. "This isn't something you can really plan out in advance, I'm afraid. We don't know what they're up to here or how long they'll be around. We'll need to pick Gibson's brain: find out the names of the mercenary officers and anything else he learned about their command structure. Then we'll need to see if they're even at the camp, since Hakuu and Vandringar could have split up to go after separate targets. We have to keep spying." He also leans over to pick up the mask, studying the inner ceramic lining.

"If we see any of the handmaidens performing errands in the camp, then we can think about using this as a disguise," he notes.

"Feel free to try it on," Kin says with a wave to the mask. She pauses for a moment, thinking. "We know they were acting as messengers to the Governor," Kin notes and her ears suddenly perk. "I have another possible idea. With some decent enamel paint and dye, we could alter my coloration and I could go to the Governor and use the him to contact the group and send information of some sort to Hakuu, possibly."

"Now you're thinking like… well… a dragon, I suppose," Xander says with a grin. "See? We're not helpless. You've still got me and Master Tooth to help even things out."

Kin frowns at the comment about Longtooth. "Master Longtooth is dead, Xander," she says.

"He was also older than dirt and still pretty dangerous," Xander points out. "Do you really think being dead makes him useless?"

"Yes," Kin answers.

Xander waggles his ears. "Well, think on this: imagine you are a Jadaian soldier from that camp," he says. "Your squad is called upon to investigate an intruder. You climb up the cliff to find and an ancient Kiriga in a stance of defiance, showing now fear or emotion or even movement. Would you be willing to be the first one to go confront him?"

"That is disturbed, Xander. I would not use his body in such a manner; it is wrong," Kin says, frown deepening.

"I think he'd appreciate the humor in it," Xander notes. "And it would be a more exciting end to his legend than dying from drinking wood alcohol. He could go out in a blaze of glory. Literally. I know the spell."

Kin rubs her forehead with a claw tip. "I will consider it, but do not get your hopes up," she says, still frowning. "I do not understand you, Xander. One moment you are being wise and concerned, the next you are being ridiculous."

"Hardly ridiculous," Xander huffs, puffing out his chest. "It could be a vital distraction allowing one or more of us to infiltrate the camp from the opposite direction."

Kin just shakes her head again. "Oh, yes. Xander, thank you for taking care of Lilac," she says and bows her head. "I could not."

"She'll need to see a Life Mage to get rid of the scar though," Xander says, deflating a bit and looking tired. "Have I started babbling yet? I could sleep for a day right now. Have I been any help at all to you tonight?"

Kin looks at Xander for a bit, the reptile looking rather tired and worn herself. Instead of stating an answer to his question, she chooses a different method. Her hands come up and curl lightly against the Lapi's cheeks and she leans in, actually kissing him. Unlike the time in battle, this one is slower and rather gentle (if a bit odd given the scaliness of it). In time she sits back and releases him, then traces a talon along one of his ears. "There is your answer, Hotfoot," she says quietly. That's probably the first time she's ever called him by his nickname.

Xander blushes and smiles. "Well… I know service is its own reward and such, but that was still pretty nice!"

"Well, if you were not tired, there would have been much more to the reward," Kin says and sits back, her long tail curling around her feet. "You should get some rest. When the others are able, we need to discuss all options available to us and put one or more of them into motion."

The buck nods, reluctantly, and starts for the flap. "Just let me know if you ever need someone to help you think in a different direction," he offers before leaving.

"You could rest here if you like?" Kin offers and pats one of the bedrolls. "Long-Shadow is keeping watch for the moment, so the spot is available."

Lapis can backpedal pretty quickly, and Xander isn't one to turn down hospitality! He falls back on the other bedroll, and says, "Thanks, Kin. Anisa isn't the best tent mate, I'm sorry to say."

"Nor am I, truth be told. I have lots of pointy bits. Long-Shadow never complains, though," Kin says as she settles down against the Lapi. "I'll wake you with the others stir," she tells him. "Rest well, Xander. We would have lost today if it wasn't for your magic buying us time. You have more than earned it."

The buck seems about to say something, but ends up yawning instead. "Thanks again," he mutters, and closes his eyes. At least he should sleep soundly with someone next to him who doesn't smell like a doe.

Kin, for her part, doesn't really fall asleep. She just lies near the buck, one arm lightly draped over him. Her eyes can't help but stare into the odd mask, looking into misshapen versions of her own reptilian eyes. "Just what are you up to, Hakuu?" she wonders, "What is my role in your plans? What am I to you? How do I stop you?" No answers, of course, come. The Kiriga is merely left with her own thoughts, the sound of the desolate band winds rippling the tent gently.