[Dragaera] Irresistible Force vs. Immovable Object (Was Re:Unstoppable Force vs Immovable Object)

[Scott Schultz]

>There's no reason to think Zerika is the only bright mind working for
>the Empire, so I nearly think you're just reiterating Davdi's original
>statement: Vlad's evasions worked only because the interrogators were
>incompetent, uninterested, or bribed.

Y'know, I nearly believe that the most interesting question is "Why was Vlad
testifying under the Orb?". The Emperor is a busy person, never mind being
ostensibly the most important person. Testifying under the Orb would be a
privelege rather than a right, I'd imagine. Or maybe anyone can request it
as long he's willing to wait 50 years for his opportunity. A wait like that
might not seem so onerous to a Dragaeran, I suppose.

If Vlad was testifying under the Orb for a minor matter (from an Imperial
view) like killing a rival that was horning in on his action, then someone
pulled strings to get him into that position. If that person (The Demon,
helping a valued underling?) was hoping to get Vlad off quickly, he might
even have coached Vlad on how to answer the questions (though Vlad doesn't
give any suggestion of such) and likely might have suggested to Zerika
through the House Jehreg representative that the House would appreciate her
taking care of this minor matter of an obviously innocent nobleman who,
being an Easterner, couldn't patiently wait twenty years for the Orb or the
court system to get around to him.
In that case, yeah, Zerika was just doing a favor for the House and,
amusement with the whole process aside, she got an education in just how
unreliable the Orb and the court system could be when manipulated properly.

On the other hand, if someone took what should have been a minor altercation
of the sort that takes place every month or so within The Organization and
blew it up into an Imperial Matter, that would be semi-interesting to learn
about. Who wanted Vlad out of the way strongly enough to get him thrown into
prison and hopefully sent to the Star by having his  crimes revealed by the
Orb itself?