Therapy Session of Ron Plunderman #7

Once more Ron seemed to be in a mostly positive mood, he had been chatting away with the doctor for some minutes and there had been none of the usually evasiveness or angry rebellion.

After a time the doctor steered the conversation back to the events at the South Arcadian Whaling Company.

“So this native rebel had your patron Jask Derindi captive … a knife to his throat.”

Ron paused, a glimmer of annoyance crossed his face. “I suppose, if you say so.”

“What do you mean ‘if you say so’ I thought this was on public record? Are you saying events went differently?”

Ron shrugged, “No I mean if you say his name is Jask Derindi? I never learnt his last name, but yeah Jask was held captive and was murdered by that nigger with the knife.”

The doctor sighed and mumbled something inaudible to himself. “Okay and by all accounts it seemed he died as a direct result of your actions.”

Ron screwed up his face. “Hang on that’s bullshit I never cut his throat. That was the nigger, what account have you been reading?”

The doctor quickly answered, “No I didn’t mean you actually killed him but that you forced the rebels hand … the fellow by the name of … “ the doctor flicked through some notes …” Umagro.  And if you must know this is the eye witness account of Titus.”

The doctor flicked through some more notes looking for the relevent passage. “Here it is …’Iomedae save me, this was perhaps the last straw. If it was not bad enough that the infernal snake man tempt fate with his fanciful and ridiculous illusion of the natives gods rejection of the rebel Umagro; the mad buffon Ron Plunderman did not hesitate for a moment. He threw one his dishonorable toxic bombs upon the rebel which only served to anger him and make his mind to slay our friend Jask. What crime did Jask ever do to deserve such a treatment from us, or more particularly Ron and Szariel. These people I associate with have no regard for any but themselves. None showed any remorse for Jask’s death, not Ron, Szariel, Dorian or Helga.’”

The doctor stopped reading and silence fell upon the room as the testament of Titus’s words were absorbed by Ron.

After awhile the Doctor prompted Ron, “So what have you to say.”

Ron looked a little confused. “Titus wrote that? I had no idea he could write. He’s quite the wordsmith. Hmm, have you got any more of his stuff? Could you read it to me?”

The doctor shook his head. “Ron come on, you know what I meant. What do you think of what  Titus said.”

Ron imitated the doctor immediate. “Doctor come on, you know what I meant. Titus is full of shit and doesn’t know anything.”

The doctor continued, “So you didn’t throw the bomb? You didn’t force the rebels hand?”

Ron squirmed for a bit before relaxing. He was determined to keep his temper. “Yes I threw the bomb but how should I know if I forced his hand? Maybe he would’ve killed him that instant anyway.”

The doctor flipped back a page and read some more from Titus’s account. “’The rebel had taken Jask hostage and was demanding to speak to a representative from the government.’ That doesn’t sound like he was going to immediately kill his hostage. In fact quite the opposite. You had time on your side, you could’ve stalled … negotiated … devised a plan to rescue Jask where his chances for survival were greater.”

Ron took a deep breath before answering the doctor. “Bah, what ridiculous soft hearted drivel. Let me tell you something doc, there were over one hundred dirty smelly blacks milling about listening to that idiot rebel drone on. If we had done what you said we would’ve looked like a bunch of piss weak whores looking to suck some dick. Every one of those little monkey fuckers would’ve learnt that it was okay to abduct and ransom people and make demands upon the city. The fact is we saved lives that day. Countless lives, because in the future when one of those pea brained little fuckers thinks it is good idea to hold someone to ransom, they need only be reminded of what happened last time. And that is eight dead niggers and one dead hostage. Where do you think the saying ‘never negotiate with terrorists ‘ comes from? They say that because it works.”

Ron paused before adding … “Oh and one more thing, Jask might’ve survived, if the rebel had succumbed to my stink bomb, then Jask would probably be still alive. It’s a tough break but I don ‘t give a shit. He didn’t die in vain”

The doctor smiled. “So you’re hero then. Do you think Jask would agree with you?”

Ron scowled, “How should I know, probably not, but as I said it was tough break. Good people die everyday. So what? If you really want to know go get him resurrected, it’ll only cost you ten thousand gold.”

The doctor held up his hand defensively. “Okay Ron, I’m sorry if you think I’m judging you. Look what I want to know is how you felt about his death. Was there really no remorse.”

Ron scoffed. “Bah. I’ve been to war several times, had countless die on me while I’m trying stitch up an artery or pull out arrows and other crap out people. I don’t have the luxury of remorse.”

The doctor continued. “But you knew Jask…”

Ron shook his head, “What and you think I never knew the names of other patients I lost. So what. Sure I knew Jask, I guess he was okay. I really didn’t socialize with him much. As I said good people die. Its not my fault; it’s the nigger rebel’s and no one else’s.”

The doctor shook his head and persisted. “Come on Ron, you spent weeks on remote island with him, you must have felt something.”

Ron kept shaking his head. “Have you not listened to anything I’ve said. He was part of the useless group that sat around all day, probably getting their knob polished by the useless whore Sasha, while we did all the hard work rescuing them. So NO. I didn’t spend weeks with him and no I actually didn’t know him that well.”

The doctor calmly continued his questioning. “So there was absolutely no glimmer of remorse.”

Ron took a breath. “I never said ‘no remorse’. I said I’ve seen heaps of bad shit and I don’t let it get to me. So if it makes you feel better. I. Did. Not. Want. Him. To. Die. But he did and that’s too bad and I didn’t lose any sleep over it.”

“And that is all you are getting from me today.”