–And so there are zero candidates.
––No…no, that won’t do. Zero?
–I’d half-expected it, frankly. The process would require skill, yet ambition, and yet non-violent temperament under duress. It is a rare alchemist to possess even two of those qualities.
––Could we not relax the requirements? Bhalgura is too underserved a community to go without even substandard work.
–I know that, and you know that, and my heart revolts too.
–Were its situation not so…hrm…
––Extortionate?
–I would have said ‘delicate’, but were it neither, we would not need such a rare resource of person.
––Surely, there must be something we can do.
–Surely. I wish just as much.
––What happened to Josaline? She seemed so promising…
–Indeed. I was disappointed that she failed the temperament questionnaire.
––Bah, nonsense, you saw her. She fell asleep during the at-knifepoint exercise! How is she not sufficiently docile?
–Josaline answered ‘yes’ to the, ah…the question about childhood cruelty to small animals, siblings, and so on.
––Hm.
––Well, what did she say?
–She did not elaborate.
––Interesting.
–I erred on the side of something more terrible than burning ants with a marble lens or punching a brother. If she wouldn’t even say what it was, it must have been terrible.
––Bring her back here.
–Are you certain?
––Certain enough for a second look. You’re correct that unconscionable behavior wouldn’t be recounted truthfully…but I’d expect someone with something to hide would leave a deflection, or a lie.
––Not an invitation to inquire further.
–I…can’t say I agree, but I’ll take the excuse to try to salvage this operation.