“Needless to say, as far as recruitment drives go, it was fairly successful. We had dozens of young hopefuls singing our praises. Once the rest of the crowd dispersed we were left with throngs of young idealists eager to join the new regime. Ultor was selective, though. He cast aside anyone whose motives he deemed questionable; there is never a shortage of hot-headed youths itching for a little blood and action. That’s not what we are about.

“All said and done we walked away with sixteen new recruits. They were people whose hearts we judged to be in the right place, and whose minds were on the target.”

“I will of course need a full list of the individuals in question,” Armitan’s tone brooked no objection.

“What’s the point? I could give names, birthdates, previous jobs, in some cases even a list of past flings; it still wouldn’t tell you a single thing about them. When you devote yourself to something, wholly and completely, that is who you become. You’re asking for the names of people who are no more. Those who are still alive are nothing like the men and women they started out as.”

“This is a subject we will return to, Mr. Blanc. I am hardly going to let crimes go unpunished on the basis that you and your fellows have suffered some form of identity crisis,” Armitan sniffed.

“Your rigid loyalty to the letter of the law is somewhat refreshing. It is pleasing to see a man adamantly stand by what he believes. It’s refreshing but misguided. In many ways I respect you, Mr. Armitan. We are not worlds apart. Who knows, one more wound in your past and perhaps you would have stood with us as well.”

“I am nothing like you, Mr. Blanc. I obey and uphold the law. I do not make my own. And it is Judge Armitan, I’ll thank you, or Your Honour, if you prefer.”

“And it is Polias,” the retort earned Simon a snide smile, “Indulge me, ‘Judge’ Armitan. What gives that word meaning - ‘Judge’?”

Armitan looked weary, “Language gives it meaning, Mr. Blanc. Language, and my law degree.”

A few people chuckled around the hall, and even Polias allowed himself to grin.

“Excellent answer. Language has meaning, why? Because people decided it has meaning. What makes that an apple and that a pear? Agreement does. Your law degree, and laws themselves, have meaning because people decided to give them meaning. People and agreement, that’s all it is.

“Well, there are people out there in their thousands who agree with me. They agree with the way we chose to do things. I ask you, what makes your law better than mine? You think yours is universal? I am living proof that it is not. You think yours came first? Laws and justice have always been evolving. There are laws you uphold that were cobbled together not a year ago. There are laws I champion that date back to when we were still trying to figure out what we could fuck and what we should run from. It’s all the same, so long as enough of us agree.

“So you see, Mr, Armitan, you and I are very much alike. We just have a different understanding of the same words.”