[Epsilon Chapter 46]

[Starcat5]

Ok Jeremiah, pick your words carefully. You know Lady Finch is under a lot of stress right now, and has a hair trigger at the best of times. The last thing you want is to trigger a freakout that would do your Mother proud. 

[Starcat5]

46-11 - Persuasion check failed

Damn it Jerry, what did I just say?!? That's it, you're off the negotiation team! 

[Liatai]

Ah, Lady Finch, continuing to speedrun the trip down the "it seemed like a good idea at the time" waterslide to deeper and deeper trouble. ^.^;;;;

I know it's because they're all pretending that Lady Finch's trip to Taun HQ is being done voluntarily without duress, but... *claps to emphasize each exclamation* This! Is why! You cuff! Prisoners! During! Transport! X3;;;; Even if she was taking this trip of her own volition, she's a succubus, Jerry! Going to meet a clan leader, or at least higher-up members of a clan as old and storied as Taun's, is going to be a nerve-wracking experience in the BEST of times! The last thing you want while driving are wild wing tentacles reacting subconsciously to your passenger's duress and mucking with the steering. Are 'cubi restraining cuffs standard kit in a Taun troubleshooter's gear? I'd hope so... if not, this is coming up in annual review, Jerry...

(Come to think of it, I wonder if that's a common problem for 'cubi driving... especially those with living clan leaders and thus tentacle heads. Imagine getting cut off in traffic and then having to deal with your wings getting in the way trying to flip the other driver the bird, yank the steering wheel, bite the other driver, slam on the brakes, etc....! X3)

[Tapewolf]

I know it's because they're all pretending that Lady Finch's trip to Taun HQ is being done voluntarily without duress, but...

I think, if he expected to be taking a prisoner, he'd have arrived in an armoured vehicle with an escort.  At the time he assumed he was either going to be taking back a cheque, or a head.  A captive didn't really figure into things.

But yes, he could probably have done a better job here.  As for cuffing her, note that she grabbed the wheel and attacked him with her hands - so the only way bracers would have improved things is by strapping her hands behind her back as if for execution.  And that's not going to calm her down either.

[Liatai]

True! Very true. I guess I was thinking about handcuffs in her lap, but yeah. Still would have been relatively easy for her to yank the wheel. I think about little details like this in the things I like, a lot, and I like these comics, so. X3

[ProfesseurRenard]

I know it's because they're all pretending that Lady Finch's trip to Taun HQ is being done voluntarily without duress, but...

I think, if he expected to be taking a prisoner, he'd have arrived in an armoured vehicle with an escort.  At the time he assumed he was either going to be taking back a cheque, or a head.  A captive didn't really figure into things.

But yes, he could probably have done a better job here.  As for cuffing her, note that she grabbed the wheel and attacked him with her hands - so the only way bracers would have improved things is by strapping her hands behind her back as if for execution.  And that's not going to calm her down either.

Especially not when she's already having 'daymares' (wish I could think of a better term than that) about bikers being hanged alongside their motorbikes and four-chopper guillotines. Only question now is how badly it's going to go for her now.

[Tapewolf]

Especially not when she's already having 'daymares' (wish I could think of a better term than that) about bikers being hanged alongside their motorbikes and four-chopper guillotines. Only question now is how badly it's going to go for her now.

That stuff is canonical - she's recalling a documentary she saw once. However her self-insert with Jerry is not (that part is absolutely a 'daymare')

As for Jerry not taking precautions, it occurs to me (Remember, I wrote the original story 12 years ago) that Jerry hasn't actually seen Finch snap like that, I don't think.  Expecting the number 2 figure in a clan hierarchy to act rationally seems a safe bet as well.

[Liatai]

As for Jerry not taking precautions, it occurs to me (Remember, I wrote the original story 12 years ago) that Jerry hasn't actually seen Finch snap like that, I don't think.  Expecting the number 2 figure in a clan hierarchy to act rationally seems a safe bet as well.

Very true! This was something I was going to mention in my earlier comment, with Lady Finch being prone to violent outbursts when overwhelmed -- but then recalled he hasn't actually seen her flip out! The closest he's seen was her defensive tentacle raising on this page. As far as he's seen, she's been fearful, but deferential, and mostly professional, in a murderous way. (Honestly, being a Taun troubleshooter, he's probably seen similar behavior from more bloodthirsty 'cubi on the regular.  ) She was also the one who talked the Professor into letting him call his mom.