Evergraceful, Mel stood and steepled her fingers on the table. "Yes, we are facing the greatest emergency in our lifetimes. So, with respect, let's stop quibbling over acting Councilors credentials so we can begin."

She received an appreciative grin from Jayce. Don't expect to keep that smile for long, Man of Progress. Your data is inaccurate and you'll find your hypothesis disproved soon.

Bolbok sat down. Mel glanced around in reassessment. I can afford one ally defecting for a vote trade later. Probably Cassandra for that and because she would want to see a diplomatic solution to her daughter's return. If only all mothers...

"Since I expect its quick approval, I bring Sheriff Derek's confirmation to the floor," Salo interrupted her thoughts.

Shoola huffed. "We can discuss it first. Acting Sheriff Derek, are summary executions going to be a routine part of your tenure?"

The Sheriff almost glared but kept his eyes above and forward. Like he felt he was addressing the spirit of Piltover. "After the recent and escalating attacks, I felt duty bound to protect the lives of my enforcers. The shots fired inside the terrorists chamber were because we were afraid for our lives."

Mel checked if her peers were buying that. They aren't, but they don't care, except the diplomatic delegation.

"Tactically, won't this make other suspects less likely to surrender?" Cassandra asked.

"Perhaps. But we ascertained they were being duplicitous about stopping resistance."

Just the leader needs to be a fox AND a wolf. I can decide which of the den or fox for a particular outing. Mel gently clicked her ring on the table. "I'm sure the enforcers took all reasonable measures in carrying out their duty. Thank you for your years of service as captain; I look forward to seeing you succeed where your predecessors were wanting."

"Acting Sheriff Derek, the man you say ordered Viktor's abduction was there?" Jayce asked. He stood since he'd look ridiculous in Heimerdinger's chair.

"Yes, acting Councilor."

"Wouldn't his arrest have provided useful information?"

"Yes, but I might not be before you if I prioritized that and risked arresting him."

Jayce nodded. "I imagine bringing in any of the chembarons would be risky for many around this table."

Ah, there's the boy. The average councilor is one half greed, one fourth pride, and one fourth fool. They won't like being called corrupt regardless of its veracity.

"That is quite the insinuation," Bolbok replied.

"Is it? I believe it is widely known, at least in the fissures."

Hoskel set down the toy. "No one is changing their mind. Do you have a final statement, Sheriff Derek?"

He saluted no one in particular. "I led a dangerous mission that had zero enforcer casualties from hostiles. The slain were no angels. If confirmed, I'll follow the council, but my default will be similar actions."

Jayce's fist clench. "No angels? The boy you–"

"We're voting," Salo interrupted.

Five lights went on with Cassandra joining at the last minute.

"We should discuss military plans, if any, next," Shoola suggested.

Nodding, Mel stood. "Sheriff Derek's decisiveness should have reduced the terrorist threat from the undercity to two factions. Silco, a captain of industry, appears to lead one and is behind the shimmer scourge. The other faction is Firelights under Ekko, who are much smaller but stole the hextech gemstone."

There were a few nods before Mel continued. "The committee's recommendation is to raid the shimmer factory, seize depots, neutralize dealers, and detain addicts. With Silco disempowered, we launch a smear campaign about the Firelights for the deaths of the chembarons and many inmates in Stillwater. We place bounties on them, offer selective amnesty to informers, and interrogate severely those with connections to them. They will be compelled to return the gemstone."

The carnivores must eat, but only enough to stay powerful. Gorging would be counterproductive.

Jayce looked at his wrist for a moment then started. "Seven years ago, a hex crystal exploded in my apartment. I was expelled and… I nearly killed myself because my dreams of the future were crushed. As mistaken as I believed the Council was then, I'm ten times more certain this course would be wrong."

Mel saw Shoola was watching him unconfidently. He speaks well to the commoners about dreams and equality and progress. But this is not that audience. People with big egos resent those who have actually accomplished things.

"The antipathy and desire for retribution is powerful in Zaun. Though many hate shimmer and the problems it has caused, they will hate an invading and especially an occupying enforcer corps more. And even a successful imprisonment of all those addicted would make the death count from the Stillwater break seem quotidian."

Salo raised a finger. "Shimmerheads will die one way or another. Better to take control from the trenchers and have it be operated by a noble house or clan. One that can have a great house provide them guidance."

Restraining a sigh, Mel templed her fingers. Why must they always state the subtext? Of course shimmer production would continue, but those unpleasantries could be worked out away from the table. Or at least under it.

Jayce looked at Salo disgusted. "Regardless of how 'noble' your motives for taking shimmer, it won't be allowed by the Zaunites. My best friend told me they aren't all gangsters, but they hate being treated as criminals. And the strategy to defeat the Firelights–bribes, deception, and brutality–are the same method that Silco has tried using on them for years."

Sheriff Derek cleared his throat. "Respectfully," he claimed. "Silco does not have a strong law enforcement corps. We'll execute the plan with alacrity."

"I'm born to the owners of a hammer factory. They are great tools for some tasks, but not others. The Zaunites are not nails."

"Zaunite again? Those from the old nation of Zaun? The Underciters style themselves this?" Bolbok asked.

"Well, for some reason, they have trouble identifying with us Topsiders and sure as hell not with the government."

"Sounds farcical. A slug may call itself a human, but it remains a slug," Hoskel contended.

Shoola stood before Jayce could respond. "We are losing focus. We should not make war and if we do it should be restricted in target and goals. We don't even have information from Heimerdinger about his meeting with Ekko yet."

"The timetable should be left up to the Sheriff," Mel contended.

It was Shoola that was burning up now. "This Council approved only 'limited' military action at our last meeting. Sheriff Derek has been confirmed, but if we launch a war and how bloody it is should not be in his purview."

"I have reverence for the council, but I will tender my resignation promptly if it intends to manage the minutiae of the enforcers corps," the Sheriff claimed.

There was silence at that as the factions weighed that outcome. Jayce broke it. "Who would you advise to replace you, then?"

Calling a killer's bluff is not lightly done, Jayce. Elora tells me many enforcers are behind him. He may not be beyond seeing an accident or another victim of trencher terrorism happen.

"I'd consider my captains. Though one is suspended for suspicion of collaboration, another you'd find more zealous than me, and the last one…"

"Is missing, presumed captured." Cassandra finished. She had steeled herself and focused on the Sheriff. "If in the course of operating against the Firelights, would you be deterred from your tactics if it meant endangering enforcers?"

"Truthfully Councilor, it wouldn't, if it's something the council approved."

Jayce was still looking frazzled. "Thank you for your honesty, Sheriff… now."

He is going to commit suicide by enforcer at this rate. Viktor's death must have been harder for him than we recognized.

"Perhaps a recess. These are passionate subjects and there is much to consider," Cassandra offered.

"Unfortunately, there is still much to consider," Mel said. We can use the doves' emotionality against them. And if we break, Heimerdinger may return. "Salo is right about the subject being too heated at present. Let us hear from the diplomatic committee."

Shoola looked at Jayce and nodded for him to go first. She thinks her closing argument will be stronger. We just need to avoid any large blunders and the military committee will have its approval. It will have the fox's mind and the wolf's body. We will not make a full war, but our opponents will be incapable of winning, so they will have to surrender to our demands.

"You all have the report from Councilor Shoola. Heimerdinger and I had less input because we were busy using the new hextech to unbury Viktor and Sky Young."

Hoskel looked up from the toy. "Viktor? Oh, that sump rat assistant."

Jayce stepped quickly around Heimerdinger's chair to get to Hoskel.

Shoola stood. "Don't!"

Jayce knuckles were pale from clenching. He drew back and then paused. He quickly snatched the toy from Hoskel's hands. In a few seconds he solved it and dropped it in front of Hoskel. "My cousin's kid solved it within an hour," Jayce added loudly and walked back.

Bolbok of all people was the first to laugh followed by Shoola. Mel and Cassandra were too fastidious to laugh at it, but they did smile at Hoskel's sudden assassination.

"The proposal is a truce between the three groups and then a summit for discussing the future relationship of the cities. Heimerdinger's meeting should indicate how difficult and how much time this will take."

"The time it will take is more than we have," Salo said. "You yourself were concerned about them developing hextech weapons. Do you remain steadfast in your devotion for that not to happen with the death of Viktor."

Jayce's scowl remained. "Not entirely. I could see a case made for weaponizing hextech with my blessing. But it would not be this council that should have them."

Shoola winced and Derek stiffened. "I am charged to protect Piltover from all threats to its safety."

Jayce glared back at him. "You'll find me more formidable than the unarmed boy you killed at the tower, Sheriff."

"Esteemed colleagues, we must not fight here. This council must find a way to unite in a solution about the Zaun question," Shoola stood and announced.

Mel tapped her ring again. "I agree. Let us take a moment to go into committees and then make closing arguments. The concluded sheriff committee is free to join ours."

"Or the diplomatic committee," Shoola added, though her frustration was clear.