[Negotiations had never been an option because they had tried. He and Vander had started with the mining companies that basically owned them, seeking to improve conditions, improve hours and even shift schedules and how minerals were collected. It had all fallen on deaf ears. No doubt he and Vander would have simply died in the mines if they hadn't been wily enough to reach for something else, smuggling in cigarettes first then moving to medical supplies, alcohol and whatever other vices they could.
They had bought their way out of freedom on the miserable backs of their brothers and sisters, but Silco never forgot. The 'accidental' cave-ins that nearly killed Vander, the sudden influx of Gray that nearly suffocated him to death, and the thugs that thought to kill them on their way back from their meager housing. Violence wasn't the answer, but it was a useful tool that one could employ with precision.
He flipped his book open again; the topic was always Shimmer, wasn't it? A gift from a man who had walked away from Piltover's elite schools where Viktor had been educated and shackled.] Oh, you believe the people of Zaun are happy before Shimmer? We exist in a cycle of chasing the small meager bright points that make life bearable. I gave people an opportunity to rise above the feeling of inadequacy and powerlessness. I let people feel a strength they had been denied all their lives.
[Within his lifetime, he and Vander had carved the Lanes out of the undercity. It existed because of their efforts, and while Vander was provided most of the credit, Silco had been right there making it happen. So had Felicia. It started with the Lanes and moved to the greater unification of the undercity to be Zaun.]
You will decide, will you? If you'd felt an actual inclination, you could have helped us long ago with your brilliance. Instead, you let another man dictate your path and left your people to rot. Did we have another choice but Shimmer, Viktor? Body modifications? Illicit trade deals? [He scoffed, snapping the book closed and tossing it on the table. He rose to his feet.] Don't you think you owe Zaun something other paltry words and good intentions? We can start with Aldrip, and maybe we can see if what you have to offer is worthy of Zaun.
no subject
They had bought their way out of freedom on the miserable backs of their brothers and sisters, but Silco never forgot. The 'accidental' cave-ins that nearly killed Vander, the sudden influx of Gray that nearly suffocated him to death, and the thugs that thought to kill them on their way back from their meager housing. Violence wasn't the answer, but it was a useful tool that one could employ with precision.
He flipped his book open again; the topic was always Shimmer, wasn't it? A gift from a man who had walked away from Piltover's elite schools where Viktor had been educated and shackled.] Oh, you believe the people of Zaun are happy before Shimmer? We exist in a cycle of chasing the small meager bright points that make life bearable. I gave people an opportunity to rise above the feeling of inadequacy and powerlessness. I let people feel a strength they had been denied all their lives.
[Within his lifetime, he and Vander had carved the Lanes out of the undercity. It existed because of their efforts, and while Vander was provided most of the credit, Silco had been right there making it happen. So had Felicia. It started with the Lanes and moved to the greater unification of the undercity to be Zaun.]
You will decide, will you? If you'd felt an actual inclination, you could have helped us long ago with your brilliance. Instead, you let another man dictate your path and left your people to rot. Did we have another choice but Shimmer, Viktor? Body modifications? Illicit trade deals? [He scoffed, snapping the book closed and tossing it on the table. He rose to his feet.] Don't you think you owe Zaun something other paltry words and good intentions? We can start with Aldrip, and maybe we can see if what you have to offer is worthy of Zaun.