GBTL x Ouroboros

Reporter: Girl Behind the Lens - Daiyu Lubezki

Date of Article: 30/10/23

Posted to the Observer Forums due to issues with the printed edition ((The Observer website backend is currently down))

Readers, it doesn't seem that long ago that the Observer was using this title image in an article celebrating the work that Sgt. Nakayama performed in the community. You can read that here. That title, 'The Life Savers', now takes on a darker meaning as it came to pass that on the 29th October 2023, Nakayama (Atsuko) needed her own life to be saved. After being kidnapped and as far as this reporter saw in person, tortured so that the veil between life and death was stretched almost to breaking point she was recovered in the Hathian cemetery, naked, fractured but as far as we could alive.

While HGH records are 'confidential', it seems unlikely that Atsuko will be back to saving lives, rowing her boat or driving her dried out cruiser around town for a while. We at the Observer do not believe this is good news.

How does this make you feel?

For the officers on the scene of her discovery, it was hard to pin down any one emotion. There was lots of shouting, lots of anger. I expect that, when one of your own is hurt you do tend to want to lash out, but as we know in Hathian, the cycle (the 'Ouroboros') of gang violence and HPD retaliation, or HPD corruption and gang retaliation (or both), seems rarely to end. We often get caught in it as Citizens.

For all her good points, it is likely that as a protégé of a system where allegedly beating up Campus Officer colleagues is sanctioned, or where apparent drug taking is widespread and reported by multiple officers, would lead to Atsuko not having a completely clean sheet herself, or at the very least turn the blind eye to the log in HPD's own eye. But, but... Can any of you justify what has happened to her because of that? Surely some try, but you are wrong.

I hear criminals complain, rage and likely truthfully talk of the depravity inflicted on them and then vow revenge. But the Observer has a Newsflash; breaking news if you will... This cycle will only lead to more rage, more pain and loss and sorrow.

I personally know a number of 'Criminals' and a number of Officers deemed to be 'bad' and yet they, give-or-take some flaws, have families, children, a sense of humour and often decency. It would do no harm at all, for all in Hathian to remember this. As their children are brought up in a cycle of hate and horror, I fear for them and fear for what we are teaching is acceptable.

It won't end (it should)

I attended a group therapy session with the kidnapper of Atsuko a while back, for their previous crimes and the same individual messaged me telling me what she had done this time and even, after she had done it, where to find Atsuko (not specifying whether alive or dead).

The kidnapper is in pain, they are broken and they seem not able to be healed... HPD will surely catch them and break more of them (or worse)... I am left with a deep sense of loss. Behind their eyes, 10 or 15 years ago was a child. A very few are born broken, many are made broken. Now as adults, we continue to break each other like toys to be discarded.

Atsuko will heal, but her scars will grow physically and mentally and her good will diminish most likely. Her kidnapper will fracture further and be that much further away from being helped.

Over 18 months ago I wrote this article about an encounter with Onyx, a member of the King Street. While I've not seen her around for a while... I am weary watching the snake consume itself, because living on the back of that snake, means I (and many citizens) are always running away from the consumption...

Wishing you a safe week readers... because we all deserve kidness, empathy and healing if it is at all possible.