"The latter is the only one I find objectionable. Not too strict conditions, hopefully."

"Often it's 'not currently detained for a crime, below the age of majority, enslaved, etcetera' but I think some places are more complicated."

"Enslaved."

"Some places."

"Are economic and inventive avenues really the fastest way to end that."

"I mean I suppose you could storm in and kill a bunch of people but this option has drawbacks even when you have a really good reason."

"We aren't likely to do that. But - Eru. The Enemy is the only one in Arda's history to -"

"Arda's a pretty nice place sans Enemy," shrugs Kib.

"Oh, I mean, he's rehabilitated and back. Arda's - pretty nice. But slavery is really evil."

"Yes, I know it is. ...I don't think anybody had told me he was rehabilitated and back."

"We're not really supposed to discuss it? Part of rehabilitated is 'forgiven'. You might run into him sometime. It caused a stir when it happened but that was Years ago."

"...Okay."

"You're skeptical?"

"I have not previously encountered this model of justice system," shrugs Kib. "I never met the guy, I don't know why he was Enemying it up before or why he stopped, perhaps he is in fact fine now."

"It made me uneasy mostly because I don't trust the Valar's judgment in general but I'm not okay with imprisoning someone for all eternity without a really good reason. And it was a very long sentence."

"That's about where I'm at, dubious about Valar but pro-mercy as a general policy."

"It's implied there were also good reasons for pardon which we don't know."

"Why don't we know?"

"Uh, I think they're about some particularly high-leverage way to be evil which they don't want to explain in enough detail that anyone else could rederive it."

"...some high-leverage way to be evil which he could accomplish from prison as extortion, or...?"

"Yes. Or could undo as a condition of release. Or something."

"...so 'rehabilitated' may mean 'skilled at bribery'."

"It has crossed my mind. Anyway, he's out and supposedly supervised. The Valar - as you may have guessed - do not actually watch us much at all, it's not clear if they can, but him they're keeping an eye on."

"I'd hope they don't watch us much."

They like me. They, ah, wouldn't.