"What does that wind up looking like?"

"She... treats them differently when she's talking to them?"

"On their part."

"Oh, they uh. Offer advice about things and act somewhat superior to other people."

"Does this affect their phrasing or demeanor in any way that might be imitable."

"They talk down to other people and interject into conversations to have ideas about things, but not to contradict hers - other people just avoid talking around her."

"Do any of the other shades talk?"

"Not to people other than her."

"Just because they mumble? Do they - gesture, take independent actions at all -?"

"They do make gestures and things - I can't tell how much of it is because she wants them to?"

"Aren't I special."

Nod.

"But you don't have formal protocols, it's just a matter of convincingly and consistently demonstrating that you take the court arrangement seriously in one way or another?"

"Yeah."

"Are people literally beheaded for failing at this?"

"I've... never heard of her beheading someone, but she definitely kills people sometimes."

"For not taking the," pause, "I mean, for this, or for other reasons?"

"For this and for other reasons."

"Can you give me examples?"

"Uh, someone new called her a um, rude word for a female dog, on their first week here, and she um. Had a shade cut them in half."

"...well, that seems easy to avoid. Other examples?"

"A messenger from another cell block interrupted her during a day when she was already in a bad mood, and she killed them, I think? I only heard about it afterwards."

"What are the tells that she's in a bad mood?"

"Her voice gets strained and she gets more... demanding?"

"Demanding of..."