[Inaudible]

"What was that you said, Officer?"

"I said, 'Does it, though, Konstantinov?' Is chasing fruity little twinks around and slapping their wrists and enabling their sinful lifestyles really as fulfilling as all that?"

[inaudible] "I don't know what you mean by that. They are doing a service to the country."

"They're fucking each other, Konstantinov!"

"Boris—"

"No, Mikhail, quit beating around the bush. The government payroll is grooming these boys and calling them heroes of the federation for spending their nights naked in bed together doing God-knows-what while you are forced to stand by and golf-clap for it. Isn't that right?"

"Skin contact is not inherently sexual, and is a proven medical intervention for—"

"Don't bullshit me, Konstantinov. We have access to the hospital records. On the day of his recruitment, Yun was admitted for observation, 'naked, in great pain, but persistently aroused.' Do you deny it?"

"He was facing away from me in the vehicle, and I'm not in the habit of noting other's men's junk, Boris, so I can't make a claim about the state of his pudenda when he was admitted to the facility. What does this have to do with anything?"

"'Gayness is a degeneracy imported from the West. It is not native to the righteous Russian spirit, which God has stood up as an antidote to the iniquities of the powerful in the breast of the humble peasant, and it is righteous to castigate it and cast it from our minds.' Do you recognize that quote?"

"It sounds like the work of Bishop Bagraniev."

"Your mentor."

"He was, yes."

"You were in the seminary when your long night started, weren't you, Konstantinov? I thought it was odd that you got the name 'hieromonk,' so I did a little digging. You'd intended to serve God."

"How is this relevant?"

"You thought you'd be leading souls to salvation in the name of the church, and instead you are the herald of sin for the state."

"We save hundreds of lives yearly. It's not the life I imagined as a child, but I find it far more noble than whatever this is you do, Mr. Kirillov."

"Krolikov. And I don't believe that, Konstantinov."

[clears throat]

Konstantinov requested transfer to another unit, citing moral injury from guiding partner Davlatov. Transferred to unit 1 after finding compatible partner.

Konstantinov requested transfer to another unit, citing moral injury from guiding partner Princhik. Transferred to unit 12 after finding a compatible partner.

Konstantinov requested transfer to another unit, citing moral injury from guiding partner Saidova. Transferred to unit 14 after finding a compatible partner.

Konstantinov requested transfer to another unit, citing moral injury from guiding partner Vladek. Request denied.

Konstantinov requested transfer to another unit, citing moral injury from guiding partner Vladek. Request denied.

Konstantinov requested transfer to another unit, citing moral injury from guiding partner Vladek. Request denied.

"This goes on for a few more entries, though there's an interesting aside here:"

Konstantinov admitted to medical ward with severe contusions along his back and abdomen. On intake, Konstantinov claimed to have slipped while descending the icy stairs outside the barracks and collided with the banister on the way down. Two days later, Konstantinov amended his story and claimed that his partner Vladek assaulted him, and he requested transfer to another unit. Konstantinov was given option to return to unit 1, prior partner Princhik. Subject declined.

"Now I'm not a psychologist and I'm not an esper, but given what I know about how that whole thing works, my guess is that somebody wasn't thrilled about the whole naked-hug-and-makeout thing. Maybe you were hoping the old bishop would take you back after your service if you stayed pure?" [shuffling papers; inaudible] "—final request for a transfer was accepted and you declined it. Never made another one again, became a model citizen. And I couldn't figure out why at first."

"I'll save you the story. Bishop Bagraniev published a letter two days thereafter in which he stated that he—that espers should not take monastic vows."

"Oh, don't ruin the fun. Bagraniev said that espers 'are intrinsically morally disordered persons and degrade the character of the monastery and the priesthood.'"

"I didn't recall the exact phrase. Thank you for the reminder."

"And then later in that same letter, he said, 'Though I appreciate the intentions of those who employ their fell powers in the service of destroying 'dungeons,' this action also is a fundamental error. Dungeons are the height of depravity, and espers bear their same marks. One cannot fight the works of Satan with Satan's works. Only the rejection of their exceptional state, and embrace of the natural order, could bring them back into the embrace of God.'

"Do you agree with that claim, Kliment Ilyich?"

"Answer the question, please, Kliment."

[inaudible]