I remember reading a review of Disco Elysium back when it first came out that analyzed the Union something along the lines of "the game isn't as clever as it thinks it is by making the union members the corrupt bad guys, which would have been a tired subversion years ago."
And it just makes me think that Evrart and Manana are so clever that they even fool a lot of the players. At the risk of stating the obvious at this point, these two know exactly how to use society's prejudice to their advantage. Reminds me of two great pieces of advice from two great tricksters:
"Don't forget what you are. The World will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used against you" from Tyrion Lannister, and Mr. Wednesday's insistence that the easiest person to fool is someone who thinks they're clever.
How does Evrart manage to keep tabs on everyone and everything in Martinaise, despite being cloistered and immobile? Surely it's not that he's stationed his smartest lieutenant at a perch that gives him a bird's eye view of the entire district directly adjacent to the office and telephone--after all, that's just a lazy Mesque, a rootless Boiadeiro who believes in nothing but self-interest.
Then you take one look at Evrart--this fat, disabled man with a lazy eye and a slimy disposition. No one would believe he's a hero. He wants you to feel clever for seeing through his lies; he wants you to hate him. After all, aren't fat, disabled people greedy and lazy? The powers that be can control a man who wants to line his pockets: literally, controlled opposition. A man like that only speaks of seizing the means of production as an empty promise--hot air--because to do more would be a dangerous, idealistic proposition, of greater benefit to the line worker than the union leader skimming off the top.
I think there are really only two moments that we get a picture of the real Evrart: in his moment of triumph after seizing the docks from Joyce--and in Easy Leo's story of the two brothers who protected him in school.
You can't trust a word Evrart or Manana say, but that's not because they're corrupt, it's because they're true believers dedicated to the cause, and they're talking to a cop.
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🎵 Martinaise, Terminal B
2. "I don't know, Kim, it just *feels* special."
KIM KITSURAGI - "It's a cargo container, detective. Just like all the others." He doesn't even look at it.
"We're not here to interact with containers -- we're here to get the body down from the tree."
Knock on the door.
Open the door.
Nothing more to do here for now. [Leave.]
CARGO CONTAINER DOOR - No reply.
PERCEPTION (HEARING) [Medium: Success] - The knock produces a hollow ring of metal. Doesn't sound like there's anything inside the container.
2. Open the door.
CARGO CONTAINER DOOR - You attempt to turn the handle, to no avail. The doors seem to be mechanically locked.
ESPRIT DE CORPS [Trivial: Success] - To your left, the lieutenant considers your actions -- with some puzzlement.
3. [Rhetoric - Impossible 18] Persuade the door to open.
+1 Erratic, yet thorough.
+1 Been in the world for two days.
RHETORIC [Impossible: Failure] - Why are you even trying to open a door with rhetoric?
"Because getting physical wasn't an option!"
"Yeah, why *am* I?"
KIM KITSURAGI - "Why are you what?" The lieutenant looks startled.
"Anything at all."
"Never mind."
KIM KITSURAGI - "Now is not the time to get philosophical, detective. You can do that after hours."
4. Nothing more to do here for now. [Leave.]
The shipyard ahead is oddly quiet. The great machines are sleeping.
+1.10 real
This speaker tower is silent. There is no work to organise in the yard below.
The musk of oil and rust comes from the chasm in front of you. Smells like blood.
FALN "ULTRA" SERIES GLOVES
+1 Half Light: Unfiltered contact
For ultimate performance efficiency these FALN Ultra series gloves come fingerless and with a grippy padding covering the palms, making these ideal for quadrupedal movement – or for lifting cargo.
Not strictly better or worse than our gardening gloves, in terms of stats. I like Interfacing better so I keep the gardening gloves on.
Industrial sized thermos. Smells like burnt coffee.
+1.10 real
+1.41 real
The banner sags under the weight of rain and show: white waves on red.
EASY LEO - "Container, container, I'll turn you nice and red. Container, container, put the logos on..."
CONCEPTUALIZATION [Medium: Success] - The lyrics to this container-song are being made up as he goes along.
EASY LEO - "Container, container, used to be Wild Pines. Container, container now belongs to Evrart!" The tiny man is so engaged in his work he doesn't notice you.
"Hi!"
Do not interrupt the little man in his joyous activity. [Leave.]
EASY LEO - "Evrart, Evrart, Evrart, he looks after everyone. Huh... well, hey there!" He smiles. "How can I help you, mister?"
EMPATHY [Easy: Success] - The look in his deep blue eyes is as sincere as you've ever seen. Kind of makes you feel like an asshole for no apparent reason.
EASY LEO - "I see you are not a Union man, mister. Did you get lost? You're not one of them scabs, are you?" A shadow passes over his kind face.
"What is it with you people and scabs?"
"Actually I am, yes."
It happened a very long time ago, but this is referring back to our conversation with Manana.
EASY LEO - "I mean, I don't personally mind, folks is just folks, you know -- and folks gotta eat..." He doesn't seem to be waiting for you to answer.
"Just, some of the other guys don't look too kindly on the scabbing-kind, if you know what I mean, mister."
"What are you doing with the containers?"
"Where is everyone? The harbour is empty."
"Do you work here?"
"Are you the Leo, who wrote the note to make more banners?"
"What's in that container over there?" (Point to the container suspended from the crane arm.)
"I'm looking for the leader of the Dockworker's Union."
"Okay, I'm off." [Leave.]
EASY LEO - "Oh I'm just making some covers for them containers here, yes I am, yes I am... So it's easier for the crane operators to spot them." He waves at the containers towering behind him.
[Logic - Medium 11] "What's going on here?" (Look at the mountain of containers rising behind him.)
"Sure. Let me ask you about something else?"
This check might be easier if we come back to it later, but...
LOGIC [Medium: Success] - The containers in the yard are green in Wild Pines livery and the mountain rising behind Leo is all red in Union colours.
CONCEPTUALIZATION [Easy: Success] - It's like some red infection was spreading outwards from the container yard's core.
PERCEPTION (SIGHT) [Medium: Success] - There appear to be cisterns underneath the Union container covers.
"This looks like a massive redecorating operation, Kim."
"Leo, has anyone told you *why* you need to change the covers?"
"What is underneath these red covers?"
"Thanks, Leo. You've been very helpful!" (Conclude.)
KIM KITSURAGI - "Yes. They're hiding it from the inside. All the red containers have the Débardeurs' Union logo on them."
2. "Leo, has anyone told you *why* you need to change the covers?"
EASY LEO - "No, not really." He shrugs and continues merrily: "Mr. Evrart doesn't tell me all the big things. Says I go and tell them to everyone."
3. "What is underneath these red covers?"
EASY LEO - "Oh I don't know, mister. They say it's some *chee-mikals*. Most of them have labels on them I think."
4. "Thanks, Leo. You've been very helpful!" (Conclude.)
EASY LEO - "Oh no trouble at all, mister, noooo trouble at all," the little guy affirms merrily.
+5 XP
2. "Where is everyone? The harbour is empty."
EASY LEO - "Oh, most of the guys are down at the gates, keeping the scabs from coming in..." He leans in with a confidential look...
"We're on a *strike* -- the whole union is! You don't have to work when you're on strike. Ha -- we haven't worked for two months now."
KIM KITSURAGI - "So *no one* is working?"
EASY LEO - "Not everyone is down there of course," he chuckles, "Mr. Evrart is in his office, where he always is, and Jean-Luc is guarding the gate..." He pauses to think.
"...but Titus and his boys got into some drunken trouble and Evrart sent them on a nice vacation. For a week or so..." He stops -- but seems eager to tell you more.
"What kind of trouble did this... Titus and his friends get into?"
"Got it. But there were other things I needed to discuss..."
EASY LEO - "Oh... I'm not really supposed to talk about that. That's Union business." He smiles and leans closer.
"Him and his boys stirred something up in town. Probably drank too much and got into a fight or something… I heard Mr. Evrart telling them to take some time off…"
SUGGESTION [Easy: Success] - Don't go all *bad cop* on this simple friendly fellow.
"But what did they actually do?"
"Really? Did they kill someone?"
"I have another question."
EASY LEO - "I guess the boys got a bit too rowdy and had to let out some steam. I don't really know the details. That's just how boys are you know..." Another chuckle. "I haven't been in a fight since I was in middle-school..."
+5 XP
KIM KITSURAGI - "Easy, Leo, let's keep this on the Hardies." He looks to you for assistance.
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