He sighed. "And yet you are less corrupt than others...There is a certain threshold, an intensity of sin and cynicism, beyond which no society can survive...Listen. I know about Shapers. The Ring Council. Stitched together by black fear and red greed, drawing power from the momentum of its own collapse. But C-K’s had hope. You’ve lived here, you must have at least seen it, if you can’t feel it directly. You must know how precious this place is. Under the Cicada Queen, we’ve drawn survival from a state of mind. Belief counts, confidence is central." The Comptroller looked at me, his dark face sagging. "I’ll tell you the truth. And depend on your goodwill. For the proper response."