<strong>Name:</strong>Harmony<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Sensate Sensoriums, Civic Festhall, Sigil<br/><strong>Time:</strong>Mid-morning<br/><strong>Tagged:</strong>Golden Morning Radiance, Fei, Open<br/><br/><em>"Tell me Modron.  Do you always follow regulations?"</em>Harmony felt it as Fei chose to make physical contact with her to punctuate her question.  She briefly contemplated the meaning of the gesture, wondered if perhaps the woman was holding her arm as a prelude to attempting to restrain her...  But no, her hold was too gentle, her grip not firm enough to be threatening.  What meaning did it have, then?<br/><br/>"Yes."<br/><br/>The question itself was a strange one, though it was not the first time it had been asked of her.  Rules and regulations existed for a reason.  They provided order when faced with a lack of direct orders, prevented confusion, even when clarity was not forthcoming.  The idea of not following them without explicit orders to disregard them never even entered her mind as an option.<br/><br/>Still, having the question brought up now did bring to mind the last time someone had asked it of her.  She had given the same answer then, and it had been followed up by a number of even stranger questions.  Would she follow the regulations, or follow orders given to her, if they required her to destroy those Modrons under her command?  Yes.  Would she follow them if they required her to destroy her superiors?  Yes.  Would she follow them if they required her to destroy herself?  Yes.  Then, did she have no instinct for self-preservation?  No, that was incorrect.  Being destroyed would render her unable to continue her duties.  She desired to continue functioning.<br/><br/>Then, if she desired to continue functioning, why would she be willing to follow regulations, to follow orders given to her, if they required her to destroy herself?  The inherent paradox had left her struggling for an answer for some time.  Eventually, unable to conceive of one, she had instead, for the first time in her entire existence, asked a question of her own.<br/><br/>"Do you have a convincing reason to disobey them?"