10:05 <banana> For the two hunters on guard duty, the morning's been a little too hectic to do more than just get to know their client a little. Reveille promised a catchup at lunch - a private booking at Terrace NQ, with room for all of you to attend and time to talk about this thing. 10:07 <Crion> Aster probably won't be here for lunch. He had the morning shift, and the afternoon shift will be better suited for handling the client. 10:07 <Crion> He'll have more substantial work to do. 10:10 <banana> The morning was just a matter of following around a minor celebrity, her fashion consultant and some guy who might be her boyfriend or just.. the sort of guy who hangs out in music videos. Aaron and Agostina spent most of it standing outside shops, wondering whether lizardmen would really attack; they didn't. 10:10 <tom> Bob arrives in his truck. There are a number of ominously shaped pelican cases and duffels under a tarp in the back. Shouldn't be a problem. Shouldn't be. He's in his jacket and visor when the waiting staff point him down the hall and to the right. 10:10 <banana> It's not guaranteed to stay that easy. How's everyone dressed and feeling when they turn up for the big planning sesh at a rooftop bar in Manchester's north quarter? 10:10 <VoxPVoxD> Weekend working lunch at a rooftop bar? Time for a headscarf, sunglasses, one of her dullest pantsuits, and a vieux carre. Who wants to split a bleu cheese pizza? 10:10 <Quaker> Badawi is looking forward to the free lunch. The morning shift is always dull - monsters, like people, usually aren’t too fond of getting up early to do anything. The nice thing about working mornings, though, is that the day seems longer, and so does your free time. 10:11 <hrolf> Rolf is dressed in bodyguard gear - earpiece, black tie, ill-fitting black suit, and tattered sneakers. 10:11 <Crion> Aster's getting a lot of use out of these understated, tailored suits. One thing England does quite well. 10:11 <Quaker> She’s wearing her black leather jacket over an orange turtleneck and tan slacks. Her rifle is disassembled in its suitcase. 10:11 <VoxPVoxD> Willie feels great! Assuming nothing's happened besides the night, the report on the night, and the report on the report. 10:12 <banana> Richard Haldane won't be attending, but he wishes you all luck - and mentions that there's a minor detail of no real importance to discuss the next time someone drops by the safehouse. 10:12 <VoxPVoxD> Oh no. 10:13 <Quaker> When she sees Willie, Badawi asks: “Have you converted?” 10:13 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "It's a very practical garment! Especially when you don't want to be photographed." 10:13 <banana> The bar, Terrace, actually is a terrace. They aren't open to the general public until evening, so it's just the five of you and three others out here on the wood-inlaid roof. Here's who you're meeting above the busy streets: 10:15 <tom> The haggard-looking man has a pelican case in his hands. He sets it down next to his seat and keeps one hand on the handle as he orders- do they have iced tea? 10:16 <tom> If someone asks him about it, the case goes back in the cab. Not here to make a fuss. 10:16 <banana> Iced tea is available, as well as 'iced tea'. 10:16 <banana> Reveille, a.k.a. Mary Morgan, is the lead singer of an up-and-coming band. They had one serious-success tour and then stalled out along with all other live music for two years; the first studio album's coming out soon and post-punk circles are abuzz. 10:16 <banana> She's a woman in her thirties, short-haired and short short but with energy that makes you forget it. Always seems to know what people want or mean before they do, and exudes charisma that isn't entirely natural. She's wearing a lot of stressed denim. 10:17 <Quaker> What kind of music does Reveille’s band play, again? 10:17 <tom> He cautiously orders the Iced tea. 10:17 <VoxPVoxD> That's a good question; one thing Willie did after we for sure got the job was buy every Waistcoat Colony album on iTunes. They are on iTunes, right? 10:18 <banana> Karen, who looks barely out of her teens, is a 'fashion consultant'; she's been helping Reveille shop, and apparently designs clothing as well as buying and assembling it. Karen apparently knows about the psychic stuff, although you don't think she is one herself. 10:19 <Quaker> Badawi thinks that about half the population of Earth “knows about the psychic stuff”, or at least imagines they do…have you ever been cornered by someone who says they’re an ‘empath?’ 10:19 <banana> Waistcoat Colony has one album of live music on iTunes and a few garage-tape singles. Despite Reveille's physical similarity to Enya, the music is twang-rock, complaints about the state of the world and triumphant promises that the future won't be like the past. 10:20 <Quaker> what is twang-rock 10:21 <Crion> Nothing good, surely. 10:21 <banana> The final member of the singer's entourage is Gord, a prettyboy who's also quite large - around 30, gel-spiked hair, tight shirt and probably an n-pack. You don't know what Gordon does. 10:21 <Quaker> Either twanging or rocking, surely. 10:22 <hrolf> Gord isn't canadian by any chance? 10:22 <Crion> All Gords must be Canadian. There has to be a law somewhere. 10:22 <banana> He doesn't look like he's held a hockey stick, or anything else that would callus his hands. 10:23 <VoxPVoxD> Willie's playing with her phone at the table until someone speaks to her or someone gavels the meeting in. Some fun passive-aggressive backbiting between Lobby journalsits on Twitter at the moment. 10:23 <VoxPVoxD> She also takes a moment to tab over to Huntr at some point. 10:24 <tom> Bob tries his best to give everyone in the private room a confidence-inspiring smile, playing a little beat on the plastic pellican case with his fingers while he waits for someone else to break the ice. 10:24 <Crion> Generally speaking, smiles don't inspire confidence. At least not in Aster. He's looking to get out of here; his shift's over. 10:25 <banana> Karen: "..which is why flares are out again. But being retro-modern is also okay, until it gets too retro." The kid trails off; she's been trying to ignore the weird scary people turning up, but now that there are five of them here instead of two it's become a little too difficult. 10:25 <tom> "Shit man, did you even get time to sleep after the... uh..." Bob's wincing at Aster. "-Before you had to start your shift?" 10:25 <banana> Reveille drums her fingers on the table once, smiles reflexively. She looks at the gathered hunters and tries to put faces to the names she's heard. 10:26 <VoxPVoxD> Willie looks up and smiles at Reveille when the woman looks in her direction. 10:26 <banana> The more sensitive among you can feel her attention; when she considers one of you closely it's like being bathed in warmth. 10:27 <Crion> Aster: "I slept sufficiently in the car. And then on the couch." 10:27 <Crion> If relief is here, Aster's going to head out unless waylaid. 10:30 <banana> The bar's day staff have retreated for now. They leave iced tea, chorizo, cheeses and Devon cider. 10:30 <Crion> Nix that last. He'll stick around for lunch. 10:31 <Quaker> Badawi is playing Candy Crush on her new phone, waiting for someone to buy her a dri - chorizo?? 10:31 <Quaker> She grabs a stick of chorizo. 10:31 <banana> Reveille: "I guess we can talk freely for a while. Thanks for making the time, yeah?" 10:31 <Crion> Don't trust that anything on a plate in this miserable country is what you think it is by the name. 10:31 <VoxPVoxD> Spanish chorizo is good! It's not the same genre of thing as Mexican chorizo... but it's good. 10:31 <tom> Bob gets some sugar packets and dumps them into his drink. 10:32 <banana> Willie's phone: Karen McCork | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnNo8cGklxc | "There has to be space in society for trivial things, or what was the point?" 10:32 <VoxPVoxD> Oh, Bob. Honestly. 10:32 <Crion> Spanish chorizo, Mexican chorizo...the real danger is English chorizo, which is surely some kind of flavorless hot dog. 10:32 <Crion> Spanish chorizo, Mexican chorizo...the real danger is English chorizo, which is surely some kind of flavorless hot dog. 10:32 <Crion> Still, cured meats are preferable to carbs. 10:33 <VoxPVoxD> English chorizo is just Spanish chorizo that you have to pay 80% more for because of bloody Brexit. 10:33 <hrolf> "Yeah no worries. 's what we gettin paid for." Rolf eyes the set table and doesn't go for anything, having had a hearty brekky. 10:33 <tom> He has some of the cheese. 10:34 <banana> Reveille: "That is true." She's paying a lot, by her standards. "And I don't mind if you can help me fight this thing off for the whole rest of the year, but your team made it sound, Mr. Hughes, like you'd prefer to go direct to the source." 10:35 <hrolf> "Yeah, if we can 'ead this fing off - easier for you, easier for us. We'll still 'ave a detail on you at all times of course." 10:36 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Is it unusual to pre-empt one's own Calling in that way? Is it more common to wait until the deadline?" 10:36 <tom> "I'm prepared to humiliate some reptilians, ma'am." Bob slaps his case. 10:37 <Crion> Aster: "It sounds as if it's time for us to engage in amateur astrology and astronomy." 10:39 <banana> Reveille: "I'd love to get things over with, but agents are strong. Inhumanly so. Trying to put this in language - they're beings that represent or embody the visible stars." 10:39 <hrolf> Rolf: "Any star in partic'lar?" 10:40 <banana> "Probably the most common thing is to try and go along with the calling - most people fail, and it sucks ass, but Bogdan says throwing your life away like that appeases the stars. Second most common is, ah, we get got..." 10:40 <Crion> "Epsilon Eridani." 10:40 <banana> Reveille: "Yeah. The river of light." 10:40 <Crion> Aster has a star chart and glossies of astronomical telescope close ups. 10:40 <banana> Willie's phone buzzes again. 10:40 <banana> So does Badawi's actually, twice in quick succession. 10:41 <VoxPVoxD> She looks down. 10:41 <banana> Gordon B. Blume | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y1Emb7Jyks | "Born of the rain and the earth -- condensed and held in hollow form -- his captivity is joyous opportunity." 10:41 <hrolf> Rolf: "So what's your calling, then? Somefing that's not all the singing and music stuff?" 10:42 <banana> Reveille: "Propaganda. I'm meant to be - if you trust the whispers of the stars, I'm meant to be a diplomat and a spy, travelling the world to persuade people into glorious unity. Interstellar communism, like." 10:43 <banana> "It's nonsense. I'd be a crazy woman shouting on the street - the prophet of an age that will never come, a refugee from Star Trek." 10:43 <tom> "One of the better Deep Space Nine episodes was about that," Bob offers helpfully. 10:44 <hrolf> Rolf: "Like them mangy trots 'anding out newspapers." 10:44 <Crion> Perhaps she'd like in on the side-case Aster is working. 10:44 <Crion> Probably not. 10:44 <Quaker> Badawi closes Candy Crush and checks her notifications. 10:44 <banana> Reveille: "I hope it suffices to say that compliance is not an option." 10:45 <banana> Karen and Gord have faded into the background for now. They're here, but have nothing to contribute; the latter nods along with Reveille and smiles to emphasise her points. He doesn't have her charisma, but his face is very nice. 10:45 <hrolf> Rolf: "'ow about negotiation then? Can you barter wif the cosmic forces? Bein' a famous rock n rolla isn't so bad." 10:46 <tom> "So what I don't get is..." Bob slurps his tea. "So this is like your destiny... but why do the Reptilians care enough to send their A-team all this way just to try and crash your concerts? They just haters?" 10:46 <banana> Reveille: "If you can get me a way to talk to them, I'll try it." She pulls at a deliberately-loose thread on her jacket. "We do have the ability to, er, commune... but it's not something I can do. Some of Bogdan's people know how." 10:46 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "I apologise if this is an unduly forward question, but... what is your Calling?" 10:48 <banana> "Goreman, isn't it? Goreman, I'm with you. I don't think I'm important enough for entities from the dark side of the moon. Could the band change the world? Maybe a little bit. If we get big enough, people listen, maybe they feel a little better or a little angrier at the things they ought to be angry about. That's the absolute maximum extent of my effect on the world." 10:48 <Crion> Aster: "There isn't actually some grand society of Reptilians, Bob. They're a concept. A deployed idea. A meme given life." 10:49 <tom> "Goreman, that's right ma'am." 10:49 <Crion> "In a way, this is very much like...another branch of supernatural we've encountered." 10:49 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Are they coming to punish you, or does the Calling think that pressuring you into a life that the world has no room for will in some way be good?" 10:49 <Crion> No need to bring the changelings into it by name. 10:49 <banana> Reveille: "Yeah, I don't know the details but it's something like that. Lizard guys, rat guys, greys and little green men. They're alien.. in a sense." 10:49 <Crion> He glances at Willie. 10:49 <tom> Bob shrugs. Not the first time this theory's been floated at OPFORT. 10:50 <Crion> Perhaps it's just a very similar motif. 10:51 <banana> Reveille raises her voice in frustration; not at you. It's melodic, at least. "Aaaahh. The whole thing is broken, I don't know if... if we all did it, what we're meant to do- could it actually work?" 10:51 <Quaker> Badawi: “I had a question for you, actually.” 10:51 <Quaker> “Would you mind doing us a small favor?” 10:52 <banana> Reveille: "Autographs? Tickets? Demonstrations?" 10:52 <tom> Bob raises his eyebrows over the rims of his visor. "Don't let it psyche you out. We're here to solve an immediate problem, not put you in a fuckin'... existential crisis, ma'am." 10:53 <VoxPVoxD> The immediate problem is an existential crisis. 10:53 <tom> "We can't bow to the demands of reptilian terrorists from the constellation Draco- allegedly from the constellation Draco." He nods at Aster. 10:53 <Crion> Aster: "I have an in with Bogdan Georgiou. That will probably be the next relationship I tap." 10:54 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Do you know anyone who's beaten their Calling? Do you know how they did it?" 10:54 <banana> Reveille shakes her head. "I'm not going to lose sleep about it. What kind of grand world-saving plan would rely on the cooperation of people like the Outfit?" 10:54 <Quaker> “When we were thinking about taking this job, we reached out to friends for some notes on people who have Callings, like you. They gave us some reading material, but they’re not Called themselves, so the information is probably lacking in some ways that might seem important to you. We could use it to help other people like you, if you’d like to annotate it. You know…correct them or comment on their work, in the margins and footnotes.” 10:55 <banana> "Not a bad idea, Mr. Aster. Georgiou knows a lot, but he hasn't got a lot of reasons to help you... or me. Maybe don't use my name. I, the band, we all rejected his... thing." 10:55 <tom> Bob, proudly: "We have an in." 10:55 <banana> "Er... I'm not much of a scholar." 10:55 <banana> "What would you be doing with this stuff if I could write it?" 10:55 <hrolf> Rolf: "What was this Bogdan's fing?" 10:55 <Crion> Aster: "He does, in fact, have a reason to help me." 10:56 <Crion> Aster: "There was a situation Bob and I resolved without either his or Benni's people getting hurt. Despite how interested they were in hurting each other." 10:57 <Crion> "At the very least, I am magnanimous enough to give him an opportunity to be petulant." 10:57 <banana> To Rolf: "Okay, so... I told you yesterday that I grew up with these powers, right, around the same time as a bunch of others. A lot of us were street rats, surviving the end of history, sticking together because we all had the same weird mind crap that we didn't understand." 10:57 <hrolf> Rolf: "Right." 10:58 <Quaker> “Like I said. Your situation is a bit niche, compared to other tendencies we’ve worked with. It might help people in your situation, or their allies and family, if there’s more information out there.” 10:58 <banana> "There was another cluster of us born in the 80s, overlapping a little bit, except they were only 'us' in terms of being 'chosen' by the 'stars'. The older generation is more..." She looks for a word. 10:58 <Quaker> And it would fetch a high price from the Mysterium… 10:58 <banana> "Bourgeious." 10:59 <hrolf> Rolf: "Grew up posh, like?" 10:59 <banana> "The 80s brain kids were better off, knew each other from private schools instead of gangs. They started a branch of fucking Mensa." 10:59 <Crion> Aster: "The IQ people?" 10:59 <banana> "The IQ people." 10:59 <Crion> His face sets in a disapproving thin line. 10:59 <banana> "Georgiou isn't nasty but he thinks he's Professor fucking X." 11:00 <banana> Gord laughs at that. 11:00 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "How bourgeois is bourgeois?" She's giving herself away a bit by pronouncing bourgeois like she knows how it's spelled. 11:00 <hrolf> Rolf: "If their lot 'ave somefing that could be of use...well, if you got the dosh to pay us coudn't you pay em for advice, or intel?" 11:00 <Quaker> Badawi: “Oh, like the Sigma Society, in ‘The Bye-Bye Sky High I.Q. Murder Case.’ Columbo.” 11:01 <VoxPVoxD> Willie smiles a little. 11:01 <banana> Reveille: "I don't have the cash to pay you. Not really." 11:01 <Quaker> “I didn’t know that was real.” 11:01 <banana> "From your point of view, I do, but half of it's coming out of the advance on the album. Fortunately, it's going to be a smash hit. We are going to top the fucking charts... if I survive to release it." 11:02 <Crion> Aster sighs. "That is an incentive." 11:02 <VoxPVoxD> Willie glances at Aaron behind her sunglasses. The smile fades. 11:02 <Crion> Aster: "How prepared are you to receive some information that may disturb or enrage you." 11:02 <banana> Karen: "You've got to live the success mindset. Winning follows winning." 11:02 <Quaker> “Maybe you can give us a percentage of the royalties,” Badawi jokes. 11:03 <Crion> That's to Reveille. 11:03 <tom> Bob's nods, a serious look crossing his face. He steeples his fingers. 11:03 <hrolf> Rolf: "What about Benni? 'e got the dosh to pay em off don't he?" 11:03 <banana> Reveille, to Badawi: "Hey, impress me enough..." 11:03 <banana> "Is that the enraging information? About Benni Athletic?" 11:04 <hrolf> Rolf: "Aye." 11:04 <Crion> Aster: "Yes. He has offered to cover any difference between what you can and what you've agreed to pay." 11:04 <Crion> "We are, of course, a cash business." 11:04 <VoxPVoxD> Willie doesn't kick Rolf under the table, but she does fantasise about it. 11:04 <banana> Reveille: "Look, I'm not going to say 'I'd rather die'. That would be a fucking lie." 11:04 <Crion> "But I am of the belief that you should have full clarity on the matter." 11:04 <banana> "Yeah, I should. How well do you know my ex-husband exactly?" 11:05 <Crion> Aster: "As well as I'd like to." 11:05 <hrolf> Rolf: "We've done business in the past." 11:05 <tom> Bob: "Not well." 11:05 <banana> Reveille: "Everyone talk at once, it makes me feel at home." 11:05 <banana> There's no sting to that; she might actually mean it. 11:07 <VoxPVoxD> After the inevitable uncomfortable pause: "What's your schedule for the rest of the day?" 11:07 <hrolf> Rolf: "Well as I said, we've done jobs for 'im before. Night city's small. Fink I saw you singing at one of 'is digs once?" 11:08 <banana> Badawi's got two messages at almost the same instant. The first one is from 'Chillwind Org'. 11:08 <tom> Bob accepts Reveille's offer to talk over everyone else at face value: "I need to run something by you, ma'am, on the matter of the next security shift." 11:09 <tom> He pats on his case. "I brought the thunder." 11:10 <VoxPVoxD> Willie rolls her eyes, but she smiles a little bit. They can only see the latter. 11:11 <banana> <Mrs. Badawi, we've secured a few timeslots for your mediation if you'd like to proceed. What we need from you is a stakeholder statement with the details of the violation to which you've been subjected. This statement can be made in whatever form you find comfortable - perhaps a statdec, spreadsheet/timeline, or a private interview with a trained facilitator.> 11:11 <banana> <After that we'll forward you the other party's statement (if you choose to receive it) and it's just a matter of picking a time. H.S. (rex)> 11:12 <banana> Reveille can of course only answer one of you at once. She follows up on the Benni thing, with some reluctance. "If I knew he had an 'interest' in the venue I wouldn't have been there." 11:13 <banana> "Look, guys. I know the kind of work you do takes you to unsavoury places, and I'm willing to make compromises." 11:13 <banana> "You must know, though- Benni is a violent criminal. That's who he is by choice. He doesn't want to be anything else, and I don't want to pay you with his money. I don't believe it will be necessary." 11:14 <hrolf> Rolf: "You're the client, your call. We'll do our best wif what we can." 11:14 <Crion> Aster: "Well, I honestly don't give a shit about who Benni Athletic is or wants to be. If his money spends, it spends. It will hardly put us in hock to him. But I appreciate your position on this issue." 11:15 <banana> "Yeah, well, it's not your debt I'm concerned about there. So let's talk schedules, right." 11:16 <Quaker> Badawi texts Hatch Starling back while the others are talking. 11:16 <Quaker> AB: <whats in it for me? 😋> 11:16 <tom> Bob: "Yeah, no, that guy seems like he sucks. I totally get not wanting to take his cash." 11:17 <banana> "We're not back in studio sessions until next week - this is some final post-recording fixup stuff - so today, if we're finished shopping-" she looks at Karen- "I'm headed to the spa. What is the thunder, exactly?" 11:17 <Quaker> What was the other message she got? 11:18 <banana> The other message... it's from Vincenzo. Not his real number; the one you dream he has, if it really is a dream. 11:18 <Quaker> Nice!!! 11:18 <banana> It reads, <Attend your family before you meet the Devil.> 11:19 <Quaker> AB: <Hi dad. should I meet u before I attend the mediation with the iron throne> 11:19 <tom> "It is a Directed Energy Weapon with a one-hundred and fifty Kilowatt etheric battery." 11:19 <Quaker> <Are u coming to Manchester???> 11:20 <Crion> Aster stands. "My colleagues are more than capable of handling the scheduling details. I think I will prevail upon the little daylight we have left to track down Georgiou and get started on this leg of the action." 11:20 <Crion> He buttons his jacket appropriately. 11:20 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Who are you taking with you?" 11:21 <banana> Gord: "Weather's been horrible, innit? It's like living in Russia." 11:21 <Crion> Aster: "An excellent question. Badawi and myself stand relieved. Willie, you're next on the duty roster, correct? I might take Bob if he's not also committed to remaining here." 11:21 <Crion> "He, after all, was present at the canal." 11:23 <Quaker> Badawi: “I’ll stay here. I figure it’s easier for me to do two shifts on, two shifts off.” 11:23 <hrolf> Rolf gives Gord a once over. Talking about the weather? Just who is this twerp? 11:23 <banana> Reveille: "Sounds good to me. I wish there was some way to tell when they'll attack again... it's been a while." 11:23 <banana> Presumably Gord was responding to Aster's remark about daylight, but it does seem rather trivial. 11:25 <Crion> To Gord: "I wouldn't know, thankfully." If the gulfstream dies, though, we will. 11:26 <banana> Reveille: "Oh, yeah - Charlie will be joining us at the spa. Don't worry, the place is mostly a pool, an' she can't set that on fire." 11:27 <tom> Anyway: "The issue is, for some fucking reason I can't open carry a particle beam in this country." An electron is a particle! Fuck you! 11:27 <VoxPVoxD> Willie looks up a bit sharply at the name but relaxes almost instantly. "Right. I think I'll accompany Mr. Aster, and then come back to relieve Agostina at the next shift." 11:27 <Crion> Aster will say his farewells and head out. He drove here; did Willie? 11:27 <VoxPVoxD> No, she walked. She's had a devil of a time getting her steps in. 11:27 <banana> Karen: "I hope you guys have the right permits? For your weapons?" 11:27 <tom> "So if I'm going to be toting a weapon rated for Reptilians I'll need a disguise." 11:27 <banana> Reveille: "Of course they don't have fucking permits." 11:27 <Quaker> Badawi taps Bob on the shoulder and shows him Hatch’s message on her phone. 11:27 <VoxPVoxD> That means she can ride with Aaron. 11:28 <banana> "The Council doesn't give out exemptions for alien-fighting gear, luv." 11:29 <tom> Bob quickly scans the messages and gives Agostina a thumbs up. "Fuck-up the Janny." 11:29 <Crion> Then: "Do you want to drop by your apartment and change or get anything before we head over to..." He scanned whatever Georgiou handed him into Huntr; is there an address or phone number on it? 11:30 <VoxPVoxD> The real question is, is there room for Kaga in Aaron's car? 11:30 <Crion> Oh, absolutely. He's brought the Range Rover. 11:30 <tom> Bob, returning his attention to Reveille: "So the question I have is, what's your tolerance for conceptual art." 11:30 <VoxPVoxD> He was tied up out front. A single pigeon lays dead at his feet when they hit the street. 11:31 <VoxPVoxD> Great! In the back he goes. 11:31 <Crion> Aster's eyes narrow at the demon, but he says nothing. 11:31 <tom> "It'd be pretty fucking conceptual to have a guy dressed like a District Nine extra following you around with his LED-plastic raygun, yeah?" 11:31 <tom> "Except this time it's a real raygun." 11:31 <tom> He taps his temple sagely. "They'll never see it fuckin' coming." 11:31 <VoxPVoxD> Kagemenauch makes eye contact with Aster through the rear view mirror once he's settled in. "You smell like a lawyer." 11:32 <banana> Reveille: "You have correctly identified that I'm the one who will have to answer questions about this from the press. But it might be kinda fun..." 11:32 <Crion> Aster: "Mmm. Don't piss on the leather." 11:32 <VoxPVoxD> Willie, once they're in the car: "This feels like a refreshingly normal job. I knew four girls like Reveille at university. I think one of them even graduated." 11:33 <banana> Bogdan Georgiou's business card lists a number and an address. According to Google Maps, Mensa Merseyside is located in a knocked together row-house collection above the ship canal, southwest of Eccles. 11:33 <VoxPVoxD> The demon dog, somehow, harrumphs. 11:33 <Crion> Does Willie need to stop at her apartment? If not, Aster will call from the literal carphone, on speaker. 11:33 <tom> "Yeah!" Bob beams. "Kind of an MF Doom thing, you know, the mask. RIP." 11:34 <VoxPVoxD> Nope! 11:34 <banana> Reveille: "I think we could get away with a costume if it's in theme, you know, the label's marketing. Our album's probably gonna be called Grants of Land and Sorrow... it's not exactly sci-fi themed, but maybe... a space pioneer?" 11:34 <tom> "If I show up dressed like an Academi reject with a railgun, people are going to ask stuff. But if I'm dressed up as, Iunno, Buzz Lightyear?" 11:34 <tom> "You got any sketches I can work with?" 11:35 <tom> He pops his neck and reaches into his pocket to draw a pencil and notepad. 11:35 <banana> "Yeah, Lindsay will get em to you. Apart from that, are we ready to move out?" 11:35 <hrolf> "Fine wif me." 11:35 <Crion> Aster has obvious distaste in having to go into Eccles so soon. It's not rational, of course; it's daytime, and the title of Baron Eccles is more of an...aspirational suggestion, these days. 11:35 <Crion> But still. 11:36 <Quaker> “Uh huh.” 11:36 <VoxPVoxD> Willie glances at her GPS. "Through Eccles, eh? Perhaps we should've brought the sword to drop off." 11:37 <VoxPVoxD> "Plant it right in their bloody veranda." 11:37 <tom> Bob nods graciously. "That's all, ma'am." 11:37 <Crion> Aster: "Giving them something for nothing isn't best practices." 11:38 <banana> The first response Badawi gets to her responses is from (presumably) the changelings. <Well, it's a dispute resolution process you requested. We practice restorative justice - please think about what would help you to deal with what the mage did, and you can include that in your statement.> 11:38 <Crion> Speaking of -- no one from WASC has reached out to perform annoyance or worse at Aster yet, have they? About the fracas. 11:38 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "You don't worry that will come off as unnecessarily aggressive?" Not a rhetorical question; she clearly suspects it might, but just as a gut assumption, and now she's second-guessing herself. 11:39 <Crion> 11:39 <Crion> Aster: "I have better ideas for what might come off as unnecessarily aggressive with the VI." 11:39 <Crion> "Holding on to that sword barely rates." 11:39 <Quaker> AB: <What if I really doubt he would agree to what would satisfy me. Can I ask for renumeration instead. like a magic artifact> 11:40 <VoxPVoxD> Willie smiles. "You're sounding a bit more like Bob lately. Fortunately I think the reverse is also true." 11:40 <Crion> "If he wants it back, he can ask." 11:40 <Crion> Aster makes an annoyed noise in his throat, but doesn't entirely mean it. 11:41 <banana> Nobody's reached out to Aster in the cold light of day - to aggrieve or to console. Matters of blood remain. 11:41 <tom> For the first shift, then, Bob will make do with what he can reasonably fit in his jacket. We're going to a spa, yeah? 11:42 <Crion> Excellent. 11:42 <tom> Might be worth scoping out if Mari'd like to come sometime; he has the money for it, now. 11:42 <banana> Everyone gets themselves together as you depart Terrace NQ - Karen handles the actual money, while Reveille just walks out. 11:42 <banana> Gord: "So hey, Bob, right. Where'd you get a real raygun?" 11:42 <Crion> Anyway, he's phoned the number on Georgiou's card on the Range Rover's carphone, on speaker. 11:43 <tom> Bob: "The United States Army." Yoo-nited. 11:43 <banana> "Oh, yeah, makes sense. I've seen Moonraker." 11:44 <banana> Aster's call rings a number of times, but it's answered before he or the telephone gives up. 11:44 <hrolf> Rolf, to Gord: "Wossit you do again, lad?" 11:45 <tom> Bob, proudly: "I got it from the United States Army." Yoo-nited. 11:45 <Crion> He is of the generation that is very patient on the telephone. And very vindictive. 11:47 <banana> Gord glances around a bit and drops back a little, so that he and Rolf (possibly also Bob) are walking some way behind Reveille and Badawi as the whole troupe makes their way to the cars. "I fuck, mate. Real good at it." 11:47 <banana> "I'm also a good cook and personal groom. Sensitive new aged guy." 11:47 <hrolf> Rolf: "You the boyfriend?" 11:47 <tom> Bob, instantly awestruck: "Teach me your ways, Man of Tomorrow." 11:48 <Quaker> Badawi looks back with a disapproving, grossed-out expression. Why are men so fucking gross? 11:48 <banana> Reveille chuckles, which might be a coincidence, and then you're off. 11:49 <banana> Aster recognises the voice of the fireball-throwing man from the wharf. They were about the same age, he thinks (not easy to tell at night). 11:50 <banana> "You've reached the office of Bogdan Georgiou. If this is a business or media request, please let me know at once." 11:50 <VoxPVoxD> How's his accent? 11:51 <Crion> Aster: "This is Aaron Aster. We've met before. It was on a wharf. You gave me your card. I won't repeat the other circumstances of that meeting on the phone." 11:51 <banana> English, but with hints of Greek (or thereabouts). Maybe first-generation? 11:51 <Crion> "I was the tracksuited man who took initiative." 11:52 <Crion> Is this voicemail? 11:52 <Crion> That was a voicemail introduction. 11:52 <banana> Georgiou: "Good afternoon, Poseidon. I did wonder if we'd meet again." 11:53 <banana> The two-car convoy doesn't even make it to the spa before things begin to go wrong. 11:53 <Crion> Aster: "I should note that my colleague, Willie Wellesley, is on the line." 11:54 <Crion> "In the interest of full honesty." 11:54 <banana> How have you distributed yourself among the vehicles? Do any of the hunters want to drive? (If not, Gord and Reveille will take a wheel each.) 11:55 <Quaker> Badawi is sitting in the back seat of the first car. 11:55 <hrolf> Rolf isn't driving. 11:55 <banana> Georgiou: "Sure. What is it that you would like?" 11:55 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Good afternoon, Mr. Georgiou." 11:57 <Crion> Aster: "I would like to consult your expertise on a case I'm working. You might benefit in a number of ways." 11:57 <Crion> "Most proximately, you might get to feel extremely smug regarding Benni Athletic and his various misfortunes." 11:58 <Crion> "Less proximately, there is information I might share with you from a case I'm working in parallel which might interest you. Little grey men." 11:58 <Crion> "At the very least, I'm interested in meeting you in a less...charged situation." 11:59 <banana> Georgiou: "The emotion of smugness, huh? I accept. As long as you can make it to my club some time before dinner, after which we have a private screening." 11:59 <banana> "'Wellesley'... are you also a detective?" 12:00 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "After a fashion. I wear a number of hats." 12:00 <Crion> Aster will not be fielding that one. He glances over very briefly before returning his eyes to the road. 12:00 <VoxPVoxD> Not that any of them fit. 12:15 <banana> The pool/spa which Reveille was trying to reach is up Rochdale Road, so you've just crossed out of central Manchester to the northeast. 12:16 <banana> There's an odd lull in traffic on the highway - for just a moment you're making really good time, with the two black cars essentially alone in their lane. 12:16 <Quaker> Hm. Badawi clicks her suitcase open and starts putting her gun together. 12:31 <banana> It's not much further to the Mensa branch clubhouse. (Is that the right term?) Willie and Aster have some idea what they'll be walking into here - any specific plans? If you don't keep Bogdan on the line, he'll ring off to await you in person. 12:31 <banana> Later, elsewhere, Badawi has a meeting. 12:33 <Crion> It would be a bit insulting to just keep him on the line to guide us in. Aster wants to consult on Epsilon Eridani and Reveille, and thinks there are a couple different prosperous routes to do so -- he directly outlined them to Bogdan, in fact. He's not really holding cards in reserve here, because he doesn't have to. 12:37 <banana> This part of the city is mostly residential - in fact, it's far enough west that you're not really in Manchester anymore (just the Greater version). So there's plenty of parking. A whitewashed portico welcomes you to the converted houses, the interior of which is more like offices than what you think of as a 'club' (certainly not the kind Willie's experienced). 12:38 <VoxPVoxD> Willie was hoping for something they might call the Mathenaeum. Alas. 12:38 <banana> There's a secretary, meeting rooms, people working away... but you can also see some signs of leisure activities; a big dining room, and closed doors with a sign reading THEATRE. 12:38 <Crion> Aster parks correctly, then, and if it's mostly residential he won't even need to feed the meter. Does there appear to be active security? 12:38 <Crion> Additionally, has Willie secured the service dog livery for her demon? 12:39 <banana> Nope. But you're being watched the moment you enter the building. The guy behind the desk has keen eyes and a woman leaving the toilets seems to shudder at your presence. 12:39 <VoxPVoxD> Yes, but it's not worth what it is in the States. People are just broadly more contemptuous of invoking your right to annoy everyone in England. 12:39 <VoxPVoxD> So Willie won't be surprised if they complain about the dog. 12:39 <Crion> That's fine. Aster's more than willing to reflect contempt right back. He just needs to know they're covered. 12:40 <Crion> To the receptionist: "Aster and Wellesley, for Georgiou." 12:42 <banana> Badawi travels, physically as well as using the repurposed potions. This time it's a one-on-one meeting at 5pm, the moment the sun falls below the horizon. Vincenzo Gelli is, or appears to be, squatting between bushes in the desert, observing the movement of a train of ants. 12:42 <banana> The way she came here is occluded, as is the reason. 12:44 <banana> Receptionist: "Okay, my name's Michael. I'll take you through. Please step carefully down the hall here - we have some sensitive experiments in progress." His eyes skim over the dog without really taking it in. 12:44 <Crion> Aster: "Of course." 12:46 <banana> There's a hall with glass-windowed doors into some sort of lab and offices on the other side. For a moment, Willie's reminded of Cambridge and Aster of Strangeways. But Bogdan's office looks more like it would fit into a gentleman's club. Leather armchairs, shelves full of books about militay history, curios and ottomans. 12:46 <VoxPVoxD> Small-o, right? 12:46 <banana> Just so. 12:46 <VoxPVoxD> No namesearching handmaidens? 12:47 <Crion> This entire conglomeration has had a definite aesthetic so far. Central-east Asia. Tracksuits and hookah. 12:47 <banana> The old man- or at least the white-haired man; he looks closer to middle-aged in the daylight- is lounging here, one leg over the other as he contemplates a pile of coins in his palm. There's also a young woman in the room, behind the one big desk - heavy sweater and glasses. 12:48 <Quaker> She thought of silver gonfalons, and gold suns, and empty plains, and the air like a shimmering veil in front of her, until she stepped through and kept verse repeating in her head. 12:48 <Crion> Is this the niece from the wharf? 12:48 <banana> Michael: "Your guests, Bogdan. Is this a me thing?" 12:49 <banana> Vincenzo hums along a little, keeping the beat of the rhyme in Badawi's head. He's not the most musical father-in-law she's had, but music is only two letters away from magic. 12:49 <banana> The wharf was brief and chaotic, but Aster thinks he sees the same family resemblance. 12:50 <VoxPVoxD> Willie offers Bogdan her hand. "How do you do, Mr. Georgiou? Willie Wellesley." 12:50 <Quaker> It seems to me that I have lived alone — Alone, as one that liveth in a dream: As light on coldest marble, or the gleam — Of moons eternal on a land of stone — The dawns have been to me — I have but known — The silence of a frozen land extreme — A sole attending silence, all supreme — As is the sea’s enormous monotone. 12:50 <Crion> Then she'll get a clipped nod. 12:51 <banana> Bogdan, to Michael: "We might need you, but I'll call you. Nice to meet you, Ms. Wellsley, good to see you dry Mr. Aster. This is Tracey." 12:51 <banana> You feel.. intensely observed. 12:51 <Crion> So it goes. 12:53 <Quaker> “The changelings appreciated your gift. We couldn’t kill the vampires. We’re working with one of the Star Children. We have not associated with the Iron Pyramid.” Badawi sits next to him, cross-legged. 12:54 <Quaker> “What was your message about?” 12:55 <banana> Vincenzo shows a hint of his usual smile - to Badawi, not the ants. "And you said hello for me, I hope." 12:56 <VoxPVoxD> Willie smiles at the girl with the sad song. "How do you do." 12:57 <banana> "Nadine is doing well?" 12:57 <Quaker> Agostina laughs, and lays back to look up at the sky. It’s one of her favorite things to do in here. It’s much more beautiful, the sky here. 12:57 <banana> Tracey: "Good thanks." 12:58 <banana> She watches Willie less than the men - Michael gave them both a once-over before leaving the room. But she does watch. 12:58 <Quaker> “Nadine is fine. Amjad says hello. He’s settling in nicely. I’m glad he’s here, with us.” 12:59 <banana> Once it's just the four of you, Bogdan says, "Not too charged a situation, unless you have something for me to electrocute. What do you detect, Aster & Wellesley?" 13:00 <Quaker> She’s glad to be here, with him. He’s one of the people she trusts most in the world. 13:01 <Crion> Aster, looking slowly around the room: "Oh, give me a moment." 13:01 <VoxPVoxD> Willie takes over while Aaron looks around. "We've been hired by Mary Morgan, sir. To thwart destiny." 13:05 <Crion> Aster: "This is an...excellent room." 13:05 <Crion> "The history, the power, the levers, the hub. From here, things progress in directions. In a very real sense." 13:06 <banana> Bogdan: "Ohh. Poor Mary. Ah, not that I mean hiring you is what makes her poor Mary." 13:06 <Crion> "There's a design aesthetic. You wanted it to come in off the water." 13:06 <banana> "Well, thank you. We do have a very good Internet connection. Fibre on the land side, fixed-wireless from the tower over the canal." 13:07 <Crion> Aster snorts. "You are potent in this room, and not because of your internet." 13:07 <Crion> "Very well done." 13:08 <Crion> "Regardless, yes. Reveille has contracted our services. We are quite good at what we do, and we are doing it." 13:09 <banana> Vincenzo: "I won't take the long road, Agostina. The weight of that pyramid bears down on you still, even if you've been diligent in your measuring-out of respect." 13:10 <banana> "They are the worst ones out there, you know, and they might not put up with being ignored. Do you have a plan?" 13:12 <banana> Bogdan: "Then what you'll want from me is information. You don't seem like you're here to subcontract." 13:12 <banana> Tracey fiddles with her phone (at one point, you heard a digitised camera shutter sound). 13:12 <Crion> Aster: "Indeed we are not. Hopefully your niece got my good side." 13:13 <Quaker> She thinks of why she’s so glad to have him around. Direct, kind, conscientious, never an attempt at whimsy or wit, never an attempt to bullshit or show off how smart he is. A rock for all who know him. 13:13 <Quaker> “The Iron Pyramid? Or the Invictus in Manchester? There’s more than one pyramid to be worried about now.” 13:13 <banana> Tracey: "Oh.. sorry." 13:13 <banana> With a little more spark: "Do you want to give me a pose? I've never met a real private eye." 13:14 <VoxPVoxD> Who is she talking to? 13:14 <banana> Aster, alas. 13:15 <Crion> "Private eyes don't pose, and neither do I. We photograph best dans la vie. Moving on: Our main line of inquiry has to do with tracing the Calling back to its source. Being able to cut it off there. I think we can all agree that Reveille would make a piss-poor MI6 asset in Moscow and there's no real point pursuing fulfillment of her destiny when she herself finds it to be complete anathema." 13:18 <banana> Bogdan: "Sure. A lot of old tosh is written in the stars. Mary must be... about 35, now? And a strong Golden. I don't want to ignore your experience, but are you sure you know the implications of finding the kind of Entity that would taken an interest here?" 13:19 <Crion> Aster: "No. That's why we consult. Two men are already dead, but, they were improperly prepared. We mix with werewolf spirits, mages, elder vampires. Things of that nature." 13:21 <banana> Vincenzo: "Herbalife vampires, are they? Doubly disgusting." The turn of phrase is a little discordant, and the sky shimmers. It's no way to call upon power, but he knows that. 13:21 <banana> "We'll have to protect you, or extricate you, which means paying a fee." 13:23 <Quaker> “In what currency?” 13:25 <banana> Vincenzo: "Work. That's the energy that surrounds you in your personal spaces, and the energy which keeps the night from falling. There are things to arrange - pieces to put in place. Take some part in that work and, well, you're part of it." 13:26 <banana> "Messages we need passed on to key inviduals. Franchises that need planning permission. Some objects are in the wrong places, the wrong hands. I know it's a bit too much like the old days - would you prefer a way out?" 13:27 <Quaker> “No.” 13:27 <banana> "Thank goodness." 13:27 <Quaker> To her surprise, the answer comes immediately. She means it, she realizes. 13:27 <Quaker> “I just want to stop looking over my shoulder while I’m here.” 13:29 <Quaker> “The work was never the problem.” 13:29 <Quaker> “I work for the House.” 13:30 <banana> Bogdan spreads his hands widely. "Better you than me. I'd like to help, although time is limited! And knowledge is power! But you did help me. I wonder... you said this would be a poke in the eye for Benni?" 13:30 <banana> Vincenzo laughs. "Which one?" 13:31 <Quaker> “The real one! Ours.” 13:31 <Crion> Aster: "He wants to be the man providing safety for the woman who left him, as an argument against that. Ensuring Mary hits her deadlines and sells the album means he's left looking, well. Like an ex-husband trying to pry." 13:31 <banana> The reclusive girl at the desk is watching Willie now after Aster's rebuff. A couple of times she seems like she's going to say something, then shakes her head... and speaking of sad songs, she has a message in Huntr. 13:31 <VoxPVoxD> ? 13:31 <Crion> "Not my business. But so it goes." 13:31 <banana> <RH> I don't suppose you've had any more long hexadecimal numbers? 13:32 <VoxPVoxD> Has she? 13:32 <Crion> Is that what counts as a rebuff these days? He doesn't have time to pose. 13:32 <banana> Not to her knowledge. Maybe at work - Civil Service work - there are a lot of document id codes! 13:33 <VoxPVoxD> WW: <not from Jack. why do you ask?> 13:33 <Quaker> “The work I’m doing on my own is interesting. I’m meeting a lot of important people. But it’s only ever in the service of our way.” 13:33 <VoxPVoxD> A note of concern crosses her face. 13:33 <banana> <RH> Can't really go into it 'on the line'. It's probably nothing, or nothing urgent. 13:34 <VoxPVoxD> Richard is so Scottish. <i'm coming to you> 13:35 <Crion> Aster glances over. 13:35 <VoxPVoxD> She looks up at Aaron. "Something's come up at the office. I think I have to pop out. 13:35 <Quaker> “Maybe the Nameless House is just a prelude. Ordinary people working as peers with these mystic powers. A Nameless House for now, with a real House coming in later.” 13:35 <Crion> Aster: "Understood." He tosses her the keys. "Don't let it piss on the leather." 13:36 <banana> Bogdan sits up as he tells Aster, "Athletic's that but he's also more, worse. The man is... a cosmic counterweight. He's at the nexus of alien plots, without understanding any of them.. frankly, he sells us out on a daily basis. I would like to see him- ah, farewell." 13:36 <VoxPVoxD> Willie smiles at Bogdan and Tracey. "Do excuse me. A pleasure to meet you both." 13:36 <VoxPVoxD> Then she heads out and drives to the Greybox. Kaga does not piss on the leather. 13:37 <Crion> Aster: "He has not come under direct fire from the various aesthetic aliens that have bothered his ex-wife." 13:37 <banana> Bogdan: "I will help you with Mary Morgan's Calling if you don't mind repurposing the task a little. There's an opportunity here to bend the currents of destiny away from Benjamin Sports." 13:38 <Crion> Aster: "I have no issue doing this. I need to know the extent Reveille will be exposed. She doesn't need to be unwittingly bent to wield destiny's sword against a man she already has had to take a restraining order out against, and I won't have that complication fucking with my money." 13:39 <banana> Vincenzo runs his hands through the sand; they come away clean, but it scatters the ants. "I don't doubt it. I wondered if your nameless name was something ... but that work really doesn't tie in our own." He's suddenly serious. "I haven't been able to find out who you're working for, either." 13:41 <banana> The door into the Greybox opens to the same code as usual - immediately, since Richard knew Willie was coming. In fact, he's right there, in the hallway between the Walls, with the inner 'airlock' door shut behind him. 13:41 <banana> "Oh, hello." 13:43 <banana> Bogdan: "It's a constraint, but solveable. Let's look at the picture. Your goal is to make money and to help your client. Hers I suppose is to be left alone - not have to think about her heritage anymore?" 13:43 <Quaker> “What have you found out about him? It.” 13:44 <Crion> Aster: "Correct. I am unsure that your addendum question is necessarily attached to her prime directive; she will be thinking about her heritage for the rest of her life. She would simply rather a specific star not be actively attacking her with fulminating right-wing fever dream memes." 13:45 <banana> Tracey: "Prime directive..." 13:45 <Crion> Aster's eyes flick over. "She referenced Star Trek as well." 13:47 <banana> Tracey laughs; Bogdan shrugs. "The various factions which Cosmos can bend to its will have their own agendas. I wouldn't say they're right-wing, universally, but from our perspective it hardly matters. Then let me introduce a third element to the picture: there are only two organisations in this city, perhaps this country, capable of mental concert. " 13:48 <VoxPVoxD> Willie gives Richard a concerned look. "Is something wrong inside? Did something get dropped off?" 13:49 <banana> Haldane adjusts his collar. "No, the place should be as safe as ever, although if we just... do you mind?" He'll reach past Willie, if there's room, to close the exterior door. 13:49 <Crion> Aster: "I'm unfamiliar with the term-of-art. Please continue." 13:49 <VoxPVoxD> Willie leans to permit him. 13:50 <banana> Richard: "Thanks. Hmm, I wonder whether it's possible to just... clamber up in here." 13:51 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Richard... what's going on?" 13:51 <banana> With some effort, he's making his way into/atop the thousands of bundles of wires and piping that flow off to the left and right as far as Willie's eye can see. It looks absurd. 13:51 <VoxPVoxD> "Why are you receding into the walls?" 13:52 <banana> Vincenzo: "I think he is a him, but who can say? Where do you start with someone who has as the first thing out of his mouth, 'This is a constructed identity for the purposes of deceit'?" 13:53 <banana> "I don't think there's any plot to harm you... or us. But he knows about the other House." 13:54 <banana> Richard: "I do apologise for becoming a meme. I suppose.. it's not going to get any safer than this, so, er, do you mind having a conversation from down there?" 13:54 <banana> "I don't mind if you want to go in and fetch a chair." 13:54 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "I'm fine! Just-- what's in there? What's happening?" 13:54 <VoxPVoxD> She sounds a little anxious now. 13:56 <Quaker> Agostina shrugs. “It’s not the most secret thing in the world. And I’m only in the same boat as four others who would be angry if they were betrayed. Our utility to him is a double-edged sword.” 13:57 <banana> Bogdan's eyes sparkle as he explains coordinated telepathy to Aster. "Our greatest accomplishment - the massing of minds with truly synergistic results. Eff of ex greater-than ex over a sum from one to en participants. Do it the wrong way, or with the right symbology in mind, and it's like a beacon to Agents." 13:58 <Crion> Aster: "The mathematics of the stars, and of Hell." 13:59 <Crion> "And you, the master of 'Cerebro.'" 13:59 <banana> "What I suggest... I can teach you about Mary's guidestar, and you can learn its signs and markers. Then: persuade Athletic to conduct a concert, with the symbols and signifiers you've discovered, and it will be drawn to him. To you, and you have help, and that help has just fucked itself over." 13:59 <banana> "Cerewhat?" 14:00 <Crion> Aster: "Oh, Mary Morgan told me you were like Professer X, from those X-Men comics. Cerebro is his great instrument. The way he reaches out to touch the world." 14:01 <banana> Bogdan: "That's the other thing we could do. But drawing the attention of a star's star to our little research society? I'd need a damn good reason to take that risk." 14:01 <Crion> "Involving Athletic will be annoying. Not in the least because he will obviously see the downsides to it." 14:02 <Crion> Aster: "Well, I would prefer your involvement to his. I don't like or trust him. I would rather give you reason to take the risk than trust him to carry it." 14:02 <banana> Richard is now half-crouched in the ducting space which stretches (as far as you can tell) into the infinite distance. "Okay, look. Everything is largely fine, but this does seem like.. I should inform you, or you should be aware.. no, let me start again." 14:02 <banana> Richard: "I am not a robot." 14:03 <banana> "I've checked, in more ways than one. Meat body, human parents, standard blood. I don't set off metal detectors, although officialdom seems to have some sort of records-keeping issue." 14:04 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Okay." 14:04 <Crion> Aster: "I do have another case I'm working. Little grey men from the stars. They've infiltrated and subjugated the mind of an upstanding thug for the vampires and forced him to give out screed on the benefits of private-public partnerships, scaling corporate tax breaks, and the wisdom of building a space port on the Scottish moors." 14:04 <banana> Vincenzo: "Ultimately, it doesn't concern me like the dark iron ones do. Some things are just business." 14:05 <Crion> "Not that this would fully whet your taste for action in terms of payment. But it might be a start. I've got a safe with a dictionary in it, and that dictionary is literally overflowing with alien pictographs as a memetic virus." 14:05 <Quaker> “What do you think I should do with the Changelings’ offer?” 14:06 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Have you been twisting about this all afternoon?" 14:07 <VoxPVoxD> "What happened?" 14:08 <banana> Vincenzo sighs. "If you're going to meet with this man... I'll put you back on the payroll. That will keep you safe for a little while - his masters are great, but he is not his masters. To keep it up, we'll need you to work, which will be sufficient to keep the pyramid's attention elsewhere as long as you don't actively provoke them." 14:08 <banana> "If you actively provoke them, go against their known plans, you will need to be very good and very lucky. I do not want to take that news to Orlando. Please." 14:10 <banana> Richard: "I, mm, found bit of paper in the wastebasket. Cut in half, using the scissors I keep at my desk, but I didn't cut it." 14:10 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "What was on the paper?" 14:10 <banana> Richard: "It was the other half of the instructions you passed onto me, the half I'd forgotten. Meaningless numbers, not ASCII or anything, just.. a code." 14:10 <banana> "And I've lost some time." 14:11 <VoxPVoxD> Do we have cameras in the Greybox? 14:11 <banana> Yep. 14:11 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Did you check the tape?" 14:11 <banana> "The work I do for our employer isn't complicated. Apart from just being here, I operate the legitimate end of the business, supplies in and out, I manage the database and coordinate missions.. and apparently I do other things, and erase them from the tapes." 14:12 <VoxPVoxD> Willie's heart sinks. "Oh, Richard." 14:12 <VoxPVoxD> "That won't do." 14:12 <VoxPVoxD> "We've got to sort this out." 14:12 <banana> "I don't think he can see into the safehouse. Nobody and nothing can, but... there are the cameras." 14:12 <Quaker> Agostina sits up. “I’ll meet with him, then, and not do anything to make him more angry than he already is. And I won’t do anything against them, by myself or without asking you first.” 14:12 <Quaker> “What about these Vampires? They assaulted the ones I work with. Death threats from one of them…some kind of pervert and menace.” 14:13 <banana> Vincenzo turns and claps her on the shoulder roughly. "Of course. None of us thought you would, Agostina, it's just that the terms of some things have to be made very clear." 14:13 <Quaker> “I know. It’s just good to say some things out loud. Unambiguously. Rare trait among the English.” 14:14 <banana> "This language, which has so much beautiful poetry - they think they invented it." 14:14 <banana> Vincenzo: "English was stolen from half the peoples of the world, and then stolen back. You can speak it without being ironic." 14:16 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Do you need to get out for a while? I have a spare room you can stay in, we can take shifts at the Greybox alongside our guard duties." 14:16 <VoxPVoxD> "Do you think you would be safer outside?" 14:16 <banana> The vampires. He shrugs. "Those things can't touch you if you leave them alone. Are they even human anymore? It doesn't mean your colleague is safe, she's probably not safe at all." 14:17 <banana> "Is she a person worth protecting?" 14:19 <Quaker> Agostina feels sand against her legs. She feels the dream fading. “If she asks for protection and help, I would help her. Even if she is the one putting herself in danger.” She runs the verse over in her head. “You can’t stop people from doing that.” 14:19 <banana> Bogdan listens with some confusion to the story of Aster's other job. "It does sounds like very interesting nonsense. Maybe real Entities involved, although not the kind you can deal with just by finding an Agent to beat up." 14:20 <Crion> Aster: "More's the pity." 14:20 <Quaker> Upon the icy desert of my days — No bright mirages are, but iron rays — Of dawn relentless, and the bitter light — Of all-revealing noon. — Alone, I crave — The friendly clasp of finite arms, to save — My spirit from the ravening Infinite. 14:20 <banana> "Summoning it to us... I couldn't even make that call on my own. If you don't want to exploit the Outfit, maybe we could help you find it instead. less dangerous... maybe." 14:20 <banana> "But at the very least, I will tell you what an agent really is." He looks at Tracey. "And yes... many Bothans died to bring us this information." 14:21 <Quaker> Before it breaks apart: “Como esta Orlando?” 14:21 <Crion> Aster understands the reference; if he's expected to react to it, he'll grimly smile. 14:22 <Crion> Aster: "I have a kill team." 14:22 <banana> Vincenzo: "He's finding the beauty in simplicity." 14:24 <banana> Richard: "My impression is... I'm safe if nobody shows me a bunch of numbers. But that's not really a sustainable position, is it? There could be a message anytime, and in fact getting to messages to people seems to be his specialty." 14:24 <banana> "I can't stand the idea that I might have done something without knowing it which compromises the rest of our.. team." 14:26 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "We're going to have someone with you. This is more important than a contract. This is our team." 14:26 <VoxPVoxD> "I'll stay until we can work something out. And I'll brief the team." 14:27 <banana> Richard sounds calmer, although he's still on his hands and knees in an insane crawlspace full of blinking lights. "Technically, this might not even be my problem. Perhaps the trick works to program anybody? But if so, it says things about Grey Jack that we didn't want to hear." 14:28 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "It says things we don't want to be true. If they are true, we absolutely want to hear them." 14:28 <banana> "Are you sure you're a civil servant?" 14:28 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "I didn't say we had to tell anyone!" 14:29 <VoxPVoxD> She's smiling now despite her worry. 14:29 <banana> Richard, too. "I think we can talk about this inside as long as I turn off every camera and microphone first. Might be a bit of a TrackCheck outage." 14:30 <VoxPVoxD> "That's fine, Bob's gotten nervous about using it anyway, and I'm worried one of the blokes in Mary's entourage might be some kind of sex robot." 14:30 <VoxPVoxD> "I think some nice quiet in-office time would be good, actually. Shall I make you some tea?" 14:30 <banana> "Ah. The man with the absolute banger."