14:53 <banana> https://limits.thomascastiglione.com/media/hmptc.png 14:53 <banana> Her Majesty's Prison Officer Training Centre is unprepossessing. Red brick, three stories, entirely like every other government office building in Manchester. It's overshadowed by the star-shape of the maximum security prison which it serves. 14:54 <banana> There's nothing on the outside that sets it apart as a nest of wizards, but that's what it is - the only one to which Agostina Badawi is cleared to bring colleagues for an introduction and a chat. 14:55 <Crion> It's a government building. That's your tip that it's a nest of wizards. 14:56 <Quaker> In hindsight, it’s odd that the Mysterium has infiltrated this government facility so thoroughly, but seems to find itself so frozen out of the Night City’s other institutions. 14:57 <banana> Gives one to wonder whether they have other connections that they've simply concealed entirely from her. 14:57 <banana> ...Or maybe the 'Iron Pyramid' is winning. 14:57 <Crion> Or perhaps its their personal faults. 14:57 <Quaker> Anyway, she’s brought lattes for Vivi and Octocat. Before they go in, she reminds Aster: “My work name here is Luisa.” 14:58 <Crion> Aster: "Understood." 14:58 <Crion> He's wearing smart slacks with a matching smart jacket, white button up, no tie. Glasses. Not smoking. 14:59 <Crion> Phone and wallet, no weapons. The only way he and the mages are similar is that they've got all they need in their head. 14:59 <banana> Badawi's card opens the front door, but the receptionist doesn't wave her boredly onwards. "Ms. Scabuzzo," she says from behind a pane of glass. "You don't have an appointment today." 15:00 <Quaker> Before they enter: “Octocat is my main contact, and we’ll spend the majority of our time talking to him. Vivi is a fine sort, bit on the action man side. An older woman named Closure might be hanging around, if she’s followed up on her interest in my reports. She’s from their spook section, so keep to yourself if she’s about.” 15:00 <Crion> With distaste: "'Closure.'" 15:00 <Crion> "Them and their names." 15:00 <Crion> "I don't know what an Octocat or a Vivi is, but I prefer the abstraction." 15:01 <Quaker> Badawi: “No, I don’t. I’m here to talk to Strangeways Retrieval Service. I’ve got information for them. Work related.” 15:01 <Quaker> “This is my work colleague, who I will let introduce himself. I can vouch for his trustworthiness and discretion.” 15:02 <Crion> Evenly: "Aaron Aster." 15:04 <Quaker> ‘Luisa’ is wearing a black tracksuit with white striping, and a white shawl and sunglasses. “I have a standing invitation from the head of the Training Centre.” 15:04 <banana> Receptionist (not a mage, as far as you know): "I'll call in and see if someone from the Service is available." Despite the anachronism, she begins typing rather than picking up a phone, presumably messaging on the internal network. 15:05 <Crion> Aster glances around, looking for security cameras. He's not going to activate the Tag module. He just wants to know if he could. 15:05 <Quaker> Badawi gives Aster a shrug in the universal gesture for “Government.” 15:05 <banana> "Mr. Ocherro will be available in five minutes." Dubiously: "I could send you through to his office..." 15:05 <banana> She does recognise Badawi, but the attitude's different for some reason. 15:06 <Quaker> “We’ll wait.” 15:06 <banana> There's a camera in the lobby... and no others in the building. 15:06 <Quaker> “How’s your day going so far, Miss?” 15:06 <Crion> Mages. 15:06 <Crion> Aster doesn't pretend to be interested in the conversation with the receptionist. 15:06 <banana> Receptionist: "Slow, but I can't complain. We haven't got any courses on between now and Christmas!" 15:08 <Quaker> Badawi: “Better than a rush, I always say. Time to catch up on all the work they saddle you with. Not a lot of guards needing training, then? 15:08 <banana> Receptionist: "There's a hiring freeze, ma'am. With everyone that's returning from furlough, we have more wardens than the region needs." 15:09 <Crion> Oh be more obvious why don't---...huh. It worked. 15:09 <Quaker> Badawi: “Not too bad, that. You don’t want to be short-staffed in a place like this, I imagine.” 15:10 <banana> "Ah... you can go through, apparently. It's on the right, up the stairs to the first floor, and Officer Ocherro will meet you at the top." 15:10 <Crion> Aster's eyebrows rise at 'Ocherro.' Well. One supposes you want a fake name that sounds a lot like your more important fake name. 15:10 <Quaker> “Thanks, Miss. What’s your name? I’ll be sure to bring something by for the office next time I stop in.” 15:11 <banana> Dalton: "It's Dalton. Rose Dalton. But I've got to inform you, we have a no-parcels policy, same as the prison..." 15:13 <Quaker> Badawi: “Oh, pretty name. Ah, Rose, it’s just a bit of fresh bread or such. I’ve got sisters who like to bake, and god help my figure if I end up eating it all.” 15:13 <Crion> Carbs are poison. 15:17 <banana> Dalton: "Thanks for the thought, Ma'am." 15:17 <banana> Doesn't look like she's going to commit to actually accepting baked goods on behalf of the officer trainers, but it wasn't a refusal. 15:18 <Crion> When they're away: "Is there an angle there, or are you actually committing to feeding the English?' 15:19 <Crion> He shakes his head. "Perhaps don't tell me inside these walls." 15:19 <banana> Badawi hasn't been up to the first floor before. There's more security up there - an 'airlock' with double card readers. Waiting on your side of the arrangement is a man in blue suit pants and a matching tailored hoodie - Vivi. 15:19 <Quaker> “Of course. Well, Miss Dalton, you have a good rest of your day.” 15:19 <Crion> Sartorial ridiculousness. 15:20 <banana> Vivi: "Luisa. Mr. Aster? Victor Ocherro." 15:20 <Quaker> To Aster: “Being nice to the receptionists is surely the first lesson you learn when working this job.” 15:20 <Quaker> “‘Ello ‘ello. You taking us through, then?” 15:21 <Crion> Aster: "Good afternoon." 15:22 <banana> Vivi: "Honoured as we always are by your presence, Octocat is out. Let's get to my office before anyone expounds." 15:22 <Crion> ...So this isn't Octocat? Well, that's better opsec at least. 15:23 <Quaker> Hm…hopefully Octocat hasn’t gotten himself into trouble. 15:23 <banana> The inner door won't open until the outer one closes, so you all have to cram into the space. Frosted glass gives way to anonymous corridors, much like those on the ground floor, with a series of closed and silent office doors. 15:25 <Quaker> “How are things, Vivi? Closure around snooping?” 15:26 <Crion> Oh. Vivi, 'Victor'. Plaudits revoked. 15:26 <banana> Vivi's office is where the magic starts, or rather where things become obviously supernatural. It's fairly large, with wall shelves that mix mundane certificates (apparently he did a Jamie Oliver course?) and strange arcane things. A series of wax candles, clacky desk toy without any strings on it, nice view out the window even though this is an interior, etcetera. 15:27 <banana> The mage sighs. "Yes... that's her job, and she'll do it until she drops." 15:27 <banana> "We're under a bit of pressure recently. Nothing connected with retrievals, don't worry." 15:27 <Crion> Aster's been in much more dire versions of this office. He appreciates the personality, begrudgingly. He fastidiously touches nothing but the ground beneath his feet. 15:28 <banana> Vivi offers chairs, which seem ordinary. No arms on them but they do swivel a bit if you like. 15:28 <banana> "Ah, I think we promised you more work... hence the visit?" 15:28 <Quaker> Badawi: “Quick question. Say I mentioned our mutual armored Ottoman acquaintance by name — would his little eavesdropping trick work in here?” 15:28 <Crion> Aster will only sit down if 'Luisa' does. 15:29 <banana> Vivi: "Jesus, don't do that. Uh.. maybe. We think it depends on how close by he is, but the range is unknown. Doesn't work from the other side of the planet." 15:29 <banana> "Did your Jack turn out to be..." 15:29 <Quaker> Luisa does. “I’ve come for a chat, actually. I’ve got introductions to make, information to share, exciting secrets to disclose…” 15:30 <Crion> Then he'll sit. 15:30 <banana> Vivi rubs at the dark skin under his eyes with one hand and scratches his beard with another. "I could use a distraction. Initiate chat." 15:30 <Quaker> “No. Well, not that I’ve learned. Let’s call him…Mr. Knight, then. I met him, actually. Both of us did.” 15:31 <Quaker> “Well, I suppose he attacked me with magic at one point.” 15:31 <Crion> Aster stirs slightly at that. An amusing prefiguration. He doesn't interrupt. 15:32 <banana> Vivi rummages around his desk (lots of paperwork) for a bit of quartz and holds it up, peering at Badawi through the refracted and impossible sunlight. 15:32 <Quaker> “Nothing too debilitating, since it was at a party and we were something like special guests for the hosts’ friends.” 15:32 <banana> "...residuum. Your analysis is correct; you've survived, so I suppose your grammar wasn't egregious." 15:33 <banana> "These people think they make the law and that they are above the law." 15:33 <Crion> They have their points. 15:33 <Crion> Amusing analysis, from a jailor. 15:34 <Quaker> “I believe Mr. Aster has more firsthand experience of their practical arrogance. He’s worked with their - or your - American relatives.” 15:34 <banana> To Aster: "How's that?" 15:34 <Crion> Aster: "Department of Homeland Security." 15:34 <Crion> "Under Obama." 15:35 <Crion> He has no idea if 'Vivi' understands the significance there, but it exists; there was an annoyed exodus after Trump's election. 15:35 <Crion> He's unsure if they've returned under Diamond Joe. Depends on the provenance of that nickname, one supposes. 15:36 <Crion> Either way his poisonous distaste is clear. 15:36 <banana> The Vice-Curator frowns. "Almost certainly Mr. Knight's people. Yes. They are very much... I'm trying to think of a word that means 'globalist' but isn't antisemitic." 15:37 <Crion> Aster: "They make one wonder if there's a dire throne up there for 'The Blob.'" 15:38 <banana> "You've got a lot of experience in this world, Mr. Aster." 15:38 <Crion> Aster: "That's why they pay me the big bucks." 15:38 <Quaker> “And it’s why I’m working with him.” 15:39 <banana> To Badawi: "It's an interesting combination, right? Sleeper, entirely human, made it to fifty, still alive, actually knows what he's talking about." 15:40 <banana> Vivi addresses both of them again: "I'm starting to hear things about your group. Hope you wanted publicity?" 15:40 <Quaker> “Mr. Aster probably has more experience investigating the results of occult activity, and the morphology of supernatural phenomena, then the both of us put together. And I’m sure speaking about him like he’s not in the room just annoys him.” 15:41 <banana> "Sorry. It's the sort of affectation that used to impress people at Cambridge." 15:41 <Quaker> She looks at Aster. “Did you go to a university? I didn’t.” 15:44 <Crion> Aster: "I am a graduate of Temple University. It was founded by Baptists. It became a state research university and hasn't gotten more respectable since." 15:44 <Quaker> “Well then you both have the advantage over me. What have you heard, Vivi?” 15:46 <banana> "Heard about what?" The mage looks relaxed; he's more formal and secretive than Octocat, who seems to actively oppose concealing information, but is apparently enjoying the opportunity to just chat without a work agenda. 15:46 <banana> "Oh, about the Nameless House. Well, I've heard the name... ironically." 15:46 <Crion> Aster, enunciating: "Things about our group." 15:48 <banana> Vivi: "I'm told that as well as contracting for the Wolf-Mourners your name has become known to Councillors... and vampires. In fact, the word is that you'll be free for new work shortly. Finish something interesting up?" 15:49 <Quaker> “You ever work with vampires, Vivi?” 15:49 <banana> Vivi: "I've worked... against vampires." 15:49 <Crion> Aster: "We'll be available for work." 15:49 <Crion> "We will not be free." 15:50 <banana> "Ha. Whoever you have on marketing has made sure to let Consilium know that." 15:50 <banana> "We have, when necessary, money.. but no great need for assistance, I think. I'll let you know if it changes!" 15:51 <Quaker> “With or against, you won’t be surprised to find out that they sort-of, might-have tried to contact us for some work, and made us jump through some idiotic hoops before even giving us a straight job offer, and then the situation was resolved without our involvement on account of some impenetrable internal politics of theirs. Sound familiar?” 15:52 <Crion> Well, that rendition is probably smarter than a straight denial around this lot. 15:52 <banana> Vivi: "Uh-huh. I'm not an expert in vampire society but I know it's labyrinthine and violent. Your general premise is to do what ordinary people can do for the extraordinary, right? I can see why vampires' dirty work fits that bill, but.. of course, it's dangerous." 15:53 <banana> "Thing is." 15:53 <banana> "This is just my personal opinion. If everyone avoids danger, it doesn't make the world a better place, it just means that problems go unsolved. If you've got the skills and the appetite for risk, I say go at it." 15:54 <Crion> Aster: "Thank you for your personal opinion." 15:54 <Quaker> Badawi hands Vivi his latte. “You like vanilla chai?” 15:54 <banana> He looks at Aster sharply, then- "Oh, I thought that was yours. I don't mind trying it..." 15:55 <banana> "No poison, right?" 15:55 <Quaker> Badawi: : I 15:55 <Quaker> “No.” 15:55 <Crion> Aster: "Do you require a taste-tester." 15:56 <banana> Vivi: "I'm not saying you would poison me, just, you know. You've never told us how those potions work." He takes a few sips and wipes his beard. 15:57 <Quaker> “Has Octocat really been the only thing standing between this place and total paranoia? What’s going on with your side?” 15:57 <Quaker> “And believe me, those potions don’t taste like vanilla. Bit impossible to mix the two up.” 15:58 <banana> Genially: "You may call it paranoia. We archive things - and people! which are really incredibly dangerous, you know. Sometimes even in the right hands. You do have to cultivate an attitude." 15:58 <banana> "The custodial prana." 15:58 <Crion> Aster, whose mind is steeled with discipline, resists rolling his eyes at that clumsy transition from 'are you trying to hurt me?' to 'tell me your secrets.' 15:58 <Crion> This is the problem with mages. 15:59 <Quaker> “Even with loyal friends? The kind who get zapped by Mr. Knight just because they openly voiced their dislike of him in public?” 16:01 <Quaker> “Because you personally told them how bad he was?” 16:01 <banana> "If I ask you about poison," Vivi points out, "I'm not calling in Carrey to check for it. That means I don't actually expect poison in the coffee. Very low probability of any such thing." 16:01 <Crion> It also means you can't tell if there's poison in the cup. Which makes you easy to poison. 16:03 <Crion> I wonder if you study the Mind? Can you hear this? It would be interesting if you can. You are the facilitator. 16:03 <banana> Vivi: "What brings you to our islands, Aster? Work, foreign brides, Trump?" 16:04 <Crion> It would be a terrible breach of privacy and decorum. But you're a wizard. 16:04 <Crion> Out loud: "I was lend-leased to Scotland Yard." 16:04 <Quaker> I’m hungry. 16:05 <Crion> Aster: "And I decided, after my stint there was up, that I liked the profit potential here. And the healthcare." 16:05 <banana> Vivi: "Oh, that's fun. I've always wanted to see a show like Morse but without, y'know, the Lie." 16:07 <Quaker> Badawi is going through her pockets, and eventually comes up with her notebook from Samhain. 16:08 <banana> Vivi: "There's no reason you can't put magic in a procedural. Everything's got rules, and the human element is the same." 16:09 <Crion> Aster stares at point just to the left of this man's head, as he talks about Aster's literal job. 16:09 <Quaker> Badawi: “So how is your side planning on dealing with Lord Khemut-Re when he awakens?” 16:15 <banana> Vivi sets down the takeaway cup carefully, contemplating.. or stalling. "An ancient Egyptian name. One of your former masters?" 16:15 <Quaker> “Are you serious?” 16:19 <banana> Vivi: "Ordinarily. But we're not on the clock." 16:20 <Crion> Ah. So he's not serious; he's just an asshole. 16:20 <Quaker> “Vivi, stop jerking us around. If I come in and ask about the mummy, at least tell me to my face if you can’t say anything about it. Or just give me a straight answer.” 16:22 <Quaker> “I’m starting to see why Mr. Knight has made inroads among all the other institutions of the Night City and your bunch is confined to Strangeways. You know you catch more flies with honey than with denying the existence of honey to any fly that asks?” 16:23 <banana> Vivi's eyes narrow, but they're still friendly. "Mummy-cults do, of course, survive to present times... and in fact made something of a comeback in the 20s. The 1920s, that is. And if pressed - which I am - I've heard that one such secret society has a surprisingly large membership base in Greater Manchester. I hadn't actually heard the name of their dead supposed god." 16:25 <banana> "Technically I can't confirm the presence of a 'side', any plans to 'deal with' cut-rate Tut, etc. You know how it is, Luisa. Knowledge is danger." 16:26 <Quaker> “Then you hadn’t seen that one is currently active, is currently awaiting the imminent return of their god Khemut-Re, and that the Night City, changeling monarchs, and Pyramid are all not only aware of all this but seem quite used to hearing this sort of thing?” 16:26 <Crion> Aster: "And you're always danger close." 16:26 <banana> Vivi: "That said - if you have pharoah problems, it would be totally kosher to call on us for aid." 16:26 <Crion> Well. That's a mixed cultural metaphor. 16:26 <banana> "I mean like what do you want from me here." 16:27 <banana> "Inside these four walls I can admit that, for example, magic is real." 16:28 <Crion> Aster: "I have to admit, Luisa, I do share his dim outlook on the utility of ever asking mages for help or collaboration outside of a formal transaction." 16:28 <Quaker> “You may be right, Mr. Aster…if the Mysterium is so eager to freeze us out with Octocat stepped out, maybe we should just go to the Free Assemblies in the future with whatever we find. I hear that Zebek Trajan is fair game for all sorts of things.” 16:29 <banana> Vivi: "You get it. We are unhelpful and, furthermore, just plain dicks." 16:30 <Crion> He frowns: "Is it Vivi, or Six-Six?" 16:30 <banana> Trajan, Trajan, that's a name.. "Is that the dimension-hopper guy?" 16:31 <banana> "Oh, vi-vi. There was this game character I liked." 16:31 <Quaker> “I mean, I’d even gotten the exact transcript of Mr. Knight’s bargain with the changelings. Too bad.” Badawi shrugs. “Oh, Trajan? Nevermind, it’s not something you’d want to get involved in. Better not involve you if it’s a headache for your protocol.” 16:31 <Crion> Aster makes a mental note. 16:32 <banana> Vivi: "Hang on." 16:34 <banana> Vivi: "A break is one thing, but the principle of exchange does apply." 16:34 <banana> He's willing to deal. 16:37 <Quaker> “I think I’ll sit on that one until Octocat gets back. You’d agree that waiting to go to the bazaar until the friendliest merchant returns is only good sense, Vivi.” 16:37 <Quaker> “Mr. Aster? Anything you’d like to offer or ask for?” 16:38 <Crion> Aster: "Yes." 16:39 <banana> Vivi: "Certainly the friendliest merchant will promise you the heavens. I can only offer mortal things, but we've got hell of Things, and if you want some of those things in exchange for the contract transcript... " 16:40 <Crion> "There is an American working for Scotland Yard's Special Crimes Unit, Doctor Samantha Blackfin. She is currently working a case involving an impossible copycat serial killer, possibly due to Time, possibly due to Fate, possibly due to some sort of life-past-death ghost or otherwise necrokinetic corpse or spirit condition. Unclear. I would like to purchase, for her, as much cooperation as can 16:40 <Crion> be squeezed from your particular grubby stone." 16:41 <Crion> "She will need to see a grave on the Strangeways grounds, access some records, perhaps pursue one or two other trivial avenues -- unless she gets a break." 16:41 <Crion> "I am offering as a baseline sidepot, of course, acknowledgement and acceptance of your ability to ruthlessly and shamelessly spy on and question her." 16:42 <banana> Vivi: "An application has been received under that name. In fact, it's come by my department. I am the Vice-Curator, Organics." 16:42 <banana> He straightens up - both himself and the desk, tidying it a little for something to do with his hands. "Cooperation for Dr. Blackfin, a transcript of the mysterious contract between the Seers and the lost souls... why do they deal... hmm." 16:42 <Crion> Aster reaches into his jacket and removes a velvet bag with drawstring. "I am offering these. I apologize for an opaque container, but I was unsure plastic was safe. Do not handle these directly with your ungloved hands." 16:43 <Crion> He places it on the desk. 16:43 <banana> That's not a transcript. 16:43 <Crion> Aster: "I would like to offer them first, before the transcript." 16:43 <banana> Vivi: "With your permission, I'll examine this briefly?" 16:43 <Crion> "If the transcript does not prove necessary for the buy-cost, then we can examine that deal later." 16:44 <Crion> "I believe you should do that. Very carefully." 16:44 <Crion> "Whatever it was that provided them, they did not come from a mortal." 16:44 <Quaker> Badawi: “Transcript is off the table for now. I’ve got to massage some things with the changelings firist. It’s a personal relationship, between trusting friends. You’ll understand.” 16:45 <banana> Vivi: "Alright, you'll want to look away from this - not a secret, just uncomfortable to your eyes." 16:45 <Crion> Aster understands the process, and either spins the chair or covers his face in a hand. 16:46 <Quaker> Badawi rolls her eyes. Until she’s not looking at it. 16:46 <banana> The mage raises a hand. The balls in the executive desk toy begin to swing back and forth, clack, clack, clack - despite the lack of anything on which to swing. 16:47 <banana> The bag floats into the air, undoes its own string, and peels back. It drops to the desk, leaving a pair of things like caltrops with fractally machined and wrongly-dimensioned spikes. They float, if anyone is looking. 16:48 <banana> (But if they are, the floating is itself impossible, wrong- they can't focus on it, find it hard to remember, feel like it's all a trick.) 16:48 <banana> Vivi: "What the heck?" 16:49 <Crion> Aster is very intentionally not looking. He's very annoyed that he's getting in the habit of letting mages do their thing, but. 16:49 <Crion> These ones aren't the worst. 16:50 <Quaker> He’d like Octocat! 16:50 <banana> "I can confirm that these are super weird. Not enchanted, but clearly a product of either magic, or.. well, I guess I haven't paid for anything more than that yet. But these hooks, or hook-analogues, they connect to the circuits.. piezoelectric?" 16:50 <Quaker> Badawi gets up and starts to examine the other interesting things on shelves in Vivi’s office while not looking at his desk. 16:50 <banana> He makes an unsatisfied noise, followed by the sound of fabric wrapping around metal again and then a muffled clunk. 16:51 <banana> Vivi: "Yeah, come back, there's a trade here for sure." 16:51 <Crion> Aster: "Excellent." 16:51 <Crion> Aster: "I can provide further samples if necessary, but on no clearly deliniated timeline." 16:52 <banana> The bag is on the desk, nearly where Aster left it. Vivi must have fiddled with it in some safe way. 16:53 <Quaker> Badawi: “Will it buy cooperation for Dr. Blackfin?” 16:53 <banana> Mage: "Let me just check on that." He's going through his papers, reading over something. 16:57 <banana> Vivi: "I'll make the call, this is in-bounds. We're always into impossible objects, but.. I will also ask for everything you know about their provenance. Interpretation might be impossible otherwise." 17:01 <Crion> Aster: "Certainly. These were given freely by Local Businessman James Roth. You'll notice something about that name, in its fullness, when you go searching the documentary record -- it's quite interesting. He is a relatively normal-looking, relatively less-normal seeming English local businessman, who wished for us to test his product on various...subjects. Ones attached to the supernatural. 17:01 <Crion> Thus the necessary caution. He was unable or unwilling to explain their manufacture, refused to take responsibility for said manufacture, and was very poor at concealing his unwillingness to engage in questions about their manufacture." 17:02 <Crion> Aster: "We still intend to do so, at some point. The fruit of that labor is up for further negotiation when it ripens. It has not, yet." 17:03 <banana> Vivi: "Okay, this hardly needs to be said, but the local businessman you describe is obviously part of the package here. Not that we're going to put him in a velvet bag or anything, just might do a few discreet googles. He'll probably remain available for you to further-negotiate." 17:03 <banana> "What an odd... weapon. Did Roth say it's meant to stick onto things?" 17:04 <banana> "Or does it cut through them?" 17:04 <Crion> Aster: "He did not provide anything in the way of direction. We received the impression that was also part of the experiment. Obviously, they resemble caltrops." 17:07 <banana> Vivi smiles. "It's going to be a fun challenge to understand that without sticking anyone with the things. And we can experiment, since keeping them entirely suppressed is off the table... for now." 17:07 <Quaker> “Then you’ll help the Dr. with whatever she needs.” 17:08 <Crion> Aster: "Right, yes, that. He was rather demonstrative: he's got more of the things than he knows what to do with." 17:08 <banana> Vivi: "Yes. In my judgement, it's not going to be something that's harmful for her to discover.. and if it is, that's me on the known-risk report." 17:08 <Crion> "Unclear if he's in control of production at all. My supposition trends toward no." 17:09 <Crion> That likely means it's not a powerful time-colocated wizard serial killer. 17:09 <Crion> Which is good. 17:09 <banana> "Miss Scabuzzo, I won't push you on that transcript yet. That's the sort of thing done by people who don't collaborate, only freeze you out and demand formal transactions. However, I want to point out that it could be important. We don't know why the lost souls deal with the Seers. It's weird for them to deal with anyone at all, and weird for anyone to deal with a Seer... without the Seer 17:09 <banana> getting the better of the deal." 17:09 <banana> "These are points it would be preferable to ponder." 17:10 <Quaker> “I’ll ask them, instead.” 17:10 <Quaker> “Why can’t you, out of curiosity?” 17:11 <Quaker> “I mean, I’m curious why your first reaction wasn’t ‘that’s odd - I’ll ask them about it.’” 17:11 <Quaker> “They won’t talk to you?” 17:11 <Quaker> “Or vice-versa?” 17:11 <banana> Vivi: "They don't want to talk to us. We respect that, and... tend to default to non-engagement, ourselves." 17:12 <Quaker> “Why did they not want to talk to you? And all of them? Or just one Court?” 17:13 <banana> "Maybe it's because of this deal. Maybe it's because they hide, habitually, having fled something awful." 17:13 <banana> He shrugs. "In the grand scheme of things the... 'seelie'... aren't a major influence on the world one way or another." 17:14 <Crion> So we do have a wealth of information yet to sell these mages. 17:14 <Crion> Excellent. 17:14 <Quaker> “I’m sure you’re right.” 17:15 <Quaker> “What’s this about dimension-hopping? Zebek Trajan?” 17:15 <Quaker> “I’m going to call him this week, offer him some opportunities for collaboration.” 17:16 <Crion> Regardless: Aster places his business card on the table. "This is my mundane office number. It is for contacting me with follow-ups about these caltrops; have my receptionist Simon pass on that word, 'caltrop.' I am not Dr. Blackfin's supervisor. I do not need to be contacted with regards to what help you provide. You are free to disclose or not disclose why you're providing assistance as 17:16 <Crion> you wish. I expect you to keep up your end of the deal without being, to be impolitely frank, weird flighty assholes about it." 17:17 <Crion> "I make this explicit due to previous dealings with mages I understand you don't associate with. But. Nevertheless. I make this explicit." 17:18 <Quaker> Before they go: “And what happened to Octocat? Is he alright?” 17:19 <banana> Vivi slides the card across his desk - with a finger, not Forces. "We'll try to keep it real, Mr. Aster. No invisible hand here." 17:19 <banana> Vivi: "I do need to get back to work, but I've heard of Trajan. Some sort of pulp-era explorer.. creatures from beyond the nth veil, married to a monster, that sort of thing." 17:20 <banana> "Octocat has far too much leave banked. It's a liability for HMP." 17:20 <banana> He stands, smiling again and pulling up the hoodie. It's cold even inside the building. 17:20 <Quaker> “Do you have his personal number?” 17:20 <Quaker> “I’ve got some leave coming up, myself.” 17:21 <banana> Vivi's going to walk you out; the first floor is clearly more secure than what they have on the ground. "His office phone is forwarded... and his email. Hence the lack of leave-taking." 17:22 <banana> "Everyone likes a hard worker, but there are such things as financial controls. It's 2021." 17:27 <Quaker> “How can I reach him while he’s on leave? For…reasons of friendship.” 17:28 <Crion> Aster observes this silently. 17:29 <banana> Vivi frowns. "By his phone or email, as I just said." 17:30 <Quaker> Badawi: “Oh.” 17:31 <Quaker> Maybe she should get a phone after all… 17:31 <banana> "Thanks for stopping by. I'm sorry that we can't always open up about things." 17:31 <Crion> Ocherro probably doesn't know how to reach him for reasons of friendship. 17:31 <Crion> These are mages, after all. 17:32 <Crion> Aster: "And I'm sorry I'm not always friendly." 17:32 <Crion> "Same always."