The World Assembly Strangers' Bar

[Sierra Lyricalia]

She bites her lip and sighs. "Ahume, we're going to have to talk about your little overstep. I don't care if you were acting, you scared the shit out of me, and I cannot imagine the repercussions to my personal life if you had done that under different circumstances."

Overstep? Sh-- er, no one told you I was going to do that? That's... typical. Yes, we'll definitely talk about that later. As soon as this is all over with? Because believe me, with the way Gerald looks at me... he scares the piss out of me.

(Literally, Ahume thinks.)

But just in case there's any doubt... it will never happen again. And, sorry to say, you aren't my type. Take no offense, please.

Steph turns to look at Ahume, incredulous. Her eyebrows appear to be trying to rip themselves off her face and dig into the ceiling, they're raised so far up, and her head is tilted downward in the manner of someone staring over the tops of their eyeglasses, not that she's wearing any right now.

"That's what you're sor--"

She stops; takes a deep breath.

"Not my business. But have a care, Mister Wad."

[Wrapper]

"That's what you're sor--"

She stops; takes a deep breath.

"Not my business. But have a care, Mister Wad."

(Ahume raises an eyebrow at the "Mister" part, but lets it pass.)

It was an act. A diversion. I was supposed to get slapped by a woman, not throttled by a titan. Doesn't anyone else here require performing arts training before becoming diplomats?

[Wallenburg]

Didn't sh-- uh. Didn't anyone explain to you.... Okay. When you have a response, please, let me and Ari know. Before you let anyone else know. Your, um, your sister might be able to explain to you why, it's very important. If you had a sister, that is.

"I see," she looks over at Herby and then back at Ahume. "I'll keep that in mind."

Overstep? Sh-- er, no one told you I was going to do that? That's... typical. Yes, we'll definitely talk about that later. As soon as this is all over with? Because believe me, with the way Gerald looks at me... he scares the piss out of me.

(Literally, Ahume thinks.)

But just in case there's any doubt... it will never happen again. And, sorry to say, you aren't my type. Take no offense, please.

Helen laughs and playfully punches Ahume in the shoulder. "Don't worry about that. Gerald's almost as you Wads. He's just being overprotective. He wouldn't hurt you just for kissing me."

She sighs and her smile relaxes. "Sure, we can talk later, about our little 'distraction' and what type you do prefer. Excuse me, I need to speak with Herby a bit.

She stands and walks over to Herby. "Hey there. Could you tell my niece I need to know why her friends want to be the first to know about her paperwork?"

[The Doomed Planet of Tollana]

She stands and walks over to Herby. "Hey there. Could you tell my niece I need to know why her friends want to be the first to know about her paperwork?"

(Damn, that's right. I hadn't thought of that.)

Herby. Tell Helen that it's okay to--

"They looked in each other's headlamps, longingly, each awaiting the other to make the first move. 'I've never done this before,' her motor softly purred as the moonlight reflected off her chrome bumper...."

Oh gods....

[Wrapper]

Helen laughs and playfully punches Ahume in the shoulder. "Don't worry about that. Gerald's almost as you Wads. He's just being overprotective. He wouldn't hurt you just for kissing me."

She sighs and her smile relaxes. "Sure, we can talk later, about our little 'distraction' and what type you do prefer. Excuse me, I need to speak with Herby a bit.

(Ahume ponders. Perhaps Gerald was acting too? If so, he's pretty damn good at it.)

She stands and walks over to Herby. "Hey there. Could you tell my niece I need to know why her friends want to be the first to know about her paperwork?"

(Yes, thinks Ahume, I figured she was inside Herby. Quite clever. As long as she stays in there, we can't touch her.)

[Herby]

She stands and walks over to Herby. "Hey there. Could you tell my niece I need to know why her friends want to be the first to know about her paperwork?"

(Damn, that's right. I hadn't thought of that.)

Herby. Tell Helen that it's okay to.

Eh Helen I don't got a because but I got an okay. Okay? Hey is that Wad dude okay? He seems to be ehhhh blushing a bit.

"His motor revved when she popped her hood just a little, giving him a peek at her--"

Ehhhhhh okay enough of that, how about ehhhhh this one.

"Some big dogs and some little dogs going around in cars. A dog out of a car...."

[A Big Dog and a Little Dog]

A big dog and a little dog enter the bar.

"Some big dogs and some little dogs going around in cars. A dog out of a car...."

The big dog looks at the little dog and shakes his head. "I hate this story."

The little dog agrees, so they head toward the exit, until they hear someone say, "Go, dog. Go!"

They look at each other, shrug, and go.

On Herby's tires.

[Wrapper]

(Ari enters the bar and sits next to Ahume.)

AHUME: Any news from home?

ARI: Very little on the humanitarian aid. It does look like whatever Tollana received -- if they in fact received it -- is clear of any CDSP supplies.

AHUME: Well, that is good news.

ARI: Perhaps you missed the "if they received it" part. No subspace communications, can't connect with the Stargate, outposts still down. Ahume, there is a chance that.... erm.

AHUME: Hmmm. That is bad news. Speaking of news, Herby has a couple of passengers.

ARI: A couple... Ah. Interesting, hadn't thought of that. You know someone should do something about those dogs.

AHUME: Herby doesn't seem to mind. Must happen all the time....

[Herby]

Yo dawg. A little to the left please. You missed a spot.

[Tinfect]

The bar door opens once more, giving way to another Imperium officer, this time dressed in the standard colours. The officer hands Markhov an envelope, and leaves as quickly as he entered. Markhov then opens the letter, swiftly breaking the gold seal of the Imperial Navy, and reads it over for several moments, before turning back to Herby, and by extension, and intention, Kay Haces.

"Kay, there has been... developments, with Tollana. The Bright Darkness has been lost, and we have been unable to contact the central government."

[Wrapper]

"Kay, there has been... developments, with Tollana. The Bright Darkness has been lost, and we have been unable to contact the central government."

(Ari and Ahume overhear the news from Markhov; it's as they feared, a new wave of attacks, most likely.)

ARI: Well. That explains the lack of communication. Oh, Ahume for the record--

AHUME: He's talking to Herby. He said "Okay" and not "Kay".

ARI: Exactly what I heard. (approaches Markhov) Alexander, my friend, I am sorry for the loss of your volunteers. It was a noble cause. Please, let us know if you regain contact, and if there's anything we can do, just say the word.

[The Doomed Planet of Tollana]

(Kay hears a garbled voice from outside, but the droning of Herby's children's story, complete with sound effects and a musical score, blocks it out. She continues her interview.)

[Separatist Peoples]

(Now alone with the agent for the first time, Kay waits while the windows tint as dark as possible. A faint interior light comes on, and one of her mother's speeches begins playing outside the car -- not loudly, but just loud enough to cover the noise inside.)

Agent Dressler. For the record, my legal name is Arya Duen, also known as Kay Haces, I am currently a stateless person but I have applied for temporary political asylum status in Wallenburg, until which time I can contact my adopted home in Tollana so I may return there.

I'll answer any questions you have for me, honestly and completely. I have nothing to hide from you... anymore.

Fire away.

"Look, Lupinski and Donnaugh are accomplished forgers. They can make almost anything given a few hours. It's the only way they're able to smuggle anything out of as secure a military as the Confederate Dominion. So I need to know what on earth it was Lupinski showed you that changed your mind, and I need to know if you have anything better to exhonorate Bell than these." She holds up the mess of papers.

"As it stands, no jury will buy that this isn't tampered with. I've been doing my best to match fax marks and codes, but it's not going well. As for Lupinski, nobody had been able to find him in the building. Which tells me that whatever you told him scared his sorry ass bad, and whatever he had, he wasn't terribly confident in."

[The Doomed Planet of Tollana]

"Look, Lupinski and Donnaugh are accomplished forgers. They can make almost anything given a few hours. It's the only way they're able to smuggle anything out of as secure a military as the Confederate Dominion. So I need to know what on earth it was Lupinski showed you that changed your mind, and I need to know if you have anything better to exhonorate Bell than these." She holds up the mess of papers.

I don't know for sure what was in his packet. I thought he was blackmailing me with fake pictures of me and Bell in, ahem, compromising positions -- we'd found a few such photos earlier. Which is why I'd spread the rumor we were married and having a child together, to short-circuit that attempt. But what he said was that they were copies -- just copies, not the originals -- of shipping records and photographs, depicting... I believe he said "infected" humanitarian aid, which I took to mean booby-trapped with chemical or biological agents, tied to our weapons shipments. In retrospect Lupinski certainly could have been lying, but... but... I don't know how much you know about Donnaugh but I know the asshole well enough, it's something he's certainly capable and willing do. And whether or not my name is on that paperwork, if true, it does mean that I've been involved in... in....

(She cannot bring herself to complete the sentence.)

As it stands, no jury will buy that this isn't tampered with. I've been doing my best to match fax marks and codes, but it's not going well.

Well, maybe I can help you there. I may have made some not-so-smart decisions lately, but I was smart enough to realize I shouldn't bring my best evidence anywhere near a flamethrower like Lupinski. A few problems, though. It's in better shape than what you have there, no doubt, but there isn't a lot of it; it's still not in as pristine shape as the forgeries; they don't do much to exonerate Bell, they merely don't implicate him; they're inadmissable as direct evidence; and I can't get to them right now. Well. More than a few problems I suppose.

As for Lupinski, nobody had been able to find him in the building. Which tells me that whatever you told him scared his sorry ass bad, and whatever he had, he wasn't terribly confident in."

His reaction puzzled me. I'd already pointed out to him that any evidence we had was useless, and yet when I told him I didn't have it anymore, he freaked out.

[The Imperial Frost Federation]

Ilya yawned as she sat in an empty booth typing furiously into an encrypted holo-device while her AI partner Noel appeared to be charting a series of inter dimensional maps. Meanwhile, Albert sat in front of the two furiously trying to say something, but was muted by Ilya's SK. Rubbing her temple, Ilya muttered, "Damned Ambassador Nakiri... making my job a lot harder than it has to be... Now I've got to convince Sir Reyvan Kensei, Sir Wilhuff Helsing, AND Interior Minister Nagisa Kensei to allow a Wrapperian investigation team through our interdimensional rift system. Sir Kensei is one thing, but the heads of the IFF Foreign affairs department and Interior Ministry is another affair altogether... Are the Wrapperians even interested in getting outside help to reach Tollana in the first place?! And I still have to restore the 2 documents of shredded, papier-mâché evidence... The only clearly legible thing on the documents are just the signature, while everything else is pretty chewed up... Aaaah... Noel what's the status on the documents?"

"The signatures indicate they belong to someone other than Ambassador Benjamin Bell of the Confederate Dominion. Preliminary reports indicate they may belong to someone by the name of Donnaugh. However due to the limited scope of the Intel, the possibility that the signatures belonging him is less than 20% with a 5% margin of error which is unacceptable to IFF standards. I urge that you get a Separatist who is familiar with this Donnaugh before coming to a conclusion" responds Noel.

Still its interesting to see Donnaugh's signature on both of those ripped up documents, if the signatures belong the brute commander... However, Noel's right that the signatures are most likely forged but it may be worth a shot to confirm if the signatures are the genuine with the Separatist agent Thought Ilya as she continued to write her case.

[Tinfect]

Alexander, my friend, I am sorry for the loss of your volunteers. It was a noble cause. Please, let us know if you regain contact, and if there's anything we can do, just say the word.

"There is little you can do, unfortunately, this is simply a report on the battle."

[Imperium Anglorum]

Alexander, my friend, I am sorry for the loss of your volunteers. It was a noble cause. Please, let us know if you regain contact, and if there's anything we can do, just say the word.

"There is little you can do, unfortunately, this is simply a report on the battle."

Parsons: What is going on? Are people mobilising for war?

[Tinfect]

What is going on? Are people mobilising for war?

"If you've not heard, Ambassador, an Imperial force was deployed to assist, a world known as Tollana, at the request of a former member of the Wrapperian delegation. The Bright Darkness, was the leading vessel of that force."

[Kalata]

What is going on? Are people mobilising for war?

"If you've not heard, Ambassador, an Imperial force was deployed to assist, a world known as Tollana, at the request of a former member of the Wrapperian delegation. The Bright Darkness, was the leading vessel of that force."

Would you like us to lend an assist?

[Wrapper]

"If you've not heard, Ambassador, an Imperial force was deployed to assist, a world known as Tollana, at the request of a former member of the Wrapperian delegation.

ARI: (agitated) Yes, a breach in ethics for which she will be rehabilitated. You do realize she was not acting in the best interests of our nation, Markhov. Therefore we would prefer, with all due respect, that, intentionally or not, you do not imply that any of her actions were known by or sanctioned by the Wrapperian delegation or by our government. (His voice softens.) With all due respect. Sir.

[Tinfect]

Yes, a breach in ethics for which she will be rehabilitated. You do realize she was not acting in the best interests of our nation, Markhov. Therefore we would prefer, with all due respect, that, intentionally or not, you do not imply that any of her actions were known by or sanctioned by the Wrapperian delegation or by our government. (His voice softens.) With all due respect. Sir.

"Of course, I apologize, it was not my intention to imply such."

[Wrapper]

Yes, a breach in ethics for which she will be rehabilitated. You do realize she was not acting in the best interests of our nation, Markhov. Therefore we would prefer, with all due respect, that, intentionally or not, you do not imply that any of her actions were known by or sanctioned by the Wrapperian delegation or by our government. (His voice softens.) With all due respect. Sir.

"Of course, I apologize, it was not my intention to imply such."

(Ari takes a deep breath, and walks away. Ahume approaches and speaks quietly to Markhov.)

AHUME: Not your fault. He's been... Arya was like a daughter to Ari. For all her life. And we've sworn an oath to turn in ex-citizens like her. It's complicated, but as soon as she's been granted political asylum, at least then we can talk to her, but until then, she is nothing to him. Thank you for understanding, Ambassador.

[Wallenburg]

"If you've not heard, Ambassador, an Imperial force was deployed to assist, a world known as Tollana, at the request of a former member of the Wrapperian delegation.

ARI: (agitated) Yes, a breach in ethics for which she will be rehabilitated. You do realize she was not acting in the best interests of our nation, Markhov. Therefore we would prefer, with all due respect, that, intentionally or not, you do not imply that any of her actions were known by or sanctioned by the Wrapperian delegation or by our government. (His voice softens.) With all due respect. Sir.

"Excuse me, Ari," Helen says, "but how on Earth does execution constitute rehabilitation?"

[Ferret Civilization]

(Ari takes a deep breath, and walks away. Ahume approaches and speaks quietly to Markhov.)

AHUME: Not your fault. He's been... Arya was like a daughter to Ari. For all her life. And we've sworn an oath to turn in ex-citizens like her. It's complicated, but as soon as she's been granted political asylum, at least then we can talk to her, but until then, she is nothing to him. Thank you for understanding, Ambassador.

Well that explained the short conversation he had with Ari earlier, he couldn't even imagine what that would be like, but he was sure others here could. Probably why they were helping as much as they could, a lot could relate somehow, or have been really close friends. All of this went down because of someone trying to help others. He was a little surprised by how long this had been going on for, or maybe not, he never witnessed anything like this before and this could just be normal procedure for something like this to go down in a place like this.

[Wrapper]

"Excuse me, Ari," Helen says, "but how on Earth does execution constitute rehabilitation?"

(Ari freezes, slowly turns around and points at Helen.)

ARI: WHAT did you say? No one gets executed in Wrapper. Ever!

AHUME: Ari, please--

ARI: Shut up, Ahume! Is that what she told you? Execution? No. Her fate would be a lifetime in a rehabilitation center, with the finest judicial doctors in the world, guiding her to enlightment until--

AHUME: Until she commits suicide.

ARI: --UNTIL she comes to the realization that what she's done deserves justice! Let me ask you this, Miss Trevanyika. Let's say you found out that Gerald supplied weapons to your, your enemies in the most recent war. Yes, I know, he would never do that, he's an honorable man, but let's say he did. Let's say that you, as a representative of Wallenburg, found out about it. Would you do your duty? Would you turn your father in? Or would you turn against your country? And when he was sentenced, would you... would you....

(Ari stops. He slowly puts his finger down. He sits in the nearest booth and buries his head in his hands.)