a bit breathless, perhaps some might say slightly manic, Tom hurries into the alley
She did! She did! She did! Did ya see lads, did ya see!? Oh, she held the last dance for me! Me!
Hahaha!
For me!
off again Tom disappears down the other end of the alley. Strangely, no one’s ever noted it too contains an exit
Oi, @Eighth, why didn’t you let me know you could dance so well. I’d have asked for lessons.
Be honest now, I think you should give some to Mr. Karekin. He might be light on his feet, but not mine … if ya know what I’m saying.
[ A faint pop sounds, the air shimmers, and Dick appears in the alley ]
Hello fellows! How about that ball?
Say, Rockford, was that the future Duke Gummibuns I just saw exiting the far end of the alley? Quite a dance he and the Duchess shared, from what I could tell. Sparks flying and whatnot.
Is that blob of protoplasm Karekin “light” of anything?
I’ve gone to his damnable “dance lessons” for a year now. BOR-ing. least your poor, Karekin-abused feet got some use
Karekin. Goddammn. I wish I could put that sums-loving annoyance through my analyzers. I bet he even tastes lousy.
@Rockford_Julius, Wanna head out to Territories? I know a little bar with tastiest fresh sandfish. I can say we’re doing “fisheries research.”
Maybe you can tell us about the Duchess’s softest parts (nudge, nudge, wink wink)
@liversnaps-grayson, that waltz was supposed be a formality so the Tee-Cess could get their chattel (us) through the evening without incident. But my sensors picked up the oddest bio-chemical response in Karekin as the Waltz got lively.
How the hell did you it?
You devil, you!
Fishery Research sounds great.
Now that the ball is over, Coat Rack is all about how best to keep up appearances. Gads I hope he doesn’t get some wild idea about joining the Dragoons to impress anyone. You know I’ll get dragged along and everyone knows the Squirrels get the “Expendable Courier” jobs.
Fish On, Mate.
Now that we’re “out” in society, we need to keep it low profile. Meet me at the ferry dock between Terce and Sext. I’ll be there with “scientific equipment,” including “sample jars.”…
Right-o. I need to go down to warehouses there to “check on my Patron’s enterprise.”
No one will think anything of that, let me take off now and maybe I’ll actual do a quick “surprise inspection” before we are off for lunch.
Heh.
the perfect place for “Sandfish Research”
Gotta have sand, right?
[ Duchess Gummibuns floats in and begins to talk – interrupting ongoing conversations without a second thought ]
Ugh gross! Like it’s totally fun to talk about your plans and junk with your peers! But an alley??? Y’all gotta have more respect for yourselves! Like I’m sure you buns can afford a cup of coffee or some junk and hang out all day!
[ Duchess Gummibuns looks disapprovingly at what is a plainly ordinary alley. She gets a whiff of something odorous ]
Like at least decorate! Looks like you haven’t even tagged it properly! Here I’ll help!
[ Seemingly out of no where she brings out multiple cans of colored space paint and beings to draw. Surprising the observers with the confident deft strokes of someone how has done this many times before. It is not long before she is done. ]
[ She floats backwards and admires her work. ]
Now that’s much better! Oh right, like have two seen @Tom_Ratchetcrank around?
Duchess, you came! I must say you’ve certainly brightened our humble little hangout with both your talent and presence.
hurriedly kicks craps game behind him and discretely shoos the other, now somewhat annoyed, wards away. The other wards pay no attention to his urging
Sorry I wasn’t here to meet you, I was trying to find you the perfect gift.
I advise against trying it, though. There’s a cat in the Club who ate one and she’s been totally bloopy for days now.
Oooh it looks super cursed and shiny! It’s not like lethal or anything, right? Like, if we had nothing better to do we could hold like a seance and see what happens when someone eats it! Thanks! That’s sweet. I know just the right place to put this in my apartment!
Now as for thanking you for the beans, I brought us some perfect sandwiches. Glob, that’s totally false advertising, but the lady who works at the sandwich shop is super meticulous. It’s kind of like performance art, but really I think she’s just using some crazy science do-dads to raise the price! Everyone says they’re tasty though!
It’s all yours!
Excuse me.
Has anyone seen Ensign Crusher?
He was supposed to return with the .NETS devices that got frozen-under the lake fisheries of Mr. Karekin and Dr. Franksenketchup.
Sir, I do believe your young ward headed off in that direction…
[ Dick’s ears prick up suddenly and his eyes momentarily lose their focus ]
Please excuse me, won’t you? Something feels not-quite-right.
[ Dick briskly walks down the alley, disappearing halfway through ]
Oh, Rounder, what have you done?
Thank you, Richard.
If you see him, tell him I’m inside The Leviathan Club.
Qaaxtzl heads out of the Leviathan club, a box under his arm, and spots a darkened looking alley, which he heads down. Checking that nobody is around, he opens the box and takes out some papers.
Inssstructions…
Place cone of sssssilence over head, point at dessstination, ssspeak normally.
consulting a map, he looks towards an address on Dragoon Mews.
Agent Pumpernickle…Agent Pumpernickel…your misssssion issss not complete. Do not break cover. Do not return to Königssssberg. Continue infiltrasssshion. You are not ssssuspected.
After a final furtive glance around, Qaaxztl removes the cone, places it back in the box, and hurries off in the direction of St. Marrowbone.
Night. Coldish. Dampish. More than a bit smellyish.
A light breeze disturbs a mildewing scattered pile of copies of last season’s Weatherby Space Times. The hem of a fetchingly au courant frock is revealed, along with some scaly clawed toes. The talons are painted a sultry blood red.
Well, maybe that’s not paint.
As footsteps recede down the alley, a hungover reptilian head rises from the trash heap.
A horizontally-lidded eye blinks once, blearily. Then again, less blearily.
Space Lizards sober up fast.
“An Arcturan Cone of Silence. All the way out here. That’s an interplanetary treaty broken, some stiff tariffs dodged, and at least three bribed customs officials. We’re dealing with a professional here.”
The lizard sighs.
“If only I knew what was being said. That has to be a valuable bit of intelligence. Otherwise, they wouldn’t use such advanced tech as the ACoS.”
Ssskidwish rises to his feet to engage in stealthy pursuit, then pauses as a thought strikes him.
“No lisp.”
He gingerly licks his gumline. Two sharp new fangs have erupted from their sockets.
Ssskidwish grins broadly and terrifyingly. He feels ten years younger.
“Oh, yesssss. Romance will have to wait. Thingsss are about to get nasssssty!”
The fetching youngish Space Lizard scampers down the alley after his quarry.
Oi, @liversnaps-grayson, @Rockford_Julius, is it true what they sayin’ about our boy? He really baked the brown bread? A boyscout he was, but a good 'un.
Back to business, gentlesentients. Rocks, got your gear all Brighton Pier, even managed to pull a few out whole.
Liverschnapps, I’ve got just the thing to keep your master on cloud 9. No, no, put your quid away, this one’s on ol’ Tommy.
Much obliged, Ratchetcrank, much obliged. I’m in your debt, friend.
He’s on his way to the club now, so I’d best get this to him. Let’s hope he doesn’t make a spectacle of himself in the meantime.