[OTA - MINGLE] Town Hall meeting

[markwatney]

WHO: Mark Watney
WHERE: Town Hall
WHEN: 10 Dec 2017, sundown
OPEN TO: All, mingle
WARNINGS: N/A

---

Since that tense standoff in front of the peach trees, Kira and I have been waiting to see whether the promises in the letter he'd received would come to fruition. I'd actually left the stolen papers out there longer than I'd intended, not wanting to disrupt the process further if I hadn't already ruined it by catching him in the act. Now that he's confirmed to me the arrival of what, for most people here, would probably be a collection of true treasures, I can't put off the inevitable. We need to let everyone know what's happened, and find out if we're alone in being targets.

Because this morning, I received a "mission" of my own, in the form of a box filled with 3 vacuum-packed, single servings of ground coffee. Speaking of treasure.

Before the breakfast rush, I made a note on the blackboard in the Inn's front room, the writing big and bold enough that nobody should miss it:

VILLAGE MEETING TONIGHT, TOWN HALL, SUNDOWN

Fortunately, there's little enough to entertain a person in this place that plenty of people show. Kira's in the front row with his "gifts," presumably ready to back me up despite not seeming to like me much yet. I guess I can't blame him, although I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the rapport I had with Old Him.

"Hey, everyone," I call out, waving to get the small crowd's attention. "I asked everybody here tonight because we've had a development that I think we all need to know about. Kira here—" I pause, pointing. "Not too long ago, he got a letter. It asked him to steal something of value from someone and take it to the peach trees over on the East Side. It said if he did that, he would be rewarded. When he tried to get rid of the letter, another copy would always turn up. So, he did it. And putting aside that dubiousness for a moment, the reward was delivered. He found some items from his home that couldn't have gotten here without intervention from our hosts. Today, I actually got a box of coffee with a note asking me to take a portion and pass it on. Like a game or a chain letter. The note I got was threatening — If I don't do as asked, it says there will be a punishment. So."

I pull in a deep breath and spread my hands. "I know there's only so much we can realistically do about all of this, but has anybody else gotten anything like this?"



[If you want to thread with Mark directly, please say so in your subject line and let me know. Otherwise, this is a MINGLE and folks can jump around at will. Have at!]

Comments

[zomboligist]

Ravi narrows his eyes at her, giving a curious look, because he does sort of want to hear a little bit about antiquities. "Are they the sort of antiquities that end up in museums and then have movies made about their importance?" he asks, because that's clearly the most important note he's taking from all of this.

"Because if so, then I am wildly interested," he guarantees.

[cleptes]

Bela is thrown by his answer. She didn't think he was going to be interested, let alone 'wildly' so. But all right then. She will oblige him.

"The antiquities end up in a private collection rather than a museum. And I doubt that any movies have been made about them." It does make Bela smile though, him possibly thinking of her as an Indiana Jones type.

She holds the smile for a moment longer then continues. "My clients are disgruntled because they think my finder's fee is too high. As for the antiquities, they are rumoured to be 'cursed'."

[zomboligist]

Well, it's a touch disappointing that it's a private collection, though Ravi can definitely see how it might end up being an interesting heist movie in that case (and he really misses media, honestly, given that all he can think about is how good a film something would make).

"What's the finder's fee? Also, cursed," he says, eyes widening. "What are we talking? Egyptian mummies sort of curse, where they think mold and spores are deadly supernatural consequences?"

[cleptes]

"Ten percent of the overall payment. After I retrieve whatever the client wants, I get paid in full." She could really have fun with this and toy with him, build her life up into something it wasn't.

Perhaps it was bad enough that she was lying, but there was certain things about her life that Bela wished to protect.

"No. No Egyptian mummy kind of curses. More like if you lose the object, you're cursed with bad luck."

[zomboligist]

To Ravi, ten percent doesn't sound wildly mad at all, but then, if he thinks about ten percent of his salary suddenly going away, he can possibly see where things might get awkward and suddenly difficult. Then again, if they're talking ridiculously expensive antiquities, then the client can definitely afford to give it up, as far as Ravi's concerned.

"Bad luck," he echoes. "What sort of bad luck, because there's been months of my life where I feel like I've definitely been cursed, but it turns out I'm just really unlucky." That, or he tends to keep himself involved in complicated situations, but he doesn't elaborate on that.

[cleptes]

Some of the antiques in question were more expensive than others, but she did make an obscene amount of money in her line of work. Her job could be high risk on occasion and Bela felt the need to be well compensated for it.

"It starts off small. Things like spilling your coffee down your shirt. Breaking a glass. Banging your head off a low ceiling." Small annoyances that could bring down your day. "Unfortunately, the bad luck begins to escalate. A lot of bad things begin to happen to you and there doesn't seem to be a way out of it. Well. Until you end up dead."

[zomboligist]

"I was about to say. The first few things you mentioned are generally what happens to me in the morning before I've been caffeinated," is what he says, only mildly joking given that he doesn't actually feel like it's that much off the mark.

Of course, he never ends up dead because of that bad luck.

"How do you avoid the pesky consequences?" he asks, because that thought strikes him, suddenly. "Do you have a special 'no-cursing' policy?" he deadpans. "Some special gloves to avoid it?"

[cleptes]

"If there are special gloves, I've yet to find them." Bela quips, sounding amused. "If I'm handling a supposedly cursed object, I use tongs. Or something similar to hold onto the item." It's not the most ideal practice, she knows that. "But not everything I chase after for someone falls under the 'cursed' category."

This the first time she's had a conversation about the work she does back home. It's strange. Especially when Ravi was actually expressing an interest in it and asking questions. Not rolling his eyes out of boredom.

"You're really into this sort of thing, aren't you?"

[zomboligist]

"I use tongs too, but usually for things that people don't want to hear about in polite company, especially around the coffee," Ravi says, gesturing broadly to where all the coffee is sitting around him. "I am really into this," he admits, because it's the least he can do to rev up his life now that he's stuck here.

"My days here largely consist of minor medical procedures and research. Hearing about cursed objects and protective tongs is sadly the highlight of this," he admits. "Why, isn't it for you?"

[cleptes]

"At least I know who to come to in case of a minor medical emergency." Bela says. "Of course I am into it. Pays for my bills after all." A smile. "I've just never met anyone who wanted to learn about what I do. They'd consider it 'boring' or whatever. Most of the time they were more interested in anything but my brain."

She laughs then, not sounding too upset about it. Perhaps a little annoyed but she won't lose any sleep.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it though."

[zomboligist]

"Major medical emergencies are, unfortunately, mainly out of my domain," he does admit apologetically, seeing as once you go down the research and dead body route, you get to the point of sort of losing a lot of your med school learnings. Who needs to know how to do heart surgery when Mrs. Jensen's heart stopped beating ages back.

"I enjoyed my first job at the CDC better, but I got fired from that," he says, as bitter as ever given that he'd been right. "My line of thinking didn't mesh with theirs."

[cleptes]

"Then I'll be sure to be extra careful." Bela promises, hoping that she hasn't jinxed herself after saying that. The village seemed to have limited resources when it came to medical care so all the more reason for her to mind her step and not get seriously injured or deathly sick.

Noting that bitter tone, she decides to prod a little gently. "Sorry to hear that. Their loss."

Probably.

"Anyway. I forgot to introduce myself before. My name is Bela."

[zomboligist]

"Completely their loss," he agrees affably, smiling warmly and already liking Bela, because anyone who's willing to take his side when it comes to his former employers is all right by him. "Ravi Chakrabarti, at your service," he announces with a warm smile.

"Sadly, I don't know of any treasure or fancy items around here that you might be able to find, unless you're into that whole pretending thing." If she is, then he's sure that he could find the shiniest pinecone to do the trick.

we could wrap up soon and do something else if you like?

[cleptes]

Bela returns the smile. "A pleasure to meet you, Ravi. Thank you again for indulging me when it comes to talking about my career."

Even if was only partially true.

"It's fine. I didn't think there would be any trinkets to find in this place - believe me, I've had a good look around." Pretending had a certain appeal, but she would rather have the real thing. "Even if they did exist, I don't think it would matter much. We need more practical things like food, water, shelter and clothing."

sounds good to me!

[zomboligist]

"Around here, it's pretty much learn as much as you can or slowly be reduced to boredom," he admits, which isn't to insult her, but more to admit that he's going to keep asking those questions in the future because it's that or just stare at his lab rats a great deal more.

"And on that note, I think I might slip away and see if I can't find some more amenities that go beyond the basic necessities."