At Maladori's residence; New London, Britannia:
Professor Maladori: Why must humans be so insufferably -- HUMAN?
Starling (to Professor Maladori): I have no idea, ma’am. Is there anything I can help you with?
Professor Maladori (to Starling): ...There may be. Now that Luc has disappeared, I will need to find yet ANOTHER suitable <tsk> body.
Starling (to Professor Maladori): … I may have taken the liberty of looking for another skipper for you, ma’am. I believe there is one in Nice where Delphine was taken care of… At least, that’s what she had led me to believe, ma’am.
Professor Maladori (to Starling): Oh? Interesting... Delphine was an idiot. I would start doing algorithms in my head whenever she spoke.
Starling (to Professor Maladori): Miss Hiiri said a similar thing about her, but she was very good at tracking skippers. Or do you need a Potter, ma'am?
Professor Maladori (to Starling): I wouldn't say I NEED one, per se, but I do have a good deal of their genetic sequence mapped, so it would save time. I don't mind experimenting, but we don't have the luxury of unlimited hours. Nor do we have limitless resources. That last one barely lasted a few hours, didn't it? Nevermind. Nevermind. We will use whatever is on hand.
Starling (to Professor Maladori): There is always the original source material, ma'am.
Professor Maladori (to Starling): Mmm. Yes. That has proven to be more difficult to collect than we originally thought, hasn't it? Perhaps we should just round up a cart load of orphans like the old days...
Starling (to Professor Maladori): True... I shall go after whomever you suggest, ma'am.
Professor Maladori (to Starling): See if you can locate either Delphine's mystery skipper or a Potter. I shall round up some disgusting, horrendous children. Find something I can use, and I will let you have them.
Starling (to Professor Maladori): 'll see what I can do, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am. That's very generous. I will do my best. (to Carver) Come along, Mr. Carver.
Carver (to Starling): …
