When Strange Worlds Collide, Day 17

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): …

When Strange Worlds Collide, Day 16

In a dancehall; Nice, French Republic:

Zoe (to Felix): Dance with me, Felix. Please?

Felix (to Zoe): Heh. I would love to. Come here, pretty lady.

Zoe (to Felix): Heh. You seem to have an admirer at the bar, sexy man. Should I be jealous? ;-p

Felix (to Zoe): Heh heh. In that dress? Not in the slightest.

Zoe (to Felix): Does that mean you like it? Hari gave it to me. She said it was her lucky dress... Whatever that means.

Felix (to Zoe): I do. And, I'm not the only one. You've got your own admirers, you know.

Zoe (to Felix): Store detectives... :-p

Felix (to Zoe): Store detectives? Ha ha ha! Hardly. I still say your Momma and Poppa only adopt attractive stray children. ;-) And I think I could take a guess or two about why that dress made Hari feel lucky.

Zoe (to Felix): Oh really? Care to share?

Felix (to Zoe): Heh. No. I don't think so. I think I'll keep you wondering. At least until later...

Zoe (to Felix): Heh. I'm intrigued by this talk of later... And, why is that guy staring at us?

Felix (to Zoe): ...I'm not sure, and I'm not sure I like it. Do you know him?

Zoe (to Felix): Nope. Never seen him before.

Felix (to Zoe): ... Judging by the scowl on his face, I don't think I'd care to get to know him. Come along, pretty lady. Let's be elsewhere.

Zoe (to Felix): Yeah. You're probably right.

A few minutes later, on the street:

Felix (to Zoe): He isn't following us, is he?

Zoe (to Felix): No, but I think someone else is... Take my hand.

Felix (to Zoe): Of course ...

Zoe (to Felix): Should we head to the casino or to the Sister?

Felix (to Zoe): ...We'll have backup at the casino, but isn't there an inhibitor field? The Sister might be a bit easier on you...

Zoe (to Felix): Yeah, the Sister would be easier... Is it all clear?

Felix (to Zoe): Hold on... Come closer for a moment. Closer. Heh... Yes, I think the coast is clear.

Zoe (to Felix): Hmmm? Sorry. I was distracted by your bare chest. Heh. Do you even own a whole shirt?

Felix (to Zoe): Heh. Of course I do, but why bother when it's so much easier to get your attention this way? I believe we were leaving...

Zoe (to Felix): Oh right... 

A moment later, onboard the Wicked Sister:

Zoe (to Felix): Oof... Here we are...

Felix (to Zoe): Zoe? ... Are you alright, pretty lady?

Zoe (to Felix): Yeah. Sorry, I was just thinking... I was wondering who those jerks were.

Felix (to Zoe): ...Me too. Come on, pretty lady. Let's spend the night someplace else. Might not be a bad thing to be hard to find for awhile.

Zoe (to Felix): We can head to our apartment in West Piedmont. I'll leave Victor a note, first.

A few minutes later:

Felix (to Zoe): All set?

Zoe (to Felix): Yep. Come on, sexy man.