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Being a spy is hard work when you have juggle allegiances between the people you’re told to answer to, and the people you actually answer to. You start to build a more intimate relationship with the former, start to see more of them and sometimes, even come to like them. While the latter have no care or concern for such connections and fully expect you to do the job you’re given… Unfortunately for me, my job comes before my personal feelings… Or, I try to keep it that way at least."
- Utatis Parinen
“You know she’s going to spit in your food now, right?”
January 11th YC 123
6NJ8-V IV - The Rabbit’s Warren Fortizar, 24/7 Dockside Breakfast Diner
“Utatis! Man, funny running into you here…”
“Check, please.”
“Aww, why are you in a rush Utatis? Still got plenty of food to eat.”
“I lost my appetite…”
“Nonsense! Look man, you got some perfectly good bacon, scrambled eggs and grits left that aren’t eaten.”
< Plate sliding across table >
“Help yourself.”
“What? You think I’m some kind of dog to peddle your scraps off to?”
“Well you are my watchdog afterall Sortan…”
“Touche, touche… It’s certainly not the most glamorous job babysitting your disgraced ass, but pays just the way I like it and keeps me out of the crosshairs of Capsuleers… So hey, how’s the eye doing?”
“…”
“Good? Good. Glad to hear it.”
“… What do you want?”
“Just wanted to see how you were doing Utatis. Is there something wrong with that?”
“Not if it was genuine concern…”
"Oh but it is! Gotta wonder what your mental state is like now that you went from being a Dread Guristas commander to being the errand boy for a drugged out wannabe Gurista ■■■■■ spitting nonsensical ■■■■ about Winds and spirits…
“I play the role I’m given.”
“See, I might be the watchdog, but you? You’re just a dog Utatis… An obedient one at that. You do as you’re told, can’t even think of a life were you’re your own man… Well, little too late now to be your own man. Otherwise we’d kill you!”
“Mhmm…”
< Waitress approaching >
“Sorry about the wait Uie, here’s the ch-”
“-Uh yeah, excuse me. I’ll have the Special combo plate with three additional eggs, all runny - Has to be runny - Extra pepper on then and I’ll take an extra two slices of bacon - I like my bacon crunchy, not chewy. Get me a cup of coffee, cream, no sugar.”
“…U-”
“-And a waffle… Two waffles.”
“…Uie baby, why you sitting across from this ■■■■■■■■■■■■ that looks like he’s a registered sex offender?”
“He’s a… Colleague I guess you could say.”
“Mhmm, Should I get Hu over here, baby?”
“That won’t be necessary… Take his order please.”
“Yeah sugartits, I hear you got the best waffles in Venal, I need them waffles ASAP, chop chop - let’s go.”
“Jackass…”
< Waitress walks off >
“You know she’s going to spit in your food now, right?”
“Eh, just gotta have the mindset that everyone spits in your food regardless. Besides, gotta build my immunity up.”
“Disgusting… And I expect you assume I’m going to pay for all this?”
“Not like you paid for that, I’m willing to bet your little Agency foots the bill for your lunches, I know you guys got the money to budget in a meal for me too.”
“Right…”
“Also did she call you Uie? I mean, that’s adorable and all, but she wouldn’t be addressing you like that if you weren’t a regular… You come to this dingy dockside diner often?”
“I do… Diner is bankrolled by the Depository’s loaning program, and Suha encourages we patronize establishments paid for by us…”
“That cougar was eligible for a loan?”
“Her son is a Gurista, he grabbed the loan to open the dinner for her to run.”
“Right… And you’re encouraged to do business at establishments you bankroll? Even if they’re ■■■■?”
“Even if they’re ■■■■… This place is nice though, I like it here.”
“That’s nice… But hey! How’s the brat doing?”
“Brat?”
“You know, Suha. Your Boss. Secondary boss that is.”
“… She’s behaving.”
“That’s a start… You know, I picked up her magazine actually, Bad Bunny? Saucy stuff… Honestly didn’t think she had it in her! Whew!”
“Well it IS the most stimulating magazine in Venal.”
“I like that! Had the slogan ready to go! God damn man… You’ve turned into a ■■■■■■■ shill for her! Once again! Before you were a proud and respect commander for the Dread Guristas, and now you’re thi-”
“-Is there a ■■■■■■■ point to this conversation or are you just be here to be a dick and max out my company card?”
“Really I was just here to be a dick, but there is a point to this conversation. There’s a bit of concern that you might not be able to go though with rubbing the girl out if she becomes a problem.”
“I told you, she’s behaving.”
“Until she feels unappreciated again and wants some attention and acts out… Again. Guristas ain’t got time for that ■■■■■■■■ and we need to be confident you’re prepared to go though with your purpose here and not hesitate.”
“And why would I?”
“From what you’ve reported and what we can observe, she’s the kind of girl to use her charms and caring heart to win people over to her side… Doesn’t even sound like she’s a bad boss to you! Sounds like she treats you like family! I bet you meet with her every week to do each other nails and talk about each other’s feelings.”
“Do these nails look done to you?”
“■■■■ no, look like you need to trim those.The hell man?”
“Mmm…”
Right… It’s just we got a concern her influence can be turning you soft and you won’t be able to do your job if it comes time to follow though with it…"
“I’ll do my job. I always do my job.”
“Alright then. It’s time then, your new orders are to kill her.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“… I’m ■■■■■■■ with you! Relax.”
“… < Sigh >”
“Holy ■■■■ man, you really need to lighten up! Your face got all serious there! Got one good eye left and you stared right into my soul with it! ■■■■… Yeah you’re right, she’s behaving right now. Ain’t no call to reason to plug that cute little face of hers just yet… One day maybe, but not today.”
“… I have a request.”
“You? Making requests now? That’s rich. Alright, what’s your request Uie?”
“… If we have to whack her, we make it quick and painless. No matter the offense.”
“… That’s a peculiar request.”
“I know first hand what the Guristas are capable of to who ■■■■ up around them… She doesn’t deserve any of that. If she needs to be removed, for whatever reason - it’s done mercifully.”
“Depends, the punishment needs to fit the crime…”
“Whatever the crime she ends up committing wont have been done maliciously or with intent to sabotage Guristas operations. It would be committed due to incompetence, or just blind and careless eagerness to be useful… Suha isn’t a traitor, won’t ever be. I don’t question her loyalty, she’d roll over if the Guristas asked her to… Sometimes she hopes for it even. She’s desperate to be seen as useful to the Guristas and thus may accidentally screw something up in a attempt to prove herself… If she has to die? So be it, but her death needs to be painless. She deserves that much.”
“… Well I’m not the one who makes the calls.”
“Then you’ll ■■■■■■■ take my request to the person that does make the calls.”
“… Alright. Only because it’s an interesting request. Can’t promise you they’ll agree to it or even honor it… But hey, someone’s gotta mention it at least, right? Hehehe…”
“…Look, once she brings your food out, I’m paying and leaving.”
“Oh second thought Utatis… I’m not that hungry, and I got places to be so… I’m going to head out.”
“Are you ■■■■■■■-”
“-it’s been awesome Utatis, I think we had a real stimulating conversation. Catch you around the stargate, yeah? Keep it one-hundred.”
“Hey! HEY! Don’t walk away after ord-…< sigh >”
< Waitress approaching >
“Alright, got the resident sex offense’s daily helping of cholesterol and… Hell he go?”
“He walked out…”
“As in, left without even eating? After ordering all this food?”
“Mhmm.”
“Well shucks Uie, that’s rude and all. That said, I still have to run this business while my deadbeat son is out getting chased by the authorities.”
“Don’t worry, I got it… Did you spit on the waffle?”
“Uie baby, why would you ass-”
“Did you spit on the waffles?”
“… Just on the eggs and bacon.”
“Alright, give me the waffles then.”