A Literary Discussion

<> Demiurge says "Okay. So this is after Marc showed up at Sistine's. You two were flying off together en pigeonette."

Sepharpigeon swoops and flutters along with Hitherbird...

The sky is bright and clear. It's a splendid day for flying.

Hitherby does random parts from a 15-part Kyriotate dance, although out of consideration for Sephar, she only uses one bird instead of getting 13 more.

Sepharbird is semi-oblivious for a bit, and after nearly running into Hitherby once, wakes up a bit and finds his part and feels happier.

<> Demiurge says "What were you two off to do?"

<> Hitherby says "We were going to stake out a bookstore, I believe."

<> Hitherby says "And possibly do more, if the urge strikes."

<> Demiurge says "Ah, yes. Dr Matthews."

<> Sephar grins. "Yes."

<> Demiurge says "Okay. He had this business, _Fine Books Research And Acquisition_. If Sephar wants to have been prepared, it even got the address from the general Lab files."

<> Sephar says "Sure!"

<> Sephar would have told Liz as well and asked Trade if it had any records of the business and probably told Sarah.

<> Sephar says "That we were checking it out."

<> Demiurge says "The bookshop - well, more of a business with a few books - is located in the Vienna suburb."

<> Demiurge nods.

Sepharbird flies over the suburbs, just looking, not likely to find any bums out here in the nicer parts of town with yards and houses and parks and stuff...

<> Chephirah says "I seem to remember you telling Sarah, yes."

Hitherby makes no particular effort to look for a human host, because, well, she's been overusing them.

Indeed, this is definitely the nicer part of town. There are even bird-feeders in the occasional back garden. Below, Sephar spies a dignified shop archway with a recessed door, with a FINE BOOKS RESEARCH AND ACQUISITION nameplate.

Sepharmouse with Sarah says mildly, "Vienna's pretty."

Sepharbird spirals down towards the archway, whistling the notes for 'target' to Hitherbird.

<> Hitherby says "Kyriotates can take a vacation whenever they want. Vienna! Paris! Australia! And all without neglecting their duties."

<> Demiurge hms at Sarah. "Actually, timewise, this is probably while Ashley's talking to Daimon and Pat, and you're feeding ducks with Sephar on your shoulder. So yes, Sephar can communicate with you."

<> Sarah beams.

Sarah murmurs, tossing a bit of rye, "Vienna? I suppose so."

Hitherby flutters down gently after Sephar.

At the moment, nobody is coming into the shop or going out of it. There is a window, but the blinds are drawn across it. The building looks old.

Sepharbird perches up on an arch and surveys the shop, peers about for nearby birdfeeders in visible yards.

There are no convenient birdfeeders. There is, however, a half-eaten pastrami on rye that somebody has discarded on a convenient bench.

Hitherby lands neatly near Sephar.

Sepharmouse curls up on Sarah's shoulder, "Quiet neighborhood about Dr. Matthew's shop. Is there anything specific you'd like for us to look for? It seems pretty quiet and the window is blinded."

Sepharbird chirps, "Anything you'd like to look for?" to Hitherby. "Or should we just watch?"

Sarah strokes his fur with a fingertip. "It might be worthwhile to see who goes in and out. I'd expect it might be awkward for your usual hosts to get in to take a look at his books."

Hitherby considers this. "Watch for a bit?" she suggests. "Then get more intrusive, if nothing interesting happens?"

Sepharmouse nods a bit at Sarah, "Okay, and yeah, it'd be a bit tough... but we could try."

Hitherby chirps amusedly. "I'm used to waiting when I hunt, but it's an unreliable technique in cities."

Sepharbird bobs a nod at Hitherby. "Yes."

Sepharbird chirrs amused.

Hitherby begins assembling a swarm, utilitarianly.

Sepharbird hms, "Sarah would like to know who goes in and out and if we do find a host that could get in a take a look at the books, it seems it might help her."

<> Hitherby tries to remember what she remembers. "I think you asked for a roll on whether I knew Dr. Matthews' name, and I think I succeeded, but I could be wrong. I'm just trying to figure out whether I know it's a Fate thing."

<> Demiurge says "I believe you made the Fate connection, yes. You remembered the Sancuzzi link."

Hitherby chirps thoughtfully.

People pass along the street. Nobody - for the moment - makes any attempt to go into the shop.

Sepharbird hops about a bit, glides to nibble a bit on the sandwich, when a person comes even close, flutters by up to be by Hitherby again.

Hitherby sings, "Fate / (How are your Forces?) / An unpleasant opponent. I have not dealt / (That is, can you get a human yourself right now, to go in, while I ride?) / with them much in the past, excepting the past few weeks. / (Or do I need to be the primary intruder when we do it?)"

Hitherby approximates harmonizing by alternating. Kyriotates must suffer so.

<> Hitherby says "Of course, it's nothing to the Malakim who must approximate blood and slaughter with angband."

<> Demiurge laughs.

<> Demiurge says "Or Carmageddon."

<> Demiurge says "| Malakite of Michael : "You mean this isn't a driving instruction program? So I don't get an Instant Repair button?""

<> Hitherby giggles.

Sepharbird hrms softly, "I can take a human Host."

<> Demiurge has to confess. I stole that from Sluggy.

<> Hitherby should read Sluggy more often. Preferably when Ethernetted :)

Sepharbird, "If I let go of either this bird or the bird with Liz, and since you're already with Liz..."

Hitherby considers.

Sepharbird mutters softly, "Fate's never a pleasant opponent, but one that's good to win against."

Sepharmouse sits contentedly on Sarah's shoulder, "I think I might take a human Host and look around, with Hitherby on my shoulder... if you'd like a list of some of the books in the store."

Hitherby sings, "All right. I think that'd be better, if you let go of this bird here when it's time." She makes a kind of clearing-throat noise, only in birdsong, melodious, and rather high-pitched. "I'll take a human host if necessary, of course, like if it's the best response to something going wrong."

Sepharbird bobs a nod, "But better for you to be in a more familiar form."

Sarah murmurs, "That could be useful. I doubt anything would be particularly obvious, but there might be something..."

Sepharbird peers at the passerby's looking for a youngish man, preferably with glasses.

After about five minutes, a youngish man with glasses is spotted. He's in a neat suit, burberry trenchcoat, suitcase, and steel-rimmed glasses on a nose that reminds Sephar reminiscently of Jean.

Sepharbird chirps happily and tries to possess the young man and give up the bird...

<> Sephar rolls the d666 and gets 3 4 CHECK: 4.

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 5 4 CHECK: 2.

<> Demiurge says "You are all currently during-Ashley."

<> Demiurge says "Post-Ashley, the Sarah/Pat/Daimon/Kyrios group talks for a while, then Sarah/Pat/Daimon/Sephar head for a Tether to get to France."

<> Demiurge says "Liz has meanwhile finished her deal with her customer, and is frantically getting her plane together."

The man is possessed, and Sephar enjoys his body.

Sepharman grins mildly and goes up to the arch, looks up and whistles 'Here There Be Dragons.' as the bird Sephar formerly had flies away.

The previously possessed pigeon flutters off happily.

<> Demiurge says "Well, how do you describe the sensation of the control of a body, the movement of muscles, the play of tendons, the new sensations..."

<> Sephar grins, "I *have* him. Yes."

Hitherby drops the swarm down into Sephar's hair, if she's had time to assemble one.

<> Hitherby says "(It's day, so it shouldn't have taken that long.)"

Unfortunately, the man's hair is a bit short to conceal a swarm. Possibly under his coat or jacket might work.

Sephar resists the urge to scratch, but flips up his collar for a bit and the jacket's pockets are warm.

Hitherby mutters, upon landing and discovering that her backs reach above the hair.

Hitherby chrisks once or twice, drops all but the tiniest bug in the swarm into a jacket pocket. The tiniest bug looks for the place with the darkest shadow that can see.

There is a convenient shadow behind the host's tie.

Hitherby lurks behind Sephar's tie. Now you know why they exist.

Sephar flips his collar back down, waits another moment as the tiniest bug moves and then smiles a small smile at where she chooses and then goes to the door of the bookstore.

<> Sephar always wondered...

The door is a plain and simple door, unmarked by the evils that may lurk behind it. There is a handle that can be turned.

Sephar turns the handle and peers in before stepping in.

A bell rings inside the shop. A short, musty corridor leads from the door to another inner door, beside which is a small voice-grille and button.

<> Sephar admires the extent of paranoia Demi has engendered.

<> Demiurge laughs.

Sephar ahs mildly, steps into the corridor, looks around and then at the inner door, brows creasing gently.

Sepharmouse says to Sarah, "The store has a second door, otehr than the front door, with a bell and grille... odd, and a defensible corridor."

A voice crackles from the grille, "Please press the button and speak into the grille, giving your name and your reason for entry, and the person who referred you here." It sounds like a tape recording.

Sarah murmurs, "I don't believe I entirely like that idea."

Sepharmouse murmurs, "Me neither, it's asking for a name, reason, and reference, shall I use the person who supplied the sleep powder or simply step out?"

<> Demiurge says "Sarah - it's not _entirely_ unreasonable for some collector who had very rare books on the premises. Just, well, rather."

Sarah says, "I'd recommend apologizing for a mistaken address and stepping out."

<> Sarah says "Why, yes. :)"

Sepharmouse bobs a nod.

<> Hitherby | Sephar. IRS. We understand you have two books.

Sepharman says, a bit hesitantly to the empty air, "Oh... uhm... sorry. I guess I have the wrong place..." and steps back out.

Sarah says "If it were one of us, I'd try, but I don't want either of you to risk a host."

<> Sarah groans.

The door closes behind Sephar.

Sepharmouse chirps softly, "And he is such a nice Host, too, yes."

Sepharman sighs softly, looks around for another bird and murmurs softly, outside, to Hitherby, "That looked too much like a trap."

Hitherby chrisks thoughtfully.

A couple of pigeons, in the absence of the Kyriotates, have descended on the pastrami.

Hitherby thinks about that window.

The window has the blinds drawn.

Sephar walks his Host in the direction he was going and then lets go before jumping into a pigeon.

Sarah strokes Sephar's fur a little more; checks on the gathering, and tosses another bit of crust.

Hitherby chrisks, from the man's pocket, "The problem is, now he may be alerted that we know of him."

The host resumes step, unaware of anything having happened, still with Hitherbugs on him.

Sepharmouse sighs mildly. "I think you were right to recommend that, there was no way out if I'd gone in that way..."

Sepharbird now flies by the Host and chirp-sings, "Hitherby, I am gone from that Host."

Hitherby hums in a muffled atonal way, "We could go in through the window."

Hitherby chrisks, "Ack!"

Hitherby swarms out the pocket and for the air before a hand gets stuck in there and someone squishes.

Sepharbird sings an apology while circling about the man.

Hitherby dives her tie bug for cover.

<> Hitherby says "The head bug yells, "Go! Go! Go!" as each of the Servitor bugs flies past."

Sepharbird flutters close to the man to provide distraction of a sort while the bugs escape.

<> Sephar giggles.

The man reaches up to flail at the bird, then looks down in shock as insects come squirming out of his pocket.

The man shakes out his coat rapidly, bolting down the street.

<> Sephar giggles more.

<> Hitherby says "Nothing to see here, friend citizen. Move along."

Hitherby reassembles on a roof.

<> Demiurge laughs.

Sepharbird sings an apology to the bugs and the Host, though he has no clue, but it's heard by God.

<> Demiurge says "God hears. Honestly. :)"

Sepharbird looks ashamed when he flutters to land on the arch where Hitherbird had originally landed.

Hitherby hums a soft tone so that Sephar can find her, if Sephar couldn't keep track of zooming bugs.

Hitherby then flutters up and lands on the arch, since Sephar has landed. Hopefully we won't pass eachother.

<> Demiurge says "Both Kyrios arrive on the arch."

Sepharbird peers at the landing bird and chirps an apology. "Sorry... was thinking too much and forgot to coordinate."

Sepharbird asks, "Are all your Hosts okay?"

Hitherby hums, thoughtfully, "This is what we call in 'forest lingo' a botched surveillance."

Sepharbird asks curiously, "Oh?"

Hitherby checks her extremities, which is to say her individual bugs.

Hitherby chrisks, "Think I'm fine."

Sepharbird sighs softly in relief.

All bugs are present and correct.

Hitherby says, "Well, maybe it's okay."

Hitherby says, "But he knows someone confused came in, and he might have noticed someone running down the street in disarray immediately after. Or he might have had no way of noticing that, and might dismiss the former."

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 5 1 CHECK: 2.

Sepharbird bobs a nod, listening.

Another young man comes along the street, and glances towards the particular door that is being watched by the Kyriotates.

<> Demiurge says "Sephar - it's Thomas from last night."

<> Sephar says "Oo!"

Hitherby chrisks, softly now because of the human below, "This could be good, because he might evacuate. If we got full-circle coverage."

<> Sephar says "From the Party, yes?"

<> Demiurge says "Yup. You recognise him."

Sepharbird murmurs to Hitherby, "That man, down there, he was at the Party that they got the dream powder from."

Sepharmouse murmurs to Sarah, "One of the guys from the Party, Thomas, is here at the bookstore."

Sarah whispers, "Is there any chance one of you might be able to ride in and see what he does? - Ah, that is, not ride /him/ precisely, but sneak in with him."

Hitherby braces herself to throw a bug at the back of Thomas' shoe when he turns around, simultaneously asking Sephar if that would be good.

<> Demiurge says "Just think, if only you were Shedim, you could share his headspace. ;)"

Sepharbird says, "Yes, it's something Sarah asked if we could do."

Sepharbird says softly, "If you can tell me what books are in there, I'll pass that on to Sarah, and what goes on in there would be nice to know."

<> Sephar just doesn't think that, uhuh...

<> Sarah hides her face. Dependency on Hitherby for book titles. :)

<> Sephar grins.

<> Demiurge snickers.

The young man's hand is on the handle of the door, turning it.

Sepharbird hmms mildly and peers at the young man to see if he has a cel phone or wrist watch.

Hitherby darts her fastest bug down, trying to brake and land softly on the back of his shoe, as planned. No feeling through a shoe, and who looks at the back of one? Well, demons, but heck.

There is, indeed, a celphone sticking out of the man's coat pocket.

Sephar possesses the celphone

<> Demiurge says "Though bear in mind you can only stay in there a few minutes, Sephar."

<> Sephar rolls the d666 and gets 2 3 CHECK: 3.

<> Sephar nods, but may 'hear' a few things.

The young man is ignorant alike of the possession of his celphone and his boarding by a bug, as he steps into the corridor and walks up to the voice grille.

<> Sarah says "And he can always possess the coat :)"

The grille repeats its taped message.

<> Hitherby imagines coats lurching around like zombies, for some weird reason.

Sepharbird murmurs, "I have his phone, Hitherby, too."

Hitherby singsongs, "Good."

Sepharmouse sighs happily, "Hitherby has a bug on him and I'm in his phone for a bit." to Sarah.

The man says, to the speakergrille, "It's Thomas, Dr Matthews. I've come about those books."

Hitherby resists the urge to do little bug exercises to limber up. I must be stealthy like wolf spider.

There is a pause, then a click, and the door opens.

<> Hitherby says "The ninjas of the bug world! Well, actually, I'm not sure that they're stealthy, but they stalk, so probably :)"

<> Hitherby says "You know, if Jean employed Shedim, one of them could probably possess a book and know what's in it."

The young man steps through. Inside, the room is sparse but neat, and absolutely free of dust. Five antique clocks tick in perfect unison, and the books on the shelves are clearly cared for. Bookcases line the walls, save for the door just entered by and another door on the other side of the room. A desk is in the middle of the room, with a man on one side, and a free chair on the other side.

Sepharmouse murmurs, eyes closed, "Five clocks? I wonder why five?" to Sarah.

<> Hitherby says "North, South, East, West, Down. (Okay, probably not.)"

Sarah murmurs, "Arcane meanings? One for each of his associates?"

The man sitting at the desk might be in his late fifties. He has thick grey hair, a pair of half-glasses, a grey suit that somehow looks dusty, and short bony hands.

<> Demiurge says "Ticking in Perfect Unison."

<> Sarah shudders.

Sepharbird asks, "What does it look like in there? I can only hear."

The man at the desk says, in a surprisingly sharp, toneless voice, "Thomas. I am glad to say that I have at least one of the books you want."

Sepharmouse murmurs, "In perfect unison."

<> Hitherby rants, calmly and coldly in cadence, "Diversity will be eliminated. Change will be eliminated. Discord will be eliminated. Hope will be eliminated."

Thomas smiles. "I'm delighted to hear it. Which one?"

Hitherby makes a musical coughing sound with the outside swarm. "I'm not in the best position to see, either, and I'm not sure it's safe to move. But the floor is very clean."

Sarah shivers, and seats herself on a bench. "That's Fate, all right," she whispers.

The man at the desk - Dr Matthews, presumably - gestures Thomas to take a seat.

Thomas does so.

Sepharbird bobs a nod in aquiecence to Hitherbird.

Hitherby adds, "I can see the edge of a bookcase on each wall."

Sepharmouse murmurs softly, "Dr. Matthews has one of the books Thomas wants, his voice is sharp but toneless, so little inflection." to Sarah.

Hitherby weighs things.

Sepharbird says softly, "Thanks, don't risk yourself or your Host, too much."

Dr Matthews says, "Here is the Levi." There's a rustle of paper as he moves something on the desk. "I am afraid that it will cost you another hundred more than you requested. Still, no price should be too high for the dedicated student."

Hitherby says, outside, "Ask Sarah whether secrecy or book titles is more important? If I leave the bug in, I'll have to break it out, and that'll betray our knowledge of the shop."

Thomas laughs, with a slight edge of nervousness. "I'd hardly call myself dedicated. Just curious. A real renaissance man."

Sepharmouse says to Sarah, "It's a Levi Thomas wanted, for a higher price. Hitherby wants to know wheither secrecy or book titles is more important. If we leave a bug, we'll have to break it out."

Sepharmouse murmurs, "Which means they'll know about us."

Sarah says, quietly, "Secrecy is more important. Much more."

Sepharbirds says softly, "Sarah says secrecy is more important, much more. I agree with her, so just stay on him, and we'lll get more with time, I think."

<> Sephar thinks its grip slips on the phone soon...

Hitherswarm says, predatorially, "We'll find that young man's home address, for one."

Dr Matthews regards Thomas for a moment. "Oh, my young friend, I am sure that you would aspire to those heights if you could. How is your... colleague... doing?"

Sarah says "If Matthews has the clocks, he's likely a demon, not a Soldier. And demons of Fate have access to some particularly unpleasant attunements."

<> Demiurge says "About a minute, yes."

Sepharmouse meeps mildly at that.

Sepharbird says to Hitherbird, "Sarah says that Dr. Matthews is likely a demon, not a Soldier. So be careful, they have nasty attunements."

Thomas says, more briskly, "Perfectly well. She's been busy lately getting some of that earlier text - the Domini Telluris one - onto her computer."

Hitherby chirps, "Who doesn't? But noted."

Dr Matthews draws in a breath of pure horror. "A _computer_?"

Sepharbird chuckles.

Thomas shrugs. "Text is text. The important thing is the information inside, and how it's used."

<> Demiurge says "Sephar, you're loooosing your grip."

Sepharmouse says a bit alarmed, "They're talking about putting uhm... a Domini Telluris onto a computer! Oops. I'm losing my grip on the celphone..."

<> Demiurge says "Sarah, as you're probably the only one of this three who knows Latin, make an Int roll."

Hitherswarm says, "Actually, do we know his home address already? Again, I ask for risk management purposes, and it shouldn't become relevant for a bit."

<> Sarah rolls the d666 and gets 6 6 CHECK: 2.

Sepharphone decides to just slip free rather than alerting anyone with even the possibility of a Cel presense.

<> Demiurge says "No, you don't know his home address."

<> Sarah says "Ow. :)"

Sepharbird says to Hitherby, "I just lost the celphone."

<> Demiurge says "Sarah, you are too preoccupied to make sense of Sephar's probable mispronunciation of the Latin."

Sepharbird, "We don't know his home address yet."

<> Sephar grins.

<> Hitherby says "Doh mickey tell her this! Huh?"

<> Demiurge laughs.

Dr Matthews says, "Yes." He leans forward, folding his hands. "And just how do you plan to use it?"

Sarah asks, half-absently as the conversation with the Lilim tenses up, "Can Hitherby listen, Sephar?"

Sepharrat hrms and tries to do a search based on Domini Telluris and queries the Lightning Seneschal as to what it might do with a computer.

Sepharmouse says, "Yes. She is."

In the laboratory, Ithuriel, the Lightning-Seneschal, states that he can do an astonishing number of things with a computer. The memory banks chirr away.

There is a pause, then Thomas laughs. There's something a little fake to it. "Use it, of course. What else is knowledge for?"

Hitherby takes a remote host and does mnemonic exercises with it to keep the names straight.

Dr Matthews leans back a little. "What else is knowledge ever for. Indeed." There is a riffle of paper. "And what other books would you be interested in?"

Sepharbird asks the Hitherswarm, "What are they saying?

Thomas says, "Just a moment." He brings out a folded piece of paper from an inner pocket.

Hitherby takes the swarm and uses it to relay things to Sephar, starting with a "The demon asked how the man was going to use it, and he said he was going to use it."

Hitherby ponders that.

Sepharmouse relays things to Sarah, verbetim from Hitherby.

Hitherby interjects, with her bird, while the swarm quotes, "That doesn't make sense to me, but I'm maybe too down to earth."

Sepharbird shivers mildly, "I'm glad it doesn't make sense to you. It doesn't make any sense to me, either..."

Sepharbird hmmsighs, "It's wrong to just do without working through consequences."

Hitherby adds, "He just took something out of his pocket."

Thomas checks the piece of paper. "I can't actually ask for any book titles." His tone is deliberately boyish. "I'm not educated enough for that. We are looking for more books about the creatures of dream, however. Salamanders. Nymphs. Sprites."

Sarah says, "Well, I suppose that rules out the idea that this man is simply collecting them for the purpose of collection."

Sepharmouse nods at Sarah.

Thomas checks the list again. "That sort of thing. The," he quotes aloud, "beings composed from the dreams of men. At least, if the Domini Telluris was reliable, and you said that it was."

Hitherby's bird swears, "Eaters of carrion." while her swarm labors to recite accurately.

Sepharmouse relays the recital and the rat in the Lab types it into a file.

Sarah's eyebrows arch. "Oh, my."

At the laboratory, the computer whirrs through alternatives. "Domini(e) (sp?) Master, lord, ruler, teacher (Latin, Dominus/i). Telluris(es) (sp?) Of the world, planet, sphere, nation, kingdom, area, earth. (Latin, Tellus/uris)."

Dr Matthews murmurs, "That is an extremely confined field. Are you sure that you would not prefer something more wide-ranging? It may take me a while to find anything worthwhile in that area."

Sepharrat eyes it, its mouse murmurs the possibilities for the title to Sarah to see if that helps her remember the title or the book any better.

<> Demiurge says "Sarah - try another Int roll."

<> Sarah rolls the d666 and gets 5 2 CHECK: 5.

<> Demiurge says "It comes to Sarah that "Lord of this world" is a title often used in _certain_ unpropitious texts for Lucifer by adherents. (As opposed to the next world, which belongs to God, naturally.)"

<> Demiurge says "Hm. How likely is Sarah to know the names of common occult texts?"

<> Sarah says "Good question. Depends on whether she's had to restore or shelve any. :)"

<> Demiurge says "Try an _unmodified_ Int roll to see if any memories are hit."

<> Sarah rolls the d666 and gets 5 2 CHECK: 4.

<> Demiurge says "No bells rung, sorry."

Thomas says, "Perhaps, but we're definitely interested in that area." He pauses. "The psychological implications are staggering. We may be on the verge of a breakthrough."

Dr Matthews says, slightly disbelieving, "Psychology?"

Thomas says, "What else would you call the study of the elements of the soul?"

Sarah murmurs, absent, "'The Lords of the World,' or 'Of the Lord of the World.' Ah - 'lord of this world', with an emphasis on the 'this,' could refer to, ah, the Adversary. Unfortunately. Alternatively, if 'domini' is the plural rather than the genitive, it could mean spirits in general. Angelic, demonic, ethereal."

Sepharbird relays "What Sarah said" to Hitherby.

Dr Matthews' tone is faintly amused. "Some might consider that it verged on theology and the matter of God. But then again, you are a modern man, are you not?"

Thomas says, "Damn right."

Sepharmouse hrms, "It sounds like they're looking into the ethereal creatures." (assuming Hitherbugs are quoting away and the mouse is relaying and the rat is writing)

Dr Matthews chuckles very slightly. "I will see what I can find. Perhaps you might care to share your psychological studies at some point? It might give me more idea what I should be looking for."

Sarah murmurs, "I'm sure Aron and Azalea will just adore that."

Thomas says, with a palpable release of tension, "No problem." He's visibly relaxing. "After all, we're in the same field."

Sepharmouse chuckles softly.

Dr Matthews murmurs, "Good, good. Handwritten, perhaps? I am not one to share this affection for computers."

Thomas laughs. "It depends if I can talk Belle into it. She's the real researcher..." He pauses. "That is, she's the real record-keeper."

Sepharbird and mouse and rat all chsk at what Matthews says when it's relayed.

Dr Matthews says, "Mm. Well, I can imagine that you take the lead in the researches. A woman could not act as a magister to a group, not in any real sense."

Thomas smiles, boastfully. "Damn right. It takes a man to keep that sort of thing together."

Dr Matthews taps his fingers together. "I am sure, I am sure. In any case, here is the Levi - I will add it to your account here. I trust that I may call upon you for the information later?"

Sepharmouse relays the manliness bits and chokes a bit on them, laughing before getting through them all.

Thomas says, "Of course." His chair scrapes as he rises, and he takes the plastic-bag-covered volume, slipping it into a pocket of his trenchcoat.

<> Demiurge says "Sarah - some occult texts might hold that you had to be a male sorcerer to be in charge of a group. Of course, some would hold directly opposite."

Sarah does not laugh; she frowns, instead, her attention coming more toward Sephar than it had previously.

<> Sarah says "True, true. :)"

Sepharmouse straightens a bit with the interest and peers back at Sarah, "What?"

Dr Matthews remains seated. "I am sure you can see yourself out. Will I be able to look forward to more visits from your female colleague, soon, or from any of your prospective pupils?"

Thomas says, "Fellow-students, please."

Dr Matthews says, "Naturally."

Thomas says, "Well, it really depends how things go. I'll be sure to stay in touch."

Dr Matthews murmurs, "Good, good. The best of luck."

Thomas turns and makes his way back out, through the shadowy corridor to the sunlit street outside.

Sarah says, "I think that might be one of the methods Matthews is using to get at him."

Sepharmouse hms, "Encouraging that belief?"

Sepharbird watches Thomas come out again.

Sarah says "Precisely."

Sarah says "I think I need to meet this young man, Sephar. Even if only briefly."

Thomas takes a deep breath when out in the frehs air again, and straightens his shoulders.

Sepharbird then hops over to Hitherbugs and murmurs, "So others may come here in time... perhaps. So we should just watch and wait, it seems."

Sepharbird peers again at Thomas' celphone, possesses it and reads its number and the numbers it holds.

<> Sephar rolls the d666 and gets 4 5 CHECK: 6.

Sepharmouse says, "I'll try and get his celphone number, and we might be able to track him backwards from that." to Sarah.

Sepharmouse says wryly, "Even I can't find a Thomas in all of this city and be sure it's him."

Sarah agrees, "That's a splendid thought, Sephar."

Sepharmouse murmurs, "I don't think any last names were given anywhere..."

The number of Thomas' celphone is satisfactorily read.

<> Demiurge says "Then again, you could always ask Tania what his surname is. ;)"

Sepharmouse cheers mildly and sets the phone number in its log...

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Fiat Justitia