Mr Babel

[Ebiris]

After a day of lectures, seminars, and one to one appointments with particularly distressed students, Richard Blake finds himself at home, finishing up his dinner and finding the evening laid bare before him.

Having just returned the latest essays for the 2nd year students, and it being a fortnight till the next work is due in from any class, there aren't even papers to grade, tonight.

However, before he can find himself too excited by the prospect of such leisure time, an insistent ringing of the telephone brings itself to his attention...

OOC: Ed, feel free to set up your home however you like. This is all yours, within reason.

[Edward]

"Erica, could you be a dear and grab that?"

Richard pauses and sighs; her loss is still too fresh.  He picks up the phone himself.  "Hello?  This is Professor Blake."

[Ebiris]

"Good evening, Mr Babel," a voice greets you from the telephone in crisp BBC English. "How does this day find you?"

He doesn't give his name, but he doesn't really need to. Not many people would call you up and address you by that name, and the voice is easy enough to recognise as one of your superiors, a Mr Jack.

[Edward]

"Much the same," Richard replies, trying not to sound too tired.  "I am rather at loose ends at the moment.  I take it you have something for me, Mr. Jack?"

[Ebiris]

"Astute as always, I see," Jack chuckles briefly. "Yes, as a matter of fact. There's been some rather interesting developments in Egypt of late, and we're sending someone out there. We'd like for you to join her."

[Edward]

"I can get away for a while," Richard replies,"I'll just make the standard arrangements for covering my classes and such."

OOC:  Whatever they are,  :)

"So just what is happening down in Egypt and who would I be meeting?  Or would you perhaps prefer to discuss this in person rather than over the telephone?"

[Ebiris]

"Indeed," Mr Jack replies jovially. "Perhaps you might like to come down to headquarters tomorrow morning, and get acquainted with your colleague while we get things straightened out?"

OOC: Yea, we won't worry too much about your non-secret agent life for now. I'm sure Cambridge has plenty of well qualified professors able to step in for you.

[Edward]

Richard winces at Jack's cheerfulness.  I'm just not in the mood for it now.  "Certainly, I shall be there promptly tomorrow morning.  What time would be convenient?"

[Ebiris]

"Shall we say ten thirty?" Jack asks, "That should give you time to get on the roads after rush hour."

[Edward]

"That should do," Richard replies.  "I shall see you tomorrow then."

Richard makes a few quick phone calls to make sure things are properly taken care off at the school while he will be gone.  He then fires up his computer and does a quick search for information about anything new or unusual happening in Egypt.

Richard turns in early that night, though he doesn't sleep well,  The next morning he arrives at Mr. Jack's sharply dressed and fifteen minutes early.

OOC: Barring any complications, of course.

[Ebiris]

It takes a little bit of digging, but you're well used to searching little known academic sites. Seems a small settlement dating back at least 3000 years has been found about two hundred miles west of Thebes, fairly deep in the Sahara.

The only other possible item you can find is covered in more mainstream news sites. An outbreak of Legionaire's disease was discovered on one of the Nile cruise ships. Hopefully you won't have to get anywhere near that...

The next day you drive down to British Library headquarters in London. Even after rush hour, the city is still horribly congested. Luckily you make it with some time to spare, and are allowed into Mr Jack's office with little difficulty.

Inside, you find the man himself, rake thin and dressed in a charcoal suit. He rises from behind his large oak desk to greet you as you enter, "Ah, good morning, Mr Blake. Punctual as always," he nods approvingly, "Though I daresay, your new colleague is a bit more fond of pushing things to the last minute. Still," he checks his watch, "A good fifteen minutes left. Why not help yourself to a spot of tea, what?" he indicates a trolley in the corner of the office ladened with a teapot, cups, and assorted sundry items related to the making of tea.

[Edward]

"Thank you, I believe I shall," Richard replies, fetching himself some tea and adding a spot of lemon if available.  "Just the thing while waiting."

"And since we are waiting, could you tell me a bit about the person we're wating for?"

[Ebiris]

Indeed, fresh lemon juice is available.

"Of course," Jack bobs his head in agreement. "Her name is Alice Alice Arkwit, an archaeologist with the British Museum. Nice girl, and near the top of her field. I'm sure the two of you will hit it off just fine.

"Anyway, since she's already mostly familiar with your mission, I might as well familiarise you with the basics. I'm sure Miss Arkwit will be able to provide more detailed information when she arrives..." he trails off, looking at a panel on his desk not really visible from your position. "Ah, speak of the devil, here she is, now."

With that, the door opens to admit an attractive woman in her mid twenties, with chestnut brown hair trailing down to her shoulderblades and framing an impish face. Dressed in a loose knit blouse and knee length skirt, she saunters in easily enough. "Good morning, Mr Jack," she waves lazily to the man at the desk, before turning to regard Richard. "So, you're my partner on this epedition, are you...?"

[Edward]

Richard stands and smiles.  "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Arkwit.  Professor Richard Blake, at your service.   Mr. Jack was just about to fill me in on things, but he said you had more detailed information.  Would this be about the settlement they found in the desert somewhere west of Thebes?"

[Ebiris]

"Ah, that would be Dr Arkwit. But Alice is fine," she smiles disarmingly. "I hope we can work well together, Professor.

"In any case, about the settlement. Yes, they just found it last week - a settlement dating back to the 20th Dynasty - unusual in the deep desert so far from the Nile," Alice nods. "However, I have reason to believe it predates even the Archaic period of Ancient Engypt - or is built on a place that does. You see, two years ago, I was involved in a dig in Eastern Sinai where we found a subterranean structure over eight thousand years old.

"Amazingly, it was constructed using stone cutting techniques similar to those used by the Aztecs in South America one thousand years ago. And the writings... well, the fact that there was writing at all is tremendously odd. It predates Sumerian Cunieform script by nearly two thousand years!

"The whole thing was terribly anachronistic. And without a Rosetta Stone or similar key, we've been having a lot of difficulty in translating what we found. However, we found enough to indicate another area - the same area as this newfound settlement - was apparently related. I searched there last year, but found nothing but dunes. I can only assume it was uncovered by recent sandstorms."

She takes a deep breath, smiling, "Oh, but I do ramble on, don't I? Let me fix myself a cup of tea and we can get into more detail?" she offers, heading over to the tea trolley.