Ordinary Days

[Dracos]

Dracos blinks and glances at Huitz out of the corner of his eyes.

~Thoughts?  Could be a trap or could be genuine mistaken identity or could be someone else trying to contact us.~

Dracos

[Huitzil]

<There's no way it could be mistaken identity. Where it's a trap or someone else trying to contact us... I dunno, flip a coin.>

[Dracos]

~I like hot dogs.~

Dracos smiled and went along with the whole deal, following the waitress to the room curiously.

Dracos

[Brian]

There's two other people inside the private dining room.  Kind of odd for a breakfast when you think about it, but....

Everyone recognizes one of the two people at the table without the need to roll.  It's Phil, of course (though, the one at the table does not have green eyes).  He appears to be absorbed in chatting in a very 'we're-in-love' kind of way with someone it takes Phil and Parthipan a minute to realize they last saw wearing a nurse's outfit.

The doors close behind you, and the not-Dracos looks up, smiling.  "How nice to see me again," he says.

[Dracos]

"Indeed, unfortunately I appear not to remember ye."  Dracos smiles back, idly relaxing his arms at his sides.

Dracos

[Brian]

"Wow, I guess blowing up San Francisco kind of fades into the memory after a week or three," not-Dracos remarks, raising an eyebrow.  The nurse (now dressed in casual, if expensive looking clothes) giggles.

"I've come representing my employers, since you seem set on making a fuss wherever you go...."

[Dracos]

"Ah, I should've guessed immediately.  Many apologies.  It's been a rough time."  Dracos sat down, "Mind if we enjoy some food while explain what your employers would like us to hear?"

Dracos

[Huitzil]

"So, wait, is this the cloney-guy you told me about?"

[Brian]

"I suppose I am," the girl answers Paul, winking.

"Help yourself," not-Phil replies, gesturing to what amounts to a small buffet before you.  "There's enough to go around, I'm sure."

Judging by the plates before Caber (both of them) they elected not to wait for you.

[Dracos]

Dracos gets some hot dogs and starts eating, listening to Caber.

Dracos

[Huitzil]

Paul examines the available food for some Italian Sausage, the sainted, holy king of all meats.

[Brian]

Paul: It's in rare supply, but still on the table.  Evidently they wanted to show off the local sausages more....

"So, my employers have sent me here to tell you that it's not too late.  You could join us, if you wanted; judging by your repeated run-ins with the Seventh Cabal, you're already opposed to them.  What was before may have been an act of convenience, but now we could establish something more long-term.

"But, we'd like your cooperation willingly.  We won't force your hand.

"There's rather little likelyhood of you winning, you understand.  You've only drawn up your own death warrants by joining the Contest.  Actually undertaking that first task will be signing it.

"If you're willing to give up the Contest and help us fight the Seventh Cabal, we can see to if that you and your friends are not among those who will be purged.

"Maybe even money, power ... whatever you'd like."

Not-Phil shrugs, sipping some tea from a cup.

"Pretty much anything you can imagine can be provided," the girl adds.  "We've got resources.  We've been established for centuries.  You're just upstarts that've come along in the final minutes of the last quarter.  Maybe the Cabal will make you another offer.

"And maybe they won't.

"But you're going to need to pick a side, because there's only enough room in this game for two players.  And if you don't choose, you'll be squashed like a bug."

[Dracos]

Dracos nodded as he polished off another couple of hot dogs and leaned back, folding his hands slightly as he pondered.

"Well, that's an intriguing offer you make there.  Join and get vengeance against those who've screwed with us royally or be squashed like bugs.  And you are even throwing in protection for our friends.  Most generous of you.  And anything we want?  Hum, I always wanted to try an arabian harem.  And you raise an excellent point, both of your groups have quite a bit of networking.  Surprised one of you wasn't running the FBI back in the US.  Would've made things considerably easier on getting in contact with us the first time."

Dracos smiled.  

"It is something to ponder, I must admit.  Especially with the purging and all.  I must admit, I do sometimes ponder how nice it would be to eliminate all that excess waste around this planet.  Of course, you do more than ponder, don't you?  Silicon Valley was your handywork, right?"

Dracos

[Huitzil]

Paul takes a bite of the Italian sausage, chewing thoughtfully.

"Kind of generous of you to make an offer like that, especially if you're so sure we're going to lose anyway. Now me, I always wanted to have a bulldozer. Wouldn't even use it to build anything, I'd take it out on the highway and listen to the cars honking at me.

"But what would be the use in having a bulldozer if there's nobody around to watch me drive it, you dig?"

[Brian]

"Moffet?" the girl asks.  "In some senses."  Not-Phil sets down his tea cup.  

"Work is work," he says with a shrug.  "I don't engineer everything I do.  What is a legionare without someone to give him orders?

"A harem is easily possible.  But we know about you Philip "Dracos" Bloom.  You hate idiodicy and weakness as much as we.  Are you willing to put your money where your mouth is, and actually do something about it?"

"Or will you just remain a petulant whiner?" the girl asks, then turning her attention to Paul.  "And surely you think there's a good number of people the world could do without.  I'm sure it'd survive just fine with certain less desirables purged."

"Think of it not really as much as purging as a filtering," not-Phil suggests, grinning.  "We flush all the dross out of the system, ensuring a well-running machine.  You like nature, right?  You're teaming up with Ezmereth, and if there was ever a granola-loving hippie, it'd be him.

"And there's a certain balance here -- just like in nature.  If you don't flush the bad parts out of the system, they lead to its death.  No one is actually prepared to fight the Enemy.  No one even tried, except for the Workshop, and now, well, they're gone."

Not-Phil shrugs again, and takes another sip of his tea.