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 Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:03 pm
For Rose, Em and Ice. heart
*
It was a crisp morning when they stepped out of the Feien shop, leaving Dr. M and the others behind them in their own investigations; Burgundia seemed to pretty much carelessly ignore Autry's presence, as if she was enjoying the air, when it was fairly obvious she was thinking as hard as she possibly could.
"Do you happen to have a mobile phone, sir," she said don'tcarishly, after a while. "I surely do need to make a phone call if you're wantin' to actually do this here and now."
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:16 pm
It seemed an odd question to Autry. A cell phone? Sure he had one. Didn't everyone?
Then Autry realized that he had not used the thing since joining the Fleet. No cell phoen network. It was probably still sitting on his bedroom dresser, unless Caleb had moved it. Autry did not think his roommate would bother an inoperable device. Feigning disdain, he said, "Outdated technology." He remembered he had a utility comm kit on his belt, standard issue for extradimensional deployment. "If you want I can patch you into any communications network." He reached around towards the back of his belt to extract the kit from compression.
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:20 pm
"You'll have to punch the number, sir," Burgundia said, alighting on a benchtop close to his arm. She pushed fine white locks out of her face, and managed to look cool and crisp as a snowflake: unfortunately she felt about as cool as cinnamon red-hots. "If you don't know it already; it's the Gaian house of the Science Director, over the north side of the city. I do hope I'm not inconveniencin' you." (Dee willed a sniper to appear out of nowhere and shoot him.)
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:36 pm
Autry stopped his finger just short of the decompression key. "Oh, we don't need a cell phone for that." His tone was just a step short of derision, implying Burgundia was an ignorant backwater Gaian who could only be forgiven because she just did not know any better. Autry pulled back his shirt sleeve to reveal an expensive watch, Swiss manufacture, worth more than the average person makes in a year. His finger found a hidden switch beneath the watch's rim. He hesitated. "Any particular reason we're calling the Science Director?"
He was not about to have his head bitten off for bothering someone important, investigation be damned.
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:38 pm
"We're not. He's absent at the moment." With Autry and Burgundia in the same place, it seemed to be Massive Disdainment Day. "You'll be callin' my bondmate, Rose Lukas-Hein, who's been left in charge; I need to get in contact with her, if you please. I don't suppose you could do that little old thing for me."
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:42 pm
Another frown. Autry flipped the switch to change the transmitter installed in the watch to open audio. "This is Sergeant Autry, patch me to the Gaia residence of Lord Piett please."
There was an immediate response. "Wakefield Manor," said a cool, collected voice. Cranshaw, Wakefield's butler. Autry offered his wrist to Burgundia.
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:46 pm
"Cranshaw, I need to speak to Ms. Lukas-Hein," Burgundia said; just a little snootily, for Autry's benefit. "Please put the call through to her room." Her accent drew it out: Puh-lease.
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:48 pm
There was a click as the call connected and Autry marveled at the fact that Burgundia had not, in fact, tricked him into some sort of protocol violation. The last thing he needed was a suspension for breaking chain of command.
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:54 pm
"Wakefield Manor, you're speaking to Rose Lukas-Hein," said a light soprano on the other end.
"Rose," said the Cold feien, a bit hurriedly, and then most surprisingly of all: broke into swift Italian, broken and clumsy. It was obvious she only half-knew the language. If that. "<>"
Sounding a bit confused, the woman on the other end also broke into Italian: hers was perfect. "<>"
"<>" managed Burgundia, agonizingly.
"<Silva? What do I say? Can't I come get you? Dee, you're worrying me - >>"
"<>" Dee broke in. "<>"
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:57 pm
"<>" Autry broke in with perfect Italian -- down to the accent, which was faintly Northern -- "<>"
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 9:02 pm
There was a moment of silence. Burgundia's pale cheeks would have turned white had she not been the approximate colour of paper beforehand; she was still, silent and utterly humiliated.
"<>" said the voice on the other end, gentle and plaintive. "<>"
She gave up, and turned back to English. "I'm helping him in his inquiries."
"<>" said Rose brightly. "<>"
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 9:05 pm
"<>" Autry continued in Italian, since Rose was, "<>" May as well try to take advantage of another potentially cooperative witness. Autry was starting to think he could learn to like this investigation stuff.
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 9:08 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 9:12 pm
Autry considered, remembering Gunn's words that anything no matter how inconsequential could be beneficial to the investigation. "<> How's your English?"
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Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 9:14 pm
"I was born in Perth," said the voice on the other end. "I'll come down and make a statement - "
"Rose - "
"I'll just phone Ice first, Sergeant." There was a mild scrabble like somebody picking up a cellphone. (It was a Hello Kitty pink cellphone.) "I'm dreadfully sorry, you caught me just in the bathroom."
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