Welcome to Gaia! ::

It was done. Just needed to print out the newsletter and distribute it. Despite the depressing conversation with Sophie yesterday, Richard's good mood had returned full force when he finished typing up the final version not to long ago. It was time to reward himself.

So with his tail swishing with excitement and that odd vibration tickling his throat Richard had set out for the Cafeiteria. Once there he selected a pile of the best steaks he could find and piled them on his plate. They were a bit rare for his usual tastes but he refused to think about that. They smelled delicious and his mouth was watering already. He passed the starch and vegatable counter without a thought. He was going to celebrate today not agonize over what he had lost.

He did however stop at the fish counter for a slab of grilled salmon and a few pieces of tasty sushi.

Richard heard the creaking of the floor under Rachel's heavy feet and turned around. Despite her appearence he gave her a big smile and waved a clawed hand at the huge person. "Hello!" His mood was simply too high to care at the moment. He hadn't felt this "human" in months. "How do you do?" His had a strange qaulity to it. A deep vibration ran through it.

He hefted his tray and headed towards her.

Richard nodded. "You have good days. You have bad days." It was plainly obivious that he was having a good one. There was a spring in his step and his tail did not stop moving. "Name's Richard." Another flash of friendly teeth and Richard headed to a table intending to begin his meal before it cooled.

Richard popped a couple peices of sashimi in his mouth and chewed them down. So good.

He continued to smile although it turned slightly sly. "I just finished a project of mine that has been taunting me for a couple months now. I'm just glad its finally done. And I believe it will do some good around here."

He started cutting into his steak.

"Why the first edition of the village newsletter!" He beamed with pride. The newsletter if it worked would provide a forum for the villagers to communicate and share ideas. Even more so all those little tips and tidbits of info would be filtered through Richard, making him one of the first to know and hopefully realize what went on in the village. Being the first to know something had always excited him, it would be like a string of successful hunts.

"Hopefully it will serve as a forum for the community." And maybe lay the ground work for something bigger.

"So what? Its really doesn't have much in it besides general knowelge or what known by a few islanders at least. I've merely collected it and put it in one place. There are no call for rebellion that be irresponisble." Richard sounded confident but that strange part of his voice, what ever it was, was gone. Richard was sure the newsletter would be monitored for signs of hidden comminication which was why there wasn't any in the first issue. Later, well maybe. He had to move carefully on that front.

"I doubt the labs care about what we know, just what we do."

Richard shrugged, "I've been working on it off and on for months. I'm sure words would have been said by now. I've done a terrible job of keeping it a secret." Richard would not give in to asking for permission to publish his newletter. If the labs made trouble then he'd have to find a different way to distribute the newletter.

"Oh no problem, I've gone over that topic with a fine toothed thought." To emphasize the point he sawed off a large bite of steak and chewed happily. But she had knocked him from his almost giddy state.

He finished his bite and swallowed, there was that awkward silence in the air as Richard wolfed down most of his meal. Letting the taste wash away his concerns. The newsletter would be fine.

Stomach sated he looked up at Rachel. "So what's your story Rachel?"