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Post by HungryHunter on Aug 18, 2017 2:52:01 GMT
The Zines National Airport was Kuracongo's first inlet for the skies, declared a necessity to bring in tourists from wealthier countries. It had turned out to be as profitable as Queen Melea had claimed it would be. Tourists had indeed come for their peaceful island in a sea of war, enjoying all the sights and culture of central Africa with none of the risks. The capital had been rebuilt, buildings leveled in the endless civil wars brought back to life taller and sturdier than before, and now it replaced the fake village she had thrown together as the primary tourist destination.
It had also brought back anthropologists seeking the gorillas in their formerly unsafe region, bringing jobs to those familiar with the forest, along with other businesses that wanted what she had here. Things were good in Kuracongo, and the plane now coming down promised to make things even better. Melea watched it come down, leaning on her armored truck. Her stark white clothing reflected the light harshly, making her a shining spot from the air. Aside from her driver, a single figure loomed huge in the car. It too shone, but not from its clothing. It uncomfortably shifted, looking up at the plane. The sooner it landed, the sooner he was out of this truck. Just a 30 minute drive to the palace and he was free.
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Post by waybig1010101 on Aug 18, 2017 3:38:55 GMT
Before his private jet landed, he made sure to take a good look of the capital from up above. The young billionaire had to admit that her majesty has done a great job of rebuilding the region from its previous ruins. He himself always dream of helping to rebuild the economies and improve the welfare of the people of Africa. Yet he knew the prosperity she brought them did not come from simple monetary transactions. Smith is aware of some of the sacrifices and choices Melea had made to reach this point. Which is why doing business with her is consider taboo from the perspective of many of his colleagues and other partners (both current and potential), which is why he is here in secret. Yet it wasn't the Queen's previous actions that concern him so much as her ambition. One day he may very well have her as an enemy, but not today.
As he gets off the plane with his bodyguards, the tall blond one yawns. Seemly tired even though he spend the whole fight asleep. "I hope this isn't one of those countries that ban alcohol," said Chase. Smith studies his soulless companion for a moment to appreciate his own work on his new attire. A simple outfit of simple black robes with many hidden pockets within. The robes themselves can transform into a suit of armor. Along with the pockets containing many ordinary items in appearance that can also alter into useful weapons to protect Smith's life. Ignoring him for now he turns his attention to Marceline and asks, "Did you enjoy the flight?"
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Post by HungryHunter on Aug 18, 2017 6:32:19 GMT
"Shittier than the last one I was on. Worse destination too." Marceline grumbled, stretching her limbs. Her skin was already crawling at the promise of heat. Her broad sunhat would save her from the majority of the glare, but it wouldn't block the oven that awaited her. "And it wouldn't kill you to do research. Kuracongo has some traditional breweries on the tour. No way it's banned." Her outfit had less frills and fancy layers than usual. It was too hot to fuck around with fanciness.
She wore pink shorts and a similarly colored tank top just long enough to look a little dressy. A cartoonish skull rested in the center of the tank top, and of course her opera gloves still clung to her arms, permanent attachments as they were. In place of fancy clothes, a few bracelets jangled on her wrists and a few necklaces on her neck, strung with metal flowers and ceramic dragonflies and a million other colorful and charming things. She was first off the plane, seeing Melea at once. She couldn't see the large shape vanishing through the dark-tinted windows.
Melea smiled when she saw the tiny woman. She must be one of Smith's. "Ah, hello, hello!" Melea called out. Rather than a military dictator, she looked like a grandmother welcoming her grandchildren inside. "You must be Marceline. I've heard you're the level headed one. You certainly look it." She watched Marceline's aura closely. A little spark of yellow at the praise. It was like shooting fish in a barrel with an RPG. "Uh, thanks." Marceline couldn't muddle out her joy at being treated like a responsible adult with her discomfort with Melea's forwardness.
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Post by waybig1010101 on Aug 18, 2017 17:27:12 GMT
"Thats good to hear," Chase said. He would hate having to deal with this mission without a good drink in his hand. As they approach the Kuracongo leader, Chase examines Melea and her soul. He proceeds to whisper into Smith's ear, who nods his head as if he already knew the information he is receiving. However something the soulless man says at the end surprises the young billionaire. For a moment Smith looks at Melea. Trying his best to mask his thoughts behind a standard smile. But he wouldn't be able to hide his feelings from her. Smith is currently worried and doesn't trust Melea. Meanwhile if Melea examines Chase, she may find he is rather happy (since he is looking forward to the traditional breweries).
"Thank you for inviting me to your country," Smith said to Melea. Somewhat surprise that the monarch herself would greet their arrival in person. Wondering if this move is a show of respect, or just so she can monitor their actions in person. To ensure that they go where she wants them to go, and to see what she wants them to see.
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Post by HungryHunter on Aug 18, 2017 20:53:02 GMT
"Oh, it's my pleasure, Mr. Smith. A businessman of your esteem is a rare visitor to our humble nation.” Melea bent her spine to Smith. She was thoroughly relaxed. These three all wore their buttons on their chests, proudly exposed and so easy to push. “Come inside, come inside!” She waved them into the back of the armored vehicle, following herself. There was plenty of room, the spacious interior made for carrying soldiers.
“Don’t worry about our transportation, there’s no risk. It was just more economical to make use of the old tools of war that crowded our streets. I have of course made some additions of my own.” She opened a hidden compartment on the door and pulled out a bottle. “This is our own local brewed beer. You can visit the breweries after our meeting if you want to stay in town. I’ll ask them to give you the special tour.” She handed the first bottle to Chase, seeing his satisfaction when the bottle was exposed. Marceline shook her head when a bottle was held in her direction. “I’m sorry, I’m on the bandwagon. And besides, we probably shouldn’t drink on the job.”
She elbowed Chase’s ribs. “Oh, don’t worry about that. So, Smith. I know you are a man with interesting engineering. What do you think of our work here?” They were currently passing through the tourist part of town. Everything here was calculatedly rustic, no skyscrapers or modern looking buildings. Just ahead was the administrative district, but between the two was the work Melea spoke of. It was a massive, brand new suspension bridge built directly across the broad river the split the city in two. It seemed designed with spectacle in mind, as in addition to the standard frame of the bridge, at its highest points hung great silver bells that slowly chimed in the wind.
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Post by waybig1010101 on Aug 18, 2017 21:33:44 GMT
Smith examines the scenery with modest curiosity. In his mind's eye he already vision a different layout of the city. One that would take advantage of its location and structure. The infrastructure plan he is mentally fabricating would take signifiant financial investment from numerous parties. Not only to be able to pay for upgrading the city, but to get enough parties invested into the city's future that the they have an incentive to help preserve and improve the city's prosperity. However there were so many risks involved. From the region's general instability and the threat of ruining the balance of powers in this part of the world. He wanted to help the people, but good intentions can easily pave the way to hell if one is not careful. "Your city planners and bridge builders should be proud of their work," he answered. As he watches the wind push the silver bells he wonders what other notable construction projects are going on in the city as they speak.
Chase opens the bottle of beer with a swift motion with his thumb, and takes a long sip. A few seconds later he nods his head in satisfaction. "Your breweries should be proud as well." Trying his best to avoid Marceline's glance, assuming she is annoyed with him. Instead he looks at Melea and asks her a simple question, "Does this special tour come with free samples?
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Post by HungryHunter on Aug 18, 2017 23:50:45 GMT
"Of course, dear." Miserable alcoholic. Melea's eye briefly went red. When she ruled all, she would get rid of those scrounging addicts. They added nothing to her society. "Thank you, Smith, but it's nothing compared to the rest of the city." They crossed the bridge, entering the other part of the city. The roads were straighter, the buildings more uniform. Everything seemed carefully calculated here, centrally planned. Men and women walked the streets in various shades of business suits, others patrolling with cleaning implements, keeping the streets spotless. Several of the cleaners wore bands around their ankles, marked with numbers far too small to be seen from this distance.
"Don't worry about them. They're criminals. A lot of them from the last war. The bands keep them in check as they pay their debt to society." She spoke with utmost conviction, but Marceline winced regardless. "What, dear?" Melea's voice took the slightest edge. "They look like slaves." Marceline said bluntly. Melea's eye burned a brilliant red, far brighter than when she regarded Chase's issues, but it again faded swiftly. "Please keep your employee in check. Others in my employ might take less kindly to that sort of rudeness." She said to Smith, voice still dripping with honey.
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Post by waybig1010101 on Aug 19, 2017 3:46:42 GMT
Chase studies the nearby people with the bands around their ankles. Judging by their souls, some of these criminals were rotten to their core. Others were much less rotten, and a few people he sense are brave and have a good heart. For them, he imagine the only crime they committed probably had something to do more so with their words, as oppose to their actions.
It seems that she will treat harden criminals the same as protesters. But in her mind there is no difference between the two he thought. He looks over at Smith, who he knew would find this scene to be interesting. He always find it strange how his genius benefactor studies the world around him. For the soulless man, he could not care about these people. At least, that is what he tells himself. But deep down he does have a bit of empathy for them; after all, he is a slave himself.
Smith turns his attention away from the window and looks at Melea. Again he gives her one of his pleasant smiles. "I'm sure there will be those in your employment who will find Marceline to be delightful." He then turns on his MCD (Mental Communication Device) and speaks to the doll mentality, [Marceline, feel free to speak your mind. I just ask that you be careful. This isn't somewhere we can speak before thinking our words carefully. As for you Chase, don't do anything unnecessary.] He is able to talk to both of them simultaneously since he establish a communication link on the same frequency between all of their MCD devices. Allowing the group privacy to speak to each other.
Smith then continues his conversation with Melea, "So what exactly is their debt to society. If you don't mind, would you elaborate how your system works?" he asked with the tone of his voice as nonchalant as ever. He also ask the question out his own pure curiosity, and did not base the question on any principle of morality. If she would examine his emotions, she will discover that he is not upset like Marceline, nor slightly empathic like Chase.
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Post by HungryHunter on Aug 19, 2017 4:43:06 GMT
[I get a bad feeling from her. Marika level bad feeling almost.] Marceline thought back. Melea kept looking at her, especially her gloves. It was giving her chills. The gloves weren't that weird! Stop staring! She couldn't read them, but Melea's thoughts were indeed on the gloves. She had recently came across a lot of knowledge about Marceline, but the reasons for the gloves weren't included. She thought she had a good guess based on what she knew already. It was strange, though. How could it have come about? She would see if she could get more information later. "They are criminals. All found guilty in a court of law. I am not judge and jury in this country."
Melea said to Smith, still thinking about Marceline's arms. Tiny sparks of green appeared in her eye from moment to moment. She was going to get a contact that hid those flashes. It was hard to keep her emotions secret when they literally made her face glow. She tried to keep her eyes away from others and found her and Marceline exchanging looks at each other's eyepatches. Her own was the finest black velvet. Pure comfort and classy to boot. She had earned it. Marceline's was pink, looked to be cotton. Skull shaped to match her shirt.
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Post by waybig1010101 on Aug 19, 2017 5:09:47 GMT
Smith nodded his head not believing anything she said. And noted that she had not exclude the possibility of her being an executioner. He figure she would probably avoid explaining in detail her country criminal justice system in any length. No matter, he will find out soon enough. If not him, then one of the hidden world organizations if her rule is truly that of a tyrant. At least for now, he didn't see anything that would give him reason not to deal with Melea. Besides, the benefit of this visit will proof to be worth the risk of being associated with the Queen he figures. "But you did help bring law and order to this land." He purposely did not mention the word justice. "A necessary component for society to exist. Assuming one wishes to live in a world that contains any hope for peace and prosperity," he finished. The way he phase it, it sounds as if he is praising Melea, at least if one accepted his wording at face value.
Chase did not care for the discussion happening in the car right now. Choosing instead to talk to Marceline though their MCDs. [Well she certainty seems interested in you.] Chase thought as he notices Melea's staring at Marceline. [Don't worry, if she tries anything funny I'll just burn her like I did Marika. Only this time there isn't going to be some fireproof doll around to stop me.] The soulless man tried his best to ensure Marceline doesn't get worried about Melea. Yet he did not mention to her that from what he can tell from reading her soul earlier. That if a fight should break out between them, he is not so confident he will be able to defeat the queen as easily as he is trying to sell it to the doll.
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Post by HungryHunter on Aug 19, 2017 6:21:49 GMT
"Thank you. It was my first priority. When you have a war torn country, you don't have country until order is restored and enforced." Internally she rolled her eyes. She knew her methods weren't approved of, but she would like to see those democratic westerners restore order with their fangless prisons and stolen votes. [No fire. Or international incidents.] Marceline thought back, rolling her eye. Melea watched the motion. They had been making lots of those silent gestures to each other. It was charming. It reminded her of her old squad when she was a soldier, and the way they could say everything with a nod. She missed them. Those were good times.
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Post by waybig1010101 on Aug 20, 2017 17:53:22 GMT
Chase just smiles to himself and continues to drink his beer. Smith knew his companion wouldn't try to ruin this business trip. At least, not on purpose. Yet should the queen make some move against them, he will have to make sure the soulless man doesn't get carried away. As he is right now, his companion lack of discretion could spell trouble. He always needed to take measures to prevent Chase from exposing himself to mundane folk. Currently he isn't sure how aware Melea's people are to the more supernatural aspects of the world. He imagine there is only a select few who have have any knowledge and experiences when it comes to the hidden world. But still, he needs to consider all possibilities in order to ensure the protection of their collective secrecy.
"So what is your second priority after you have establish order?" Smith asked as his eyes notice Marceline's eye roll and Chase's smirk. [ I shouldn't have to tell you two to stop making gestures without context behind them. Remember, she can't read our thoughts to understand if Chase makes an idiotic notation . She very well could mistake the intention of an eye roll or a smirk at her own comments. And I don't want to upset her over a misunderstanding that she can't be at fault for misinterpreting. Plus, I also rather we not risk her becoming aware that we can communicate to each other nonverbally. Less she knows what we can do, the better position we will be in. ]
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Post by HungryHunter on Aug 20, 2017 19:47:09 GMT
"My second priority is of course to preserve order through economic stability. Good people steal things when they can't fill their bellies otherwise." She pointed to a small building they were passing, letters standing over its doorway in several languages, none of them English. "That's our primatology office. A year ago it didn't exist. Now it employs over 40 of my citizens as workers in the building or rangers in the jungle. That's 40 people making honest money, instead of hunting the gorillas the scientists want to study for the trophy money." She didn't add that many of the rangers were former poachers, reformed via her new therapies. People became very invested in protecting apes when you made them associate images of dead ones with crippling sorrow and rage. [Sorry boss. It won't happen again.] Marceline kept her face utterly still as she spoke, putting her eye to the window. She didn't like this part of town as much as the other side of the bridge. It was too polished. Again, it was a Marika sort of feeling. Marika was all about this sort of surface level perfection.
"We're nearing the palace." Melea pointed out a massive building, situated right where the former capital building had been bombed out of existence. Its walls stood tall and straight, a uniform smooth brown. It almost had the feel of a castle, but a distinctly sub-Saharan one. Spires stuck up from the tops of the walls, sharp cones poking up for the sky. A similar spire stuck from the top of the dome capping the palace, a shining gold that offset the brown. "It's not all for me of course. Most of our top officials make use of the space here, and so do a good number of our core administrators. There's no safer place for them."
The car slowed as it approached two grand doors, flanked by guards in full ballistic protection gear, including full helmets guarding their faces. Something dimly glowed green through their visors, like a light deep underwater. They saluted as Melea stepped from the vehicle and she saluted back. "You will never find more loyal and dedicated guards in all the world. Doing anything but their best to guard us can't even cross their minds." She proudly stated, smiling at her soldiers. They made no response other than dropping their salute and looking back to the street.
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Post by waybig1010101 on Aug 20, 2017 21:22:26 GMT
Smith stares at the impressive palace with genuine awe. Yet when Melea spoke about the location serving as a form of shelter to protect her core constituents, he couldn't help but think it also serves as a kind of prison, where she is better able to monitor anybody who holds some power in her small kingdom. Nothing new there. Plenty of leaders have done similar things throughout time. Though she may be a bit better at hiding her intentions from even her own upper class than previous rulers. Only time will tell how good she is at politics.
As Chase finishes his beer, he quickly reaches for another bottle when suddenly the car stops. As they get out of the car and walk pass security, he takes moment to examine the guards before looking back at Melea. "Personally, I prefer undead with a bit more personality," Chase said. He takes a moment open up his second bottle of beer and proceeds to chug it down. At first the billionaire study their uniforms. Searching for any indications that can help him distinguish them from the living outside their glowing green vizors. Wondering how they look underneath. "Can we assume that from here on, everyone inside knows about our identities as residents of the hidden world?" Smith asked Melea.
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Post by HungryHunter on Aug 21, 2017 3:02:00 GMT
"Oh, you can tell they are undead? Interesting." Melea cocked her head, studying Chase. He was much harder to find information on than Marceline and Smith. Marceline she had a source on. Smith was a world renowned billionaire. Hell, she had been to a party thrown by the Smith family. They weren't exactly low profile. But Chase was an enigma. He had apparently fought off the avatar in Russia single handed, but she had her doubts. Her source had no knowledge of such an event.
"Oh, yes. Everybody who works in the capital is at the very least aware. You can relax within my walls." The doors swung open easily at her touch, silently gliding outward to allow entry. "Stick with me please. Much of the palace is still under construction." The entry room was not one of those parts, but it was quite sparse. The ground was white tile, scrubbed shiny. Marceline had to rub her eye in response to how strikingly bright it was.
The hallway stretched off in both directions along brown wooden walls, Melea pointing them to the right. "We're going to be cutting around to our lab. It's the safest place to show you what we've got." Melea pointed down the hallway. "Safest? Just what are we looking at?" Marceline asked, quite ready to do her duty as a bodyguard and get Marvel the hell out of here. "Don't worry about that. We have precautions. And needless to say, our safety systems are also for sale." Melea smiled as they passed numbered doors on their way down the hallway.
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Post by waybig1010101 on Aug 21, 2017 3:49:46 GMT
At the comment of safety systems Smith's eyes turn to Melea wondering if that was a jab at his father, or simply an effort to try to make another deal. Probably both he figured as he follows her. "I'm sure we are as safe as can be Marceline," he said calmly, even though it was a lie. [ Be prepare for anything. ] Smith thought to his bodyguards. [ I'm not worried. I don't pick up any hostile vibes from her, though I suppose that can change pretty quickly. ] replied Chase mentality. The soulless man didn't find the palace impressive, seeing the whole thing as a waste of space. Though he did take note of the wooden walls. Looking at the material, it wouldn't be too difficult to start a fire big enough to burn the whole place down. But he kept that thought to himself.
"Thank you for the offer. But I'm satisfy with my current safety systems. However I must say, I'm looking forward to the mention merchandise in your message. I hear the quality is out of this world," he said with a polite smile. He studies the walls himself, noticing the numbers throughout the hallway.
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Post by HungryHunter on Aug 21, 2017 4:27:54 GMT
"I have one of the world's foremost engineers on my team. There is nothing to worry about." Melea spoke the first sentence with an odd sort of distaste as they approached steel doors guarded by two more guards, like she meant one of the world's foremost idiots rather than what she actually said. One guard waved them through and they entered a small hallway with two more solid slabs of metal standing as doors at the other end. Two harried technicians came forward to pat everybody down, although they simply asked Melea what was in her pockets.
"Please leave cell phones and wallets here." One asked Marceline as he removed those articles from her pockets. Marceline grumbled and forked over the small change that remained in her pocket. "Just keep that with the wallet so I don't lose it." "Of course, mam. We don't allow loose change inside anyway." "What's this, sir?" The other held up Smith's thought transference card. "No watches either, mistress." She called back to Melea, who was about to enter. "Oh yes, sorry." Melea set her watch in the box set by the door to collect everything not allowed in the labs and grabbed herself some gloves. "Everybody, please put these on. Yes Marceline, even you. We want to keep our labs as clean as possible." She said, pulling her gloves up to her elbows.
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Post by waybig1010101 on Aug 21, 2017 5:03:51 GMT
Smith, not concern at all with the device being held, simply told the truth. "It serves as a GPS device, so my bodyguards are aware of my location, and I of their locations." The MCD was much more than that, but as soon as Marceline and Chase handed their devices over as well, the billionaire sends a mental command through his personal network to start a wipe out procedure for their MCDs. A second later and he receives a confirmation that the procedure was successful. Making the MCDs useless to analyze in depth as all the codes needed to operate the machines were wiped clean outside their GPS functions. As soon as they receive their devices back, he will just reboot them manually with his master control access code.
The group proceeds to put on their gloves, though the entire time Chase compline how he should be allow to bring a bottle of beer with him. Smith did his best to explain to him the importance of having a sterile environment in a lab, but the man didn't care to understand. Regardless, he agrees to not bring his beer and gives it to one of the guards. Incoming the guards that if someone takes even the smallest sip, or put anything in it, he would know about that. Judging by Chase' tone, Smith believed him. The man has a unique six sense when it comes to alcoholic beverages.
Once everyone was ready Smith walks next to Melea. "If you don't mind, I would love to meet this engineer of yours someday. Perhaps we can work together on a project, one hopefully use to help build a better world for your people and the region as a whole," he said while wondering who exactly she is referring to, and why she talk about the engineer with such obvious distain.
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Post by HungryHunter on Aug 21, 2017 6:17:31 GMT
"GPS? Is that safe in the labs?" One of the technicians asked the other. "Better safe than sorry. Leave them here." The other collected them from Chase and Marceline, placing them in the box. "You will meet him today. He should be here." Melea spoke with the tone of a shrug. The secondary doors opened up as Marceline was putting on gloves over her already attached pair and Chase's bottle was being taken away. "Welcome to the laboratory wing." Melea took back her gracious host voice for a moment as they stepped into a broad room.
At one end of the room were an array of computers, mostly from the late 90s to the middle 2000s with a few modern laptops thrown into the mix. Projected models and data recordings were splashed across their screens, constantly updated by technicians at the desk. At the other end, a machine shaped like a double helix wrapped around a strange little object, contained within a thick acrylic box full of water. It looked like a pink egg carved from stone, marked with strange symbols. From the way it bubbled, it was apparently boiling.
There were a few scientists before the machine, seeming to observe its functionality. One stood out from the rest, with his wavy, straw blonde hair falling across his face in a devil may care way that seemed very unsuited for a laboratory. His features were sharp and handsome, all perfect angles, but it looked like he had magma poured on the right side of his face, where a horrific burn scar splayed beneath his green eye. "Mr. Smith, this is Gregor Novák, my head engineer. Gregor, don't embarrass me." Melea introduced him and turned away. "Ah, the famous Marvel Smith!" He yelled as he crossed the room. "I have heard a lot about you, but I think the most important must be the incident at your family's party." His eyes twinkled. "You had Ellen Cain with you, didn't you?"
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Post by waybig1010101 on Aug 22, 2017 19:51:14 GMT
If my family most recent disaster is what I'm most known for, then I haven't left a big enough impact in the scientific community, Smith thought. Though he didn't care for fame, he still find it a bit odd that the Melea's engineer notes the highlight of his father's party over any of his achievements. Yet he imagines that will change once he finishes up his deal with Melea. And hopefully finally distinguishes himself from his family in the eyes of the hidden world. "Yes, I was accompanied by Miss Cain. And it turn out to be a one of the better choices I have made in life. Do you happen to be close with Miss Cain?" he asked wondering why he would bring her up so suddenly.
Chase didn't care for the conversation and just studies the room for a bit. He imagines that Smith is probably fascinated with everything here. But for him this whole scene looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie. And judging by the equipment, this place's budget is the equivalent of an indie movie compare to a big budgeted blockbuster. He has seen enough awfully expensive labs between Smith's personally ones and the HWIC facilities to understand the gap in capital. "Damn this place looks like shit," he whispered in Marceline's ear.
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