Who Dropped In for Dinner

(Carried over from the last comment thread with a little Gamemaster Override. For the record, Wirg has already gone back into his kitchen.)

"I apologize for the strangeness, Uskua," says Mon'Fargret to the anxious waitress just as she is finishing up and preparing to depart, "but if you recall, she wasn't the big talker back when that fellow shot the floor. Oddly, that fellow has an interesting story of his own that I won't go into here."

Uskua's only reply before she skitters off is an anguished look.

"Do tell!" calls someone using an unfamiliar language with a telepathic translator. It's someone of a strange, humanoid race unknown to most of the party (all the player characters not otherwise informed, anyway) who is sitting at a table with a Foldorian man. Both of them look like they are probably spacers. Turning his angular-faced gaze toward the party, the speaker rises from his chair and starts to approach slowly. "Your friends have certainly gone to enough trouble to attract everyone's attention! Why stop now? If you have an interesting story, then I'd be very much interested in hearing it! And if you don't care to talk about this 'fellow' who shoots floors, why not explain to me why the so-colorful waitress was so taken with that one?" He(?) turns abruptly, leveling his eyes on Bina. "Or why she looks so strangely familiar?"

Bina's brows lower. "Have we met?" she asks in a low voice.

"Obviously not," the spacer replies, "since I usually try to avoid Hergoth. But how could anyone arriving at the local aerospace port miss those two holographic priestesses that bow and intone that ridiculous greeting to all that pass through the gate?" His eyes narrow. "I thought so before, and now I'm certain. One of those charming holo-priestesses looks just like you...or would if you were wearing braids and a tiara!"

Several of the other customers in the cafe immediately stop what they were doing and take note.

"Or a brooch?" suggests Bina, tapping the spot on her chest that it would have occupied. "No brooch, no priestess."

"Brooches can be hidden," suggests the spacer. "But the witch powers of a Hergoth priestess? Not likely! So what's your game?"

"Look, do you want something?" hisses Mey'Luskar impatiently.

"Mainly just to sate my curiosity," replies the alien evenly. "But also to make something perfectly clear. If this is indeed a witch of the Temple here in disguise to spy on us, she'd do well to take her mind probes elsewhere!"

Some of the other customers immediately set down whatever they were holding and start gathering themselves together to leave. At one table, a Yangae woman (an artist and an acquaintance of some members of the party) starts trying to urge her companion, a female Bolgan, to leave, but the Bolgan won't budge.

An Afternoon at Wirg's, Take Two

Mon'Fargret, Ham, Nekshi, Granite Spear, and Widjgleeby file on into Wirg's just as a customer, a Hertressk-Yangae, is leaving. The man quickly steps aside to allow the Farbett passage, eying the group warily, and then continues out without a word. There is no one at the front. Sounds can be heard from the kitchen area; Wirg is probably busy in the back. As the group moves on into the dining area, Uskua can be seen hustling about as she takes care of things by herself. The place isn't really all that busy; it's certainly somewhat less crowded than it was yesterday. Still, Uskua has her hands full.

Seeing the party, the Ilfroi stops and heaves a sigh of relief. "Beyond, am I glad to see you!" she says. "Go ahead and sit wherever you like. I'll be with you in a minute!"

There are currently eight customers there. Two of them are sitting alone, while the others are in pairs. Some of them are familiar to members of the party, some aren't.

"Well, I'll be rockin' in the wind!" comes a familiar, gruff voice from the direction of the kitchen. "I was afraid that lot wouldn't be back!" Wirg comes toddling out, a ladle in his paw and the Bolgan equivalent of a smile on his snout. "And here you are here together! Just like when you left yesterday! What, were you looking for that trigger-happy git and his lodge-wench all this time?" He lets out a hearty, Bolgan guffaw. "Did you find 'em?"

Just then the front door can be heard banging open followed by a torrent of feminine complaining in Yangae. The voice is very familiar. Pretty much the entire clientele sits up and takes note.

Uskua sucks air through her teeth and hustles toward the front just as Wirg growls, "What...in...twelve..." There is some muttering, and then Uskua can be seen beckoning someone in anxiously, puzzlement written all over her striped, blue face.

Mey'Luskar comes in looking like she's about ready to start smashing things. Behind her comes Bina, who is calm but worried. Dabid stays way to the rear.

"Why...," growls Wirg as he turns around slowly, "in the twelve levels...are YOU here? What kind of gall...grr...why should I let you in?"

Mey'Luskar stops short and greets the Bolgan with wide eyes. "Well, I...uh..."

"I'll vouch for her," says Bina.

"Where's your lodger, lady?" Wirg goes on. He gestures toward the floor, where a chunk of sheeting covers the spot where Dusker shot it. "You know? The flop who did that? Where is he? Whose gonna pay for...huh?" His jaw drops lax for a moment. Then he shakes his head as if to clear it and stares at Bina. "What did you say?"

"I said I'll vouch for her. We'll take care of the damage."

Wirg approaches Bina, circling around Mey'Luskar as if she were radioactive, and gives the disgraced priestess a looking and sniffing over. Then he says, "You're Hergoth!" as if it were a profound discovery.

"Of course I am!" replies Bina with a shallow grin.

"B-but..." Wirg glances quizzically back at Mey'Luskar and then turns to Bina again. "She's...pure scarlet! She hates...I mean she...uh?" He looks at Mey'Luskar again.

"We forgive," replies Bina, "and reality smiles!"

Wirg looks at her, Mey'Luskar, and Uskua in turn before he gives up trying to figure it out and retires to his kitchen with a snort.

Uskua moves past the Bolgan and gestures for the newcomers to sit, changing the direction of her beckoning when she realizes they're moving to join the party. All along her troubled-looking eyes never leave Bina.

"We all look alike," says Bina in reply to the Ilfroi's thoughts.

Uskua gestures negative curtly before saying, "Let me know when you're ready to order." Then she quickly moves away.