[Irn0rchid]

Rose stands and exits through the indicated door back to the main showroom. With a last look around at the customers browsing the wares she opens the front door and heads out into the street. Keeping an eye out for the return of the 88s, she moves quickly to meet back up with her car in order to head to the KE meeting.

[Mercy Merchant]

As you exit the shop, you do notice two men taking appearing to take an interest in you, but they do nothing more than watch and are soon concealed by the crowds in the street.  You make it back to the street beyond the entrance arch and can pick up your car with no problems.  The drive to the KE headquarters in the Downtown District is uneventful and you arrive with plenty of time to find a parking spot and walk across to the large, ornate building rising from an extensive plaza.  The glassed doors are guarded by several officers and sensor arches.  As you approach, you notice that everyone desiring entry has to be seen by a uniformed officer, who asks their business, then pass through the detectors as well as have two wands passed over their bodies.

[Irn0rchid]

As Rose rides in the Americar towards her meeting with KE she carefully plots a route for the truck that will bring it back to the vicinity of the building fifteen minutes after the meeting is to start and ensures it's broadcasting an ID she's never used before. Double checking her bag to make sure she's not carrying anything that could get her in trouble she laughs to herself as she removed the Noizquito and puts it in the glove box, "The things that little guy has seen! Certainly don't want KE messing with it..." Upon arrival, she gets out of the sedan and closes the door before sending it on a circuitous route around town, changing ID and appearance in a couple tunnels. Her tracks covered as best she's able, she approaches the uniformed officer and announces her appointment with Colonel Greaves.

[Mercy Merchant]

The officer looks at a list on a tablet and asks that you step just over there and wait, please.  Soon after, a young woman appears and approaches the desk, where she is apparently pointed to you.  She comes to you and holds out her hand.  "Lieutenant Mallory.  Colonel Greaves is expecting you.  I was told to ask if you are carrying something with you for him?  If so, he has directed that I take you through here and go past the security scanners."

[Irn0rchid]

Rose reaches out and shakes her hand. Suddenly realizing she's not sure what name Ni Ni gave to KE, she ignores the standard greeting and plows ahead, "I don't have it on me as I wasn't sure what the procedure would be. It will be delivered shortly. We can wait here if needed or I can just come back for it with the Colonel once it arrives?"

[Irn0rchid]

The KE Lieutenant smiles as she shakes your hand.  "I would prefer to
wait, if you do not mind.  Just let me inform the Colonel of the
situation."  Her smile does not falter as she pauses for a few
moments.  She shrugs her shoulders and says, "The Colonel is aware of
the plan and he said to tell you that he will hold lunch.  He also
wants me to be sure that I pass on how pleased he is to know that some
citizens are willing to do the right thing.  How long will we have to
wait?"

[Irn0rchid]

Rose mentally checks the progress of the truck and sends it on a more direct path back to the building. "Should be able five minutes at this point. I'm just happy to have been able to find a safe place to hand this stuff off at. I certainly didn't want it falling into the wrong hands. I'm not 100% on the specifics, but regardless it's not stuff I wanted out on the street!"

[Irn0rchid]

The wait is not long and it passes quietly, as the lieutenant is
either not skilled at small talk or just not interested in saying
anything.  The small truck arrives as planned and you can go out to
get the package.  When you return to the woman, she is holding open a
side door into the building, thus allowing you to bypass the more
severe of the security systems.  She escorts you through a large lobby
to a small bank of elevators, motioning for you to proceed her into
one.  The ride to the sixth floor is short and quiet.

You are led down a carpeted hallway past several closed doors to a
large corner office.  A pretty woman behind the reception desk nods
and smiles at you, saying that Colonel Greaves is expecting you.  The
Lieutenant takes you just around the corner and knocks at a door,
receiving a command to enter.  She opens the door for you, announces
you, and closes it after you enter without following you in.

Your first impression of the man rising from a large desk is that
Colonel Greaves is one huge Troll.  Your second impression is that he
knows how to dress.  His uniform is spotless and the trousers are
creased to a sharp plane.  His horns curl almost like a ram's and are
carved and decorated with bits of gold and silver.  He offers a huge
hand that completely swallows yours and his voice is incredibly deep
and surprisingly cultured.  "How are you, Rachel?  I am Colonel
Greaves.  I have heard good things about you from a contact of mine,
and I trust her judgement despite the path that she has chosen in this
life.  She tells me that you have found some special toxins that I
might be interested in.  A form of Anthrax, if I recall.  If that is
what they are, then I am very interested indeed."  He motions for you
to take a seat in front of the large desk then his eyes go to the case
in your hands.  "Are the toxins in the case?  May I?"

[Irn0rchid]

Rose steps forward and hands the parcel to the colonel before taking a seat in the chair. "Go right ahead. I was afraid to mess with it too much. Obviously I wasn't able to do any testing on it, but based on the markings and the news stories about the... troubles... that manufacturer was having, along with the word on the street, it certainly appears to something along those lines. I was leery to give it over to our mutual friend due to her, how did you say, 'path in life', so I was very pleased she was able to connect us. If it is what we think, what do you plan to do with it?"

[Irn0rchid]

Greaves takes the box with a smile and places it on his desk.  The
door behind you opens almost immediately and a young man in a white
lab coat comes into the office.  He comes to the desk and takes the
box.  Looking inside it, he nods at the colonel and says, "Less than
an hour, sir."

Greaves nods and the man walks out of the room.  The colonel stands
and offers you his arm as he comes around the desk.  "We have about an
hour for the lab geniuses to do their brand of magic and let us know
if the stuff really is what it seems to be.  I would like to take you
to lunch, if you would accept.  We can discuss what we are going to do
about the toxins and what, if any, your role in that might be after we
return to the office. I think you will find that the food is excellent
here.  Would you be my guest?"

[Irn0rchid]

Rose stands and accepts the arm quickly, if not gracefully. "I must admit I'm curious to know what that stuff actually is and it would help me sleep better at night knowing what you're going to do with it, so food on someone else's nuyen is pure gravy. Lead on!"

[Irn0rchid]

You are completely dwarfed by the large troll as he escorts you from his office.  He stops at the receptionist's desk to let her know he is going to the dining room and will return in about an hour.  The colonel is more talkative than his lieutenant, but does not pry at any personal information other than to ask if you follow the local Blood Bowl team.  Most of his talk is purely of the weather and what your impression is of how the KE is policing the city.  The dining hall is restaurant style, but high class.  The tables have linen tablecloths and napkins, real metal silverware, along with more knives and forks than you are used to using.  A real waiter shows up to take your order and Greaves recommends the Filet Mignon, mentioning that it is the specialty of the chef and is very good.

[Irn0rchid]

"Blood Bowl has never really been my thing, I'm more into trid games than physical ones." Rose picks at the assorted silverware, vaguely remembering admonishments about which fork was to be used for what food from her youth. "The is fancier than I would have expected for a police cafeteria. Can't say I eat like this very often." Somewhat lost in the menu, Rose is happy to take Greaves' recommendation for the meal, "The filet, please. And could I get the ceviche to start?" She looks over at the colonel with an expression obviously asking if that's too much.

[Irn0rchid]

Greaves nods at the waiter and tells him to make it for two.  He
launches in more small talk after the waiter has disappeared then
looks over your shoulder and gives a slight grunt.  "Hmmm, look what
the cat drug in.  Sorry, should not talk that way, especially when he
is with someone I respect.  Do you know the woman that just walked in
with a comrade of mine?"  As you look across the room to the entryway,
you see Lady Marisart standing there with her arm through that of
another KE officer, this one with even more stuff on his shirt than
Greaves.  "Um, would you mind terribly if...............?"

[Irn0rchid]

Rose tries to mask her surprise but isn't entirely successful. "Actually, yes, I met her at a charity event not long ago. What would she be doing here? And who is he? He looks important..." She realizes she's running on while he waits for a response, "Oh, yes, sorry, by all means."