"Hey, wanna buy some plaster?"
"No, move along."
"What's with this city, do they think people buy building materials off street corners?"
"No, it's street slang, Eurani City has two exports, Plaster and Ammunition, Plaster is street code for someone wanting to buy a way to sustain firepower."
"What? They sell hardware on street corners?"
"Dark enough alleys, for sure, this is a bit public, not matching the pattern I saw last I was here, he must be desperate to sell, maybe it's 'hot', as in stolen, they take a very dim view of that here..."
"I take a very dim view of it myself, as would any quartermaster worth his salt... Although, I suspect one could have got suborned, or careless."
"As would any flag officer, but then, you need to account for bigger ticket items."
"Of course, but then, once you've seen the ammunition budget for a Gunskycutter, you get a differernt appreciation of things... You're smirking, what is it that you know that I don't?"
"Oh, just that Guillaume told me they had sent a gunskycutter to reinforce the lifeguards investigating the reported missing ammo. Apparently, someone mislaid twenty thousand assault rifle cartridges."
"Five-six-Fives, Eurani?"
"Exactly, just what the doctor ordered for Bleg Personal Defense Weapon in bulpup pattern."
"This is getting out of hand, and the locals can handle it?"
"The local lifeguards need army support for a group that would include that much hardware, but thankfully for them, Pilder Assault Suits, with their ten millimetre assault cannons are available through the treaty."
"Wait, we shared specs, they built them yet?"
"No, I suspect they haven't yet, look alive, we may run into someone we know..."
"Fancy you should say that, Bameimeito Veneer." "Drab Bruin ? Amber Raptor ?"
"Amber Raptor, FFOR-04 six pointed star to you, FFOR-09 Ornate Dagger Bandolier Meritant-Veneer."
"I chose not to wear my uniform, nor my pins, for this vacation, don't rermind me."
"You'd be owed respect dripping with mud, with respect, Zim, and I hope you kept the pin of your Emerald Knight of Great Kagome and merits, they cannot 'not be worn' as I'm sure you're aware."
"You know a lot, and say even more, let's not attract attention further."
"Attention? We're both in civilian clothes, although I will suit up soon, and Third Fleet thanks you for this opportunity, your kind words let us be the ones chosen for this mission."
"Well, I didn't want to ask another Staff Officer, it is a secret mission, after all."
"Yes, although, it was plucked away and given to Rabid Tavars, who turned around and asked for our squad by name and number, only detaching a liaison. We'll owe you a drink if we pull this one off, Zim."
"What about Flora, is she owed a drink too?"
"Flag Rolli, thank you, despite you being Sixth Fleet , not third, we are grateful for your kindly assenting to this mission over-riding our detachment."
"Typical, the pretty girls never give me the time of day when you're around."
"I'm never sure if you're jealous of me, or the pretty girls."
"Yes."
"Zims, I must go, thank you for keeping the Valour-keeper of Kagomei safe, Officer Rolli."
"I'm quite sure he doesn't need my help that much, not since I convinced him to exercise again."
"I must go, I have a squad to support."
"Go with Kagomei's kiss on your brow, six-pointed-star."
"Her favour on the both of you."
"You going to keep on flirting with all the pretty girls we meet?"
"Only a phrase or two, maybe one will flirt back..."
"I don't know if I should be worried or excited..."
"Excited, we're both clergy, no one will get the wrong idea without some encouragement from us... What about actual plaster, is it actually any good?"
"Great repair material for touch-ups and the like. Sometimes used for sculpture, just a mineral solution that precipitates to a generally soft rock."
