souls have been lost and the panic grows

[phototraces]

[That... that was hell, actually. Wendy didn't like that at all. After the trial she... has to head to the kitchen and hopefully not find clay shit everywhere. She needs to do something to keep things under control. To keep things going.

She's not a great cook but she knows the basics. Meat. Bread. Cheese. Something warm for the belly to drink. She's nervous when she works but she's relentless. There's no asking for help from her as she makes a spread for everyone. Then... she's moving all of it not to the eatery but the bonfire.

Making makeshift tables around it and placing trays of food and drink. Even setting up a chair for Alex a good distance away from the fire but close enough that he can be part of things if he wants to.

Wendy, with her careful writing, writes up some notes and hands them out to everyone if she can find them or if not under their door.

Food at the bonfire and the area around it. Attendance not mandatory but it's probably better for all of us if we stick together. Bring more food and drink if you want.

Wendy

...She can't control other people but she can try to suggest.]

Comments

[eeeonetwothree]

[ Omega takes it with the hesitation and confusion that one might when being offered a live cobra or perhaps a sudden Valentine’s card from your worst enemy, but he takes it nonetheless.

But he is nonetheless blunt in asking: ]

WHY ARE YOU SUDDENLY BEING NICE TO ME?

…ARE YOU ILL? ARE YOU DYING?

[latinumsbetter]

[Quark snorts at that--it's almost a laugh as he folds his arms over his chest]

Fair questions.

No and no to the last two. As for that first one...

[he shifts, looking uncomfortable]

I dunno what's going to happen next, and I'm under no disillusions that things are probably gonna get worse from here instead of better. That being said...I have ears, and I do a lot of listening.

[he lets out another huff, his expression going towards a stern scowl]

I expect you to do the same, got it? When you're in my bar, you keep those guns put away unless there's an emergency situation. And you don't start fights in my bar. If you've really gotta do it, you take it outside. Same as everyone else. If you think something is a threat, you check first to see if it is before pulling anything, preferably with someone else. There's some people here who could stand up to you, maybe even survive your bullets, but a lot can't. One of those bullets of yours and that's it for me, and it's the same for some other people here, so I expect you to think about that before you start impulsively shooting up anything.

[eeeonetwothree]

[ To Omega’s credit, he is glad Quark is not dying. And he listens, intently. And he feels a gladness rising in him…despite a need to explain. ]

I WILL OBEY YOUR RULES. YOU NEED WORRY NOT. FURTHERMORE, EVEN IF I CHOOSE NOT TO, I HAVE COMPLETELY DISARMED MYSELF AND CEREJEIRA IS IN POSSESSION OF MY DEACTIVATION CODE IN THE EVENT I GO ROGUE. I ALSO REGULARLY THROW ALL OF ATHENA’S AMMUNITION RESTOCKS OFF THE CLIFF IN THE ARENA.

[latinumsbetter]

Alright, good.

[...]

And maybe stop throwing those restocks out. Who knows what Typhon's gonna do next.

[eeeonetwothree]

[ … ]

ARE YOU CERTAIN YOU TRUST ME IN SUCH AN EVENT?

[latinumsbetter]

That depends. Are you gonna listen to me if I tell you something, or are you just gonna assume you know best?

[eeeonetwothree]

I WILL TAKE YOUR OPINION INTO CONSIDERATION.

[ The mun has seen that episode where you and the other Ferengi try to do the prisoner exchange, Quark. You are no tactician. ]

[latinumsbetter]

[Quark's eyes narrow a bit at that. He eyes Omega for a long moment, before he sighs, exasperated]

Fine! That's better than completely ignoring me like you have been doing, I guess. [grumbled, irritated]

To answer your question, no. I'm not certain I can trust you. But I'll take my chances with you over that giant three-headed megalomaniac.

[eeeonetwothree]

VERY WELL, QUARK. WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING. I WILL DO WHAT I CAN TO SHOW YOU I AM WORTHY OF YOUR TRUST.

[ And he offers Quark a massive clawed hand. ]

[latinumsbetter]

[Quark just eyes that hand a moment, before he very cautiously takes one of those very sharp-looking fingers Omega's got between his own thumb and forefinger and shakes it up and down]

Deal. I'll write up a contract.

[eeeonetwothree]

[ Close enough. ]

A CONTRACT? WILL A PROXY SIGNATURE SUFFICE?

[latinumsbetter]

Sure. Who's your proxy?

[eeeonetwothree]

CEREJEIRA.

[latinumsbetter]

That's acceptable. I'll draw it up and have the two of you look it over.

[eeeonetwothree]

VERY WELL. WE HAVE A DEAL.

[latinumsbetter]

Good. [Quark nods, once] I'd say it's a pleasure doing business, but we'll put a pin in that.

[and he's going to consider this convesation finished, with that, and turns to walk back inside so he can write up that contract]