[D9, LE] A call, from the Sprawl (closed, expecting Samedi)

[Bee Haw]

Bea was on her way home from the wildly disturbing but informative, but also he admitted he'd lied to them before so could they trust a single word... conversation at Elite Chai.

She was still trying to shake off the unease. The creepy yuck of talking to someone who truly did not care about the sentient life on the planet. The indifference. The awful indifference.

No, she had to reassure herself that everyone presently living on this planet actually cared about its survival, about the people, the animals, baselines, and elite, everyone.

And there were folks who needed the truth about the blue herald's message. She would talk to the leadership of the church, of course. But they would be easy to find.

Whereas the bright minds of Pantheon... She'd stood up against the lie that they were behind this. But they probably felt targeted, hunted. And did they even know what had really happened?

She had the files on the recent adoptions where she'd been doing the follow-up check-ins. Or scheduled to in the next week. She had a phone number and address locally for Samedi. She wasn't entirely sure if he was Pantheon. But he seemed in the know. Connected. Outside UNJE at the very least. And that's where she was. She'd better get used to it.

She dialed his number.

"Is this Samedi? This is Bea. We met at the animal rescue? You adopted Fury? Remember me? You guys okay? Were you here at ground zero when so much damage was done?"

[Dapper Dog]

"Oh yeah, the snowbunny, what's up... I am just enjoying a minor holiday with Fury, he's here running around. Oh yeah the problems in Mudaba Adin, I am all good baby doll. You sound well enough too. I'm thankfully in the Null Zone," he replied.

"Pretty shit what happened though, you got my condolences," he added.

[Bee Haw]

"I'm glad you are in a safe place!"

"Yeah, it has been a lot here. I am trying to help the emergency aid efforts. Save everyone who can be saved. So many dead. The animal shelter is gone. I'm looking for the animals that maybe ran away."

Deep breath.

"I was there when it happened. Ground zero. Face to face with the blue herald woman that did it."

"UNJE is saying it was Pantheon. But it wasn't. I don't actually know if you have ties to Pantheon, but I have the impression you aren't UNJE. Me either now, I think. Because I wouldn't lie."

"I ... sorry this is a lot. You barely know me. I just wanted to reach out. Connect. Stay in touch. Offer to share what actually happened. If there are folks out there who need to know. It's a big threat. We all need to be getting ready. Figuring out what to do."

[Dapper Dog]

"Well we both know that wasn't pantheon Network, not our style. Not mine anyways, possibly Azrael but even she has her limits. It's cool, and I appreciate the call-out. Shit, you were there, damn that is some shit. I am not sure anything could have stopped what happened," he admitted.

"You doing alright?" he asked.

[Bee Haw]

"Honestly, I am a wreck. This is big. She gave a warning. We need to be ready. I wish I knew what to do next."

"I'm sure the Pantheon folks have plenty of ways to get information, but I'd like to pass along what I know. Maybe see if anyone has an idea what could stop these invaders coming through. They are going to enslave the world. Annex it. They threatened to kill a tenth of the population day one to keep us in line. I'm scared. For everyone. The people. The animals. Everyone. We gotta work together to survive this."

[Dapper Dog]

“Talk about going big or going home,” Samedi replied. “I can reach out to the network, see what anyone knows but we have to lay low with the UNJE and their allies gunning for us.”

“Not even sure the Null Zone will be safe… ugh.”

[Bee Haw]

"Yeah. It's so unfair and unhelpful. I stood up for the truth, and I will keep doing that. Other eye witnesses did too. They are probably thinking that since it's a parallel universe situation, that they can find this earth's blue herald woman, and pin it on her. I don't know. I can't imagine. But also I didn't think they'd lie about what happened."

"Listen, if there's some way to get folks back to the table... like, trade information, knowledge, amnesty, secrets... something that gets everyone on the same side of this, I'd help for what it's worth. I'm just a kid who won't lie to you and won't lie to them and won't lie to the public. But I can make people better at their own stuff. And better at working together. I can't figure out to shut an interdimensional door but the folks who can ... I could boost maybe."

"I don't know. Listen, if you and Fury need help staying safe, let me know. You were so nice at the shop, and you are taking care of that fierce little lad, and you saved him. You saved him. The ones that weren't adopted before ... before it happened ... they ... they were stuck in their cages as the building collapsed around them. An awful awful death. You saved him."

[Dapper Dog]

"Well we just keep talking, and trying, and working past the setbacks. Ain't nothing else to it, shit thing to happen to the animals there." he added, "Don't worry about ol' Samedi Jackson, I get by, ain't the first time I had to be one step ahead of the law."

[Bee Haw]

"Thanks! I appreciate that. You seem like someone who has stuff figured out."

Wait. Did she have to think about being a step ahead of the law? Was she breaking the law by talking to him? Surely not.

"Okay. You have my number now. I'll text you my email too. Let me know."

"I'll keep working on getting the word out about what's true. And trying to figure out a path to survival. We all need that. Maybe we each have a piece of the puzzle, or will, and there will be a chance to see it, to put it together, to save everyone! I have to believe that."

[Dapper Dog]

Samedi said, "Not sure my momma would agree, but I appreciate the vote of confidence. I am sure we will be in touch. Just take a moment to breathe, it's bad, shit is real bad, but like my pastor used to say, if you're breathin', you got a chance to do somethin' good."

[Bee Haw]

She smiled at his reference to his faith. These were good people. They had plenty in common. He was being so kind to her. She hoped she'd get a chance to see him again.

"Thanks. I appreciate that. Whatever else, I have a whole lot of praying and breathing ahead. And one can become the other."

"Maybe it would help if the Pantheon network just came out and said 'we had nothing to do with this'. I know a spokesperson would be putting themselves in danger, so maybe that's hard. I don't know if there is like a leader? A leading council? But we could put our voices together. The eye-witnesses, and anyone who wants to say 'not it'."

[Dapper Dog]

"You give us far too much credit," he said chuckling. "But I am sure we'll come out to the truth, very soon."

[Bee Haw]

"That's good."

"This has really helped. Having you take the time to talk to me." Here he was calming her down when he needed to be thinking about keeping himself safe! He was being hunted!

Deep breath. As long as you can breathe, you can still do good.

"I don't know how to thank you enough. Give Fury a hug from me."

"I hope I will get a chance to see you again!"

[Dapper Dog]

"I will, stay safe out there," he responded.

[Bee Haw]

(scene?)

Thanks so much!