Hᴀɴs Gʀᴜʙᴇʀ [Dɪᴇ Hᴀʀᴅ] (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
exceptionalthief) wrote2020-03-01 10:53 am
exceptionalthief) wrote2020-03-01 10:53 am
Entry tags:
IC Inbox, MoM
Video; Audio; Text; Action
All network conversations are private by default.
Video; Audio; Text; Action
All network conversations are private by default.
It's not too much longer afterward that Starr arrives, a platter of sushi in one hand and a gift of fine German booze in the other. He knocks on the door, and when Hans opens it -- Starr offers both items to the man.
"Has anything noteworthy happened apart from the rise of the roombas nonsense?"
"Has anything noteworthy happened apart from the rise of the roombas nonsense?"
"Hello and thank you." Not that he expects Starr to trouble himself with something so mundane as greetings. "Very nice," he murmurs after a closer look at the bottle.
Closing the door after Starr, he leads the way into the main room of the apartment, where he proceeds to procure glasses and tableware. "Let's see... there's suddenly a new porter city in Nevada—" He's interrupted by harsh squawking noise, which is followed by a string of colorful swears, all in German. "Also, I have a new pet. Meet Fritzi," he adds, nodding at a large Grey parrot on a perch in the corner.
Closing the door after Starr, he leads the way into the main room of the apartment, where he proceeds to procure glasses and tableware. "Let's see... there's suddenly a new porter city in Nevada—" He's interrupted by harsh squawking noise, which is followed by a string of colorful swears, all in German. "Also, I have a new pet. Meet Fritzi," he adds, nodding at a large Grey parrot on a perch in the corner.
[Crane slips across the room, clasping his hands behind him as he goes, and opens the doors of a well-stocked mahogany cabinet. He keeps his back to Hans for a second, arranging himself for theatrical impact before plucking out a bottle. He produces two matching glasses and closes the cabinet with a hand.]
You know what it's like. People don't know the value of what they're selling.
[He hands over the wine with little ceremony and leaves Hans to read it's expensive value for himself as he sets their glasses on the table.]
You know what it's like. People don't know the value of what they're selling.
[He hands over the wine with little ceremony and leaves Hans to read it's expensive value for himself as he sets their glasses on the table.]
His eyes drift toward this Fritzi, faintly amused by the colorful language the parrot is displaying. "And that would be the roomba killing bird. I see you are teaching him well." Starr draws out a chair, settling into it and he awaits Hans to get seated and relaxed as well before he starts to serve himself the food.
"I had heard mention of this new city when I used the porter. I do have to wonder if it's worthwhile. Doubtful. Most of them are not. But it could be the best option out of the five."
"I had heard mention of this new city when I used the porter. I do have to wonder if it's worthwhile. Doubtful. Most of them are not. But it could be the best option out of the five."
"The one and only, yes." Hans regards the bird for a moment, his gaze not exactly fond, but still conveying a certain amount of appreciation, perhaps. "I'm afraid I can't take the credit for either his language or his appliance-destroying inclinations; his German vocabulary was taught to him by his previous owner, and his aggression against roombas was entirely his own idea."
Seated now, Hans pour a couple of fingers of the schnapps into each glass. "Like Las Vegas, it's probably a fun place to visit, but an insane place to live."
Seated now, Hans pour a couple of fingers of the schnapps into each glass. "Like Las Vegas, it's probably a fun place to visit, but an insane place to live."
[He's glad at least, that Crane has good taste in wine; with Jonathan it's hard to predict sometimes what the man will consider important and what he'll be dismissive of. Just because he likes valuable antique lamps is no guarantee about anything else, at least in Hans' somewhat limited experience.]
Some do, certainly, or it would hardly be necessary to steal.
Some do, certainly, or it would hardly be necessary to steal.
I can't argue that. But if it's any consolation, that beauty is never going anywhere.
[He smiles a little to himself but says little else as he steps around the table and takes a chair opposite. His eyes regard the wine with a practised glance.]
If I may?
[He smiles a little to himself but says little else as he steps around the table and takes a chair opposite. His eyes regard the wine with a practised glance.]
If I may?
Edited 2018-11-11 22:32 (UTC)
I would hope not, considering the effort it took to get it.
[He waves an inviting hand.]
By all means.
[He waves an inviting hand.]
By all means.
"Do you know a lot of German-Americans?" Starr looks toward Hans curiously. He assumes Fritzi came from a German-American, but perhaps it's simply someone who spoke the language casually. Either way, the question is still one Starr is interested in. How closely tied to Germany is Hans? How closely tied to it would he care to be?
Taking his chopsticks, he helps himself to the sushi -- placing a few pieces on his plate.
Taking his chopsticks, he helps himself to the sushi -- placing a few pieces on his plate.
"Very few, actually. The person I acquired him from was not the original owner; the bird had more or less fallen into his lap and he was eager to find him a new home," Hans explains. "Ordinarily, I would not consider myself a pet person, but my mother had birds when I was growing up, so the prospect wasn't entirely a foreign one." And it's nice to hear German spoken, if only by a parrot.
"So, a little homesick yourself, were you?" As he's still wondering what took Starr to Germany, having not received an answer to that earlier, over there text conversation.
"So, a little homesick yourself, were you?" As he's still wondering what took Starr to Germany, having not received an answer to that earlier, over there text conversation.
[Crane doesn't move for a while, but after a moment he opens the bottle and pours a measure into each glass. He doesn't drink and watches Hans a little too keenly.]
[It's not at all difficult to tell he's being scrutinized, but to what aim? That's the question. It could be Crane's just eager for his opinion on the wine, but somehow, Hans doubts it's that simple. It also might be a little suspicious that Crane's not drinking, but if anything untoward happens, it's not as though he won't survive and retaliate.
Picking up the glass, he takes a sip. And waits.]
Picking up the glass, he takes a sip. And waits.]
[Holding his drink, Crane doesn't sip for a while, disliking the act in front of others. He scarcely knows what to do with himself during the silence and so eventually takes a slight taste. A short time later, and he's still breathing. No poison here.]
It's a more exciting way to make money, isn't it? Whatever that store's paying you, it isn't enough.
[They haven't talked for a while, so Crane hardly knows if Hans has changed career.]
It's a more exciting way to make money, isn't it? Whatever that store's paying you, it isn't enough.
[They haven't talked for a while, so Crane hardly knows if Hans has changed career.]
"They are a better alternative to a slobbering, mangy cat or dog." Even if birds do shit everywhere....most of them could be trained to do it in certain places. Perhaps even on people's heads...
Though Hans question gets a pause from Starr. He takes a moment to draw in a sip of his beverage before leveling his gaze on his fellow German counterpart. "I am tired of being part of this toilet seat of a country. I am tired of being one of their many imPorts over here, not valuable enough to be utilized for anything other than celebrity fame. So I went to Germany to offer my services. To procure an army. To make a grab for power."
He casually lays out his intentions, and depending on how Hans takes it will determine whether he tells him of the success of his mission.
Though Hans question gets a pause from Starr. He takes a moment to draw in a sip of his beverage before leveling his gaze on his fellow German counterpart. "I am tired of being part of this toilet seat of a country. I am tired of being one of their many imPorts over here, not valuable enough to be utilized for anything other than celebrity fame. So I went to Germany to offer my services. To procure an army. To make a grab for power."
He casually lays out his intentions, and depending on how Hans takes it will determine whether he tells him of the success of his mission.
On the one hand, Hans probably should be surprised by the boldness and scope of Starr's plans—procure an army, make a grab for power... seriously?—but on the other hand, it's Starr, and if there's one thing Hans has learned about the man, it's that his capacity for doing things to excess is unlimited, the expression 'thinking big' a laughable understatement where he's concerned. Not that he particularly strikes Hans as a visionary at all—more like a potential weapon of mass destruction. Whether that's a good or bad thing is yet to be determined.
"There are undoubtedly a great many imPorts, myself included, who have no love for the US. Whether or not they'd throw in their lot with Germany, however..."
Granted, the Germany today is not the divided Germany he grew up in (and subsequently became a domestic terrorist against, even though his ideologue tendencies have long been surpassed by his more avaricious ones).
"Assuming of course, Germany has no secret imPort community already."
"There are undoubtedly a great many imPorts, myself included, who have no love for the US. Whether or not they'd throw in their lot with Germany, however..."
Granted, the Germany today is not the divided Germany he grew up in (and subsequently became a domestic terrorist against, even though his ideologue tendencies have long been surpassed by his more avaricious ones).
"Assuming of course, Germany has no secret imPort community already."
Yes indeed; a thrill every minute.
[Which could be taken as sarcasm, considering the dryness is Hans' tone, but it's actually fairly truthful. And satisfying, as far as beating the system goes.]
Well, I'm not exactly an employee; more of an overseer at this point.
[Underlings run the store, with Hans giving most of his attention to the bomb-making side of things. But that's a secret.]
[Which could be taken as sarcasm, considering the dryness is Hans' tone, but it's actually fairly truthful. And satisfying, as far as beating the system goes.]
Well, I'm not exactly an employee; more of an overseer at this point.
[Underlings run the store, with Hans giving most of his attention to the bomb-making side of things. But that's a secret.]
An overseer? How tyrannical.
[The comment hangs on the air and Crane does nothing to soften it. Coincidentally, he had been something of a tyrant himself, though he had used a velvet glove rather than a steel one.]
[The comment hangs on the air and Crane does nothing to soften it. Coincidentally, he had been something of a tyrant himself, though he had used a velvet glove rather than a steel one.]
[He might be rolling his eyes just a bit.]
I'm not using the term in an historical context; simply supervisory.
I'm not using the term in an historical context; simply supervisory.
Of course you are.
[It's the tone of a man who doesn't believe what Hans is saying. Though if anything, he's like that with most these days.]
[It's the tone of a man who doesn't believe what Hans is saying. Though if anything, he's like that with most these days.]
"They do not. They are woefully without imPorts. Which was what I had counted on. Which is why my presence was honored and my requests were not denied." Starr popped a piece of sushi in his mouth, chewing it quietly. Did he care he was committing treason? Hardly. What was the worst they could do to him? Kill him? Send him to his home world? Lock him up? He could easily turn their punishment around on them -- turn imPorts against them. The US is forcing imPorts to stay under their thumb. We are not free to make our own choices.
It would ignite division. It would create controversy. And Starr would be the least of their problems.
"The truth is, we need an alternate plan for when the United States is inevitably attacked and some other nation wishes to possess the imPorts. Germany seems to be a viable option."
It would ignite division. It would create controversy. And Starr would be the least of their problems.
"The truth is, we need an alternate plan for when the United States is inevitably attacked and some other nation wishes to possess the imPorts. Germany seems to be a viable option."
Hans doesn't respond for a moment, having another piece of sushi while he considers Starr's alternate plan.
"Given that the Porter is the key to any country's 'possession' of imPorts and it's doubtful that could be relocated, I would think something clandestine is more likely to have a chance of success."
"Given that the Porter is the key to any country's 'possession' of imPorts and it's doubtful that could be relocated, I would think something clandestine is more likely to have a chance of success."
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