EXCOLO: GUARDIANS

[al-shairan.livejournal.com]

Chapter 1: Another Beautiful Day in the Dome

It is early evening as I leave my office, sunset streaking through the Dome, the pale glow of the Gate coming from the east so that there is light from both sides. I love this time of day. The clouds are scudding fast, and I think there may be a storm tonight. I find myself regretting I do not have any particular reason to go into the Outer Districts tonight. The city under the Dome is very graceful, of course, but I like to be in the open air.

However, I have arranged to meet a friend for a drink, and so I stroll the three blocks from the university to Illyria, a bar popular with academics and the artistic crowd. As well as Guardians, of course. There is something of La Belle Epoque to the warm wood and soft lights. I absently tap the bust of Shakespeare for luck as I come in - his forehead is worn from thousands of patrons doing this, though no one knows from where the tradition originated - and I find a table. I flip through an e-newspaper on the table viewer as I wait for my drink to arrive. I minimise The Excolo Times; it is a worthy paper, well written and reputable, but I am interested in The Recorder. We are keeping an eye on some of its reporters.

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[tess-thiess.livejournal.com]

One of these days I'll find a devil who can sniff out magicks, and then I'll have a problem. But in the meantime I can walk among them, showin' 'em what they expect t'see. They dunt see my gift, and with some effort they dunt see the shooter at my back, hidden under my jacket. Their machines ignore it too, 'cause they're easier t'fool in some ways.

Harder in others, but that ain't my job, and it ain't my reason fer bein' here. Someone got word that several more dangerous devils would be gathering here tonight. We're startin' t'shift supplies 'v the new drugs, and we can't afford more heat on us. I ain't so keen on the drugs, but it brings in cash 'n it causes trouble fer the devils, and that's important.

I ain't quite sure who they are, so I find myself a corner table and pull out my sextant, and start t'take it apart. It ain't so strange, with all the university folks and artists, and we're learned t'hide our gear.