Chapter 1: Hunger for Strawberries

[Grzegor Kulhan]

Grzegor sat awkwardly at the bar, he had never had any sort of vodka before and he didn't quite have the courage to order one by himself. "There are quite a few attractive women here" He muttered under his breathe

"So Alexei" said Grzegor "What exactly do you do for a living?"

[Alexei Nacharade]

Alexei tossed back the shot and made a sour face. The good kind of sour face, though, the kind one always makes when REALLY enjoying one's drink.

"I seel antiques." He says automatically, in a practiced sort of way.

He pours a second shot glass and passes it to Grzegor.

"They have much better imitation Vodka here." He lies, it is actual alcoholic vodka.

[patrick]

(off for now)
Pat didn't want to stick around and confirm his suspicions about the establishment. He left his cell phone number to Alexei and Grzegor and exited.

[Grzegor Kulhan]

"Antiques" Grzegor didn't expect that. "From what area? Old Russian? Or just antiques in general?" Grzegor ordered some water and grabbed some peanuts from a bowl. The music in the club was loud and Grzegor wondered if Alexei had even heard him

[Li Violette]

I mingle a little longer before leaving the crowd so I can find out about the decisions made at a meeting of the Economic Council. The meeting concerned what should be done about alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. The laws concerning these substances are less unform than laws concerning other "drugs."
Areas heavily controlled by more conservative Manalist temples have outlawed caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. In other areas, they are still legal. A more uniform policy on this issue is being pursued by the Manalists. However, there are still several companies which produce coffee, tea, alcohol, and cigarettes. Their interests must also be taken into account.

Because of my speech in Moscow, I could not attend the meeting. Instead, I call the Moderator to find out what transpired...

[Alexei Nacharade]

Alexei waved a dismissive hand at Grzegor's questions before saying,

"That's not important! Enjoy yourself!" Taking another shot he moves to the dance floor, dancing with multiple partners, moving to the music. Everyone once in a while snorting a pinch of cocaine.

[Grzegor Kulhan]

(I'm going to bed for real night guys)

Grzegor studied the club and the people within, he had never quite seen so much alcohol in one place before, he firmly decided then and there that he'd continue refrain from this substance for as long as he lived. He stayed for a bit more, to collect his thoughts and to see if anything else noteworthy would happen. After nothing happened for awhile he bid Alexei farewell and left the club. He jouneyed back to his apartment in the city and promptly passed out on his mattress

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

The rally completed without event Peter made his way out of the milling throng and into the building proper. It didn't take long to find his boss, Dinari was a distinctive personality, visually and audiablly; Peter heard his employer's name from a considerable distance away. It always brought a smile to Peter's lips to hear the man. He was everything an American could ever hope to be: loud, opinionated, and ungodly rich.

Shifting his official Genetech white coat so that it was properly out of order and walked over to Dollar. "Hey boss," he said with a quick smirk at Tuvi. Peter had always liked his bosses taste in women. He had only two real items on his check list of potentials: female and hot. The guy knew his stuff.

"Looks like we're clear. Again. No rioters, no unrest, I couldn't even find a reason to give any euro-trash a thump." Peter glanced around, a habit drilled into him in Genetech training, before turning back to Dollar. "Where to next, boss?"

[Alexei Nacharade]

Alexei eventually made his way from the crowd into a smaller room with some associates.

"Cargo plane from former Afghanistan is going to land on the ourskirts of Moscow tomorrow evening. We'll pick it up, move it to the refinery, and then work on distribution."

His business concluded, he nodded to his associates and made his way out of the club. He walked the streets to pass the time.

[Dinari Dollar]

"There was some stupid meeting today on whether the world as a whole is going to outlaw nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol. I guess I should have attended since some All Mart stores sell that stuff. But..I hate meetings. So many stupid meetings. What I really want..Paul, what I really want is a burger and fries. Can we get something to eat? Maybe the woman will cook for us." Dinari replies to Peter. He looks up to the sky and fells very tired suddenly.

"Everything in this world is so slow. I want Progress!!" He shouts. Then isn't sure what he was talking about.

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

"I don't think this specific woman will, sir," replies Peter with a glance at Tuvi again. The girl was hot, no doubt, but she also kind of worried him. He'd learned alot about understanding threats, immediate and potential, during his training, both at Genetech and on the streets, and Dinari's assisant radiated an aura of 'don't screw with me'. He could take her of course, he told himself, but she was a valuable employee so he'd just keep his distance, no need to start a fight really...

"And I doubt we'll be able to find anything resembling fries in this g... in this country." He'd nearly said 'god forsaken'. With Manalist divotees around invoking the idea of a judo-christen deity was a good way to get shot. Several times. In the head.

"Perhaps we should consider returning home. I'll bet they stocked the plane with the right kinds of food." He didn't know for sure but Dinari was a particular individual. Anyone who wanted to keep their job made it a point to keep good old American food around. But that wasn't his job, that was the... um... well it was somebody's job.

Peter shifted his coat again, brushing his hair out of his eyes in the process, and turned his eyes towards Tuvi, then to Dollar again. "Did you manage to make any new contacts? We need to find a place to start dumping the toxic sludge that's being removed from the Everglades."

[Jack Kruschev]

Anthony eyed his results suspiciously. They were too correct, he was intelligent, no doubt, but he was nowhere near this intelligent. Everything was right, simple electric shocks could make his creation quite possibly, the most controllable creature in existence.

The shocks would cause a chain reaction in the nerves and brain that the creature's brain would have a mental seizure. This would lower it's intelligence, over time, to make the creature near-brain dead, yet understand when told to do something.

"Father Manala, thank you for lending your infinite wisdom and intelligence to my undeserving mind," He said, looking to the sky.

Anthony rubbed his eyes, the last 4 hours had been ground-breaking, but he needed a break. He took off his white lab coat, put on his civilian clothes, and stepped into the main entrance.

[Mischa Kirsanov]

After listening to Violette's speech on my headphones, I pull them out of my ears with disdain.

"Hmph... Hospitals for the weak..." I shake my head, rubbing the sweat from my brow. "Not everyone can afford their own private physician."

It's been another long day. I throw my belongings into my bag, and decide to head home.

[Alexei Nacharade]

Alexei wandered the streets for quite a while. He passes other people on the street, many looking poor and desperate. Every once in a while he sold a small bag of heroine to one of these desperate people. He felt a small since of guilt creep into him, the more desperate they were. He thought back to his time in prison.

He could almost picture the filth on the walls and floor. You'd think it would be hard to get drugs in a drug prison, but somehow a few had managed. He though back to the things inmates would do for those drugs, and shuddered inwardly. He'd never sunk quite so low as some.

He ran a hand through his hair as he continued his stroll.

[Jack Kruschev]

Anthony sat down behind his secretaries seat. She had taken off a few hours ago when Anthony told her she could leave. He reached over and got out a bag of chips. He opened them and began to munch and tried to pry his mind off the accomplishments he had just made.

"Wonder what the world would be like without Father Manala," he muttered, looking around to make sure no one was around to snitch on him. "Why not take a look?" He then said to himself.

Anthony closed his eyes and looked into the past.

Smoke clouded the skies, the waters were poisoned, people choked from the very air.

Anthony awoke from his vision, he had seen enough.