Freelance Treasure Hunting, Monday, Period 5, Class #7

[spacepiratevala.livejournal.com]

"Good afternoon," Vala greeted the students as they entered the Danger Room Shop, sitting on the console next to what could be considered a basket for tribute. Just because she was no longer a warlord is no reason not to accept gifts if they were willingly offered. "Welcome to our last class session together. Which by no means you shouldn't still stop by my...well, I don't quite have an office, but if you need me for something, leave a note at the radio station or on my voice mail, and I'll get back to you."

Surrounding Vala were a number of assorted vehicles, from bicycles to motorcycles to flashy sports cars to rickshaws and old pickup trucks and non-descript sedans. For the more futuristically inclined, there were also a number of swoop bikes and speeders, as well as other flying devices. No large ships, though.

"Today, we'll be discussing how to make a getaway. Often, when you're planning a heist treasure hunting expedition, you'll need to do some research before the event, as well as traveling in preparation and during the expedition. You'll need to be as inconspicuous as possible, of course, so you'll want to choose a vehicle that blends in with both who you've decided to be and with the area you're researching."

"However, you also want to be sure that your vehicle can get you away from wherever you are, again as inconspicuously as possible, but also quickly. Obviously, these things do not always go smoothly or predictably, and you'll want to be able to get away if at all possible. Things to consider include conspicuousness, available fuel, and maneuverability, and whether or not it's large enough to carry the treasure you're finding. Today, you'll be telling me which vehicle you would choose and why, then drive your chosen vehicle around an obstacle course--if you choose to have someone with you as your driver, make sure it's someone you trust implicitly."

She cleared her throat. "Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for being a wonderful class and I wish you good luck." She paused. "And a cut of any proceeds."

[ooc: OCD coming is up! And this was always in the right place!]

Comments

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

Turtle wrinkled her nose, mostly playfully, wanting to feel better, at the mention of cheer, but she smiled a little afterward. "That'll work. I'll have to be in town that evening anyway to do radio, but, hey, guaranteed props in the broadcast for you when I do it."

Re: During the Lecture

[the_merriest]

"Ooooh, awesome!" Rikku giggled. "Your radio broadcasts are fun. Do you really just sit there and read notes from the squirrels!? That's so weird! And that totally works for me. Oooh, and I can ask you about that whole government and banking stuff! Oh! Oh! And check it out!"

Rikku reached into her pouch and fished out a very convincing looking Arizona driver's license.

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"You got a fake ID?" Turtle grinned, sitting up and leaning in to take a better look.

Re: During the Lecture

[the_merriest]

Rikku bounced excitedly. "Dean made it for me! From a couple weeks ago when we were all doing them! Mine, uh, kinda sucked, so he said he'd make me a real one! Isn't it awesome!??"

The ID explained that Rikku Dreav was sixteen years old and lived in Tucson.

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

Turtle gave a small, wry smirk. "So how's Tucson?"

Re: During the Lecture

[the_merriest]

Rikku giggled. "Not too bad! Kinda hot, what with being a desert at all." She blinked for a second. "The, uh, the city's probably not in the desert, huh? I mean, ours were, but you guys are more ... I dunno."

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"Umm, I don't know," Turtle admitted. "Furthest west I've been is my own hometown in Wisconsin, which, believe me, definitely not desert. Vegas is in the middle of a desert, though, so Tucson might."

Re: During the Lecture

[the_merriest]

"This world is seriously big," Rikku said, making a face. "I've been to San Diego but I don't know where that was. Oooh, Vegas? Maybe I should have said I'm from there."

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

Turtle's head tilted a bit. "Would it be difficult to change? Miss Connell, who owns the Arms, is from Vegas, too, so you could maybe even talk to her and get filled in on stuff to make the story more believable. Tell her you're doing a report on the place to keep suspicion low."

Re: During the Lecture

[the_merriest]

Rikku considered, chewing her lip. "Is, uh, Vegas anywhere near Tucson? Maybe I could say I'm from one and just moved to the other, yeah? I don't think I know Miss Connell, I should go talk to her."

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"Um, Vegas is in Nevada and Tucson, obviously, is Arizona. But I think they're near each other? I was never very good at geography...."

Re: During the Lecture

[the_merriest]

Rikku shrugged. "I know plenty of Spira geography, but it doesn't really do me any good here, yeah?"

She examined the card again. "If I, uh, have one of these, do I have to ... you know. Get a real one, from the ... you know. Government?"

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"Um, well...you might get in a lot of trouble if you get caught using a fake one for big, important stuff...."

Re: During the Lecture

[the_merriest]

Rikku bit her lip. "They, uh." She looked a little oddly and then leaned in close, talking quickly. "You're sure they wouldn't ... like. Decide I'm some kinda traitor thing 'cause I'm an Al Bhed and throw me in jail for made up stuff and try to get rid of me?"

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"They might throw you in jail," Turtle said, "but it would be because you lied, not because you're an Al Bhed. And they wouldn't try to get rid of you. They might try to send you back, though...I'm not so sure how...inter-dimensional immigration works...."

Re: During the Lecture

[the_merriest]

"I meant if we did it your way." Rikku shrugged. "Went to them all, 'okay, here's the truth' and tried to get a real ID or whatever-it-is. And ... I didn't mean send me back, I meant ... you know. Get rid of me."

Rikku shivered a little at that. Just because she survived an execution once didn't mean she was eager to try her luck again.

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"I'm pretty darn certain they wouldn't," Turtle assured her. "They might not let you get one, because of loophole A or technical immigration line B, but they're not going to send you off for trying."

There was a pause. "Unless they think you're crazy, in which case they might try to lock you up, but if you're not harming anyone, you can be as plum crazy as you want to be, and I'll vouch for you that you don't need a straight jacket. Pretty sure everyone else would, too."

Re: During the Lecture

[the_merriest]

"They, uh. You really think they're ... nice people, don't you?" She shrugged a little. "I ... guess I can trust them, if you say it's okay. I just don't want to ... have to leave here, and go back, or have to break out of jail and ... yeah."

She thought for a minute. "Besides, there are crazy people downtown and nobody locked then up."

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

Turtle couldn't help smirking a bit at that last part before she chose to drive her point home. Again. "Rikku?" she implored the other girl seriously. "This world is, for the most part, different than yours, right?"

Re: During the Lecture

[the_merriest]

Rikku nodded, still unsure. "But power's power, isn't it? I mean ..." She bit her lip. "You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"I don't think you crazy," Turtle said, shaking her head. "But, I mean, if this world is different, is it really so far fetched that the government might be different, too? I'm not saying it's perfect, of course, and there's some crappy things, sure, but it's nothing like what it sounds like the government's like where you're from. You should really talk to Mister Lyman. He knows the president and everything..."

She paused. "Well, a president, from a different timeline. But Barlette's awesome."

Re: During the Lecture

[the_merriest]

"I guess it isn't." She made a face. "Just ... ugh. You have no idea. I'm so not going back there. I mean, it's supposed to be different now? But ... no way."

She tilted her head, thinking. "This Mister Lyman ... is he, uh, with the government?"

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"I think so, yeah," Turtle answered with a shrug. "But he's, like, taking a break to teach? Or something? I'm not really sure...but he's just about nearly the second best teacher here."

"Actually, now that I think about it, I have half of his lectures from government class recorded. I should try to dig those up, you can listen to them, and then decided whether or not it's worth it from there, maybe."

Re: During the Lecture

[the_merriest]

"Second best?" Rikku tilted her head at Turtle curiously. "And, uh, that means he's not with them now, right? So if there really is some weird secret get-the-Al-Bhed clause, he wouldn't necessarily turn me in. That's good."

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"I really don't think there is a secret get-the-Al-Bhed clause, Rikku. Really. But, if there is, when I go to school for law, I'll get rid of it for good. You know, I might get involved with the government and I don't seem bad, do I?"