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[Ozarck]

check the Chelo CEO bit, if we haven't already.offer that if it's amusing. Put the tragedy on the back burner (not literally) for now.

[Dansmithers]

You may focus on one item of news per unit of time, obtaining additional information on this subject.

• The Engineered Derby ends with the victory of crowd-favorite Leaden Claw, world unaided top land speed record beaten at last.
• Scientists predict tectonic activity will intensify in coming years.
• Crime is at all-time low as world police force becomes 100% engineered.
• Engineered population booming, experts worried.
• YXW frontman Joseph Greenthaal dead at 32!
• Chelo CEO sighted with wife, mistresses express concern.
• The end is nigh, experts say.

OH NO! Inform the guests of the impending extinction!

[miauw62]

Bartolluci is your actual master, so take her request and find something funny.  Namely, the Chelo CEO story.

[Harry Baldman]

Figuring that it's probably Ms. Bartolucci you should be obeying above Mr. Love's demands, you go with the funny story. Namely, the one about the CEO of Chelo Industries, Laszlo Fazekas-Smith!

"Oh, I've got one, Ms. Bartolucci. It's about our favorite nutty CEO, Mr. Fazekas-Smith of Chelo Industries. Inside sources have revealed that he has withdrawn from society lately, possibly on account of the season. They say he's grown eccentric lately, frequently visiting his famously cryogenically frozen wife Josephine late at night - coworkers have frequently heard whispers coming from the chamber late at night, often something to the effect of 'I love you' or 'I will never leave you', frequently in prolonged mantras. His current companions have been interviewed on the subject, and at least two that refused to have their names revealed have expressed concerns about the aging CEO's state of mind, saying that he sometimes calls them by his wife's name when they meet up. In addition, some of his coworkers have noticed that he seems to be carrying a monitor instead of his regular wristwatch. Judging from reports, it broadcasts a live video feed of his wife's chamber. The CEO has been spotted looking at it mournfully on occasion, and has been reported to even kiss it once, with tears in his eyes. The higher-ups of Chelo Industries have refused to comment on the effect on Mr. Fazekas-Smith's future employment with the company, although it is rumored that he may be undergoing a psychiatric evaluation soon."

Mr. Love laughs, taking another small swig from the wine bottle afterwards.

"Bet they won't fire the batshit crazy guy before he hurts himself. That's how those corporate bastards always are. Just look at Mannkorp - that one guy went missing in their boardroom in broad daylight, and some others did as well before that. Not a single friggin' court case, though. Nobody even cared, it seems."

"Poor women, those mistresses. Watching a guy you've spent years with slip into insanity. That's... like... sad and stuff."

"Had to happen. Guy's been running the joint for 24 years, he was bound to snap. Now I wonder if he'll take anyone with him, though. Going postal on the highest level - that'll grab the front pages of... everything, I bet."

"That's... terrible, Jerry. Just... awful."

"What can I say, life sucks if you're insane, Jules. Life sucks very badly," Jerry proclaims, pointing the bottle at Ms. Bartolucci.

You think about the end of the world briefly, the weight of the awfully non-indicative tabloid story prevents it from being too closely analyzed. You suppose you'll give your short-term memory a little time to flush out the unimportant bits of the CEO story first. Otherwise you might overload.

Spoiler: Current News (click to show/hide)

You may focus on one item of news per unit of time, obtaining additional information on this subject.

• The Engineered Derby ends with the victory of crowd-favorite Leaden Claw, world unaided top land speed record beaten at last.
• Scientists predict tectonic activity will intensify in coming years.
• Crime is at all-time low as world police force becomes 100% engineered.
• Engineered population booming, experts worried.
• YXW frontman Joseph Greenthaal dead at 32!
• Chelo CEO sighted with wife, mistresses express concern.
• The end is nigh, experts say.

Spoiler: A Description of Jasmine Thyme Model 376 (click to show/hide)

Name: Jasmine Thyme Model 376

Gender: Female

Attributes: heightened senses of taste and smell, increased manual dexterity, improved intellect, unobtrusively good looks, improved interpersonal ability, slight owner fixation, cranial netlink implant.

Skills: skilled chef, proficient at maintenance and repair, proficient at making smalltalk.

State of Mind: agitated due to uncertainty, internal emotional pressure.

[Aseaheru]

Or just tell them about the first article.
AFTER asking if they would like more news.

[Chink]

Search the web for information on the odd events in Mannkorp, and offer a toast for the sad fall of Mr. Fazekas.

[Harry Baldman]

"May I propose a toast for the sad fall of Mr. Fazekas?" you ask.

"Sure, let's drink up," Jerry answers, raising the bottle to you and Julia's glasses, then the three of you drink up.

The wine's not bad, you suppose. As technology has marched forward, it's gotten only better and better, though that's really up for debate, as the stuff you're drinking tastes like high-quality grape juice apart from the very tiniest hint of the rather small ethanol content. After you're done, you ask some more.

"Um, perhaps you'd like to hear more news?"

"Go right ahead."

You close your eyes for a moment and put on your wisest face as you retrieve the information relating to the Engineered Derby.

"Well, today, in a rather shocking turn, the Engineered Derby, the most renowned and respected race of engineered creatures worldwide, was won by the creation known as Leaden Claw, superficially resembling a mix between an ostrich, a dolphin and a dog if all three were on fire. This underdog competitor surprised both onlookers and rivals when it utilized the straight part of the track to accelerate to a speed of exactly 243 miles per hour or 27.78 meters per second, beating any previous unaided land speed record without any sort of regard for its own safety, as right ahead was the infamously difficult corner right before the final stretch - Leaden Claw then unleashed its next secret weapon, smashing into the corner at full speed, then bouncing out of it with minimal decrease in its velocity, flying over the finish line in the most dramatic fashion since the inception of the event. Leaden Claw, the champion, is apparently currently undergoing treatment for its wounds at the Chelo Industries rejuvenation complex, as its landing seems to have immensely traumatized it - Leaden Claw had to be retrieved from the track by its team of caretakers at the end of the race, as it could not move under its own power. Regardless, the Chelo Industries team are quite proud of their accomplishment, as this is their first Derby victory in 11 years."

"Man, I remember the odds on that thing. A lot of people lost their money betting on the other devil chickens and whatnot."

"Anybody, like, get rich from betting on it?"

"Nobody I know. Well, except for the bookies themselves. Lowest payouts in years. Chelo kept a close eye on their secrets this time around. Nobody found out until the race had begun. Crazy shit happened in the betting parlors when they saw the last lap, I tell you. Hear there were fires."

"Oh. Anybody... get killed or something?"

As they discuss the death toll of these particular news, you try to perform a search on news stories about mysterious happenings in Mannkorp. However, you can't find any. That's weird. You'd think these would get documented or something. Huh. You search for missing executives. Nothing about that, either, aside from one story from five years ago about a guy that fled the city after being pursued by his own coworkers, though this is about someplace called Wing Developments, not really what you're looking for at all.

Looks like mainstream news won't be particularly helpful for you in this situation.

"Hey, Jasmine!"

"Jasmine!"

You turn to the two others.

"You were looking all glassy-eyed. What's up?"

Spoiler: Current News (click to show/hide)

You may focus on one item of news per unit of time, obtaining additional information on this subject.

• The Engineered Derby ends with the victory of crowd-favorite Leaden Claw, world unaided top land speed record beaten at last.
• Scientists predict tectonic activity will intensify in coming years.
• Crime is at all-time low as world police force becomes 100% engineered.
• Engineered population booming, experts worried.
• YXW frontman Joseph Greenthaal dead at 32!
• The end is nigh, experts say.

Spoiler: A Description of Jasmine Thyme Model 376 (click to show/hide)

Name: Jasmine Thyme Model 376

Gender: Female

Attributes: heightened senses of taste and smell, increased manual dexterity, improved intellect, unobtrusively good looks, improved interpersonal ability, slight owner fixation, cranial netlink implant.

Skills: skilled chef, proficient at maintenance and repair, proficient at making smalltalk.

State of Mind: agitated due to uncertainty, internal emotional pressure.

[Aseaheru]

Say tat nothing really, we where just hoping that the food and wine will/are acceptable.

[Ozarck]

Do a quick online search of "Jerry Love" (safe filters preferably on). Ask casually about his acquaintance with ms Bartolucci, and a little about what he does.

[Chink]

"Sorry, there was just something you mentioned earlier mentioned earlier that intrigued me, so I looked it up. I will be more attentive next time."

[Harry Baldman]

"It's nothing, really - I was hoping the wine and food respectively are and will be acceptable... and I, uh, looked something up. This thing you mentioned earlier. I will be more attentive next time."

"Oh. Well then."

"Eh, she gets... like that sometimes. Don't mind it."

Backed up by Ms. Bartolucci, you try to look up Mr. Love on the news archives. You come to the conclusion that he doesn't really feature much in the latest news, and neither is there a whole lot of info on him on the net. Hm.

"Jasmine? You're doing it again! What's going on with you?"

"Nothing, nothing, Mr. Love. I was simply wondering who you were. Ms. Bartolucci doesn't usually bring along guests, is all. Do you work with her?"

"Erm, no. Not really. But I hope to change that soon," he says, looking at Ms. Bartolucci, who frowns a little. "At any rate, I'm a businessman, that much is true, though my line of work is a bit different than that of our dear friend Julia. I won't bore you with the details, as there's no need for 'em, is there?"

"Anyway, let's change the subject."

"Right! I had a question for ya, Jasmine - how would you like to come with us to meet Lucie? We're probably not gonna be back for lunch, so it's not like you've got anything to do, right?"

"Yeah... Lucie'd love that, I think. So, how 'bout it, J? Wanna come? I'd like it if you did."

Hm. You've never been out of this building in three months, to be honest. They shipped you here, and then they expect you to never leave in most cases. It'll be something different, you suppose, but is that necessarily a good thing?

Spoiler: Current News (click to show/hide)

You may focus on one item of news per unit of time, obtaining additional information on this subject.

• Scientists predict tectonic activity will intensify in coming years.
• Crime is at all-time low as world police force becomes 100% engineered.
• Engineered population booming, experts worried.
• YXW frontman Joseph Greenthaal dead at 32!
• The end is nigh, experts say.

Spoiler: A Description of Jasmine Thyme Model 376 (click to show/hide)

Name: Jasmine Thyme Model 376

Gender: Female

Attributes: heightened senses of taste and smell, increased manual dexterity, improved intellect, unobtrusively good looks, improved interpersonal ability, slight owner fixation, cranial netlink implant.

Skills: skilled chef, proficient at maintenance and repair, proficient at making smalltalk.

State of Mind: agitated due to uncertainty, internal emotional pressure.

[Aseaheru]

Erm... Yes?

[Chink]

Erm... Yes?

[Harry Baldman]

You decide there's nothing to it, then. Better agree to their request.

"Erm... yes?"

"Great, knew you'd agree!"

"Wait... you did?"

"Oh, come on. This place is boring! Who wouldn't want to blow this joint and do something more fun?"

"Hey... well, that's probably right."

"Speaking of blowing the joint, where's the damn squid already? I'm dyin' here!"

In about half a minute, the kitchen doors open. Jasmine Fifty Four brings in two plates of rather ingeniously prepared boiled imitation squid, though its ingenuity mostly lies in the fact that it resembles a real squid to an unsettling degree. Mr. Love pokes at it a bit.

"Wow, damn, that looks better than I expected. Better than when my buddy made it, certainly. Well, time to dig in."

The two eat their boiled squid quickly, and Ms. Bartolucci quickly empties her glass of wine. Mr. Love, though, just takes the bottle with him.

"Good meal, would eat again!" Mr. Love yells in the kitchen's direction. "Now let's get out of here," he says, taking Ms. Bartolucci by the arm. It is at that moment that you get another one of those odd shivers of yours. However, you shake it off for now and follow, heading out of the cafeteria and through the hallway to the elevator. You pass a Francis on the way, who looks at you dully. There's also three sitting by Ms. Bartolucci's office. They look rather put off when the three of you enter the elevator.

As you descend ten floors, Mr. Love hums cheerily. Ms. Bartolucci says nothing, so you decide to follow her example. In but 20 seconds, you are on the ground floor, and in a minute you have passed by the Jonathan manning the receptionist's desk. Jonathan smiles at you warmly as you pass him by. You'd probably appreciate this more if it weren't for the fact that every Jonathan you know smiles at you. The exact same way, even. And not for anyone else, oddly enough.

As you exit the building, you walk along the brightly-lit walkway affording a rather nice panoramic view of the lower quarters until you reach what is rather clearly a magnetic rail station. However, the platform is completely deserted apart from a single hobo sitting near a pillar, playing something resembling an electric didgeridoo in both sound and looks, all covered in blinking lights and vaguely ethnic inscriptions.

"Hm, wonder where everyone is."

"Well, there's this... guy over there."

Jerry sighs with discontent.

"Yes, Jules, I know."

"Oh. Just thought you might... want to know, you know."

Spoiler: Current News (click to show/hide)

You may focus on one item of news per unit of time, obtaining additional information on this subject.

• Scientists predict tectonic activity will intensify in coming years.
• Crime is at all-time low as world police force becomes 100% engineered.
• Engineered population booming, experts worried.
• YXW frontman Joseph Greenthaal dead at 32!
• The end is nigh, experts say.
• Breaking news: another massive magnetic rail accident in East City causes massive chemical plant explosion.

Spoiler: A Description of Jasmine Thyme Model 376 (click to show/hide)

Name: Jasmine Thyme Model 376

Gender: Female

Attributes: heightened senses of taste and smell, increased manual dexterity, improved intellect, unobtrusively good looks, improved interpersonal ability, slight owner fixation, cranial netlink implant.

Skills: skilled chef, proficient at maintenance and repair, proficient at making smalltalk.

State of Mind: agitated due to uncertainty, internal emotional pressure.

[Aseaheru]

Suggest to them not to go near the east city area, or downwind of it.