Manhattan bar

[Malaclypse 666]

Pops by now had switched from g 'n t in all it's forms, thereby putting several structural linguists out of work, and was working on some extra-brew Guammy Elephant lightened by some Irish creme.

"Mistress Maria, your offer of "seed" money is very generous. However, I should point out you might never get a return on your nvestment. For quaint religious reasons, Mal still insists on distributing the fruits of the plantation free gratis throughout Sirius. With the additives Mal adds, from a recipe by some ancient Terran Caliph, the mixture has not only psychtropic properties, but tends to make one more insightful, less fearful, and more independent in cogitation. I have urged him several times to charge a small amount, just to cover the costs of labor and materials, but he remains adamant.. Free or not at all.

"So, in all honesty Maria, I cannot really recommend that you risk any hard-earned credits on the endeavor. However, I have procured some viable beans of this excellent coffee Jay keeps about; and i hope to have some bushes planted in the foothills above the K.G. fields. If the result is as good as I hope, we can reconsider your kind offer, but with less esoteric and more profitable commodities to return your investment."

"And yes, Yahvo, that amorphous hunk of sevitude is indeed named "Sophie", altho no one seems to remember how or why at this point. All I know is that i shall probably cringe at mention of the name for some time to come. And I've mellowed a bit with the company and the libations. I may just pull "Sophie II" out of the box, and give her another chance. If she can actually give a threatening Cylon a healthy respect for her targetting skills, I may be tempted to overlook her apparently voracious spending habits."

---