A.Journal

Checks

Easy

His glasses are half-fogged from the sweat beading on his upper lip.

Easy

His tie is loose, beads of sweat glint off his neck. A desperate odour emanates off him.

Easy

They're even more expensive than the vending machines in the airport at Treffe, on your way here.

Easy

THE BITTER ICHOR OF POVERTY.

Easy

If the world would deny us even these small pleasures, then we should deny the world its ill-gotten cash.

Easy

All that separates you from the cash inside is a little lock. This should be easy.

Easy

You need a tubular lockpick for this. Something like...

Medium

Use a vendor override code. It won't be anything complicated -- it'll be simple, easy to remember, idiot-proof.

Trivial

No need to muck about here with fiddly little things. Let's just tip the sucker over!

Easy

All that separates you from the cash inside is a little lock. Shame you don't have a lockpick.

Formidable

If you overdo this you're going to break the economy.

Medium

If the inspectors begin to suspect something's amiss, they'll lock the machines down -- or worse, stop refilling them until they can be replaced with tamper-proof models.

Easy

Overdo this and you risk a note that reads 'kleptomaniacal tendencies' in your personnel file.

Trivial

Happy. Floaty. Dank.

Trivial

A good operant knows when to wait, and when to imbibe.

Trivial

Who's Placid Wolf's guy? Where can we get some?

Medium

Don't let the wolves' playacting at humanity fool you. They're still animals underneath.

Easy

Selflessly giving up his own prized possession to bring joy to a neurologically challenged young lady.

Medium

He's far too kind to be married to someone like ESTOC.

Easy

Resin cabochon and palladium finish. Worth several hundred sols.

Easy

She's got pens to spare -- we don't. Let's nick it.

Easy

The Trust merely recognising her hard work. Nothing unsavoury here, as far as she's concerned.

Trivial

Pleasantries exchanged. Time to move on, operant.

Easy

OF COURSE. SNAKE PEOPLE HAVE NO NEED OF LUXURY PENS, WHAT WITH THE LACK OF LIMBS.

Easy

Her sponsor... the Civilisation Trust. The blank space there gnaws away at you.

Trivial

Forget the pen. Talk to this woman and inquire about this 'Trust'.

Formidable

'Borrow' the luscious pen.

Easy

She will notice the missing pen in four days, but never once suspect you.

Easy

A strange cadence, uneasy syllables stumbling over a sloshing beat.

Easy

She sounds quite drunk.

Challenging

She looks out over Novessa -- bleary eyed, searching.

Challenging

Easy

A resonant thud. Heavy bottom glass on desktop.

Easy

Of course you do.

Easy

Feet swaying gently, a few feet above the ground. The laces of their left shoe have come untied.

Easy

This took a very sad turn. It won't be easy to swing it back around.

Easy

Life sparkles in death's presence, magnificent and fragile. Draw her close.

Godly

Tell her what she means to you.

Easy

You hear her breath so clearly that you feel its phantom on your neck. As far away as ever, and somehow within reach.

Easy

So they recommended she be paired with HOPSCOTCH, too.

Easy

She makes a sound halfway between a laugh and a sigh.

Easy

Our faceless mistress with the wrought iron soul.

Medium

Still an act, but neither of you have the script.

Medium

One she can't co-sign.

Trivial

Goosebumps rise on your neck.

Medium

But for once it sounds like a prayer.

Easy

She wants a lover. She wants you.

Easy

Medium

You throb at her words. Your heart dances, your nipples ache.

Easy

Adoration in every hit.