PORTOFIRO

Impossible to say for certain. The box is labelled 'Portofiro, 88-91'.

"Since I'll be staying a bit longer in Portofiro, I had some questions about the room."

"That's understandable -- it's been a while since you were last in Portofiro, hasn't it?"

"Well, he does a good job of it. He's got half Portofiro on edge about wiretapped phonelines and orgiastic occult rituals."

"Was Operant PROBABLE ever assigned to Portofiro?"

"There'll be no getting out of Portofiro by plane. The phones won't be safe any longer, either."

"Nestor began his career on the promise of 'full communism' for Portofiro. He was desperate to join the Superbloc -- the Party was seriously entertaining his request."

"Almost." She clicks her tongue. "Had it worked out, it would have given us a strategic foothold in the region, and it might've kept Portofiro out of EMTERR's money talons..."

"Are we really talking about Portofiro, operant?"

"Let the photo lady deal with him. Your concern is getting out of Portofiro -- understand?"

"You mean the Supreme Leader of Portofiro blew up his own prestige project. Seems... dubious."

"If the plan was for Portofiro to join the Superbloc, then why did we want to zero out Nestor?"

"It was determined that Portofiro wasn't yet 'ideologically prepared' to join the Superbloc. Nestor did not handle the rejection well. Needless to say, the gun was jumped."

"I believe the aero-trams in Portofiro have jukeboxes in them. If you were insane I suppose you could rig one of them to play the disc..."

"The head of the Weeping Eye is there, in Portofiro?"

"Ah." You hear as she sets her pen down. "I see. Yes, the International Party Conference was held in Portofiro in 66 -- for the first and last time a non-Superbloc state was allowed to host. PROBABLE was in attendance."

"Shame that negotiations broke down. It would have given us a strategic foothold in the region, and it might've kept Portofiro out of EMTERR's money talons..."

"With Nestor at the helm, Portofiro would always have held itself apart from the rest of the Superbloc. Unacceptable for a member-state." She clicks her tongue.

"Is that surprising? Project AUTONOMÍA was a big deal: Portofiro was meant to join the first rung of nations. It was going to become a scientific and engineering power. Plus it was going to really stick it to their old Luzian colonisers. Instead..."

"I know it failed. I know it nearly tanked Portofiro's economy and sent Nestor packing for the last time. Why the interest?"

"So, Portofiro was almost part of the Superbloc?"

You realise you have seen no dogs in Portofiro.

This has to be Reno's pied-a-terre. He's one of the only people in Portofiro who can afford such material luxuries.

This has to be Reno's pied-a-terre. He's one of the only people in Portofiro who could afford this kind of luxury.

El Dolor de Viudas. Extremely popular at pelota matches and the main cause of Portofiro's looming epidemic of atherosclerosis.

"Let me," she laughs again, covers her mouth. "Tell you what it was like working for the Opera in Portofiro."

"That's past tense. Why are you still in Portofiro?"

"Hershel." A snap of her fingers brings you back. "Focus. Why are you in Portofiro?"

"No. I am... going to get out of Portofiro. I am going to pretend I never saw you and I beg you to do the same. Beg."

"No. I am... going to get out of Portofiro. I am going to pretend I never saw you and I beg you to do the same. Beg."

"Now tell me what you're doing back in Portofiro."

"Portofiro's a port, you tragic cunt." Then, a soft murmur: "Play us out, V."

"Maybe that's what happens where you're from. Portofiro's different. We don't need those kinds of reminders."

The skyline of Portofiro's crescent coast looms across the bay.

"What are you, Portofiro in the early 80s? Hahah!"

He's a grown man dressing and acting like a teenager. Under the protective bluster, the anti-establishment bullshit, Portofiro's Most Hated Toddler is powerless.

There hasn't been a movie shown in this theatre in years. It was already closed when you were in Portofiro last, vacant and waiting.

"So you're the only one still in Portofiro?"

"I'm Septimus, his youngest son, the last one out, numero siete, Portofiro's Most Hated Toddler. You didn't know?"

"I'm his youngest son, the last one out, numero siete, Portofiro's Most Hated Toddler. You didn't know?"

In truth, it was Portofiro that got 'fucked' when the local economy collapsed and EMTERR swept in with another round of 'stabilisation' packages that only tightened its clamp on the city's collective throat.

Supreme Leader Nestor, more often referred to as 'Sweet Nestor' (once earnest, now ironic) was the political leader of Portofiro from 28 to 80, when he was finally exiled for good.

"'Cos it fucks." He reaches a hand into his shorts. "This is the centre of the fucking pentagram, chalk on the fingers, Portofiro's whole economy in one building -- this is the bootleg factory you're trespassing in."

It seems likely. But there are countless canals in Portofiro -- it's unlikely he found this one.

You remember the steps leading up to Portofiro's central station awash in blurring fractals. Your legs weren't yours; they just moved.

All in all, not a bad time of year to be in Portofiro.

"I have balled too hard. The streets of Portofiro have not been ready for such a display of style. And to be honest, I haven't been ready either."

"Yeah. I represent the scene of Portofiro, or rather, what's left of it. Fresh threads, local histories and whatever's up and coming. Not a lot is up and coming though."

"I think they were Luzian brand ambassadors. I hit them up the other day, hoping to represent the scene of Portofiro, but as I said, they weren't very talkative and told me to mind my own business."

"I think they were Luzian brand ambassadors. I hit them up the other day, hoping to represent the scene of Portofiro, but they were not very talkative and told me to mind my own business."