THE OPERA

"That's the sound of the Opera kicking my shit in, again."

"I don't know what the Opera has to do with it. This smells like a you thing."

"What..." she sighs, "does that have to do with the Opera?"

"The Opera. I work for the Opera." Tears streak down his cheeks.

"Listen. I know you're with the Opera." He motions toward the stalls.

"Forget the socks, man. We're spies. We work for the Opera."

'The People's Republics dream of a kinder world; the Opera dreams of revealing it; the operant dreams of dreams. All fantasies in-waiting, yet to be given memory.'

'The ideal agency, one worthy of trust, could amplify competence, and care for ailing pathologies. But here, what starts as aptitude or temperament quickly curdles. Let us give the Opera credit where due, as it has mastered something after all:'

What if the Opera is good, actually?

'... all intrinsic to the self-propagating nature of containment mania. In layman's terms, if the Opera were a human being, a psychiatrist would diagnose them as being addicted to self-sabotage, a true master of own goals."

Of course. HOLOCENE and the Opera could see I had 'It'.

So it's not just about the Opera?

'This claim does not absolve Operant X as such; one's psyche is their own responsibility, ultimately. But it does indicate that the Opera can't and won't do the work for you.'

Taking into account its size and manpower, the Opera should be a bigger player on the world stage.

'The Opera's failings traced herein are unforgivable. Yet, what of the state that birthed it? What of the individuals that animate it?'

'... given those parameters, only a masochistic fool would raise a hand for the Opera's cause.'

'Put simply -- why is the Opera not mopping the floor with our so-called 'competition'?'

The Opera has unofficially been considered the last come, last served among the world three's leading intelligence agencies for at least two decades.

The text seems genuinely uncertain of what it is more interested in doing -- getting to the heart of the Opera's problems, or delivering the former director a literary pummelling.

A pseudo-language stretching back centuries, cobbled together from imperial slang and colonial patois. You first learned of its existence after joining the Opera.

"Here's the deal. A while back, Tempo resurfaced with a message for the Opera, but he would only talk to me..."

A vulnerability leaked to the Opera in 87, courtesy of a disgruntled engineer who had defected to the People's Republic.

"The Opera's not letting you live, I am. Choose gratitude."

"The Opera never tires."

"The Opera never tires."

You know it's an empty threat. Even then his distrust of the Opera was already curdling into something darker.

"EMTERR, the Opera, the Luzians... it was a joint effort. The basic facts of the story have been well established."

"I work for the Opera, I don't know what you're on about."

"Which brings us here -- the next time the disc appears, it's in the possession of the so-called communists of the Opera! Kindly explain this 'coincidence' to the people at home."

"I refer to the most sensitive designation known to the Opera: 'ZERO-HOLD', that which is so valuable it must be kept even from its possessor."

"Because, Subcomandante: I've renounced my files. The Opera doesn't control me. I'm committed to the run."

"The Opera, EMTERR, the Weeping Eye... all sitting cross-legged in the same circle jerk."

"EMTERR, the Opera, the Weeping Eye... aren't they enemies?"

"You refer to your sadly mute double, restored to action with Luzian demoncraft." He shakes his head. "And we're meant to believe the Opera and the Weeping Eye are on opposite sides."

"You refer to your maladjusted double, restored to action with Luzian demoncraft." He shakes his head. "And we're meant to believe the Opera and the Weeping Eye are on opposite sides."

"You refer to your sad, confused double, restored to action with Luzian demoncraft." He shakes his head. "And we're meant to believe the Opera and the Weeping Eye are on opposite sides."

"On paper at least it appears things went according to plan: The Opera made a strategic partnership with one rival in order to neuter another. The Weeping Eye appear to be undone, for now. In theory we come out ahead."

"She'll do exactly as a 'liminal class' asset is meant to: Erase all trace of the Opera from your safehouse, and then recede into the background."

"The Opera should sponsor him, take the partisan offensive worldwide."

"... strange with the connection. The Opera... forgives..."

"I didn't quite hear you, Mel. The Opera... what was it?"

"It's going to take a lot of convincing to assure the Opera you haven't been working for the Ministry of Mass Culture this entire time. Assigning you the rank of 'W' is generous in this instance."

"I'm feeling deeply unacknowledged by the Opera."

"Great. The Opera forgives. Make sure that gets in the report."

"Honestly, I throw my hands up. It's not clear who's the rubber gimp here, but it's probably not the Opera. I'd call that an 'X', just barely."

"I don't think I've ever told this story, but when I was just starting with the Opera, there was another controller. An Old One, somewhat deranged. I liked to keep my distance from him."

"Plus our friends from EMTERR come out looking like fools, and the Opera have reasserted ourselves on the international scene. Not bad, overall."

"A running gunfight on a public aero-tram between the Opera and the Weeping Eye... to some kind of electro-pop soundtrack. It seems they're still hosing Golem blood off the seats -- what is going on?"

"A running gunfight on a public aero-tram between members of the Opera and the Weeping Eye... to some kind of plague metal soundtrack. I hear they're still hosing Golem blood off the seats -- what is going on?"

"A running gunfight on a public aero-tram between members of the Opera and the Weeping Eye... to some kind of avant garde ambient soundtrack. I hear they're still hosing Golem blood off the seats -- what is going on?"