::Incoming Transmission - Identification: Dr. Thallia Thorn::
::Location - |Error|::
::Loading Audio-Video Playback::

The screen focuses on a woman lying on a bed wearing a medical gown. Despite her forced smile, her occasional twitch suggest that the burns across her forearms and face are causing more pain than she is letting on.

"Korn-nee-chee-war Minoru!"

"Apo...apologies for my, ur, delayed response. As yo... you can see, cheating death tends to keep a girl, ur, busy. Once I am no longer bound to bed by doctors orders, I wo...would like to take you up on that offer. Kusari is, ur, an intriguing place, so different to home!"

"I...I should probably clarify for you; Lexi is my onboard AI companion and friend. As much as, urm, she likes to think she's Captain! My name is Thallia. I ho...hope that luck extends to me too!"

The view of the screen shifts to a ceiling as the tablet is being put down, with a deep sigh being heard from off camera. A few moments later, a hand reaches across the screen. "Oops, nearly forgot to t---"

::Transmission terminated::

"He...hello Mr. Chiaki,

I apologise for, ur, the delayed response. What happened is of no importance, just curiosity killing the cat... so to, ur, speak.

The good news is that I'm back to a reas...reasonable state of health, and my curiosity for finding out what your organisation is hasn't waned. So, ur, level with me here... are you really just a group of rice farmers? Let's fa...face it, rice farmers don't tend to have the, ur, contacts you claimed to have during that little roundtable outside Miura.
May the stars keep you."

Go...good day Mr. Chiaki,

You were right about the mackerel kamameshi! It was, ur, delicious and certainly worth the time to make a quick detour to Kyushu.

I, ur, catch your meaning but please may you enlighten me further? I am not fa...familiar with Kusari or it's politics and as such there may be a context or indication I am, urm... missing. It's my hope that you would, ur, not mind satisfying a curious mind.

As to your cur...curiosities, yes I work with artificial intelligence. More specifically I work with Lexi, facilitating her growth and acquiring what is needed for expanding her, urm, capabilties.

Mr Chiaki, I don't suppose you'd be willing to entertain an order for a taster-selection of your more finer produce? I've started to ac...acquire a taste for Kusarian food, and it would be delightful to, ur, be able to sample some of Kyushu's finest.

May the Stars keep you.

Good Day Mr. Chi...Chiaki!

'Discreet Security teams'? Heh... well that's a new way to, ur, say underworld connections. Po...politically correct to a fault; I, ur, like it. D...do not worry. I won't tell a soul.

It would be a, urm... a pleasure to perhaps introduce you to Lexi at some point? We've found that, urm, unless you are highly proficient in programming, the best way to 'explore' the concept is 'a cuppa tea and a chat'. At least, that is how she puts it... the tea part? No idea. She can't drink... never worked that one out... If you'd, ur, be interested in that, let me know. I'd invite you to the 'Aceso' to meet her, but understand there are certain, urm... conditions attached to that offer.

As for the selection box, I'm more than, ur, happy to come pick them up from Kyushu. I pass by often, no sense asking you to , urm, deliver it when I can just pop by that restaurant of yours near the star-port. Can even have some more Ka...Karmarmershee! The contents should be of your personal choice, Mr. Chiaki, this qualifies in my book as an experiment and, urm... I'm sure you won't disappoint.

May the Stars keep you Mr. Chiaki, and Sa...sar-yorn-nar-ar.