Conversation · Oranjese Passport

This passport, issued by the Sovereign Republic of Oranje -- is issued to a black haired woman called Katarzine Alasije.

"Klaasje's hidden documents..." The lieutenant looks at it in your hands. "From the empty buoy."

[Put the passport away.]

"What was this doing in the phasmid's nest?"

"Maybe our man, Mr. Dros, took it from Klaasje's -- or whatever her name was -- hiding place? Or..."

"The phasmid took it -- and I sensed it do so. I saw something open up the buoy with spindly legs." (Point to your head.)

"Like a magpie?" He looks around. "What a coincidence. Then it would also have collected the other objects, which would be highly unusual..."

By now, the lieutenant has accepted your unusual methods.

"I can see how the helmet could wash up on the island. And the scope -- maybe Mr. Dros lost it? But to seek this out would be very unusual behaviour for an arthropod."

Would it? Maybe it was simply curious.

A curious octopus would do something similar. Or even a cuttlefish.

"Perhaps it had a vendetta against our Miss Oranje?"

"Phasmids are not capable of holding grudges. Only humans and some tracking predators do that."

"Perhaps it was curious? Like an octopus?"

"An octopus belongs to a very different Class. It's not even an insect, it's a mollusc. But, yes -- I see your point."

"I think the phasmid took it."

"Like a magpie?" He looks around. "What a coincidence. Then it would also have collected the other objects, which would be highly unusual..."

"Perhaps -- for some blackmailing plan?"

"Perhaps... But that still doesn't explain how it got into the nest."

"Fuck if I know... maybe it's collecting shit? Like an octopus can get, like, curious?"

A curious octopus would do something similar. Or even a cuttlefish.

The woman on the photo does not reply. She looks at you with mysterious eyes, disguised as someone else.

A curious octopus sometimes collects things? Or a cuttlefish?

"What's her real name then?"

"I don't know. But it was not Katarzine Alasije. Or Annouk Meijer-Smit. Or Klaasje. Whoever she is -- when we get back I need to warn our holding cells. We need to double the security around her."

"I don't know. But it's not Katarzine Alasije. Or Klaasje. Or Annouk Meijer-Smit. We didn't even scratch the surface with her, detective."

He looks east. "Perhaps it's better that we didn't arrest her. Who knows what hell she'd be raising in my district by now..."

The winds are silent. The streets are empty of her. She is no longer in the city of Revachol.

"Cuno's gonna say it's not any of the things you think it is. Cuno'd have to get deep into this shit, but whatever it is -- you got played here. That's for sure."

The girl on the passport looks at you with no answer. She is not Katarzine Alasije. Or Annouk Meijer-Smit. Or Klaasje. That much is sure.

Precinct 57 needs to double the security around her.

The winds are silent. The streets are empty of her. She is no longer in the city of Revachol.

Look at the photo.

It's Klaasje. With short, black hair and glasses. She looks boyish, younger somehow.

An old photo. Before life came and did what it does.

"It says -- Katarzine Alasije."

He opens his notes. "She said it would be for Annouk Meijer-Smit. Annouk -- Meijer -- Smit."

Katarzine Alasije was supposed to be her real name. Where Klaasje comes from, remember? God dammit!

I told you she kept on lying to you. She's probably lying to someone else right now -- another detective.

"Katarzine Alasije was supposed to be her real name. She lied to us."

"Yes, somehow she managed to lie to us -- one more time. In a way she's still lying to us right now." The lieutenant smiles.

"Maybe this is her real passport? Not a fake? Because this is her real name."

"No. She lied to us. Her so-called real name was not her real name. Somehow she's managed to lie to us about that too..." He almost smiles.

I told you she kept lying to you. She's probably lying to someone else right now. In another city.

"I don't know who Katarzine Alasije is, but it's safe to say it's not her either. In short: we got lied to, again. Good luck to whoever is questioning her in the 57th right now."

"I don't know who Katarzine Alasije is, but it's safe to say it's not her either. In short: we got lied to, again. In a way she's still lying to us..." The lieutenant can't help but smile.

"Okay. So what? Loop Cuno in on this."

Katarzine Alasije was supposed to be her real name. Where Klaasje comes from, remember? God dammit!

I told you she kept on lying to you. She's probably lying to someone else right now -- another detective.

"She told me it was her real name -- and it isn't this. It isn't even the name she said would be on here..."

"Cool. Got lied to. Double-lied to. I get it. You cops need the Cuno on stuff like this. No one lies to the Cuno." He nods, with a stern and serious expression.

"Never mind."

"Yeah -- okay. Don't loop Cuno in. Leave the Cuno in the dark. Fine." He pretends he doesn't care.

I told you she kept lying to you. She's probably lying to someone else right now. In another city. She moves fast.

"It's not the name she said would be on here. I got lied to."

And not Annouk Meijer-Smit. Like she told you. Annouk -- Meijer -- Smit. Remember? You got lied to. Again.

Even worse -- Katarzine Alasije was supposed to be her real name. Where Klaasje comes from, remember? God dammit!

I told you she kept on lying to you. She's probably lying to someone else right now -- another detective.

I told you she kept lying to you. She's probably lying to someone else right now. In another city. She moves fast.

This Katarzine Alasije -- it's safe to say it's not her either. In short: you got lied to, sire. Good luck to whoever is questioning her in the 57th right now.