Conversation · Steban, the Student Communist

You should get to the bottom of this, when you have the chance.

"I assumed it was Maurice who broke into my room, to play a trick on me. I didn't think I'd actually been raided by the RCM!"

There is surprise in his voice, naturally, but is that a note of excitement you also detect?

"Listen, comrade, it's not what it looks like..."

"You're right. It's better!"

He turns to his companion. "Can you imagine the look on Maurice's face when he finds out the RCM has been kicking my door down?"

"He'll shit himself! Positively."

"And now they've shown up in force to break up our meeting!" He rubs his hands together excitedly.

The lieutenant sighs. "Something tells me these young men are not very experienced with law enforcement."

"Hold on, I'm not here to infiltrate your meeting. I want to join your meeting!"

"The RCM wants to join us?" A quizzical expression...

"My partner, of course, is acting in a strictly personal capacity, not as an official representative of the RCM."

"Interesting. Does that mean you've done the reading?"

Uh oh. No one said anything about reading. You'll just have to wing this one.

(Whisper.) "Kim, did you do the reading?"

"No, detective. The only reading I've been doing is right here..." The lieutenant holds up his little blue notebook.

He seems to be wagging the notebook at you, as though he suspects you may have forgotten why you're here.

"I have not had time to seek out pretentious communist book clubs, nor have I done their 'reading'."

"It doesn't sound like he's done the reading, Steban."

"Well, this is getting awkward. I'm not sure what you were expecting to find here then..."

There's profound consternation in his voice. You suspect it's about something bigger than your not having done the reading.

"Maybe he can explain himself."

"What is this reading? I thought this was a revolutionary group!"

"Yes, a revolutionary reading group. The most ideologically advanced materialist reading group in Martinaise. But it sounds like that's news to you..."

(Just wing it.) "The reading, yes. I've definitely done that."

"You have? Excellent. Let's hear your critique then."

"There were... too many words."

"Too many... words?"

"Yes, but if the writer just cut a few I'm sure it would be fine."

"I liked... the characters and the plot."

"Characters? What characters are you talking about?"

"I thought the themes were... interesting."

"They always say that when they haven't done the reading."

"There must be some misunderstanding. No one mentioned any reading."

"And now they've sent one of their agents to infiltrate our meeting." He rubs his hands together excitedly.

"Why do you sound excited to be raided by the RCM?"

"Oh, gendarme, because this is perfect..."

"Look, man, it doesn't even fit you, anyway."

"You're right. It was a gift from my grandmother. But now you've got to keep it..."

"So, do you want your jacket back?"

"Absolutely not. You have to keep it..."

"I just found it... in a room."

"Yeah, I'm sure you did. That's real Saramirizian twill. Only old Saramirizian communists and drug smugglers wear those anymore..."

"This jacket is RCM property. It's been confiscated as part of an ongoing investigation."

"'Confiscated'? Next he's probably going to say it was civil asset forfeiture..."

Damn right. If he keeps mouthing off, you should take his pants too.

One leader and one follower, the most ancient power dynamic.

There's a great deal of tension in this young man's shoulders, more than someone his age should bear...

Meanwhile, his companion inclines toward him, eager to catch every word that dribbles from his friend's mouth.

Just a moment -- could this be the former owner of a certain jacket you 'acquired' recently?

Don't let them see you flustered, ssssire. Play along...

"Before we move on, do you recognise this jacket?" (Show him the Saramirizian jacket.)

"What am I late for exactly?"

"Are you saying you haven't done the reading for tonight?" The two young men look at one another.

[Leave.]

"You weren't exactly easy to find."

"That's the whole point, of course. We can't just have anybody waltzing in here. Martinaise is crawling with reactionary infiltrators."

"There are RCM spies, for one. Just recently, someone even broke into my apartment, if you can believe it..."

"To say nothing of Gottwaldians and Econoclards."

The young man's companion reflexively snorts at the mention of Gottwaldians and Econoclards.