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The dream's particularly vivid this time around. So, once the alarm's buzzer drags you into consciousness, you take the time between reheating last night's leftovers and sliding into the work overalls to glance at the feed from the possibly illicit microcam you've installed in the corridor outside your door. And pause - and a slow grin spreads your lips.
"Send one to talk, two to intimidate," you hum to yourself. "Three or more for violence."
Three is, in fact, the number of goonish individuals aggressively loitering almost literally on your doorstep. Not even bothering to make it appear like they're here for some innocent purpose. Honestly, it's almost surprising they haven't simply started breaking down the door yet, the silly amateurs.
Almost certainly members of Valsen's little coven, here to drag you off to him and force the issue of you joining. Which you're not particularly interested in. And you've been very patient about the whole thing so far - yes you have. Just kept saying no, politely but firmly. Didn't escalate needlessly, didn't get ProfSec involved. Didn't even raise your voice once.
The problem, of course, was that Valsen was new to Barter. All he saw was a place free from those pesky laws holding him back from greatness. He didn't - or didn't care to - understand that every place that had people also, by necessity, had rules. Rules like: don't fuck with people's money. Or: don't fuck with someone's home.
Fine, technically they haven't actually tried to force entry - they had that much sense in their heads, at least. But lurking right outside, waiting to nab you the moment you step outside? A line has been crossed here. Obviously, this merits a decisive response on your part - no?
>Nah, you're not dealing with this shit right before your shift. A temporary localized power failure should let you slip past the goons in the darkness.
>Violence is good. Not too much, but not too little either. Let the goons know they did cross a line.
>Call work to let them know you'll be late. Then let yourself be dragged off to Valsen. Time to confront the problem at the source.
