MO quickly grabs a RED barrel in his pocket and shows it, then exchanges a quick look with the storekeeper, hoping he, for probably both their sakes, knows his part.
Smiling all the way he says
MO wrote:Shopkeeper, this is the barrel you sold me isn't it?
MO wrote:You're not exactly cleared to order me around. Just try to empty my pockets yourself and we have only a few dozens of witnesses of you assaulting me. I'm sure Friend Computer wouldn't like to hear that you betrayed your team.
MO wrote:Yeah, a reasonable solution would be him not harassing me while shopping? I couldn't care less what's in his pockets, I'm minding my own business as should you.
Yeah, I'd prefer the latter. God I really wish it wasn't a fake.
Actually, while you're turning out your pockets an ORANGE notebook and pen emerges with them. It appears to be more of a surprise to you than anybody else, although none of the vaguely interested crowd of onlookers reacts with much more than a gambler's interest.
MO wrote:Yeah, of cooourse. I could ask the Friend Computer whether or not you're telling the truth. Anyway, do you really think I am so stupid empty my pockets? I didn't commit treason, you accused me of treason, and now you have items you're not cleared to have. Where's Mona when you need her?
Do you really think I'd be so stupid as to accuse you of treason without knowing full well you had a Green laser barrel on you?
Pockets, let's settle this and be on our way. If I'm wrong then I die, what've you got to lose, MO?
You aren't going to be executed for not smiling and professing your love for The Computer all the time.
In fact, getting someone executed for treason isn't as easy as you think, probably won't get done by any of you, and will probably happen in the debriefing.
You need to be stitching each other up to either a) look really bad in the briefing, b) die in a freak 'accident', or c) get your fellow troubleshooters killing each other. Preferably b or c.
Paranoia is slapstick.
Some of you have been doing quite well.
The Computer hasn't given you a kick in the arse like it normally would while you're in here.
Despite the amusing standoff, one of the shopkeepers gestures to a guardbot (now you mention it, there's an awful lot of guardbots about) who ushers away the frantically gesticulating MO. Disappointed at the loss of a sale, the shopkeeper turns to the others;
Shopkeeper wrote:Wow, dangerous work being a troubleshooter, eh? That could have ended messily, and he'd just been looking at this amazing self-aiming slug thrower. Imagine that. Don't worry though, I have just the thing! SeeKwinz. See? They're reflective, so they protect you against lasers. I can see you're not convinced, but think about it. Glue these onto your reflec armour and it'll increase the reflective index by 41%, as well as making it more effective against higher frequency weapons.
