Valentine Pilman - Kamchatka Guide

[Laraqua]

The store is at its usual state of emptiness. Most of those who are seen in this town, which is only an hour distance from the local city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, are tourists who don't have much use for him. On the plus side, he did have a television that needed repairing that was dropped off by a local motel: The Golitsin. So at least he did have some additional income available. The mail from Ophidian lays on his counter. More mail doubtless begging for him to join the media circuit and enjoy the high life of Berlin.

[Steerpike]

Valentine starts to remove the back of the TV, already he can smell burning from within bringing with it the prospect of an expensive job, bringing a smile to the mans face.
He glances over and notices the letters, the smile vanishing from his face. He puts down the TVs back cover and wanders over the mail pile from Ophidian and picks up the letters.
Valentines gaze is then drawn to the small dog that was resting behind the counter. Valentines hunting dog "Trip" has stood up and is looking directly at at him, one head cocked to the side.

"I am only going to read the mail trip, nothing more than that....then I'll get back to the TV"

The dog cocks his head to the other side and whimpers slightly

"Honest! I am just going to read it...doesn't mean I am going to go to berlin and leave you with old man andrei"

At this the dog snorts briefly and returns to his spot under the counter. Valentine chuckles to himself
"Later when I have finished the TV" Says Valentine now leaning over and looking under to were Trip is resting "We will have a long talk about your attitude problem with authority figures"

Valentines laugh is answered by two short muffled barks from under the counter.

Now lets see what these letters have to say Valentine thinks to himself as he opens the first one

[Laraqua]

The first letter is a package containing multiple pamphlets on the sights to see in Berlin. Another letter mentions the itinerary and contains a pamphlet of a luxuriant hotel where "others who will be visiting the mountain in Kamchatka will enjoy together". The itinerary seems to have plenty of time available for sight seeing and it even mentions several methods of doing so - by bus, by plane, by helicopter, by taxi. Another is an offer of spending money. Finally, there is a letter requesting he get back to them.

[Steerpike]

Valentine places the "tourist" letters in a pile with the other junk mail and reads the last letter seeing if there is a contact number.

"May as well see what they want" he thinks to himself as he starts dialling

[Laraqua]

"Guten tag, Ursula Humboldt spreken,"[/color] says a cheerful female voice in German, followed by: "Good day, Ursula Humboldt speaking."

The letter identifies the phone number as belonging to Daniel Carter's personal assistant. Daniel Carter, the man spear heading the media circuit in Berlin, funding body adviser to the expedition and Media Development Chief Marketing Officer. Of course, it being a German number, it would certainly cost a small fortune on his next phone bill. Still, since he was being paid admirably enough it would be more than enough to cover it. He was being paid a hell of a lot of money - $50 000. Which was 1,156,275rubles. All for ten weeks of his time. That was the Russian equivalent of $5,000 a week.

OOC: Failed a German Language roll. Base skills 1%. Rolled 96.

[Steerpike]

Valentine switches to english and begins speaking "Hello...I am..My name is Valentine Pilman I recieved a letter recently asking me to contact Mr Carter...it's concerning the Kamchatka expedition?...I have been hired as the guide"

[Laraqua]

"Yes, yes, it's great to hear from you," says Ursula Humboldt. "Will you be willing to take us up on our offer for the all-expenses paid trip?"

[Steerpike]

Valentine winces at this question...the very idea of him flying out to berlin, wandering about looking and feeling like a bumpkin and then having cameras shoved in his face fills him with dread.

"I am afraid that will not be possible...I have some very important work to do" He says, glancing now at the television "Yes very important...could take me some days to finish...but I will be ready for Mr Carter and his...erm..party, so please give Mr Carter my apologies but asure him that things will be ready for him when he flies over to Kamchatka"

Valentine gives the secretary his number then still apologising profusely hangs up.

[Laraqua]

Ursula Humboldt seems to notice his hesitation. "The primary factor was really to get a few of the people in an easy-going, low-pressure environment. You understand what it's like when an expedition is about to be mounted ... so much is happening there is so little time for anyone to even speak. We felt it might be useful to find a good excuse for you all to get to know each other. The media circuit makes a convenient excuse for Ophidian. If you find that idea rather tiring, even if you only do one or two radio talk shows or attend a few photo shoots, to keep Ophidian happy, we would be perfectly happy to fly you over and get to know you."

[Steerpike]

Valentine looks upwards to ceiling exasperated at the secretaries attempt to keep the conversation going...but mentioning all the things that he finds annoying serves only to strengthen his resolve.

"I understand that people can be a little overwhelmed, but really these things are fairly straightforward...and there will be plenty of time to get to know me during the expedition. But to be honest I like to keep things on a formal basis. This of course is getting away from the fact that I won't be able to attend the circus..sorry...circuit. I guess they'll have to interview during the trip"

[Laraqua]

"Very well, sir," says Ursula Humboldt. "I do so hope you will change your mind. If you do wish to speak to me, thank you."

[Steerpike]

"Thank you miss"
Valentine hangs up the phone, sighs and returns to his work.

[Laraqua]

Valentine returns to the broken television set and starts examining it in order to find out what the problem is. Unfortunately, he doesn't see any tell-tale signs. Looks like he'll be at this for a fair long while.

Outside, a couple link arms and strut past his shop front window. They seem very much in love and very much like tourists. They don't even glance into his shop as they go.

Well, at least he has the time to do this job. Or he could finish going through his mail.

[Steerpike]

Valentine shakes his head...swearing that there was a brief smell of booze coming from the back of this TV...goddamn tourists His attention is drawn back to the rest of the mail pile sitting on the counter. He picks it up and slowly starts going through it item by item...with his foor he nudges out the bin under the counter, so he can get the junk mail straight in were it belongs!

[Laraqua]

There are several catalogues, a letter written in English telling him he had won something from Reader's Digest, a handwritten letter post-marked from Berlin but written in English, and a hand-written letter post-marked from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky written in Russian.

Accessed Prop 4.
Accessed Prop 5.

[Steerpike]

He glances over the first letter again, trying to discover i he recognised the writing...he makes a mental note to phone Mr Carter to discover if he knows anything. The second letter is far more appealing though and he picks up the phone at once and starts to dial the number on the letter.

[Laraqua]

The call is answered on the fourth ring. "Hello, Mikhail Lubov here. How can I help you?" a man asks, his voice deep, his accent identifying him as coming from St. Petersburg.

As he speaks into the telephone, he gazes around and can see the newly published bookon the early Kamchatka expedition, its cover a glossy print of an old-fashioned book. It was sent a few weeks ago by Ophidian as a gift. He may have already read it or he may still be meaning to or he may have no interest in it. But it's there.

[Steerpike]

"Mr Lubov, this Valentine Pilman...you contacted me about a possible trip out here in Kamchatka" He pauses waiting for Lubov to speak, and picks up the book and begins to leaf through it slowly

[Laraqua]

"Yes, yes, Mr. Pilman, I'm grateful you called me back," he says. "I was hoping on getting to see that mountain. I'm in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky for the next couple weeks with my family and it would be great to sight-see on the foothills. I've heard a lot of nasty rumors so I'm fine to not venture any higher. Many people have had no issue with walking through there. Oh, and if you're up for it, it would be nice to see the Valley of Geysers, as well."

[Steerpike]

"Well I think the foothills should cause no real problems...though if you are bringing your Family then I will insist that we go no farther than this...no matter how scenic you think it is higher up...it's no place for families. As for the valley...well I am afraid its not majestic as it once was...the place was practically destroyed during a mud and land slide. Its not nice to look at anymore and can be tough going now to traverse. When were you thinking of leaving any way?"