Play@YSDC

"Dumb tourists go to Luxor and take trips on the Nile." says Paulus "Not out of the way spots like this. You'd probably arouse more suspicion not haggling" he adds with a laugh. "But food sounds like a brilliant idea"

Paulus approaches one of the market stalls he gestures for a small bag of dates as he pays for the bag of dates he asks (in Arabic) "My friend is a bit worried about trying lovely Egyptian food, might I politely ask have you noticed which of the two restaurants most westerners eat at?"

OOC:   I'm assuming as there is no stress involved I don't need to make a skill roll, that Paulus and the stall keeper will simply talk until they make themselves understood

OOC: you can speak in arab without rolls in this situation.

"Peace be with you. You may try Al-Abeyt, they prepare food to foreigners, your friend will be fine. But then try to go alone to Samir restaurant, they prepare real Egyptian traditional meals"."

Agent Paulus translates for his colleagues, then adds. OK so we could split up two to one of the restaurants one to the other, or come back tomorrow evening, which might be better. I suggest we try the Al-Abey and hope they dig personel have visited it in the past or continue to use it

"Let's stick together," suggests Paula. "We can go to Al-Abey tonight and save the other one for tomorrow night."

OOC: So, how is it? Both restaurants or just one?

The Al-Abey it is then" says Paulus making a beeline for the restaurant. Paulus will try and grab an out of the way corner table which gives the three of them a good view of the restaurant and the entrances

You arrive at the restaurant. A waiter is in the door (he is very young, about 15) smiles, makes a sign with his finger if you are 3; then he enters. Inside you see a spacious room with several tables... that are empty. He takes another door and you see a garden and several tables with tourists. The tables are decorates with candles. He points you a table that is still empty. After some minutes another waiter appears: he is much older (about 60) and fat. He smiles and asks:
- Welcome to my humble restaurant! I hope you are enjoying our wonderful country and all it's beauties. So, where are you from my friends? Europe, America, Australia?

"American," says Paula, knowing her accent might give her away if she lied. Even pretending to be Canadian might not work, as there were enough differences. "Thank you. Nice place you've got here. What sights do you recommend we should see?"

We are from America says Paulus in Arabic. "We are here on a safari in the desert, I am hoping to see an Ibex,insha'Allah. But my friend says we should be hunting meteorites and making our fortune" he adds with a smile. "Do you know the desert yourself? Is there anything we should see?"

To Paula:
"We receive lot's of americans here, very nice people".
Then to Paulus, he answers in arab

OOC: I sent a PM.

"Thank you, you're very nice too," says Paula. "Are there other Americans here now?"

Paulus translates for his colleagues "He says if we're looking for meteorites we will be disappointed, finding meteorites is very difficult. But he does say we might see an Ibex if we get out early enough in the day. Apparently, we should avoid going to the west part of the desert, there is a nasty archaeologic expedition."

Paulus thanks the man for the food "It has been a long time since I have eaten proper food, perhaps some side dishes so my friends can pick? This expedition why do you say they are nasty? Are they westerners?...then more quietly "....or Cairo, the government?"

Paula has a pretty good idea that the "nasty archaeological expedition" is the one they came to find, but she says nothing in front of the man.

"No offense, but they are westerners, Europeans I think. But very different of the usual archaeologist: those are usual nice, and my best clients: they eat all they can before going to the desert. You know, spending a month just eating canned food is not good to the head. But as I was saying this group is very different: they avoided to mix with the locals, they didn't buy any supplies, and they even have bring some armed guards instead of speaking with the police"- then quietly and after making a quick glace in the restaurant- "they must have pay a lot of money to someone in the Cairo to get such a permit."

How many of them were there and where are they digging? I think we should try and avoid them. It sounds like they would be annoying. Perhaps their guards were policemen in plain clothes? Paulus asks the old man.

OOC:   Paulus will translate as he goes, allowing the others to ask questions which he will translate for the old man.

"See if you can discreetly find out how many of them are guards and what kind of weapons they have," suggests Paula. "There's a big difference between handguns and assault rifles."

"Any idea which part of Europe they were from?" asks Paula. "Their skin tone and hair color may give an indication of that." She has a suspicion that at least one of them came from Portugal.

So there were five men in the expedition or there were five men who were providing security? Do you know where they are digging? Says Paulus.