DESTINATION: irides

[ ever been to The Lazy Dog? it has a hot new bartender! she's flipping through a small, red book when someone approaches the bar and orders a round of whisky shots. she lines them up on a tray with a wink, pours, and helps herself to the traditional bartender's compliment.

she moves to the register to add it to the tab, pushes some buttons, and... error. more buttons... error! ]

Maker's Breath! When did a plain piece of paper and a quill stop being good enough?! [ grumbles, frustrated.

The Lazy Dog has a technologically inept hot new bartender. ]

I think I broke the dishwasher.

[She only meant to send this out to the residents of Red Fox, but what is attention to detail in a crisis?]

And the sink.

[There is a picture attached to the text message - Saki, with her trousers soaked to the knee in dirty water and what could possibly be dishsoap in her hair, gesturing, game show host style, to the dishwasher in question. There is a thin pool of purple-ish water surrounding the base of the appliance.]

[ The Department of Integration stands at the crest of a hill in the Commons area of town. Outside, a beautiful half-circle building with tinted glass panels and a large neatly-chiseled sign welcoming all new Irides residents with a wide sidewalk leading up to it and a lovely park to its immediate left, where most days many people sit at benches or sprawl out on the cool grass to pour over the information about their new home or fill out the paperwork necessary to begin their new lives. It's an inviting place, with plenty of sun and more than enough shade; with picnic benches and palm trees and today, a pleasant breeze.

Inside, the lobby is cool and welcoming, with actual potted palm trees and smooth stone tile or tasteful taupe carpet and friendly smiles everywhere as employees are quick to recognize 'that look' and herd you off to meet with an adviser. Here is where you will be gently told the facts of Iridesian life, and given your Smartphone, your new address complete with keys (which come with a tiny appropriate animal keychain), and a job assignment -- as soon as you've finished filling out your documentation papers, of course. ]