Gate of Memoirs/Cutting a Deal

When one portal closes, another opens...for a price.
Portrait 	Dialogue
Music: "Overcome"	Music: "Overcome"
 	
*Lleva: You CANNOT be serious.
 	
*Buck: We don't have a choice, Lleva. There's no other way.
*Buck: Five minutes isn't enough for us to come up with a counter-proposal, anyway. There's no point in stalling.
 	
*Lleva: Buck, you're aware she has fifty-two charges and counting, right?
*Lleva: She put a whole squadron of guardsmen in the infirmary for a week, and now you're promising the rainbow eggs to her?!
 	
*Buck: Calm down. The most important thing right now is to ensure we all get back to Paskua safely.
*Buck: Failing that, we don't know what else the rainbow eggs could do.
*Buck: I'm not about to be responsible for Paskua getting invaded just because we dallied too long.
 	
*Carrol: I'd have to agree...
*Carrol: If it means you can get home safely, I'm fine with surrendering the eggs.
 	
*Carrol: But if anything happens, Bianco and I will be able to protect everyone here. Right?
 	
*Buck: Thank you, Carrol.
 	
*Vikki's Voice: "Time's up."
 	
*Buck: We'll do as you say. What do you need?
 	
*Vikki's Voice: "Well, first I'll need to get back to my lab."
 	
*Buck: Simple enough on one condition: with an armed escort.
 	
*Vikki's Voice: "Heh. Thought so. Keep in touch."
Portrait 	Dialogue
 	
**bzzp*
 	
*Bonnie: I guess there's no way but forward.
*Bonnie: Carrol and I will be on standby if she tries to pull a fast one, so you can count on us.
 	
*Lleva: I noticed you didn't say a thing about wanting to go back to Paskua.
 	
*Bonnie: I'm hardly the one being propositioned here.
 	
*Lleva: So you're really not thinking of going back at all... Even when there's a chance to.
*Lleva: Well, I respect your decision.
 	
*Lleva: In any case, it's good to see you again, Bonnie. Maybe not like this, but still.
*Lleva: That was a cannon blast for the ages.
 	
*Bonnie: Heh...
 	
*The portal flickers and flares to life, and a familiar face comes into view through the silvery sheen.
 	
*Vikki: Miss me?
 	
*Lleva: No.
 	
*Vikki: Everyone except Officer Lleva, got it.
 	
*Vikki: So, I was able to read over the reports Cotton collected. Fascinating stuff.
 	
*Carrol: That was fast.
 	
*Vikki: Piece of carrot cake for an intellectual like myself.
 	
*Vikki: I must say that Grand Gaia warped my little rabbit's speech patterns rather more than I liked, though.
*Vikki: I'm pretty sure my override worked perfectly.
 	
*Cotton: I-I can explain...
 	
*Vikki: Later. So, Volpers. Are you ready to make the exchange?
 	
*Carrol: Be careful, everyone.
 	
*Lleva: Wait. How do we know you won't pull the plug on us once you get what you want?
 	
*Cotton: Eep?!
Music: "Strike! Break!"	Music: "Strike! Break!"
 	
*Lleva: Listen up. One false move, and this one's scrap metal.
 	
*Carrol: How could you!
 	
*Buck: Lleva...
 	
*Lleva: I'm not having us at her mercy, Buck. Trust me on this.
 	
*Lleva: Besides, you'll still need Cotton's analyses for whatever you're scheming. Right?
*Lleva: Fair is fair.
 	
*Vikki: Nice try, Volper.
*Vikki: You forget you're dealing with the most ebil genius to ever walk Paskua!
 	
*The portal flashes dangerously, and before long, Buck and Lleva find themselves being pulled in.
 	
*Buck: What?!
 	
*Lleva: That wasn't part of the—
Portrait	Dialogue
 	
*Lleva: Where ARE we?
 	
*Vikki: Mwahahaha! Welcome to my testing chamber, subjects!
*Vikki: A little transdimensional space between here and there that's perfect for getting your violent little tendencies worked out!
*Vikki: While we get the rainbow eggs transported safely, you're going to help me run a test.
 	
*Vikki: Now, let's see if I can't get this all set up...
 	
*Buck: What exactly are you planning?
 	
*Vikki: Well, if it sets you at ease, I'm not going to dispose of you. Yet.
*Vikki: Did you think Cotton was the only one with valuable data?
 	
*Vikki: Especially since I've lost a willing test subject in Bonnie...
 	
*Lleva: Grr...
 	
*Vikki: So! Don't worry too much, just do your best. Or your worst, whatever.
*Vikki: Cotton!
 	
*Cotton: Y-yes, Mistress?
 	
*Vikki: Engage attack mode.
 	
*Cotton: But...
 	
*Vikki: Guh! You're even questioning your directives! I'm going to need to install a better override!
 	
*Vikki: All right, Volpers. Let's see some data!