Moira visits the front of the Tapa-Voa war
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People are so bad at relaxing when they're told to - it really is quite inconvenient.

"Dear, I'm in this camp specifically to find out what Amenta is like for people who aren't trying to be blandly diplomatic. It's rather difficult to help people when they aren't willing to be the least bit vulnerable. I would quite be grateful if you would be willing to be an exception to this trend."

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"I need three thousand tap, ma'am, and if the war ends they will discharge me and stop paying me."

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"What leaves you so desperate for that particular amount?"

While askings this, she decides it seems an appropriate time to research whether Amenta is surprisingly competent at cybersecurity or finance oversight. 

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"I am leasing a credit ma'am."

Amenta is behind for their tech level on lots of things. Cybersecurity and finance aren't not one of them, though it's less stark than robotics. However, they do have a background assumption that everyone is documented and traceable and that if they're not it's fine to make their life arbitrarily hard.

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"Hm?"

She wonders what sort of work arounds this world's money launderers have developed. 

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"A... child credit. Ma'am."

Money laundering is alive and well, you just buy services nobody checks up on like "extra deep cleaning" or "consulting" or whatever, casted appropriately and passing through a few steps to get where it's going.

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"I'm not actually aware what that is, dear."

Excellent. She tracks down a few defunct accounts that used to be used for money laundering with a few thousand tap leftover and memorizes them. Might come in handy sometime soon, one never knows.

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"A license to have a baby ma'am."

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"And if you don't pay you don't get to have a child?"

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"Yes ma'am."

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"Why did you lease one if you didn't have a stable income or savings?"

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"Uh. It's complicated, ma'am."

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"Oh? I'm quite interested in complications, if you'd care to elaborate."

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"I left my previous job at the same time she was conceived ma'am."

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"I'm confused - if she was already conceived what did you need to lease a credit for?"

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"...to be allowed to have her, ma'am."

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"You don't seem particularly pregnant to me, though perhaps that's a result of differing biology."

She scans the room for life signs.

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"She is with my parents ma'am."

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"... Your baby has already been born."

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"Yes ma'am."

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"What. Exactly happens if you can't pay for the credit."

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"Well, then she won't have one, and she won't be allowed. To exist. Ma'am."

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"Oh my....."

"Fuck."

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"Yes ma'am."

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Well, fear for her child and her precarious employment nearly explains the nervousness all on its own. 

"While I do enjoy being enigmatic and holding my cards close to myself, I suspect you enjoy your baby living a good deal more."

"Do you have a name for me to transfer three thousand tap to?"

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