The Order of the Dandelion: A Quest for the Truth! (Or Victorian Hyperbole...)

[Dirka Skene]

Sounds like you gentlemen have some pretty good fun.

[Ancienne Alliance]

Sounds like you gentlemen have some pretty good fun.

Welcome dear !


Best,

Robert

[Dirka Skene]

Someone has to keep us entertained.

[pdcorlis]

Ok Grant, I smell a rat - how much are you paying this guy? Its obvious you've hired some sort of PR firm to try and rehabilitate your sketchy history.

[ccga3359]

Ok Grant, I smell a rat - how much are you paying this guy? Its obvious you've hired some sort of PR firm to try and rehabilitate your sketchy history.

Mariners code Phil, it's like the photographers code but more salty. So yes! You smell a bilge rat.


I'd also like to take the opportunity of hijacking Phil's post to say;

Welcome to our newest brother to the Order of the Dandelion

:ootd::ootd::ootd: KD Burke :ootd::ootd::ootd:

[pdcorlis]

I think I've been keelhauled...

[KD Burke]

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, we need to be leaving!” The Captain returned to his controls, spinning the traditional wheel between the pilot and copilot seats to put a climbing angle on the airship’s enormous elevators before advancing the throttles of the engines. The ship rose, nose first. The experienced hands all seemed to have a firm grim on something stationary as the pitch of the deck changed abruptly. I would have tumbled but for a kind hand from one of the crew. Abigail (lovely dog that she is) huddled against the floor and looked miserable.

Some minutes later, as we leveled off over the Atlantic, I raised the courage to ask “How did you know we were in trouble?”

The Captain looked at me over one shoulder and replied “Amy. The waitress at Culhane’s.” He caught my blank stare and started over. “She’s one of our best operatives. For some time now we’ve been keeping track of this so-called Brotherhood. Amy was assigned to keep track of the local pubs and listen for leads. She saw you being hustled out and raised the alarm.”

I nodded, not entirely in understanding, but not wishing to look the utter fool. “So what about the headquarters?”

“As we speak, a team of investigators is boxing up files, confiscating computers and interrogating the members of the Brotherhood. They identify themselves as FBI, CIA, DEA, Customs, Federal Reserve even FDIC. If anybody asks, it’s a joint task force. They are ladling out so much alphabet soup that no two people will be able to agree on any but the broadest outlines of what happened.”

“They’re questioning each and every Brother at length. They aren’t answering any questions themselves, but the questions they ask will make it seem they are investigating a Ponzi scheme of unprecedented scale. When they’re turned loose, I doubt any two of them would admit to ever having met unless it was at gunpoint!”

I smiled at the elegant way the Order had deflected the thrust of the Brotherhood. “What about the First Brother?” I asked. “He’s too dangerously charismatic to be permitted to rebuild.”

“That he is” the Captain replied soberly. “He’ll be sent to the pipers. A few years of being the test audience for the novices will….quell his ambitions.”

So… I did come to the truth about the Order. After a fashion. And I joined up of my own free will. Not because I realized that I might just know more about the Order than they’d be comfortable with outsiders knowing. And most emphatically NOT because we were cruising 8000 feet over the Atlantic ocean when I realized it.


And so, I happily sign myself. :ootd:

PS. Although I’ve received no requests whatsoever, I’m fully aware you’ve all waited with ‘bated breath for a photo of my beloved Abigail (lovely dog that she is):

[davedove]

The Captain looked at me over one shoulder and replied “Amy. The waitress at Culhane’s.” He caught my blank stare and started over. “She’s one of our best operatives. For some time now we’ve been keeping track of this so-called Brotherhood. Amy was assigned to keep track of the local pubs and listen for leads. She saw you being hustled out and raised the alarm.”

Ah, yes, Amy, lovely girl. Please, not so loud, you'll blow her cover.

“As we speak, a team of investigators is boxing up files, confiscating computers and interrogating the members of the Brotherhood. They identify themselves as FBI, CIA, DEA, Customs, Federal Reserve even FDIC. If anybody asks, it’s a joint task force. They are ladling out so much alphabet soup that no two people will be able to agree on any but the broadest outlines of what happened.”

“They’re questioning each and every Brother at length. They aren’t answering any questions themselves, but the questions they ask will make it seem they are investigating a Ponzi scheme of unprecedented scale. When they’re turned loose, I doubt any two of them would admit to ever having met unless it was at gunpoint!”

(In the report to the Captain)
My team has completed our operation in the headquarters of the Brotherhood. All relevant information has been confiscated and we have leads on the few brothers who were away at the time of the raid.

Sufficient evidence has been planted that the remaining brothers will be considered fugitives by every law enforement agency in the United States and they have been reported to Interpol as well. We should have no further trouble from them.

Mr. Dove :ootd: