So, okay, alright. So I don’t know if you got vampire bats in this world, but just hear me out.

( The dulcet tones of the lone Inquisition Australian. G'day, etc.
Perhaps the thud of glass on wood can give some indication of where the fair doctor has found herself, this evening, if the rowdy voices in the background don’t also over some clues. )

About… thirty-odd years ago, in my world, this bloke called Wilkinson observed this behaviour in vampire bats, where if they’d managed to consume excess food, they’d some of it to help feed a bat who was going hungry. And at first, this was reckoned to be a thing that was familial, just helping, right? But it wasn’t, they were doing it for any bats, and they was especially likely to exhibit this behaviour to help out a bat who’d helped them previously. Reciprocity, and all that kinda good thing.

And then, people… we operate with reciprocity too, right? It’s part of evolution, reciprocity is a basis for— for all kinds of society. Reciprocity is in our bloody holy books, sometimes, “do unto others,” and all that. It’s a sacred part of society.

( She makes a quiet sound, amused. ) Reciprocity and gossip, yeah? ‘Cause how are you gonna find out someone’s a real piece of work who doesn’t reciprocate and help without gossip to shred their reputation? And that’s what these crystals are so good for, yeah? Communication, the sharing of information and some good, old-fashioned gossip. Any excitin’ gossip to share, anyone?

( A long, slow exhale. )

Anyway, point is that vampire bats are great, and this dickhead over here is a bloody moron who doesn’t hold up his end of a bargain when he loses a drinking contest.

( Ah. ) Oi, dickhead. Yeah, mate, you - what’s your name again?