Image Description: Vani Anand, Research Assistant
"You must be the courier," a young woman says. "My name is Vani Anand. Dr. Caul will be here in a few minutes. Until then, help yourself to some wine. And I apologize beforehand if anyone badgers you. We're trapped in here for months at a time like Antarctic researchers, and anyone new is interesting."
Vani isn't really dressed for a party: she's wearing a loose-fitting work shirt full of pens and notebooks, though she's put on gold earrings that sometimes gleam red in the holographic light.
Before you can chat, Vani gets a text and excuses herself, leaving you at the edge of the party. You study the crowd, contemplating how to make a good first impression with these people. Dr. Caul will react badly to the information you're carrying, and you don't want your behavior here to make her mood even worse.