Video

[archeologue]

Grave sites are splendid repository of priceless artifacts. The golden mask of Agamemnon from Schliemann's excavation of the royal shaft graves at Mycenae. King Tutankhamun's glorious, some say cursed, tomb. Beautiful Etruscan jewelry from the tomb of Tarquinia.

[His eyes gleam with excitement as he talks about the treasures.]

I wonder why there are no graves on this planet. It is a universal truth of archaeology that where there are settlements, there are graves. It may be internments, ashes and bone fragments of cremation, wall burials, sky burials, but all peoples must deal with their dead. And yet for all the ruins here...nothing.

[He's convinced that there must be burials somewhere. But it would suit his purposes just fine if he discovered a burial site (and the grave goods within) with no one else in a position to know or suspect.]

My apologies, where are my manners. I am Dr. Belloq, archeologist from Earth, year of our Lord 1936. These communicators, remarkable devices. It's very strange to think that to some here, I am a part of ancient history.

Comments

[vengeance_driven]

At the very least you would think anyone Catholic would realize it is not a good decision.

This said, I know a lot of mafia that are Catholic.

[archeologue]

There might have been a religious exemption. But perhaps not. The Americans are suspicious of Catholics. [In his era, at least.]

But I haven't been to Mass in years and years, so I'm not certain. But if I could have gotten wine there while I was in America, it might almost have been enough to drive me back. My confession would have taken hours, though, and without it I could not have taken communion. It was faster just to find a speakeasy.

[vengeance_driven]

Americans have no appreciation for what has been made legal and illegal in their country. Alcohol is the only one of those I care much about anyway. I would not have bothered coming if I could not drink.

Even then, I don't think I would have missed much.

[His America is a pile of crap.]

[archeologue]

[Belloq laughs merrily at Niko's description of American's relationship to their laws.] Very true, friend, very true.

But even without the alcohol, there are a few things to appreciate about the country. There are many beautiful women there. A decade ago it was a nice place to have a good time--music, parties, drink. Since the Crash, though, not so much. The west has some excellent Indian ruins, however. Massive structures built right into the cliff sides. Very impressive.

[vengeance_driven]

They actually call them Native Americans, now, because they were there first. But my cousin tells me that they first came over from Russia long ago.

[Niko didn't have the best education, but he is socially aware.]

There are many beautiful ladies, though. Some uh... well, is not important. [Kate will probably hurt him til the end of his days.] But the Crash is long over. Things picked up for a while, but then there is lots of money borrowing from bad countries and at the same time a fear of foreigners. Using any excuse to drive them out.

They treat us like shit. They call the French cowards and the rest terrorists or cheap labor.

[archeologue]

From Russia? I've never heard that before. [Studies of ancient human migration studies are still in their infancy. He thinks it's a funny concept that Native Americans could be from Asia. There's far too much water between them.

But all trace of good humour vanishes when he hears his nation maligned.]

Cowards! This from the people who sat out the first three years of the World War and couldn't be bothered to come fight until it was nearly over. While we were battling at Ypres and the Somme they were sitting safely at home.

[vengeance_driven]

They tried to change the name of French fries to something else in spite. Because "chips" is too hard to think of, I guess. No, they must "freedom fries".

Not all Americans are bad, some are fun. But the ones that are problems are very big problems.

[archeologue]

Yes, I have enjoyed the company of many Americans. [And enjoyed tormenting others.] But they are, on the whole, a people in denial. They think they're one thing, when they are, in fact, something else. They don't see themselves as they really are, they only see their ideal self.

[He thinks of Dr. Jones who never wants to admit how alike they are. Or the people who pushed for Temperance laws, thinking that if only the evil drink were taken away, all would be morality and uprightness.]

Sometimes it's charming, a bright eyed optimism. Other times...not so much.

[vengeance_driven]

Optimism can be downright stupid. It can make you blind to problems, if you focus too much on all the good. Then you never know that you are walked on, or being forced to be less of a man because other big expensive men say you must be.

Of course it happens everywhere. [He doesn't realize what time that Belloq comes from, really.] But in America, it's a special sort of ignorance. [And in the Germany of that time? It's far, far worse.]

[archeologue]

You sound like a man who has much experience with this phenomenon. Has a big expensive man been trying to walk on you?

[Belloq has seen a lot of that in his travels. Germany is full of big men right now, and men who want to be big men. But Belloq thinks that big men are useful. Big men usually have money.]

[vengeance_driven]

The line went out the back door.


Most of them aren't so interested now.


[Most of them are dead.]

[archeologue]

In that case, you should have started charging admission while they were around.

[vengeance_driven]

[He almost says, "Who says I wasn't?" but instead he just laughs like it's funny. Because it kind of is.]

[archeologue]

[Belloq laughs with him and thinks that they should have a drink together some time.]