"Sounds interesting, I'd like to read it when it's published?"

"Of course! It'll be in Il-Berqa? I don't know if you read Maltese?"

"I don't, unfortunately," and Araari knows Italian and some Arabic but that might not be enough to usefully translate. "I don't know what the etiquette is for asking about people's research around here, with other grad students I'd say 'pretend I asked the question that would get me the most interesting answer' but that might be horribly rude."

"Oh, I wouldn't call it research? We're just near Italy, you know, so there's a lot of questions about what our foreign policy is going to be what with Mussolini and all? I sure hope there's not a war."

"I hope so too. -- sorry, I don't think I got your name?"

"Adam Vizarri."

Smile. "Lucas Marsh. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Vizarri."

"Pleasure to meet you too. What are you researching?"

Oh god now he has to figure out what he could be researching that it makes sense he'd want to read clippings on the Abynissia crisis and also that he can talk about if asked without sounding incredibly stupid to someone who lives here.

"Oh, I study linguistic development, nothing particularly relevant, but my friend is writing a paper on historical sailing routes in the Mediterranean and I owe her a favor."

"That doesn't sound very related to the Abyssinia Crisis?" Probably because I'm a moron, Martin's voice implies.

"I imagine it's not! But I'm trying to give her notes on approximately everything and she can sort out what she needs, it's really not my area."

"It's not my area either. I guess you knew that. Sorry."

"'S alright. Good luck with your article?" This is an awkward place to end a conversation but he needs to get out of here before he can lie in a stupid way again.

"Do you want me to make you a cup of tea? I'm getting one myself."

Aha that sounds like a great opportunity to trip himself up again. "No, but thank you."

He puts all of the articles and clippings he was using back where they belong and joins Oswald outside.

Meanwhile--

Oswald has gone outside for some air. It's stuffy in the offices of the Times of Malta. 

"Hello! Fancy seeing you here. Anchisa will be so excited."

"--I could say the same to you! Hello." He feels vaguely like he should tip his hat or something? And also like he should definitely run away.

"I guess our bosses had the same idea."

"Glad you got out of Ethiopia. Things are looking bad there in the papers." Is that a lie? He's pretty sure his mouth is just making polite sounds on autopilot.

"Absolutely. Mussolini is just awful. I hope we can avoid a war."

"If nothing else, imagine what that would do to the dig site."

"It was pretty torn apart by King Ezana, unfortunately. I'm afraid it wouldn't hurt the situation much. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know. Checking in before the rush. Something seems to be ramping up all through Europe, you know."

"It really does. --Louise is consulting Miss Donovan on some fine points of translation of the Revelations of Dagon. So the rest of us have absolutely nothing to do. I've been looking at historical churches and catching up on my reading."