Ringo harangues Auntie Bella about this international criminal conspiracy she is running in his name. She claims it was founded by him in a previous incarnation, and that she has been groomed to run this organization by her family since childhood. He tells her he wants nothing to do with her, that he'll be really mad if he ever crosses path with anyone from her organization again, and then he and Paul storm off back to NY.
All in all, it went pretty well for a first meeting with a mother you never knew you had who pretended to be your aunt and ran a criminal empire on your behalf, which she used to fund your wife's buyout of the comicshop where you work, and who is also a detached emanation of that same wife.
Venus bids them goodbye in Chicago (because flying is not her thing) and rejoins them at NYC, where they head for the comic shop. Paul helps Terri close up and takes her home. Ringo heads home with Venus, on the way pausing to stop an armed bank robbery (6 bank robbers shot non-fatally, one getaway driver downed with a hubcap, one bank bystander wounded by gunfire, one bank manager declared a hero on TV).
The next day at the comic shop, Ringo learns about an upcoming comic con, and they make plans to have a G&G stand there. Paul is summoned to the shed/alley, and is joined there by a humanoid who claims to be a fellow Watchman - an inspector coming to check on Paul's progress. Paul dubs him Ford, and updates him on stuff.
Ford accompanies Paul to Hank's computers in Dodge City, demonstrating his ability to teleport. Paul and Hank discuss Hank's plans, and the latter expresses a desire to find a mate and continue his species. Rothschield arrives for the meeting with Hank accompanied by two multi-classed Lawyers/Goons, and Paul drives the negotiation between the alien tinkerer and the arrogant VC into the ground, threatening Rotchschield with physical violence at one point.
Paul talks to the Synthoid, telling him about Ford. The Synthoid expresses concern about this new, unidentified alien. Paul tries to consult with Watchmen HQ, and gets the usual namby-pamby response.
That evening, the Synthoid invites Paul and Ringo to a dinner at the Embassy in honor of the visiting Ford; Paul asks Terri to accompany him, and together with Ford, Ringo and Miranda, they arrive at the Embassy and meet assorted aliens and weird people - from the Embassy, there are Slade, Jack (accompanied by bernice_malamud from the The E T I A), and the Turtlette. Paul is very candid with Terri, forcing her to confront the freakiness of his life head-on.
When they get home, Ringo tells Miranda “We have to talk.”
In this ep:
- ford (named by Paul after Ford Prefect), a Watchmen inspector coming to check on Paul's progress.
- A comic con will be taking place in the city next week, and G&G should have a stand there.
- Paul goes to mediate between Rothschild and hank_vargan.
- The Embassy throws a dinner party in honor of Ford.
