We needed a nomination for Vienna, Austria, but Jacinto never made one. Chrissy was randomly picked, but didn't respond. So it went to Colin. He was offered inoculation for the round, if he'd take a 20,000 vote penalty in Round 6 as well. He said no to that, 17,500, 15,000, 12,500, 10,000, and 9,000 before accepting an 8,500 vote penalty. But what the heck, he's safe THIS round.

David (Australia): If (Colin) doesn't get any more stones this week or next week, that possibly I might convince Stephen to go after Colin once more.
That is, if I can figure out exactly what kind of game Stephen is playing. Right now I simply don't trust him. I'm speaking a lot more to Chrissy, and if I knew what sort of attack she could make... *shrug*

Note to all other players: I'm ready to make deals, you guys. I've got the stones you want. Talk to me, people.

Since I too was wondering why nobody was trading stuff, I decided to ask whoever was on. Colin, who had just won inoculation, happened to be the only one on. (I would get to other people later.) He said he always get screwed, but then as an afterthought wondered if he could trade away the inoculation he'd just won. I didn't see why not. So off he went to advertise his inoculation in return for Safety Stones. He wasn't going to get too many offers...

Cindy (Egypt): I like innoculations. But I am also a very paranoid person. Colin is my friend, I like him, but I do not want to take his offer.

Chrissy (Ireland): I think the way he mentioned it was pretty slick...lol. But I cannot offer something that I have very little of thus far. Im keeping them for myself....

David (Australia): I think it's better to let him have the inoculation this week and to gang up to boot him next week.

Royann (France): No, I think I only have one stone anyways.

While Colin looked for suitors, the next challenge took place in Florence, Italy. Evil abounded. Cindy, Colin, Royann and Steve made up one team, Andrew, Chrissy, David and Nork the other. They were to decide on two people to give up their chance at 4 Safety Stones- not an easy task- and then beat the two players from the other team in Yahoo Graffiti- every bit as non-easy- to actually win the stones for the two who played for the winning team. Chrissy of Team 2 quickly dropped out due to scheduling problems, leaving Andrew, David and Nork to fight over two slots. All had a reason to be on the team: Andrew and Nork because 4 stones could keep them in the game, David because he was going for the 20-stone mark. Team 1 had other plans: none.

Aaron: So how have team selection negotiations gone?
Colin (Canada): We will just work it out between whoevers there
Aaron: you guys haven't talked it over at all?
Colin: Nope lol
Aaron: Are you guys nuts?
Colin: Yep lol

Meanwhile on Team 2, David decided to sit it out if possible, figuring Andrew and Nork needed to get some playing time. In the end, it was Cindy/Colin vs. David... well ,that's it. David never got his partner, so he had to go it alone, with me playing spoiler. It was an intense game, as it was all tied going into the final round. Cindy won in the final round, finally proving David is human. But not by much, as the final scores (at 50 points per correct guess for both drawer and guesser) were Cindy 550, David 500, myself 450, Colin 400. David, needless to say, was livid.

David (Australia): From my team, Chrissy couldn't make it, and I wanted to make the game fun for everyone, so I said I'd let Nork and Andrew have the game. Nork said he'd be there, and he didn't show up. Andrew never responded.
ARE YOU GOING TO [censored] PLAY THE GAME, PEOPLE, OR NOT?!
Furthermore, I thought Stephen and I had an agreement not to let Colin play the game. He was available, but didn't show up either.
So what lesson can we learn, kiddies? That's right. You can't rely on people in this game. You can't rely on them to keep their word. Hell, you can't even rely on them to act in their OWN SELF-INTEREST!
Let me take a moment from the general ranting and pissiness to congratulate Cindy and Colin. They at least know to play the game and they deserve to be here. So much so, that I'm not even going to try to help Stephen get Colin out anymore. You want him gone, Stephen, you do it yourself. I wash my hands of it.
From now on, I'm looking out for number one.

Interestingly enough, when I had to convey "Russia" to the three, I chose to draw the flag- as, well, YOU try drawing Russia's outline within 2 minutes sometime. I drew the very simple flag, and nobody guessed it. Disturbing, because Moscow was the next stop and exile point.

Meanwhile, Colin had found a trader: Steve. Who David had just washed his hands of. The deal fell through, however, and poor Colin had to be inoculated. You wretched thing. Trading away an inoculation wasn't the only, in my opinion, harebrained scheme that came up during the round. David- get this- was planning to give all his stones to Steve, get himself exiled, and Steve would theoretically get rid of Colin. I even told him it was stupid. David rationalized it by saying his chances of victory were slim, even though before stones and audience and whatnot, I had never to that point placed him below second place. Um, yea. Slim chance. You think that. (He never went through with it, but still.)

But back to Moscow: Nork was the weak link and had to be shot. Literally. Firing squad. Bang bang you're dead. But I can't be dead, I'm the cowboy. No, you're the indian. Cowboys beat indians. No, they don't! Yes they do! (punch kick) MOMMY!

7 contestants, 6 rounds.