Entrance

[genius-aspires.livejournal.com]

[OOM: Pre-Milliways. Whitetext throughout.]

The door opens, blowing in a strong gust of rainy wind. A man walks through and he has a purpose about his stride, resolve written in every line on his face. He's soaked through and his hair's a mess - with the fact that he's short of stature, one glance might make you think that he's just a regular man.

And you'd be right, he is. He has an important job though and he wants to do it, regardless of everything that tells him he shouldn't.

But now he's here, wherever here is. And not looking all that pleased about it.

Comments

[callmedavid.livejournal.com]

Sans entrance post, David Palmer is also in the bar. Without warning he had arrived in the bar earlier when he had been on his way to meet with his editor. He had used this unexpected detour as time to revise his manuscripts and, after a few hours, was ready to leave.

But on his way out he spots another man, probably around his age and looking as if he'd just been caught in a downpour. Not the most unusual thing he's ever seen in Milliways but David would feel remiss if he didn't ask.

"Excuse me, sir," he began in a tone of friendly concern, "are you all right?"

[genius-aspires.livejournal.com]

Jed looks up at the much taller man, the purpose he had been full of now having given way to abject confusion. This, after a ghost in his office, isn't helping with his all-round faint questioning of his own state of mind right now.

'I suppose that depends on what you mean by 'all right'.' He looks around with a frown. 'What's going on?'

[callmedavid.livejournal.com]

"Ah," he says softly, sympathetic smile on his lips. "I'm guessing this is your first time in Milliways?"

[genius-aspires.livejournal.com]

'In...what?' The frown deepens. He hadn't been in the mood to be pulled away from the task at hand and certainly not by something as bizarre as this.

'I suppose it's too much to hope for that I'm dreaming and am, for some reason, dragging up memories of popular science fiction books that I haven't read since nineteen eighty?'

[callmedavid.livejournal.com]

"I'm afarid so."

David gestures towards the observation window where stars were exploding and planets swallowed by the encroaching darkness. "We're in Milliways Bar, located at the end of the universe and outside of space and time."

[genius-aspires.livejournal.com]

Jed stares at him for a moment longer. Then his eyes go to the observation window and his mouth drops open.

'...what?'

It had been a momentous day to start with. Now? It's just making him feel like he's lost all control of everything.

[callmedavid.livejournal.com]

The unfortunate thing about the observation window is that while it is effective in establishing that, 'yes, you are at a bar at the end of the universe,' it tends to leave people feeling a little off-balance.

"I'm sorry, I realize this is a lot to take in right now. Let me get you a drink." Then he extends his hand, "My name's David Palmer, by the way."

[genius-aspires.livejournal.com]

Drink. Right, yes. He takes the proffered hand and gives his name the way he would to anyone.

'President Bartlet.'

And then frowns again. Because this man seems to be American, so why didn't he already know his name?

'You don't know me?'

He's not trying to be egotistical. But pretty much everyone knows who the President of the United States is, right?

[leplusbeau]

[OOC: *SHRIEKS WITH JOY* I would just like to say, I would love to play with you! I will when I can and! Jed Bartlet is MY president! *FANGIRLS*]

[genius-aspires.livejournal.com]

[OOC: Any time! I'd love to play too, whenever you like. Hope he's not a disappointment.

*tries to pretend has not had him for four months and been too scared to bring him in. Ahem. :D*]

[grumpywordsmith.livejournal.com]

Toby was quietly sitting at the bar, nursing a martini, which he nearly spills when he sees who's coming through the Door.

He quickly gets up from the bar and walks over,

"Mr. President?"

[genius-aspires.livejournal.com]

'Toby!'

His look may be a little wild eyed right now.

'What's going on? We're supposed to be...' Not here! He looks back to the door - and is then convinced he's lost it. There's no door.

'...I don't understand.'

[grumpywordsmith.livejournal.com]

"Everything's fine, Sir. Everything's--."

"Well, ok, I wouldn't exactly say fine."

"It's not .... disastrous."

Well, that's not really the word either. Some speechwriter he is.

So Toby just smiles. "Welcome to Milliways, Sir."


It does occur to Toby that this is probably only going to worry Bartlet more.

[genius-aspires.livejournal.com]

Toby gets a Stare. It's not dissimilar to the one he received when he stood in the Oval Office and told the President what he thought about him covering up his illness.

'Define 'not disastrous' Toby.'

[grumpywordsmith.livejournal.com]

"...."

"There aren't any Republicans here" he offers, helpfully.


"Well, not many.

[genius-aspires.livejournal.com]

The stare does not abate.

'I can deal with Republicans Toby.' Well, Leo can. 'What's going on? What's Milliways and what is it doing in the White House?!'

The day had been traumatic to begin with and that's putting it mildly. He feels like he really shouldn't have to deal with this as well.

[grumpywordsmith.livejournal.com]

"Well, now, you see, Sir--," Toby is still wearing the smile, which he hopes is somewhat more calming really than he suspects it actually is.

"--We're not actually in the White House here."

"We're at--."

Toby's brain ponders for a split second what he's about to tell the President. Josiah Bartlet. Nobel Prize-Winning Economist.

"--The End of the Universe.

"... Sir."

[genius-aspires.livejournal.com]

The number of possible responses to that is really quite limited. Jed settles for silence for a moment, during which he becomes very aware of the fact that he's soaked through and water is dripping off his hair.

But he does manage to get out, eventually, 'Toby, have you gone insane? Because of everyone that works for me, I'd say you were the least likely candidate but I suppose I've been wrong about things before.'

[lvpd_sidle]

[ooc: *so fangirling right now omg!*]

Oh boy, another new arrival. Hopefully this one won't think that she's lost her mind. Though in John Adams' defense, he wouldn't understand the workings of a cellphone. But no matter.

Sara gives the man a friendly smile. "Hello, sir."

[genius-aspires.livejournal.com]

His head whips round at the sound of the voice addressing him. It's not the easy-going look he tends to wear most days, or the one that shows he's confident and in charge.

This is the one where someone's just told him that one of his planes has been shot down in enemy airspace, or a tanker has been lost at sea or...he's about to go on live TV and say yes, I lied to you all but I still want to be your President.

It's not really a friendly look.

'What's going on?'

[lvpd_sidle]

Definitely a new arrival.

"You've wandered into Milliways, Bar at the end of the universe. However you might define 'the end'. If you look out the window, you'll see it happening. No, this isn't a dream and you aren't hallucinating."

[genius-aspires.livejournal.com]

I'm the President of the United States, I don't 'wander' anywhere.

He bites back the response because he does have manners and isn't that much of an egomaniac, not even on days like this. Not to random people anyway. She might have voted for him.

So there's another pause and then he ventures, 'I'm sorry, you're not saying anything I understand. Either you're crazy or I am and my doctors tell me it's not me so...'

[lvpd_sidle]

She sighs, takes him by the shoulder, and turns him to face the window.

"If it makes you feel any better, I found my way here by walking into a storage closet. The bar is called Milliways, people from different worlds and timelines are brought here, and no, no one's figured out how or why it happens. It just does. The first drink is free, don't have sex, violence, or business in the bar, and you should be fine. By the way, some of the people here will probably be fictional and not every human is from Earth. Or even your version of Earth. Confused yet?"

Hey, he has to pay for the 'crazy' remark.

[genius-aspires.livejournal.com]

He may very well collapse actually. Only not, because his MS isn't playing up right now and he was in a very determined frame of mind when he walked through the door. It helps.

...not that there's much that helps at that first sight of the universe exploding. Jed flinches and it's probably a mark of his amazement that he doesn't start trying to figure out which stars are which and who's buying it first.

'...that's incredible.'

Hey, he's a geek at heart. Everything else sort of fades out for a moment.

[lvpd_sidle]

"It is oddly beautiful," she says, nodding in agreement. Geeks unite.

"And I apologize for dumping all that on you, but it's very much a shock unless you get it over and done with quickly. And um, what's your name?"

She's not from his Earth.