milliways_bar | (no subject)

Current Mood: working

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Enter Alyx Vance.

She's looking very subdued at the moment, and has a moderately-sized stack of papers under one arm.

"Bar? I need a map of North American rail lines in my world, circa 2001. The biggest one you can get me."

She takes the folded paper that materializes and heads for the biggest table in the Bar. Vance Prime has work to do.

[ooc: Open until it scrolls.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Annabelle peers at the map. "Hello, Alyx," she says with a smile. "Planning something?"

"We got reports back from the other Resistance bases," says Alyx. "I'm mapping out the train routes to see if I can find a pattern."

"What kind of pattern?" Annabelle asks as she pulls up a chair. "Where they're going?"

"Exactly. I have a hunch, but I want to make sure before I start making battle plans."

Annabelle nods. "What's your hunch, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Here." She points to a dotted circle covering much of North Dakota. "The Combine walled off this area shortly after the War. There's been no human traffic in or out since."

"That's...ominous," Annabelle says, her face grim. "There must be something important to them there, or they wouldn't wall it off..."

Alyx nods. "Exactly."

"I wonder what it could be, and whether we should capture it or just blow it into bits..." Annabelle says, thoughtful.

"Let's find out what it is first, alright?"

"Well, yes, of course," Annabelle says with a laugh. "I was getting a bit ahead of myself, wasn't I?"

"Juuuust a bit," agrees Alyx. "I'm not even 100% sure that's where they're going yet."

"I do tend to rush in where angels fear to tread," Annabelle says with a rueful smile. "Is there any way I can help you with the map?"

"Not unless you've got some expertise on the United States rail system that I wasn't aware of," says Alyx.

"Not a jot," Annabelle says with a frown. "Unless you want help derailing a train, anyway."

"Thanks, but these trains are filled to capacity with confused civilians, so..."

"That's rather what I figured," Annabelle says with a small smile. "No demolitions for me, then."

"I can keep you company while you work, if that won't distract you?"

"Sure thing." Alyx thumbs through the stack of papers on the table next to her. "So how long were we gone this time? It's been like twelve hours back home..."

Edited 2009-12-15 18:43 (UTC)

"Not as long as last time," Annabelle says with a grin. "I last saw you about three weeks ago."

Alyx shakes her head. "Why does it always do that? It's getting annoying."

"Don't look at me," Annabelle says dryly. "I was out sick the day they were passing out the secrets of the multiverse," she jokes.

"Either your world is weird in a different way than most, or somebody's yanking your chain." Someone like the Thing in a Suit or the Landlord.

"Well, I'm not gonna argue that my world isn't weird," says Alyx. "I would hope there aren't too many other Earths that have gone through two alien invasions in a row."

"Me too," Annabelle says with a fervent nod. ~~If only she had any idea of what was in store for her own home universe, which gets multiple alien problems at the same time.~~

"Your world seems to have gotten a really short straw."

"Tell me about it," sighs Alyx. "So did I miss anything interesting while I was gone?"

Edited 2009-12-15 19:25 (UTC)

"I'd be preaching to the choir," Annabelle says with a shake of her head. "I don't think you've missed anything terribly interesting, it's been rather quiet, for a change.