(no subject)

[veryvorkosigan]

The front door opens onto a sedately appointed hallway, framing a tall middle-aged woman in loose-fitting beige knit shirt and tan pants. She pushes back a stray wisp of silvering red hair, and blinks into the noise and light of the bar in brief surprise.

(Her surprise is perhaps understandable. From her perspective, after all, it's been just over six years.)



"...Oh," she says after a moment. "Oh, that's right."

Comments

[hawkeyed_riza]

The woman who comes in a minute or two later is younger, blonder, and more military -- and considerably more surprised.

Not to say 'flummoxed.'

(Not to say, 'on instant alert.')

[veryvorkosigan]

Cordelia glances at the younger woman. (Unfamiliar; most of the faces here tonight are.)

"Hello," she says, with a small smile.

(It's a start.)

[hawkeyed_riza]

Hawkeye's glance cuts to her only briefly. This is the look of someone who's trying to keep an eye on the entire room at once, and not trying to hide it; the look, in other words, of a newcomer.

"...Hello," she says after a moment, politely enough. (Very neutrally.)

There's no reason not to, after all.

[veryvorkosigan]

A newcomer, or a trained bodyguard.

(She's reminded, fleetingly and poignantly, of Drou when she was first assigned to Cordelia's person. So many years ago.)

"First time here?" she asks, lightly.

[hawkeyed_riza]

Both! In fact. But newcomer is the immediately relevant part.

Hawkeye's eyes land on her for an instant longer than before.

"Where's here?" she asks, thereby answering the question.

[veryvorkosigan]

"It's called Milliways."

The name feels strange in her mouth. Stranger than it should; it hasn't been that long.

[hawkeyed_riza]

Okay.

Hawkeye waits to see if anything more is forthcoming.

[veryvorkosigan]

"It can be a little disorienting." Still light. "If it helps, everybody else here first came here the same way you did -- by accident."

[hawkeyed_riza]

"How?"

If this woman launches into a detailed monologue about the alchemical details, Hawkeye is rephrasing that and fast.

(She's more than old enough, too, to know when she's being soothed. In another situation, she would be more okay with that; right now, she doesn't trust any of this in the slightest. Cordelia she distrusts no more than everything else, though.)

[veryvorkosigan]

"You know, no one's ever given me a good answer to that question."

Tipping her head at the door, she adds "Except the obvious one."

[hawkeyed_riza]

"What do you have good answers for, ma'am?"

It's more request than challenge. That might be by conscious choice, but it's still true.

[veryvorkosigan]

This time her smile's a touch apologetic, along with wry. "Not very much, around here. All I can tell you is that I've spent a great deal of time here, it is real, and a lot of it doesn't seem to make much sense but it's manifestly true anyway."

[hawkeyed_riza]

Hawkeye accepts that, if slightly reluctantly, with a small nod.

Either Cordelia is a reliable source or she isn't. If she's lying -- or a hallucination, or something else -- then pursuing the questioning isn't much use. If she's telling the truth, it's fair enough.

(And Colonel Mustang's the one of them who's better at reading what people are saying between the lines.)

[tesla_bot]

Robo's wearing cargo pants, heavy boots and a belogoed t-shirt (Tesladyne: Trust in Science).

"Evening," he offers from behind a lowing magazine, "Or the time of day you prefer otherwise."

[veryvorkosigan]

Another blink, and then a smile. "Evening will do," she says.

[tesla_bot]

"Evening then. I hope it's going well," he says before rubbing where a nose would be on a human, "Sorry, I think I've lost track of how to do small talk that doesn't involve disasters. I'm Robo."

[veryvorkosigan]

She gives a rueful chuckle, and offers a hand. "Cordelia Vorkosigan. And I know how that goes."

[tesla_bot]

"Always a pleasure to meet someone who does," says Robo as he takes the hand, "I'm from Earth, 2009 more or less."

[veryvorkosigan]

"Barrayar, currently," she tells him, "about ... eight centuries later than that. Also more or less."

[tesla_bot]

"Frames of reference can be tricky," allows Robo, "Good to know there's at least one universe where humanity makes it that far without being blown up utterly."

[veryvorkosigan]

"No, never utterly."

She studies him for a moment. "Does that look likely, from your end of history?"

[tesla_bot]

"Sometimes, when it's late and everyone else is asleep."

It's unusually frank, but Milliways brings that out.

"It's good to do something about it instead of moping. Keeps me busy."

[veryvorkosigan]

"A very sensible response," Cordelia approves.

[tesla_bot]

Robo is always open to complements from attractive ladies.

"Thanks," he says, "Have a seat if you want one. Is there anything you want to drink? I never really got in the habit of it myself."

No mouth, alas.

[veryvorkosigan]

"Thank you," she says, taking the seat, her eyes crinkling with amusement.

And, "Oh," she sighs, "coffee, please. I haven't had this place's coffee in years."