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[janebecomes]

The ball seems to be closer and yet farther every day. Jane has not gone looking for the Bar but she's found it today as she's considering something she wrote a while ago.

Her thoughts keep straying to Mister Lefroy but he has returned to London and may not come back for the ball.

It is best to move on and do as her mother would wish even though she doesn't wish to. In the end, it takes her rather longer to find a seat as her thoughts are not truly in Milliways.

Comments

[electro_kinetic]

Nori bumps into Jane's chair as she moves by it, the toe of her boot clipping one of the legs.

She hasn't quite gotten used to there being rats scurrying around with drinks, like little furry waiters. It's just a bad combination, that.

[janebecomes]

Jane feels her chair shift under her and makes a small sound as she grabs her table and scatters the pages of her work all over the floor,

"What now?!"

[electro_kinetic]

She flinches at the voice. "Sorry, sorry. Um. I didn' mean to knock you," she says quickly, words blurring as they all come out in one breath.

[janebecomes]

After a moment, Jane is able to right herself but then sighs and starts to collect her papers as she gives the girl a brief look,

"No, of course you did not."

[electro_kinetic]

The Bar as a whole has probably not helped Noriko gain any sort of footing in the areas or politeness or propriety. There's simply too much weird crap that does not compute in her head.

"Sorry," she murmurs, bending to pick up the papers carefully, looking like she's either having a break with reality or tripping on some really bad drugs. In reality it's neither, but she's absorbed too much electricity and hasn't discharged it yet, and it's making her jumpy in a lot of hard to describe ways.

[janebecomes]

"Truly its fine. I can get these. Perhaps you would join me for some tea?"

The papers are covered with writing, some even over itself as Jane has tried to conserve her paper.

[electro_kinetic]

Tea. She can do tea. Hopefully.

"...Okay." She hands the woman her papers, at least the ones Nori's picked up, and stands slowly. "What kind of tea?"

[janebecomes]

Jane finally looks at Nori and blinks at her hair color before sitting down and gesturing to her table that is laid for tea,

"Simply some Ceylon. Is there something else that you would prefer?"

[electro_kinetic]

"N--no, um, Ceylon is...is fine," she says, sitting down slowly. "I, uh. I'm Nori. Noriko."

[janebecomes]

"My name is Jane Austen. Are you hurt at all?"

Since Nori seems rather uncomfortable and being bitten by a vampire is quite disturbing, more so than a marriage proposal.

[electro_kinetic]

She blinks. Jane Austen. First Nikola Tesla, now this? This place is trying to mess with her. But Nori shakes her head quickly, still jerky in her movements, and her eyes are darting all over the place as if they can't settle on one thing.

"'M okay. Mostly okay. Not hurt," she decides, blinking rapidly. It's like her brain doesn't want to stay on one track, which makes talking rather interesting.

[janebecomes]

"Are you quite sure? I know that at times Milliways can be rather dangerous."

[electro_kinetic]

She takes a shaky breath. "Yeah. Yeah." It's like she has to convince herself; the effect of her absorbing too much energy without letting any of it out--which she's been terrified of doing in a place with people--can be described very nicely as an extremely ADHD child getting exponentially less controllable with every five passing minutes.

"'M not hurt. Jus'...shaky. 'S okay. I think."

[ol-yellow-eyes.livejournal.com]

Data walks up beside Jane's table.

"Excuse me," he says. "I am sorry to bother you, but do you know when the Barman might be back at his post?"

[janebecomes]

Jane does not mean to jump truly, her thoughts were simply elsewhere as she looks up to the man?

"I do not believe that the barman is normally there, sir. Could not bar herself assist you?"

[ol-yellow-eyes.livejournal.com]

"I suppose I could try asking her," Data replies, thinking. "I merely wished to speak with the Barman. I have been informed that he has some sort of telepathic connection with Bar, and I was interested to learn more about that."

[janebecomes]

"I do not believe that I have ever met him, sir."

He looks far too pale to be alive and Jane rubs at her neck.

[ol-yellow-eyes.livejournal.com]

"I see," Data says. "Thank you for your help. Perhaps I should let you get back to what you were doing."

[janebecomes]

Jane considers him for a long moment before asking,

"Pardon me, sir, but may I ask if you are alive?"

[ol-yellow-eyes.livejournal.com]

"That depends on your definition of alive," Data answers, after a short pause. "I am not a biological life form, if that is what you mean. I am an android, composed of synthetic materials."

[janebecomes]

"You are an automaton, sir?"

[ol-yellow-eyes.livejournal.com]

"That is correct," Data answers. "I apologize; I have not properly introduced myself. I am Lieutenant Commander Data, of the starship Enterprise." He holds out his hand.

[janebecomes]

Jane stands up to bob a curtsy,

"My name is Jane Austen, sir and it is a pleasure to meet you."

[ol-yellow-eyes.livejournal.com]

Data withdraws his hand, recognizing Jane's archaic form of greeting. He returns it with the male equivalent by bowing and scraping.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Austen," he returns. He does recognize the name, which intrigues him, but he does not bring this up. He could be wrong, after all.

He does add, "May I ask what it is you were doing?"

[janebecomes]

"I was looking over some things that I have written and endeavoring to improve them, sir."