(no subject)

[have_no_mercy]

It's hardly unusual for newcomers to enter the bar and barely notice they've changed locations.

"I don't give a damn, George, get it done."

At least at first.

"George? George?"

Finally, the woman looks up, her eyes widening.

Seriously?

Get prepared, Milliways. Tess Mercer has arrived.


[[OOC: Be gentle; she's armed.]]

Comments

[sunbaked_baker]

A nearby baker with a tray of cinnamon rolls the size of human skulls, thick slabs of rich chocolate cake as dark as sin, and other pieces of utter deliciousness, looks up as Tess walks in.

Ah. She knows that look - she remember having that look.

"Hello," she greets, offering a smile. "Is this your first time here? You look like you're not where you meant to be."

[have_no_mercy]

Tess' composure is regained remarkably quickly. Possibly because there's chocolate nearby now.

"No, I'm not. Where am I?"

[sunbaked_baker]

"This is Milliways," she replies. "It's... well, it's a hub where worlds meet; it's the bar at the end of the universe."

"People from all sorts of different worlds come here, whether intentionally or accidentally."

[have_no_mercy]

An inter-dimensional hub. Tess has to think for a moment. Did she touch anything alien by mistake? Was Clark in the vicinity-- well, that's impossible to tell.

"So how, exactly, does the door to my study suddenly become the entrance to the end of the universe?" This is Tess' no-nonsense voice.

[sunbaked_baker]

"The same way that the door to my bakery instead becomes a door to here, I'd suppose," Rae answers, wry.

It had reminded Rae of the space-folding spells the police sometimes used to capture wanted criminals. Set one half of the spell on a door at a known criminal's hideout, and the other half on the door of the holding cell at the police headquarters, and when the criminal walks through the door of their hideout, they suddently find themselves right where the police want them.

"No one knows exactly how or why people find themselves here. We just do, occasionally. Can you see the door you came in by?" Just in case.

[have_no_mercy]

"There's always a reason." Of that Tess is certain, even if she - or no one else, apparently - seems to know what it is.

She turns to glance behind her, then regards Rae with a raised eyebrow. "Yes. Why?"

[sunbaked_baker]

"Wanted to make sure you weren't bound," she replies. "Sometimes, people's doors disappear, leaving them unable to leave until it reappears."

"It can be really odd and surprising, but Milliways is a good place on the whole. It can be a nice break from things back in one's own world, since time stops there while you are here." Oh yes, she had almost forgotten. "There's only three rules. No violence, no outside business - meaning that if an enemy or rival comes here, neither of you can act on your enmity - and no public indecency."

[ex_captaincy633]

Steve knows that expression. He wore a darn near identical one very recently, in fact. He rises from his table, where he was enjoying a non-rationed meal, pushes the chair back in so it doesn't ambush some unsuspecting tavern goer, and heads in her direction.

"Ma'am?"

[have_no_mercy]

Well, since he appears to be volunteering, Tess will fix him with her best glare.

"Where am I?"

[ex_captaincy633]

It's a habit.

"Milliways. It's the bar at ... the end of the Universe."

He falls silent, giving her time to sort that out.

[have_no_mercy]

Well guess what, soldier? You've been drafted.

"Come again?"

[ex_captaincy633]

Luckily, he's sort of used to it by now.

"Welcome to the bar at the end of the universe. It's called Milliways. Wherever you were before isn't here."

[have_no_mercy]

"Really? But the decor matches so nicely." Sarcasm for you, Steve.

Tess sighs and runs a hand through her hair. "Who did this?"

[starrydome]

For some strange reason, Elrond feels compelled to take on the role of at least semi-host, whenever he spots someone looking - well, like this woman is looking right now.

"Lady, can I be of assistance?"

His voice is deep and rich, his pronunciation vaguely British, only not really, and his mode of dress and whole demeanor clearly not contemporary with her. Not to mention the ears. And the starbright eyes.

[have_no_mercy]

Oh, god. She's been pulled into an alien netherworld. Why are they always British?

Tess slowly puts her phone away, gaze never leaving the man. "Where am I?"

[starrydome]

"This is a place called Milliways," he answers. "It is not unlike a tavern at a crossroad, only here the roads lead not to towns and villages, but to worlds and times."

[have_no_mercy]

"How did it get in my study?" Which, really, is the most important question at the moment.

[starrydome]

"I believe that most doors may open and lead you here. It can be unsettling at first but I have yet to hear of anyone come to harm here."

[have_no_mercy]

It's more than unsettling. "This doesn't have anything to do with the orb, does it?"

[student_of_impossibility]

Not too far from the door, there's a tall young man lounging in a chair. This shouldn't entirely be possible, considering that it's a pull-out chair for a table, but then again, it's tilted onto its back legs, and his are crossed at the ankles and up on a corner of the table.

He's six foot three or so, with bright green eyes, and dressed in red trimmed with blue. Luckily for everything else, the garment's a distinctly mediaeval tunic, his build is far more slender than a brick wall, and his face is notably Roman.

One eyebrow tilted up, Tavi smiles faintly. "That is approximately the right expression to have, the first time in this place," he notes wryly.

[have_no_mercy]

The expression of surprised is replaced with that of a very serious glare directed at Tavi. "And what is this place, exactly?"

[student_of_impossibility]

"A tavern. Or pub, or bar, whatever your land calls them. She calls herself the Bar, so that might be the most accurate."

He sweeps a hand around at the room, with its varied occupants. "Welcome to Milliways. It is, apparently, at the End of the Universe. It also has an obscure sense of humor, including, among other things, about when it yanks its patrons from their activities," he adds.

He's eying her with relaxed curiosity, while his mind starts cataloging details for examination.

[have_no_mercy]

Details? She's tall, dressed in a well tailored and expensive looking suit, with heels that are nowhere near sensible. She's also visibly on guard, for those who care to notice such things.

"A bar at the end of the universe." It doesn't sound as implausible as it should.

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi most definitely cares, and his continuing relaxed air may be slightly based on that. No need to stop being blithely unconcerned.

"That's the gist," he agrees. "The Window over there," he waves towards it, "is generally used as proof, although most people find it... unsettling. And I suppose if it's the end of the universe, a drink's more or less the order of the day."

Tavi himself is not facing towards it today. He's got a war going; he doesn't need to think about the end of everything.

[have_no_mercy]

The Window is glanced at, but it perhaps doesn't garner the desired reaction. Tess' mind is going a mile a minute with a billion and one questions that need to be answered, let alone the ones she wants to ask.

"I'm never one to turn down a drink."