milliways_bar | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Charles has been taking advantage of the fact that time stops in Milliways to do work and learn more about the people who pass through here. There's such a variety to the minds and experiences that if he didn't have to finish his editing, he'd probably spend most of his time with his eyes closed and just listening.

As it is, one of his sections isn't going as he'd like and he keeps going back over a certain sentence until he's quite lost track of time.

When he finally gets it right, he looks up and realizes that took a while and allows himself a break, so he leans back in his chair and observes the Bar.

Tiny tag: Charles Xavier, Antinoos
OOC: If you approach him while he's working then he's not mentally listening except quite passively. After he's stopped working, he is actively listening to the conversations and minds around him. Feel free to interrupt him or wait until he's on a break. Please let me know what he'll encounter in your pup's mind. Thank you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The robot repeats it, slowly and carefully. One gets the sense that it would roll its eyes if it were capable.

When Charles focuses on it, he's able to recall his training and grins,

"Hello to you too. I'm sorry I didn't get it the first time. I was in the scouts the last time I used it."

The robot cants its head to one side. ".-- .... .- - / ... -.-. --- ..- - ...?"

( What scouts? )

"Boy scouts in America. We collected badges and helped with the war effort,"

He liked some of the things they did but sometimes he said the wrong things and knew the wrong things.

".-- .... .. -.-. .... / .-- .- .-.?"

( Which war? )

"The second world war against the Nazis and Japan."

".-- .... . -. / .-- .- ... / - .... .- -?"

( When was that? )

"It began in Europe in 1939 but the United States didn't join until 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor and V-E and V-J days were both in 1945."

The robot makes an awed noise.

"-.-- --- ..- / -- ..- ... - / -... . / .-. . .- .-.. .-.. -.-- / --- .-.. -.."

( You must be really old. )

Charles laughs and shakes his head, "I'm not. It's not even twenty years ago for me."

The robot makes another puzzled noise. It never got the memo about people being from different parts of the timestream, apparently.

"I'm from 1962 so it's not that far in my past. When are you from?"

"..--- ----- ..--- ..---," replies the robot, hesitantly.

( 2022 )

"I see. Most people here seem to be from around that time or within ten or twenty years on either side."

".. / - .... --- ..- --. .... - / . ...- . .-. -.-- --- -. . / .-- .- ... / ..-. .-. --- -- / - .... . / ... .- -- . / - .. -- .," the robot remarks. ".--- ..- ... - / -.. .. ..-. ..-. . .-. . -. - / .-- --- .-. .-.. -.. ..."

( I thought everyone was from the same time. Just different worlds. )

"No, I don't believe so. I think everyone's from different times and places. That's what I've observed."

".-- .... -.-- / -.. .. -.. -. .----. - / .- .-.. -.-- -..- / - . .-.. .-.. / -- . / - .... .- -?" says the robot, more to himself than to Charles.

( Why didn't Alyx tell me that? )

"Who's Alyx?"

The problem with not being able to read this robot's mind is Charles is missing a lot of context.

"... .... . / -- .- -.. . / -- .," explains the robot. "-.. --- / -.-- --- ..- / .-- .- -. - / - --- / -- . . - / .... . .-.?"

( She made me. Do you want to meet her? )

"If she's here, I'd like that,"

He'd rather not disturb the woman if she's not.

"..-. --- .-.. .-.. --- .-- / -- .!" the robot beeps as he floats away from the table.

Quickly Charles gets his papers in a pile and picks them up before following Skitch.

The little robot leads Charles over to a table covered with maps and notes. Seated at that table is a heavily pregnant woman of mixed African and Asian descent. Her thoughts are scattered: battle plans, motivational speeches, concern for her unborn children, hope that she can return home before she gives birth. There's also... something else, something harder to pin down. It's almost as if she's reading someone else's mind even as Charles reads hers.

That other connection is intriguing as he's never seen anything quite like and he says,

"Excuse me. I'm afraid I slightly confused your robot."

"Hm?" She looks up. "Oh, has he been bothering you?"

The robot makes an offended noise.