milliways_bar | (no subject)

(no subject)

Val is at a table. A rather familiar table with green ink stains that never seem to ever go away. However, it's a rather interesting sight, but not all that abnormal. She has papers scattered over the table, along with a laptop playing some vid, two pots of ink, and a couple books. She has headphones and a digital music player. Would you look at that. Waitress taking a night off. Feel free to bug her.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

*The girl who was standing by Rand moves over to look at what the waitress is writing*

The waitress is actually writing something that might be a bit unintelligable to most people. It seems to be an outline, two outlines, in fact, of stories. Lives of two separate people. However, she's rather oblivious to everyone around her. She wouldn't mind a distraction, though.

You know them well?

Val looks up quite startled. "Oh, good evening, ma'am." She looks a bit sheepish. "I, um, yeah. I do know them rather well."

Good.

*She offers a hand, clearly expecting her ring to be kissed*

Val takes the other woman's hand and kisses the ring gently. She smiles, respectfully, then stands and curtseys. "I apologise, ma'am. I should introduce myself. I am Valentine Skywalker, head waitress at the bar"

Alia.

Atreides. Sister to Muad'dib.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, ma'am." Another gentle smile. "Is this your first night in the bar? I do not beleive I have seen you before."

I have come before. I spoke with...Howl. Is he here now?

"I do not beleive I have seen him. However, there are many which I have not met or seen. He is quite possibly still here."

I would like to see him again.

May I sit?

"Of course. Go right ahead. Please push away the papers if they are in your way." Val smiles gently. "Can I get you something to drink?"

Unchanged spice water.

Please.

Val stands, and returns with a glass of the requested beverage, and a mug of tea for herself. She hands the other woman the water and smiles. "Here you are, ma'am." A pause. "So, if it is not too prying, may I ask where you are from?"

House Atreides is of Caladan. I was born, and have always lived, on Arrakis. Dune.

Unfortunately, Val is the only person Ramses knows in this place, save a rather disturbing young fellow named Duo, and his own foster sister. Ramses needs answers, and fast.
He approaches cautiously, not wanting to startle the young lady, but wary of the machines she is using.
"Pardon me, miss?"

Val looks up and pulls off her headphones. "Good evening, sir." She smiles gently, and pokes a couple buttons. "Can I do something for you tonight?"

He's reserved... almost too reserved. No one should be that calm. But he is, from long habit.
"I was wondering if you might answer a few questions for me. My sister and I are concerned about our situation here." An understatement to be sure, but if this is a kidnapping situation, it won't do to become frantic. Cooler heads must preside.

"Oh, of course. Pull up a chair. I apologise for all of the scattered papers. I'm working on something, and my organization goes out the window sometimes. Would you like some tea while we talk?" Her voice is gentle, as she shuffles the papers into a pile, and closes her laptop.

His father's voice, thundering loud enough to be heard back in England, insisting that he doesn't want and damn tea, what he wants...

"No, thank you. Though some answers that make some sort of logical sense would be appreciated." He pulls up a chair for himself and sits, studying his hands for a moment as he tries to figure out where to begin.

"I will certainly try to give you as many answers as I have, sir." She leans back on her chair a bit. "Ask anything you want. Anything at all."

A distracted, short wave.
"Please, don't call me sir. Makes me think you're talking to my father." God knows he doesn't need that imagery. What the elder Emerson would do in his situation... doesn't bear thinking about. It would definitely be a good deal louder, for one.
"How is it that Nefret and I are here? She was speaking to another doctor the other day, and he gave her a current medical journal. We should be over one hundred years old, if the date is correct." He thinks it's only 2004. It's probably best that he hasn't met anyone from the Serenity yet.

It perhaps wouldn't be the best time either to tell him that Val is from about three hundred years beyond that. Her more intelligent genes prevail, and a serious light crosses her eyes.
"There is an odd magic about this bar. It can somehow pull people from various times and places together. Some are deities, some powerful beings, and some even come from tales told in others' worlds." She pauses. "As to an explanation why this happens, no one really knows. We tend to take it for granted, and not try too hard to explain it, as, well, there really is no explanation that anyone can comprehend."

"Other... worlds?" It is all a bit much to comprehend, so he focuses on what he thinks he might have a chance at understanding. "You mean to tell me there are other worlds that support life?" Only in the most unbelievable of fantasies has he ever heard the theory of aliens.

Val bites her lip, collecting thoughts carefully. "Yes. There are. There are different planets, different groups of planets that various people are from." She pauses a bit, deciding against trying to explain the multiple universes theories. Keep that for later. "It's basically like people are from different cultures, some of which have never heard of each other."

The practical part of him is worried. In Egypt, he is able to protect Nefret. He knows, and is known by, most if not all of the local lowlifes. Not a one would dare harm one hair on her head. Here, with so many different people, from different worlds at that...
However, the scholarly part of him, the part that practically drools at the sight of a painted pottery shard or an undisturbed mastaba, is estatic. All sorts of new cultures, new languages to learn...
"Are they all, what was the term you used, bound? Like myself and Nefret?" There's this business to sort out first, before he can indulge his curiosity.

"No, acutally. Many people here aren't bound. Some are Bound for a time, and then they come and go as they please. Others aren't bound, but they live here." She pauses. "My husband is not bound, but he has been staying here, as I am bound at the moment."

"At the moment? You have been unbound before?" Ramses seizes on this. "How does one become unbound? Is there a procedure of some sort? A test?" There's always a way out of every mess. If he's learned anything from his time in Egypt, it is that.

Val shakes her head. "One theory is that one is Bound until such time as one learns something, or does something specific in the Bar. I am still trying to figure out why I was Bound, then unbound, then re-bound. It doesn't make much sense, but really, nothing does around here." She pauses. "There really is no test per se, just perhaps learning as much as you can."

A faint expression of frustration escapes Ramses' iron control for a moment.
"Is there no way? My father needs us both for the dig, he will be worried." Never mind what his mother will do. Good Lord. Plus, he has other, less public commitments, ones that could possibly... but no, he has to think about getting back first.
And away from this place that keeps him forever in close proximity to her. It is sheer torture.

"No way that I know of, and I've been here for perhaps too long." She pauses. "There is a chance, a good chance, in fact, that no time will pass for you in your world while you are here. Granted, that is not overly comforting sometimes, however, if you were in the middle of something rather important, it means that you will go back to it."

He sighs, more of a forced release of breath than anything, trying to relieve some of the tension. With any luck, he will be able to take up his life as he left it, provided they ever found a way out of here. Now, to deal with the present...
"With so many people coming in from different worlds, it seems rather dangerous. My sister is... perhaps undercautious. Who should I speak to to arrange for her safety?" It is worth asking, even if he is fairly sure Val wouldn't have intimate knowledge of the local crime lords.

Perhaps Val is chuckling to herself, but she shows none of it on her face. "The Security staff is quite excellent here. Any threats or hints of threats to patrons are taken care of immidiately. People are quite safe here. Any possible problems are taken care of, and people who are known to be possible threats are kept an eye on. Your sister will be well protected. However, if you still wish to speak with a member of Security, I could point one or two out to you. My father is on Security, for example."

Perhaps Val will forgive him if that is less reassuring than she meant it to be. Of course she thinks security is good here - her father's part of the team. Love blinds.
"I see. Well, I won't take up any more of your time. Thank you for answering my questions, miss Valentine." Ramses rises, and bows. "I must go check on my sister. If you will excuse me?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only