Patchwork Universe

liason · Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 7:56 pm Post subject:

Liason nodded, a grave expression on his face, "To make such an offer is no small matter. I am honoured by it and I do not hesitate to accept. In this matter, the few may prove more useful than the many, particularly where members of your crew are concerned, strong in training and discipline."

"I must request that when calling for volunteers you make clear that there may be fearful sights awaiting any who accompany me. Any who doubts the strength of their resolve would better remain behind."

"And there is one last thing. Any who accompany me may well become privy to secrets I would not have willing told any beyond the Foundry's walls. Of course I will be in no position to begrudge them this, but nor do I wish tales to spread any further than the senior officers of the HMS Justice."

And, so saying, Liason made a small bow of the head to the Captain and then the Doctor - the meaning of which they could only guess at.

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 186 Location: HMS Justice

Never the expert on foreign manners, Captain DeRainault merely bobbed her head in response to the Ambassador. 'I expect it's much the same as shaking hands,' she mused. But, the matter now decided, she was prepared to spring into action. There were just a few matters to resolve. Turning to the Ambassador, she addressed his concerns. "Rest assured, Mr. L'Iason, you need have no doubts as to either the courage or discretion of my officers - though I assure you I will give careful consideration to any able or ordinary crewmen we send."

That said, the Captain turned to her companion. "I trust you will be well here, Domina? I do apologize for leaving you to deal with that rabble, but I am certain that Mr. Jones could provide you with a comfortable room for the night, and you could make your way back to the ship in the morning. Although - " DeRainault's brow creased with concern. "I wonder that it will be safe, with all these pirates around. Perhaps I should leave Habbakuk here with you, just in case."

Domenova, who had just finished putting the map and notebook away, snorted in response. "Oh, forbear, for all love. I will be fine - have I not journeyed through the Amazon jungles, and lived amongst the desert tribes of the Sahara? I trust I can handle a few buccaneers. I'll find out anything I can, and be with you directly - though there is the matter of the parlay."

"I think you know my mind better than I do, Doctor, and I give you full power to negotiate on my behalf as necessary." The Captain returned her attention to Liason. "Well, there it is. Before I leave, I must ask, sir, how long you intend to tarry - were you planning to stay the night, as it were, or to travel on though the dark? I thought to return to my ship at once, and if time is of the essence, I can have any volunteers dispatched immediately upon my return. If, however, you will be breaking your journey here, then it might be best to rendez-vous to the south of here come the morning, thus allowing the men to be rested before venturing into foreign territory." Clearly, the Captain already had a strategy in mind.

liason · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 3:58 pm Post subject:

"I will stay here a short time. In truth I have lost track of day and night. And should the Doctor have need of defence," here Liason turned to Domenova, "My sword should prove adequate to the task of holding pirates at bay."

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 186 Location: HMS Justice

"Very well, I commend the Doctor to you, leaving her in capable hands, I trust. I'll also send the volunteers out posthaste upon my return the the Justice. And now, I must be off." The Captain sketched a half bow to Liason. "Domina, I have no doubt I'll see you tomorrow in the forenoon. And it nearly goes without saying to watch yourself around Magpie, he is after all, " and this with a wink, it was an old joke of theirs "a pirate."

With that, Captain DeRainault donned her hat, and gesturing to Habbakuk to follow, walked through the doors into the public bar, intending to leave the public house and head for the Map Room, and from thence to the Justice.

[Captain DeRainault has now left the Saloon Bar thread, and her actions continue in the Public Bar Thread.]

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 186 Location: HMS Justice

As the door to the public bar swung shut behind Habbakuk, an audible 'thump' could be heard, followed by some indistinct but sharp-sounding words. "Oh dear." Doctor Domenova looked over at Liason and sighed. "I do hope they're not going to have *another* fight." Receiving no immediate response, as the man appeared to be engaged with his meal, she continued. "I must add that it was most kind of you to offer your protection, sir - but you need have no concern on my account." For just a moment, the demeanor of the pleasant, slightly scatterbrained physician and academic seemed to waver. "I have been in some rather sticky situations in my time, and have managed quite capably."

Domenova idly drank the last of her madeira, and bending over, caught up the Captain's abandoned glass. "Now, I'd best see about arranging that room for the night before the innkeeper chooses to retire." Wandering over to the bar, the Doctor scooped up Habbakuk's mug, and continued muttering to herself. "I'd best pay for the drinks before I forget, as well, and perhaps a bit of late supper wouldn't hurt. Oh! I do hope Bel remembers to take some food tonight before haring off to that rendez-vous... I should have reminded her before she left, the woman does tend to forget to eat when she's busy..." Setting the mug and glasses down on the bartop, the Doctor looked about expectantly for Jones or one of his family members.

liason · Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2004 7:00 am Post subject:

It wasn't long before Liason had finished his meal. He stood up, then began to pace back and forth very slowly.

A question had begun to bother him. It was all very well to prevent the Foundry from pursuing its plans, but whatever had happened to the world, it seemed unlikely that the hundreds of customers he had hoped to draw there would be forthcoming. What should the Foundry do now ?

Increasingly, Liason's thoughts turned to the Museum. Maybe the records there would provide clues. Perhaps even the plans of the Illuminated Emperor would finally become clear ?

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 186 Location: HMS Justice

The silent contemplations of both the saloon bar's inhabitants was interrupted by the far doors (those *not* leading to the public bar, but to the corridor to the kitchen) swung open, and Captain Isobel DeRainault, still looking vexed, entered the room, with Habbakuk right behind her.

Doffing her hat in a gesture of greeting, she said. "Doctor, Ambassador, I fear there may be a slight complication. The world has seent fit to rearrange itself yet again, and our most recent map is useless in guiding us either to the ship, or to your Foundry, Mr. L'Iason. I believe that we will need to locate the room of the map once more, prior to the furtherance of any of our plans."

Captain Magpie · Posted: Sun May 02, 2004 11:06 am Post subject:

Magpie chose this moment for his second attempt to enter the Saloon Bar. The door swung in, a head angled sideways round it, and then flashed a grin at those present.

"Aha, just couldn't stay away?" he asked Isobel, before turning to the others with a nod.

"Now listen up, all of you - as far as I'm concerned we're all a long way from home and none of us can have worked out even half of what's going on yet. I know there's a lot of bluff and bluster you're trying to present but do you want to sit down like civilised people and talk about it, or would you rather just carry on careening about on your own."

He was looking from one occupant to the other - this ambassador fellow was certainly worth talking to as well - but addressed his last remark to the sailors alone.

"I thought we'd agreed a talk could be of mutual advantage. What do you say - shall I pull up a chair, or just get back to the main bar?"

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 186 Location: HMS Justice

Captain DeRainault's expression of vexastion did not lessen throught the pirate's little speech, and indeed, by the end of it she was tapping her foot with impatience. At the pause, she responded briskly. "Well that's all very well - but as I understand it, the Ambassador has a mission of vital importance and time is of the essence. And in case you hadn't noticed, pirate, while you have been sitting around here in the pub, the world around us had re-ordered itself once again, making sharp action all the more essential, as locations may now be for more distant than they were. So, as you can see, I really don't have time for this."

Turing to Liason, she added "With that in mind, Ambassador, may I also suggest that you accompany me, and that we leave at once?" Hardly pausing for a response, she turned to the Doctor, and continued "Domina, I'll need some of the paper from your notebook - and an additional lead, if you have one." The Doctor, who had left the empty glasses on the bartop, nodded, and removed the items from her jacket pocket. As Domenova passed the items to her companion, DeRainault pressed a small bag into her hand, and the the two women seemed almost to embrace for a moment, as DeRainault whispered something in the Doctor's ear. A nod, a significant glance, and the Captain was at the door once more, pausing only to see whether the Ambassador intended to follow.

Without a further glance back, as though DeRainault were already out of her mind, Doctor Domenova turned to the pirate. "You must forgive my friend, Mag-, excuse me, *Captain* Magpie. When it is a question of duty, she has time for little else. Perhaps you would be willing to sit and speak with me? I have made several observations concerning the nature of this land and its peoples which might, indeed, prove insightful." The Doctor's smile was friendly and genuine, for she rarely had the opportunity to speak with a pirate, much less a pirate Captain, unless either she or they were being held as a prisoner, and that tended to make ethnologic interviews difficult. "Oh, and my manners! Allow me to offer you a glass of wine, or perhaps rum? In fact - " she continued, gesturing for Magpie to take a seat, while she moved once more to the counter. "a *bottle* of rum might be more appropriate, don't you think?"

liason · Posted: Tue May 04, 2004 11:07 am Post subject:

Liason spoke quietly to the Captain as they left the room.

"I should first verify that the Foundry has indeed moved. I have ten miles to travel, which will take me two hours. I will meet you or one of your crew by the sign in this patch at that time."

[Liason leaves this location - moved to the roadside thread]

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 186 Location: HMS Justice

"As you will, Ambassador." DeRainault dipped her head in acknowledgement. "I intend to follow the roadsigns in the hopes of locating the room of the map, and make further plans once there. I shall do my best to have someone waiting for you at the appropriate time." Gesturing to Habakkuk, she watched the Ambassador depart and continued on at a somewhat slower pace.

[Captain DeRainault leaves the Saloon Bar thread for the Roadside thread.]

Jones · Posted: Tue May 04, 2004 1:51 pm Post subject:

As Magpie considered the doctor's offer, the door behind the saloon bar, the one that led directly into the bar on the other side, opened. Jones came through quietly and glanced briefly at the doctor's empty glass.
"A drink, Doctor?" he said.

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 186 Location: HMS Justice

"A bottle of rum, please, Mr. Jones." Domenova's expression was amused. "In fact, make it *two* bottles of rum. One for me, and one for my guest, here." She waved a hand in the direction of Magpie, who was now seated before the fire. "Oh, and while I remember, I'd like to arrange a room for the night with breakfast in the morning, and some late supper to be sent there for when I've finished speaking to the pirate captain." Domenova opened the small bag of coins that DeRainault had given her. "I can make any payments in advance, if you'd like to retire before we are done speaking - though, you may wish to join us yourself, if your duites permit." The Doctor seemed positively delighted, and favored the publican with a broad smile. "I am sure that the conversation will prove *most* illuminating."

Captain Magpie · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 11:49 am Post subject:

Magpie liked the warmth of the fire on his back, and the unexpectedly pleasant company. The Navy captain was in a foul mood, for whatever reason, and what with her breaking into pubs, leaving and returning and blowing hot and cold he really was starting to doubt her stability. But never mind - perhaps her crew wer strong enough to carry her.

"Do join us Jones, if you've the time, and if not, thanks kindly for the rum and hospitality."

He addressed the Doctor directly though not, he hoped, intimidatingly.
"Let's start with the basics - best I can tell there are bits from all over the place here, arranged in 3 mile squares butted up against each other. So, wherabouts have you been in this world then - and for how long? Seen any exceptions to that rule?"

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 186 Location: HMS Justice

Doctor Domenova wandered back over to the pirate captain, a bottle of rum in each hand. She had put her glasses back on to count out payment for Jones, and these now slid down her nose somewhat. Handing one bottle to Magpie, she uncorked one and set it down, then reached into her pocket to ready her notebook and pencil. As she did, she began to answer.

"Well, yes, that is an interesting point - you will observe, perhaps that this area we are in, Jones' Public House is in fact somewhat larger than 3 mile square, or one nautical mile, as the Captain assures me. So, I would hazard that the spatial rule is not uniform, but it does appear to be common. Myself I have seen no more than this place, the Justice, and the Imperial Foundry, of which our friend," now gesturing in the direction of the recently departed Liason "is the Ambassador. Your own ship, and area around it, I assume, conforms to the general rule, and -" Domenova had her notebook on her knee, and was making notes already when she paused. "But where are my manners? A glass (or drink, as it were) of rum with you, sir." Domenova held up her bottle in salute.