Patchwork Universe

Larkin Quickgrip · Good Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Posts: 78 Location: The Slums

Larkin thought for a second and said "Uhhhhh yeah, I suppose." Larkin thought it better to just say yes now, instead of suffering all the hassle later.

Knocking back the brandy and wincing Larkin handed his cup to the current general and said "Hey thanks." and while nodding to Jewel said "Hey its bin good ter meet the pair of yers." Before turning to the old general and said "Curator General aye? Hard job wassit?."

[edited -- OOC: continued for Larkin in "A Little Walk". Everyone else stay here.]

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 85 Location: The Museum

As Dr. Eddison disappeared with Larkin, Dr. Odom turned wistfully back toward Dr. Jewel.

Dr Jewel · Posted: 12 Apr 2004 11:04 am Post subject:

Dr Jewel looked thoughtfully at the tea-cup of plum brandy. She took a small flask of coffee out of her shoulder bag and unscrewed the cup. She cautiously prodded the tea-cup with it, but the flask-cup seemed to go straight through it.

"I think that my belongs are too attached to me." She said, apologetically.

She poured herself a cup of, strangely, still-hot coffee instead.

"Do you want to change out of the diving suit ?" She asked. "It seems we have a great deal to talk about after what Larkin has said about everything moving around. As we are not about to immediately return to Maypole Hill, you should be safe."

She looked thoughtfully at Trubshawe.

"Also, he did suggest that pub as a source of information." She added. "They might know where the zoo is and, more importantly, why everything appears to be set out in little rectangles - or perhaps squares - performing some sort of formal dance of moves."

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 85 Location: The Museum

"That's a shame. I had hoped that the cup might serve as some sort of bridge. Just as the barman and I were both able to pick up the glass in the pub, I had wondered if something you owned that was designed to hold something could, in fact hold . . . stuff. You get the idea -- you can pour your coffee into your cup, but, being a cup, it might consent to hold spirits, at least, if not, say, nails."

Dr. Odom raised on hand palm up in a nescient shrug-like gesture.

"As for getting out of the suit, the idea has never been far from my mind. Dr. Eddison should be back soon. If you need anything before he returns, you may ask at the ticket window. I shall return as soon as possible. Have you any questions before I shuffle off for a bit?"

liason · Posted: 12 Apr 2004 03:11 pm Post subject:

[Spoken in the Foyer, but probably audible from here]
"Do excuse my interruption, but whereabouts might I find a Guide ?"

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 85 Location: The Museum

"Ah perhaps I don't get to shuffle off just yet," Dr. Odom said with regret. "One moment, Dr."

Dr. Odom stepped out of the cloakroom and walked briskly toward the back of the foyer. The boots rang loudly in the vast room.

"Sir, this is the very place to find a Guide. In fact, I'm surprised you haven't already been assigned to one. Do you have a particular interest, or do you wish to see a variety of exhibits?"

Suddenly Dr. Odom realized that he was greeting a visitor while wearing a diving suit, the spherical brass helmet in one hand and a battered china cup in the other.

liason · Posted: 12 Apr 2004 03:36 pm Post subject:

[Odom moved to thread 'Lost in the Museum']

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 85 Location: The Museum

Dr. Odom shook his head and drained his cup. Not a proper visitor at all, then, he thought. What is wrong with the world that the only people visiting the Museum are doing so to get to the other side? The world has truly gone mad.

"This way, sir. We can wait for Dr. Eddison to return."

Dr. Odom turned and walked back to the cloakroom with less sense of purpose than when he had emerged.

liason · Posted: 12 Apr 2004 03:59 pm Post subject:

Liason followed and bowed to the assembled as he entered.

"My apologies for disrupting your meeting."

He stood quietly against one wall. In doing so he became completely motionless, more like an exhibit than a visitor.

Dr Jewel · Posted: 12 Apr 2004 04:34 pm Post subject:

Dr Jewel looked curiously at the new arrival. It seemed that there was quite a lot of traffic heading northwards. She doubted that the new arrival was interested in the slums; meaning that either he or Larkin were mistaken about what was there.

"Why don't you go and change, Dr Odom?" She suggested. "I can wait for Dr Eddison. Unless you think he might be offended by your absence?"

She turned to the visitor.

"Nice to meet you." She tried. "I am Dr Jewel Hart and I come from Maypole Hill which is, or was, to the southeast of here. May I ask what you were hoping to find to the north? A gentleman named Larkin Quickgrip indicated that it was the slums."

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 85 Location: The Museum

"Very well. Will you please order" -- the emphasis was accompanied by a flash of a mischievous grin -- "Dr. Eddison to escort this gentleman to his destination as well?"

Dr. Odom bowed crisply and strode out of the cloakroom.

[OOC: Dr. Odom will reappear in "Homecoming"]

liason · Posted: 12 Apr 2004 05:02 pm Post subject:

"I am Liason, Ambassador to the Imperial Foundry. I am pleased to meet you, Dr. Hart. As for slums... no, that it not what I seek to the North."

Liason looked thoughtful for a moment, then raised his eyes to Dr. Jewel's gaze again, "If I were to speak of gods and of shifting lands, would that seem a non-sequitur to you ? For it is amongst these things that the reasons for my journey lie."

Dr Jewel · Posted: 13 Apr 2004 08:03 am Post subject:

"Gods and shifting lands?" Dr Jewel repeated. "Shifting lands means something to me. Maypole Hill used to have landmarks around it which did not include the Museum and that pub. Even after I first found the changes, things have changed again. However this is the first time I have heard anyone mention gods. Although, I suppose that it would be the next logical step.

"And as for the Imperial Foundary, I'm afraid I have never heard of it. But then I had never..." she suddenly lowered her voice fearing that the nearby staff might hear her, "...heard of the Museum before either. Is it far from here?"

Another thought struck her.

"Do you mean that there is a god somewhere to the north of us?"

liason · Posted: 13 Apr 2004 08:22 am Post subject:

Liason approached Dr. Jewel and sat down, sweeping the back of his cloak out of the way as he did so.

"I cannot say where the gods may be found, but certainly they walk this land just as you and I do. As for the Imperial Foundry, I cannot say how far away it lies, since the lands about me have changed now. The best answer I can give is that I have travelled from there in the space of a day."

Liason looked towards Trubshawe, "And you, Sir, do you know aught of shifting lands and the business of the gods ?"

Trubshawe · Posted: 13 Apr 2004 09:28 am Post subject:

Trubshawe had been staring at his boots, working his jaw in furious thought, but at the mention of his name his attention snapped back to his surroundings.

"Gods, sir? Gods are invented by primitive minds to save them from having to rationally explicate confusing phenomena. And while I'll grant you that our current predicament is perplexing, only a moronically credulous mind would leap to the assumption that we need gods to explain it."

He bent his stare towards Dr Jewel.

"Madam, I take it from your title that you, like me, have enough scientific training to give short shrift to superstitious chatter. From what I can make out we are all having trouble keeping a fix on the places we call home, so let us work together to overcome our problems in a level-headed way. Can you relate to me the observations you have made on the geography of this tricksy place since you left your, what was it, Maypole Hill? And what was that experiment you were performing with the cups?"