Patchwork Universe

liason · Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:16 am Post subject:

Liason seemed to find something of great interest in Trubshawe's words. It was as though the man had somehow presented him with the most ingenious riddle in the world and his mind had wandered off into its complexities.

Credulous... He had given the matter no thought previously, but what if there was a deception occuring here. The metal fish spoke of advanced technology, the mists spoke similarly of potent magic. With such at his disposal, a man might indeed masquerade as a god. But to what end ?

Deciding he would need to question Trubshawe at greater length later, Liason turned to hear Dr. Jewel's response.

Dr Jewel · Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2004 2:59 pm Post subject:

"I don't know." Dr Jewel looked at Trubshawe thoughtfully. "Much of my 'scientific' training was about using only the evidence I had to decide what was true and what was not. Enough strange things have happened to or around me lately that I either have to regard this entire place as a dream of some sort or I have to admit that this world does not follow the rules I expect it to.

"In terms of geography, I initially reached the Museum, yesterday in fact, by walking directly west from Maypole Hill and then returned to my village by walking east this morning. So far, so good. However this afternoon the Museum is north-west of Maypole Hill. Walking west from the village took myself and Dr Odom to the inn where we first saw you."

She sighed.

"The business with the cup is a completely different experiment, so perhaps we should stick with geography for the moment."

Trubshawe · Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2004 6:52 pm Post subject:

"However strange this place, however unusual the rules it plays by," admonished the Zookeeper, "I absolutely guarantee you it is not gods we will find at the bottom of it!"

He stuck his fingers into the lapels of his jacket and began to pace about before Liason and Dr Jewel.

"Anyway, what you say about Maypole Hill is heartening, as it means the Zoo and my Assistants may not be lost after all: merely in another direction for the time being. Though it will not do to become complacent. Just because your Hill has reappeared once after being temporarily lost does not mean it will always do so. Hmm, hmm.

"The mists, they're the interesting feature of all this. Am I right in saying that it is always impossible to see one discrete area from the neighbouring one? That being the case, it seems unlikely that geography is actively rearranging itself under our feet as we speak. Rather our movements are being controlled by forces as yet mysterious. We enter the enveloping mist where we are helpless, are spun around as it were, and sent on to a place of their, not of our, choosing. It must be more than coincidence that all of us have had our homes ripped away from us in a manner calculated to make us feel vulnerable. Our unseen adversaries seek to confuse and disorient us, the villains!"

It looked as though Trubshawe was a difficult man to calm down once he had warmed to a theme. Spinning from Jewel to Liason and back again he wagged a finger under their respective noses.

"We can beat them at their own game. Amass as much knowledge as these so-called 'gods' and their advantage is gone. Another experiment for you, Doctor! A long rope, held at either end by a trusted individual. One stays where he is, the other penetrates to the other side of the mist. We'll see if these areas are quite so literally contiguous as they appear. Even supposing they are, I'd like to see them try to rearrange our areas about us when they are securely tethered together by stout cable!"

His train of thought had pulled into a station at last. "So, opinions? Either of you?"[/u]

Dr Jewel · Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2004 9:22 pm Post subject:

"The rope experiment sounds an interesting one to try." Dr Jewel agreed cautiously. "Although, it could be a little dangerous. It might be safer to start by tying each end to a tree, or similar."

She glanced at Liason.

"There is also the inn to the south." She added. "Larkin Quickgrip indicated that there were people there who might tell us more. That strikes me as a good place to begin with for information. Even if we decide to take it all with a pinch of salt."

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 96 Location: The Museum

The klip . . . klep of the heels of unhurried, long-legged strides reached the cloakroom well ahead of Dr. Eddison. When the man himself reappeared his pipe dangled from his mouth and his hands were thrust into the pockets of his coverall in such a way that it was plain to see how he had carried his hands the same way when he had worn a coat and vest. In fact, he almost made the coverall seem like a coat and vest.

Dr Jewel · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 7:57 am Post subject:

"Dr Eddison?"Dr Jewel began. "Dr Odom requests that you escort Liason," she indicated with a wave of her hand, "to the north exit also."

She turned to Liason.

"I hope we can speak again." She said.

liason · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 8:38 am Post subject:

"Indeed so." Liason turned to Trubshawe, "Your grasp of the Philosophy greatly exceeds mine, sir. Should time allow I offer my assistance in the matter of your experiments. And, perhaps more importantly, the assistance of the Imperial Foundry."

Standing up and turning to Eddison in a single, smooth motion, Liason bowed to him.

"Thankyou for agreeing to escort me. This marvellous establishment deserves far more attention than I can give it today. I must depart at once."

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 96 Location: The Museum

"Hrmph! 'Requests', does he? 'Agree', do I? It's been over forty years since I was graduated from Runner to Guide. Must I go through all of that shit again? Shall I become Curator General some day if I work diligently?" The rancor-free tone suggested that this was Dr. Eddison's idea of casual conversation.

"Very well, then. This way, sir."

[OOC: Dr. Eddison and Liason move to "A Little Talk"]

Dr Jewel · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 2:29 pm Post subject:

Dr Jewel watched the two men leave, with a half-smile on her face.

"Perhaps I'll ask Dr Odom about the work of Guides and Runners." She said, more to the ceiling than to Trubshawe. "He'll be able to tell me whether I have offended Dr Eddison or if this is merely his usual manner. Or both."

She shrugged with resigned amusement.

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 96 Location: The Museum

The echoes of the departure of Liason and Dr. Eddison went on in the silence long after the pair had disappeared around the corner. After some time, shorter, sharper footsteps could be heard, gradually growing to displace the silence.

When he reappeared Dr. Odom was very much more the man Dr. Jewel had first encountered. His coat was still a little rumpled from having been worn under the diving suit and his shirt showed creases from being unfolded very recently, but his air of authority had returned.

Dr Jewel · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 4:30 pm Post subject:

"Hello Dr." Jewel said. "Dr Eddison returned in your absence and he is now escorting Liason to the north door. He didn't seem entirely thrilled by the task, but I suppose he had already made the journey once today."

She nodded towards Trubshawe.

"This gentleman has suggested we carry out some experiments on the borders of mist. Possibly connecting people or objects through the mist. I thought it sounded interesting."

Trubshawe · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 4:34 pm Post subject:

Trubshawe had regarded the departure of Liason meditatively. Excellent young fellow, there, he'd thought to himself. Obviously extremely well brought up. Not like that blasted juvenile delinquent Quickgrip.

But he himself hadn't wanted to head north: it seemed unlikely the Zoo would be found in that direction. After all, Quickgrip had been almost indecently eager to head that way, and the Zoo was far too educational and wholesome an establishment to attract the likes of him.

Besides which, it looked as though the two Doctors were sticking around. And while the way they both insisted on their titles being used in public smacked of vulgar self-importance and vanity, as long as their qualifications were not actively fraudulent they were just the kind of intelligent people that Trubshawe needed to stick to like glue.

He cleared his throat. "So, Dr Jewel, Dr Odom: now we are three, what is the plan? Dr Jewel, while I appreciate that it comes highly recommended by various persons who may or may not be drunkards and madmen, I cannot believe a public house is the best possible place to demystify these mists (as it were). Especially as I found the staff extremely ignorant and unhelpful when I stopped at the place on the way here...

"Dr Odom, now that you have been reunited with your, ah, splendid museum, will you be staying put, anticipating the possibility of it being whisked away a second time?"[/u]

Dr Jewel · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 4:48 pm Post subject:

"I was taking the recommendation mainly because Larkin gave it whilst successfully locating the Museum for us." Dr Jewel said mildly. "But, if you've already spoken to the people inside then I would agree that we should explore other options first. By the way, do you have reason to distrust Larkin Quickgrip?"

She blushed slightly.

"However, I'm forgetting my manners. We've not been properly introduced, so let me begin. I am Jewel Hart and I work, or worked, as an archeologist on the Maypole Hill site which is currently to the southeast of here. I was sent to oversee the dig by my department at Cambridge University when some roman coins were uncovered."

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 96 Location: The Museum

"Whisked away," now, throught Dr. Odom regretfully. I must make time to get this poor man to the infirmary to speak with an alienist.

"I must discover, if I can, how and why these landscapes come and go around the Museum," Dr. Odom responded, trying to inject a subtle correction to the man's statement without being antagonistic.

"There is merit to the suggestion of experimentation. Anchoring ropes or chains on each side of the mist, perhaps, if I understand you correctly? I had planned to place some sort of marker so that I might find the spot across the mist from the Museum door quickly. I wonder if we ought to tie a string to the handle? I imagine a string would be adequate for purposes of such an experiment, and much less difficult to carry.

"As to the public house . . . As to the public house, Dr. Jewel does not recall such a place. In my limited experience with such establishments," (limited to an afternoon at the Olive Branch when I was twenty-nine and another at the Lamb and Fleece when I was forty-six, he admitted to himself,) "the staff and patrons enjoy talking, and even misinformation is information of a sort. I will defer to Dr. Jewel on the matter.

"Something else has occurred to me, though. If Maple Hill is no longer out that door," he said, pointing, "then what is?

"I suggest that we acquire a couple of sticks and some rags and string. We find out what is through the front door, planting a stick with a rag as a marker and tying one end of a piece of string to the stick and the other end to the door handle. Once we learn what is there we may either learn more before returning or return here to get another flag and string and visit the public house.

"Does that cover everything? I believe it addresses the concerns you have each mentioned. Of course it is merely my suggestion."

Dr. Odom recovered his cup, further depleted Dr. Eddison's drink supply, and set to work on a cigarette.

[OOC: We seem to have a very small cross-posting problem today. If nobody objects I'll leave it as long as we can all sort out what is happening.]

Trubshawe · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 6:24 pm Post subject:

"Whether the Museum is whisked away from you or you are whisked away from it has not yet been determined," snapped Trubshawe. "But yes, I have already theorised to Dr Jewel that our places of origin are static, and that these infernal mists choose how to move us between them. My rope experiment may well put an end to mere speculation, of course."

He turned back to Dr Jewel and did his best to turn on the charm (it emerged as a slight dribble).

"A pleasure to meet you, Dr Hart. I have never heard of 'Cambridge' but I am sure there is no finer academic institution on your planet, at least in the archaeological field. Does it have a biological sciences department?

"You noticed that I am suspicious of Quickgrip then. I have nothing concrete against the boy, it must be said, but... there was something about him: insolent, opportunistic, spoiling for trouble. Then again, he is still young..."