[GP/EP] We are programmed to receive

[st_alksthroughwalls]

Fifteen days into this particular strange trip, Kitty had redistributed alcohol supplies between the cafe, restaurant, and night club to make it possible to easily tend bar wherever people decided to gather. Today, as most days, she settled into the lobby cafe after chivvying the cook into chicken tenders and french fries (after convincing him it was a single plate meal). It was the closest she could get to "bar food" from him and someone would probably arrive sooner rather than later to make something else.

A few people trickled in after awhile, but none of them demanding. Like her, they drank coffee from the samovar she'd put out. And also like her, most of them had something else to keep them occupied. At the moment, Kitty had a notebook open (from the gift shop; she kept her school notebooks separate in case she made it home during the term) and was sketching plans to upgrade the hotel's computer technology. She needed more raw computing power to work out the energy requirements to do what Illyana did with a thought.

She lifted her head periodically to check for new customers, and had just seated herself at the end of the bar after refilling the samovar when the first new new customer arrived. Immediately, she flipped to a fresh page in the notebook and headed it "Day 15" and made a hash mark for one new arrival. Then she looked up from her notebook and offered one and all her best bartending smile.

Comments

Re: Open to All

[st_illness]

"Miss Williams." Or perhaps Miss Dorothy, time would tell on that score. Qui-Gon regarded the tea additives, then bowed his head slightly. "Surprise me, I think. I am curious about where here is."

Re: Open to All

[st_oh_honestly]

She added a bit of milk and one lump of sugar, not consciously aware that, that was how Hugh took his, and offered it to him.

"This is the Madonna Inn, sir." She didn't know his name yet but was sure he'd tell her in due course.

"Anything else I'm still a bit fuzzy on myself. I've only been here two weeks, and there were only a few people here before that which is when most of us arrived. I don't know," she hesitated and then pushed through obviously not comfortable with the topic. "When you're from, or where exactly, but most of us are from different times and places."

Privately she couldn't help wonder if this wasn't some sort of afterlife but, if it was it wasn't like anything she'd been taught to expect.

Re: Open to All

[st_illness]

"I see." Qui-Gon took a sip of the tea, then held the cup away and looked at it. Not bad! A fresh point in this new adventure's favor, even. Another point, whether Miss Williams realized it or not, was the fact that it seemed almost no one in this inn was local to it. "My name is Qui-Gon Jinn. I come most recently from Naboo," no need to mention the difficulties there, given that 'when' was a question and those troubles might either be ended or not yet begun, "but I've traveled the galaxy quite extensively. I've not heard of the Madonna Inn before, though."

Re: Open to All

[st_oh_honestly]

"The galaxy," she didn't quite gape at him, but she was obviously shocked. If a little curious. She lighted, embarrassed. "I'd barely left Melbourne before coming here, and then just to go to the seaside."

Re: Open to All

[st_illness]

Melbourne wasn't familiar either, not as a planet or as a city on a planet. And yet this place didn't feel like the Outer Rim. Somewhere unexplored (by the Republic, anyway) perhaps, though the people here seemed human. The Force was still quiescent though, not pushing him one way or another. "Many people never leave the familiar behind at all. I commend your bravery."

Re: Open to All

[st_oh_honestly]

"Didn't have much choice, one minute I was there, and then I was here." And if she was honest, she would have preferred not to make the trip.

"Hardly brave, being deposited on their doorstep. But then at least I'm not alone."

Re: Open to All

[st_illness]

"I've found that bravery can also be found in reactions to the unfamiliar. You, for example, could have done any number of things to avoid your new reality. Instead, here you are offering tea and conversation to others in the same situation." Some of whom, no doubt, were regarding this with less this-is-so-interesting and more this-is-my-nightmare. "But I imagine it does help having so many others around."

Re: Open to All

[st_oh_honestly]

"It is a comfort," she admitted, pouring herself a cup of tea as well. "The others being here. But if I'm honest I get as much out of helping out here, with the tea and such as anyone else. I do like to be useful."

She sipped her tea and smiled gently, "It keeps me from missing home too much."