001 - In Which Una Persson Discovers An Unexpected Snag

[una_persson]

[The feed switches on to show Una, entirely at ease in her suite in the Wood sector. She has a cut-glass British accent, though her manner isn't especially posh; she is smiling and seemingly quite relaxed, as if washing up on the back of a giant turtle is the sort of thing that happens to her every day.]

Hello, ladies and gentlemen and others. My name's Una Persson, and I'm newly arrived from the twentieth century. It's certainly a very interesting place you have here, and the locals are quite helpful.

Though they didn't see fit to tell me where a lady can get a decent cup of coffee, or whatever the local equivalent is, so I hope I can prevail upon my fellow expatriates for a recommendation? And I should also really like an overview of the local current events; I'd hate to be uninformed and say or do something to cause trouble.

[Though there's something about the way she says it and the gleam in her grey eyes that suggests that causing trouble might be precisely what she's interested in.]

Comments

[philosophe]

There is a decent cafe nearby, mademoiselle. [And he gives her the name of the one the amis have recently adopted with a smile.]

They have very good coffee.

[una_persson]

I knew someone would have an idea. Thank you very much.

And who is it that I've got to thank?

[philosophe]

Oh, I am called Combeferre; my apologies. Etienne, if you prefer it. Welcome to Keeliai.

[una_persson]

Thank you, Etienne. [If he's going to offer a first name, well, she'll use it.]

Where were you last, before you found yourself here, if you don't mind my asking?

[cynisme]

You can't get a good coffee outside of Paris, except perhaps in Rome or Istanbul. The suggestion Combeferre gave is likely the best you'll find here, in my estimation.

[una_persson]

It's a good thing you said Rome, or I would have said that I knew many Italians who would dispute that with you.

[cynisme]

I've never been, but I wouldn't doubt that, from the Italian's I've none. A very rowdy bunch, without much reason for it. Which isn't to say that I didn't enjoy that about them, I would say I liked them all the better for it.

video;

[cravats]

[The accent and the attitude both catch his attention. Alas, he is not a big coffee person. Far too Italian for him.]

I'm afraid I can't point you towards any coffee, Miss Persson, but if you are interested in tea I know of a great many places to buy that.

video;

[una_persson]

Tea is also welcome, of course. Really, I'll go for any sociable place where one can get a hot drink and meet interesting people.

video;

[cravats]

I'll send you a list of cafes that I've found with decent tea and atmosphere. It's always best to have options, don't you think?

[It doesn't take long for him to type up a list and send it with the text feature.]

[inseine]

I am on a quest for a strong cup, myself. There is one consistent pattern: the best brews cluster at the city center, near the intersection of all sectors. The... gentleman before me gave you a decent one, but there are others in Fire and Earth that are good. Though, frankly, in Fire you will spend for it. Unless you have a masochist's joy in dropping an astonishing five juulan on a dainty mug, avoid.

[una_persson]

Ah, I passed through the Fire sector on my way here. It does seem to be a rather high-living sort of place.

[inseine]

It is not lacking in any grandeur. Well, Fire aside, there are four other sectors to explore. One of the five ought to be to your taste.

text;

[squint]

It's mostly tea around here, sadly.

text;

[una_persson]

Nothing wrong with tea. Sometimes the point is less the drink itself and more the atmosphere of the ace, and the clientele.

text;

[squint]

Big fan of the socializing aspect?

audio;

[iron_ego]

The cliffnotes version is that you're on a giant turtle. Coffee's rare, but they've got a good whiskey wannabe so it's not entirely godforsaken.

[A beat.]

And, no, there's no escape. Yet. [The tone of a genius on the hunt to change that result.]

audio;

[una_persson]

A ... turtle.

Somehow that part was left out of the welcome-wagon speech.

That raises the question, what escape attempts have been made?

audio;

[iron_ego]

That's kedan hazing for you. Tell you everything you need to know, except what you need to know.

[And how's that for answering your question?]

North, south, east, west, up, down; you name it, it's been tried. I'm working on tapping the interdimensional limits, but the tech's not exactly prime for multiversal breakthroughs.

video;

[wintershepherd]

Coffee seems to be kind of a staple around here for most of the Foreigners, especially the new arrivals.

video;

[una_persson]

[Una has no problem seeing Jack. She operates in worlds where swords can steal souls, and where the borders between magic and science are very thin indeed.]

It's familiar, and I think some of us feel like we need a bit of a wake-up kick after finding ourselves here.

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

I can understand wanting familiar things. From what I've heard the best places for tea and coffee are in the Fire Sector.

[trainwrecked]

Well... which part of the twentieth century? Turns out it can look rather long - and I only come from nearly halfway through it.

[una_persson]

1930s. [A pause, while she considers how much she's willing to tell a stranger at this point, even in the middle of an obvious trans-temporal nexus.] More or less. It's rather complicated.

[trainwrecked]

1945, here. And there are people from the twenty-first, so - we're close?

Damn. I was a kid in '30.