The Stumble Inn

"Ours made the Wells Carbonizer Rifle and the aeromobile... Which I assume is similar to the "car" you mentioned? Hm... I guess our worlds are more similar than we thought on at least a few levels. Interesting, I suppose." He smiled."Well, perhaps I have met my universe's version of you in my own existance... Maybe not though. Ford's existance could have entirely been a fluke."

"I'm Melanie Moore. Though I doubt you've met me. I mostly kept to myself. I wrote poems. . . They weren't very good poems, mind, but I wrote them anyway."

"I've met a few Melanies, and one WAS an author, but given the population within the Terran Empire, I really can't say, especially as I can't remember any of their last names. I do know of Micheal Moore, the propaganda minister for the Terran Empire in America... Well, it's a big universe." He shrugged. "Well, maybe you've met me in your world, then? Hal Buckley? I was a factory worker's son... but that's everyone in America... Um... I never really did anything particularly special, so I guess I can't distinguish myself."

"No. . . I don't think we ever met."

Hal tilted his head from side to side in thought, and then shrugged. "I guess not. But it would have been interesting if we actually did meet at some point in our pasts. But you said you write poetry? I'd love to hear some. I'm a big fan of Lord Byron, myself."

"You never seem to want to hear Venusian poetry!" Kasei-La spouted, finally breaking her attention from the mouse.

"Well, yes. Especially since it's in Venusian language, which is mostly shrieks... I have tender ears, Kasei-La."

"...Fair enough."

Mel smiled and shook her head. "Nah, my poetry. . . It's no good."

Hal chuckled, before pulling out another cigarette. He didn't light it up this time, and only chewed on the filter. "Well, if you ever write a poem you think is particularly good, show me it, alright? I'd love to see." He looked at the clock. "Hm... Is there a bar, here? Or does this place function as a bar? Just wondering. Also, I think it's time for a certain young lady to go to bed."

Kasei-La stuck out her tongue. "Nu-uh! Venusians only sleep for 3 hours a day and you know that!"

Hal gave an amused smirk. "Fine, fine. You know I spoil you. But don't make too much noise. Other people need eight hours." He looked back at Mel. "Well?"

"Hmmm. . . There's a bar in the hotel. Not well stocked though. If you're looking for the hard stuff, you'll have to go find a pub."

Hal drummed his fingers on the desk. "Well, I suppose I'll just get a drink here, then. Do you run, the bar, or...?"

"Mmmm, some nights. . . my help left, so yes, I suppose so. . . " Mel trails off into a sigh.

"Well, I think I found my job, if you're willing. I'm particularly good at mixing drinks, so I think I could handle it." He smiled at her. "One of my many talents." He got up, and looked around. "Just show me to the bar, if you're willing to hire."

Kasei-La giggled. "He isn't lying. Of course, he's particularly good at making drinks that would knock a two-headed alien off his feet."

Mel nods. "Right this way then. . . " She walks slowly over to the bar area, and gives a lackluster sort of gesture. "Ta dah. Here you are."

Hal took his place behind the bar, and looked over the drink labels. "Alright then... Well, just name a drink, Mel. Non-alchoholic, alchoholic, soft-drink, cocktail, anything."

"I'd like to try a beer!" Kasei-La grinned broadly.

"One warm milk coming up, and for Mel?"

"Hey!" Kasei-La pouted, and folded her arms.

"Ah. . ! Nothing. No thank you." Mel mumbled, twisting her hands and looking at the floorboards.

Hal leaned over the bar in concern. "Nothing, are you sure?" He finally lit up his cigarette, and took two drags on it, before grabbing the milk from the shelf, and looking for a place to heat it up.

"Yes. Nothing." Mel grimaced and walked over to the window, staring out at the foggy streets.

Kasei-La went to the window, and tried to see what Melanie was looking at. "...Is there something out there, Mel? I mean... I can't see anything."

After having finally found what looked like it could heat up the milk, Hal produced the drink and went over to Kasei-La to give her the drink. He took a quick peak at the window himself, before picking up Zippy and sitting behind the bar again so he could take stock of all the drinks they had available. "...Hm, it doesn't look like you could even make a proper martini with what we have. Remind me to get drink ingredients tomorrow."

"No. . . there's nothing out there. That's sort of the problem." Melanie sighed.

"This place is pretty empty, huh?" She looked up at Mel in concern. "Well... It gets lonely on the ship, too... And you have us around as long as we are able to stay, so that's a plus." She grimaced. "Now I'm doing what Hal did, getting your hopes up... But... Uh... Until I manage to get enrolled in school or whatever, I'll help you out with all the chores and stuff that Hal and you aren't able to do. Having a light on your forehead helps when you're looking for things, so if the power goes out, all you need to do is stick near me and we can find the breaker easy, and I'm pretty good at cleaning, so there's that..." She took a sip of her milk, leaving a small moustache.

Hal watched the two talk, pouring himself a whiskey.

"Yeah. . . it gets very lonely. I spend months at a time, wandering around this empty inn. . . " Melanie sighed, leaning her forehead against the window pane. "I'm sorry. . . I don't mean to be such a downer. I'm happy to see you all, of course. First company in a while. It will be nice."

"It's okay to be sad, sometimes. I get sad, Hal gets sad..." Kasei-La looked out the window, and pressed her on face against it. "But there's nice things to think about too. Like how good cold glass feels. I guess it's just me, but I've always liked the feeling. There's baths... Which I haven't been able to take in a while. Had to use the ship's atomic shower... There's cookies... There's swings... Heh, now I can actually experience a lot of those things. But... gosh, I guess it'd be nice if we could do them together. Except for bathing. I'd prefer to do that alone." She sipped her milk. "It's a community thing on Venus, but I guess Hal rubbed off on me."

Hal laughed quietly, sipping his whiskey, which he then offered to Zippy. "You get drunk, little guy, and you're the one cleaning up the mess you make." Zippy just sipped from the glass.

"All hands, secure the sails!!" Elena shouted over the roar of the storm that was tossing her ship back and forth as she clung to the soaked ropes of the ratlines, scurrying up into the rigging as fast as she could.

In the four years that she had been sailing the Caribbean, Captain Blackraven had never seen a storm this bad. From the glimpses of the face of ther crew that she caught in the brief flashes of lightning, she could tell that they were terrified; when they saw their captain right beside them on the main yard, though, she could tell that a few of their spirits were lifted.

Suddenly, the storm jolted the ship, and all hands grasped the nearest thing to them and held tight to the ship.

"Hold on, lads!!" Elena screamed.

.........

As the long storm finally cleared, Elena looked out to try to see where they were. She could see land not to far off the port bow...and a dock as well. She called out "Land, ho!" and set to work making ready to make port in the fog-filled land.

Kasei-La's eyes jerked away from Melanie as she looked around. "Did someone hear screaming?" She looked out the window again. "And wood creaking too?"

Hal nodded, and picked up his laser pistol "Mel, I think you may not be very lonely anymore..."

Melanie looked out the window and smiled as a ship appeared. "Apparently not. Ahhh, happy day." She walked calmly back to the reception desk and settled in her seat, waiting.

Hal hurried out into the night, rushing towards the ship to get a good look at the people on the ship. "...What's a... Circa... 1760 ship doing in the middle of this place?"

Kasei-La sped after him. "Aw, gosh-dangit, are you telling me TIME isn't even consistent on this place? Or did they come from some sort of sailor world?" Zippy leapt up onto her shoulder after catching her.

Hal called up. "Hello there! Anyone alive?"