Dining Facility
Though the tan and white linoleum tiles of the dining hall are rather bland, the brightly-colored walls more than make up for that. The wall nearest the entrance holds vending machines for those on a budget, though the aromas of freshly-prepared food are tempting enough to make one forget finances. Cuisine from many of the Alliance's worlds is available, though some races are likely to find the food choices of their neighbors less than appealing. Plasglass windows in the next wall allow a view of the town beyond the complex, and a hint of the scenery beyond. Though the other two walls hold neither food nor windows, they have been painted with vivid colors, abstract murals that are occasionally interpreted by bored diners. Tables of varying shapes and sizes are found scattered throughout the room, with chairs that provide just enough comfort to allow ease of dining, but not so much that idlers are tempted to linger.
With the range of internal clocks of the complex's inhabitants, people of one form or another are generally found in the dining hall at all hours, though a seat at one of the many tables is usually available.
Contents:
Riley
Vendotron 3000
Obvious exits:
Atrium
Riley is seated near the back, at his perrenial round table in the corner. Spread in front of him is a can of soda, a candy bar, and a scattered supply of datapads.
Jay strides in, heading over to the Vendotron, and sweet talks it into giving him a can of his own. Red, of course. Well, swiping his card probably didn't hurt any. Glancing around idly as he opens it, his gaze goes to the few women in the place, doesn't stop for any particular length of time. But hey, there's the fluffy cousin. He saunters over in that direction, though his expression turns a bit sheepish during the trek, and reaches for the candy bar. "Don't you ever sleep?"
Riley glances up at the question, grinning a greeting. "Hey Jay, have a seat?" He nods amiably. "I sleep more than I did at least. Today was just a bit rough, figured I'd relax before going up and disturbing poor Clara."
Jay nods, plopping into a nearby chair, and proceeds to sneak that candy bar in his direction. "Rough? Ah, now that's nice of ya. She tell ya we had a nice chat last night?"
Riley watches the candy bar being be-thieved in some confusion, asking in wry amusment, "Hungry?" He shakes his head lightly. "Haven't had a chance to have two words with her today. Sometimes it's like that, kinda miserable."
Jay grins slightly, shaking his head. "Not really. Just wanted to see if I'd get called a hellion again." His experssion darkens just a tad. "That's too bad. Just in my humble opinion, I'd say she probably misses you too."
"I've been better about my schedule, but hers is even worse. Or when it isn't, emergencies crop up. We manage all right though I guess." Riley sips from his soda, "You're welcome to the candy bar if you'd like it. I have another."
Jay blushes a little at the word 'emergencies'. Nodding his thanks, he rather quickly unwraps the candy and bites into it, mumbling, "Haven't eaten today." Swallowing, he notes, "She's a smart lady, I'll give her that. Even if you are confoundedly confusing."
Riley tugs another candy bar from one pocket, looking puzzled. "Jay, why haven't you eaten yet?" He looks amused, "Confusing?"
Jay gestures vaguely upwards. "I was working on a project, lost track of time. Yeah, confusing. Or at least, not easy to read." He glances away for a moment, then back to you. "I should probably mention what we were talking about... that might clear things up a bit."
Riley offers the other candy bar as well. "You have to remember to eat you goof. Remember, I know Aunt Kareen's comm code," he teases with a grin. He hmms, "What were you discussing?"
Jay shakes his head, acking softly. "I'll get some real food in a bit if you're going to threaten the big guns. Oh, strippers, bachelor parties, stuff like that." He keeps his tone and expression oh-so-bland.
Riley stifles an acked squawk, "Let me guess," he murmurs. "She was very startled, or turned red, or both? Ja-ay, Clara is a lady." He's trying not to snicker, and is also -trying- to replicate Kareen's nasal tones, "We do not discuss naked women with ladies."
Jay winces slightly, taking another bite of chocolate. "She did both. And she /asked/. Sort of. Rather persistently too."
Riley shakes his head with an amused sigh. "Curiosty did kill the cat after all. What brought up such a random subject. I am assuming, after all, that it is highly unlikely you commed her with the declaration, 'Hello Clara, let's get together and discuss occasions at which women remove their clothing and dance about.'"
Jay lets out a bark of laughter at that, stifling it quickly lest he draw undue attention in this public place. "Naw, she'd, um, well, I went to see her. And I asked her if Niko was going to have a bachelor party. Well, she didn't know what that was, so I explained it, and then she made me explain why women don't go to such functions... and why I was laughing so hard."
"A bachelor party for Nick would probably lack a naked lady," Riley notes with a grin. "He's Galahad after all. Not to mention -I- would hide if there was one. And Ela'd probably come down and kick us all."
Jay grins wryly. "I told Clara that'd be my guess. That you'd hide, basically." Sobering slightly, he notes, "She did seem a bit dismayed at the notion that, since you're a man, and men like these sort of things, that you'd not only go along, but enjoy it. I didn't /mean/ to upset her or anything, mind you. Tried to reassure her, even." The hacker takes a slightly puzzled bite from the candy bar.
Riley shakes his head lightly, "I shall attempt to explain the situation. Not everybody likes that kind of thing. I guess I'm too sheltered or whatever, but I don't much care for such." He sips from his soda. "No worries about confusing her, you didn't do it a'purpose, and I've learned Clara's easy enough to puzzle. It's the different cultures. I swear, some things have been as confusing as it gets. Still, it's worth it for that moment when things click and we understand each other." He sighs softly, a decidedlt lovesick tone.
Jay smiles slightly at the tone. "You two are so /into/ each other sometimes I wonder if you're going to fall down in a puddle of mush. Yeah, she mentioned the culture thing, told me she was trying to learn the Code, for goodness' sake. Hell of a lady you got there, cous."
"We reserve the turning into puddles to when we're in rooms with buckets," Riley replies with an amused grin. He nods to the last, a crisp emphatic gesture. "I'm incredibly lucky. I mean the -Code- for goodness sake. And well...she's just there, she makes everything seem perfect."
Jay chuckles quietly, swallowing the last of the chocolate, and brushes chocolate crumbs from his hands. "I'll warn ya now- she was asking for advice on, uh, well, basically her love life."
Riley blinks several times, looking somewhat worried, "Advice?"
Jay would look worried too, if somebody like him was giving love advice to his woman. Er, women. He does lower his voice, limiting it to the immediate area. "She wanted to know if she should be, uh, more forward..."
Riley blinks a few times, looking puzzled and rather wary. "If she tackles me when I walk in there, I swear, I'm blaming you..."
Jay snickers quietly. "Don't think ya got to be worried about that. See, strippers are forward, and men like strippers, and you're a man, so she came to the conclusion that..." And he waits for you to come to the same conclusion before continuing.
Riley groans softly, sinking his head into his hands. "I should beat you senseless with a pillow now and save myself the trouble of tracking you down later..."
Jay chuckles, shaking his head. "I dissuaded her from that. I think. Now she's down to combining 'forwardness' while still being a lady."
Riley starts to answer, but instead finds himself attempting to muffle a yawn. "Peesh, sorry about that Jay. I've been up a while. See you around?"
Jay waves off the apology. "I'll tell you the same thing I told her- Go home. Go to sleep. Guy who carries a tangler doesn't need to be tired, neh?"
Riley climbs to his feet, chuckling sheepishly as he gathers his gear, leaving the other candy bar behind. "Sleep's good, sometimes it just requires winding down first. It was good to see you Jay, comm me sometime, we'll snag lunch. I'll be more awake." Waving, he heads out.
Jay nods with a grin. "Okay. Easier to scandalize ya that way. Night, cous."
Riley hmphs softly in amusement as he leaves.
Riley heads towards the Central Atrium.
Riley has left.
Q-HTML V2.1 (evaluation copy) by Craig Cockburn created this page on 01-May-1999 at 13:54:02
