Stone Men In Water Street

[Brian]

"We've got guinness."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn cocks an eyebrow.  "We'll have a round of that, please.  Thanks."

Once the waitress is gone, he turns to Rez.  "So.  Any important news from Relm?"

[Brian]

The waitress walks to the bar, fills two largish mugs with ale, and leaves them at your table in silence, quickly moving on to attend the other customers.

[Rezantis]

"Not really. A little more background information, but nothing particularly notable."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn nods, and takes a sip of his beer.  Staring down at the table, mind wandering, his body unconciously slumps, projecting an aura of exhaustion and depression.

[Rezantis]

Rez leans in to the table.

"Something up? I mean, apart from the obvious . . . eh, you know what I mean."

[Bjorn]

"Huh?"  Startled out of his reverie, Bjorn takes stock of his situation, only to realize his demeanour.  Straightening himself up, he grins, crookedly.  "No.  Nothing apart from the obvious."  His brow furrows.  "I just wish we didn't have to wait.  I don't want... a chance to think too much.  If you know what I mean."

[Rezantis]

"I have a rough idea," Rez sighs, "Workshop, what we're doing here, anything in particular?"

[Bjorn]

There's a silence, as Bjorn stares at the dark depths of his stout, before he says, rather conversationally, "I'm dead, you know that?  I can't go back to my life.  I've lost my job, and my career with it.  My parents must be starting to worry, but I can't get in touch with them.  What am I going to say?   They wouldn't believe the truth, and... Shit.  We could be gone for years.  They might be dead by the time I get back, and I won't have been there for them.  All I can do is not get in touch, hope that they get left alone, and try not to think about what this is doing to them, and let Gestur Bjorn Christianson die.

"And what's killing me... is that I'm not bothered by that half as much as I should be."

[Brian]

Just as things are getting nice-and-angsty, the door opens, and Victor strides in, pausing, as though taken aback by the decor.  He seems to have a thing for fashion, because he's wearing yet another new suit.

Frowning at the barkeep, he scans the room, spots the pair of you, then nods, and moves over to the table.  "Mind if I join you?" he asks, turning a quick glance over one shoulder at the approaching waitress.

[Rezantis]

Rez raises his (still full) glass to Victor.

"Sure, sit down. Want a drink?"

[Brian]

He nods, and takes a seat.  The waitress stops, and looks at him coolly.  "I take it Coreena is no longer here?" Victor asks delicately, looking at the decor as though it were some elaborate prank.

"Nope," she replies.  "What would you like?"

"If Coreena's not here, I doubt her house red is here, either," Victor grumps.  "Water.  I'm driving."

The waitress shrugs, and trundles off, returning with a small glass of water for Victor before moving off to attend the other patrons.

[Rezantis]

"Not quite what you were expecting, then?"

Rez takes a sip out of his guinness and swirls it around slightly, glaring at it.

[Brian]

That's some heavy stuff, dark beer.

"The place has changed," Victor says flatly.  "Time does that.  I suppose it's lucky that this place is still here.

"I trust the journey has treated you well?"

[Rezantis]

"Well enough.  We didn't have any real problems getting here, anyway. You?"