Boring Machines Disturbs Sleep

[Bjorn]

Urgent?  Could swing it.

[Halbarad]

Not dire, but sooner is better.

[Bjorn]

On it.  Can't keep this up.  Will be in touch again soon.  And with that the touch of his mind is gone.

[Brian]

The medical bay is empty, and hosts a dozen beds.  There's a cabinet of medical supplies, too, and Angus helps himself to a tot of brandy before handing a tumbler full of the stuff (smells terribly potent) to Tim.  The foreman's hands are shaking slightly, and he doesn't meet the newly-christened Journeyman's eyes.

Catherine makes a noise in her sleep, but doesn't rouse.

[Halbarad]

Tim takes the brandy with a small smile, only sipping at it for the moment - strong liquor's not something he's ever really gotten along with all that well.

"I wish I could explain better, but..." He blows out a breath. "Hell. If Bjorn keeps up his end, you should come with us. There's a lot of explaining needs doing, and not all by me. But I owe you that much, at least."

[Brian]

"Come with you?" Angus asks, furrowing his brow.  "Where?"

Catherine starts to stir a bit, and shortly her eyes blink open.  "Where..." she begins, unconsciously echoing Angus before she sits up and peers around.  "Oh my," she says very quietly.  "Are we in trouble?"

Angus snorts and shakes his head.  "No."  After a pause and a wince, he adds, "Leastwise, not that I know of, majesty."

"We're in trouble," she decides, swinging her legs off the bed and furrowing her brow in concentration.  "Tim, what do you think we should do?"

[Bjorn]

Bjorn whispers into Tim's mind: Here now, on street.  With Aleister Sondheim and everyone else.

[Halbarad]

"I'm not even sure yet, I just know there are friends on the way," Tim replies to Angus.

Turning to Catherine, he shakes his head. "I think we have some explaining to do - we'll be getting out of here soon, but I think Master Tavner at least deserves to know what's going on given what he's seen - and then I may have my own story to add, depending on how much time we have. We have guests outside, though, including Aliester Sondheim."

[Brian]

"The royal cousin is a royal pain," Catherine grouses, which causes Angus to almost choke on his second shot of brandy.  At that point, the foreman puts the glass rather carefully down.

"Right, then," he says shakily.  "Best not keep the Lord High Anabarist waiting."

"I agree, unfortunately," Catherine says, climbing to his feet, though pausing to catch her balance for a moment.  "Tim, I think it's best not to involve Master Tavner unnecessarily.  You can write him a letter later.  As it is, I'd like to give Aliester minimal opportunities for chastisement."  She pauses again, giving Tim a pointed look.  "You know how he can get."

A moment later, a voice resonates through the structure of the entire tower: "Where is Balmer?" it demands.

"See?" she says, somewhat petulantly.

This thread now closes, and Tim moves to Space Oddity.