meanwhile, at lunch

[baedalites.livejournal.com]

Who: Ms. Ilde D. Featherstonehaugh and Mr. Elliot J. Quirin
What: One of many intellectual exchanges over lunch
Where: The Principle, Brock Marsh (it's a food place)
When: Newdi, lunchtime
Notes: TeeMuu is paying; let's hear it for expense accounts and the eccentricities that they afford.
Warnings: Nerds. Terrible things may be done to science.

The Principle - or The Prince as it's sometimes called - is situated between the university and the river. It does not cater exclusively to the student and teaching body of Tipitaka Medaw but it has made certain concessions to accommodate both. The basement level is considered fair game for parties and loud gatherings; the ground floor often sees discussion groups and orators. The second floor somewhat more traditional and sophisticated. Quieter, generally.

Students rarely go there but that has little to do with Quirin's decision to sit here. He just likes the larger windows; makes the light much better and the view of the river and street outside isn't bad either. He is considers the bread with the half-hearted attention of someone who doesn't remember what hunger is like and has something more interesting to focus on beside. The more interesting thing at this time would be his lunch companion Ilde, and what she has just finished saying.

"As mentioned before I have not ventured far into the fog myself, but I find it improbable that it would be able to sustain any stable form of life-as-we-know-it for any meaningful length of time," he says, not dismissive just contemplative. The bread is all but forgotten. "At least - yes, not life that operates along the same rules as the city. We have yet to see an invasion of fogdwellers, and if witness reports are anything to go by, it's not because a lack of inclination."

Comments

[rhinemaid]

"I don't think so--" she doesn't tend to volunteer that about herself, just because it's so complicated in her head to pull apart. (Emery thinks of her as English because he thinks of himself as English; she can't connect to a country she's only ever lived in at boarding school.) After a moment, swirling her tea in the bottom of the cup, she says, "Italy. I'm from-- Florence, mostly, Daddy has an estate there." Had. Has. She doesn't know which it is. "I was born in France, though."

...and she sounds really British when she speaks English.