Fancy Meeting You Here

[iamnotpolaris]

(While neither thread is intended to begin a larger glowfic, the Emily in this thread is specifically intended to be the Emily from http://glowfic.dreamwidth.org/18547.html)

Oh, look, Milliways!
Emily takes out a notebook and scribbles down the question she had for her professor so she won't forget it if she ends up spending a lot of time or is otherwise distracted, then strolls cheerfully into the bar.
"Hi, Bar! Can I get some kind of milkshake or something, please?"

Comments

[iamnotpolaris]

"Among other things, yes. I'm Emily. It's nice to meet you."

[unmarred]

"It's certainly the most interesting thing that has happened to me this week. What's your universe like?"

[iamnotpolaris]

"Late twentieth century Earth, mostly standard except with mutants and some boosted technological development from the fact that I've been coming here for years and know people who can reverse-engineer gadgets I bring home."

[unmarred]

"That must be convenient. 2999 for me, and we have an Earth but I haven't been there in a while."

[iamnotpolaris]

"Oh, I met a guy in here a few weeks back who was from 2999 and a not-Earth planet. Maybe you're from the same universe."

[unmarred]

"Yeah? Did he mention any identifying features of the universe in question?"

[iamnotpolaris]

"A planet called Barrayar with some unfortunate habits regarding physical differences, a couple of other planets called...Escobar and Tau Ceti, the Earth's atmosphere hasn't been lost to pollution, Oxford still exists..."

[unmarred]

Mark starts giggling when she says 'Barrayar'.

[iamnotpolaris]

"...What?"

[unmarred]

"It's just... an interesting coincidence that Barrayar was the first planet you mentioned. I have family there."

[iamnotpolaris]

"Well, apparently it practices infanticide. And has opinions on people called mutants, that's pretty relevant to me. Plus the guy I met was from there, that's...actually how I learned about the other stuff, was that I mentioned I was a mutant and he reacted."

[unmarred]

"How badly?"

[iamnotpolaris]

"He went eep and eventually apologized, he's apparently very progressive for a Barrayaran. He was a sweetie overall," she adds, blushing just a tiny bit. Most people probably wouldn't notice.

[unmarred]

"What was his name?"

[iamnotpolaris]

"Ivan Vorpatril."

[unmarred]

"To a high degree of likelihood, that would be my cousin Ivan."

[iamnotpolaris]

"Oh, are you the cousin with the...genetically engineered wife?" she asks, sounding very much as though she had been going to say something else.

[unmarred]

"Actually no. That cousin is my brother Miles. I am unmarried."

[iamnotpolaris]

"Ah, okay. Ivan didn't particularly mention you, but if you don't have the bone thing then that's probably because you weren't relevant to the 'Barrayar is not a nice place to be if you are different' explanation."

[unmarred]

"The story as regards me and 'the bone thing' is somewhat complicated, but no, I do not as such have it."

[iamnotpolaris]

"Complicated like it would take a long time to tell, involve incomprehensible medical jargon, or make people look at you funny?"

[unmarred]

"Eh, mostly the third one. I can shorten it reasonably well if you don't fancy hearing the six centuries of historical context, and the incomprehensible medical jargon can be left out without ruining anything."

[iamnotpolaris]

"I don't mind hearing six centuries of historical context."

[unmarred]

"Well then. It all began in approximately 2225 when humanity discovered wormhole jump technology and started colonizing distant planets. Barrayar was one of the first. Halfway through the process of terraforming the planet and bringing in all the equipment and colonists, one of the wormholes on the route from Earth to Barrayar collapsed, stranding fifty thousand colonists on the far side without enough technological infrastructure to finish terraforming the planet or even keep their spaceships and power plants and computers in working order. Six centuries of reinventing assorted wheels both societal and technological ensued; meanwhile, the rest of the galaxy went merrily on. And then they discovered a second wormhole route to Barrayar."

[iamnotpolaris]

"I think Ivan mentioned a Time of Isolation."