The World Assembly Strangers' Bar

[Separatist Peoples]

"But why did Bell have/had a stained glass window of himself- and no, I don't drink. Might later on, though."

OOC: Canon source. Its going back, so present tense works.

[Wrapper]

"But why did Bell have/had a stained glass window of himself- and no, I don't drink. Might later on, though."

OOC: Canon source. Its going back, so present tense works.

The stained glass window wasn't installed by Bell: viewtopic.php?p=26227000#p26227000

[Nessuna-Arma]

"Yeah, so, one drink each, offer's over tomorrow, so better get it while you can."

Pino procures his free beer from the bartender and takes a swig. He then approaches the ambassador from Araraukar. "Excuse me, Miss Leveret? I would like to say thank you for the welcome packet from your delegation, it was very informative. And, thank you for the free round," he adds, lifting his bottle, "it is greatly appreciated. Now if you don't mind me asking, does this sort of thing, with talking cars and people flying through windows, does this happen every day?"

[Tinfect Diplomatic Enclave]

OOC: Canon source. Its going back, so present tense works.

Speaking of which...

Amidst the usual confusion of the bar the recent events within it, someone new steps into the bar, wearing a rather incongruous but otherwise quite practical bright pink uniform and green hard hat. After spending several minutes surveying the damage and filling out the myriad of requisite forms that accompany the multi-level bureaucratic nightmare that is the delicate balance between Civil Oversight's Urban Development Division and the World Assembly's Imperial Diplomatic Office, he exits the bar, returning in short order with a shiny new stained glass window depicting Benjamin Bell.

After several more minutes spent prying out bits of glass from the windowframe and installing classically-engraved brass hinges, the glorious design was once again in place; the Patron Saint of Bad Ideas once more overlooking the Bar, and the Reflecting Pool far below. As if to test the previously installed hinges, the uniformed worker promptly pushes open the window, and jumps out into the pool. Had anyone been paying attention, they may have noticed his sudden disappearance before landing.

Elsewhere in the bar, Feren remained sitting with a cat.

He had studiously ignored the goings-on of the bar, considering it quite enough madness that he had been forced to resort to coming here in the first place, and not desiring at all to become involved in anything that wasn't attempting to involve him. He had, however, finally worked up the courage to pet the cat before him. He reached out his hand, and promptly disappeared into thin air.

[Herby]

Now if you don't mind me asking, does this sort of thing, with talking cars and people flying through windows, does this happen every day?"

Heh heh heh heh. You know what the guy who flew out the window would say to that? "No, only on karaoke night!" Heh. Heh heh. Ehhhh. Actually that ain't that funny at all. Karaoke night's been pret-ty calm lately. So's Topless Tuesdays and wait wait wait what what WHAT? Neville? Why's there NO NOT YOU YOU DIPSTICK THE BARTENDER FOR FUCKS SAKE ehhh why's there no Topless Tuesdays on the calendar anymore? Ehhh. Things just ain't what they used to be I guess. Hey, Helen! Steph! Bell! Janis! You guys ever need me, you know my number, right? Right! It's..... 53! Vroom! Heh heh heh.... Auf wiedersehen, amigos! SCREEEEECH!!!

[Sierra Lyricalia]

Amidst the usual confusion of the bar the recent events within it, someone new steps into the bar, wearing a rather incongruous but otherwise quite practical bright pink uniform and green hard hat. After spending several minutes surveying the damage and filling out the myriad of requisite forms that accompany the multi-level bureaucratic nightmare that is the delicate balance between Civil Oversight's Urban Development Division and the World Assembly's Imperial Diplomatic Office, he exits the bar, returning in short order with a shiny new stained glass window depicting Benjamin Bell.

After several more minutes spent prying out bits of glass from the windowframe and installing classically-engraved brass hinges, the glorious design was once again in place; the Patron Saint of Bad Ideas once more overlooking the Bar, and the Reflecting Pool far below. As if to test the previously installed hinges, the uniformed worker promptly pushes open the window, and jumps out into the pool. Had anyone been paying attention, they may have noticed his sudden disappearance before landing.

Elsewhere in the bar, Feren remained sitting with a cat.

He had studiously ignored the goings-on of the bar, considering it quite enough madness that he had been forced to resort to coming here in the first place, and not desiring at all to become involved in anything that wasn't attempting to involve him. He had, however, finally worked up the courage to pet the cat before him. He reached out his hand, and promptly disappeared into thin air.

OOC, point of order: did the stained glass window vanish along with the civilization that created it, or is Bell a Multiversal Nexus of Ill-Advised Shenanigans?

[Wrapper]

Amidst the usual confusion of the bar the recent events within it, someone new steps into the bar, wearing a rather incongruous but otherwise quite practical bright pink uniform and green hard hat. After spending several minutes surveying the damage and filling out the myriad of requisite forms that accompany the multi-level bureaucratic nightmare that is the delicate balance between Civil Oversight's Urban Development Division and the World Assembly's Imperial Diplomatic Office, he exits the bar, returning in short order with a shiny new stained glass window depicting Benjamin Bell.

After several more minutes spent prying out bits of glass from the windowframe and installing classically-engraved brass hinges, the glorious design was once again in place; the Patron Saint of Bad Ideas once more overlooking the Bar, and the Reflecting Pool far below. As if to test the previously installed hinges, the uniformed worker promptly pushes open the window, and jumps out into the pool. Had anyone been paying attention, they may have noticed his sudden disappearance before landing.

Elsewhere in the bar, Feren remained sitting with a cat.

He had studiously ignored the goings-on of the bar, considering it quite enough madness that he had been forced to resort to coming here in the first place, and not desiring at all to become involved in anything that wasn't attempting to involve him. He had, however, finally worked up the courage to pet the cat before him. He reached out his hand, and promptly disappeared into thin air.

OOC, point of order: did the stained glass window vanish along with the civilization that created it, or is Bell a Multiversal Nexus of Ill-Advised Shenanigans?

OOC: I would think if it had, it would have been mentioned. After all, Tinfect's resolutions are still on the books, they haven't vanished, so why would their stained glass window?

[Araraukar]

Pino procures his free beer from the bartender and takes a swig. He then approaches the ambassador from Araraukar. "Excuse me, Miss Leveret? I would like to say thank you for the welcome packet from your delegation, it was very informative. And, thank you for the free round," he adds, lifting his bottle, "it is greatly appreciated. Now if you don't mind me asking, does this sort of thing, with talking cars and people flying through windows, does this happen every day?"

"Usually the people are thrown out, rather than leaving the building voluntarily on rocket-propelled car seat, but other than that, it's perfectly normal, yes. And the talking car is far from the weirdest talking thing here, just so you know."

[Nessuna-Arma]

Pino procures his free beer from the bartender and takes a swig. He then approaches the ambassador from Araraukar. "Excuse me, Miss Leveret? I would like to say thank you for the welcome packet from your delegation, it was very informative. And, thank you for the free round," he adds, lifting his bottle, "it is greatly appreciated. Now if you don't mind me asking, does this sort of thing, with talking cars and people flying through windows, does this happen every day?"

"Usually the people are thrown out, rather than leaving the building voluntarily on rocket-propelled car seat, but other than that, it's perfectly normal, yes. And the talking car is far from the weirdest talking thing here, just so you know."

Pino nods. "Weird, I can handle. I like to think I have an open mind." He takes another swig and looks around the bar. Unsure of who might be listening, he lowers his voice. "Although I'm sure a lot of others here would think the same of themselves as well."

He points to the open seat across from the Araraukan diplomat. "May I?"

[Araraukar]

Pino nods. "Weird, I can handle. I like to think I have an open mind." He takes another swig and looks around the bar. Unsure of who might be listening, he lowers his voice. "Although I'm sure a lot of others here would think the same of themselves as well."

He points to the open seat across from the Araraukan diplomat. "May I?"

"What? Oh, yes, sure," Janis said distractedly, scanning the room with her eyes. When she spotted the tablet Ari had discarded, she went to pick it up, handed it to the speaker plant and then returned to her table. "So, what are you, where are you from, and why are you here?"

OOC: It's "Araraukarian", not "Araraukan".

And at Wrapper: I checked, Ari didn't pick it up after. I'm fairly sure that the PPU hivemind is the safest choice of keeping the electronic device safe, out of everyone present, even if Ari forgot to lock the screen...

[Wrapper]

When she spotted the tablet Ari had discarded,

OOC: The "tablet" (more like an iPhone in size, they used to wear the previous version of it on their wrist) is fair game, do with it what you will.

[Nessuna-Arma]

Pino nods. "Weird, I can handle. I like to think I have an open mind." He takes another swig and looks around the bar. Unsure of who might be listening, he lowers his voice. "Although I'm sure a lot of others here would think the same of themselves as well."

He points to the open seat across from the Araraukan diplomat. "May I?"

"What? Oh, yes, sure," Janis said distractedly, scanning the room with her eyes. When she spotted the tablet Ari had discarded, she went to pick it up, handed it to the speaker plant and then returned to her table. "So, what are you, where are you from, and why are you here?"

OOC: It's "Araraukarian", not "Araraukan".

And at Wrapper: I checked, Ari didn't pick it up after. I'm fairly sure that the PPU hivemind is the safest choice of keeping the electronic device safe, out of everyone present, even if Ari forgot to lock the screen...

The Nessunan ambassador sits, and watches the Araraukan Araraukarian walk over to a plant and deposit the device. When she returns, he asks, devoid of any humrous tone: "So, does the plant make many phone calls or... I'm sorry, manners. Pino Sporco, Ambassador from Nessuna-Arma, a small island nation in the Mediterranean Sea. As to why am I here?" He answers with a lift of his beer bottle. "Imported from Italy. Hard to find in this corner of the world." Pino smiles, hoping to elicit a positive reaction.

[Potted Plants United]

The Nessunan ambassador sits, and watches the Araraukan Araraukarian walk over to a plant and deposit the device. When she returns, he asks, devoid of any humrous tone: "So, does the plant make many phone calls or... I'm sorry, manners. Pino Sporco, Ambassador from Nessuna-Arma, a small island nation in the Mediterranean Sea. As to why am I here?" He answers with a lift of his beer bottle. "Imported from Italy. Hard to find in this corner of the world." Pino smiles, hoping to elicit a positive reaction.

The speaker plant secured the Wrapperian device against its trunk underneath its fronds, slipping it underneath the coiled-up "weapon vine" that was part of the structure of every individual speaker plant of this new type. So far the hivemind had never needed to deploy the self-defence vine, just having its fronds function like the leaves of a stinging nettle had been deterrent enough, but one never knew what might be needed. However, right now it was time to socialize. The work on the hivemind's new possession, the formerly-Araraukarian island, was progressing well, and wasn't much of an attention drain for the multi-body entity. It was extraordinadily good at multitasking.

Using the two sturdy mobility vines, the hivemind pushed the plant near the table where Janis and the newcomer were sitting.

"No, "the plant" does not make many phone calls," it said in its somewhat raspy voice, "but out of everyone present I am least likely to want to or need to try to hack the security system of the device to gain access to information not freely available. Should Wad Ari or Wad Ahume come back here some day, I will then let them have the device back. Until then, it is safe with me. I am the hivemind of Potted Plants United, by the way, and it is a pleasure to meet new... meat, I think the wording is?"

OOC: If the picture link no longer works, let me know. It of course works for me, but Photobucket's newest policy change was a bit unclear of whether you now have to pay to be able to link to your pictures, or if it's just for plopping the picture itself onto another site like this.

[Bears Armed]

OOC: If the picture link no longer works, let me know. It of course works for me, but Photobucket's newest policy change was a bit unclear of whether you now have to pay to be able to link to your pictures, or if it's just for plopping the picture itself onto another site like this.

The link works, although the image took a little while to load. A message from Photobucket appeared superimposed over it, a few seconds later, but went away promptly when the 'X' was clicked.

[Nessuna-Arma]

"No, "the plant" does not make many phone calls," it said in its somewhat raspy voice, "but out of everyone present I am least likely to want to or need to try to hack the security system of the device to gain access to information not freely available. Should Wad Ari or Wad Ahume come back here some day, I will then let them have the device back. Until then, it is safe with me. I am the hivemind of Potted Plants United, by the way, and it is a pleasure to meet new... meat, I think the wording is?"

Pino is initially taken aback, and tries to nod his head as nonchalantly as possible while listening to the plant. "I believe," he says as he smiles, "that the phrase you're looking for is 'fresh meat.'" He takes another drink from his bottle. "So... a 'hivemind,' I'm not familiar with the term. Does that mean you're like a queen bee? Something like that?"

[Potted Plants United]

"So... a 'hivemind,' I'm not familiar with the term. Does that mean you're like a queen bee? Something like that?"

"It means that I am one entity with many bodies, and capable of multitasking on a scale you would find hard to believe."

[Nessuna-Arma]

"So... a 'hivemind,' I'm not familiar with the term. Does that mean you're like a queen bee? Something like that?"

"It means that I am one entity with many bodies, and capable of multitasking on a scale you would find hard to believe."

Pino ponders a bit. One entity, many bodies. He recalls reading a series of books in which an alien species of mega-insects operated in the same way. "No, I don't find that so hard to believe. So, you must have a way of communicating with the rest of your species. Or, at least, the 'queen', for lack of a better word. Oh, I hope I'm not prying into 'state secrets' territory."

He looks across the table to the Araraukarian.

"Wait a minute. Your two nations were just at war, weren't you?"

[Cybraxia]

Ambassador Quint enters the bar, somehow looking tired despite being an android. "Are there, uh, any familiar faces?" He looks around, seemingly dazed.

Some might not recognize me, but I'm back, and hopefully will be for a while.

[Wallenburg]

Ambassador Quint enters the bar, somehow looking tired despite being an android. "Are there, uh, any familiar faces?" He looks around, seemingly dazed.

Some might not recognize me, but I'm back, and hopefully will be for a while.

Trevanyika notices the mechanical ambassador and approaches him. "Indeed there are. I remember you, ambassador. Vaguely, but I do remember. It's been a long time away from these halls for me, and not all the names have stuck since I last left. You represent the Cybraxians, correct?"

[Groot]

A large, tree-like creature enters the Strangers' Bar for the first time since the untimely, suspicious death of his translator about a year ago. He approaches the bar and catches Neville's attention. He holds up a branch-like finger. "I am Groot," he requests. He sits on a stool and looks around the bar, thinking, perhaps, he'll stick around a little longer this time. Within moments, a tiki-shaped glass is placed in front of him, topped with fruit on a toothpick and a tiny umbrella. He nods approvingly, saying, "I am Groot."

[Deropia]

A brown haired young man in a dark blue military dress uniform enters the bar. His eyes were sweeping the room as he approaches the bar and orders a neat whiskey. Once the golden yellow beverage had been delivered he raises the glass to his nose for a moment, taking in the scent of the whiskey before taking a sip. Satisfied, he takes another drink before casting his gaze around the room again. Between "So, this is the infamous Strangers' Bar, eh? Nice place, I should have checked this place out sooner. Would have definitely made dealing with the ambassador from Bitely and that dreck outlawing sugar."

[Skylus]

A large, tree-like creature enters the Strangers' Bar for the first time since the untimely, suspicious death of his translator about a year ago. He approaches the bar and catches Neville's attention. He holds up a branch-like finger. "I am Groot," he requests. He sits on a stool and looks around the bar, thinking, perhaps, he'll stick around a little longer this time. Within moments, a tiki-shaped glass is placed in front of him, topped with fruit on a toothpick and a tiny umbrella. He nods approvingly, saying, "I am Groot."

Madi turned and noticed the walking tree.
"Hi there, Groot. How's it going saving the universe?"

[Groot]

A large, tree-like creature enters the Strangers' Bar for the first time since the untimely, suspicious death of his translator about a year ago. He approaches the bar and catches Neville's attention. He holds up a branch-like finger. "I am Groot," he requests. He sits on a stool and looks around the bar, thinking, perhaps, he'll stick around a little longer this time. Within moments, a tiki-shaped glass is placed in front of him, topped with fruit on a toothpick and a tiny umbrella. He nods approvingly, saying, "I am Groot."

Madi turned and noticed the walking tree.
"Hi there, Groot. How's it going saving the universe?"

Groot nods, and waves a limb, as if telling a short tale. "I am Groot. I am Groot, I am Groot." He removes the tropical fruit from the toothpick and drops the fruit on the bar; he then places the toothpick in his mouth and chews on it. He nods again. "I am Groot."

[Essu Beti]

Though the special translator did its best to try to get the foreign concepts across, Ikiti was still confused and decided to not pry further into the unnatural things in Mohan's parentage. Instead, she decided to return the favour of sharing information about one's reproductive biology.

"Our concept of "year" is not quite the same as it is to you, so it is hard for me to say if our years are long or if yours are short, but female Tikrr go into their first heat about eight years after birth. Reproduction is then mandatory if the individual wishes to survive, as only pregnancy will end the reproductive heat. We usually have two offspring at a time, rarely only one. Males might never reproduce, as it is the female that chooses who will mate with her, and if no female wants to choose a male as her preferred mate, he will stay a Roostmate. My species does not age the same way yours does, so I do not know if there is an upper limit for reproduction."

Mohan made a strangled noise. Why were they talking about reproduction again? Just, why? This was not an appropriate conversational topic, especially with strangers, and especially in the middle of a crowded bar!

"We don't have "heats,"" Iksana says, casually tightening his grip on the other elf's sleeve. "I dunno the fancy science term for it, but our women can get knocked up just about any time after they reach maturity. _{This is where I'd normally nudge this guy and tease him a bit about my sister, but I think his head would explode.} We only have one kid, maybe rarely two, at a time, after a month-long pregnancy. Oh, and it can be delayed by up to a year, in times of hardship. If there's not enough food, or water, or if it's just too dangerous out there. I dunno the fancy science term, but it happened to my mother when she had me."

((OOC: The second "fancy science term" is "embryonic diapause" and it's a real thing, though admittedly I'm fudging the details a bit.))

[Allied Sapients]

Ambassador Lirn Jehnt Orsh, a very tall, skeletal-looking alien with an elegantly-dyed mane, steps through the door to the Bar. Trailing behind her is a slightly shorter but still tall alien, this one substantially more crocodilian in appearence underneath the fully-enclosed spacesuit. The suit isn't nearly as bulky as the ones available to RL Earth, and is flexible enough that the newcomer's tail is fully capable of movement.

"...and this is the Stranger's Bar," Orsh says to the crocodile alien, who seems far more interested in rubbernecking and futilely trying to sniff the air than in what she's saying. "Nothing you say or do here will reflect back on the Coalition so it will be good practice for you. Go talk to someone."

Thus loosed, the crocodile alien bounds off with much more agility than they look like they should have. They wander from table to table to bar, eventually standing in front of the young man in the dark blue military dress uniform. "Hello and greetings!" the alien says in a language that sounds a lot like a rumbling boat motor, or possibly a car engine, before the Universal Translator takes over. "I am Rirten." The name the translator provides sounds absolutely nothing like anything the alien actually said. "I will be a diplomat soon! Am learning now, 's very important! Who are you?"