[Ten Forward:] Guinan at the bar | OTA

[she_listens]

There are more people on the Enterprise tonight.

How and when Q chooses to bring them aboard still remains something of a mystery. Sometimes there is only one new face out in the crowd, and sometimes there are dozens. Guinan takes note of them all, from behind the bar, waiting tables, offering words of comfort and explanation.

And, most importantly, she listens.

They all have their own stories, their own fears, discomforts, and needs. In a strange new place, sometimes the best form of solace is a friendly listening ear and something warm to drink.


[ooc: feel free to walk up to Guinan at the bar or handwave that she passes by your table! For new folks, Guinan is the head bartender here, and happy to answer questions if you've got 'em. ^__^]

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[overprotective_hunter]

Alec isn't sure where he is or how he got there. One minute he was in Magnus' apartment, unpacking his things, the next he was in a bar with his messenger bag full of his most important possessions slung across his shoulders.

It shouldn't have happened. Not without a portal or a Mark or some kind of magical artifact. Alec knew what not to touch in Magnus' apartment and his boyfriend would never have left something dangerous out where Alec might accidentally be hurt.

So it was something else...

Looking around, he quickly covers his Marks with the usual glamour he uses around Mundanes before moving toward an unoccupied table. Sitting down slowly, he scans the crowd, trying to find someone familiar in the group of Downworlders and Mundanes.

[she_listens]

Guinan may not be familiar to Alec, but she is familiar with the expression he's wearing.

She takes some time to observe him, giving him the space to adjust to his surroundings before introducing herself. Even when she does that, it's kindly, soft of voice, and from a few feet away from his table.

"It sure is something, isn't it?"

She smiles a little, dark eyes glittering.

[overprotective_hunter]

Having more time to study the situation isn't helping. After the initial shock, he starts considering what happened. Someone had broken through the High Warlock of Brooklyn's wards and dragged Alec into a bar. There can only be a handful of people that powerful. Why hovers in the back of his mind. Why him? He isn't gifted like Jace and Clary. He doesn't have the kind of power Magnus does. Unless he's here as a way to draw them out.

The thought settles coldly in his chest. His family - Magnus - they could be in danger because of him.

Sinking lower in his chair as he tries look inconspicuous, Alec notices someone coming toward him. Wariness almost has him reaching for the knife in his boot but he reminds himself that he shouldn't cause a scene unless he has to.

Some of the tension eases when she doesn't come too close. For a second, he thinks that she has to be a warlock despite not having an obvious mark. She has the same sort of calm steadiness that reminds him of Tessa or Catarina. Somehow her tone manages to soothe away some of his fears. "It is, but I"m not sure what. Do you know where we are?"

[she_listens]

"Yes."

Her countenance, usually expressive, shows nothing but friendliness. She poses no threat to Alec, or his family.

"We're in Federation space, aboard the starship Enterprise — a peaceful ship — and somewhere below the Enterprise is the planet Risa."

She makes no further movements just yet, allowing that to sink in.

[overprotective_hunter]

"Federation space?" It sounds crazy. Like something out of the science fiction movies that Simon likes. Maybe she is a warlock despite Alec not being able to see any warlock mark since he should be freaking out but instead he just feels lost. Maybe she's Fae and had cast some kind of spell on him. "The planet Risa?"

Or maybe there's another, non magical, explanation. "Did Jace hit me too hard doing training?" That would make more sense. Jace was always pushing him harder when they sparred. There could've been an accident. It made more sense than Federation space.

[she_listens]

Guinan's eyes crinkle in quiet amusement.

She takes a step forward, sweeping her hand past the empty seat at his table. If he would rather she not join him, she will understand; however, the conversation will perhaps be easier if he feels they are both at ease.

"That I can't say, not knowing this Jace for myself. But all of this—"

She gestures around the room.

"—is real. The Federation, or United Federation of Planets, is an interstellar republic. Risa is just one of the many planets that fall under its purview."

Genuine concern fills her eyes.

"Where are you from?"

[overprotective_hunter]

Watching the woman, he absentmindedly nods so that she'll join him. Mentally, he focuses on the little signs that this might be some kind of dream brought on by an injury or Fae magic. There was no pain and he'd been at home, surrounded by Magnus' wards. So either he was going crazy or...

"Federation of Planets." His voice might have cracked slightly on the last word. He's too dazed to notice if it had. "I..."

Was it that crazy? He'd literally went to hell and back. Mundanes sent ships to the moon. But they hadn't went to any place called Risa.

Then he remembers an old lesson. All stories are based on truth. Alec had never thought that meant science fiction but maybe... "New York City. I - There's no Federation where I'm from."

And the little duck appears! QUACK!

[primeverdeen]

She had been in District 12. Sitting in her sister's house, watching the 75th Hunger Games. She had been sitting beside her mother, with one arm around Lady - her goat, and clinging for all she was worth with the other arm to Buttercup - her cat. Behind her had been Gale and his mother... The people of District 12 were with them, the love of district was with them. None of it mattered because of who WASN'T with them.

Katniss. Peeta. Even Haymitch. They should all be home.

Tears slid down Prim's cheeks. She had to be strong for her mother, but at the moment her mother wasn't looking at her. No one was, all eyes were on the screen. All eyes were on the glimpse of Katniss as she appeared in the arena. The horror on her face. It was more than just being back in the arena. Prim could tell. Did the others see it? How could they not?

"Katniss," she whispered. The camera zoomed in on her face, and Prim could almost swear that Katniss had turned to face her, then there was a white light, a bright flash, an odd sound and the screen no longer showed the arena. It showed... stars. Like someone had turned the sky on it's side, then moved it. The stars were.... moving. And there seemed to be no end to them. But... the arena... Katniss....

She wanted to scream, she felt the scream about to start. Katniss, where was Katniss? Why would they blank the screen? Was she dead? She wanted to scream, but she couldn't scream, she had to be strong for her mother...

Her mother.... she turned to face her mother to one side.... no one there. This was not Katniss' house...

One arm around the goat, one arm around her cat she looked to the other side, people... but not people she knew. People in weird clothing, they had to be from the capitol....

Prim swallowed hard, her eyes wide, tears running. She couldn't wipe them without letting go of Lady or Buttercup, and if she was somehow at the capitol, she didn't dare. She swallowed hard. She had to be brave now, brave like her sister. She sat there, faced away from the bar, unmoving, holding a goat and a cat. She would not go to them, she would not scream or yell or give them the satisfaction. She faced the weird screen full of stars again, and waited, shaking.

Hello, Duckling. :)

[she_listens]

Guinan may not have the senses of an empath, or the ability to search out a troubled soul across the room the way Deanna can, but she is more aware than the average person. She has feelings, and certain skills trained up from many long years of life. The child clinging to her animals is not easy to miss.

"Are you all right?"

She stands just a few feet off to Prim's side, crouched slightly. If the girl wasn't so distressed she might spare more thought to the goat. That's a new one.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. You're safe here."

Wow, afraid of Guinin. This may be a first

[primeverdeen]

She turned and stared at her wide eyed, taking in the district 11 skin, but the hat and robe that might be simple for the capitol, but could not have been from anywhere else. She swallowed hard. Katniss had told her that people from the capitol lie. She may never have said the words, but Prim knew her sister, and she heard them all the same.


"Safe?" she said, trying for harsh disbelief, but it came out in a cracked nervous laugh that bordered on the hysterical. "While my sister is... is... there... you expect me to believe I'm safe?" She shook with fear and rage, ashamed at the tears that rolled down her face. She hadn't felt SAFE since her name was drawn at the reaping. Safe? No one in 12 was safe. Not from the Capitol.

ha, it might! but Guinan can roll with the punches

[she_listens]

The girl is young and small, and every thought and emotion she has storms out of her as easy to see as a thundercloud. Guinan quickly and quietly adjusts her approach.

"You're on a ship called the Enterprise. I know that doesn't make sense, and you probably weren't trying to get here, but what you see in front of you now? Is a window."

She gives that a second to sink in, but not any longer than that. She doesn't want the child to panic any more than she probably will.

"I'm Guinan. I don't know who your sister is, or where she was before you came here, but I do know the Enterprise sometimes collects people who need to get away from their homes for some reason. Maybe she's here, and if she is I promise you nothing bad is going to happen to her."

Re: ha, it might! but Guinan can roll with the punches

[primeverdeen]

"A window...?" she shook her head. That couldn't be a window. She looked at her, shaking. "I'm from District 12, maybe I don't have a capitol education, but I know what a window is. And a ship." They might not have ships in district 12, but District 4 won the games as often as any of the career districts.

"Is this part of the Quarter Quell? Was I brought to the Capitol, or the Arena, or whatever to hurt her?" She swallowed hard. If that was the case, she wouldn't participate. If they wanted her to scream she'd stay silent, if they needed her to stay silent, she'd scream. There was no way she was going to be used against Katniss. No way.

She couldn't afford to be deceived by lies. And safety? That was the biggest lie the Capitol loved to tell.

[she_listens]

Guinan frowns.

"I don't know where any of those places are."

Lies may be the Capitol's specialty, but they aren't Guinan's. She looks and sounds completely sincere, because she is.

"I'm originally from the El-Aurian system, but my homeworld was invaded by a hostile race and almost all of my people were killed. There was no Capitol, no Arena, but I promise you I know what it's like to be hurt and afraid, and I don't want to do any of those things to you. More importantly, I would never make you do any of those things to someone else."

[primeverdeen]

"You do not see stars from a ship, you see water," she said softly, looking out at the stars again. "So this cannot be real."

Which meant that it was a Capitol trick. Which meant that she was here to hurt Katniss.

[stillplaying]

It's been disorienting so far. She hates being restricted to this small area of what she assumes to be a much longer arena. But it's okay. Because maybe it's a little safer being in the same place. She's been able to learn the layout of the bar by now and figure out where the best seat is to keep her back to the wall and still watch everyone around her pass by. Her leather jacket keeps her warm and, so far, none of the guards have attempted to separate her from her bow.

She clutches the bow and quiver tight to her chest when she sleeps, just like the doll that she had had once upon a time as a little girl before giving it away to her baby sister. Not that she actually gets much sleep. They're more like short naps, hovering at the edge of consciousness because there's no one she can trust here. Well, except for Finnick. But she hasn't seen him since she gave him the rope and...

It's hard. It's hard to be around him too long and she hates herself a little for that.

Maybe it's the lack of sleep. At least, that's the first thing she thinks when she sees a goat and a girl appear by the window. Maybe it's finally gotten to her. Because... because Finnick is one thing. A thing she's not even certain exists. This... this is impossible. The odds don't work like this. Not for her.

Still, she rises to her feat and blinks away tears. She can barely breathe, yet along speak right now as she mouths the name. Again. She makes herself speak up, shouting across the crowd: "Prim!"

[primeverdeen]

Prim heard her name screamed, and her first real thought was that it was her mother, her mother was the only one whose voice ever sounded even slightly like Katniss' voice, and it couldn't be Katniss, unless... Prim spun, looking for the television. Why was Katniss calling her name when she should be focused on the arena? She managed not to scream as she looked for her, if there was a tv here, their mother could be here, and she had to be strong for her mother.


But as she spun, clutching Buttercup to herself her eyes saw... No... That's not...how... It.... "Katniss?" She whispered, her eyes widening. She wanted to believe it, wanted so desperately to believe it, but she didn't quite dare... She listened enough to Katniss... Enough to know that the capitol played tricks, not to trust anything that seemed to be a gift from them.

She clutched the cat hard enough to make her growl, but the sound made her think that maybe... Maybe,,, Buttercup never did like Katniss. One arm around the cat, one pulling the goat, she slowly made her way towards her sister, tears sliding down her face, apin and fear at war within her. It was Katniss, but it couldn't be... But... "Katniss...."

[stillplaying]

"Prim!"

She can't help the tears that fall from her own eyes as she pushes her way through the room to find her sister. She knows she shouldn't show weakness here. It's a new arena, one she's still figuring out. A game that still lacks a full explanation of rules. Their Gamemaker, that Q that the red-haired woman had mentioned as responsible for bringing them here, could be watching right now. Noting how much of a weakness her love for her sister can be, just like President Coin had.

All of those fears are thrown out the window as she opens her arms and pulls Prim into a hug. Buttercup hisses in protest and Katniss ignores him like always. Their days of bonding over shared loss and heartache are far over. Because, somehow, Prim's here now. In her arms, warm and solid and real.

"Prim," she mumbles against her sister's head as she strokes her hair. "Prim, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

For causing her death. For, somehow, causing her to wind up in this new game. For so, so much.

[primeverdeen]

She grabbed her sister with one arm, the other clinging to the protesting Buttercup, but for once she ignored his complaints. Katniss was here... wherever here was. Her sister. She was back, they were together! She didn't die in the second arena! she....

Then the words caught up to her and she looked up to her sister who looked older than she had been the last time they had seen each other... had it just been a week or less?

"Sorry?" she asked, sniffing. When had she started crying? "You didn't choose to get dragged in there," she whispered. "You're okay Katniss, wherever we are, you're okay." She tried to reassure her older sister.

[stillplaying]

Prim would always cry whenever she did. There's no mistaking the girl in front of her, not at all. It's Prim, her little duckling, finally safe in her arms again. Crying because Katniss can't seem to stop her own tears from flowing. She's a jumble of emotions right now. Happy - no, elated. But devastated and worried and frightened all at the same time.

There's still so little she trusts about this place. A part of her even doubts that she's among the stars right now. This is the first real, true thing she's encountered since appearing here.

How could she ever doubt Prim?

"We're in space." She laughs, a slightly hysterical laugh at how impossible this all is. "Finnick's here, too. You remember Finnick, don't you?"

[dresdensluck]

The flash of light faded, and Harry shivered, eyes wide, as he was... back in the bar again. "Oh Come on!" What, was he going to keep blinking and reappearing here at, and he glanced at the chronometer, and sighed, earlier and earlier times?

Eying the bar, and the woman near it, he spoke. "Excuse me, miss. I could use a few answers, and a Coke, if you have one, please."

[she_listens]

Well, that was unusual.

The man who appears in Ten Forward doesn't seem surprised. Guinan has this strange feeling he's been here before, and at the same time ... that he shouldn't be here at all.

She watches him carefully, eyebrows drawn together.

"I'll do my best. The Coke may be a little difficult, but I think I can manage."

[dresdensluck]

Harry felt nausea rumble through him, then fade a little, and he swallowed, slowly, before looking over at her.

"Thanks. Involuntary time travel is never fun." His whole system seemed to be swimming around right now.

[she_listens]

"Tell me about it."

She eyes him for a second longer, and nods to an empty stool.

"Have a seat."

He doesn't look too good.

She moves off to grab his drink, probably one of the few here who remembers what the original Coca-cola tasted like. It's hard to say how much the soft drink has changed since Harry's time, but what she sets before him should be close enough to fit the bill.

"Now that that's out of the way, what answers can I give you?"

[dresdensluck]

Harry took the drink, and sipped it, and then grinned. "That's pretty good! Thanks."

He sighed as she asked for his questions. "Is this actually the Enterprise? What year is it? Why am I being slung around though time like a bean bag that has Mexican Jumping Beans in it? have you ever heard of Fae Flu?"

[she_listens]

Her smile reaches all the way to her dark eyes, putting a sparkle there like stars in a bottomless universe.

"You're welcome."

She inclines her head politely, and listens as he goes on. She could tell there was something different about this one, and it isn't just because he seems to already know where he is. No, it's a feeling. Something like ... this isn't where he belongs.

Or, rather, when he belongs.

"Yes. The year is twenty-three-sixty-seven. I wish I could tell you. No, but I bet you can tell me all about it."

That smile? Only grows.