(Untitled)

[di_or_dci]

[Just pre-Milliways: It's the freakiest show.]

Sam Tyler had been hoping that somewhere between leaving his flat and getting to what he still thinks of as his office, something would have happened. Something like waking up, getting home, realizing it had all been some strange fever dream, finding out that he was still a DCI after all

Comments

[scots_wolf]

People, and not!people, and very strange people.

The tall man in the dark cloak leaning in a dark corner might belong in the last category.

He doesn't look like 1973. He looks more like 1173. Or 1273. Or thereabouts.

[di_or_dci]

Dark cloak plus dark corner means it's going to take Sam a tick to notice him.

Mostly because he's got to get his own head in order first.

This may take some time.

[scots_wolf]

The man takes off his hood, and comes closer, willing to be noticed.

"You're new," he says, "and you're having trouble believing your own eyes."

[di_or_dci]

"New to insanity? Manchester? Delusions?"

Sam's disbelief is not just limited to his own eyes.

There is, after all, only so much a man can be expected to take.

"Option D, which I haven't the foggiest what it would be right now?"

Wait a second --

"Is there a pantomime and no one told me?"

[scots_wolf]

"New to Milliways, the bar at the end of the universe?" the man says, grinning.

He is very tall.

[di_or_dci]

"Hold on a tick. End of the universe?"

That's even more ridiculous than --

Than --

"Great. Just bloody brilliant."

[scots_wolf]

"The universe," the medieval man confirms. "Apparently, it goes bang out there."

He points to the observation window.

"That is the actual Armageddon. It repeats over and over. Don't ask me how, I died in 1260."

[di_or_dci]

"In 12 . . . 60 . . . Have you been here all this time?"

Because as far as comforting thoughts go --

That is not one. Not at all.

[scots_wolf]

The man shakes his head.

"This is the end of all time. Getting there the natural way would be very, very, very boring. We all end up here, one way or another, without waiting for millennia. I've been here for about half a year."

[di_or_dci]

"Right."

Does he sound disbelieving?

That'd be because he is.

"It sure doesn't look like a cosmic waiting room."

[scots_wolf]

"No of course not," the man says. "That's because it's an inn. You can get drinks and meet women here."

[di_or_dci]

"Oh ballyhoo, just what I was looking for."

He sounds so enthused. Minus the genuinely pleased part.

[scots_wolf]

"What were you looking for when you came through that door?" the medieval man asks.

[di_or_dci]

"The street in front of my flat."

A way home.

One of these is not for public consumption.

"What were you looking for?"

[scots_wolf]

"Nothing," the man says. "I was falling off the scaffolding on a cathedral under construction. And died. And landed here."

[di_or_dci]

"You died. And landed -- "

"Funny, but you don't look anything like an architect. Or a tradesman."