First Entrance

[samstewart]

[Previously: The end of an average day, in a police station in the south of England -- May 1940.]The door opens, and a young woman in a smart khaki-and-olive-drab uniform steps into the bar. She proceeds to take three more steps into the bar proper before coming to an abrupt halt, and looking round in increasing bafflement

Comments

[kitchen_maid]

A woman in a very grand dress looks up from her tea and smiles.

New arrivals do, after all, have a certain look.

"Hello. Welcome to Milliways."

[samstewart]

Sam blinks. It is a very grand dress. It looks more like fancy dress to her, like something out of the theatre.

'Er...hello,' she says, managing not to stammer and also managing not to stare too impolitely at the other lady. 'I...I hope I don't sound a complete idiot, but I'm afraid I've no idea what a Milliways is.'

[kitchen_maid]

"Oh, no," she says, in the most reassuring tone she can manage.

She can, by the way, manage a very reassuring tone.

"It's actually quite the normal reaction to arriving in this place.

"I'm Amy."

[samstewart]

The introduction helps Sam remember her manners, and stop staring at the lady's dress.

'Sam. Sam Stewart.' She lets go of her gas-mask bag and holds out a hand to Amy. 'Samantha, really, but no one ever calls me that. Except my father, and he doesn't count. It's a pleasure to meet you, Amy.'

Introduction accomplished! Countless rounds of tea and cakes with respectable ladies of the parish have done some good after all.

[action_antihero]

Jack's in the bar trying to get away from the news in his world for a while, preferably with a very large drink.

The distraction of a newcomer is a rather welcome alternative, though, and at the worried look on the young woman's face, it doesn't take long for Jack to decide to speak up. At least this is one thing he can help with.

"Not where you were expecting to end up?" he asks.

[samstewart]

Sam blinks.

'Not...not at all, really.' She looks over at the older man -- American, her mind tells her, and that doesn't make sense at all. 'I just came from my boss's office, and...well, I didn't think there was a pub in the Hastings police station.'

She tries to make it sound matter-of-fact, but from the way her eyes are darting around it's anything but.

[action_antihero]

"I think I can safely say there isn't. Welcome to Milliways, the bar at the end of the universe," he says, managing a small smile.

[samstewart]

She pauses a moment to turn that over in her mind.

And then, because it's not at all easy to deal with, she settles on the one thing that's even remotely familiar.

'I'm going to sound frightfully rude, I know, but...you're an American, aren't you?'