fandomtownies | The Perk - Late Thursday Afternoon

Janet breezed into the Perk, thankfully attired in normal street clothing again, and moved over by Peter. She leaned on the counter and grinned up at him. "So, what are you looking at this time?" she asked.

"Good afternoon, Janet!" Peter said with a smile. "I've decided to branch out from the iced mocha. But there are just a few too many choices. How do you do?"

"You could always start with something easy," said Janet. "Add a flavored syrup to a latte." She studied the menu and frowned. "Of course, picking one flavor might be difficult too."

Peter considered and nodded. "I like almond. I'll try that then."

"That sounds good. Though, to add one more choice on top of that, do you want it hot or iced?" Janet grinned and ordered a chocolate mint iced mocha with extra whipped cream. "I deserve an extra-decadent coffee drink today."

"What happened to cause the need for decadence?" Peter asked after ordering a hot almond latte.

"Today's workshop," said Janet. "Wilderness Survival students all had to sew their own clothing out of fur." She managed to remember that, despite a very good job of acclimating, Peter was from the 40's, and so she decided to skip a mention of having to strip out of their street clothes first. "I'm not very good at sewing."

Peter really did try not to laugh. So he settled for a grin and a sip of the too hot latte. "That must have been less than amusing. Did you manage it in the end?" He considered for a second. "And does Callisto really think that if one's trying to survive in the wilderness, one will run across a nice heap of tanned fur?" He left out the part where he had done that very thing.

Janet stuck her tongue out at him. "I managed a credible fur outfit, I think. And I'd definitely call it a learning experience." Janet took a sip of her mint mocha and wiped whipped cream off her chin. "She did make a point of saying we should be glad she didn't make us hunt up our own supplies, actually."

"So should we have a fancy dress party at some point so you can wear your fur outfit again?" Peter asked, teasingly. "And you're probably lucky not to have to hunt here. I don't imagine anyone would like the teal deer killed for their skins."

Did you know that inhaling whipped cream hurt? Janet hadn't. She coughed and reached for a napkin. "No, that's all right," she said, her eyes watering. "I don't think a fur bikini is good to wear to a fancy dress party." She nodded. "I'm not opposed to hunting, though I don't do it myself. But the teal deer are a little too cute--and could you imagine trying to skin a gremlin? Ew."

Peter reached over to pat Janet on the back. "I meant a costume party so you could go as a cavewoman or something, but I didn't mean to make you cough. Haven't seen a teal deer yet, but if the gremlins look anything like the gnomes we had out in the cabins a while back, I wouldn't want to skin or tan them. Probably would smell."

"Thanks," said Janet, taking another drink of her mocha. "And don't worry about it. A little coughing won't kill me." She nodded. "A costume party would be fun. If I brought a dinosaur bone, Dr. Oliver or Dr. Jackson could have scientific fits at me too." She slouched down in her chair. "They're awfully shy. Rumor has it they're attracted to long, boring speeches. And I'd expect gremlin skins would cause hallucinations."

"See, that would be the fun part of the costume party," Peter said. "Causing everyone from the past to have fits at others' ideas of what they all wore. And all the people from the future laugh at us for what we think will be worn then."

"So it would be a deliberately historically inaccurate costume party?" asked Janet, raising one eyebrow. "That could be a lot of fun. And I'm always up for making people have fits." Suddenly curious, she took a sip of her mint mocha and looked over at Peter. "So, have you had a lot of people making untrue assumptions about where you're from?"

"Wouldn't it though?" Peter grinned. "I like the idea." He considered the question for a second. "I think I've mainly been confusing a lot of people. I'm pretty upfront about being a knight. And from 1940. One girl," he smiled warmly at the memory, "assumed I was from a different dimension where teenage boys were knighted during the Blitz."

"I'm sure it's something people would enjoy. You could always send out invitiations," said Janet. She grinned. "I'd wondered something like that at first, to be honest. Knighthood and the Blitz don't generally go together under a normal paradigm, after all."

"Truly they don't," Peter agreed. "But it's hardly the oddest thing at Fandom. I tell people if they ask like most here."

"People here are possessed of an insatiable sense of curiosity," agreed Janet. "But I figured asking you on your first day would be a little too much."

Peter grinned. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. The apparent need of everyone here to know everything can be strange." He took a sip of coffee then looked sideways at Janet. "And might I follow up that rather priggish remark by asking you a question?"

"It doesn't surprise me in the least. Possibly because I share in the need to know everything I can." She smiled a little. "I've managed to pique your curiosity? Sure, you can ask a question. I may not answer, though."

"I have plenty of curiosity," Peter protested. "I'm just not good at asking questions. I blame being British."

Janet's smile broadened. "Not being British, I'll have to take your word for it. At least until I have a broader sample size to make a decision from."

OOC: Stupid insomnia. *finishes ~~3:30 AM~~ midnight snack & goes back to sleep*

"We keep talking about getting all the Brits around here to watch a football match together. Maybe you can get your broader sample size there," Peter replied with a smile.

"I'm sure I could," said Janet, stirring the last of her whipped cream into her mocha. "Though this weekend is the basketball game; good luck getting anyone to do much else besides that." She smiled, slightly exasperated over cheerleading. "So, now that your curiosity has stirred mine, what's your question?"

OOC: Well enough, and I now have my coffee!

"Very true though the next English match is on the 20th. Against Sweden which should be fun given Pippi's interest in that country," Peter said. He tried not to smile at Janet's exasperation "Basketball should be fun though if not completely serious. And then there's Washington DC on Sunday which I'm probably far too excited about. But question, yes. Are you one who's thought about if we're fixed to a certain path? If we knew what happened in the future - our future, if it was changeable?"

"The 20th? That's Monday, right? I didn't know Pippi was interested in Sweden. Is she from there?" asked Janet, taking another drink. She frowned good-naturedly at Peter. "Some people take basketball very seriously. But I'm not one of them. Is there a school trip, or are you going on your own? ~~Stupid access issues; I'm so far behind.~~" Janet thought about Peter's question for a minute. It wasn't that she didn't know the answer; she remembered Dr. Carter's visit to the SGC all too well, and the note with SG-1's blood flung through the 'gate. But how to word it? "I don't believe in things like fate or destiny," she said slowly. "Knowing about the future does mean that you could choose to change it. At least, that's how it works in my universe."

"Tuesday, I think. Midsummer's Eve," Peter said with a smile. "Pippi is Swedish, or she was originally. And the trip is with the Flight workshop and I think Veronica's workshop as well. We're supposed to visit the Air and Space Museum." Considering Janet's answer and measuring it against his own thoughts, he nodded, "that makes sense to me, I suppose."

"I have vague memories of that day having meaning in fairy tales," said Janet, who actually hadn't read a fairy tale since Cassandra had outgrown them. "I need to talk to Pippi more often; she's a sweet girl." Janet nodded. "Ah, I see. That explains why I didn't remember a school trip being announced. I'm sure you'll have a great time." She smiled wryly. "There are all kinds of things about paradox, but you'd have to check with Sam Carter for more details about the physics of it." She paused, trying to decide if she should ask. Curiosity won out. "Are you asking because of your sister?"

"Midsummer's a holiday in Na - at home. Bonfires and dancing, fruit, flowers, feasting. It's a great deal of fun," Peter said with a grin. "I'll miss it all, being here." He tilted his head, "I don't think I've met Sam yet. I'll have to correct that, I see. And yes, I'm asking because of Susan. I don't want to fail her again."

"You can say the name, if you want," said Janet. "I heard you and Susan talking, remember? I just--haven't wanted to pry." She laughed at herself. "All right, I've wanted to, but I haven't." Janet frowned into her entirely-too-empty glass. "I think you'd like her. She and I both transferred here from the same school." Janet finished off the dregs of her mocha. "If I'm reading it right, you haven't failed her. But you want to change the future so that you don't. You definitely need to talk to Sam about paradoxes, then. What is it that you want to avert? If you don't mind my asking, that is."

Peter gave a half-smile at Janet's remark. "Consider this permission to ask whatever questions you like. I'd almost forgotten that you were there; I was so amazed by Su being here. I'll keep an eye out Sam though. If she's anything like you, I'm sure I shall like her." He bit his lip. "I don't know if I failed her or if she's another Su and another Peter failed her? If she's from my future or another version of us. But I don't want her to be left alone. It was my responsibility to protect her, and if she was left, then I didn't fulfill it."

The Perk - Late Thursday Afternoon

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject