poly_chromatic | ( v o i c e )

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the infernal devices - tessa gray

( v o i c e )

I must admit that the flow of visitors may be a little overwhelming, but— if there is someone from the Institute here, if only for a day or two, I should like to make my own presence known, rather than spend all day in the library.

I only ask that— [ she pauses, clearly hesitant, before her voice comes again, stronger now and quite firm ] that whoever should wish to talk to me will not be too forward.

[ it doesn't quite express what she wishes to say (please, take care not to offend my 18th century sensibilities) but it comes close enough while still remaining polite ]

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[It doesn't seem quite right to move on and gloss over anything unpleasant, but Tessa is still virtually a stranger. There is only so much information one can ask of a stranger.]

Books? There are paper books, yes, but they are old, mostly, and very fragile. I have seen only a few.

[He reaches for the PADD that he usually keeps on his person before remembering that personal effects didn't make it into the City.]

I read on my PADD, usually. It is like a small computer and can hold thousands of books.

Thousands of books, truly? [ Tilting her head a little, considering. She likes paperbooks, but it may well be only because they are what she is used to. The important thing, what matters most, that is the stories. ]

I am glad you still have books, in some form.

I have been told that some models can hold millions, but no one has time to read millions of books.

[curiously] What books do you read?

No, I suppose millions of books would be a little much, perhaps.

[ Smiling. ] The books of my time, I should perhaps say, and the poems. I love Charles Dickens.

Ah! I have heard of him, although I have not read any of his work. Poetry--I am not familiar with much poetry. What are the names of your poets?

You should read A Tale of Two Cities. I love it.

Have you heard of Tennyson?

I will look for this when I have my PADD. [Which isn't true, since he won't remember, but...]

Ah... no?

They have it in the library here. You could look it up later, or Tennyson, if you'd like.

[ Or she could show him. ]

I would like to see the library and look for these things. Is it far? The library?

No, not at all. We could take our coffee, if you would like. [ Tessa loves the library, as might be evident in her smile, the way she lights up just a little when talking about books. ]

Yes, I would--if you would? [It's silly to ask. From Tessa's expression, it's pretty obvious that she'd like to go to the library.] I will follow you.

Of course. [ Standing and, after the briefest hesitation, sliding a hand into the crook of his elbow again. ]

The library here is wonderful, truly. It has books on everything, and I think it may well be a little magical. Sometimes there are rooms which were not there before.

[Chekov is not opposed to this.]

Magical? How do you find your books if the rooms are not always the same?

It always seems simple enough. Perhaps that, too, is magic.

There is a good deal about this City that seems to operate on magic.

[Like the fact that they haven't slammed right in to Dr. McCoy. Chekov isn't sure what the doctor would think of the current lack of personal space between them.]

That may well be true. I certainly would not know how else to explain many things, but then the technology that Doctor McCoy uses seems like magic to me as well.

[ What lack of personal space, Mr Chekov? She's walked the exact same with Doctor McCoy himself. Is that not the same thing? ]

There is someone on the Enterprise who would say that all magic is nothing more than phenomena--or technology--that we do not yet know how to explain. Here, that may not be so true.

[Doctor McCoy probably wouldn't think it was the same thing, but Chekov feels that he's conducting himself properly.]

Perhaps it is true, but I certainly would not be able to tell the difference.

[ Tessa finds you very courteous, Mr Chekov. ]

Edited 2012-02-04 08:46 (UTC)

It is easier in space, I think. Most phenomena can be attributed to advanced cultures or previously unrecorded anomalies.

[Will she still think he's very courteous when he puts a hand over one of hers?]

But that is all boring. Does this library do anything else unusual?

It is a library, Pavel. It can be anything, or nothing at all, depending on you.

[ she would perhaps think him less courteous for it were he from her time. As is, however, she will merely flush a little. She will not mind, however. ]

I was referring to its physical properties, but yes, you are right.

[This is downright gentlemanly and prudish for the twenty-third century. Tess should meet Kirk. ...Actually, she shouldn't. Ever.]

Outside of the changing rooms, its physical properties are not that remarkable. But it is a library.

[ Glowing again, and most of it is because talking about the library, about books, that is something she loves. A little of it may be due to the company.

Tessa should never meet Kirk, ever. ]

This will be strange to you, but I have never seen a library with books. Databases, yes, but never collections of books.

[It's nice to see Tessa happy. She seems very kind and shouldn't have to be upset about her homeworld at all times.]

Oh, truly? [ A beat. ] All the better, then, that we are going to see it.

[ She's only upset about it when she thinks of it. ]

Truly! There are libraries--there is a large one in Moscow--but books are not often handled, not by anyone who is not a scholar or fond of antiques.

[She won't have time to think now.]

Have you read Pushkin or Gogol?

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