[network] @ADMIN; Arrival

[snowblindmods]

Welcome to Norfinbury. The time is E̛̬̞͖͖̫R҉͖̯̬R̼̻͉̰͎̳̙O̩͓͔̫͇͈̯R and the date is E̛̬̞͖͖̫R҉͖̯̬R̼̻͉̰͎̳̙O̩͓͔̫͇͈̯R. This network has been provided for your use. Please interact politely with everyone else on this network.

Comments

@Mnemosyne; text

[bookofnope]

Welcome to Norfinbury, Miss Murray. My name is Beckett. I must say it's impressive to witness you apply yourself to the situation immediately. To answer your questions: our assumption is that the technology is of human development, though some of us aren't certain. We have no real idea as of yet why we've been gathered, but we are indeed from different times, or more properly worlds. The Administrator may be contacted through the network, but doesn't always respond and provides little information when she does. We have had to put most of what we know together ourselves.

A question of my own in return, if I may: were you ever associated with a man named Jonathan Harker?

[not_harker]

Thank you for the information, Mr. Beckett.

[There is the longest pause before she answers his question.]

Jonathan Harker is my ex-husband. Why do you ask?

[bookofnope]

Possibly a mere coincidence of the names, but stranger things have happened. Here. Repeatedly. You and Mr. Harker would not have happened to have been involved in any incidents concerning Transylvanian nobility?

[not_harker]

[Her blood runs cold.]

Yes. And if we were?

[bookofnope]

If you have, then I confess I'm curious about the details. I've been involved with the Count myself on occasion, and like to compare experiences.

[And behold, every word of that is true.]

[not_harker]

[Mina is taken aback, not by his request, but his admission. This was a stranger who perhaps was more than just interested in the sordid details of her encounter. It prevents her from blowing him off entirely. Still, she's uncertain if sharing such experiences will serve to lessen or merely revive the trauma she's endured. Some things are better left dead and buried.]

I have not spoken about the incident since it happened. [Not even with Jonathan, which made for an awkward marriage while it lasted.] If I only had access to my collection of letters, I could share them with you.

[bookofnope]

[He knows it can't be an easy request, even when phrased about as neutrally as he can, if not sympathetically as such. If she is who she might be, at least, and he has no reason to think otherwise. But also this is clearly not Mina Murray as Stoker has left her; this one has apparently met Martians.

So he pushes. He's been in that mood for a while now, and he likes it, too.] It seems rather a lot has happened, if yo don't mind my saying so. I am sure I could learn more from you than from old letters.

Would it help if I were to share some of my own experience first? I'm not averse to the option.

[not_harker]

[There's another pause in her response.]

Perhaps this is a conversation best left for a visit in person then, Mr. Beckett.

[At least then she can better gauge to whom she is speaking.]

[bookofnope]

That is fair enough, though let me reassure you, Miss Murray, that no one here has more than an academic curiosity towards your secrets. You will naturally not take my word for it, but the town and its concerns are entirely disconnected from the world you know.

[not_harker]

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about being an academic curiosity.

I will meet with you, however, and perhaps you can tell me more about this town as well.

May I ask which location is most convenient for this engagement?

[bookofnope]

I find it's the least disturbing form of curiosity, but that might just be me. Do you have some sense of your current location? I am in the northwestern part of the town.

[not_harker]

I appear to be close to the town square.

[bookofnope]

Downtown. We'll need to do some travelling then. I don't suppose you've picked up any other engagements yet.

[not_harker]

My schedule is clear.