[RL with Mikaela]

[screwloose]

Dr. Stein waited just outside the compound for Mikaela to arrive, his stitched and patched labcoat blowing a bit in the hot Africa wind. He smiled as the young woman rolled up in her very fine motorcycle, his glasses glinting in the sun as he looked her over. No immediate signs of injury.

Though she was only a few years older than his students, and definitely too young for him, he couldn't help but enjoy the ride back to his own world.

They arrived just outside his own laboratory, which was a tall concrete building, which also looked to have been stitched together, much like his own body and clothing. Scraggly trees with no leaves adorned the grounds, which were surrounded by a high wrought iron fence.

The sun stared down upon them, far cooler than the place where they had just left. The sun had a face, and it was laughing good-naturedly at them, its voice deep and echoing.

"You can leave the bike inside the grounds, it'll be safe there," Stein said cheerfully as he got down and opened the front gate. "Welcome to my home, Mikaela."

Comments

[know-sacrifice.livejournal.com]

Mikaela was certainly glad to move from the heat of...well, wherever they'd been, it was hot, hotter than Tranquility (which could get pretty hot in the summer). She couldn't help staring around her as she coasted the bike up to the gate, taking in the patchwork look of the building and grounds around it and--

...Was the sun laughing? What the heck was that about?

She didn't ask, though, just nodded and wheeled the bike through, shutting it down and popping the kickstand. She took off her helmet and tucked it under one arm, taking another look around. "Interesting place," she said with a soft laugh.