Just walk right in, it's around the back...

[ooeeooahah]

[ Downtown, Midday, open to anyone in town ]

[ One of the buildings has been getting a good bit of attention. The week has seen many things attached to the roof, or added to the alley behind the building that might have been the diner. While the exterior has not been that polished, it has been cleaned and made weather-tight. ]

[ Today, there are three additions to the windows in the front of the building. ]

[ First, the largest addition has been a chalkboard sign in the window, declaring Today's Special to be Pancakes with Fruit. ]

[ Second, there is a cardboard sign requesting volunteers for additional cooks and servers, shifts negotiable. ]

[ Third, a small, neatly hand-lettered sign notes that Dr. Ilsa Higa is available for counseling. ]

[ Inside, there are only two tables for four, but plenty of space for more. However, there are ten stools at the counter. Ilsa is behind the counter, putting away clean dishes in the shelves above the grill, generally straightening up. ]

Comments

[beetlemania]

[Ted had been walking by the building in question when he had to stop and do a double-take at that sign in the window. It couldn't be, could it? Pancakes? Here, now, just after he'd been telling Booster he wanted some?

Had to be a trap. A trick of some sort.

But Ted was hungry, and he was curious, and he figured that if this was some sort of trick, he'd at least humor Booster and "fall" for it. So he'll go inside.]

You seriously have pancakes here?

[Don't mind him looking all wary around the area, he's expecting a prank of some sort at any second.]

[ooeeooahah]

Come on in!

[ Ilsa motions him to the counter. ]

I managed to bring in some supplies for the diner, finally. Buttermilk, whole wheat, or latkes - and I got blueberries, strawberries, and peaches. I'm saving some of the chocolate chips for the kids, but since you're the first in...

[ She smiles with a shrug. ]

[beetlemania]

[Well, it doesn't seem like a trap...or did that mean it was a really good trap?

...but who cares about that now? He's still hungry.]

Ah, buttermilk with blueberries would be great, if you don't mind.

[Yep, had to be the blueberries. Blue's definitely his color.]

[ooeeooahah]

Be just a few minutes, hon.

[ She ladles out the batter for a stack, ] Berries in or on them?

[beetlemania]

[Ted takes a seat at the counter.]

In 'em would be great.

[ooeeooahah]

[ Sprinkling a handful of berries in each, she then grabs a mug. ]

Coffee, tea or just hot water?

[beetlemania]

You even have coffee?

[There is no mistaking the glee in his voice.]

Coffee would be great.

[ooeeooahah]

Yeah, I was tempted to get the Cafe Cubano, but since that's just for me, I can wait on that one.

[ Pouring a mug for him, she puts two sugar shakers on the counter. ]

Considering how things are, I opted for powdered creamer. It lasts longer, but once things get growing, we might have more options later.

[ Flipping the pancakes, she turns to set utensils and syrup out for him. ]

[beetlemania]

At this point, anything's good.

[He keeps talking as he adds a bit of creamer to the coffee.]

I've been checking out the infrastructure of this place. Trying to see about getting everyone hooked up to electricity and such...maybe some sort of computer network, once everything else is in place.

[ooeeooahah]

You need to talk to my alpha, I think.

[ She nods to the kitchen, indicating the appliances. ]

Tarvek helped me get this place running, with rainwater collection and solar panels as the quick start. Honestly, I was hoping to see the town grid running soon, so these can be the backup systems.

[beetlemania]

Not bad, not bad...

[Ted looks around the place appraisingly.]

Yeah, I might have to do just that. Shouldn't be too much longer on that, not with some of the people we've got here working on it. There are just too many scientists here to let the power situation stay like this for long.

[ooeeooahah]

Sooner we have a town-wide system in place, the better.

[ She smiles at the pile of mechanisms at the end of the counter. ]

He'll be back soon, I think he went to the library for a reference book.

[beetlemania]

Yeah, it would make things easier in the long run, even if it's being kind of a pain to set up now.

Really? I might have to hang around for a bit, then.

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa smiles, then flips the pancakes onto a plate, and puts them in front of him, with a small dish of butter on the side. ]

Sure, we've got plenty of coffee.

[ Topping off his mug as she says it. ]

[beetlemania]

Oh, hey, these look great.

[Ted throws himself at the plate of pancakes with great gusto.]

Yeah, they're pretty great.

[ooeeooahah]

Daddy was great at pastry, but pancakes were a quick treat for weekday breakfasts.

[beetlemania]

Hey, I'm pretty sure these would be good anytime.

[ooeeooahah]

Thanks, I'll see how well everything goes over, and see what get repeated. Hrm, now that I think of it... [ Ilsa pulls a box out of the recycling, turning it inside out, writing a note on the inside surface. ] ...need to remember the dry erase paint in the next batch of building supplies.

[beetlemania]

[Ted rubs his chin thoughtfully.]

Yeah, supplies are just going to be one of those things we've got to plan out for a while...

[ooeeooahah]

[ She points with her pen to the space where the cashier's station was in the other diner. ]

I seriously doubt we're ever going to have a currency other than barter, really. So that's going to be given over to a message center until the interior of City Hall is finished.

[beetlemania]

Yeah, I can't see money doing much good out here when you could just will a wad of bills into existence.

A message center's a good idea--I'm sure there are people who still haven't been able to find their friends yet.

[velesdonnersen]

[Tarvek looks down the counter and sees a former Mayfieldian sucking down coffee with great dedication. Looks like he may become one of Ilsa's regulars. That being the case Tarvek's determined to try to be friendly. He may try to hard: he was trianed for the life of a nobleman in a parallel 19th C Europe, not for a more casual, direct age.]

[Nods rather regally.]

Hello. May I introduce myself? I'm Tarvek Sturmvoraus, a...friend...of Ilsa's.

[beetlemania]

[Ted's body language is anything but regal, he's a pretty casual sort of guy. He gives Tarvek a grin and a nod.]

Name's Ted. Ted Kord. I'm...

[He laughs.]

Well, I was hunting for pancakes, really. Can't believe I actually found some.

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa serves Tarvek coffee, ] You two talk up the civil engineering of the town, but let him eat at the same time.

Has anyone checked for underground tunnels, yet?

(Sorry, folks, weekend from h*ell...)

[velesdonnersen]

[He nods at Ilsa, and smiles, then turns back to Ted.]

She makes good pancakes. Good food. I won't let engineering interfere with that. At least...for long.