[Robert]

Robert enters a side-door into the Many-Worlds pub and sits down at a table in the shadows where nobody can see him. He then pushes a special button under the table that only he knows about. At that moment the bartender sees a message light up on his display that says ...

Urgent! Bring Robert a Beer at his Secret Table!

Robert places his head on the table as he smiles in satisfaction and recalls the day he had his secret button installed, and the many times he has entered the pub unnoticed to enjoy his beer and watch the craziness in the pub. Today the community is making demands of him. "They have certainly coordinated their attacks", Robert thinks. "And I don't even know what Alchemy means", he mumbles. Robert's mumbling into the table continues, "Isn't Alchemy the changing of a metal, like lead, into Gold? Why in the mad world do they want to do that? Could there possibly be more to Alchemy?". Roberts thoughts race from one possibility to another but soon his thoughts disappear as he relaxes his mind. His breathing becomes more relaxed and rhythmic and he thinks he can feel a special, almost magical calm overtake him. "I am so calm and relaxed." are Robert's only thoughts as he slowly raises his head and .... SCREAMS LIKE A GIRL!

The pub is momentarily filled with a very high pitched screaming noise, much like that of a very young girl. The patrons are suddenly quite and look around for the source, but seeing nothing, soon resume their conversations.

Carly is sitting across the table from Robert, staring him intently in his eyes. "Was she here when I sat down, or did she arrive while my head was on the table?" Robert wondered. Robert is very startled because he does not often see Carly in human form, especially here in the pub. Robert can not think of what to say, but then asks Carly, "What is Alchemy?". "I've been waiting here for you", Carly replies...

[mkirkpatrick]

Michael kicks open the door of the many worlds pub,and shouts loudly at Robert.
infamy,infamy,why have you all got it infamy!With that Carly rushes to the door,
Michael,dear michael,(I thinks she likes me)you have got it all wrong,I think you
are a tad deaf,Robert was saying,Alchemy,Alchemy,what can we do with Alchemy.Michael quickly calms down,and is led by the arm,(this could lead to something,methinks!)to a empty table,Robert says the drinks are on him,says
Carly,I will have a large sasparilla on the rocks,says Michael,make that two says
Carly! There is a loud crashing noise from behind the bar.............

more later.

regards michael.

[michellemfry]

Michelle sits down at Robert's table.

"For God's sake Robert, are you ever going to buy that woman a dress, " she asked. Robert looked at her in annoyed response.
"What the hell do I know about shopping for dresses." he grumpily replied.
"One word and one dress, my friend. Valentino. She will never ask again, I assure you. Do what you want. You always do anyway."
"How did you know about Alchemy, and the rest of the Chemistry subforums you asked for. Suddenly, the whole community is demanding just what you asked for."
"Robert, life is cyclical. Alchemy is a subject that penetrates so many disciplines of the disciplined, and you have many disciplined individuals on your hands here. It's elementary. Why did you accept me if you did not want me to be sensitive to your members secret desires and academic pursuits, " she responded.

Michael entertained Carly in a corner booth. What a gentleman! No dress and he can tell you the color of her eyes.

"Push that button and get me my margaritas, you owe me. You just don't know it yet. Lucky for you, I only require your company, and two margaritas. Keep me company till a dark eyed Englishman named Pagan get's here, will you."
Robert smiles and pushes the other button.

[zeroca]

At this moment in the doorway of swinging door, which had previously been kicked open by somebody, called “Great Michael”, appeared a dangerous shade of long-nosed man, (holding acupuncture needles – as he worked in China medicine before kicking out) known as “owner of nothing”, and everybody shut up at once.
-Alchemy is all I need to torn these rusty needles into golden ones, he mumbled…
Carly began shivering: who is this nasty-looking old man? She whispered into the ear of her master, I don’t like him, he looks like peasant…
Ha, ha, ha… ah, ah, ah! This is Doctor zeroca, he looks like peasant because he was born in the same village as famous dodger Eduard Shtvardnadze: they both are peasants…
He’s in friendly terms with us presently, but… I.e. he once had been a doc. and succeeded so much that all his patients are in heaven and he‘s a guard now. He’s a bit lame in his life: had an operation of his left medial meniscus - he wanted to hit his enemy, so hit his own image in the mirror. Love him until you’re alive! I.e. love him for a very short period! We all are so admired of him, so admired that are even exasperated! As it is said, he has beautiful children; how he managed with his muzzle to have beautiful daughters?
Tssssss,
Watch out!!!!!
Robert secretly pushes the red button - “police”…

[harmonygirl]

following the police, harmonygirl enters the pub. She looks around and sees Michael sitting with Carly and Michelle sitting with Robert. Although she would like to talk to Robert about alchemy, he and Michelle look engrossed in their conversation. the police arrived and when they started to determine the cause of their summons, Doctor zeroca started to talk about the workings of the retina, whereupon they fell about, laughing. After they left, harmonygirl sits with Michael and Carly and starts talking of time. She wonders whether it is really another dimension or whether it only resides in human conception. She also wonders if a space colony that has been in space for a millenia would have a conception of time. She asks for a shot of tequila and offers a shot to everyone in the place. She also wants a guinness. She begins to sense some of the vibes in the place. She begins practicing tonglen, bhuddist breathing. Her drinks arrive and there have been a few takers with the tequila. She raises her shot glass and toasts Robert and his remarkable energy...

[mkirkpatrick]

With that Michael stands up,and calls out loudly to Robert,for Gods sake man
get Carly some clothes to wear,its just not right for her to be here partly clothed,I agree said the odd looking dr Zeroca,thumping his fist on thetable,
me too said Harmony girl,as she sat there filing her nails,well there you have
it said Michelle to Robert,who bythis time had his headon the table and looked
under pressure.Weall seem to be in agreement,when from outside the bar we
all hear a latin like voice of a young lad from spain,the door opens and in walks
Guille,I do not agree with this,he says,can you prove....


tobe continued

best regards michael.

[harmonygirl]

harmonygirl finishes filing her nails and looks toward Robert and Michelle. They seem to have finished their intense conversation. She goes over and takes Robert aside. Alchemy isn't only about the transformation to gold you know...I have been doing some reading and it appears to fit squarely within the search for the TOE. It is the search for harmony (but not meaning me, she smiles coyly), uniting the spiritual, chemical, physical, and philosophical. It is really interesting, the more I read about it. I have just started researching it."
Robert looks exhausted from his hard work and harmonygirl decides to let the subject drop. "here," she says "let me buy you a beer and maybe a shot of tequila. Let's not take it with lime and salt but with sugar and espresso. Much better and sharper an experience. Trust me." she says, smiling. "in fact," she says motioning to Robert and Dr. Zeroca "why don't we all pull up a table and we can all do shots. Thankfully no one has to drive anywhere!" Michael and Dr. Zeroca move over and the table is crowded but the conversation is lively. The shots arrive and everyone shoots the tequila with sugar and espresso. It is a pretty nice mellow high and no one needs another shot. The beer is a nice chaser,especially the Guinness. harmonygirl sits back and enjoys the mellow vibe, half-listening to the conversations. She feels like she has found a really good party with many interesting fellows. She asks what people thought of the movie "what the [bleep] do we know?". She herself didn't find it very enjoyable (although her date did!) but she figures that is because the science wasn't new to her but it was for her date.

[Robert]

Robert pushes the secret button again for Michelle's two margaritas, but notices how Michael is so excited over Carly walking about in her underwear and giving him so much attention. Robert wonders, "My programming for Carly to show more interest in our community might be working a little too well". Then Robert notices Harmony breathing kind of funny and wonders if she is ok, and Dr Zeroca talking about sending people to heaven with his acupuncture needles, then a loud crash behind the bar, and Michael continuing to yell about Carly's underwear. It is too much to bear so Robert puts his head back on the table.

Then, HarmonyGirl walks over to the table and forcefully pulls Robert to the corner where she tells him how Alchemy can help in the search for the TOE. Harmony continues to talk, but she has such a rhythmic cadence and alliteration to her voice that Robert looses track of the conversation and can only stare at HarmonyGirl's fingernails with eyes half closed as if in a hypnotic trance.

The next thing Robert is aware of is a tequila shot in front of him along with a pint of Guinness.