Tea in the Gardens and Antechambers

[kaolinandbone]

As the many multiversal guests are gated in, singly or in groups, a crowd slowly begins to form in the entry hall. Lioncourt looks up from her meditation break and claps her hands twice: in moments, a dozen automaton servants file out from the adjoining rooms, hands of gleaming white porcelain holding equally elegant china tea-sets. A pair of the automatons open the doors at the far end of the hall, revealing a tiered rose garden, the stone benches dotted here and there ringing a large central clearing.

"Tea is served, either here or in the gardens: I would appreciate it, however, if some of my guests might proceed onward so as to reduce crowding."

Comments

[kaolinandbone]

Upon closer inspection, the automaton appears to have biological components beneath the smooth, overlapping ceramic exoskeleton: They appear to mostly be visible at the joints when it bends, the plates shifting past each other as it moves. Though sculpted in the rough form of a human, it has no real facial features to speak of. The entire contruction gives an impression of something intended to blend into the background when not paid attention to, and to be strikingly elegant when observed directly.

[intricate_engineer]

Glen finishes her sketches and takes a cup of tea. She runs one hand over the ceramic skeleton before she goes.

[kaolinandbone]

The automaton turns slightly to follow her as she goes, before returning to serving tea.

[magicphd]

"Fascinating, aren't they"
A man in a well-fitted labcoat approaches.
"Their programming is beyond the robotics of my world-so far anyway."

[kaolinandbone]

Glen has already left, but the automaton bows to the Doctor, then proceeds to offer him tea.

[magicphd]

He takes the tea, awkwardly thanks the automaton, and wanders off.

[intricate_engineer]

Glen notices him admiring the automaton. After finishing her current conversation, she wanders over to say hello.