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(no subject)

Who: Beverly Crusher and all you other fine redheads
Broadcast: Networkwide Video
Action: Blue Fish, Cargo Bay
When: Right after the shuffle!

[The video feed cuts on to show Beverly, grinning with amusement, though her tone remains professional as she addresses the fleet.] Attention, Drift Fleet! This is Dr. Crusher of the SS Blue Fish. [Sorry guys, it's going to be a while before she stops talking to the network like she's in Starfleet.] We've received an... interesting delivery here on board the Blue Fish that I think some of you will want to see.

[She steps back from the camera for a moment, revealing the Blue Fish's cargo bay, stacked floor to ceiling with crates of what looks like... shampoo? You'll also see the Blue Fish's intrepid Captain Sokka in the background, mouth open in angry shock about this intrusion into his cargo bay. Beverly walks over to the nearest crate and pulls out a bottle of shampoo to hold up closer to the camera. The shiny red bottle looks suspiciously similar to a certain famous salon brand of hair care products from late 20th or early 21st century Earth, if any of you happen to be familiar with that. "JOHN FLOOTER" is emblazoned prominently on the top along with the words "RESPLENDENT RED" in gold.]

In case you can't tell what is in the crates, it's shampoo, and tons of it.

[Her face pops back onscreen.]

Someone out there must really have a thing for redheads. [She waggles her eyebrows.] But who can blame them?

[She sets the shampoo back in its box before continuing.]

Of course, it's not all for just me and Kairi! They sent a list, which I'll upload onto the network, and if your name is on it, you can come by the Blue Fish at any time to pick up your gift. Or, if it's easier for you, just let me know and I'll bring your box by your ship at your earliest convenience. Thank you!

((ooc: if your character is a redhead, assume they're on the list. someone in the audience just really wanted an excuse for all the redheads to get together, okay???))

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[Sokka hates everything. Atroma stole his girlfriend and now he has crates of shampoo everywhere. He'll be trying to clear some space by shoving crates around, muttering darkly under his breath as he does so.]

Oh yeah, this is a real hoot, Atroma. Because this is what we wanted, more than anything right now. This is the most practical gift ever.

[Oh no, space son is feeling down! Once there's a lull in the action, Beverly makes his way over to him.]

Sokka? Are you alright? I'm sorry about all of this ... [And she doesn't just mean the shampoo] but don't worry, I'm sure we can get most of it cleared up.

[Sokka, hunches up his shoulders. There's some carefully measured distance he doesn't usually carry. ]

It's fine, it's not your fault. It's just Atroma, thinking they're being funny. Ha. Ha.

I'm probably not making it much better for you though, am I?

It's not you. It's- fine.

[He leans on one of the crates, rubbing the back of his head. It's not fine. ]

[She taps one finger against her lips in pseudo-thoughtfulness.]

I seem to remember someone telling me I wasn't allowed to tell him everything was fine when it was clearly not.

Ugh. I should have known that would backfire on me one day.

[His hands move up to scrub through his hair, before he drops them, heaving out a sigh. ]

I want to know what they've done with Suki, and I hate that there's no way to contact them and learn that. She could be anywhere.

[It was obvious enough that that was what was bothering him, but she's glad he's finally said it out loud. She nods sympathetically, not entirely sure what to say. There has only been one other person from her universe here, and she was not exactly torn up by his leaving. But after Atroma has toyed with her own emotions so much, making her think Wesley was here, not once, but twice, she can't honestly say she would put it past them to be playing some sort of game with Sokka and Suki here.

Before she says anything, she reaches out and takes both of his hands in hers, gripping them very earnestly.]

I don't blame you for being upset. Just don't hold it in, alright? Trust me, I know how well that doesn't work.

[Sokka looks down at their hands, his brows furrowing. He's used to being the one to hold everything in, to keep the team going no matter what. He had a job to do and that was more important. Focus.

He lets out a shuddery breath. ]

I'm just tired of the games they're playing. Why bring us here at all, if they're just gonna take us away again at a moment's notice? Her room's gone [not that she ever stayed in it] it's like she was never here at all.

You know she was here, and we do too. We're not going to forget about her, I promise.

[She gives him a rueful and barely-there smile.]

I'm good at remembering people. [Even when everyone else forgets, when they all disappear.] I'll do whatever I can to help you. Just tell me what you need.

[He manages a weak smile. ]

Thanks, Beverly. Right now? I don't know what I need. I wish I had answers, but I know I'm not getting them.

I just feel like I've failed her. Again.

[Oh, Sokka. Here comes that concerned mom look again. She transfers her hands to his shoulders and looks him square in the eye.]

Sokka, listen, you didn't fail her. You are not responsible for Atroma's choices, they are. Please, whatever else you do, don't blame yourself.

[Sokka will always blame himself. For everything. He exhales. ]

But if I'd kept an eye on her, or...I don't know, made thins more entertaining, maybe they'd have kept her here.

Even if that would have worked - and I'm not saying it would - then what? Their demands for "entertainment" would only keep escalating. I don't know exactly where that would lead, but I don't think it is any place good.

I-

I guess so. But does that mean any of us are facing the chop next?

Maybe. I wish I could promise you that I won't leave, but I can't. I can promise that however long I'm here, I'll never stop searching for answers and a way to get us all home.

[She'll probably keep searching even if she does get home before him, to be honest.]

Me either. [That gets the smallest of smiles. ] That's a promise we can both make.

[She smiles and then yep, you knew this had to be coming Sokka, she's going in for the hug. Respecting his position of captain, however, she'll make it a short one.]

[Ugh, hugging.

This time, he really does need one though, so he'll actually hug her back. ]

[Everyone needs one sometimes, Sokka. Even starship captains. When they break the hug, she has an idea.]

I don't know if this would help you any, but it helps me sometimes to be doing something physical. Provides a little cathartic release. There's a martial art I know that I've been trying to keep practicing here, if you'd like to join me sometimes?

That...would actually help, yeah. I mean, I'm a fighter anyway, but I really need to work on my hand-to-hand. I'm used to have a sword.

[That is somewhere in the Fire Nation, right now.]

Part of this actually involves a sword, but I don't have a bat'leth here. If we ever get a chance to get one though... In any case, I'd be happy to show you. And maybe you can show me what you know as well.

A...Bat...leff? Is that a sort of sword?

[This gets an actual happier smile from him.]

I'd like that. I was super lucky. I was trained by the greatest sword master in the Four Nations.

[A corner of her mouth twitches at his pronunciation.] Bat'leth, yes. It's um... well, here, I can show you!

[She pulls her handy-dandy tricorder out of her pocket and quickly finds an image of a bat'leth in the Starfleet database. Handing him the tricorder to get a closer look, she explains a little more about it.]

It's the traditional, and still very popular, blade used by a race called the Klingons. You usually wield it with both hands.

[He loves that tricorder. He really, really needs to get him one of those. He peers at it, making a soft 'ooooh' sound. ]

I think I saw something like that in the Earth Kingdom. That's really cool. I bet you have to be very agile to use it, though, if it's a two handed weapon.