002; i'm pulling my questions from my shelf

[truthvalue]

Who: Souji Seta and ... you???
Broadcast: Network; open
Action: Marsiva; kitchen; open
When: The evening of the 12th.

[Souji turns on the camera, gives it an absent glance, then sets it off to the side before returning his attention to the simmering pot on the stove in front of him.]

Seta here ... I have a question. I'm wondering, is it possible - assuming we eventually return to our assigned ships - to transfer to a different one?

[He taps the stirring spoon on the edge of the pot, then replaces the lid and turns the heat down to just below simmer.]

Also, there's a new pot of stew in the kitchen. Please come by if you're hungry.

Comments

[truthvalue]

Sure. It's not so hard to move between ships.

[takeabow]

I guess.

I hope it works out for you, though.

[truthvalue]

Thanks. I know we'll work something out.

[takeabow]

I hope so.

I've found it a little hard to meet a lot of people here. But you're not all bad.

[truthvalue]

[Souji gives her a quiet smile.]

It's hard to meet people anywhere, at first. You get better with practice.

[He would know; he's had plenty of practice.]

You're not bad either, Nova.

[takeabow]

Thanks.

You'd think that. The practice thing. But I never really can manage it.

[truthvalue]

It takes a lot of practice. But the trick is to keep practicing.

[takeabow]

That sounds exhausting.

[truthvalue]

It can be, sometimes. My parents moved around a lot for work, so I really didn't have much choice but to practice.

[giving her a thin smile.]

[takeabow]

That sounds difficult.

[truthvalue]

A little bit. Sometimes. But I got to see a lot of places I probably wouldn't have if I lived in the same city my whole life.

[So there's a bit of a balance, at least. He shrugs.]

[takeabow]

And you like that?

[truthvalue]

[He shrugs again.]

It's all I know.

[takeabow]

That's kind of a non-answer.

[truthvalue]

[It is a non-answer, the sort of thing he's been conditioned to say because it's polite, because it doesn't rock the boat, because it's what he's supposed to say. Souji isn't used to being called on it, though.]

I guess I don't know. My life hasn't been bad because of it. [Again, he shrugs.] It doesn't seem too important right now. I'm here, and ... it's a little strange, but I try to do my best.

[takeabow]

Yeah. It's weird, here.

Is any of this even kind of familiar?

[truthvalue]

What, being on a ship in space? [He shakes his head.] I was Traveling for a while before here, but not on a ship like this.

[takeabow]

Do you think it's worth wondering why we ended up here?

[truthvalue]

[Souji goes silent for a bit, rubbing the back of his neck while he thinks. In his previous Traveling, he knew why he was there; the Trumps had things they wanted accomplished, so they brought people together to do so. They weren't always successful, and the what was usually unclear, but the purpose at least was concrete. Back in Inaba, though ... after Nanako died, he'd often asked himself why he'd been there. What had been the point? She would have been better off if he hadn't come to town.]

I think it depends. Would knowing why you're here make things better?

[takeabow]

It would give me a purpose, probably. I just feel so useless here.

[truthvalue]

[shaking his head]

You're not useless. You have a job, right?

[He taps the back of his head, indicating the augment.]

[takeabow]

Yeah. Security. Wow. So important right now.

[ the sarcasm is evident ]

[truthvalue]

If we get attacked by giant space bugs, I'm counting on you to save us all.

[takeabow]

I'll try my best.

[truthvalue]

I believe in you.