001

[flickerflash]

Who: Katie and anyone!
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: 1st December

[Oh. Well, this is new.

The bunks are comfy enough, and it's not exactly the first time Katie has found herself in an unfamiliar place. (Is it Thursday?) But it is the first time she's woken up in one for a long time, and so she squints at the door for a long moment trying to remember what she was last doing.

Then she peels off the bunk, blanket and all, and shuffles her way out to explore. She's not particularly worried, and most confusion goes right out the window when she see the giant windows that let her see out into space because seriously. She rockets over, face smooshed against the glass. That's probably where anyone on the Marsiva can find her for a long time, because space. Spaaace. This is the best accidental visit ever.

Much later, she'll actually think to check the comms, and only when she goes looking for the one she's meant to have. She turns up on the feed still with the sheet half draped over her curls and her nose still a little red from her mushed space-watching, and addresses the network cheerfully in a British accent.]

I think I took a left turn. Are we really in space? That's not just a clever painting or something, is it? Does that mean there are spacesuits? Can I go out in it? Is anyone here that I know? And what buttons do I push to leave again? Not that I didn't turn up here on purpose, because I've always wanted to see space and I really can't jump that far. Oh, but I should probably make sure, so if you could help I'd be much obliged.

...oh, I need a sword, too. Mine ran away.

[Hello, I am nine and full of questions and lies. But genuinely, she is curious. Something is afoot.

(But space.)]

Comments

[jamminshield]

That's the one! [He frowns as he remembers said bins.]

They weren't? But... They gave me nightmares. I couldn't look garbage in the eyes for a whole month!

[flickerflash]

Oh. Well, you see, my dad took me out to beat up bins after we saw it, so I felt much better. You just have to show them who's boss!

[jamminshield]

Really?! Well... Amethyst and Lion did tear apart dumpsters a few times, and that always felt great!

I should push garbage around more often, as long as it doesn't have feelings!

[flickerflash]

Well, if it has feelings and it's still garbage, it probably deserves a little pushing around.

[jamminshield]

Buuuut what if it can't help being garbage? Maybe it just needs some help cleaning up its act!

[flickerflash]

[She giggles.]

Don't you think if you realised you were garbage, you'd want to change? If you want to, you're not just garbage anymore, and if you don't, then you deserve all the pushing in the world.

[jamminshield]

Um... Maybe! I can see where you're coming from, definitely.

But I don't think I'd know for sure unless I walk a mile in garbage's shoes!

[flickerflash]

[Her face wrinkles up.] How would you manage the smell?

[jamminshield]

Easy! I'll just plug up my nose.

[flickerflash]

Oh, I suppose that could work! Other people would avoid you, though. I suppose it might be very lonely.

[jamminshield]

Yeah... It might be. I guess that's the life of garbage!

But... I could make friends with people who don't have noses, right? I bet that'd be a real bright side!

[flickerflash]

Cats wouldn't like you very much.

[She says that so mournfully.]

[jamminshield]

Oh no! But, what would I do with myself without kitties?!

[flickerflash]

[What an excellent response.]

You could apologise to them afterwards and feed them lots of fish. They're sure to forgive you for smelling.

[jamminshield]

[He sure likes cats, even with the horrific trauma of the time that almost his entire body turned into a writhing mass of cats.]

You think so? I'll have to try that out sometime! Good thing cats are forgiving... I just hope I don't look too fishy!

[flickerflash]

If you do, they might mistake you for the fish. [But she's giggling at his pun. NINE YEAR OLDS FIND YOU FUNNY, STEVEN.] You ought to be careful they don't nibble your fingers off.

[jamminshield]

Oh no! [He giggles and wiggles his fingers in front of the screen.] Not my fingers! I gotta be careful.

You know, I turned my fingers into cats once! But it's not as awesome as it sounds.

A life with cat fingers is a tough one...!

[flickerflash]

How did you manage to do that?

[Share your secrets, Steven. That sounds amazing.]

[jamminshield]

Oh! Well, I'm half-gem, so I have shape-shifting powers! I was trying to learn how to turn myself into a cat, buuuut it didn't go right.

[flickerflash]

Turning yourself into a cat sounds like such fun. I 'll have to try it some time. [Huehuehue.] Can you turn into other things, then?

[jamminshield]

Not really... [Sad head scratch.]

I mean, I should be able to turn into other things. And there was one time I turned myself older. But... Everytime I tried using my shapeshifting powers, something went really wrong.

Sooo... for now, I'm gonna be just me!

[flickerflash]

How wrong is really wrong? Maybe you're just getting distracted at the wrong moment or something.

[jamminshield]

Um... really really wrong! I think it's because I'm young, and I'm still learning how to use my powers. I don't think I had any big distractions those times....

[flickerflash]

In that case, you just need to practice more. I'm sure you'll be able to turn into whatever you want eventually.

[jamminshield]

You're right. I'll work on it - eventually! [The problem is that even just practicing it can go horribly wrong...]

Maybe one day, I'll even be able to turn into you, Dorothy!