/takes the huntress out back and buries it (jan mingle pt. II)

[scrubscrub]

Who: Anyone on the SS Huntress! Crew and visitors.
Broadcast: N/A
Action: SS Huntress
When: More of January! We got three new crew mates and it will be messy.

IT'S ANOTHER MINGLE FOR OUR EVER-EXPANDING SHIP.

Also, we need an update on how well Koala is doing at pinball.

God, help this ship.

Comments

[princessia]

You are? [ There's some small surprise in her voice. ] And yes, we're friends.

[ Even though she has only known Han for such a short while, her answer comes easily. Elize is a child that's quick to register someone as a friend as long as they're genuinely nice to her. Plus he said he's making sure her old ship doesn't crash... ]

My name is Elize.

[imahologram]

That's right. He and I are from the same place.

[Elize seems on the quiet side, but she's sweet enough.]

It's nice to meet you, Elize. My name is Leia.

[princessia]

Oh? Leia... it's nice to meet you, Leia.

[ Saying her name gets a tiny, amused smile out of her. She's reminded of a friend from home. She hasn't seen her in months, unfortunately. ]

I have a friend from home with the same name as you.

[imahologram]

Really? I've never met anyone with the same name as me before.

[Leia smiles back. As rusty as she feels, talking to children, it doesn't seem to be that difficult.]

It's a nice coincidence. Maybe it means we'll be friends, too.

[princessia]

Maybe...

[ That's when her smile starts to falter. ]

I haven't seen her in a long time. So, I don't know.

[imahologram]

I'm sorry. [Her own expression grows more somber.] It can be hard to be away from the people you love.

[A pause.] Have you been in the Fleet a long time?

[princessia]

Eight... nine months, I think?

[ It's getting close to a year. There are people who have reached that amount of time. She returned home once. That was months ago, but the amount of time back home wasn't very long.

She looks down bashfully, drops her arms to her sides and sways them a little. ]

But everyone goes home, someday.

[ Still, that doesn't make her happy. She misses Cullen. ]

[imahologram]

That's a long time. I'm sorry.

[And as long as it sounds to her, how much more unending is it for a girl Elize's age?

At the other comment, Leia tilts her head a little. It's a surprising thing to say, something that runs contrary to what others have told her.]

Do they?

[princessia]

Yes. There was a completely different crew on this ship before. Chris, Shirley, Isabela, Corey, Dad- [ "Daddy". She stops, correcting herself. ] Cullen... a lot of people. They all went home.

[ These are only several names. There might have been others before her transfer, but she remembers quite a number of people. ]

Not just this ship, but it's like that for everyone brought on the fleet.

[imahologram]

...I can see why Han likes you.

[All right, mostly Leia's just struck by the girl's...can you really call it optimism when she seems so sad? By Elize's idea that everyone must leave eventually. Eventually, provided they just wait long enough.

That idea appeals to Leia a lot right about now.]

You know exactly what to say to a person.

[princessia]

I do?

[ That gets her from being sad to... looking rather embarrassed. She can feel her cheeks heating up. That's a compliment, right? ]

I-I'm just telling you what happens...