driftfleet | video;

Who: Koala and you.
Broadcast: Fleetwide.
Action: N/A unless you want to do ship stuff idk.
When: Today!! Or something.

~~[Hello everyone it's your fave weird smiling 11-year-old.]~~

I... just wanted to say — I did it, Mr. Greed! I finally got Top 10 in pinball, sir, just like you requested! [It's true, ~~thanks to Han~~ she's completely overtaken the scoreboards; hallelujah.] I, um, got all top 10 spots, too! Just in case you wanted me to have all ten... I'm sorry, my memory's a little fuzzy... I'm very sorry! But I did it. I'm glad I can finally move on to my next chore on my to-do list... I keep hearing these distant pinball machine noises in my head, b-but then I realize I'm just tired.

I didn't know games would be so hard! It was very frustrating... I almost frowned through it...

[She chucks very faintly, smiling wide.]

It's too bad that we're no longer near a planet. I-I think my crew would be very happy to have more games on board, like pinball. Or maybe better smelling clothing detergent. I like the kind that smells like flowers. I'll remember for the next place we stop by!

[AH, RIGHT. ANYWAY.]

Actually, I was... going to come on here for a request. If that's okay.

Ah. Well.

....

We need a new blender on the Huntress.

...

A-and if anyone has any spare table cloths, we could trade for those as well. There are large holes in the table currently.

...

And if anyone has something to help remove scorch marks...

[This ship is a f$%*ing mess.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Writing, too.

[Not that it's more than a formality in much of Leia's neck of the universe, where so much is communicated through electronic means--but being able to write in the High Galactic alphabet will strengthen Koala's reading.]

I have paper and pens especially for your lessons. And at the next place we stop, I'll find you some simple books.

I would like that. I'll help you look!

[... But now that she has you available — she lowers her tone, careful.]

Um... Miss Leia... Is it true? That you're... noble?

I hoped you would. It's a date.

[Koala's question catches her off-guard, and her first instinct is Who told you that? Which isn't really the question she wants to ask--that would be Why do you sound concerned?

Putting Koala on the defensive is probably the wrong choice, though, and after a moment or two, Leia replies with the truth.]

As a matter of fact...I was a princess on a planet called Alderaan. [Another little pause, and then words modulated to be as gentle as possible.] Why do you ask?

[She stares in awe for a moment.

And just as quickly, she feels spotlit by the question; her nerves are a bit jittery, because what if Leia takes it an entirely horrible way? She would hate to make anyone upset with her... But explaining is important!]

Oh, no reason, it's just...! It's because...

I have never met a kind noble before. Not ever.

Some nobles aren't kind.

[Leia's well aware of the fact, but she suspects that Koala knows far better than anyone. The poor girl.]

But my mother and father taught me that being a princess meant I had a responsibility to be more kind to others, not less. I was raised with opportunities others did not have, and that meant it was my job to help make the galaxy a fairer place for everyone. A place without war, or slavery, or hunger.

And I agree with them. Nobles who aren't kind might have titles, but they don't know anything about what the word "noble" actually means.

Edited (spelling, bro) 2016-01-27 14:27 (UTC)

[She blushes a bit, looking away.]

Your mother and father sound very wonderful...

The... the nobles at home... I wish they were kinder. But they just — burn their mark on your back and treat you horribly. I hope that there are some like you, though! I hope someday I'll see a good noble who wants everyone to be happy.

They were.

[Leia's expression grows dark at the thought of brands, though she plans to blame that on the thought of her mother and father, if it comes to that.]

I hope you do, too. There must be someone on your planet who opposes what those people do.

[Ah... There is one group she can think of.

She flusters, but smiles.]

Mm. Pirates!

Pirates, huh?

[Leia grins. So it takes lawless people to oppose unjust laws in her world. There's a sort of poetic justice to it.]

Some pirates can be pretty nice. Did you know some, where you came from?

I... did, actually.

[She seems wistful for a moment, thoughtful.]

They were very nice! Or—or most of them were. They were fishmen!

And they were taking me home.

Then that was very nice of them.

[From how she says it, anyway, she hopes it was. Leia pauses a moment, trying to decide whether to ask the question on the tip of her tongue.]

Were they helping free you?

[She nods, looking away for a moment, though the smile remains.]

After I got away from the fires, I was very far from home...! They decided to help take me, because some of them knew what it was like, to be a slave. So then... I could go back to my mother! Without me and — and Dad, she has to be so lonely. That's how I stayed determined to keep going, even when the pirates terrified me.

You're a brave girl, Koala. I think it's admirable.

[And Leia thinks perhaps it says something, that Koala was willing to tell her about it. It's worth telling the truth in return--you have courage, and you should be proud of that.]

I hope we can help you get back to your mother.

[She blushes, nodding and looking down.

It's still so strange, that people can say such support things. She forgets what that's like, sometimes. The fishmen said things sometimes, too... but it was always in that sort of brutish pirate way. No fault of theirs — she understood them, knew they were so very genuine.

But it's another thing to come from Leia. A princess!]

Maybe we can help everyone get home.

[Leia's not sure her status as a princess really adds that much weight to her opinions--not in this galaxy, certainly--but she does think Koala could stand to be complimented a little more often.]

That's the plan. [Ideally, anyway.] Everyone who wants to go home should be able to.

[She nods, fidgeting with her dress.]

I dream about going home, sometimes! It's a happy thing... but also a very sad one, because when you wake up, it takes you a moment to realize that it's not true. Dreams are very confusing, aren't they?

They can be. And sometimes they only make you miss a place more, when you dream of it. Even if it was nice to see it again in your mind.

[She feels you, Koala. Dreams of Alderaan are the worst that way.]

It just means we'll have to get you home, so you don't have to dream about it.

Thank you, Miss Leia. You're always so kind.

[She's floored by it so often, how sweet some of the fleet are.

She's undeserving of such things, when she has so little she can really contribute.]

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