Gumball Wishes and Taxicab Dreams

[thespaceopera]

[On today's episode of the Drift Fleet:

The cargo holds are full of mysterious crates! The crews are filling beyond capacity with new faces! Official alerts are informing the passengers that they are signed to contracts that they've never agreed to! They are docking at the dazzling FS Starlight, but are flat broke!

What are they going to do!? Stay tuned to find out!


...Meaning, this is a kickoff mingle for you all to enjoy the beginning of the latest plot setting. This is a convenient place to start threads relating to the first week of the event-- meeting new crewmembers, reacting to the mysterious cargo, arriving on the station and discovering that you're all broke, etc.

Tag around, start whatever you'd like, have fun. And, as always, feel free to make your own posts and mingles from here on in, as this will be the only mod-posted one for this event!]

Comments

[avaricious]

"It might seem a rather simple thing, but I do enjoy a good drumstick. Baked just right and with just the right spices." It was perhaps an odd choice for a prince, but he also sometimes was known for having a bone hanging out of his mouth. His table manners were not always the best. His stomach began to growl. "... in fact, I could do with one right now."

[steeledskin]

Aha! A perfect opportunity to chase him off. Sansa nodded (primly) and dropped her attention once again onto her needlework.

"Then you should go and be fed, your grace," after all he'd identified himself as a prince. "They say there are marvelous feasts available on the station. I'm certain you'll find your drumstricks if you go look."

Emphasis on go.

[avaricious]

"They say?" He shook his head and tutted in disapproval. Ling offered a courteous hand to help her to her feet. "You should experience them for yourself. You should come along with me. I'll treat you to the finest food on the Starlight."

[steeledskin]

She was as quick to refuse his hand as she refused his offer. Shaking her head, she answered, "No. I must wait here. I have no interest in adventuring onto the station, your grace."

[avaricious]

Disappointing, but Ling was unflappable in the face of rejection. His smile did not waver. "Then it won't be an adventure. Think of it as a relaxing stroll. You've already traveled thousands of miles in space. What's a quarter mile more?"

[steeledskin]

"I'd rather not," she tried again. A second approach to a second refusal. But it began to strain the credulity of her manners, and she worried about how she might respond if he pressed the matter. Lie? Or mayhaps...

"My brother would be cross if he could not account for me."

[avaricious]

"Easily solved!" Ling announced cheerfully. "We'll leave a note. If he's still cross, I'll take the blame for it."

[steeledskin]

She was caught between a rock and a hard place. It was hard to say no -- to object, and to protest -- because so much of her was bent towards obedience. But what Ling or Greed or Whover asked of her was no small feat: he asked her to betray propriety and step out with a man who amounted to not much more than a stranger. One who had, in the past, set of trumpets of warning in his behaviour towards her. The conflict was evident upon her face.

She tried one last time: "It isn't enough to leave a note. I must ask him, your grace. He is the Lord of my house."

He is my king.

[avaricious]

Much as Ling might have been eager to go and show her how much enjoyment might be had in the station, he wasn't nearly so invested as to go and drag her along into it. So once more he followed with an exaggerated sigh.

"Your loyalty is admirable. I wouldn't want to be source of conflict for your family." He at long last took back his hand and rested on his hip. "What is your brother's name?"

[steeledskin]

"Robb Stark," she answered quickly. Ably. But she did not rush to remind him that they had been on the Huntress together before their transfer.

[avaricious]

Ling Yao remembered Robb Stark. Greed had tried to humiliate the young lord, but Ling Yao had rather liked him. He'd seemed very reasonable. An able and just lord, if not one perhaps a little out of his depth in this setting.

"Very well, I will go and seek his permission. But you must at least let me bring something back for you. You'll make me feel guilty eating in luxury while you remain here eating rations."

[steeledskin]

This is unexpected. Her chin tilted, and Sansa tried to figure out the angle at which he played. Such courtesy and kindness in the wake of what had happened before -- she only just now began to accept the possibility he might be a different person. So, with lingering reluctance, Sansa nodded.

"Something sweet," she answered. "But nothing with that awful sugar," because that stuff was altogether too sweet. "Does no one in space bake with honey?"

Alarmingly, she found herself half-hoping that Robb would give his blessing and so relieve her of the guilt should she submit to Ling's invitation.

[avaricious]

"I'll make some inquiries. I'm sure someone can manage that."

Ling knew nothing about actually making food, so he could make no promises to that. But he would honor the request, though he might not do so speedily since his dining experiences tended towards the lengthy.

"Farewell, my lady. I'll see you again soon."