driftfleet | A Tourist's guide to a February Mingle

Well, it was around the Academy, so it had a sort of double life - bar hangout and place people could come to cram. Just had to go on the right nights of the week.

_{[ His roommate had snored so much and been such a pig - almost
literally - that Brewsky's had been of the best alternatives next to
McCoy's place. ]}

Probably somebody's name. I can't imagine someone coming up with that and going 'yes, that's a brilliant name for a company'.

Their logo is a mermaid? Maybe it has something to do with that. I'd google it if we could, but I don't think it's quite the same here?

[ who knows ]

So how are you finding it so far?

It's cramped, the gray jumpsuit itches, I lack any of my usual resources... but the company isn't so bad, so can't complain to much.

_{[ He smiles at her and through some act of god manages to get the
coffee dispenser working. He totally meant to do it on purpose Kara,
really. ]}

What about you? You doing okay?

Oh, yeah. You're right about the jumpsuits... surely we can do better than that. I miss my sister and my friends, I'm probably extremely fired right now, and I could do with a bit more sunlight, but it's interesting.

[ she's unendingly optimistic ]

_{[ He likes that about her though. Usually he's the most optimistic
one, but it's nice to find his match. ]}

Well, here's hoping the next planet is a resort, right?

I have to work on my tan.

And thanks for the coffee.

Tell me more about your world?

_{[ He cocked his head at that, wondering what there was to say, though
he realized the Earth he knew was probably very different from hers all
things told. ]}

Well, Earth is now United under one government, and we've largely eliminated poverty and many of the social and economical strains that permeated the early twenty-first century. We play host to a number of alien species now, and we are part of the Federation of Planets so we have regular trade with them as well.

It sounds pretty idyllic.

It has its problems still. Every world does in some way. But it's my home, so I think I'm a little biased about it, even if I plan to spend a lot of my life out in space and away from it.

_{[ He touched his arm where the galactic coordinates for Earth were
inked into his skin. ]}

What's twenty-first century Earth like? That's all in the history books for me.

[ she notices the motion and squints a little when he does it, trying to x-ray to see what he's touching 'cause she's a cheater ]

Hm? Oh, well, it's pretty polarized politically. There's kind of a fear culture in a lot of ways. Fear of the unknown, fear of terrorism... but there's good too. It's no kumbaya utopia but we're making progress.

_{[ He smiled at that. ]}

If it turns out anything like the Earth I know now, you'll pull through. It will come with... sacrifices, but you'll pull through. Hopefully you don't have to go through what my version did.

I hope not? Was it really bad?

We had to go through the Eugenics War and World War III. So yeah, it was bad.

[ she's very bare with her expression. which is horrified ]

That sounds bad! I really hope we don't have to go through that. Hopefully our local superheroes will stem that tide.

_{[ Don't worry, he was rather horrified with it too when it came up in
History Class. ]}

Hopefully they will. I didn't live through it, but everything I've read on it... it makes you wonder what the people then were thinking, how they could have possibly thought it was a good idea.

_{[ He shakes his head, a deeper tremor brushing his heart, but he
pushes it away. ]}

So, these other superheroes you talk about... what are they like?

Well, there's Superman. He's out of Metropolis. He's kind of a big deal. And then my city has Supergirl. I think they're related? Or something.

Sure sounds like it.

_{[ He gives you the raised brows, Kara. He smells something fishy, but
he's not sure what as of yet, so he lets it go. ]}

They both sound very... super.

Hey, I didn't name them.

[ probably? probably. Superman already chose his name by the time she showed up ]

All right, so you have two very super people that are possibly related, but in different cities. Anyone else?

There's a speedster in Central City, I think? And someone else in Star City... That's not really our purview at CatCo though. We mostly focus on National City.

_{[ There's a pause as he sips his coffee and turns over those city
names... ]}

Metropolis, Central, Star, National... Your heroes really know how to pick their locations.

_{[ What, was Milwaukee to much of a mouthful? ]}

[ shrugs ]

I didn't name the cities.

Hah, no I didn't mean... I just thought they were very... patriotic names is all.

But does that mean the heroes just stick to one city then?

One city is usually plenty.

[ somehow knowingly ]

They get attacked that often, huh?

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