003; video;

[firstrebel]

Who: Hera
Broadcast: Fleetwide!
Action: On the station, if you like!
When: Now

[ Hera is seated at a small cafe on the station today, taking a break from the odd jobs she's been doing to earn money. She's got a cup of something hot at her elbow, and she's her usual composed self. ]

So, to those who don't know me, hi. I'm Hera. [ She gives a little wave. ] You might have seen me around, since I've been on the fleet for a couple of months now. For those who haven't, I just thought I should point a couple of things out, since they've been coming up fairly often when I talk to people.

[ She points at her face. ]

I'm green. This might seem self-evident, but I've actually had a surprising number of people point this out to me, as if I hadn't noticed. So I'm telling you now, I've noticed. I'm green. It's genetics, and skin pigment, and I'm aware. I've also noticed that I'm not human - I'm Twi'lek, actually. And - [ Here she points at the top of her head. ] these are called lekku, but you can call them head-tails if you prefer.

Also, in my culture, it's - rude to stare. I know a lot of you aren't familiar with species other than your own, but it can get a little uncomfortable feeling like you're under a microscope.

Comments

video

[neverknight]

Wait, wait. Hold on a second here.

You're green?

[He can only say this because she isn't there to hit him.]

video

[firstrebel]

[ She would so be punching you if you were here, Kanan. But it's that half-exasperated, half-amused sort of punching? It's a good thing she finds you charming. ]

Shocking, isn't it? I looked in a mirror the other day, and I was just green! All over!

[video]

[passingthrough]

People suck sometimes. [Aside from the occasional run in with the Shi'ar most of her alien experience comes from the last multi-dimensional prison-type thing she was in, but people looking different she was used to before that. Not all mutants pass as human like her.]

[video]

[firstrebel]

They do, though I haven't encountered any outright hostility. Just, you know, it gets old, having to explain it over and over again.

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[lord_wizard]

Perhaps they're staring for other reasons. You could always take it as a compliment.

[Because he usually does.]

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[firstrebel]

I don't like those kinds of "compliments".

[ Seriously, no thanks. Too many of her people have been sold into slavery because of how ~exotic~ and ~beautiful~ they are. ]

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[onlyburnhotter]

[Yang joins in, bubbly as always.]

And she's one heck of a flying coach!

Video

[firstrebel]

Thanks, Yang. I do my best.

[video]

[littlecousin]

There are a lot of people here who're kinda weird about anyone non-human.

[Nita can pass as human if she arranges her hair right, but she never bothers, because being her is awesome and she genuinely doesn't care if she gets stared at.]

[video]

[firstrebel]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's noticed. I'm used to being in a minority, but I'm not used to attracting so much attention just because of the color of my skin.

video;

[arcanepower]

It really ought to be a non-issue, but such is the way of being a minority. [He sips his tea.] The Horde tends to be purple, orange, brown, black, blue, and white in addition to green. Humans are a part of the other faction and generally try to kill us on sight.

video;

[firstrebel]

I get it, kind of. I think a lot of the people here are just from worlds where they are the only sentient species they know of.

[ She raises an eyebrow at that last statement. ]

Huh. Well, that sounds... not very fun. Is it just because of the species divide, or what?

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[pneumo]

[ o o p s ]

Sooooooorry~

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[firstrebel]

You're far from the only one. I just don't like repeating myself constantly.

[resnipstance]

Ha! Couldn't have said it better myself. Do you know how many times I've been asked if my montrals are a hat?

[firstrebel]

I'm not sure I want to know. I'm fine with educating people who don't know any better, but the staring.

[ video ]

[touchofrogue]

You're green? Really? An' I thought that was just my eyes...

[Listen, since Hera witnessed Rogue's little space walk, Rogue figured that some teasing was in order.]

[ video ]

[firstrebel]

[ Nothing at all wrong with a little teasing. ]

Yeah, well, you know what they say about humans. You all look alike.

video :

[ancillary]

Really? From the looks of you I would have thought you were an asari. Duly noted.

[ people fazed by aliens: not her ]

video :

[firstrebel]

I've never heard of that species.

Video

[seaoflight]

[Well this is amusing...]

People seriously are that perplexed by you? Are Twi'lek uncommon in this region?

Video

[firstrebel]

A lot of people here seem to come from pre-spaceflight worlds. Or, maybe one world in particular. I keep talking to people who come from a place called Earth. Where apparently, humans are the only sapient species.

[video]

[eyeforaneye]

It's rude in most human cultures to stare also.

[ Just as an aside. Hello. Captain Intrusive Staring here. ]

[video]

[firstrebel]

I've actually spent enough time among humans to pick that up.

[ Are we in a staring contest? Because she's staring right back. ]

video;

[unbearablynaive]

I'm afraid I know exactly what you mean.

[Cause, hi, maroon dude here.]

Though in my case it's been mistaken for, ah, face-paint and clothing.

video;

[firstrebel]

Why not? I mean, why wouldn't you want to cover your entire head and chest, not to mention your hands and feet, in makeup?

[ Can you hear that sarcasm? Yeah. ]

video;

[nulliverse]

My god, people can be so rude. I don't know which was worse back home, when people would make guesses at my race or when they'd simply think that "exotic" was a compliment, but really. Pointing out your actual colour is a new low.

[Sign one that you've made friends with Celeste: increased trust. Sign two: extreme righteous indignance on your behalf.]

I'd thought places like this trained people to expect anything, but apparently not.

video;

[firstrebel]

[ Hera has to smile a little at the righteous indignation. What? It's cute, okay? ]

In all fairness, most of it hasn't been intended to be rude.

voice;

[theshabbiestofmen]

Should I-- I mean, not meet your gaze, or--? What would be polite to do in your culture?

[Genuinely asked, and he deliberately uses voice, worried about offending her.]

voice;

[firstrebel]

What?

[ Is this kid even for real? ]

I'm just asking people not to gape at me like I'm a freak.

video.

[intelligently]

Where are you from?

( There's definitely a curious expression that goes along with Lydia's head tilt, but less microscope-curious and more curious-curious. For information! )

video.

[firstrebel]

My home planet is called Ryloth.

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[nextlineis]

...Thought you said it wasn't bothering you.

[If he sounds a little annoyed? Well, it's because he feels bad and he doesn't like being mad to feel bad. Yeah, don't try to make sense of that one.]

video;

[firstrebel]

It didn't bother me the first time it happened. By the fifth time, it started getting tedious.