Paisley mingle

[reek]

Who: The SS Paisley & visitors
Broadcast: None
Action: Paisley
When: February

[ Step up, step up. Survive the Paisley and win a prize! ]

Comments

[tobeajedi]

[Vima feels that something is wrong as soon as she steps onto the Paisley--it's not a sense of danger, but of sadness. She hasn't experienced that before. And she also knows that it's Stefan's.

She heads to the kitchen with quick steps, in time to catch him in mid-brew and see the thermos.]

Careful. You don't want to overdo it on that stuff.

[stefanged]

[He pauses, glancing up from his nearly-full thermos. Huh. He hadn't even noticed. Reaching for another teacup, he rushes to fix her a cup too. Stefan's gonna be a good host, because in the end, his mood shouldn't determine his hospitality.]

Thanks. I guess I've been out of it lately.

[tobeajedi]

I can see that. [Without waiting for an invitation--she hardly needs one at this point--Vima takes a seat at the table.] What's wrong?

[stefanged]

[Had anyone else asked, he might've changed the subject or lied through his teeth. Since it's Vima, he slides the tea cup over.]

Elena went home.

[tobeajedi]

[Elena... the girl from the memory she saw, the one Vima said he should keep.]

...Oh. [She considers what to say. Trying to look on the bright side by saying she's back where she's supposed to be isn't it.] That's pretty rough. She was the only one from your homeworld, right?

[stefanged]

Right. [He nods, blowing on his thermos before he takes a sip out of it.] I don't think our world's actually destroyed. The world I was in before here... it lied to all of us.

So I know she's alive. I mean, I hope she's alive. Atroma wouldn't... [Another quick sip.] We're entertainment, not chew toys.

[tobeajedi]

[The 'world' lied to them? Strange way to put it, although Vima wonders if she's maybe taking it too literally.]

If that's what you think, you should believe it.It would take a lot to destroy a world. [It's not impossible, she knows that from Ossus, but it tends to require warlords with superweapons.] And I think you're right, Atroma wouldn't go so far as to break us. [She scowls.] It'll make you sad, but it'd want you to recover in time for more humorous hijinks.

[stefanged]

A world, yeah. They told us that dozens of worlds collapsed or burned out or... you know, ceased existing. It's why we were pulled to that Earth.

[Now, it's sounding more like that Earth pulled them, regardless of their world's status.]

Sorry, I know I'm not making much sense, but I was told... that my world didn't exist anymore, and if Elena was going back to that...

[Nope, not gonna go there. Not going there.] Then she's gonna be just fine, and maybe some day, I'll join her too.

[tobeajedi]

[Vima winces. 'Burned out' in particular hits her, because she has actually seen it.]

Trust me, it's hard to wipe out that many planets at once. I'm sure you'll join her again, too. [She reaches out to put a hand on his arm.] But even believing that she's all right, you would still miss her.

[stefanged]

I hope so. [He glances down at her touch, leaning in so that he can kiss her forehead. It's a different kind of affection, especially for someone like Stefan: it's sad and bittersweet all at once.]

Thanks, Vi. I know I'm the worst kind of company right now.

[tobeajedi]

[She smiles a little at the brotherly kiss.]

Yeah, you're so inconsiderate, moping over your friend being sent home without you. I can't believe it.

[stefanged]

[He scoffs, like she'd gravely dishonored his cow.] Atroma can't get rid of me that easily. I've still got people to take care of.

[And you know, baby sisters to spoil.]

[tobeajedi]

Glad to hear it. You've got to make sure your crew of troublemakers is well-fed and bandaged up. And I'd miss you--you're the first person I met here, after all.

[stefanged]

I'd miss you too. Feels like forever ago, being cooped up on the Marsiva with nothing but each other.

[He's getting a little sappy now. Maybe more so than usual.]

I'm still not sure what the rest of the Fleet's like, but you know you've always got me.