driftfleet | In like a Tourist, out like a lamb

[ A small blonde haired child is sitting quietly by the entry of the hangar, doll in her lap and a tote bag by her side, probably from a recent shopping trip on the station.

She's most likely here to visit Fenris, since Axel and Asteffiel were already sent home. He's the only one of the Tourist crew left that she really knows. Unlike when she visits the Huntress, she doesn't simply roam freely through the Tourist. Instead, she patiently waits to be further invited in. ]

_{[ Kirk spots the child waiting, and at first he leaves her to her business, figuring whomever it is she is hear for will come out soon and either go wherever it is they want to go or invite her in. But when he spots her on another pass by he stops this time and gives her an encouraging smile. ]}

Are you looking for someone, miss?

[ By the time he gives her another pass, she's playing with her stuffed animal by tossing it up and down to pass the time. It's getting dull sitting around, waiting. The unfamiliar voice gives her a brief start, then she squishes her doll in her arms. She's normally shy meeting someone for the first time, but she offers the man the tiniest of smiles. ]

Oh, um... hello! I just wanted to visit Fenris. If he's busy, I'll understand.

[ She probably should have contacted him beforehand. At least she doesn't look disappointed. Fenris told her that she is welcome on the Tourist and she could check for him another time. ]

Fenris, huh?

_{[ He's surprised that a gruff man like that would have a child
visitor, but sometimes it was the gruffest ones that were the best with
children. He doubted that a child would take to him otherwise - they were
honest with their feelings, were children. ]}

I'm not sure he's here just yet, but you can come in and wait for him. How about I get some cocoa going and we can wait for him in the kitchen?

[ Have a cheerful: ] Yup!

[ Elize had thought that Fenris was a frightening man for a long while, but she eventually befriended him after coming to learn more about him. She's also careful about mentioning or performing magic around him. She knows it's a touchy subject. ]

Cocoa? Yes please, if it's not too much trouble...

[ She stands, gathering up her doll in her arm and hoisting her tote bag in the other. ]

Not at all, Miss...?

_{[ He trailed off in the signal for her to introduce herself as he
stepped aside to let her on the ship and walk with her to the kitchen. He
notices the tote bag, wondering if it's big enough to indicate she intends
to stay for a bit on their already cramped ship or if she was just bringing
along things to do with Fenris. He suspected the later, considering he
wasn't sure that Fenris understood the concept of fun. He seemed a
perpetually grumpy man. ]}

[ She walks along with him, heading for the kitchen. Her tote bag is filled with assorted items that she picked up from station. Some writing supplies and it looks like there might be a few articles of clothing in there. She's not sure what games Fenris would like to play, but she's content enouhg to sit around and chat with him. ]

My name is Elize. And this is Hoppo.

[ Not that her current doll speaks like Teepo does, but she just feels the need to introduce the stuffed animal. ]

What's your name? Are you friends with Fenris too?

It's nice to meet you Elize, Hoppo.

_{[ He nods to them both as he pulls down cups for their cocoa, mindful
enough that when a child introduces their doll it is only polite to
acknowledge it. ]}

My name is Jim Kirk. And I'm... well, I'm a crew mate of Fenris'. I'm the ship's engineer and I just arrived about a month ago.

_{[ He wasn't sure he could say they were friends. He had the feeling
that Fenris more likely tolerated him than anything. ]}

Do you want marshmallows in your cocoa, Elize?

Oh... [ From that answer and how long Jim's been on the fleet, she can already tell they're not exactly buddies. Just crew mates. ] Fenris might seem scary at first, but he's really a good man.

[ She props her doll up in a seat as thought it's a second guest, then sits in an empty chair next to it. ]

Um... not too much marshmallows, please.

Well, if he has you as a friend, then I'm sure he is. He's just a tad grumpy, is all. But don't worry. I have plenty of practice with that.

_{[ In the form of Leonard McCoy, so Fenris' grumpiness was a balm in
some ways. He puts four marshmallows in Elize's cocoa and readies the
drink. He puts the mug in front of the little girl and gives a few spare
marshmallows on a little plate in front of the stuffed doll. It seems like
the thing to do, and if nothing else she can eat them on her own or add
them to her cocoa if he didn't put in enough. ]}

How long have you know Fenris, Elize?

_{[ He took the seat across from her with his own mug, sipping quietly.
]}

Thank you for the hot cocoa.

[ If Hoppo functioned like her previous doll, he'd be scarfing down those marshmallows. Fortunately, Hoppo isn't like Teepo. The stuffed animal merely sits there, staring with lifeless doll eyes at the little plate. Yet Elize reaches out with one hand for a moment, giving the doll a quick pat on the head.

The question stumps her. She has been with the fleet for awhile, but she stopped keeping track of the months. She can't remember how many months ago was the day she first met Fenris on one of the stations. ]

I... I'm not sure. I've lost track. We've been with the fleet, for some time now.

[ Always seeing so many people coming and going... ]

_{[ He sipped his own cocoa, brows knitting ever so slightly in concern at her words. While he didn't think children had the best grasp of time in the first place, that she couldn't even guesstimate - or had been here so long she didn't even want to bother - was troubling. That she was here at all was troubling to him. ]}

Celebrated any birthdays while you've been here?

_{[ It was a better way to gauge time and would give him an idea of her age, too. That and he wasn't the best at speaking with children in general. He glanced at the doll, thinking that might be a better topic of conversation next if this particular thread went nowhere.

And where was Fenris? ]}

[ Fenris is... in the thread below. They can just keep sitting here awkwardly in this thread sipping cocoa or she doesn't mind if he has to go off to do other things. Grown ups can get busy and she knows not to bother them... ]

Not mine, no.

[ Honestly, she doesn't know when her birthday is. She can't celebrate it on a specific day. Even though her home's calendars are different from Earth calendars, which is the kind of time the fleet seems to follow, it's more because she lacks a lot of memory of her past. Having partial amnesia isn't fun. At least she knows how old she currently is. ]

I think it's getting close to a year since I've arrived... [ A pause, like a sudden realization dawns upon her. ] Oh, I'd be thirteen!

[ So she's twelve and being on the fleet is keeping her a twelve-year-old. Not even an inch added to her height. She's probably already a little old to be carrying around dolls, but she was never raised normally like other children in the first place. ]

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A THOUSAND YEARS LATER

it's ok elize will wait a thousand years for uncle wolf..

yay!

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