In like a Tourist, out like a lamb

[takingkarabusiness]

Who: Tourists and visitors!
Broadcast: nah
Action: S.S. Tourist
When: March!

[ What are you up to this month, Tourists? Living up to your ship name on the station? Well, share your spoils with the rest of the crew! Or maybe you've been engaging in ahem illicit pursuits? We promise not to tell! ]

Comments

[winn]

If I'm your example, you've really got nothing.

[ managing? he had about 50 minor panic attacks in the first hour. ]

I never had powers but...my skills are kind of my superpower. And, not being able to hit a few keys and redirect the GPS to send us home is kind of killing me right now. [ he's never been much of a leader, but he's heard something about doing it by example being a good way to go about it. even though opening up like that is like pulling teeth for him. ] Living - it doesn't mean you have to have a smile on your face when you don't feel like smiling. It's ok -- to be upset it's normal, it's - sane. I'm pretty sure I heard somewhere that it's healthy, though full disclosure it might've been a Dr. Phil promo so I can't vouch for that advice.

[ gently, he reaches a hand to squeeze her shoulder, hoping he hasn't overstepped. ]

All I'm saying is, if you need to vent - I have two ears, and I'm happy to share them.

[takingkarabusiness]

[ well, she doesn't think he's overstepped. she flops over so her arms are layered on the table in front of her and her head is facing one side, resting on them. she sounds sad, and tired ]

I don't know, Winn. It's not just the powers thing. That sucks, but it's nothing I haven't done before.

I just— [ she stops herself, trying to figure out how to put her thoughts into words. or not cry. you know, either ]

I don't want to lose everyone I know again. It's hard being away.

[winn]

I know.

[ he kneels down by her side, so their faces are leveled, his hand continuing to gently rub her shoulder, trying to offer her what comfort he can. he doesn't have as much to get back to, with her here, but having his world - the comfortable life he's built for himself ripped away again, and so soon after having to deal with all the resurfacing memories that came with his father? is hard on him too. he may not have a loving family waiting back home (or at least, not a love he wants nor a family he wants to see), but he understands. ]

But you won't. We'll get you back, Kara, I promise. There's a library I'm gonna check out - might have something we can use. And maybe there's an astrophysicist on board that could help us too - we're not giving up. Until we can get back home, to everyone...you got me.

[takingkarabusiness]

[ she leans over to hug him. is it awkwardly positioned? sure. does it potentially complicate whatever they have going on? definitely. does she care? not even a little. she just needs a hug from her friend. ]

[winn]

[ for once? he's not thinking about any of it either. he just wants to be there for his best friend - and maybe he really needs a hug too. he hugs back, trying to convey all the reassurance he lacks the words for. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

[ she stays that way for a bit. he can't see her expression, but when she talks, her tone is lighter ]

You have to be relieved you don't have to worry about me crushing your bones for once.

[winn]

I donno - bone density in space isn't all that great, far as I can remember -

[ he smiles a little, even though she can't see it. truth is, he never really worried too much about it. kara's too good to really hurt him, after all. ]

Better not get too excited about it.

[takingkarabusiness]

[ pulls out of the hug, sitting back ]

I think the fact that we have normal gravity here helps.

[winn]

[ guess he'll stand back up then - or on second thought - grab a seat. kneeling isn't exactly the most comfortable of positions, after all, and now that she's not as upset - it kind of feels unbelievably awkward. he does not need to be thinking about what people usually do in this position. ]

Wonder if it's normal for everyone - different earths, different planets, can't all of it be the same gravity. Guess we lacked out.

[takingkarabusiness]

I didn't really think about it, but yeah, you're right.

[winn]

Now that I think about it - the food stuff's familiar too - huh, I wonder if we're all seeing the same thing - or if these things in our necks are making us experience familiar conditions -

[ he's not sure if he's more appreciative or creeped out by that thought. wait, they were making progress, shit, why is he sending them back? ]

...someone really needs to create the space equivalent of cat videos.

[ because now would be a good time to sit and watch them and not allow his imagination to keep running wild and loud. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

What do cat videos have to do with it?

[ she's not on that train of thought with him ]

[winn]

Absolutely nothing.

[ and that is the whole point. well, that and he knows kara likes them, it'd be nice for her to have something familiar and likable from home - in addition to him, that is. ]

I may be rambling.

[takingkarabusiness]

Must be a day that ends in 'y'.

I mean, I assume. Since we don't really know what day is what. Days are kind of planet specific...

I'm not saying I wouldn't mind cat videos, though.

[winn]

-- are days called something else here?

[ it makes sense they would be, it also makes sense they wouldn't be the calendar days they're used to - but seeing how he can't really tell them apart, there's not really a way to notice. ]

We have the video cameras, we have the network - now we just need the cats.

[takingkarabusiness]

No, I don't think so. And we're still on a 24 hour schedule. Maybe they just took a survey of what most people are used to? I don't actually know. We had a pretty similar day cycle on Krypton. Without all that ridiculous Leap Year stuff.

[ earthlings are so WEIRD ]

[winn]

Maybe - that would mean that most people here are from an earth-like environment...maybe they're trying to determine how we cope with prolonged space travel...

[ because all this for ratings seems a little much. there has to be an ultimate goal here, his brain can't really accept all this suffering being completely futile. ]

That's a word that could stand being taken back home. [ he agrees, earthlings can be downright ridiculous. just look at him. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

Well, if it were some kind of study, I could almost understand not letting us in on things, so they get natural reactions. It doesn't seem very ethical though.

[winn]

I don't think 'ethical' even ranks on their list of priorities -

[ no matter what this is, taking them away from their homes without their consent is plain wrong. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

Yeah, I know, but it should.

[winn]

[ so many things that should be aren't. but it's one of the things he loves about kara - she doesn't accept those things. ]

Yeah, it should.

[takingkarabusiness]

We'll have a stern word with them later.

[winn]

[ at this point, he can't really keep from laughing, because it's just so darn endearing, and naive, and kara. ]

Yeah, I'll be - right behind you.

[ hiding, probably. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

[ there is a measure of tongue-in-cheek. she's not totally unrealistic ]

Yeah, hiding, probably!

[ look you thought it but she did too ]

[winn]

[ hey, he's allowed to! ]

I prefer 'covering your exit' - [ if you weren't upset, he'd consider being offended right now. it's a good thing he's self aware. ]