driftfleet | 02

Entry tags:

02 - video

Who: Winn
Broadcast: Fleetwide video
Action: the Tourist
When: now!

[ last time he posted anything, he was a nervous wreck and kind of nauseous. the changes the past two months have left in him are impossible to miss; winn is smiling, upbeat, and almost comfortable. the nervous energy that is there has more to do with his addressing a bunch of strangers than the constant fear of death by space-stuff that overshadowed his first feed. ]

Hi, if we don't know each other - I'm Winn Schott. If we do know each other...I'm still Winn Schott - [ shaking his head, why hasn't he learned from the last time? prepare a script! ]

Anyway! I've been here for a couple months now, and it's been interesting - and I mean that in the original sense of the word. Think about it - not only are we in outer space [ there's only a slight wince at that, and even a lot of excitement. space is terrifying - but it's also really cool ] - but we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to reach across the multiverse and learn things that haven't even been dreamed up in our worlds yet. I've been learning - a ton from just casually talking to people, but there is a much better way to do this if we all cooperate, [ open source. it's the way of the future! ] and I know I'm not the only one out there who's interested!

So, I've got a suggestion for anyone who thinks that's really cool - and - pity for anyone who doesn't [ and by pity, he means judgment. he gestures excitedly with his hands as he introduces his brilliant concept ] - 2016: A Space-Time Odyssey - a series of free weekly lectures about anything and everything we've got here. Talks about different worlds, science, history, art lessons, concerts - I know we've got some musicians here - basically anything anyone signs up to talk about, teach, perform, or however you communicate things where you're from. Since we don't have a lecture hall we can broadcast the talks - give ourselves a fun routine....and if that doesn't work for someone, I can post the notes I'm so gonna take of all of these. Who's in? Who wants to go first?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Has she ever mentioned how much she loves that look on him?] Even five? You must like me a lot. But I'm sure. No adjustments required. [And sure, it doesn't hurt that forcing mutations in people was the kind of sick thing Sinister and Dark Beast worked on that usually ended in a lot of torture and death. Don't worry. Her mind isn't really there. She has a smitten smile to smile back at.]

[ that's a relief, because it would break his heart to know his dumb joke sent her to such a dark place. ]

You're very likable.

[ making her smile is definitely on his top 5 favorite things to do in life list. ]

[She's just from a dark place. A lot of her references go there, but it's rarely a triggering or traumatizing thought for her. It was normal once upon a time after all.]

You are too.

[Smiling at him.] We are being very publicly ridiculous. [She doesn't seem to mind though.]

Nothing I can do about the ridiculous, but I can solve the public easily enough -

[ privating the feed ]

Though, no encryption is ever completely secure. [ and he should know, breaking those is his life ] It's my professional recommendation as an IT specialist that we continue this in person.

Of course it is. [It's hard being on different ships sometimes. She loves falling asleep with him and waking up with him, but there's always some point of leaving which always feels too soon and returning which never feels soon enough. But they also have projects and training and probably some ship duties so they don't fall out of the sky. Not to mention the part where committing to actually living on the same ship feels like too much at this stage.]

We have a lot of very private ridiculousness we need to share.

[ if they weren't on spaceships in an alternate dimension, the thought wouldn't even be occurring to him yet, honestly. but it's very tempting - and easy - to completely fall into a person when there's no routine to keep him busy, no mindless entertainment to relax in front of. the work he does on his own is important, but it's also slow and frustrating and easily interrupted by the prospect of spending more time in kitty's arms. he doesn't want to ruin this by going too fast but at the same time, the breaks seem to have somehow been shoved out the airlock. ]

Very pressing private ridiculousness. [ he nods ] Your place or mine, tonight?

[ he will never like the shuttles. but he dislikes inconveniencing people even more, especially the people he loves. ]

[Having so little else of significance going on in her life is a big factor here. There's really nothing to stop her from thinking she should just be with him a lot except spending time with Kurt and other friends. But there are two pilots on her ship now and they are just chilling at the moon anyway, so her responsibilities are slim. Probably a good thing to do all those lectures for him just to fill time, but without being passionate about something it really does just become time filler.]

Is...my place an option? [Because she chooses it. She knows it's not really the best choice because she has a smaller room and he has a fear of traveling there, and that's why she normally goes to the Tourist without much discussion, but she does like her ship and kind of misses being away from it. It's also where Kurt is even if she's spending her time with Winn and not him when Winn's over. So, maybe it doesn't make a lot of sense, but...come anyway?] I could come pick you up if that helps?

[ the void that being stripped of a network he can figure out and mold into whatever he pleases left in him refuses to be filled by his projects, but he keeps on trying, hoping one of them could finally replace that deep sense of satisfaction he got from pulling off an impossible hack. so far, being with kitty is the closest he's gotten to it. ]

Of course it is. [ he may not like to travel, but he does it. human beings are amazingly adjustable that way. kitty is worth getting over his fears for. ]

It's ok, I can bring myself over. [ it would actually help, it would help a lot, but it would also be burdening her, making her take care of him. he got himself to the iskaulit and back, to the moon and back, to the tourist and the bishop and back. he's done this before - he can do it again. you're a man, not a child, winn!, he berates himself. ] What time?

[So much void filling for both of them. That's a lot to place on a new relationship, isn't it?]

I wasn't planning to leave again today, so anytime. [Now? Now is good.]

[ it is, and if he stopped to think about it, he'd realize it's probably a terrible idea. and yet, with all the thinking he does, that particular topic never seems to quite make the cut; he just doesn't want to deal with slowing down the one thing that truly makes him happy. ]

I gotta just -- put some things away, I've been tinkering with Plato -- I can be there in half?

[ that gives him 5 minutes to put things away, and 20 to gather up the courage to get on the shuttle. ]

Sounds good. Maybe we can work on some more ideas for that while you're here. [They do more than have sex and gaze longingly into each others' eyes after all! Usually.]

She's probably wondering what's taking us so long. [It might be the sex and gazing.]

[ and the fact that it's a complicated and delicate project that could potentially kill them if they get it wrong, and completely out of his wheelhouse. but yes, also the sex and the gazing. ]

Don't worry, if she starts asking I can tech-babble her into submission.

[ he wouldn't actually do it, not to kara, but to other people? it's incredibly gratifying to speak in extremely technical terms and watch them get migraines trying to follow along. ]

Perfect. None the wiser. We can drag this out forever. [Not that anyone is trying for that.] Oh! Speaking of this project and things I could have brought up weeks ago... Do you know Apollo?

[ frowning a little, because in this place - you can't really be sure... ]

As in god of art, knowledge, and the sun?

[It's cool. She asked that when he said it too.] As in guy with sun-based powers.

Who is also only into guys, which I only bring up because I know how much you're into that. [And by into that she means his girlfriend talking to someone who wouldn't be attracted to her.]

[ wow he's so glad he turned the feed private right now. his expression turns strained and slightly pained (it doesn't help that it actually is a relief for him to hear that). he doesn't like being this insecure, he really needs to get better at it. he trusts kitty, and he doesn't want her doubting that. ]

Only when they're tall, dark, and handsome. [ that totally works by way of apology, right? ] What kind of powers are we talking here? What's he like? Is he an alien?

His hair is white and he kind of glows sometimes, so I can't really give him dark [Not even in a brooding way] but the other ones are legit. [Her smile is soft. This isn't a problem yet at least.]

He's human, but some kind of program gave him powers and erased any memories he had before that. Apparently he's a famous superhero where he's from. And the powers are flight for sure. Glowing in the dark? I don't know exactly. If I had to guess I'd say probably heat and or light beams. Any kind of stars power him.

[ he makes a genuine effort to make sure his problems don't turn into other people's problems. ]

So close.

[ so they're talking human-enhancing experiments? those rarely work well in fiction, them working well in life feels even more unlikely. ]

Does he know what attribute in stars charges him up? [ a genetically modified human probably isn't going to react to the same thing as a kryptonian, but it's worth a shot! ]

[They're a couple now. She figures they share the problems and the victories or at least she'd like to be headed toward that.

The experimentation part bothered her too. Much like the augments do here and the genetic manipulation of Dark Beast and Sinister did at home. But he was so okay with it that she wasn't going to second guess it too hard without knowing more.]

I didn't ask. When we talked about it he'd just arrived and was separated from his daughter. Didn't seem like the time to push too much, but he might be useful. And maybe this will work out for him too. Not that I want to be charging up just anyone, but he has his powers now and he's not setting anyone on fire.

[ that would certainly be the healthy way to do it, but a lifelong habit is hard to break. ]

That's a -- decent first step.

[ still not sure he wants to charge a stranger up, but then, if he's charged up anyway? doesn't really seem to matter, unless he's not charged up the whole way, like kara... ]

But definitely requiring more inquiry when he's up to it. How long's he been here?

[Maybe he just hasn't had time and expenditure enough to drain after arrival. Maybe he runs more efficiently. These could be good things to learn from.] Oh, I don't know. A month? Less? Only since the moon.

[ these would be amazing things to learn from. ]

Ok -- I'm gonna clean this up and get on that shuttle, and we will talk more about this.

[ like, is he the kind of person who's more guarded about his abilities or is he the kind of person who'd be cool with kitty telling other people about him, which would enable winn to approach him without turning the whole thing into an awkward fest. ]

See you in a bit -

[ there's a delay between his shuttle arriving and winn actually disembarking, time he spends just sitting there, head between his knees, trying to compose himself as best he can. when he finally steps off to find kitty, he's smiling, but still pale ]

Hi -- [ kiss first, everything else second! ]

[Kitty wouldn't have told Winn so much about Apollo if the man seemed shy with the information.

She is in the hallway on the way to the shuttle when he finds her, and she likes this kiss first plan of his. It's warm and affectionate and when she rocks back to look at him she can tell the trip is still hard on him. Her hand lifts up to brush gently through his hair.] Winn... [Looking a little worried. She's not likely to suggest the Windrose again soon.]

[ this...isn't really the welcome he had in mind. him coming to the windrose was supposed to make things easier on her, not make her look at him like he just passed out in front of her. ]

...is my head on backwards or something?

[ looking down - no front part is still front.

excuse him, he's still not used to his discomfort and his fears being respected. ]

It's right where it should be. [She steps in to hug him. He probably needs a hug after the trip, right? She bites back the apology that wants to come out. The one where she's sorry for asking him to come instead of picking him up or going to him. He made his choice, and he does need to be able to work through this fear. There could be emergencies. It's still hard knowing she could have made things easier on him though. On the plus side, she's getting to know his physical cues better even when he's trying to hide them?]

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