You can check out anytime you'd like.. [Hotel Corona Mingle]

[thespaceopera]

Who: The Fleet!
Broadcast: If you want
Action: Hotel Corona or Planet Ikke
When: December 7th onward



[After the mystery and isolation of their last destination, the Marsiva seems determined to head to brighter, busier territory. After a long journey through remote, nebula-painted space, speeding along at a brisk pace for the Host ship, the Marsiva brings her Fleet to a sudden and prominent point of traffic.

It seems that the Fleet has happened upon some sort of vacation destination! Maybe Atroma thinks that the passengers deserve some rest and relaxation... or just wants to distract them with something huge and shiny.

Welcome to Hotel Corona! Feel free to enjoy yourselves and enjoy the sites! If a hotel resort isn't your thing, you can head on over to the nearby planet and explore it's icy wonders.

In order words: it's a mingle!! Everyone get in! ]

[>> Plot Post]

Comments

[mucked]

Good Lord, I hope so -- [ because there will come a moment when her disdain for being a set-piece in the atroma's little drama will no longer surpass other emotions. other desires. for now, she's in no immediate rush. but one day... ]

[outstandingbalance]

Otherwise, you can always try punching him.

[Natasha would be shocked if Peggy didn't pack a mean right cross.]

[mucked]

And break my hand? No thank you. [ a sharp laugh. ] Much safer, paradoxically enough, to empty a clip in his general direction.

[ said with all the certainty of someone who has done just that. ]

[outstandingbalance]

But is it really as satisfying?

[Natasha has no doubt of that, as it stands.]

[mucked]

Thoroughly.

[ -- at least, she'd felt rather pleasantly vindicated at the time. ]

[dancingmd]

She does! She's the best Nana in the world!

[astrobleme]

[Mother...

Yeah, there's no way in hell Shinji is going to think about his mom tonight. Almost a year since his arrival, and he still hasn't come to terms with the truth behind Unit-01's operating system. With any luck, he's never going to. It's far too painful for him to confront.]

My guardian took care of me as a favor to my father, and not because she wanted a kid. Things went as well as you can imagine. [Sighing a little, he sits up and then reaches for his mug of hot chocolate.] But they could have been worse. A lot worse. So I don't want to be ungrateful... [Not too much is left, but it's enough for one more sweet mouthful. He savors the remnants of real whipped cream and those miniature marshmallows. Absolutely wonderful.]

Mmm, what's that in your pocket?

[He has some idea, maybe, but he has long since trained himself not to get his hopes up.]

[outstandingbalance]

In that case, I will bow to your greater experience.

[mucked]

Not my proudest moment. But in my defense, I was nearly ninety-eight percent certain the new shield prototype would more than protect him. At the time.

[pain_train]

I don't know. I thought that would be obvious. [She grins and slips an arm around his waist.] See anything you like?

[interstices]

You can be as ungrateful as you want. [The way he's talking about her makes Asuka figure she had to have something to do with NERV or SEELE. Both, probably. She had to have known, if so...]

[Asuka's half-empty cup of chocolate is only a foot or two away, and though her mouth feels dry, she's not taking a swig.]

It's not a big deal. [Not like his present to her. But she tugs it out anyway-- the box is wrapped as neatly as she could in plaid striped paper. Inside, resting on a little piece of cotton, is a necklace with a pendant dangling from the end. The firelight makes the colors shift from lighter to darker blue, the planets and asteroids like so many pieces of sand suspended in time. A galaxy in a palm.] I got it at one of the shops. If you don't like it, you can take it back, I...

[pain_train]

For what? I haven't kicked anyone's ass yet. [She gives Charles's shoulder a light, friendly punch.] You take care of me too. [Just in a different and probably better way.]

[outstandingbalance]

Acceptable degree of probability. [Natasha's not all that surprised, and definitely not scandalized.]

I'm glad he came out of it in one piece.

[pain_train]

Oh yeah, I'm at full recovery. Down to light PT and everything, and before... before Vision went away, he got all my muscle fibers and nerves turned back up to one hundred percent, so I'm good for combat.

[She examines something that looks kind of like a bucket, but filled with ball bearings.] Huh. Wonder what that's for. Maybe if the balls vibrate...

[pain_train]

You should jump on the bed, Erik. It's super bouncy. Like. A trampoline almost. It's crazy.

Oooh! I like purple. I want to see.

HEY BUDDY

[pain_train]

Yeah, I've been like... trying to figure out if I could use that, but I think I'd sprain something if I did. [She tilts her head in another direction.] So now I kind of want to meet whoever this is for, because goddamn. [...she hasn't actually banged an alien yet. This suddenly seems like a sad deficiency.]

Come on, let's see what else they've got!

[mucked]

-- It took months for us to speak to one another again. Properly. [ the ghost of a smile (somewhat sad) suggests she understands the cost of such pride, now. ]

[pain_train]

Um, yeah. Well, like almost everyone from Earth I've talked to--except Jim Kirk and Dr. McCoy--are from like the twentieth or twenty-first century. It was... um. 3163 when I got brought here. So anyway, I just kind of assume most Earth people are from a lot earlier unless they sound really different.

[Oh gosh, someone wants to know about her. Sure, she likes to share, even if it's not really that remarkable in her estimation.] Um. Sure. What would you like to know?

[wolfuncaged]

[There was definitely a hint of a blush crossing the elf's cheeks, before he cleared his throat again, offering a lopsided smile as he closes his book. ]

To help me connect with the book a bit more? That's going to be your line for this, is it?

[At least he doesn't sound insulted or angry. More...amused than anything. ]

I...will admit, it is a thought that has crossed my mind once or twice. You're a handsome man, Kirk. But, I have someone.

[His brow crinkles a little. ]

I am not exactly sure what that entails, but I would rather not make a mess of that...whatever it is, or may yet be.

[touchallthebooks]

[It's too bad Khadgar doesn't really know what fashion is. Not even if it came up and bit him. He blinks for a moment when she approaches, mind quickly connecting who it is through the surprise.]

Khadgar, yeah.

[He takes another glance around and then nods.]

It's definitely amazing. Even Stormwind isn't quite like this and it's the most important location in the Alliance. [More or less.]

[outstandingbalance]

Did he apologize or did you?

Or did you just get far enough away from it to put it aside.

[mucked]

The opportunity never quite arose -- [ even in their last minutes, on the radio, an apology was far from the mind. ] There were other priorities. HYDRA-shaped ones.

[halfbloodhatchling]

I'm a Stalker. I get bounties and I shoot things. No artistic skills required.

[outstandingbalance]

Those have a way of popping up. Less often here though.

[Which is why Natasha keeps encouraging Steve to take advantage of the situation while they have it.]

[halfbloodhatchling]

[Kai fixes him with another glare, and then resolves to ignore him, focusing on treading water.

He can do that much, at least, even if it's exhausting.]