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

[axiomed]

[ He grins. ]

The last I checked. You're a doctor, I believe. On the USS Enterprise.

[dancingmd]

[She beams right back at him.]

The Enterprise! Wow! That's the best ship in the fleet!

Are you in Starfleet too? Is that why we're friends?

[axiomed]

No. I run a school. We're friends because . . . we understand each other very well.

[dancingmd]

Are you still going to be my friend, even though I'm not old anymore?

[axiomed]

Of course. I like to think we'll always be friends, no matter what our ages are.

[ He pauses, letting the statement sink in before smiling. ]

In fact, I was about to see the museum. Perhaps you'd like to come? I'm sure a future member of Starfleet has a lot to teach me.

[dancingmd]

[Always. She likes the sound of that, especially because she doesn't have many friends, even at home. And a museum! She likes the sound of that too.]

Yes, please! That's much better than daycare!

[axiomed]

No doubt. Shall we?

[dancingmd]

[She nods happily and runs a few feet ahead in her excitement.]

Which way do we go?

[axiomed]

I believe it's straight ahead.

[ He turns his chair to wheel around. ]

[dancingmd]

Do you want me to help push you?

[axiomed]

While I appreciate that, there's no need. This chair is fully automated.

[dancingmd]

Ohh, I see. [And she does see, as the chair turns around, how the mechanism works.] That's neat!

[She waits for him to catch up, then walks beside him, silently wondering why he's in a wheelchair in the first place. No one in her colony has one so she's only ever seen them in holo-programs and books. Just as she's about to ask him about it, however, she catches herself. Nana would probably not approve.]

[axiomed]

[ He catches the trail end of that thought. ]

There was an accident with a bullet. I lost all feeling in my legs due to that.

[dancingmd]

[Right. He can read her thoughts anyway. She turns beet red.]

I'm sorry, Mr. Charles! I shouldn't have asked that!

[Her little brow furrows and she puts her hand on his.]

And I'm sorry you got hurt.

[Why anyone would shoot a man as nice as him is beyond her.]

[axiomed]

[ Charles pats her hand, bemused. ]

It's fine. I'm still here and that's what matters.

[dancingmd]

[That makes her think of her parents, who aren't still here, who never came back. Memories of them have already faded but there are some things that remain - her father's soothing voice, her mother's smile and the smell of her shampoo.]

Do you have any kids?

[axiomed]

[ Charles pauses. ]

No, none of my own. Why?

[dancingmd]

Well... [She hesitates. This isn't something she talks about with many people, except Nana. But then she decides he's a friend so it's okay.] You seem like a dad so it made me think about my dad and my mama. They were shot at too only... they didn't come back so that's why I want to be in Starfleet so I can stop bad guys and help people.

[axiomed]

I'm sorry for your loss. It's never easy to lose family.

[ He pauses. ] I suppose I seem that way because I feel a great deal and for me, it's important for people to know they're not alone.

[dancingmd]

I've got Nana, so I'm not alone.

But I still miss them.

[axiomed]

I'm sure they miss you too.

[dancingmd]

So... you believe in heaven?

[axiomed]

[ That's . . . a hard question to answer. ]

In a way. I suppose I believe that loss tends to go both ways.

[dancingmd]

[She frowns.]

I don't understand.

[axiomed]

I think it must have hurt, to know they'd leave you behind. That's probably how they felt.