Iskaulit mingle

[lord_wizard]

Who: Anyone!
Broadcast: No
Action: Iskaulit
When: Feb. Drift Week (and beyond?)

[The fleet, more or less patched up after their battle, has once again left civilization behind for empty space. Maybe it's a good time to distract yourself and get away from the endless repairs and nothingness, though there might still be cleaning up that needs to be done here too.

Whether you're grabbing a broom or grabbing a drink, this is a fleetwide mingle for the Iskaulit.]

Comments

[bi_otic]

[Kaidan listens, easily noting the pride in Kirk's voice at the mention of his ship, and while he understand the heart of explanation, far too much of it sounds completely unfamiliar. His own ray of hope fizzles slightly in his chest.]

Best guess, that sounds like a cruiser. Maybe a dreadnought? The rest though...doesn't ring any bells. Not that that means much. [Academically he understands the whole idea of different universes, but it's still sometimes hard to process]

This is...[he chuckles]...actually I was going to say this is a weird question, but I'm not sure there's such a thing here. Well, maybe two questions? I'm assuming you're from Earth, but correct me if I'm wrong. And second, if I'm not...what year is it for you? Um...before you left.

[universal_charm]

No, not a dreadnought, and they wouldn't be considered a cruiser. The Federation doesn't field a purely military type organization. We do have defensive capabilities, but Star Fleet's mission is more about exploration and humanitarian efforts.

_{[ He won't even mention that there had been exactly one Dreadnought, and he had destroyed it. ]}

And it's not a weird question. It's a reasonable one, really. Yes, I am from Earth. Iowa, to be precise. I haven't been back to Earth in about three years in my world, but it was 2263 by my last recollection when I was brought here.

[bi_otic]

[Exploration and humanitarian efforts? If only they had that kind of luxury. It sounds...nice.]

2263? Then you'd be...hm...less than 80 years ahead of me. I...don't suppose Starfleet used to be called the Systems Alliance anywhere in your history?

[He isn't terribly optimistic that the answer will be yes, but wouldn't it be something, if sitting next to him the whole time was the answer to what would become of Earth once the war had finally concluded. Would the races finally decide, in the wake of all that loss and destruction, to end conflict and focus on development and exploration outside of their own galaxy? He could only hope that would be the case. Assuming, of course, they all survived, that is]

[universal_charm]

_{[ Kirk shook his head. ]}

No, it's always been Star Fleet, which is held under the United Federation of Planets. It was started after we made First Contact with the Vulcans.

_{[ There had never been anything else as far as Kirk was aware. And it had been a good thing too. Without their aid, they would never have survived the Romulan wars, and a few other skirmishes to say the last. Their entry into the galactic stage had not gone unnoticed, and it had not been without blood shed. ]}

Guessing things aren't so great in your time when it comes to space travel?

[bi_otic]

[Star Fleet and the Alliance had that much in common.]

What makes you say that?

[The question comes with a wry smile, though, because he has a good idea, but Kirk's answer will tell him a lot about the differences in where and when they come from]

[universal_charm]

Because of what you said, on the beach. It didn't sound like you were from a peaceful time.

_{[ He returns the wry smile, leaning back in his chair and shifting his bottle back and forth on the counter. ]}

Have you found something to do with yourself here?

[bi_otic]

[Kaidan, meanwhile, leans back in this chair a little, the smile still plastered in place]

You're right. The galaxy was never peaceful, but the war with the Reapers? Nothing even compared to any of that. I guess I was trying to deal with coming from that to the fleet and then those raiders showed up...and everything made sense again. I had a job to do. A job that actually does mean something.

[He lets out a huff of a laugh] Funny, that it took being shot at. I mean...it's quiet here. I could try to learn to make wine like my family does. But I guess being shot at is all I'm good for.

[universal_charm]

_{[ Kirk shrugged, watching his companion. ]}

I can understand it though. This place is jarring, to say the least. I've been here nearly a year and I still don't feel like I 'fit'. I don't think I ever will, because I'm one of those who wants to go back to my world. I was a captain there, I had a mission, I had control. Learning to give some of that up here, it kind of makes you feel like you're wearing ill fitting clothes. Some things squeeze to tight and some aren't tight enough and falling off.

_{[ He took a sit sudden sip of his drink, laughing roughly. ]}

Sorry, that was maudlin wasn't it? And if you ever do make wine, I volunteer as taste tester. We do have gardens, you know.

[bi_otic]

[He lets out another chuckle] I know a little bit about it, but it'd still be kind of a learning curve. I've pretty much always been a soldier. I hadn't planned on that, even if my dad was Alliance too, but because I had the ability. I never expected, or wanted, to be more than that, but there I was with a whole squadron under my command and Spectre status to boot. It took me time to get used to that. Just like it takes some time to get used to having none of it.

[He gestures with his beer] So I guess what I'm saying is that I get it. Sort of.

[universal_charm]

_{[ He chuckles under his breath. ]}

You and me are a bit opposite then. I wanted nothing to do with Star Fleet for a long time, even though both my parents and my step-dad were Fleet.

_{[ He shook his head and looked at his glass. ]}

Actually, it took a bet to make my join up. This captain, in a bar. Picked me up off the ground after I had my ass handed to me, tissues stuffed up my nose. He bet me I could make captain in four years, like my dad, and I told him three. And now -

_{[ A shrug and another laugh, taking a long sip of his drink. ]}

Truth be told, I don't want it to ever feel right, you know? I want to be uncomfortable, just enough to keep reminding me there's a home I have to get back to someday.

[bi_otic]

I'm with you there. I'm not saying I want to be at home either. I want to go back more than anything. But I guess I needed a boot in the ass to remind me I'm not the only one.

[Kaidan cradled the glass between his palms, feeling the cool liquid on his skin]

So...tell me about Star Fleet. What is it like? What made you want to stay?

[universal_charm]

_{[ He smiled softly, running a hand through his hair as he thought on how to explain what he did. ]}

Well, my job in the Fleet has been exploring unknown space for the past three years. I go around, looking for new planets and star systems, for new life be it organic but non-sentient like plants or animals, or whole new cultures. And we help whenever we come across someone in need of it, whatever it is and within our capabilities.

As for why I wanted to stay... I guess because it's an adventure. One big, endless adventure, and there's always something new out there. I feel like it's given me a purpose, a purpose I lacked on Earth, and even when the days do grind together sometimes, there's always that bright spot - a new discovery, a new First Contact - and it makes it worth it.

_{[ He glanced at Kaidan and smiled sheepishly. ]}

Too romanticized?

[bi_otic]

[Kaidan's lip twitched up into a smaller, though equally sheepish, smile]

If I said yes, I'd have to call myself a hypocrite. It wasn't why I joined, but I admit I kind of had an idea of what going to space would be like from the old vids. Turned out the galaxy wasn't all that unexplored by the time we got there, but everything that was routine for the other races was still pretty amazing to us. And to me. So that's why it means so much to me that I help protect it.

[universal_charm]

_{[ He nodded knowingly. ]}

We've run across a few races that I guess are... older, as you say. Some scare the living shit out of me honestly, what they've involved into and become and what they can do.

_{[ He tapped his bottle against his lips. ]}

But even then, the universe is just - to big, to amazing. It's worth protecting, like you said. Worth continuing to explore. I think that's why I like Star Fleet as much as I do. It's a frontier - but there's no end. The adventure doesn't stop at a shore line, or when you've made a full circumnavigation.

Always something new on the horizon - literally.

[bi_otic]

[Kaidan smiled to himself, eyes turning down from the contemplation of Kirk's face to the bottle cradled in his lap. He found the other man's optimism not only pleasant, but comforting in the sense that even in entirely different galaxies, as he was increasing sure they were from, that humans still held a similar spirit.]

Guess some things never change. Still...horizon feels awfully close at home. Should I be more thankful that I can get a chance to really explore here?

[universal_charm]

_{[ Kirk was getting that idea too. At some point, even though they were from Earth, the timelines had altered, diverted from each other. He was no stranger to such a concept, and it was interesting to see how this other Earth had tuned out, even if it made him sad to know he would never meet Kaidan again once they went home. ]}

I won't lie - I am. If there's a silver lining about being here, it's that. I can't ever regret getting to meet new people and go new places.

[bi_otic]

This universe...is fascinating. It's not anything like home so far, and that has it's own allure. But...I don't know. Like I said before, it's harder going from a war to this. And I can think of it as another war...just a quieter one...if that helps me make sense of things.

[He sighs and takes a long drink of his beer]

I think I've been doing this too long.

[universal_charm]

_{[ He is quiet a moment, watching Kaidan. It wasn't so long ago he had faced someone like Kaidan, forced to go from a military man into a quieter life, a quieter mission. That, coupled with isolation, had completely destroyed the man he had been and made of him a monster. He reached out, touching the other man's shoulder gently, giving a soft squeeze. ]}

If you need something, you let me know, all right?

[bi_otic]

[Kaidan glanced at the hand but he doesn't move - either into or away from the acknowledgment of support. He knows that sometimes people need those kinds of things. He isn't quite that far adrift yet. With a tiny, soft smile, he nods.]

I'll keep it in mind.

[universal_charm]

We all need to look out for each other here, so far from home. Don't let yourself get lost in these new stars.

_{[ Another quick squeeze and he drops his hand, draining his drink. ]}

Another one?

[bi_otic]

[Kaidan smirks at him]

As if I'd say no.

[universal_charm]

_{[ Kirk grinned and called for another, happy to while away another hour or two with his new companion. ]}