driftfleet | (no subject)

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Who: Pavel Chekov
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: For the crew of the SS Wonderduck (and video for everyone else)
When: Now

[Chekov wishes he could be surprised or, at the very least, unsettled when he wakes up in a foreign place, but there's a point at which this sort of thing becomes a fairly routine--if always unpleasant--occurrence. Losing people is never easy, no matter the universe, no matter the number of times it happens.

But taking stock of the situation and establishing who is here has to come before mourning those who were left behind in MarinaNova. To that end, Chekov, somewhat familiarized with his new home and in clothes that are slightly more dignified than the pajamas that he initially woke up in on the Marsiva, begins a broadcast. Are you listening to this in Standard/English/Common? If so, enjoy the ridiculously thick Russian accent.]

This is Lieutenant Pavel Andreievich Chekov of the Federation starship Enterprise. If you have met me already or if you are affiliated with Starfleet, please respond to this message. [He smiles even though he's in no real mood to be cheerful.] I would also be happy with replies from you if we're strangers.

Thank you for your time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She nods.] It's just... There were others here shortly after I arrived. More X-Men. Not from home, but they knew a version of me. And a couple of them went into comas and they just disappeared at the end. Or sometimes people wake up with new memories. [And as someone who was there for most of her heartbreak he'd know how things fell apart with Reid. Whatever other problems they may have had, they all started with him disappearing and returning with new memories that included a new love. She doesn't mention that particular fear to Chekov now since, well, that's kind of what's happening in reverse to him. And it's something Winn will have to deal with if he wakes up.]

It will be fine, whatever happens. [He'll take back the part where he said they'd wake up since that might not be true and he doesn't want to be a liar, but things being fine someday is absolutely something he believes in all situations. It's safe to promise that much.

It'll even be fine if they wake up with new memories, although he hopes for Kitty's sake that that won't be the case. He'd rather be alone forever than watch a repeat of what happened with Reid.]

If they wake up and they have new memories, just remind them of their memories from here and they'll realize that those are better memories to have anyway.

[It definitely doesn't feel like it will be fine if she loses Winn, but she's not putting that on Pavel. No more than she already has.] Thanks. [She knows she'll survive it. Maybe that's something. Also, how heartbreaking is it to hear him say this when it's happening to him right now? She holds him a little tighter.] Don't. You don't have to comfort me.

I want to. [It's much harder for him to feel sorry for himself when he's trying to make Kitty feel better, so he's not being entirely selfless here. And he does love her; he doesn't want to see her hurting.]

[She gives him a squeeze and then pulls back.] Come on, let me take you to my ship for awhile. We'll get something to eat. We're stocked from the last place and the new place so you can skip the protein gels and we can talk about what the fleet is like. And we can skip all the comforting in any direction.

Okay. [Instead of missing the contact once it's gone, he tells himself to be grateful that she was comfortable instigating it in the first place. It's too soon to come to any firm conclusions, but this Kitty seems to be doing well in spite of the comatose boyfriend and person from home. She seems open in a way that Day 360 Kitty wasn't.

He just needs to not think about how he wasn't a part of that change. That would lead to wondering if she'll need him here at all which is silly since she has already made it clear that she wants him here.]

First tell me about these protein gels, please. They sound like a significant step down from the food in prison.

[She laughs shallowly.] Virtual reality food is soooo much better than what comes on the ships. Stock up on real stuff everywhere you can. Even the way stations have some snack packs you can get that's better. [She steps back toward her shuttle, reaching for his hand instead of opening the door.]

I like this idea of teaching you about space.

I miss the virtual food already. [A put-upon sigh that lacks some of the usual melodrama of Chekov pretending to be sad about stupid things. He holds her hand a little tighter as they phase into the ship, not bothered or surprised by it but habitually wary of accidentally being fused with something as solid as a shuttle's hull.]

It's a strange reversal of most conversations I have had about space. What are the most important things that I should know?

What makes you think the food thing wasn't already the most important? [Letting go of his hand and taking her seat as the pilot.] We're on a reality show. Did you know that part?

The other most important things. [He sits in a not-pilot seat and looks around the shuttle with vague curiosity. Eventually he'll have to check out the space tech to see how advanced these captors are, but not today.] I read that, and I understand that we're supposedly being watched, but what is the premise of a reality show?

The premise? Oh, they're just to watch people stop being polite and start getting real. [She just made that up. Yep. Totally. Her line.] Real life drama. It's more exciting that way I guess. So, I guess this one is just about people being shoved into space together.

That makes less sense than being placed in a prison for study. Watching the real life of someone else would be boring. [Says the guy who is currently embroiled in soap-opera levels of romantic intrigue.]

They find ways of keeping it interesting I guess. [Like this, but she doesn't say it. She doesn't want him to feel like the pawn they all are. And she's glad he's here despite all of it.]

They pay us for it too. Good ratings mean more money. Oh, yeah, money is a thing here. You have to buy stuff but jumpsuits and space food are supplied for us.

Ah. Ways like manipulating our situations. [This sounds so familiar. The only real difference is that people are allegedly watching and it's not as fun as prison.

At least they're in space, which is nice.]

Good ratings are a result of being entertaining to an audience? Do very boring people get to leave?

People disappear sometimes. I don't think you could claim they were boring. [Logan, Rogue, Remy, Vision, Wrath, and so many more.] We visit a new system every month or so. We're at a watery planet this time. Which...you don't have to go out into. [She remembers the story he told her once upon a time.]

It would be too easy for any pattern of disappearances to make sense. Of course. [Sigh. Not that he wants to leave, except he does. He really wants to go back to the dome, get Kitty with all of the right memories, and find a way home. This isn't fun anymore.

He smiles, but it's not a very happy smile.] I go from an underwater dome to a ship underwater. The universe has a sense of humor.

We'll be leaving again in a couple of weeks probably. And, hey, we're almost to my ship. Which is actually kind of my ship. Captain Pryde. Technically co-captain, but that doesn't have the same ring.

I'm surprised that your ambitions haven't motivated you to seize full captaincy for yourself. [Joking, joking.]

Well, it's a new thing. My ship and Vash's kind of flew directly into each other and merged a couple of weeks ago. Yeah, that was...different. He said he'd defer to me probably. I didn't really ever mean to be captain though. It's just that my last two captains went and disappeared.

That's alarming, and is typically called 'crashing.' Was everyone uninjured?

You're consistent and a good leader. Your ship is fortunate to have you as a co-captain.

It also typically just makes things break, not fuse together harmoniously. Everyone was fine. [She looks over and smiles as they dock.] Thanks.

We're here. We have quite a gardens in the cargo bay. [It utilizes the vertical space quite a bit so much of it appears inaccessible. She reaches for his hand again to phase him out.]

[He returns her smile because it's way too hard not to.]

Why would you want a garden in the cargo bay? Where do you put your cargo? [He's quite content to follow her and hold on to her hand. Maybe he should start insisting that they use doors and not do so much of the hand-holding, but.]

Just a place with space for it. I've eaten some of the food. Doesn't seem to be problematic. We have bacon-flavored kelp. Try not to be jealous.

With what you've told me of the food, I think I am jealous of your kelp.

[She laughs.] You're always welcome to come over for some. Or... I mean, we have extra rooms here. Transferring ships can be a thing. [Is this a good idea? Maybe not. But she doesn't know anyone on the Wonderduck and while that doesn't really mean anything she'd like to have him somewhere she knows is full of good people. She was thinking it the moment she realized he remembered. Maybe she should have changed directions after the part where he professed his love, but he's still a close friend.]