April System Mingle

[thespaceopera]

Who: Everyone!
Broadcast: Possibly!
Action: April System
When: Month of April!


[Welcome to the Belt, a huge asteroid belt that's been terraformed for life. Here you can explore the different asteroids, become a rock star, race on some ATVs, enjoy not being underwater.

In other words, it's a mingle! Get in everyone!

> System Info ]

Comments

[shamisens]

Do you have it in the Fleet? I would love to see it sometime.

[mistyday]

[She shakes her head.]

Sorry. Maybe someone here could make one for us though!

[shamisens]

[ Aw. His shoulders droop, but his smile remains polite. ]

Maybe. I don't want to go through too much trouble. I just like seeing other instruments.

[mistyday]

From what I've seen, I don't think anybody here would find it any trouble at all!

[shamisens]

[ He supposes, but it's presumptuous, especially since Kubo is a stranger. ]

Maybe.

[mistyday]

I could go with you, if you like - won't hurt to ask!

[shamisens]

I . . . don't want to bother anyone. I'm fortunate enough already.

[mistyday]

Why would it be a bother?

[shamisens]

Because it's not important or necessary?

[ And Kubo has lived his life strictly on necessities. ]

[mistyday]

But if it'd make you happy, then that's important!

[shamisens]

[ He blinks, not sure how to respond to that. ]

[mistyday]

[Laughing, she stands and settles her shamisen across her back before holding out a hand to him.]

C'mon, I'll show you.

[shamisens]

[ He takes it tentatively. ]

Show me how?

[mistyday]

There's a woman just down the road who makes instruments. I promise - she'll be real excited to learn something new. She couldn't get enough of my shamisen yesterday.

[shamisens]

That's nice but . . . what are we going to do?

[mistyday]

We're gonna get ourselves a banjo!

[shamisens]

[ He blinks. Just like that? ]

Won't it be expensive?

[mistyday]

[Sorry, Kubo. Misty is very much a creature of impulse. Besides, she's spent most of her life being poor, so the idea that she actually has money she can spend to help out other people is wonderful.]

Probably. But it's all right, I've made a fair bit of credits with these concerts and I mean... not like we gotta pay rent or food.

[shamisens]

[ Kubo still struggles to spend money. Even spending it on himself was hard. The invisible tug of responsibility remains to a parent who is no longer around or needed his support. ]

I . . . guess so. I'm still surprised they let us have money at all.

[mistyday]

Why do you say that?

[shamisens]

Because it is? I had to earn my money and we never had this much.

[mistyday]

Oh hey, trust me, I get it. I been dirt poor my whole life. These ships...always a warm place to sleep and food to eat, that means something and not everyone gets that.

But where I come from, they pay people on television a sh-... A lot of money. [She thinks of Madison and frowns.] Too much money if you ask me. But it don't surprise me much that they're doin' the same thing here.

[shamisens]

[ It makes as much sense as anything else does on the Fleet and Kubo had no reason to disagree or question it. He shifts his bag on his shoulders and nods politely. ]

I just don't think I've done anything to earn that kind of money.

[mistyday]

You got kidnapped by a bunch of aliens to be put on tv for their entertainment - and you're worried about whether you've earned this money or not? Pardon my french, but honey, you don't owe them a damn thing. But you do owe it to yourself to try to be happy and make the most of what you got.

[shamisens]

[ Kubo often forgets it's a kidnapping. After all, he had nothing left back home. ]

Is that something I owe to myself or the people before me?