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

[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?

[mistyday]

The people before you? What do you mean?

[shamisens]

I mean . . . the people who sacrificed their happiness for me.

[ Like his parents. ]

I owe it to them more, don't I?

[mistyday]

D'you think they'd want you to feel like that? Like you owed them anything?

[shamisens]

No.

But I feel it's something I can't avoid thinking about either.

[mistyday]

Maybe not.

[Honestly, it's not a feeling she is familiar with - the only people who would sacrifice their happiness for hers are here and they haven't had reason to, yet.]

But either way, it shouldn't stop you from trying to make the most of your time here.

[shamisens]

[ Kubo isn't sure. The grief is no longer near and dear to his heart. It's been months, after all. But he often finds himself thinking about his parents, what they would do, what they would want.

He hasn't had space for himself. ]

I think I'm trying.

[mistyday]

Well, that's the important part, right?

[shamisens]

[ He nods. ]

Yeah.

[mistyday]

[She smiles.]

Well then, you ready to go check it out?