.:01.:

[the_tailor]

Who: Lance and you!
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: 6/6


[Life hasn't made sense in a long time for him. Ever since the day that Shiro returned to Earth and they found the Blue Lion, it had been one crazy thing after another to the point where he never knew what the next minute would bring. How long has it been? Months? How many?

And then, of course, this has to happen. He paces around the deck he's on, still clad in his armor, looking extremely worried.]

Quiznak. Not good, not good. This is a joke, right? Some really, really elaborate practical joke that Coran's playing on us. Which, dude, not the time or the place! But if this really is real and I didn't just hit my head super hard and went into another coma...

[He covers his face with his hands and groans.]

I gotta save the universe, not be in Big Brother in space! I have to find Blue somehow. I don't care what that dumb computer says, there's got to be some way out of here, or at least to get in contact with the others... There has to be.

[Lance stops, looking down, and mumbles to himself.]

I don't want to be here alone.

Comments

[tempredmental]

[Thanks. Thanks for that optimism, Lance. Keith needed to have it around sometimes, even if he hated to admit it. His eyebrows twitched up a little in amusement.]

Yeah. That's not a bad idea.

[Not that Keith had a single damn lead to start from, but sure. He could try to be optimistic about this in the face of such a bleak outlook.]

[the_tailor]

Good thing you have my genius here with you now. I don't know how you guys have managed without me for...uh, however long you've been here.

[He sees that little twitch, Keith! And that's what he's working for.]

[tempredmental]

Like... two months. [Keith frowned a bit.] Shiro was here a few weeks already when I showed up.

[the_tailor]

Two--whaaaaa?! But we just...but you just... You were there, like, right next to me just before I was here!

[tempredmental]

Yeah. That's what I meant about the whole going back thing. It's because of stuff like that... the time differences and people knowing each other from different points in time from their own worlds... that people think things here don't really affect back home.

Well, that, and it seems people don't actually age here unless it's through an augment upgrade, but...

[Speaking of...]

Do you know what your augment is for, yet?

[the_tailor]

Okay. Right. ...Okay. [At the least, that'll help his idea of figuring things out here while they still can, if there's the possibility no time back home will pass.]

Piloting, I think. I'd be really miffed if it was for anything else.

[tempredmental]

Yeah. It's weird. [Keith wasn't sure about the weird time stuff, either, but they'd figure it out eventually.

He nodded at the augment.]

That's what Shiro and I both got. You'll probably know more for sure when they put you on a ship.

[the_tailor]

It'd be a waste of our talents if we were anything but pilots here. I'm sure whatever mystical magical CEO of this show realized that when they stuck these...thingies into our head. Which I am totally not cool with, by the way. At least it doesn't show.

[tempredmental]

Actually, there hasn't been much piloting beyond some basic transportation runs between the Fleet itself and any planet we might be close enough to for landing. [Keith did actually sound mildly disappointed in that.] And any ship that doesn't have a pilot seems to run on some sort of automatic system that keeps it close to the Marsiva.

But, it does help for a ship to have one. We can get upgrades to make the ship faster or more maneuverable, and, in case there is an attack, we'll be able to react better than the automatic systems.

[He had clearly thought about this.]

[the_tailor]

That sounds...

[A pause, as he tries to think of the right word for it.]

Kind of boring. You mean we're going from fighting universe saving battles to being...cargo pilots?

[He worked his ass off to not be one of those, thank you very much.]

[tempredmental]

[The irony of that wasn't lost on Keith in the least. He gave Lance a somewhat sympathetic look.]

Yeah... almost.

It can get really tedious.

[the_tailor]

Then what do you do for fun around here? I mean, I'm sure you're happy if there's like, a training room or a dummy you can hit with a sword, but other than that?

[tempredmental]

That depends on the dummy.

[Keith smirked a little. Yeah. He just went there.]

There are a few things on the Iskaulit... someone set up a movie theatre and some restaurants- OH. No food goo! [Because that was important, okay?] I mean, solids and gels aren't all that much better, but they have different flavors, and some people are really good at making them almost like real food.

And, when we stop at a planet or something, there are a few people who've figured things out like Hunk when it comes to making stuff from alien ingredients.

[the_tailor]

[Did you. Did you just really. Put up your fists, Keith, because he will FITE YOU.]

You mean actual movies? Not just weird Altean whatever those were? And--food?

[So it's still not real food, but it's not goo, and that's a step up. Lance can't help but smile brightly at it.]

Okay. Alrighty, I can work with this. And oh, speaking of swords... Do you have your bayard? 'cause mine isn't here, but my armor's fine.

[tempredmental]

[Such a shame they weren't able to be on the same ship, yet... eh?]

Well, it's a media room, so I guess it's for whatever people can get their hands on. And they won't be ten thousand years old or more, or full of glitches. I hope.

[Honestly, he hadn't tried it, yet.]

Someone in the Fleet has a popcorn machine, though, and sometimes brings it over for showings. When we have popcorn.

[He shook his head at the last part.] I don't have any of my weapons. [No bayard. No Marmora blade. Nothing.] The communications and other things in the armor don't work either. Just the basics. Jetpacks, face masks, particle shields... that's it. Shiro's in the same spot with his. [Because, even if it had been left in the Black Lion, Zarkon didn't have the Black bayard anymore. Shiro did. It was his. That was something Keith was firm on.]

But, there is a training room on the Iskaulit, too. [In case Lance wanted to actually live up to that implied fight.] And the shuttles in the ships have a simulation mode. We can't let our skills get rusty. [Not that Keith had that problem... cough... smirk.]

[the_tailor]

[Yet. But just you wait, Keith, just you wait.]

Popcorn.

[His mouth is watering already.]

So weapons are acquired on site, got it. I mean, this is a reality show, but it wouldn't hurt to have something around in case the executives think an alien attack would be good for ratings. And I don't want to get rusty, either.

[If he's the ship's sharpshooter, like he hopes he is, he wants to keep it that day.]

I think we'll find some way to keep occupied, huh?

[tempredmental]

[Bring it on, Lance. He'd be waiting for sure.]

Yeah. We earn credits from sponsors through the show, and by picking up odd jobs in the different systems we run across. Like, we were on an asteroid belt last month where Shiro and I were able to gain quite a bit by racing ATVs.

[Really. Lance shouldn't be surprised about that after having witnessed firsthand the way Keith drove a hoverspeeder.]

Apparently, there was an alien attack a while back, but nothing since. Oh... [The Interceptor Fleet... Keith frowned a bit.] Once we can meet in person, I've got some stuff I need to show you. [Lance might think they were rivals, but they were still on the same team. Keith intended to show him the stash of information on the Iskaulit.] We've been keeping it off the network, though.

[the_tailor]

Racing ATVs?! Holy quiznak, why didn't you start with that instead of the boring cargo pilot stuff?

[C'mon, dude.]

Okay. That sounds kind of fishy, but sure, why not.

[tempredmental]

I wish we could have. They had some pretty awesome machines there. But, it was just that one system. I couldn't keep one.

[Yes... Keith sounded disappointed with that fact.

When Lance said things sounded fishy, he just sighed and rolled his eyes a little.]

Just trust me. [Though, the last time Keith said something like that, he drove said hoverspeeder off a cliff while it was overladen with extra people. Take it as you will, Lance.]

[the_tailor]

[To that, Lance is getting a flat stare. And going to say that last thought out loud.]

Uh, the last time you told me to trust you, you drove me off a cliff. You don't exactly have the best track record, buddy.

[tempredmental]

[Keith narrowed his eyes.]

You survived, didn't you?

It's fine. It's not even driving related.

[the_tailor]

I thought I was gonna die! I had my whole life flashing before my eyes! I'd never been on one of those things before, for all I knew we were just going to smash into the ground and, kaboom!

[tempredmental]

You weren't going to die!

Seriously! You think I'd go through all the trouble of pulling Shiro out of Garrison quarantine just to let him be killed in a stupid stunt?! I knew exactly what I was doing, Lance!

[the_tailor]

It was a cliff, Keith! A cliff! I was clinging on for dear life! Did you see how I was on that speeder? I was barely staying on it as it was! What if I'd fallen off?!

[tempredmental]

Then we wouldn't be having this pointless argument.

[Flattest. Stare. Ever.]

You weren't going to fall off. Stop overreacting.