And Let Us Gather 'Round [ Video + Action ]

[universal_charm]

Who: Kirk and The Fine People of the Fleet
Broadcast: Yes
Action: On the Iskaulit, Specifically at the Melting Pot - Note: After the Broadcast
When: After they start heading away from the system

Video
<sub>[ Kirk appears on the screen, and probably like many people he looks tired and a bit beaten up. Scratches not yet healed on his face, one even covered with a bandage on his cheek, that sort of drawn look around his eyes after all the sleepless nights and the battles and general horridness. A little to pale, perhaps.

Even so, he gives as warm a smile as he can as he begins to speak. ]</sub>

For those of you who might not know, I come from a world called Earth - or at least, one of the versions represented here. On my world, in the country I hail from, we celebrate something known as Thanksgiving roughly around this time of year if I've done my calculations correct. Some people call it Friendsgiving, but it's all the same really.

Essentially, it's a time to a give thanks for the good things in your life, your friends, and your family. In the spirit of that, I've arranged for a gathering at the Melting Pot - a thank you to Jarvis for that. Everyone who wishes to come is welcome.

I just thought we all could use a day, a place, to be together and to just enjoy each other. So I hope to see you there.

Action: The Melting Pot
<sub>[ The restaurant is set up to allow as much mingling as possible when people arrive - places to sit, of course, but there's gentle music playing for those who might want to dance and just to give some atmosphere (but not loud enough to stop conversation at all). Food and drink is laid out - things to nibble on rather than the usual feasts associated with a Thanksgiving. Not particularly ideal, but it's what could be managed. Unless, of course, anyone decided to bring something else to add to the spread.

Not a fancy party, to be sure, but it's warm and inviting, which is what Kirk had hoped for. A place for them all to come together and enjoy each other and just be glad they were all there and if not quite completely whole, then, well, able to be there. ]

[ooc: Open mingle! Feel free to create your own starters and do as you like - tis a warm Friendsgiving party for the Fleet! ]</sub>

Comments

[universal_charm]

_{[ He huffed. ]}

Right? Fenris and the other Thedesians are... well, I hate to say it, but they are very versed in killing. We didn't have much to worry about when it came to security, though there was an... incident, shall we say. I also found out they have very interesting decorating tastes.

_{[ His nose wrinkled violently, looking for a nearby drink and downing it. ]}

I feel like I wasn't really needed, all things told. Not that I'll give up being a captain of course.

[bi_otic]

[Kaidan raises his brows a bit and looks across the room at the elf, being the only person in that group he's familiar with]

Well, I've seen him fight, so I'm not surprised. But...security is his job, like it is mine. You have other ways to keep your crew safe.

[Still, Kirk seems overtly disturbed by what happened]

You're not used to that kind of fighting?

[universal_charm]

_{[ He shook his head. ]}

No, not like that. I've seen combat. I've seen death. But this was...

_{[ Visceral. Inhuman. Madness. ]}

When we have to kill in the Fleet, and I won't deny that has been something we - I - have had to do - it's because we don't have any other choice. I realize that here it was a similar situation, but I've enjoyed a certain.. distance between me and those lives I have taken before. Here, not so much. And I have never encountered beings quite like this before. Who didn't seem to care for their own lives, or those of the people they 'fought' with.

I admit I was ill prepared for that situation.

[bi_otic]

[Kaidan listens, his face even but sympathetic. Even being trained to fight didn't really prepare a person. You faced it, dealt with it (if you could), and tried to move on with the act a part of who you were.]

Most people aren't, if that helps. In some ways, fighting things like that is easier, because they stop earning the right to be people, if they ever were at all. But it's also a lot harder, because everything that might hold us back doesn't affect them. It's...draining...after awhile.

[universal_charm]

_{[ He shook his head. ]}

They never won't be people, not to me. And honestly, a part of me wonders how many of them became what they were by choice, you know? I wish we could have found another way, though I understand given time and the rest of the situation, what happened was the best we could do.

_{[ He looked over to Kaidan, his mouth curling into another of those wry smiles. ]}

Good thing I have such handsome company to help drive those memories from my mind, eh?

[bi_otic]

[Kaidan's lips press together] True. In a way, the Vieziri reminded me of some of what I was fighting back home. There were people like that...who had given themselves over to something. I doubt they really understood what they were doing, but they weren't human anymore. So...sure...I can feel pity for them...but I don't feel guilty. Sometimes there's no turning back.

[He sighs, shaking himself]

Right. Sorry. Less battlefield talk. More Thanksgiving.

[universal_charm]

How about more dancing? I didn't manage to clear the space for nothing. Someone should enjoy it.

_{[ He smiled at him and nodded at said dance floor, the invitation clear. ]}

[bi_otic]

[He chuckled]

I think I'd need a few more beers before that happens.

[universal_charm]

What? Don't tell me that the big, bad space marine is scared of a bit of dancing.

[bi_otic]

Not...scared exactly. I'm just...it takes a little encouragement for me to put myself out there.

[universal_charm]

What more encouragement do you need than you can't really disappoint me on Friendsgiving can you?

_{[ He batted his eyes, not unlike a very sad puppy. ]}