driftfleet | Starships were meant to fly

Aboard the SS Goldstone

[Maggie might be happily going overboard with snacks, deciding to make use of one of the small campsites on the planet - anyone wandering in the kitchen might see her making snacks with whatever synthetic or real food she can find. Otherwise she's tidying up the Med Lab to give herself a much needed break for a day. Imagine that - Maggie taking a break. She hadn't realized she'd become so engrossed in working in the lab and busying herself with life aboard the ship until they'd finally touched down on a fresh planet.]

Bonfire!!

[Having made a small assortment of snacks - food that she was amazed she remembered how to make - Maggie begins setting a small fire together, seated at a picnic table while she watches the embers catch and the fire build. Anyone looking to stretch their legs on Duotera would find Maggie relaxing and working intently at her bonfire.]

Edited 2018-02-10 19:18 (UTC)

[Crowley is bored, he's preferring to spend his time in the blistering warmth of Philias, a welcome change to the last few miserable systems. Still, he occasionally returns to the Goldstone, to spend time with Felix, or to make sure his Ekans is well fed and content. And, of course, to check on his crewmates while trying to not make it obvious that that was exactly what he was doing.

He peers at the assorted snacks, picking one up to chew. ]

So. Are you planning some kind of party, or are all these for yourself? If it's the latter, there are better ways to deal with your problems, you know.

ABOARD THE GOLDSTONE

[ Leilani had come with good intentions - truly, she had. She turned up because she had decided that she needed to go and meet the people that were important to Carl, and one of them just happened to be on the ship presently. There are a few of the ships in their fleet that she's never had reason to visit, and this is one of them, so when she steps off the shuttle she doesn't expect much, really, and it's almost the same as her own... At least until she starts walking around.

There's no mistaking the murals. When she sees them she stops dead in her tracks, her mouth dropping open and her stomach feeling as though it's turning into knots. There are wolves with red eyes, shapes that hark back to her keep, to Skyhold, and her hands shake as she reaches out to trace them, feeling the cool metal under her fingertips.

Wolves and halla and colours that match everything Solas had drawn.

She stands there for a very long time, lost in staring at the pictures, until someone comes to bother her. ]

BONFIRE

[ Since her original intention had been to find the people that her da'len cared for, she finds herself wandering out to the bonfire she had been told about. It doesn't take her too long to settle down near the edge, waiting for anyone she might recognise to show up, but she hovers all the same, not feeling quite welcome but not really able to flee somewhere else instead. ]

[ Leilani has been hovering for a little while, now, but she quickly recognises the person that Carl had told her about - Maggie, the person from home that was important to him. That has her pushing herself up and away from the quiet corner she'd tucked herself into, walking over and hovering awkwardly to one side before she speaks. ]

Andaran atish’an.

[ Carl has been on the Goldstone, checking in with Maggie and getting a bite to eat with her. It's a nice break from the routine, but it's starting to become more and more ingrained since she's come back. It's good to be close to your people, and she's family. He would entertain the notion of trading ships to be closer if he weren't so tightly-knit with the Red Fish.

He's not expecting to see Leilani as he rounds the corner, and he's definitely not expecting her to look so shaken. It puts him on edge, having never seen her quite this upset, and he wonders who he's going to have to hurt. His approach is slow, and he makes enough noise so that she knows he's approaching, at least. ]

..Leilani? [ The one word is unsure, even questioning. ]

[ Of course Carl is around, helping Maggie with the bonfire and enjoying the outing. He sees Leilani settle on the ground near the fire and immediately goes over and plops down next to her. ]

Andaran atish’an, Leilani.

[ Listen to him, he's been practicing!! ]

[Maggie knew all about finding a quiet corner to tuck herself into and was happy to have one more person join her in her attempt to be a little more open and outgoing with the people in the Fleet (and the natives if they wanted). However... that was definitely a language she wasn't familiar with.]

Oh. Uh... hi. Nice to meet you?

[She really would try to repeat what she's said but somehow she knows she'll butcher it.]

[ Carl's been around, helping Maggie with the bonfire. It was a great idea she had, and it reminds him so much of the first night they spent in the prison courtyard. Surrounded on all sides by fences, passing a meager plate of food around and listening to Maggie and Beth sing. That was too long ago, and this one is in full swing. It's nice to be able to experience weather that isn't too hot- it's actually perfect for what they're doing. Not so cold they need to stay by the fire, but not too hot they can't enjoy it.

He pokes at the embers with a long stick, glancing at her with a quick smile. ]

We should've done this sooner.

[ She really had intended for this to be a nice trip to visit someone familiar and welcome; she hadn't meant to be caught up in her own memories, and the way her eyes drink in the murals is betraying her more than anything else. She breathes in, once, a sharp noise, and Carl approaching actually takes her by surprise - she goes for a weapon that isn't there and swallows the lump in her throat.

Stepping back and away from the walls, she bows her head, a little hesitant. It's hard to put all this into words, but Carl is far removed from it - and it's not fair to come to a place that's comfortable for him and make it bad, somehow. ]

Andaran atish’an, da'len. These murals are familiar.

[ Leilani brightens as soon as she sees him, reaching out to ruffle her fingers through his hair gently, much as an older sibling might. ]

You're getting better. [ Settling, she stretches her legs out. ] How are you?

[ He doesn't mind the affection, even welcomes it and nudges his shoulder against hers in return. ]

You think so? [ He relaxes under the praise- he thought he'd been doing horribly, but Leilani always sounds so nice when she talks. ]

I'm good. Are you okay?

[ There's a moment where her lips twitch, just a little - because she knows how humans feel when she speaks elven and they don't quite know what she means, but there's no way for her to get rid of a lifetime of habit. She just beams at Maggie instead. ]

It's nice to meet you, too. [ Shifting, she stands up properly. ] You're Carl's friend?

[ It's so easy to be relaxed around him, and it's obvious in how the tension fades from her shoulders, breathing coming out calmly. ]

Yes, I think so. I should give you some more words to learn.

[ Leaning back, she hums absently. ]

I'm a little tired, but otherwise I'm very well, thank you.

Lay it on me. [ It feels good that she can relax around him. That they're comfortable with each other. ]

Have you been sleeping okay? [ Not that he does either, but whatever!! ]

I am. Are you one of his crewmates?

[Maggie is still curious about that other language but she's learned by now not to question things like that when they all come from such diverse places.]

I'll write you some more notes.

[ Settled, Leilani tilts her head out and stares over at the bonfire in front of them, considering for a moment. ]

Sometimes. Some nights are easier than others.

I was, once, but I transferred. [ It was a choice between Dorian and Carl, and unfortunately Dorian won out. ] And you are his friend. He mentioned you before.

Well, it wasn't really planned so much as "I just felt like makin' all this stuff for whoever wanted it." I'm makin' a bonfire on the planet surface too, if you want to come.

[The last bonfire she'd been to, she and her family had all been cooped up in the prison. She and Beth had sung songs while everyone sat around the fire.]

I'd like that.

[ The goal is to be fluent, right? He wants to do something pretty damn cool with his time here, and learning Elvish seems like the coolest.

Carl rubs the back of his neck and nods. ]

Yeah, same here. Sometimes it's easier to convince yourself that you're safe some nights.

Ah. [Maggie nods, understanding. When she'd returned to the fleet on a different ship and away from the crew she'd become so familiar with, she had transferred after about a week or so.]

Hopefully he said all nice things? [Maggie smiles, not really concerned. ]

Carl and I are family. We come from the same place. You got anyone like that here?

Yeah. Just wasn't really finding a time for it, I guess.

[Truthfully, she still somewhat buried herself in work. She had been grieving, but now she wanted to live. She wanted Carl and her both to enjoy things, even when they knew the possibility for something worse to come along was always there. They had each other to see it through.]

And then when I got here we were drifting anyway. So I guess now's a good time.

The last couple planets weren't really bonfire material. The last one was covered in snow, the one before that had cannibals, and the one before that was evacuated.

[ So it's been a trip all around, Maggie. He's glad they're doing it now. He perks up, just remembering something and nodding to his bag sitting by the leg of the picnic table. ]

I forgot, I brought something for this. I know it's not quite the same as a s'more, but it'll be close? [ He definitely brought a jar of marshmallow snow from the last planet. ]

[ She needed to be near Dorian; it was difficult to be far away from him, especially when they were a long way from home. ]

Only nice things. You have my word.

[ Nodding her head, Leilani crosses her arms over her chest. ]

I do. A friend from home and - there's a man with the same clan as me. We're the same person, technically.

Perhaps we can find you a book while we're here.

[ She's not entirely sure her handwriting is the easiest to read, but she can do her best to make it as neat as possible. ]

And others there are nightmares, or the feeling you're not alone.

Like a notebook? I have one that I bought a few planets ago. I've been writing notes in it. [ Listen, it can't be any worse than his sixth grade level handwriting. ]

..Yeah. Nightmares. 'What-if's' keep me up a lot, too.

Starships were meant to fly

Maggie | OTA

Goldstone

leilani | ota

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