Yadrolla System Mingle

[lacyprincess]

Who: EVERYBODY
Broadcast: Yeah, sure, I guess
Action: The Fleet and the Yadrolla System
When: 4/29 - 6/8

[Hey, hey, look, we have a new system! Let's go compete in stuff and root for sportsball teams! System info is here!

GO WAVES!]

Comments

[hollystrike]

Oh, dear. [She vaguely remembers her being off kilter in the office, actually. Katie grins.]

Do you prefer their absence now, though?

[watermarks]

So much. [ She shudders a little. ] I got used them, and the colors were pretty, but there's just... something really invasive about anything changing any part of your body without your permission, you know? Besides, I still have the tattoo to remember Luceti by.

[ As if she'd forget it. ]

[hollystrike]

[Yeah, the barcode tattoo is... offensive. She's quiet a moment.]

Have you given thought to removing it?

[watermarks]

[ Her hand goes to the back of her neck. ]

I didn't know tattoos could be removed.

[hollystrike]

[Hmm.]

Well, it's not a common practice. But it doesn't even scar, unless you use magic. [She eyes Katara contemplatively in the darkness.]

[watermarks]

[ It takes Katara a moment to unpuzzle that and set it in its proper order.

The word scar makes her think of something. ] I had a friend, or... I have a friend, he's just not here, who'd been scarred horribly over his eye. [ She lifts up a hand to indicate how large it was. She lets her hand fall back. ] I offered to try to heal it once, and we were interrupted, but the next time I offered... he didn't want me to try. He said he'd moved passed it, but it had helped make him who he was, and he wanted to remember.

[ She pressed her lips together. ] So... I'd have to think about it. It's... not the same thing... but it's proof of what happened, in case anyone else from there shows up and...

[ She glances down. ] ...I don't know, Katie. So much gets erased all the time in places like this - people's memories, people themselves... and once we get home, we won't remember any of it. I hate what they did, but I'm not sure I want it off me. I know that doesn't make sense.

[hollystrike]

What makes you think it doesn't make sense?

[Softly, and she smiles, pulling her sleeve up. The burn around her wrist can be seen in the gloom, but that's not what she's going for; there are three thin cuts further up her arm, Contrary to how it looks, though, they are not ones Katie inflicted herself.]

Sometimes we need reminders of our past to go on with our future. When they're not needed anymore... well. It's a one time offer.

[watermarks]

[ As always, the sight of that scar makes Katara press her lips together. She hates burns, she hates that this was done to Katie as a child. But the cuts above it... they do look self-inflicted. But Katie wouldn't be showing her them like this if they were...

It's a one time offer.

Her smile is soft. ] It's pretty generous, for a one time offer. I'll keep it in mind, in case there's a time I need it. Thanks, Katie.

[hollystrike]

Goodness, don't thank me. For all you know, I'm just jealous of your fancy tattoo.

[She is not. It marks Katara as produce, and she hates it. But Katie can understand Katara's reasoning well enough. She settles back into her nook and burrows a little under the blanket, letting her sleeve fall again.]

But you're welcome.

[watermarks]

[ And then they chilled and watched the stars for a few hours more. ]