[ audio ]

[signifies]

Who: Clark Kent and you.
Broadcast: Fleetwide.
Action: Aboard the Marsiva.
When: The week of his arrival.

I don't suppose I could click my heels three times. . . [ Only Clark gets his little joke. ]

I'll keep this brief. My name is Clark - I'm from Kansas.

[ He's been the new guy at work often enough to sound chill about this, but he is feeling a little shaky having woken up here in the middle of his workday. To top it off, not being able to hear his mother's heartbeat is jarring.

There's some stress baking in Clark's future. ]

What do you make of this place? I'm curious to know how it compares to where you come from.

Comments

[ video ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ What is a Kansas. ]

Are you asking if we compare our homes to an aimless bunch of ships floating around the galaxy?

[ audio ]

[signifies]

[ Hmm, someone has a strong opinion. ]

I'll take a guess and say you feel this is a huge step down.

video;

[privateeyed]

Unless you've got ruby slippers, you're shit outta luck Dorothy.

[finally, someone from Earth. Ben's met all of . . . what, one? Two?]

Depends on what you're comparing, but we don't go flying through space where I'm from. Unless that's changed and I just missed it on the news, but I doubt it.

[ audio ]

[signifies]

Must've left mine back home.

[ Hey, somebody gets his joke! ]

They don't do that where I'm from, either. Earth?

[ audio ]

[watermarks]

[ That's a very interesting question, really. ]

Hi Clark. My name's Katara. I haven't been here very long, but the fleet is very different from home and ... both similar and different from where I was just before here. Are you still on the Marsiva?

[ audio ]

[signifies]

Hello, Katara. Yes, I am - I can't seem to get off the ship.

[ He'd like her to elaborate, but this first. ]

action; the Marsiva

[theirondragon]

[The Bull hates it here already. There's some weird crap someone he never saw (or saw traces of) shoved into his head that somehow makes him able to understand how some of this shit around here works. Since waking up, he's been trying really hard to just ignore the giant window looking out over a bunch of nothing floating in more nothing, but it's proving to be pretty damned difficult.

The massive grey man with huge horns can't really help towering over Clark when he heads over to where he's decided to chill for that broadcast of his, but while looming, he's not imposing. You know, because he's not trying to be.]

It compares about as well as a monkey does to an elephant, big guy. [But he offers Clark a strong and heavily calloused hand.] The Iron Bull.

[ action ]

[signifies]

[ Clark never minds when it's quiet, but there is something unsettling about this ship. He's glad to hear someone else around - although he's not glad they're equally stuck.

He smiles up at the Iron Bull and shakes his hand warmly. Not every day you meet someone like this, right? ]

Clark. [ He leaves off his last name. While he isn't dressed for a trip to space in his everyday work clothes, the suit is hidden under them.

It's going to complicate things, but he'll cross that bridge later. ]

Where are you from?

Video

[takingkarabusiness]

Kara is only somewhat shocked by his introduction. She’s been to their earths afterall. But it’s still something she has to find her footing with, especially since this Clark is very rugged looking. Maybe it’s all a coincidence! ]

Hi.

[ Still, if this is some version of her cousin (and he’s not evil) she can’t help but find comfort in his sudden appearance She takes a small moment to strategize how to ask if he is who she assumes he is ]

You don’t happen to work at the Daily Planet, do you?

[signifies]

Er - yes?

[ He hadn't expected anyone to know him. Boy, he hopes it's not going to make the alien thing awkward. . . he's only just learning how to keep a secret identity. ]

[outstandingbalance]

Didn't go with "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore?" I appreciate your creativity.

[Natasha's tone is dry, but gentle enough to make it clear she's not making fun of him specifically. She softens the words with a slight smile.]

For what it's worth, we're all a long way from home.

[signifies]

Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.

[ She was nice enough to play along with his joke, so she gets a playful answer. ]

So I've heard. [ A little sigh; the reality of this is becoming clear to him. ]

What's your name?

video

[bi_otic]

I hate to tell you, you aren't in Kansas anymore...but I'm pretty sure someone's told you that already.

[And yet, he still couldn't resist. He smiles sheepishly.]

[ audio ]

[signifies]

You can never have too many. [ He'll never get tired of bad jokes. ]

What's your name?

[audio]

[spacebro]

Hello, Clark from Kansas.

[He hasn't met Kara's cousin yet back home. He's heard of him and so the name Clark is familiar in a general way, but he'd think of that specific person as being in Metropolis. He's not entirely sure he knows what a Kansas is.]

I'm Mon-El [He'd only barely begun trying out using "Mike" and wearing glasses in his time on Earth and it didn't last long at all in the fleet] and we did travel through space sometimes back home, but that's probably where the comparison ends. Although we did have places that served alcohol on some of the ships too.

[audio]

[signifies]

Nice to meet you, Mon-El.

[ He's a little taken off-guard by the name, but there aren't any other Kryptonians that he knows of. Clark doesn't want to speculate on that - it's false hope.

Anyway, Clark's much more noticeable in his red-and-blue. ]

Where did you come from originally?

audio.

[rebuildyourruins]

Is something stopping you from doing that?

[What an odd thing to say. He shrugs it off.]

Greetings, Clark. I'm Thor, of Asgard. What I make of this place is that I'd prefer not to be here.

audio.

[signifies]

It's looking like a big club. [ He sympathises. ]

I may have heard of you. Are you a god of thunder?

[ He met Loki already, but one can't just assume. ]

[Audio]

[cajunspice]

'm sure we could find some red shoes on one of the ships here that will fit ya, might even be magical, but think they would still be out of range for Kansas. [Which also, very awesome, another person from Earth, or a version of it at least. It was so much easier getting a idea of a person and what they were like when you could link them to a place you knew.]

Name's Remy. I be from New Orleans m'self, so this all be a bit different. Lacks the same atmosphere, sadly, though for the most don't have to put up with the summer heat like I do back home, that be a plus.

[ audio ]

[signifies]

Nice to meet you, Remy. I've never been, but I've heard a lot about it.

How long have you been here?

video;;

[postocular]

I mean, you could try clicking your heels, but you'd probably just end up feeling silly afterward?

Some things are better than home. Having a constant stream of supplies is nice.

[ audio ]

[signifies]

[ Oh no, it's a child. ]

Where're you from?

Video

[onlyanapple]

[Sweet Jesus on a bicycle. ]

Farm Boy? Look at how much you grew up like... whatever the fuck it is you grown in Kansas. Beans? I want to say beans.

[He knows there's a good chance this isn't the same Clark, or even if it is, he likely doesn't remember Paradisa, but Crowley doesn't care. It's fun for him, either way.]

[ audio ]

[signifies]

I'm sorry, I haven't had the pleasure.

action;

[knightexalt]

[Chrom's spent the past while exploring, but it turns out that this place is spectacularly empty. He's not sure what half of these contraptions do, but he kind of has a general idea? For some reason? More importantly, he should team up with this guy just in case there's danger. Chrom's a bit on edge because he doesn't have the Falchion with him; he dreads the idea of being unarmed in general.

He enters the room with a hopeful smile and a wave, not mentioning that he heard Clark talking to himself.]

Hi there! I've been scouting the place, and it looks like it's just us for now. My name is Chrom, by the way.

[ action ]

[signifies]

[ Chrom seems uninjured, which was Clark's main worry. He tunes out of listening to his vitals because that's extremely rude. ]

I'm Clark. Nice to meet you.

[ He holds out his hand. ]

[video]

[the_tailor]

Hah! I get that reference! Man, sure does feel good to hear an Earth joke.

[Anything that reminds him of home is good, okay, even cliche jokes.]

It's...interesting. More so the people than the ships. You've got people from all different universes and planets, which is really cool. I've learned so much already. Sometimes it can get boring when we're drifting, but planet stopovers are usually pretty awesome.

[Unless they're planets with cannibals, but hey, that isn't every planet they've stopped on.]

I'm from Earth, but before here, I ended up traveling in space fighting a big intergalactic war. So things are actually really peaceful here in comparison. Oh, and the name's Lance! Nice to meet you, Clark.

[ audio ]

[signifies]

Nice to meet you too, Lance.

I'm glad to hear you've been finding it manageable aside from the kidnapping and the mysterious overlords. Is anyone else from home here with you?

Video

[ultima_mortis]

I FIND IT'S QUITE DIFFERENT COMPARED TO WHERE I COME FROM. EVERYTHING IS MADE OF METAL TO ONE DEGREE OR ANOTHER.

[ audio ]

[signifies]

[ It's not the skeleton that surprises Clark, but the voice. It's extremely strange. Very deep and heavy, like a coffin lid being slammed on him. It reverberates in his bones. . . He seems to hear it in his head without needing his ears.

He's used to strange things, but even he needs a moment. ]

And where do you come from, sir?

[video] pretend this is on time, oops

[wallcrawler]

I mean, you could, but I don't know that you've got the right shoes. I don't think magic accepts half-measures.

[You can literally see him fighting back the urge to add "Dorothy" in there, Clark. It's a struggle, but he's doing well.

This particular teenager's face may or may not also be lit up like a kid at Christmas because look he loves the little things please let him be a pop culture nerd with you, responsible adult figure]

Missing slippers aside though, this place is... well, it's pretty cool once you get over the whole "kidnapping" thing! It's space! There's even real aliens, inhabited planets, even alternate universes!

[He's from one of the simpler universes where none of this is a thing. Or at least, not a confirmed thing. Also, a nerd, so add it all up and once you get past the homesickness it's basically several decades of Christmas morning all rolled into a big present you can't walk away from.]

Oh, and if you showed up with anything? Try to hold onto it. I mean, at all times. Until you get put on a ship.

[ audio ]

[signifies]

I'll keep that in mind, thank you.

[ He appreciates Peter's restraint.

Clark is smiling a little at his infectious enthusiasm. ]

What's your name, and how long have you been here?

[universal_charm]

I'm Jim Kirk, I'm from Iowa.

_{[ He raised a hand in hello to a fellow farming-state native. ]}

As to how it compares - used to spaceships. Used to planet hopping. Not so used to not having no control of it.

[signifies]

Nice to meet another midwesterner, Jim.

What did you do back home?

[ audio ]

[tempredmental]

[Welp. Even Keith understood that reference.]

Heh... do you have a dog named Toto?

I'm Keith. I'm from Arizona.

[A lot of people from Earth, eh?]

Welcome to the Fleet.

[ audio ]

[signifies]

I did, when I was young enough to think it was funny.

[ Clark still thinks it's funny. ]

Thanks. Nice to meet you, Keith.

audio

[youdontneedapictureofme]

I'm Maggie. I'm from Georgia, just outside of Atlanta.

[Is that a coincidence that he's met two Georgia natives now? The world may never know.]

As for what I make of this place? It's not all bad - just takes some getting used to. I'm not exactly a fan of the random kidnapping but there's not much we can do about it. The Atroma decide on their own whether to send us back or keep us here.

audio

[signifies]

I'm starting to think there's not much to be done.

[ He's not used to feeling so powerless.

And ordinarily he wouldn't think anything of it. Plenty of people are from Georgia. This collection of ships is much smaller.

Hmm. ]

Still, it's nice to meet you, Maggie. How long have you been here?