festival day!

[thespaceopera]

Who: EVERYONE
Broadcast: Up to you
Action: Everywhere in the Yadrolla system!
When: 5/30

[At last, the day has come: Festival Day! Once again, the Starstrikers have taken the trophy this year. But that doesn't mean members of other teams, or those who didn't play, can't celebrate with the rest of them!

There are parties everywhere. Ribbons, streamers, and confetti litter every major street in the system. (Remember what they say about glitter...) There is food on every block, and people cramming into shops to get in on the merch.

Don't forget about the reason for the festival-- the pet adoption drive! A large playground-type area has been set up on the Starstrikers' desert moon where people can play and interact with the lovable creatures needing new homes. Whether you're looking for companionship or just something to do, there's plenty to coo over! Every pet comes with an info card listing a fanciful name and a general description of their age and temperament. Maybe Sir Pringle the puppy or Marquess Mariana the fish can become your new best friend.

Sadly, the Fleet will be drifting in about a week... but feel free to party until then!]

Comments

[axi]

Comparatively rapid, yes. It took around ten years for humanity to refit the ship for travel again. Unfortunately, most advancement takes place in times of conflict, and it was clear from the outset it was a war ship. Earth learned it wasn't alone, so they had to catch up. [She gives a solemn smile at that. Some things never changed.]

I wouldn't go so far as remarkable, but thank you. [Kaname grins, and feeling in the spirit, she does sing a few lines.] It's what I love doing.

((ooc; until 52s))

[candothat]

[He nods, familiar enough with history (some of it very recent) to know what powerful motivation the threat of war can be.] If your universe is like mine, things will change. Given a chance, human curiosity can inspire even more innovation and progress than fear can.

[Is it okay to applaud? Hopefully because he goes for it.] I stand by my initial assessment. [Remarkable, that is.] You have a beautiful voice. Do you sing often here, even though there isn't a disease to fight?

[axi]

[Kaname grins sheepishly, addressing his first point before the singing.] Mm, I know. It's a large part of why humanity ended up leaving Earth and spreading across the galaxy. There've been some wonderful discoveries.

[Now, she nods, smiling settling into one less bashful.] Thank you, I'm glad to hear it. I do. I joined Walkure because I love to sing and perform. I don't need a reason to sing other than wanting to.

[candothat]

[It's good to know that war hasn't been the sole factor influencing space travel. Pavel makes no attempt to hide a pleased smile.]

Ah, then being able to save the day with singing is only a bonus. [He gets that, doing something entirely out of love for it. That's what took him to space in the first place.] I would like to hear you perform, if you do that sometimes.

[axi]

A very, very nice bonus. [She grins, appreciating his way of phrasing it.] I did some competitions during the season, actually. Talent and singing... It was fun, and I actually won a couple.

[Kaname still sounds sort of surprised about that.] But I practice on the Isklaulit often, if you'd like to stop by at some point.

[candothat]

I don't find that at all surprising. [Kaname's voice is pretty, of course she won some things.] If you wouldn't mind? As someone with no singing talent, I'm very impressed by people like you who can sing so well.

[axi]

Thank you. [She chuckles, shaking her head.] No, I wouldn't mind at all.

[Kaname looks at him and raises her brows.] I'm sure you're good at many other things.

[candothat]

Then I will do that.

I'm good at being smart. [This is presented as a fact.] Beyond that, no, I'm strictly mediocre at most things.

[axi]

[Well, that's pretty straight forward.]

How so?

[candothat]

[That's how he does! It tends to minimize confusion, but not so much in this case.]

How so what?

[axi]

What sort of smart? [Like he didn't know the lady was flirting with him.] I'm sure it translates into other skills as well.

[candothat]

Academically. Not in a way that's useful off of the bridge of a starship. [Unless someone needs a navigator, tactician, theoretical physicist, engineer, mathematician, or computer programmer, but when do those skills come in handy?] It's kind of you to think that, thank you.

[axi]

I don't know about that. [She looks at him, grinning.] For some reason, I find it hard to believe.

[If he's as smart as he seems to carry himself, there has to be something.]

Regardless, what's something you've learned in the fleet? Like a skill you didn't have before.

[candothat]

I should leave now while you still believe that.

[That was clearly meant to be a joke. He's rather earnest about everything else.]

A skill? [He frowns thoughtfully.] I learned how to operate a cash register... and, in the process, learned what a cash register is. That was enlightening.

[axi]

Please don't. I'm finding that you're good company. [Even though he's joking, she does mean what she says.

And that answer makes her laugh. Good job.]

Really? That's a strange thing to learn here. How did that happen?

[candothat]

That's fortunate since I would rather not leave.

[Between being deemed good company and getting a laugh, he couldn't be more pleased.]

It was suggested to me that I learn skills that would be useful on the planets that we visit, and customer service was recommended. Not a common profession where I come from.

[axi]

It works out for both of us.

[She leans back in her seat, glancing around for a snack. Drinking on an empty stomach is bad.]

No, not in the fleet either it looks like. What do you do in times between systems?

[candothat]

[As if he has the power of reading brackets (or wants food himself, which is always true), Pavel requests whatever their most popular snack. That turns out to be something that resembles fries and onion rings with, surprise, more Starstrikers flags poked in at random.]

I do the usual things. [He can't actually think of anything that doesn't sound boring. Maybe she won't notice that he didn't answer.] And you? You must have things that you like doing other than singing.

[axi]

[Kaname eyes the food for a moment, then grins at his reply. Good try.]

I do. I'll answer after you give me a proper one.

[Oh, why not.] Mind if I have a bite?

[candothat]

[An unnecessarily dramatic sigh.]

Nothing exciting. I modify the Tourist's sensor array, learn new things. Currently baking, the names of different mixed drinks, and how to fight more proficiently. [An extremely mundane selection given the wide range of crazy abilities present in the Fleet, but.]

No, please help yourself.

[He will do the same after removing all of the little flags. Aren't those choking hazards? Stabbing hazards?]

[axi]

[Kaname giggles, taking a fry. Once eaten, she's still smiling.]

Couldn't learning new things itself be considered exciting? I sing and dance, and I practice often. But if I learn a new dance step or routine, I'm happy. I'm teaching a shipmate to read music, and he's always so interested in it. [Kaname looks at him, interested in what he deems not exciting.] I've never been much of a baker myself, so I'm always in awe of what people can accomplish.

[She takes one of the little flags and sticks it in his hair.] Go team.

[candothat]

[He smiles and leaves the flag where it is.]

It is, or I think so, but it sounds boring in a place where having superpowers or saving the world on a regular basis or being an elite soldier are all considered average. I thought that you would have greater expectations. [He's relieved, honestly.] So you dance in addition to singing, and you also teach your shipmate. Baking would be a natural, sensible addition to all of that.

[axi]

Those are what take up a portion of my time, but it's not everything. Telling you all of that now might ruin any future conversations. [Kaname shakes her head.] I've tried. Things come out all right, but they're never anything great. I'm not good with knowing what adjustments to make to take it to the next level.

[But one thing does interest her. Another fry. Yum.] Do I seem like a person who'd have higher expectations for something like this?

[No hint of indignation, she really just wants to know.]

[candothat]

Right, yes, discussing everything in a single conversation would make future ones unnecessary. [He doesn't believe that. What he does believe is that they make a fine plate of frings in this system.] Mr. Jarvis would teach you as well, I'm certain. He seemed pleased with the opportunity to show off his expertise.

[He contemplates one of the onion ring things rather seriously.] Not really, no. I think maybe I'm the one with higher expectations—not of you, I mean! You're very interesting.

[axi]

I'm glad we're in agreement. [She grins, clearly serious about the sentiment. Totally serious.] All right, I'll consider it.

[To retaliate for... something or other, Kaname takes that onion ring he's studying and pops it in her mouth. Yum.] Thank you for the flattery, the attempt is appreciated. But higher in what way?