driftfleet | Libuscha IV System Mingle (no. 1)

I never suggested you wouldn't.

[And Connor's not infallible, he's made mistakes before. There's only so much accounting for human behaviour. As far as letting Ben drag him around if he didn't want to, though? He wouldn't have gotten that far without protest.]

Just out of interest. I've started getting some as well and I don't know yet what I'll do with it.

[Sure, Connor's used the company tab to buy things like taxi rides and drinks for Hank. But that was all tallied up as part of work expenses, and it wasn't his own money.]

Could've fooled me.

[he makes a thoughtful noise, slowing his steps as they pass by one of the stores he was eying before. He tilts his head towards Connor]

More new territory for you? [...] Only impulse buy I've made is like, I adopted a dog not too soon after I got here. So like, if you like animals - [a shrug] Lot of planets got 'em. It's a thing here. On the Fleet, I mean.

[Connor's immediately more interested.]

What kind of dog do you have?

[Ben carefully keeps a straight face and does not laugh]

I think it's a Shiba? Or some alien version of it, anyway. His name's Gent.

[Note to self, seek out alien dogs immediately and investigate how they differ from Earth dogs. Connor does smile a bit at that.]

I haven't seen many dogs before besides the Lieutenant's. He has a St Bernard.

[the noise he makes is not a laugh, it's just a puff of air and if it sounds amused, well, shut up]

Aren't those the like, big hairy ones? I've only seen pictures. [...] I've got a German Shepherd back home, that's why - [he gestures, the real reason why he gave into adopting a dog here] - though I got her when she was fully grown and Gent's still a little thing. Maybe I'll sic him on you and you can tire him out. I sure as hell can't.

Yes, they're quite big. [Although Ben is severely overestimating Connor's experience in what to do with dogs, it's a nice offer.] I'd like to see him sometime.

[he snorts] You're welcome to come over whenever you want and see him, just give me a head's up first. He loves attention.

—okay, this one. C'mon. [this time he does not manhandle Connor into following him, but he does duck in before Connor can answer, cuz, well. It's fucking cold]

[That was abrupt, but he's already started factoring that sort of thing into Ben's behaviour. That seems to be how the man rolls. Connor pauses for a moment outside before following Ben into the shop, shutting the door behind himself.

Finding himself face-to-face with racks of knit sweaters and coats, Connor raises his eyebrows at Ben.]

You're looking for clothes?

[Connor will quickly learn that without some kind of plan in mind, Ben is kind of an abrupt disaster. He pulls his hands from his pockets, shaking out the flesh one, like that'll warm up it up]

I mean, you could look too. Unless you wanna walk around dressed like that all the time.

[Connor blinks, having not given much thought to his clothes so far. Other than the locals' constant reminders about not being dressed warmly enough.]

Well, I don't have to. [It's a musing thought. He turns to the nearest rack, plucking at a sweater's sleeve experimentally.] I haven't given it much thought.

[he hums in response, circling around Connor to another rack with heavy coats]

Bet there's a lot you haven't given much thought to. [another thoughtful noise] Could just focus on like, necessity shit. You know what you wanna do while we're stopped here?

[Given his clothes were regulation back home and he had only about a day of freedom before arriving, it was very low on his priority list. He moves to the next sweater, taking note of the different colour and knit density.]

There isn't much that I need that I don't already have. [Namely, a functioning body and thirium at decent levels. Connor frowns, dropping the price tag on the sweater as he looks across the room at the windows.] I want to see as much of this place as possible, and learn about the other species present.

[That's very investigation-y, but that's how he rolls.]

I also want to find out what that chiming noise in the background of all the transmissions here is.

[Ben can appreciate the investigation-y part of it, you can take the detective out of the city and all, etc, etc. He turns to lean on the rack Connor's looking through instead, careful not to knock it over]

Can I make a suggestion, then? Like, absolute minimum: get a coat, we talked about why, and get a pair of boots. You can't run around a snow planet in loafers, Connor.

[He listens to all of that before letting out what could only be described as a huff.]

Yeah - I've worn snow boots before, I know the difference. [Just putting that out there.] I do want to go further out so both of those things would help with that.

If it's November in Detroit for you then you've probably been buried under snow at least once already, so you should know. [he's exaggerating, mostly, but even so he nods and turns back to the rack of coats he was looking through earlier]

But there - two things on your necessities list. [a pause, and he turns to look at Connor over his shoulder] Do you - uh, need anything maintenance-wise? I mean, you probably wouldn't find it here, but -

[A perplexed look flickers across Connor's face.]

Everything's functioning as it should be.

[his nose wrinkles a little]

I don't mean right now, I mean like - down the line. Maintenance, Connor. Like - sometimes I gotta calibrate something in my arm 'cuz it got knocked out of place, or the sensitivity's off. Shit like that.

Oh - calibrating I can do myself, that's not a problem. Anything more extensive... it depends on what it is.

[This has frankly never been a concern for him before. Partly because he was a machine and knew he would just get replaced or repaired if something dire happened. And partly because he didn't feel concern then. Getting destroyed was perfectly acceptable if he accomplished his mission.

He takes a bit more time to continue, musing on the idea.]

Losing thirium would be the hardest thing to manage, if no one here can make it.

[the pause in between responses makes him wonder if this is another thing Connor hasn't had to consider before, and that's a little more concerning than clothing or necessities or what-have-you]

Okay . . . [he scratches at his cheek] I have no idea what that is, but - would you be able to tell someone how to make it? Like, if you found someone capable of doing it.

It's the fluid that powers my biocomponents. It's called 'blue blood' fairly often as well.

[So, you know, he's literally talking about losing blood here.]

If they can replicate the chemical makeup, that should be enough.

[both eyebrows shoot up] So you don't run on battery-power or kinetic power like I do. Huh.

[his nose wrinkles just a bit]

I'm sure there's someone here who can do it. There's fuckin' wizards - anything's possible.

It's a mixture, but thirium is required to keep it all working.

[Connor stops in the middle of flipping up the tag on a jacket to drum his fingers on the rack, exasperation with the situation flitting over his face.]

Yeah. I've spoken to some of them... elves as well. There's a lot going on here that defies explanation. [Then he shifts his shoulders a bit, not a shrug exactly but a readjustment.] None that I'd normally find acceptable, anyway.

Edited 2018-12-01 10:46 (UTC)

Well I mean - you don't have to like, plug in and charge or nothing?

[hmm. Ben rests his elbow on the rack, chin on his hand. He sounds amused]

Uh huh. I want you to take a moment, think about what you are, then say that again with a straight face.

Seriously though - better to suspend your belief before you fry your circuits or something. Shit gets weird here, you'll give yourself a headache trying to like, figure it all out.

[Connor just shakes his head. His internal systems are all self-sustaining, provided nothing gets damaged. He returns Ben's amused look with a flat one of his own.]

It still defies explanation. Technology and magic are vastly different ... fields. [Okay, let's call it fields. Close enough.] And I am. I've had time to think about all of that and get some further information about it.

[With that, he drags a navy coat off the rack.]

Besides, it wouldn't be the first time I've ignored my programming.

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