open audio/action

[candothat]

Who: Pavel Chekov and you
Broadcast: Yes
Action: The Iskaulit or Bloodsport, if you like
When: Now

[voice]

I have a question to ask all of you, if I may--something that I have been thinking about.

[This thinking has nothing to do with the recent broadcast from the Interceptor Fleet. Nope. Not at all.]

What or where, to you, is home?

Is it a place? Is it people? Is it in the universe that you came from, or have you found a new home in your time away? If home is not here, would you return to it if you were granted the opportunity to do so?

What does home even mean?

I ask partially because I'm not certain of the answer for myself. I have thought of many different things as home: a country, a ship, a crew. There have been times, even, when I considered a single person home... but however I defined it, I was certain of it. I knew where it was, and I knew that it was where I belonged. That becomes difficult to maintain, you know, after several years in a place like this--the certainty of belonging, and the sense of home.

So I would like to know how you think of it. Maybe this question is too personal, but I hope that someone might humor me.


[action]

[In the mood for some in-person interaction? Pavel can be found in his usual haunts on the Iskaulit: in the library, jogging in the ship's more open areas, working (or drinking) at the Space Bar. Or come across him on the Bloodsport. That's where his quarters and his cat are, after all!]

Comments

[vartex]

To protect the Walkure, of course.

[To him it's as obvious as breathing is for normal people.]

[candothat]

Of course.

[There's admiration in his voice.]

And if there was no Walkure...?

[vartex]

[You bastard, asking the hard questions. Give him a minute for that one, because it breaks his brain a little bit.]

I don't know. I haven't had to consider the option- they've always been here, to some degree.

[At least, as long as he's been in the fleet.]

I doubt I'd think much at all about home. Instead, I'd have to find a new mission.

[candothat]

[Misery loves company?]

And I sincerely hope that they will stay, to some degree.

[Which is a hideously selfish sentiment, but it's kind of nice when friends stick around. Also? He'd worry about a Walkure-less Messer.]

You are a very dedicated person, Messer. Walkure is fortunate to have you, and I imagine that you will always have a home with them.

[vartex]

[...Oof.]

We'll see. If we ever have an opportunity to go back to our worlds, depending on the conditions of that return, these are questions I'll have to think about.

[Maybe he should be thankful for bringing them to mind. This isn't the place to discuss what may or may not happen, but based on the message on the secret network, something is going to change. People like him, who have no place in their own worlds anymore, will have choices to make.]

[candothat]

Questions for different day, then.

[Possibly a not-so-distant day, but they'll learn more from the Interceptor Fleet as they learn more.]

As for today... do you drink?

[vartex]

Not often, but I'm not opposed, either.

[So long as it's not in excess, it does him no harm.]

[candothat]

In that case, I have a very nice bottle of whisky in my quarters and no inclination to drink all of it myself. Would you join me for a drink?

[vartex]

Hm.

[He should probably say no. He makes for very poor conversation; Kaname's friend is better off seeking more pleasant company.

...Still.]

Alright. I'll join you.

[candothat]

...You will?

[Pavel is honestly (and pleasantly!) surprised.]

Thank you, Messer. I will do my best to not give you any reason to regret that decision.

[vartex]

[There's a noise that could almost, almost pass for a chuckle. Blink and you'll miss it.]

There's no need to be so serious about it. It's just a drink.

[candothat]

[Consider it missed! Oops.]

There is every need. I take drinking very seriously.

[He does not sound that serious.]

[vartex]

[He probably won't miss the tone of disbelief this time, though.]

I don't think I've ever seen you drink.

[candothat]

[Pavel chooses to take that disbelief as a good sign. If Messer doesn't know that he's a serious drinker, then there's every chance that he hasn't actually descended into full-blown alcoholism yet. Excellent!]

This, I suspect, says more about how frequently you see me than how frequently I drink.

[vartex]

A fair point.

I'll bring glasses if you need them.