Ten Forward Lounge : Halloween Shenangians

[writes_with_digital_ink]

Gaila squeaks.

She tries not to do that. People have a tendency to think it is adorable, and while that can be all kinds of fun in the right circumstances, she tries to aim for more professional as a general trait.

But, no. She squeaks. She squeaks, and spills her hot chocolate (laced with enough cayenne pepper to turn it pinkish) over her hand.

Then again, given her clothes have suddenly morphed in this, she has good reason.

If nothing else, she's now over six foot thanks to those heels. And there is a tiara. And...a whip?







"Um?"

Comments

[immutablysam]

Sam resumes the casual pose, taking in the scent, fairly obviously, from a little further away than most people tend to notice it. A touch odd for someone used to noting reactions to Orion-things.

"Is it true that its next to impossible to get a real drink around here?"

[writes_with_digital_ink]

She notices, but as someone used to aliens, she doesn't think it particularly odd. At least, not on its own.

"Yeah-huh. If you want something that'll actually get you drunk, you're gonna have to go planetside and really hope they don't use replicators, too."

[immutablysam]

Sam's face makes a particularly unpleasant expression at that. What kind of bar went out of its way to not get people drunk?

"I'll have to remember to stock up. Why'd they do that?"

[writes_with_digital_ink]

Gaila laughs.

"Federation is weird," she says, tone fond. "I suppose some health concerns, not to mention health and safety issues. I mean, if everyone is cooped up for months on edge, people get bored. I asked, but people just kinda looked at me like it was obvious."

[immutablysam]

"People who let themselves get cooped up start thinking odd things. So, wherever you come from... even if it seems like you know this stuff, they don't do that?"

[writes_with_digital_ink]

"The Orion Union. It's...not part of the Federation, no. And, yeah, they have alcohol on their ships. If you get drunk while you're on duty, then you get your ass kicked."

Unlike the rest of how she'd been speaking, her words are a bit slower now, a bit more precise.

There is also the almost pointed use of they.

[immutablysam]

The tone and word use is duly notED> "That don't make 'em the good guys and all, but, see, that makes sense on that one thing, anyhow."

[writes_with_digital_ink]

She snorts faintly, and takes a sip of her hot chocolate.

"It does a bit. But depends which you value higher, the prevention or the cure."

[immutablysam]

"Whiskey." Sam states flatly, regarding the most valued thing in the discussion, staring dubiously at the cup of synthehol.

[writes_with_digital_ink]

Another quick laugh.

"Go butter up Engineering. Someone might have, ahem, been experimenting. Kinda thing they do."

[immutablysam]

"Go figure, engineers are mostly crazy. They want to take a look at Bubsy anyway, so suppose I can ask, if I find any of the crazy types."

[writes_with_digital_ink]

"Who or what is Bubsy?"

[immutablysam]

"Bubsy is a good dog who just happens to be an ornithopter."

[writes_with_digital_ink]

She mouths the word for a moment, and then when realization hits, she looks enchanted.

[immutablysam]

The corner of Sam's lip turns up in a hint of a grin. "Take it you'd like to meet him? Bet he'd take to you."

[writes_with_digital_ink]

"I'd love to meet him," she says, grinning back.

[immutablysam]

"Sure, I just didn't want to bring him in here with all these new folk til he settled in some. Should be a good clear space we can wander to and I'll bring him out."

[writes_with_digital_ink]

"There's the arboretum, if you know it? Should be too late for any of the schoolkids to be having a garden day. Unless you've got another space in mind?"

[immutablysam]

"I know here, and medbay, and my room, and the halls between. Arboretum works great. Let me know where we're headed, and I'll go get Bub."

[writes_with_digital_ink]

She quickly, but clearly, explains how to get to the arboretum from where most of the newcomers' rooms are.

Navigating ships is second-nature to her by now.

"So, I'll meet you there?"

[immutablysam]

Sam is a born explorer, more or less literally. It takes almost no time to pass on the directions based on even the limited reference points 'he' has so far.

"Alright, meet you there." Sam agrees, before heading off to collect an ornithopter, who is quite glad, judging by the cavorting and wing-stretching, to be out of the room and poking around.

[writes_with_digital_ink]

"Oh, aren't you beautiful," Gaila says once Sam and Bubsy join her in the arboretum. Her tone could be that of an artist marvelling a painting, or an animal-lover cooing over a puppy; really, it's both.

[ooc: if the time-skip is okay by you! if not, I'll change it :-) ]

[immutablysam]

[totally ok, yep]

Bubsy, despite being very clearly made of metal, wood and cloth, seems to act and react independently of any input from Sam. At the praise, he flaps a few times, lifting off and whirling around Gaila, before settling down and rolling up to her.

"Told you he'd take to you."

[writes_with_digital_ink]

"You did, you did, oh hello." She squats down and peers at Bubsy, her entire face alight.

"Where'd you make him? Or find him? Are there others like him in your world? What can he do - yes, you're very clever, you're a very clever machine, aren't you."





Sorry, Sam, you're being a little ignored right now. She'll remember to look back up at you in a moment.

[immutablysam]

All things considered, both Sam and Bubsy seem perfectly content with this situation. Its very possible that some of that wing waggling could be interpreted as the equivalents of a wagging tail as the ornithopter happily accepts the attention, not quite to the point of trying to knock his new friend over.

"He's one of a kind. He was made by a guy named Dr. Mitchell, but ending up smart as he is was sort of an accident. As for what he can do, knows a couple dozen commands, herds like a pro, and if you trust your grip, I bet I could ask 'im to take you flying."