ten_fwd | First Entrance

It's hot this time of year out in Texas. Late summer, when the air turns so thick with moisture you can cut it with a butter knife. Kate's biding her time in Galveston, waiting for the hubbub to die down after her last big heist, but not even the ocean breezes coming off the coast can put a dent in the heat. That may be the greatest shock when she expects to set her boot down on weathered wood and gets the shiny floors of Ten Forward instead, sun gone and replaced with bright, cool light. She lifts her chin to see out from under the brim of her stetson (it used to be white, but dust and clay have turned it tawny), blinking hard at the sight she sees. She sets her hand to her hip, fingers brushing the rosewood grip of her Colt. This ain't the first time she's been pulled away from home — in fact, she's even used to the idea of strange rooms and odd future technology — but this ain't like any place she's been before. And just how did she get here?

She swallows down a yelp, taking stock of the room. People are dressed all strange, and outside the windows all she can see are stars. This ain't right. She's not gonna let herself panic, but this ain't right. Hell, she's done this once before, ended up somewhere she didn't plan on, so she looks around for people she might know.

"Tommy?" she calls, disappointed when she hears desperation in her voice. "Marian? Jim? John?"

She's working down her list of folk she trusts, folk who could take charge of the situation, folk she wouldn't leave home without. She's looking for answers, and a safe harbor.

"Tom?" she calls again, voice softer this time.

[ooc: Kissin' Kate Barlow is a former schoolteacher, about midway through her canon and a few years into being the meanest outlaw Texas has ever seen. At least, that's her reputation. She's as harmless as a pussycat so long as you don't threaten her, and searching for some answers. Kate's been in a game before, so she knows about things like airplanes and space travel, but she's pretty much your typical 19th century woman, and if you're confused about anything at all please contact me! I'm friendly, and happy to thread with anybody!]

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"That's how it looks," she nods. "There's not really a lot to do yet, and they don't want us getting loose and ending up in parts of the ship that wouldn't be safe, but we're trying to stay calm and keep ourselves occupied."

Telling Egil stories, mostly. And trying to figure out how the showers work.

"We'll be okay."

Kate doesn't like the sound of it.

She's been in odd places before, sure. And it's awful nice knowing there are people here she's acquainted with. Those things are perhaps the only things keeping her from having a moment, but it's still cold and strange and wholly outside her ability to encompass.

Trapped. In space. With nothing to do, and nowhere to go.

"'Course. We'll all be okay, don't you worry none. We'll stick close, all right?"

She reaches out to squeeze Pyrrha's hand.

"How're you keepin' yourselves occupied? Is there somebody I should talk to?"

"There's the crew--all the people in uniforms. This is like their after-work bar, so you get people coming in looking for drinks. But those people with the yellow shirts, the ones standing around looking serious, they're Security. They're here to make sure there's no trouble."

A person could probably get information from them, but Pyrrha really hasn't. This is where she is now, and she and Egil are safe, and whatever happens, happens.

"I got my sketchbook with me, at least. And they're making me some yarn, and... and if we're ever allowed to use the computers, maybe they got like fancy space knitting patterns I could make."

Kate braces Egil on her hip so she can swivel in the direction Pyrrha's indicating. She's not a big woman, so the little foxling's head blocks her view.

Getting an eyeful of the men and women in yellow shirts — and, most importantly, the strange boxes on their hips she instantly recognizes as weapons of some sort — she nods.

"How're they doin'? With makin' sure nobody causes trouble, that is. I don't know 'bout anyone else, but bein' snatched from Texas has me feelin' kinda testy."

She smiles at Egil, because it's important he knows she's teasing. Aunt Kate's not gonna go around making a fuss, 'less she feels she has to. From the sounds of it, they're treating Pyrrha and Egil well, providing for them, and that does a good deal to cool her temper.

"I haven't seen any trouble, but... well, I'm not a fighter and Egil doesn't like loud noises, so when people start getting tense, we get out of the way."

It's been pretty calm though, all things considered.

"I think most people have realized that the people here didn't bring us here, and can't send us home again, so taking it out on them won't do any good. It's not their fault."

Kate nods.

"Good. That's good. You keep yourselves safe, an' now that I'm here you've got me, too."

She smiles softly, gently bumping noses with Egil in the hopes that it will make him laugh. He hasn't fussed to get down yet, so she's content to hold and entertain him as long as he likes.

"Well, whomever's fault this is will get a piece of my mind if they ever come 'round. So long as everythin's safe, I reckon it's not anythin' worse than what we've been through before with Milliways. I'm jus' wonderin' what I'm s'posed to do now."

How's she gonna get a message back? And is she ever gonna see Texas again?

Egil laughs his little baby-laugh. He's still the same as he was when he was younger--loves people, loves being held. He'll be trouble as a teenager, but for now he's just a happy baby, oblivious to the goings-on.

Well, he misses Teja, and Teja's cats. But there were times before that he went some time without seeing them, so he doesn't yet know that he's not going to see them again.

"I got my sketchbook, that's about all I've been doing. Sigyn's gonna be spinning some yarn, and I could help her with that, or I could ask the computer to make me some of my own to knit with, but Egil seems to like things better when they're knit from people he knows."

Kate practically beams in response to that laughter. It does her heart good to hear it.

"Of course he does. Don't we all?"

She's happy that they seem to be happy, and safe, and unhurt. There are worse ways to spend your time than sketching and knitting and enjoying the freedom of your very own body. Kate ain't sure what she's going to do her own self, but she reckons she'll figure that out as she goes. And in the meantime, she'll take her comfort in the ease of those she loves.

"Well, come on then, sugar. Show me this computer, an' what it can do. After that, I reckon we can sit an' share some sweets before anybody'll want to pull me away."

It ain't like anybody here knows who she is, and besides, they might find it harder than they think to wrestle her from her friends.

First Entrance

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