05 | voice

[oceanthief]

When Homeworld started investigating this system, we checked all the stars near potential colonies for stability. Everyone was really excited about this planet because its sun had a pretty decent lifespan, so we wouldn't have to do any shielding for a while.

[or. something. Lapis never really paid any particular attention to the reports that came in about earth, because why would she? it was just a little mudball in some podunk galaxy.]

Is that not how it works on this earth? I can't really think of why else you'd be trying to ration sunlight, but...it's kind of stupid. Unless you're storing it somewhere to use later it's not going to make any difference, and I really don't think humans have that kind of technology yet.

[at least not on this version of the planet, anyway. she really has no idea what 'daylight savings time' could mean aside from this, and it's got her completely mystified. that at least is a familiar feeling when it comes to humanity, even if it's not all that pleasant.]

You guys don't even have that much time to start with. Do you really need to complicate it this much?

[and if the sun is dying...why bother squabbling between insubstantial nationstates when there was such a big problem looming over them all? it was all so dumb.]

Comments

[oceanthief]

I probably could, if I really wanted to. It's mostly just water, isn't it?

[NOT THE POINT LAPIS]

[sasaeru]

I-- sure.

Do you wish to do something like that?

[oceanthief]

Not really. It seems kind of pointless right now.

['right now', because that doesn't sound terribly ominous at all.]

[sasaeru]

I agree with that. [She tries to hide her sag of relief.]

What is your name?

[oceanthief]

[don't worry, Ulvida, this is completely misrepresenting the fact that Lapis doesn't understand what an overreaction is.]

I'm Lapis Lazuli.

[there's a weight to the introduction, an imperceptible straightening of her shoulders. her name is important, no matter how many times she gives it.]

[sasaeru]

[Real aliens are weird.

But Lapis' strange and potentially dangerous statements aside, Ulvida's response to the name is a widening of her eyes with recognition and wonder. She knows the name; she read about it in books when she was younger, and heard about it from her sisters when they spoke about her blue hair.]

Like the gem. The color of the ocean.

[oceanthief]

[she dips her head in a small bob, the motion somehow elegant despite its brevity. it's not her that people recognize, but she can't help holding herself a little higher when people's reactions are more than blank stares.

there was meaning to her name on Homeworld, once. this is an echo of that time she can never ignore.]

Exactly like that.

[ocean gem, ocean waves. she moved with the water in every aspect of her life.]

[sasaeru]

I think it's beautiful.

[Names were important to Ulvida, even if she doesn't understand the meaning it holds to Lapis. Both "Ulvida" and "Reina" meant something different for her, but they were important just the same. Lapis' has to be to her too.]

Could I call you Lapis?

[oceanthief]

I mean...that's my name.

[she seems a bit confused as to why anyone would even ask something like that, but it's significantly better than people just plowing on through with the wrong name entirely so she figures it's probably fine.

it's strange to hear a compliment like that, though. for something that has become so intensely personal to Lapis, her name was possibly the most generic thing about her. there were hundreds of thousands of Lapis Lazulis serving the Homeworld empire - if not for that attempted eradication at her identity, that title would mean nothing to her now.]

[sasaeru]

Sometimes the names we have aren't the ones we want to be called by.

[She tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear, and at the same time she mentally tucks her true name deeper in her mind, too. Sometimes, names are tricky.]

But if Lapis is all right, I think I'll call you that.

[oceanthief]

The people who are important to me call me that. I can't change it, even if I wanted to.

[and why would she ever want to? it was her past, her present, her future. it meant that she wouldn't run from anything in her life, no matter how painful it might be.

outwardly, of course, all Raina get is an awkward half-shrug.]

So...yeah. Lapis is fine.

[sasaeru]

Lapis.

[She says it for no other purpose than to repeat it. It is a pretty name, she thinks. All names sounded pretty to her, but this one, she particularly liked the ring of.]

Thank you.

[oceanthief]

[she seems mildly uncomfortable, like she doesn't know what to do with being thanked for something that shouldn't require gratitude - because she is.]

Uh, it's alright.

[nailed...it...?]