Video | They don't make posters of my kinda life

[shipmaster]

[It is hard to tell if the person who appears on the network this afternoon is a particularly handsome woman or a strikingly beautiful man. Or what age they are. Or any nice, easy assumption, actually. They lean towards the screen, having watched the network for a few days, picked up what they could. A planetary war, tensions between imPorts, tenuous situations all around. For most people, it would be the time for serious discussions, strategic planning and getting the strongest intel they can.

Bel Thorne puts their chin on their palm, regards the camera a moment before cutting a sharp, curious smile.]

So, what does one do on Earth for fun? I'm taking suggestions.

Comments

[shipmaster]

He handles himself pretty well, you know.

[dendarii]

That's because he's screaming internally.

[shipmaster]

Really? How would you... Ah.


Well. Good to know.

[dendarii]

[ Miles taps his temple for emphasis. ]

I'm exaggerating a little. But there is a lot more going on under the surface. Part of why I love him so dearly.

[shipmaster]

[That gets a bit of a tart look from Bel. It passes, leaving the usual light, teasing.]

Well getting to mess with both of you at once is acceptable too.

[dendarii]

[ Ah. Some real jealousy still there? Maybe Miles shouldn't be quite so gushy. ]

Of course. I fully expect that.

1/2

[shipmaster]

[Not much, but the sort of feelings behind it don't just evaporate over night.]

Good.

[shipmaster]

...

[And then this, much, much milder.]

Are you happy, at least?

[dendarii]

[ Oh. Miles' expression goes incredibly gentle and fond. ]

Exceptionally. He is ... I am prepared to do anything to make our relationship work, back home.

[ A beat. ]

But - for the record, I am sorry that timing worked out this way. If you'd been here while I was figuring things out, I'd have absolutely gone to you.

[shipmaster]

[That was comforting, at least, between the change of expressions and the words.

The second bit, however, fetches that black irony back.]

That is my timing for you. Just as well, I'm hardly licensed to work out what a huge tangle that had to have been.

[dendarii]

[ Miles manages a self-deprecating laugh. ]

Excessively huge. Poor Jim Kirk had to deal with me on that one.

[shipmaster]

Oh, is that the one that got you over it? I hope you'll introduce me. The greater Nexus owes him a thanks. I suppose I'll have to do.

[dendarii]

I'll send you his comm info. He's quite distinctive.

[shipmaster]

I imagine. Oh, please do.

[dendarii]

[ He fiddles with his comm and sends it over. ]

Done.

... Have you recovered enough to try your power one more time?

[shipmaster]

[They save that. It wont take them long to get bored enough to try, honestly.

Treating the question seriously, Bel stands up...]

Ah, yes. Just about normal. Or well, as close as it gets.

[dendarii]

Think you could teleport us back to the Residence then?

[ Probably a bad idea. Eh. What harm could it do? ]

[shipmaster]

[Bel pauses...]

Do you have pictures? Video preferably.

[dendarii]

I can do you one better.

[ He pulls up a live security feed of the front of the house. Really, he wouldn't have suggested this otherwise. ]

[shipmaster]

[They stare at the feed a long moment. When they'd tried at Miles' first request, nothing had come. Like the edges of something they couldn't grip at all. This time though, as they picture how it must look from the ground...]

I.. think it might work. We should get up though.

[Bel pulls some currency out of their pocket and puts it on the table to settle up the bill.]

[dendarii]

[ Miles leaves a few bills of his own and stands. This time, he offers Bel his hand. ]

No time like the present to challenge yourself, right?

[shipmaster]

[Bel grins at that and takes it.]

Exactly.

[Immediately, this time was not NEARLY so easy. It was like choppy water where the other hadn't been easy, but at least flat sailing. Something in the world turned strangely, everything in long, stretching curves before-

And like that it's over.





And they're falling.]

[dendarii]

[ Shit. Miles takes one look at the layer of green rising up to meet them and panics just a bit. His legs might survive impact but if he lands anywhere on his upper body - or god forbid, his chest --

And then he remembers he can turn into a bird. He flickers to his avian form in an instant, beating his wings wildly to catch the air. He still crashes into the tree branch a bit more heavily than he'd like, but he likely does better than Bel. ]

[shipmaster]

[Bel had, at least, a little less distance to go. The first, delicate branches of the crown break some of the speed before they land heavily in the crook of a branch. From where they land, they can see the security camera mounted on a pole above... where they'd teleported in FROM ... of course.]

Nnng.. [On second thought, they're. Just going to stay here a moment.] Miles.. are you all right?

[dendarii]

[ Miles is nowhere to be seen. There is, however, this funny little bird hopping around, as if angry at Bel for landing in its nest. (Or, y'know, fluttering at Bel because he's worried and looking for injuries. A bit too winded himself to speak just yet.) ]