video;

[flightforfreedom]

[ Poe is sitting in his own living room, for the first time in two months, not that many people watching this would know that. On his lap is Beth's dog Polly, and he's petting her head as he sets up the video. ]

So, I'll tell you straight up that the beaches are better on the west coast. They don't even compare. And there's nothing more hilarious than watching people's faces when you go from surfing to flying before they can compute what's happening.

[ His tone is light, but the smile isn't reaching his eyes. He rubs Polly's head a little more vigourously. ]

Anyway, two things for a head's up. One - uh - I don't usually do this, but I don't know all her friends, so - Beth's gone. She came out to Cali with me, and just - yeah. Ported out. Usually I'd let people know in person, but. [ That was kind of impossible, when he didn't know everyone she knew. ]

I'm gonna try to keep all her affairs in order until she comes back, so let me know if you need anything that way. [ Not an if she comes back. When. Even though part of him was already assuming she was gone for good, he was at least trying to pretend to keep his head up about it.]

Number two -

Something weird is stirring up. I follow a lot of the imPort chatter on the Native internet, and heard a couple rumblings from my squad - just be careful out there when you're dealing with Natives, I guess. Sounds like they're getting on edge again.

Remember that if they get put down, they don't get up like we do. They've got a lot of reason to be afraid of us - don't add to it, however annoyed you might be when they give you grief for being here at all. We're on their turf, and we owe them, not the other way around.

[ It's weird, saying this. He would have said the opposite, a year ago. Raged about being kidnapped. But. Well. It's been a long year. He clears his throat. ]

Alright, Dameron out. [ The feed winks off. ]

Comments

[Video]

[loyal_soldier]

Good to see you back. [He doesn't really know what to say about the port out. They already had a talk about that sort of thing, but he's still not sure whether his way of dealing with it would help Poe at all.

And that second part is sufficiently ominous to distract him immediately.] Anything in particular setting off the locals?

[flightforfreedom]

Thanks, it's good to be back. [ That much was very true. ]

[ Poe frowned to the second question. ]

Honestly? It's mostly just the usual "can we really trust people who could blow us up with a thought", but I thought that had died down a bit. But something is stirring the pot. If I know more, I'll let you know, just keep an eye out, I guess.

video;

[journalkeeper]

I've never heard the point made about the natives put so succinctly. It's difficult for our community to, uh, understand that sometimes, I think, but it's... it's also a matter of an imbalance of power. It's not just that they won't be able to come back, but they don't -- with the exception of the few metahuman natives -- they don't have capabilities even approaching most imPorts.

[flightforfreedom]

Yeah, they really don't.

Like don't get me wrong, there's a minority of them out there that really try their best to fuck with us, but - I fly with some of the best, every day, with the full knowledge that if my plane goes down I'll probably wake up three days later.

If their plane goes down, they're gone forever. And none of them get any of the easy calls I get to have, being able to talk to mine and fly it if the engine fails.

vid

[h2no]

That's not surprising... the amount of leeway they give us is already beyond generous. I'm always amazed I can even go into Maurtia Falls again.

[even if he... doesn't, a lot of the time.]

I'm sorry about Beth. You gonna need any help with that dog?

[flightforfreedom]

They're just as stuck with the situation as we are. And they know they can't ban us from everything without risking a lot of lives. You and I wouldn't do anything, but there are enough imPorts who would, if they thought their freedom was in question.

Just. Yeah. I don't know, Arch. I've been here long enough to be able to tell that most of them really aren't the bad guys, here.

[ He looks down at Polly, giving her a pat on the head. ]

Yeah, I might. I've been helping Bodhi take care of Ace, too, but honestly I don't know what I'm doing, half the time.

video;

[smugler]

[ There sure are a lot of beautiful people on this planet, aren't there? Lando figures, if he has to be stranded anywhere, at least it's somewhere interesting. ]

I'd be interested in hearing all about those beaches, in great detail. You strike me as the kind of guy who really works a swimsuit.

[flightforfreedom]

[ It's been a while since he was so overtly flirted with, and he can't help but crack an amused, lopsided smile, when he notices the name.

The smile turns into pure confusion, and he looks back at the video.

What?? ]

Uh --

... Lando?

[video]

[carbonfrozen]

What did we do this time? [He doesn't even sound very angry, just annoyed he has to ask that question. Great job, imPorts. Great job.] Anyway, thanks for the heads-up. Hope the beaches treated you well enough.

Bad news, Lando got Ported out and then came back fourteen years younger. Might wanna reintroduce yourself.

[flightforfreedom]

Honestly, not sure. It's been kind of weirdly vague, but I'll try to figure it out.

The vagueness actually worries me more than anything else.

[ Then he listens.

Then he just blinks at Han dumbly. ]


... He what?

[ Sorry Han, you might have to repeat yourself. ]

video

[marr]

It is wise to be cautious here, or anywhere else where one cannot be assured of continued support from the government.

[He dislikes the notion that they owe the government here, but the situation could be worse. Marr really doesn't want it to be worse.]

[flightforfreedom]

This isn't a situation that they chose, either. Which a lot of people like to pretend they don't remember, sometimes. But they have as little control over who comes and goes from the Porter as we do.

( action )

[tradecrafted]

[ there's a tap on the doorframe to alert poe that someone's there, and cassian slips in, crossing to the couch poe's seated on and sliding onto it on the side that's less full of dog. he leans his side into the back-rest, pulling his legs up onto the cushions as his brows lift, expression questioning. ]

You might have to be more specific when you tell people that something 'weird' is starting. Quite a lot around here is strange, after all.

[ yes, of course he was listening. there's not a lot around here, or in general, that slips past cassian. it's a habit he's been trying to break, but well..

probably somewhat surprisingly, he looks a little less stressed and exhausted than he usually does, the typical tense line of his shoulders softened almost welcomingly. ] Are you alright?

[flightforfreedom]

[ The door is unlocked, and Poe doesn't even get up, at the knock. Anyone knocking, here, knows they can just come in. Even if he hasn't actually been in here since Finn left.

But he was done with sulking. Finn wasn't coming back. He was just going to have to learn to move on.

He looked up when he saw Cassian, Polly letting out a quiet bark in his arms, and he hushed her quietly, before letting her lean in and sniff at Cassian as he joined them on the couch.

Poe, on the other hand, doesn't look any less tense than when he left. If anything, he just looks more tired.]

It's just a gut feeling, Cass. Not a lot I can give people on it. But you know when you can feel a storm coming? It's like that.

[ He shrugs. ]

Yeah. I'm fine. [ He's not fine, but he's tired of not being fine. ]

You guys been holding up the fort, okay?

[flightforfreedom]

Yeah, I got her. [ There's a bark over the comm - Polly speaking out when she hears Tate's voice over the speaker. ]

Promised her I'd look after Polly if she ever got ported out, so.

That's what I'm doing.

[burger_king]

[ Beth. Shit. This is upsetting, which means that he's absolutely not going to bring that up. ]

Do you think our relationship with the locals is improved by talking about them as if they're aliens?

[flightforfreedom]

[ Sorry, bud. He knows the feeling. ]

I mean. Technically, they are - I'm from a different galaxy completely. Or I guess, more importantly, we are.

But that's not really what I meant with it.

[video]

[continuousgroaning]

... were there a lot of boys on the beach?

[Tina's focusing on the important things here.]

[video]

[flightforfreedom]

[ He can't help the instant smile. ]

Yeah. A bunch your age, actually. I guess that's where a lot of them to go to hang out.

Think that's probably true here, though. If you like surfer boys, anyway.

video

[am_i_a_monster]

I'm sorry about Beth.

[She looks down.]

How long does it take before we can think of this as our turf too? For a lot of us, it's the only place we can have a life. It's home when we've never had a home that felt safe before. An yet, we can't think of it as home. That sucks.

video

[flightforfreedom]

Yeah. Me too.

[ He recognises the username, even if she wouldn't know it had been him on the other end. Still, there was something he didn't know: ]

You a friend of hers?

[ He lets out a breath. ]

We gotta make do with what we've got, right? Even if a lot of us don't have a home - or a life - to go back to. But I've been working with the military here long enough now that they really don't have a beef with those of us who just want to live, anyway. But it's just like anywhere were different peoples and cultures have to live together. Or refugees from one planet to another.

Best we can do against bad blood is prove we aren't going to make it worse.

video

[ct_7567]

Do you believe them to be a threat to imPorts indiscriminately, or just the ones that look as though they might fight back?

[ Because if anyone gets attacked, it's going to be the kid. IT'S JUST HOW IT SEEMS TO WORK OUT THESE DAYS. ]

[flightforfreedom]

I don't know if I'd even go so far as to say threat - most of them don't even hold a candle to what we can do, but.

[ He frowned. ]

If they get jumpy, it only makes so big of a mess. If we get jumpy, we can do a hell of a lot more damage. So I just don't want anyone getting jumpy.

video

[notgood]

[Oh hey, it's that guy Poe hates!!]

You seem better.

[Said ... with an actual decent attitude. Like he means it. Because he does. He's also acting like he and Poe never fought.]

[flightforfreedom]

Funny how that happens, when people I'm tying to help aren't throwing it in my face.

[ His tone is more sardonic than annoyed, though. ]

video »

[perfectible]

Beth Greene? [ Oh no.]

What do you mean something weird is stirring up?

video;

[shiroics]

Are the locals saying anything specific, or has there just been an uptick in general complaints? Not that I can exactly blame them, either way.

video;

[articulations]

I'm sorry to hear about Beth.

video;

[cleptes]

Did Beth have a good holiday at least? [ Because she knows what kind of world that she is going back to. ] And I'm happy to offer any help in terms of her affairs.

[vanto]

Have any of the imPorts done anything against the natives?

video. what do you mean i'm five days late

[functusofficio]

Oh...

I'm sorry, Poe. Beth was a good friend, I'll hope for her return.

What you're saying about the natives is concerning, though. Would I be right in assuming you'll be continuing to keep an eye on these mutterings?

[morethan084]

Beth is gone?

[Daisy and Beth were far from close, but she had gone to her birthday party just a few weeks ago. It still hasn't gotten any easier for Daisy to know just how quickly people can disappear from here.

As for the more serious topic he brings up, well, Daisy isn't sure how to feel.]

I'm not sure we owe them much of anything.