trans_9 | Explorinating the countryside

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Explorinating the countryside

They've taken note of the rule that people shouldn't go anywhere alone. Brainiac 5 has opted for one of the Kryptonians to accompany him as backup as he explores. The problem is, both are equally annoying, so he winds up using a randomization program om his ominocom to...well, essentially flip a coin to see who to ask to come with him.

It winds up being Supergirl. This is why the green-skinned Coluan and the blonde Kryptonian are wandering through the living area--and the city--exploring. If you can stop them from bickering a moment, you might even get a conversation out of them.

"I've yet to see anything resembling a control panel or console. This is somewhat alarming."

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When exactly did she go from wanting to kick Brainy's ass to trying to protect it?

"Oh! Hey! Something in common!" Kara says desperately. "Crazy relatives! Everyone has one! Wonderful! Yes, let's bond over that, okay?"

"Planning ahead in an uncertain environment for the possibility that my fellow crewmates are injured or damaged somehow--so that I may repair those injuries or that damage--is not disrespectful. I'm fully aware that my methods can be considered personally invasive--I simply don't care, if the end result could save your lives."

He will not lose any more team-mates than he already has.

"And I have no need or desire to 'bond' with someone so prone to violence," Brainy sniffs, turning his back on Zuko and continuing up the hallway. They can follow if they want. If not, he'll explore on his own, rules be damned.

Guess the swords are staying in their sheath, then. Zuko relaxes out of his stance.

"What's his problem?" he asks Kara, who must have SOME reason to be walking around with the guy.

Kara sighs and shakes her head. "He's...hard to explain," she says after a moment. "He comes from a race of people who, it kind of seems like, only care about collecting data and analyzing things and preparing for, like, everything. You know how some people take hikes for fun, or some people play games, or some people read or practice martial arts, and it's fun for them? For Brainy, what he's doing is fun. And, at the same time, he's gathering everything to figure out a way to get us out of this mess, and to plan for every contingency."

Rao. What he's doing is actually kinda...smart.

Dammit.

"He just...doesn't have the social skills needed to interact with other people. He's kind of...I don't want to use the word autistic...but he wasn't trained to be social."

Zuko gets not doing anything for fun. What Kara says actually makes a lot of sense. He nods.

"Fine. But if he calls me 'barbaric' any more, I'll teach him a lesson about the contingencies of bad manners."

"He won't. And if he does...just..." She sighs. "Everything is barbaric to him. Even me. He doesn't have a bigger understanding of the world around him, so just...you won't be able to ignore it, will you? It'll just get in the way of your royal upbringing?"

Now Kara gets a glare. "I'm not exactly the spoiled, stay-at-home sort of prince. But I will defend my honor."

He glances at Brainy's retreating form. ". . . I guess not as aggressively as I would back home, though." He points at the massive scar over his right eye. "I'll try not to give him one of these."

He gives Kara a small - very small - smile. It's a joke. Really, it is.

Kara chuckles. "Trust me," she says, "I understand defending honor. And I figured that a spoiled prince wouldn't be able to fight...and I'm sure you know how." She smiles. "I'm kind of a warrior too, you could say. A...I can't use the word 'hero' yet. But I will be able to. One day." There's a glimmer of hope in her eye as she says this. "Come on. If we leave him alone, Rao knows what kind of mess he'll get into." A beat. "I promise. Cabbage butt grows on you."

"Thanks, but I think I'll pass." Not that Kara's not . . . surprisingly and refreshingly sane, Brainy's just overpoweringly obnoxious. "You can probably stand him longer than I can. I was on my way to the Sensorium to train anyway."

He pauses, before adding, "It was nice to meet you, Kara. I bet you'll be a hero one day."

It seemed encouraging. Like something Iroh would have said.

She smiles, obviously touched by that. "Thank you, Zuko. It was a pleasure meeting you too." She smiles and has enough brains not to lean in and kiss his cheek. It would be a friendly gesture on her part, but she remembers his need for personal space. "If you ever, you know...need a friend..." she shrugs. "You've got one. Or even a training partner. You know, when I'm not trying to protect Brainy's life from the next person he's being mean to." She nods. "I'll, uh, see you around." She waves at him before she turns to go.

When she catches up, he's looking at his omnicom again as he floats along a few inches over the floor, and grumbling to himself. The words "primitives" and "imbecile" come up.

Kara glares at him. "He's a nice, sweet guy, Brainy," she snaps at him. "Jeez. Just because everyone doesn't have your 12th level 'intellect'," Kara shoves air-quotes into Brainy's face, "doesn't mean they're barbaric or bad."

Brainy stops walking so he can walk around her and get her air quotes out of his face.

"There was no need to get aggressive."

He's looking cranky.

"They're air-quotes. It's not like I was going to hit you with my heat-vision or superpunch you halfway across this ship."

"I'll clarify: there was no need for him to get aggressive."

"Brainy..." Kara sighs and floats along with him. "He wasn't...he felt like you were insulting him. And he's a warrior, not a scholar. He reaches for his sword first. You understand that, don't you?"

"His aggression was unfounded, and yes, barbaric. I was saying that it was forgivable given that it was likely a result of socialization of his home culture, when he took even more offense."

"Because it came off as an insult!" She floats in front of him, crosses her arms, and glares. "Don't you realize when you're being insulting?"

He nearly runs into her as he's paying attention mostly to his omnicom.

"...I fail to see how stating fact is so insulting. People shouldn't take offense where it isn't meant."

Sometimes he knew. Occasionally.

"Brainiac 5, stop looking at your omnicrud and pay attention to me!"

~~Yes, dear.~~

"Omnicom." But he looks up, his expression just as implacable as ever.

"Look. There are a ton of people on this ship. A ton. You cannot possibly tick every one of them off with your behavior. You can't. I won't stand or float for it." She narrows her eyes. "Use that ginormous, overcooked brain of yours to think before you speak, and Rao help me, stop sticking that thing in everyone's face. It's impolite. You want to get information? Fine. But do it discreetly."

She doesn't know why it's important to her that people like Brainy, but for some strange reason...it is.

"They'll make their judgments. I don't particularly care. I need the data."

"Brainy..." Kara sighed. "If your Legion friends were here...wouldn't they want you to care?"

He's silent for a moment, figuring that out.

"They would have an inherent understanding that I do care--about the mission: getting us home."

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