Meat n' Greet

[cityship]

The rest of the crew assembled on the Observation Deck to meet the latest editions to their numbers. After the revelation that their worlds are gone, many of them are even more eager to see people they knew from home.

Several people are set up near the doors to provide the new people with omnicoms and comm rings. New crew-mates might see a tall man in green armor and snake girl among their number. There are also several authoritative-looking figures ready to introduce themselves.

There's a lot to tell the new people. It's going to be a lot to take in.

[ooc: Only new characters and Command Staff can start new threads for introductions, to limit the number of threads. Everyone else, just tag in and have your guys greet the newbies.]

Comments

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Still more new people to meet, still so many explanations. There seemed to be no help for it, and Kaya wondered if she'd forgotten how to deal with the large crowds. But that was silly, she should have been used to these, perhaps it had simply been awhile since she'd been present here.

In any case, there was sure to be more confused faces and things she had to say, so she gazed at the crowd a moment, trying to spot who she could help...

...And was promptly given the shock of her life, like a splash of freezing water to the face. She knew that girl alright, she'd BEEN her long enough, studied under her: how could she forget? But to bring her so soon? Where were the guys? Had they already spoken to her?

She doubted it, she had that look that plainly said she was dealing but needed answers. And who better to give her some then her?

But how to talk to her? She's know she was water tribe obviously, she'd BEEN to the North. But would she recognize her?

Only one way to find out.

"Excuse me," she said, "Do you know who I am?"

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

Katara looked the young woman up and down. She didn't really seem familiar, but there was something about the way she carried herself, and something about her facial features that seemed to mark the girl as being from the Northern Water Tribe.

But as for knowing her...

"I'm sorry," Katara apologized. "I..." she paused and frowned. "Do you know me?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

No. Of course not. Just like the others. Well, she really shouldn't have been surprised there. And how to answer her question. The truth? May as well: she could get filled in on the whole other nonsense by the others, after all.

"Yes, I do," she said, giving the girl the best smile she could muster even if her insides felt a little like hard ice. "You made yourself pretty infamous in my tribe. After you were trained by Master Pakku, we definitely wanted to follow your example. Some would even have even followed you all over the Earth Kingdom and back to find you!"

She shook her head. "My name is Kaya, I'm from the Northern water tribe. I bet you have lots of questions, huh?"

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

Katara smiled back, as warmly as she could. It was still a bright, friendly smile. "I'm honored that people would hold me in such high regard," Katara said in a humble manner. After all, if anything, Katara felt that people should have felt that way about Aang. "I have...yes, a lot of questions," she said after the moment. "This is all so very...well, I'm sure you know."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I do," Kaya said dryly, laughing a little. "I've known since the three years I've been here. I remember being shocked, not wanting to accept my world was gone, the unfamiliar smell: EVERYTHING. But the easiest way to get by is to just use that ability we have to go with the flow and accept new things. I can tell you exactly what you're dealing with, and I have a feeling you'll cope."

She shook her head. "Sokka, I think, is still coping, and Aang, well, he will be overjoyed to see you, to say the least."

She was glad to say that part without sounding strange: just accepting.

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

Katara would come back to the part about Aang and Sokka later - though she was happy to hear that they were there with Kaya. She just hoped she'd be able to find them. There seemed to be so many people on the ship.

Then again, she was sure that Kaya would be able to lead her in the right direction, since it seemed as though she knew them.

But first thing had to be said first. "What...do you mean your world is gone?" Because it seemed as though Kaya and Katara were from the same world, and if that were true, well...

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Kaya sighed. "Well, it's not just our world: all of our worlds are gone. I didn't want to believe it at first, but it was made pretty clear when I asked to see it. I know now it might be possible to restore it, maybe, but we still have so much more we need to do, so much preparation."

She shook her head again. "And the technology, Sifu...this place is so much more advanced! You must have noticed: their technology is miles ahead of anything the fire nation could conceive!"

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

"I did notice that, yes," Katara said, her voice sullen. She was glad that Aang and Sokka had at least made it out, though she didn't know yet about the others. All good things in time. "But Stacy is not an enemy of some sort, is she? Because she seemed very friendly when I first...arrived, I suppose." She raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand our purpose here, besides being...heroes."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Kaya made a face. "Stacy...is complicated, and believe me when I say that. There are a lot of sides to what she is, but for the most part, yes, she is the ship that takes care of us, and as you can see, its a pretty big ship. Our enemy is actually the alien species that blew up our planet, and many others."

She cleared her throat "Our purpose is to fight in a war: but not a war like we knew in our world. This is the war to end all wars, to stop a species that make the fire nation look like seal lions in comparison. For now, our purpose is to adjust, to get stronger, to train anyway we can. There are parties, and hobbies and things to pass the time, but our true objective is fighting the alien species called the Ohm."

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

"Stacy mentioned something to that effect," Katara said softly. "You said you've been here for three years. How has...how has that been for you? And how long have the others been here for?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Kaya closed her eyes. So far, she hadn't lied, right? And it made no sense for her to do so now. "Difficult, but the more friends you make on board, the better it gets for you. You adjust, you get by, and most of all, you learn. Everyone here has a story Sifu, just like back home when you used to travel. You'll get used to it, just veeeery slowly."

She thought a moment. "Honestly, there aren't very many of the people who originally were here when I was, only some have been here a little longer. The rest just about the same time or after, and still getting used to it. But if you need a place to eat and sleep for the moment until you find your own place, I have one in mind."

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

"What happened to the ones who were originally here when you arrived?" Because that was, if nothing else, a pertinent question. She wanted to know if she had anything at all to watch out for, or be wary of. "I don't know that I feel like resting quite yet, seeing as to how long I've apparently been locked in a chamber of slime," Katara said carefully. "But I appreciate the offer, Kaya." Katara paused and then added, "And I'm sorry. For not knowing who you are when you know who I am. That can't be an easy situation for you to be in."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"They were podded again," Kaya said sighing, "and trust me, I can't explain to you why it happens, something to do with avias and souls and whatnot: you can ask someone a little better at deciphering that mumbo jumbo."

Because really, it sounded like an excuse she just didn't buy.

"Oh no, not now of course," Kaya said. "I mean later. You're probably going to want to see the whole ship, and I can't blame you: I did the same thing."

She shook her head, trying to sound brave for this reply. "No one does Sifu, and you're hardly to blame. Stacy's method of waking people up is hardly full proof. When Zuko first arrived, it was just after he left to find and aid Aang."

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

"Then I am even more sorry, Kaya," Katara said, reaching out to the other girl. "Loneliness is an unpleasant feeling. I hope that we can become friends, though. I think I would like that very much."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"We..." Kaya said, trailing off, then shook her head. "You could say that its destiny, in a way. But more on that later, and I MEAN more later, if you'll stay over. There's much more I have to tell you, and it'll require some time from you, and a lot of patience. But I can guarantee there will be good food, which you will certainly not get on Stacy with that nutrient slop you get."

But she was getting off subject. "What you do need to know, aside from Aang and Zuko and Sokka being here? Is that Azula is here too. And not plucked from when she was strong and fighting you guys: after. Be careful."

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

Katara nodded and smiled at Kaya. "I do look forward to hearing all of it," she said. Her face froze with the mention of Azula's name, though. "After...you mean after Zuko was officially crowned Fire Lord?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Kaya made a face. "Well, just be thankful you didn't have to be here for it, but that's for later." She nodded "Yes, right after. You know what happened to her. Well, she's here on the ship...and definitely not all there, literally."

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

"She snapped. I remember that. Her snapping. In that fight with Zuko." She raised an eyebrow. "That...but if we're here to be champions, why would the ship choose her?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"Because the Ohm are ruthless, that's my guess. I've fought them Sifu, and there hasn't been a fight yet we've won. Stacy doesn't pick people because they're good guys or bad guys or neutral: she takes whoever she can, and its the thing that equalizes all of us. We join together and fight the Ohm: or we perish."

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

"Then we fight together," Katara said with a nod. And if their world was restored after...then they'd deal with Azula, if they absolutely had to. Regardless, Katara wanted to see Azula - but she wanted her friends with her when she did. Just in case the firebender tried something unsavory. Which she undoubtedly, Katara felt, would. "You may not have won the fights, but at least you have survived. That's something."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"Well, this is a pretty strong crew," Kaya said, "but I trust that you'll see that yourself. The longer you walk around and talk to people, the more you'll see exactly what they can do, so long as they pull together and work as a team. That's really where the tricky part comes in: all these people from all these different universes, forced to defend themselves. But you'll see soon, in time."

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

"It was hard enough sometimes working as a team with people from our own world," Katara said softly. "But we made that work. This will just take a little extra effort. And patience." Which Katara would have to work on, given that sometimes she was prone to having a slightly hot temper.

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"It gets harder," Kaya admitted to her "People are a lot harder to figure out, believe me, I know. I've done my best to get to know as many people as possible on the ship, and if there's one thing I'm positive on, its that there's not going to be a clear cut way to get everyone together. More importantly, there's no one person that can do it either. Aang is not the only one with powers on the ship."

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

"I am somehow not surprised to hear that," Katara admitted. "From what I hear, there is no one here from home who is not battle-hardened or gifted with bending powers in some way." Katara frowned. "I was hoping that we would be done with war, but that is clearly not the case."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

That reminded her. "Oh, its not just bending that's in this place: there's magic, mutation, superpowers, supernatural prowess, technology saavy, you name it. Stacy wanted as many strong willed champions as possible. You might find some normals, but chances are they're trying to make themselves stronger somehow too."

She sighed. "There are moments of calm, believe me. You'll appreciate them. And the guys, with the exception of Toph, are all here."