(no subject)

[cityship]

Throughout the ship, people would hear the familiar voice of Stacy in their heads.

||Pod Release Protocols Initating||

In the Pod Caverns, there were the sounds of: Pop. Pop pop pop. Poppuhpoppoppop. KASCHUNKhiiiiiiiissssss.

There was condensation and mist spraying out from cracks in the pods, as the people inside slid out onto the floors, covered in slime.

Pop. Poppop. KASCHUNKhiiiiiissss.

Comments

[novawatcher.livejournal.com]

"It's called a Haro." Lacaille let it down, and it bounced a few times against the floor before stabilizing and turning to blink up at him. "It's a pet robot that's popular where I'm from. It has a very simple AI and a basic vocabulary, and it can fly in zero or low-gravity. This little guy has a few modifications to make it more useful."

[waylostandfound.livejournal.com]

"Does it do windows too?" Nathan joked a little, even as he continued to stare at it.

[novawatcher.livejournal.com]

"Windows? I don't-- oh! 2007, right... Some models have a computer interface, but not this one. It can store data, but I don't know if there's anything compatible with it around here," she added ruefully.

"Hello! Hello!" the Haro chirped up at him, bouncing a little in place.

[waylostandfound.livejournal.com]

"Actually I meant actual windows, it was a joke... Never mind." He waved his hand, and glanced through his wallet to make sure things were still there. Like photos of his wife, his sons, and especially his brother, Peter.

Nathan was focused on the picture so he missed hearing the happy robot's chirping at him.

[novawatcher.livejournal.com]

Lacaille gathered the little robot back up to her, tucked it under one arm, and peered curiously at the picture her 'podmate' was looking at. "Oh, is that a relative?"

[waylostandfound.livejournal.com]

"My brother, Peter," He nodded, and remarked in a quieter and more reflective tone.

[novawatcher.livejournal.com]

"Oh."

A slightly awkward pause.

"I guess you're... pretty emotionally attached to your family?" Weird though Lacaille's upbringing had been, she did have a vague sort of realization that it wasn't how things normally went.

[waylostandfound.livejournal.com]

Emotionally attached would be putting it mildly.
No really. Mildly There is touching. A lot.

"Of course... you're not?"

[novawatcher.livejournal.com]

That was an interesting question. Where to begin?

"I don't think I have what the average person would call a family. I mean, it seems like it from what you've said and what I've learned--which I guess isn't too much, since I'm not really into anthropology or sociology or anything." She wasn't avoiding the topic, just rambling, as usual. "Everyone on the Messier--that's the ship I live on--well, lived, I guess--raised us."

She paused, trying to gather her thoughts. "They're more like... colleagues, teachers, students, that sort of thing. I'm not sure if that really comes under the definition of 'family'. I mean, we like each other well enough, but it's not... familial?"

[waylostandfound.livejournal.com]

"No, sounds more like a school or a military institution."

[novawatcher.livejournal.com]

"Military? You know, I'd never thought about it that way..."

Lacaille looked thoughtful for just a moment, then half-shrugged, her usual smile soon returning to her face. "It worked, anyway, and that's what matters, right? Anyhow," she added, abruptly changing the subject, "I'm going to go see what the rest of this place has. Want to come with?"

[waylostandfound.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, have some experience with it. Used to serve myself."

Nathan shrugged, "Why not? My calendar's suddenly empty.