( video - un: blacksquadron ) all the stars are laying at our feet

[xwings]

[ the video clicks on to a soft beep that ends in a worried trill, the sound mechanical and still managing to seem hushed. for a moment, the camera swings around, then it steadies, showing poe dameron in workout gear, hands and ankles taped, pummeling a punching bag. it's clear he knows what he's doing. it's equally clear that he's unhappy about something.

poe is clearly unaware of the video; this is bb-8's way of trying to get poe some company and comfort. there's a series of beeps that indicates as much, to anyone who understands binary.

eventually, poe stops, steadying the bag (and himself) and then glances at bb-8 -- and the comms device bb-8 is still pointing at him. poe runs a hand through his hair. ]

What're you doing that for, BB?

[ another series of noises from bb, i'm worried and maybe you shouldn't be alone right now. poe shakes his head, crossing the distance to bb-8 and holds out a hand. ] I'm all right, buddy. Give that here.

[ when bb-8 does, the video cuts off. ]

Comments

eyes emoji

[america]

[ Who wouldn't be into it, tbh? He's a #specimen.]

There's a place in town, serves a pretty good Earth-like beer. I could meet you there.

l a u g h s

[xwings]

[ he sure is. ]

No idea what Earth-like beer is like, but I'd love to try.

[america]

Great. Let me send you the address.

I'm Steve, by the way. Steve Rogers.

[xwings]

Poe Dameron. Nice to meet you.

[ despite the circumstances, he means that. ]

[america]

Nice to meet you too.

[ Not that he usually gets together with people over the network, but he feels a kind of kinship with this guy. ]

One more thing I've gotta ask: you had a friend with you just now?

[ The word 'friend' is asked with a questioning tone. He's not sure how to characterize what he's pretty sure was a robot.

But ever since he and Tony worked together, he's seen a lot. ]

[xwings]

[ at the question, poe grins -- wide enough that the corners of his eyes wrinkle a bit. ]

Oh, yeah. Meet BB-8. [ he swings the camera around so it shows the droid who lets out a cheerful whistling greet. ] He says hi.

[america]

Incredible.

[ The droid's cute, too. Certainly better than the monstrosity that Jarvis had become.

And then ... well. Vision is ... whatever he is, but that isn't exactly characterized as 'cute'.

The two concentric spheres making up Poe's friend is a whole lot friendlier looking.

Steve offers the droid a nod. He can play along, even if he feels a little silly. ]

Hi, BB-8. Did you two know each other from wherever you're originally from?

[xwings]

[ bb-8 is the cutest and most amazing and best droid ever and poe will accept no arguments to the contrary, so he's glad that steve seems taken with bb-8, too.

bb-8 whistles out an affirmative, head bobbing like he's nodding at steve, at the same time that poe replies, too -- ] Yeah. He got stuck in quarantine for a little while, though.

[america]

[ Well, okay, that is definitely cute, the way the two of them seem to be in sync. Not that Steve would have that exact thought, but it's something like fondness that strikes him. Droid or not, the two of them clearly have a kind of bond likened to two people. ]

Huh. Well, glad you made it out. [ Steve says to the droid. ] The more of us awake, the better, I think.

[xwings]

[ they're best friends. ultimately, that's all there is to it.

bb-8 is pleased to be addressed and whistle-beeps a response. poe translates easily enough: ] He agrees. [ though he's left out the part where bb-8 fondly insulted him by indicating that poe needs him around, clearly. ]

[america]

[ Steve smiles, completely and happily oblivious of any insults that might have been tooted in droid to the other man speaking. It's still one hell of a foreign concept to him, people communicating with robots through a series of beeps, but maybe that's just the old-fashioned vintage in him.

He's seen enough now, between waking up in the 21st century to waking up in another planet all together, to know that there's always room to widen one's horizons. ]

All right. I'll be heading towards the bar now. You got the address?

[xwings]

Yeah, I'll be there soon, too. [ a beat. ] You don't mind if BB-8 joins us, right?

[ though the droid can't drink, of course. poe's not overly inclined to let his friend out of his sight right now. ]

[america]

Of course.

[ Steve's smile widens. ]

I was hoping you'd bring him along.

[ He'd never met a droid before. ]

[xwings]

Everyone says that.

[ poe's glad for it. ] I'm beginning to think you just keep me around for my droid. [ a joke, obviously, especially given that steve doesn't even know him yet. ]

[america]

We’ll see what happens.

[ Not that he’s making this a competition or anything, but he can tease a little too.

Steve chuckles. ]

See you soon, then.

[xwings]

[ rude, though!! (no, it's great. poe's smiling.) ]

You got it.