elnysa | Video 愛 un: companioning

[The feed flickers a few times as Inara pokes at her phone a few times. Finally it steadies and Inara shakes her head.]

Bàoqiàn. I'm sorry, I'm still attempting to get use to these communication devices.

[She settles back and offers a charming smile before briefly dipping her head.]

Nín hǎo? For those of you I've failed to meet, I'm Inara Serra and still relatively new here. [She draws in a deep breath before continuing on.] Now I know that there are a great deal of you came from Earth, and while I find that truly fascinating and would love to hear some of your stories concerning it, I'm interested in knowing just where everyone else comes from.

I ask because though my ancestors come from Earth, though, no one has lived on Earth for centuries. I was born and raised on a planet called Sihnon. I trained there as well but before coming here, I'd spent a good year traveling between the different planets and various moons of our system.

[She takes a small sip of her tea before giving a brief nod of her head. She might have borrowed a teapot and some cups.]

I can't offer much, but I've only just made a fresh pot of tea and I'd be willing to share it with anyone who wouldn't mind telling me about where they come from.

((OOC: hover over Chinese for translations))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I see. Do you mind me asking what year it was for you before you were brought here?

[Inara thinks for a moment on how best to explain. It's nothing she's ever had to do before.]

Terraforming is the process of modifying the ecology of a planet or moon to make it more habitable for human life. So basically, many of the planets and moons where I come from were modified to resemble Earth in some way.

It was 2014. What year are you from? Oh, that makes sense. We don't have that technology either, but it is interesting to consider. You guys don't need to wear space suits all the time then?

Oh, wow. [That was... many years behind were she was from.] It was 2517 where I come from.

No, no we don't. Only when venturing outside of a ship is a suit needed. [Which she's thankful for. They don't look all that comfortable to her.] They figured out how to work around needing suits in the mid 21st century, that along with many advances in gravity manipulation technology made evacuation of Earth something that was possible.

[She actually remembers her history! See, she's more than just a pretty face.]

Oh. That would make a difference in technology. So, what happened to Earth that you had to evacuate? I guess we'll get there sometime in the next 500 years. It is interesting that humanity survived that long. I thought they'd wipe themselves out long before then.

[She would much rather be talking about this in person, though... This person seems perfectly happy to stay how they are.]

Humanity used up all the resources, there was overpopulation, and a compromised ecosystem. They had no choice but to find new planets to live on.

[She shrugs.]

Humans have always been resilient.

Like the virus we are, but I suppose innovation allows us the out to make things better for ourselves. I figured that was the way our planet was going. For such an advanced society, we sure are destructive. I think innovative and selfish are better terms.

You have a poor outlook for humanity.

[Really, she's seen some people who didn't much like others, but this was a whole new level of that.]

Is there a reason why you think that way?

I've seen a lot of the terrible things that humanity will do to itself, the other living creatures around it and the very planet we have. I think we should be more respectful, but most others don't feel that way.

I'm sorry to hear about that.

[She thinks for a moment before speaking again.]

It took humanity losing Earth for most to begin respecting what they have. I'm not saying where I come from is much better, because I think no matter where we're from there are those who aren't respectful of anything.

Of course, disrespect will never change. It's just a shame that everything else has to suffer because of it.

Yes, yes it is a shame. Perhaps that's what got us all here... People disrespecting their worlds.

[She shrugs because she doesn't know but it would be nice to have a reason.]

Likely. Or some all consuming Storm, which may or may not have been created. Who knows. We're here to help, right?

I guess. [She still thinks the whole thing is odd, but whatever.]

I was thinking, I never got your name...

No, you didn't.

[He almost doesn't give it either, but he grudgingly thinks better of it.]

It's Rumlow.

Well, it's lovely to meet you, Rumlow.... Even if it's over this thing.

[She quiets for a moment.]

Perhaps you'd like to meet sometime so we can talk more? I'm rather enjoying our conversation.

That's not a phrase I normally here. Are you sick? You're an odd one, but sure. I guess we can meet up. You name the time and place.

... Why would I have to be sick to say something like that? You've been nothing but nice so far.

[He hasn't been an ass, and she's dealt with men being asses to her so... She's not sure what to think right then.]

And how am I odd? But, perhaps tomorrow in the afternoon? River and I have just moved into a little place on Olympia.

I'm not particularly nice to anyone. I leave that for more pleasant people. Is River your dog?

You haven't been unkind to me, but perhaps I'm merely lucky today?

And no, River is a young lady from my home. She's pretty much family.

I must be sick or something. This doesn't normally happen to me. At least you have someone, I guess. Makes life a bit easier here.

[She laughs.]

I suppose there's a first time for everything.

And I suppose so. I just want to make sure she stays... safe, I suppose.

[And honestly, she's not quite sure how she's meant to do this but she's going to try her hardest.]

You're her protector? That's awful nice. Some time it's better when baby bird leaves the nest.

[Inara laughs.]

I wouldn't say I'm her protector... More like I just watch out and make sure she eats and things like that. River, I believe, is more than capable of protecting herself.

Is she? Why do you say that?

She's... [How to describe River....] River is special and honestly outside of that I don't rightly know how to describe it.

(no subject)

ukase - 2018-10-01 00:19 (UTC) - Expand