angrydurf Posted September 15, 2019 Posted September 15, 2019 Evening 09/14/2019 Earth Time Inner orbital rings Psi2 Piscium and Claremont Academy Fa'Rua looked down at the scanner bank again them to the ships chronometer with a heavy sigh. Hours yet until she could wake Jolan for his shift. Hours longer before the ships scanner array confirmed this was another lifeless system with minimal resources and no viable colonial options. She thumbed open the Extranet Connection and drifted through the articles about the rebuilding efforts and rising crime on CoVic before closing the browser in disgust at the discourse around the Lor Senate elections. After another long minute of staring at the crawling progress of the scanner she popped the 'nt open again and dove into the more esoteric reaches and eventually a side loop to the terran internet. She smirks nd filled out the form on the lonely hearts site and started scrolling through the entries looking for someone who would be tolerant of a, long distance, relationship at best. She stopped and reread one before nodding to herself, "Well then. That'll fit the bill." She opened hte chat client and fired off a quick message: No judgement but what've you got against Andorians? She hit send then winced as she quickly ran the calculations for earth time in the temporal region noted in the profile. Who knows maybe they too were a night owl.
Avenger Assembled Posted September 15, 2019 Posted September 15, 2019 Zzt zzt zzt The quiet vibration of her personal cellphone distracted Ashley from #($Iing calculus homework. Hm. A smile curved at the edges of her lips. A quick glance told her Judy was engrossed in Youtube knitting tutorials - so she took a chance. And rapidly her smile turned into a frown as she saw first the message (then Googled to see what it meant), then scanned through the attached profile. Does he not know where-Oh jeez, is this some kind of nerd? A self-identified jock to begin with, Ashley had met a lot of nerdy guys who had a lot of opinions about Asian girls - and being of a generation of young superheroine that had fought Doc Otaku in his prime, well. But what the hell, he's never gonna actually see my face. Maybe it was worth seeing where this went. There was something to be said for anonymity. Sounds like he's in the Navy. Maybe he's deployed. It was at least possible she actually knew who the guy was, if he was one of the metahumans who worked for the US Navy. Unless the guy was just a Trekkie with ideas. What she texted back was: If you're real, send me a picture of a potato.
angrydurf Posted September 15, 2019 Author Posted September 15, 2019 Fa'Rua looked down as the reply flitted to her screen and smiled as she opened it and had the computer give a readout of the translation for the requested image. With a shrug she attached the top reference image to her reply. I hope I didn't catch you during meals. she added as an afterthought. She considered explaining the joke, perhaps the show wasn't as highly regarded as initial contacts had indicated it might be to the terran zeitgeist. Certainly all the contacts the Lor had had with the terrans had been enthusiastic in their appreciation of the serial. SHe settled back and frowned down atht escreen pondering a better opening gambit. In a bar this was so much easier, here, one had to resort to lines. I'd normally skip the lines and just order you a drink but I'll have to offer a rain check instead. she looked down and double checked the translation matrix conversion of the Lor turn of phrase wondering why one would relate forecasting to offers of repeat business
Avenger Assembled Posted September 15, 2019 Posted September 15, 2019 Ashley looked down at the words, considered briefly, then grinned. What the hell. Take a chance, you #($(( she thought to herself. Nice spud. So what's a nice guy like you doing in a place like this?
angrydurf Posted September 15, 2019 Author Posted September 15, 2019 The console blinked out the terrans reply and Fa'Rua flicked the chatbox open once more to read it as the geothermal details of a rocky moon scrolled past her main screen. I assure it was carefully curated and not the first example I found. she replied and took a brief moment on how to best describe how she'd stumbled upon the site and her profile. Long distance patrol babysitting coms and sensors. Found this on the 'net and you intrigued me Ms. Mouse Rather be flying but it's not ours to wonder why only ours to do or die (in this case of boredom) she looked over the translation matrix alert and let out a small sigh. Terran obsession with genitalia was a bit of a mystery but as her brother oft said, 'It is not our place to drag other cultures to our norms.' He clearly spent too much time in the diplomatic corps but it did seem to get results. And gal might be more fitting but terminology doesn't bother me if it doesn't bother you.
Avenger Assembled Posted September 15, 2019 Posted September 15, 2019 Ashley set the phone down and stared at it. She knew that, objectively, it was much more remarkable that she was talking to an - alien? than a woman but the latter piece of information was making her heart hammer in her chest. Instinctively, she shot a glance over at Judy - but her charge was blessedly focused on knitting her felt hat and counting stitches and hadn't even noticed Ashley's hesitation. Ashley stared at the phone, stared at it some more, and rubbed her sweaty palms together for a long moment before she picked it up again. Sorry. Mostly guys on here. Let's start over. I have to keep a lot of stuff out of my bio because of work. Are you Lor? She wracked her brain for what little she knew about the space-faring federation, realized it wasn't very much at all.
angrydurf Posted September 15, 2019 Author Posted September 15, 2019 Fa'Rua looked down at the question biting her lip uncertainly. The terrans were of course technically under a protective technology order for limited contact. But they also had been the vanguard forces deployed in the Communions defeat, and that rule was dumb. That last bit was probably the most important. That obvious huh? She finally replied I am, and probably not supposed to tell you but whatever it's a dumb reg anyway. You're in the Security Services then? Oh on a stakeout, undercover, hunting the, whatsit, mob? Yea at least 90% of what the Lor databanks had on teran policing was in the form of translated police procedurals and not new ones. So I'm babysitting astronomical scans what's keeping you busy outside my thrilling conversational skills?
Avenger Assembled Posted September 15, 2019 Posted September 15, 2019 Didn't sound Grue to me. Ashley smiled and kept typing. Let's just say I don't have the usual super-people job. She considered for a moment, glancing over at Judy again. She wanted to ask about space, and the stars, but she didn't want to sound like a stupid hillbilly to the astro-woman. Mostly watching a package right now. But that's enough about work. Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do?
angrydurf Posted September 16, 2019 Author Posted September 16, 2019 Snickering a bit in amusement, 'Oooh top secret terran policing' Fa'Rua murmured under her breath but she got it. Even if she wasn't a security risk no reason to risk a write up. Well I'm glad of that at least. She replied not poking at the grues whole thing being not sounding (or looking) like grue. Other than chat up mystery women in the middle of the night? She asked flirtily I like to travel, See new things. Off duty it depends where I'm at, most bases have a vibrant bar scene but not much else, I imagine it's alot like it is for you off duty. When I get the chance I like try something new, faster the better. How about you? What're you into for fun?
Avenger Assembled Posted September 16, 2019 Posted September 16, 2019 God, I don't even know anymore, thought Ashley for a moment before she started typing again. I like to play hard. I hit the gym, I ride my bike fast and find a place where they're playing the music loud. All of that was true enough, though in particular. I drink beer - that's liquid bread with alcohol. She thought for a minute, then said, I don't get to travel much, but when I do, I like to hit new cities and meet new people. I don't get to talk to a lot of mystery women, especially ones from space. Don't let her know you're new at this, don't let her know you're new at this...So I saw Lor soldiers back in the day. Do you have to wear those uniforms all day?
angrydurf Posted September 16, 2019 Author Posted September 16, 2019 A woman after my own heart the Lor replied immediately If there is a culture in the galaxy that hasn't mastered recreational fermentation I've yet to meet them She looked over the remains of the message a bit more thoughtfully Well I for one support your branching out then. She pondered the last line for a moment longer and shrugged, 'Fortune favors the bold' Why Ms. Mouse are you asking what I'm wearing? I'm scout corps so dress code can be more, relaxed, far from base.
Avenger Assembled Posted September 16, 2019 Posted September 16, 2019 Oh, F- She had asked that, hadn't she? It was through an act of Herculean self-will that she didn't shove the phone back in a drawer and never think of it again. Okay. Okay. She typed a few things, then deleted them, then typed: Just trying to picture you. I'm 1.7 meters tall, muscular - dark eyes and black hair. She opted, upon some consideration, not to mention the pink tips. White shirt and denim jeans.
angrydurf Posted September 17, 2019 Author Posted September 17, 2019 Frowning at the empty reply box Fa'Rua wondered if she'd pushed too far and pondered how to reel it back before the reply finally arrived and she breathed a sigh of relief. She quickly perused the answer and smiled firing off a reply to not keep the other woman waiting. Casual comfort, I like it. not too aggressive but positive Athletic 1.77m, Hair white going to violet tips... Punk I guess is your word? The translation matrix seemed to suggest it applied, What is it they say images are worth more words? the translation matrix seemed to struggle a bit with idioms. The message was followed by a file transfer which considering the distance traversed was quite snappy. If Ashley opened it she'd see a waist up shot of a pale toned humanoid, She was wearing a flight suit but had it rolled to the waist and belted by the arms with only a midriff baring tank top. The woman's hair was bright whit down to the roots, probably natural, and ombre'd through pastel lavender to a deep violet at the tips. It was long on top but tightly cropped at the sides and currently hung over her face playfully almost hiding the elfin curve of her features and hinting at the almost luminous purple of her eyes. The hair did nothing to hide the slight point to her ears. There now you can picture me whenever you like Dark hair is, rare, for my people, very exotic, which given where you're from should probably surprise me less.
Avenger Assembled Posted September 18, 2019 Posted September 18, 2019 Ashley swallowed. Okay, well, that was an attractive woman - but thinking another woman was attractive was just harmless flirting. She was capable of aesthetic appreciation without it going any further - or at least not beyond just some harmless texting. My hair is very pretty, most of the time. And so is yours. She still wasn't ready to talk about the pink tips, so instead she wrote Are your ears an aesthetic choice, or is that natural for your species? They look really cute. Just go in the bathroom and take a selfie and send it to her, a voice in her head said, What could it hurt? Everything. My father was born in a country called Vietnam, on the other side of the Earth from where I am now. Over there almost everyone has black hair, but on this side it's a lot more mixed. He used to tell me that was the great thing about America; all different kinds of people together as one. A lot like the Lor?
angrydurf Posted September 18, 2019 Author Posted September 18, 2019 Thanks! The ears are pretty common in the part of the republic I come from, something of an aesthetic I guess but I've always had them. The reply was quick as she Fa'Rua fell into a more ease with the conversation. Yea the Republic is very diverse, more now even with refugees and the rebuilding efforts. The incursion was a downer even this far out from the events, best to lighten up. She hit the databank for info about this Vietnam maybe it'd be a lighter topic ... or not. Everyone coming together is pretty inspiring, and lots of new styles and foods to try out you know? It's similar in, America?
Avenger Assembled Posted September 18, 2019 Posted September 18, 2019 Yeah, it's pretty great. I'd never want to live anywhere else. Ashley sighed softly as she looked at the message, wondering if she'd missed a boat by not responding with a selfie of her own. Listen to us, talking geopolitics - or I guess astro-politics? Who the Hell knows? I heard about what happened to the Lor. Your people are pretty tough. She considered a moment, scrolling back over her own profile, and her friend's, before she wrote So you race, huh? How fast do you go?
angrydurf Posted September 18, 2019 Author Posted September 18, 2019 Wincing at the replies Fa'Rua frowned, If she wanted to to discuss the resilience of the Republic in the face of the incursions aftermath she'd wake up Jolan. Thankfully the woman on the other end rescued them from such dour subjects. Faster than the boys! she replied by rote with a sharp laugh that she worried might stir her brother. But he seemed still as a statue still so unlikely. Depends what I'm flying. I got my dads mining tug up to around a tenth of lightspeed before the motivator blew... I got sent to the academy after that. She looked down at the reply as it was sent biting her lip a bit not sure that would even make sense to the terran. In atmo gotta go slower but you feel the speed more. I'll take it slow with the right motivation. There back to the safe territory of harmlessly flirtatious.
Avenger Assembled Posted September 18, 2019 Posted September 18, 2019 Sounds like me and my dad's motorbike. He took me riding when I was young because he was worried I'd just take it if he didn't. I still like to ride motorcycles. Gas engine, so it's loud, and you can get up to 100MPH on the straightaway. They're not very big, so you have to ride right behind the driver, but it's fun. Ashley considered that for a minute, then went on, her heart pounding in her chest. That's what you did before. If I was there, what would you take me riding on?
angrydurf Posted September 19, 2019 Author Posted September 19, 2019 Yea my dad likes to joke he showed me the controls and lost all of his. Sounds like my kind of ride though. The Lor's reply was snappy and comfortable in the banter. She did pause a bit longer as she pondered the question. In republic space there were alot of options, Her mind went first to the skiffs they raced around the hulks off CoVic, or the repulsor craft most mining colonies raced after hours in the tunnels. Oh that's a tough one. Hyperglide. Strap into a aerodynamic skiff not much bigger than a person, Tow craft gets you up to transonic speeds and you ride the pressure wave all the way down. Right on the edge of controlled flight, adrenaline pumping, plus they build em for two if you're willing to get cozy. It was basically the bastard child of luge and wakeboarding, but the wake was a transonic pressure wave. Perfect first date. In Fa'Rua's book at least.
Avenger Assembled Posted September 19, 2019 Posted September 19, 2019 That sounds awesome. came Ashley's reply. The second guy I ever dated used to take me paragliding, which is like that but with a silk parachute off a water boat...Do you have pics or video? Knowing she couldn't exactly reply with her own, she dug around for a moment before she found a video of her own. This is the kind of stuff people do on motorcycles. I'm not that badass, but I've done some cool tricks. Once when I was riding with my mentor, I rode one of those things up into the back of a moving cargo truck, then I took out all the thugs hiding inside with just my gauntlets. I have some scars but it was the best feeling.
angrydurf Posted September 20, 2019 Author Posted September 20, 2019 Yea it's a blast, most gliders have chutes that open when you get low or lose too much speed so similar yea. Fa'Rua paused as she watched the video provided and searched out an example of her own. Wow, must take some prescision driving to keep a wheeled vehicle under control in that terrain. The Lor tradition of repulsorcraft meant the fly-by-wire systems did most micor adjustments. She finally dug up an exable she was happy with and sent it across. The rider looked like they were in a light battlesuit with a full helmet and armored plates over the vital areas. Mount points locked into a vaguely boomarang shaped skiff and held the rider rigid feet first while a control bar reached up that could flex the carbon fiber like wing slightly. The rider was mounted on the winge of a fixed wing craft moving at speed and there was a visible ring of vapor as they went transonic then released and trailed the launch craft as they carfully angled the wing to rise and fall and spiral around the nearly invisible line of the shockwave as it expanded out from the initial hypersonic crossing. As they lost speed and the wave disapated they angled the wing down and shot past the follow craft in a steep dive toward the surface of what looked to be a water world. That was a run I did a couple years back, not much chance lately. Wow I never managed to get any of my hobbies to pay off like that, So you're like a martial artist? IS that from your family or somehting you picked up for taking down the bad guys?
Avenger Assembled Posted September 20, 2019 Posted September 20, 2019 That got her a half-written box of text - and then a distinct pause that was only ended with SORRY. My sister came up behind me and asked what I was texting. She is not supposed to be that sneaky. I told her it's for work, so we had to watch that together. She agrees it's badass and now she is _back to her movie._ Back to your question... I always wanted to be a cop, so I learned how to fight when I was a kid. First it was just a way to teach me discipline, then it was actual fighting. I got actual training to fight when I was a teen, from some of the best. I'm pretty good at throwing down now.
angrydurf Posted September 20, 2019 Author Posted September 20, 2019 Smooth Fa'Rua was briefly curious about the long pause and thoroughly amused at the reason. You work together? That's fun I work with my brother, which as you know can be a mixed bag. She paused considering for a moment before adding more. Particularly when they leave you with the night shift, though I may have to thank him considering the results. Yea I've always wanted to fly so I get that drive, discipline not so much
Avenger Assembled Posted September 20, 2019 Posted September 20, 2019 We're actually in our bedroom - she's a little too young to work. Where I'm studying for a test in high school calculus, because I am a goddamned lunatic who makes stupid decisions. Why don't you tell the cute spacewoman you're not even sure you like girls that way. That'll make you lots of friends. I had a lot of anger when I was younger, about a lot of things. Learning martial arts let me use it for something. And it's honestly pretty fun. So do they teach you anything like that in the scout service? You look like you could lay somebody out.
angrydurf Posted September 20, 2019 Author Posted September 20, 2019 Fa'Rua restrained herself from further commentary on the womans living situation though she grew more curious by the moment. Somewhat, there is basic combat training, but I focused more on rifle training beyond the basics. She paused a moment and continued carefully, My brother has trained in an order of contemplatives, he's a mentat? has abilities beyond the average Lor, the focus has helped him a great deal. Also made him insufferable. But he is skilled in hand to hand combat as a result and has given me at least a working knowledge of the basics. Still prefer a good blaster at my side.
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