MSNPC Charn - apologies, you WILL partake
Azura Ada
(( Valhalla, Forward Observation Lounge )) Charn: I said I gotta stay on this ship. ::He set the glass down and looked Arthur in the eye, any pretense finally dissolved between them:: Kid--Arthur, I... Look, this is a lot for me to take in. I know you probably don't need someone like me around here but if I'm going to adjust to living with you people, then I'm going to need help. Sorry to say, kid, but that's going to be you. Something that resembled a smile fighting a sneer while pushing back tears twisted across the contours of Charn's face. The man was beaten, tired, and afraid; and feeling every minute of his age. It had been a long, hard road to get to the present. Strathmore: Sure, Charn. I’ll help in any way I can. Charn
felt a mix of relief and anxiety wash over him. Relief that
the kid was going to help him, but anxiety because his help
was a wet-behind the ears kid in a tacky uniform. As
Charn ruminated, a waiter came by and dropped off a drink for
kid. It was a clear liquid, fizzy, with a wedge of some kind
of fruit in it, and the waiter dropped off a second glass for
Charn. Charn: Kid, I feel like a man out of time and place here. I don't even know where to begin. I don't suppose you have a school around here? For adults. I don't want the kids seeing me eatin' crayons, after all. I have my dignity. Strathmore: Remind me to show you the holodeck later. Charn: The
hollow what? Strathmore: You’ll have to see it to believe it. Charn's eyes narrowed suspiciously, debating what exactly the kid said to him. Charn: I've heard that kind of line before, kid. I wasn't impressed then, doubt I would be this time. For a moment they sat in silence, Arthur sipping his drink and Charn lifting up his glass to his lips. But before he could take a sip, a thought erupted out of him. Charn: What're you havin' kid? You drinking something else only adds to my paranoia that you're poisoning me. Strathmore: Apologies, I don’t partake. Charn: Oh "apologies, I don't partake." What, afraid it'll finally trigger that late puberty? C'mon kid, I'm in a pivotal life moment and you're drinking soda?
Strathmore: ?
Charn held his glass forward towards Arthur, the whiskey sloshing around.
Charn: If this Synthehol stuff is so magical, it wouldn't be a problem, right? A ceremonial one.
Strathmore: ?
Charn: Attaboy! ::He looked around for the nearest server and beckoned them over with a garrulous wave:: I'll have another, and so will the boy. i'm guessing since he's in uniform, ::Charn turned back to Arthur with a mischievous grin:: he's old enough to drink?
Server: Uh, yes, I'll be right back.
Charn: Fine, fine! Ha! ::He slapped his free hand down on the table and downed the glass:: C'mon kid, it's a celebration!
The
server returned with their drinks, and wordlessly set them on
the table before moving on.
Strathmore: ?
-- MSNPC Charn by Lt Commander Azura Ada Chief Science Officer USS Valkyrie-A Newsies Co-facilitator PODcast team member ASDB team member C239510LD0 (she/her, character) (she/her, writer) “For the wise person looks into space and knows there are no limited dimensions." --Zhuangzi