USS Enterprise, Space, Wednesday FT

[solarhippie]

It had taken some wrangling to make this happen: you couldn't really just up and visit someone on a spaceship whenever you decided you wanted to. Even if that someone happened to be the captain. But, Karolina was persistant! And Jim had leverage!

And so, today, Karolina Dean found herself aboard the Enterprise. There was a backpack filled with Earthside treats over her shoulder, and a look of poorly-concealed wonder on her face as she looked around where she'd been received. Everyone looked so official in their uniforms, it made her feel like she should be introducing herself as 'Counselor Dean' or something. Or at the very least wear something that wasn't a yellow hoodie with some light blue jeans.

She was as much in awe as she was feeling out of place. But, there was someone else on this ship who'd make her feel more at home. So, now she just needed to find Jim! Easy!

... She probably shouldn't go looking for Jim on her own, huh?

[ooc: NFB, and for that guy!]

Comments

[pursuedthestars]

"Are you being shy?" Jim asked, laughing. "Are you being shy about asking me for a flower? You're so cute."

[solarhippie]

"No," Karolina objected, even though she kind of was. Shut up, being overly nice about weird stuff was her thing.

Whatever, even she couldn't help chuckling at herself. "I'm just -- I'm not cute." Yes she was.

[pursuedthestars]

"Yes, you are," Jim said, pulling up a pad to make a requisition for one of the plants. "When did you stop admitting that you were cute? You totally are."

[solarhippie]

"Since I became an adult," Karolina insisted. But not seriously. "I'm a grown woman now, Jim. I'm not cute!"

[pursuedthestars]

"What are you then?" Jim asked, making a few notes, clicking and sliding a few cursors and then finishing up with the form before submitting it. "Cute in an adult way?"

[solarhippie]

"No, I'm just sensible. Mature."

No.

But her attempt at a serious and grown-up face was probably hilarious.

[pursuedthestars]

"You can be cute too," Jim told her. "For example, I am mature but I'm also adorable and fucking cute. See, I'm secure enough in my cuteness to admit that."

[solarhippie]

"Well, you work with other adults," Karolina tried for a cleve retort. Snickering a bit, though. "I work with kids. So I have to be a grown-up and not cute."

That was definitely how it worked.

[pursuedthestars]

"Don't you have adult friends?" Jim asked her. "Please tell me you have some friends on that island."

[solarhippie]

"... I've been kinda busy with studying?"

She was working on it! But it was hard! There seemed to be fewer people on the island these days, for one.

"I mean, there's Captain America and Iron Man, but that's just weird, and Sparkle, but we weren't ever really that familiar with each other even in high school..."

[pursuedthestars]

"So, what you're telling me is that you're a loner?" Jim asked, fixing him with a look. As he did that, a scientist came over with a see through glass container with one of the glowing flowers she'd asked for inside of it. Jim nodded his thanks and held it back.

"I will only give this to you if you promise me you'll make a friend when you go back." Jim told her.

[solarhippie]

Karolina tilted her head at him.

"Are you holding a plant hostage over my lack of social skills?"

Unfair!

[pursuedthestars]

"I am," Jim said, feeling no shame. "Do we have a deal?"

[solarhippie]

"I can promise to try," Karolina hazarded, looking vaguely amused and yet vaguely apologetic at the same time. "I can't promise I'll make a friend. They might not want to be friends with me!"

Unlikely but possible!

[pursuedthestars]

"That's a load of bull and you know it," Jim said, shaking his head. "You're a great friend and they'd be lucky to have you."

[solarhippie]

"You haven't been on the island for years," Karolina pointed out. "Things might've changed back there. People might have gotten less friendly!"

[pursuedthestars]

"Have they gotten less friendly?" Jim point blank asked her. "Don't lie."

[solarhippie]

Lying wasn't her strong suit, except when she was joking. And not when someone said 'don't lie'.

"No, of course they haven't."

[pursuedthestars]

"So you say 'yes Jim, I will make a friend,' and I'll give you your flower," Jim told her, nodding.

[solarhippie]

Karolina gave him a look that suggested he was being a huge nerd in this situation.

But, she said, "Yes, Jim, I'll try to make a friend."

Look, it was like the lying: she couldn't promise to succeed, but she could promise to make an effort! Whether she'd be successful was in the hands of other people.

[pursuedthestars]

"Good enough," Jim said and then passed her the plant. "Try hard."

[solarhippie]

Karolina accepted the flower. She didn't quite cradle the case like a baby, but there was a certain kind of reverence to the way she held it.

"I will, I promise," she said. "I'll also try and keep this plant alive."

[pursuedthestars]

"Just water it and put it in the sun," Jim told her because that's all he knew about plants. "Don't eat it, don't give it beer. Probably bad."

[solarhippie]

Karolina snickered. "I'm a vegan, but I don't eat all plants I see," she assured him. "And I barely even give myself beer. Don't worry."

[pursuedthestars]

"Then, consider this alien plant by gift to you," Jim said, grinning. "If it comes to life, grows horns, or has babies, it wasn't my fault."