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

[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."

[solarhippie]

"And all I brought you is a box of Lucky Charms," Karolina lamented with a little shake of her head. "I don't know if that's on the level of an alien plant."

Even if it was a callback to their teenage years. Though a vague one.

[pursuedthestars]

"You came to visit," Jim told her warmly. "I don't care if you brought gold bars, a visit's better. It gets a little lonely in space sometimes."

[solarhippie]

"Yes, but I could've brought you something that reminds you that you still have people Earthside, too." Still, she was smiling at him. It was warm. Of course it was.

A beat went by.

"Or, something that's alive that you'd also have to look after."

[pursuedthestars]

"I have a ship full of people that I have to look after," he reminded her. "I've gotten good at that."

[solarhippie]

"Yes, but could you also keep a defenseless plant alive?"

For the sake of the joke, that was much more difficult than keeping a spaceship's worth of people alive.

[pursuedthestars]

"Maybe but I'm too busy to find out," Jim said because he didn't want a plant. "For now, you keep the plant and tell me how it does."

[solarhippie]

"Okay," Karolina replied, with a solemn nod that wasn't actually all that solemn. Her smile broke the illusion. "I'll do enough plant-caring for both of us."

[pursuedthestars]

Jim smiled and wrapped his arm around her, leading her out of the area. "Come on, let's go get something to eat. Ooooh, space food."

[solarhippie]

"Is it going to all be pills and powders?" Karolina teased. Then, decided: "No, don't tell me. I want to be surprised."

[pursuedthestars]

"Let's hope not because I'm a little hungrier than that today," he said, leading her towards the mess. "If it is, I'll order pizza."

It would get her. Somehow.

[solarhippie]

"... You don't have a pizzeria on-board, do you?"

A girl could dream!