010 - Christmas is for the Young

[not_annika]

[Have a little five year old peering out at you, Barge.] ...Hi? Um, I know I'm not s'posed to use the comm, but, where is Mommy or Papa, or Auntie Ireny? This is her house.

Comments

[not-annika.livejournal.com]

[When he arrives and she hears the knock, she reaches up to work the door panel and opens the door.] Hello.

[truth_is_cold]

Hello. [He steps inside, and tucks his hands behind his back.] My name is Gaheris Rhade. I don't know where you're from, but I'm from Enkidu Colony. If we can't reach the fleet, we can should at least try to get in contact with my people. They wouldn't let anyone hurt children.

[He is extremely proud of his people, and has a lot of faith in them. Slightly misguided faith, but for all his cynism he's idealistic towards them.]

[not-annika.livejournal.com]

I'm Annika. Hansen. I'm from Earth. [She nods at his suggestion.]

[truth_is_cold]

Do you have any communications beyond the flexis we got? [He shows his journal, which is a strange bendable computer. Like a PADD, but much thinner and capable of being rolled up.]

[not-annika.livejournal.com]

[She points to a vaguely laptop-shaped device.] But I can't get it working.

[truth_is_cold]

I'm still in my first year classes of mechanical engineering. But I'll see what I can do.

[He sits down at the desk and looks at the screen and... pauses. And then the text on the box itself. And puts his fingers to his lips.]

These are English letters.

[Not Vedran.]

[not-annika.livejournal.com]

[Annika nods.] Federation Standard. Do you want me to put on another language?

[truth_is_cold]

[Federation? Things are really not adding up here, and beyond the point of possibly confused younger child.]

Do you have Vedran? I can read this but... I'm a little surprised because Vedran is the standard that I know.

[not-annika.livejournal.com]

Maybe. [She reaches up and presses on the translation menu.] Can you see it? [Her vantage point makes it difficult.]

[truth_is_cold]

[He picks her up to hold her so she can see the screen better, being careful not to catch his boneblades on her clothes. His father was right. Wearing sleeves made him learn to be careful.]

[not-annika.livejournal.com]

[Annika huffs slightly when she's picked up.] Thank you. How do you spell 'Vedran'?

[truth_is_cold]

V-E-D-R-A-N. [That's how it's spelled in English anyway.] It should look like this... [He takes out his flexi, which is covered in strange symbols.]

[not-annika.livejournal.com]

[Annika types that in.] Um… [She looks at the flexi and back. None of them are quite right.]

[truth_is_cold]

[This looks like slightly old technology too. He's starting to get an uneasy feeling, and he puts her back down.]

I'll do my very best.

[The truth is he's unnerved. Incredibly so, but he realizes that she needs someone too, and he has to at least try. Though he has a nasty feeling they're both very far from home.]

[not-annika.livejournal.com]

Ok. [Annika is quiet and subdued as if she knows something's off.]

[truth_is_cold]

[He fusses over the buttons. He knows English, but it's strange to be seeing it. He bites his lower lip up between his teeth as he concentrates as hard as he can.]

Did you say this is your Aunt's room? What's your Aunt like?

[not-annika.livejournal.com]

[Annika nods.] She's very nice. Makes me strawberries tarts. [Mostly because Annika won't eat anything else, but...]

[truth_is_cold]

[Oh yes. Food.] Is there any food in here or should I go get some?

[not-annika.livejournal.com]

There's nothing here.

[truth_is_cold]

[He nods.] Then I'll go looking for something if you get hungry. [It already makes him feel a little more settled, putting tasks ahead of himself.]

[not-annika.livejournal.com]

[Annika is not altogether thrilled with being left alone, but that's what happens when Necessary Work is to be done, so she nods.]