Light 'em up

[starcharter]

Characters: EVERYBODY
Date: sundown on November 29th to sunrise on November 30th
Location: A plaza in Earth
Situation: The population of Keeliai could use a little warmth. So Chekov set stuff on fire and invited everyone over.
Warnings/Rating: None, but please put something in your comment header if necessary.

On Wednesday, everyone received the following audio message (and text attachments in English and Russian) from (1) Pavel Chekov in their inboxes:

“Hello. I would like to invite you to a bonfire in Earth sector on Friday at sundown. Please feel free to bring friends.”


A plaza in Earth sector is buzzing with activity-- most of it from one young man. He spends the day lugging folding tables and pushing wheelbarrows of supplies into the plaza. As the day wears on, several entrepreneurial kedan set up stands. By sundown, the plaza is lit up with three large, roaring bonfires. Most of the ice and snow has melted away, leaving a few patches here and there in the furthest corners of the plaza. One patch a bit away from the fires is completely devoid of snow and ice-- it's a sort of dance floor or performance area. Some music is playing out of one of the upper windows of the buildings overlooking the plaza. It's varies from quick and frenzied to slow and soothing. Of course, anyone is welcome to claim the floor to perform a magic show or do a little singing of their own.

There's a hodgepodge of various folding tables set with the essentials: raw vegetables, the closest equivalent of marshmallows Chekov could find (next to the chocolate and graham cracker substitutes), and sausages. There are skewers and tongs lying around should anyone need them. He also brought a few jugs of water, which are refilled periodically. It's not much, but it's the best he could do with a limited budget and not a lot of time. The kedan have taken the opportunity to sell what Chekov couldn't bring-- hot beverages and food, blankets, scarves and gloves, and several other simple wares.

It's not a grand setup, but there are roaring bonfires, food, and good company.


(Posting this slightly early because of Thanksgiving chaos. Let me know if you have any questions)

Comments

[wintershepherd]

Jack's eyes stray past the bonfire to where some other couples were cozied up together in blankets and such. "That's good," he glanced up at the taller one with a smile that said not only did he get it, he was in the same boat.

[washitaway]

That's a relief, actually. He was half-expecting to get the usual but you should be having fun for yourself stuff, which - well, he is having fun - watching her.

He hasn't seen her smile so brightly since Battleship Bay. And at the time, he hadn't been able to appreciate it much. She'd still just been some girl he had to get to New York, and he'd been half-drowned and anxious to get them out of Columbia. But that sense of wonder, well. He's glad to see some of it back. After all she's been through, it's nice to know she still has it.

"How'd you like the flapjacks the other day?" he eventually asks.

[wintershepherd]

Jack knows that sometimes enjoyment is experienced by proxy, not directly. As long as the ones you cared about were safe and happy, you could be content. At the question, his expression lights up.

"They were great," the spirit beams and then adds sheepishly, "I might've... ate the whole stack in one sitting."

[washitaway]

"You're not the first," Booker admits with a little laugh. "She's got a talent. Don't know where she gets it from - book learning'll only get you so far in some things, and she's never cooked for anyone before she got here, I don't think. Sure seems to like it, though."

He's proud, though. He probably can't pinpoint why - it's not like he had anything to do with it. But he's proud of her all the same. Proud of all the things she can do, and how smart and strong she is.

[wintershepherd]

"I think it's got as much to do with what she wants cooking to be as what it is," Jack said wisely, the seemingly odd statement showing a rare flash of years far beyond the teen he appeared to be. "Cooking for others is just another way to take care of people. You're always going to be better at doing the things you want to do."

[washitaway]

"Maybe so." He mulls that over for a moment, fiddling absently with the cuff of the sweater he is dutifully wearing tonight, because it's green which apparently matches his eyes.

"It's all right here," he says eventually. "I guess I can see how some folks'd find it confining. But it's a lot better than where we came from."

[wintershepherd]

Oh, don't think Jack hasn't noticed your lovely verdant fashion choice tonight, Booker. That may come up in gentle teasing later, on a slow work day. He looks over the plaza, at the people gathered and mingling and enjoying themselves and he nods.

"For all the weirdness of how people get here and where they're from... it makes something special here. Something that, for better or worse, probably can't be found anywhere else."

[washitaway]

"I've seen a lot of things," Booker admits quietly. "What I haven't seen much of is folks helping each other out, just because they want to. Folks gettin' together just for fun, with no worries about where the next meal's comin' from."

[wintershepherd]

"Some of that may be when you're from," the spirit said quietly. "I've seen the before and I've seen the after... a lot on both sides. I know it might not affect too much for you, but it does get better. There's less people doing without, less difficulty to get the things that should be easy."

[washitaway]

"Never thought much on it, really," Booker admitted with a slight shrug. "Ideals don't put money in your pocket or food in your belly. Often as not, they can get you hurt. And they get twisted real easy."

[wintershepherd]

Jack nods once, acknowledging the rebuff and choosing not to push the issue. "Those things are true."

[washitaway]

"I've seen the future, too," Booker admits after a moment. "It's not that rosy. So I guess maybe my world is different, somehow."

[wintershepherd]

"Sorry," Jack said, gaze turning back to the fire. He wasn't entirely sure what he was apologizing for... but it was instinctive.

[washitaway]

Booker huffed out a mirthless laugh. "Don't be. Most of it's my fault."

[wintershepherd]

Booker gets a friendly bump on the shoulder for that. "That's not the kind of thing you claim credit for. Trust me, I know."

[washitaway]

"It's no credit. Just responsibility," Booker says easily. "Comstock's got plans. I'm the fella who needs to stop them. And I've seen what'll happen if I don't."

[wintershepherd]

The spirit smiles to himself. "Anyone ever tell you that you're a good guy, Booker?"

[washitaway]

"I'm not," he points out with a shrug. "Haven't been for a long time, if I ever was."

[wintershepherd]

"You don't have to have done all good things to be a good guy," Jack said wisely. "Lots of people haven't. I haven't. I'm talking about the person I'm standing next to right now, in this minute, watching a nice girl have a good time and thinking about her instead of himself. And I think he's a good guy, and I'll agree to disagree with him if he insists otherwise."

[washitaway]

"Well..." Booker's not about to go rattling off all the terrible things he's done in his life - he's not that much of a masochist. So he just nods slightly. "Thanks, anyway. It's a nice thing to hear."

He feels like he's being deceitful, though. Inevitably, the truth will come out, and everyone will know him for the sham he is.

In the meantime, though, he intends to let himself enjoy Elizabeth's happiness, at least.

[wintershepherd]

He lingers, both of them watching Elizabeth dance for a few moments longer and then Jack stretches, shooting Booker another grin.

"Enjoy the bonfires," he said. "I'll catch you later."

[washitaway]

"Yeah - you too," he says, only giving Jack a cursory glance - his attention will be fixed on Elizabeth for a while yet.