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

[washitaway]

You don't want me makin' you look bad. [He says it easily, deflecting, and offers her the cup in his hand.] Here, I got you some cider - or near enough as makes no difference.

[beunbroken]

You won't look bad, I promise, [She says, but she accepts the cup.] Thank you! It smells- wow, it smells amazing.

[She takes a ginger sip.] And it tastes amazing. Are you having fun?

[washitaway]

[He smiles a little - he thought she might like it.] It's nice. I've gotten some compliments on the sweater. [He fiddles with the cuff again, absentmindedly.] You could probably sell some of this stuff, if you wanted.

[beunbroken]

They really like it! [She beams proudly.] You look wonderful in it, Booker. Very handsome. [...what?]

You think I could?

[washitaway]

[He coughs sort of awkwardly - he's not good at taking compliments, in case she hasn't noticed before.]

Won't know unless you try, I guess. But it's nice and warm, and the gloves, too. I wouldn't want to hoard all your talents.

[beunbroken]

You don't hoard them- I've made plenty of food for everyone at the shop now, too. And I'm working on clothes for the Luteces.

[washitaway]

Are they on speakin' terms yet? [He's sort of curious, after his little outburst with Robert last week at the bar.]

[beunbroken]

[She shakes her head.] Not that I know. Rosalind misses Robert so much. It's really... It's really sad to see. We've only ever seen them together. And I want to help them.

[washitaway]

They're bein' idiots. [Booker shakes his head, taking a swig of his own drink.] I told Robert as much. Wasn't sure if he'd take it to heart. Not that I'm any expert on relationships, but. Ah, they should know better'n to take each other for granted.

[beunbroken]

You know more about them than I do, [she pointed out as she took another drink.]

They really should. But I think that's why it's easy for them? What they have... It's special. I can't believe they'd be willing to toss it away so easily. When you love someone, you should fight for it.

[washitaway]

That's what I told Robert. What they've got - I don't pretend to understand it exactly, but I know enough to know it's not something many people ever get. They're both fools if they let it end this way.

[And Booker doesn't say that lightly, by any means.]

[beunbroken]

They're crazy about each other. It's more unsettling up see them apart than anything else. And Rosalind looks absolutely sickly. Booker, we need to get them to stop being so stupid.

[washitaway]

Can't make 'em do anything they're not ready to do themselves, though. I said my piece to Robert. [He gives a vague shrug.] They'll come to their sense before long, I'd bet my last dollar on it.

[Booker, don't bet anything. You are a terrible gambler.]

[beunbroken]

How about we deal with making bets later. For now... we just... I don't know. I guess we just need to be there for them, then.

[washitaway]

Invite 'em both over, if you want. For the holidays, or something like that. [He shrugs slightly.] Seems to me they're too easily avoidin' each other.

[beunbroken]

Can we? I think that'd be wonderful! Oh, they can come for Christmas! Can you believe it'll be 136 years since Washington crossed the Delaware?

[washitaway]

Yeah, you can invite 'em - wait, what? What's Washington have to do with Christmas?

[Shit, is this some other weird-ass Columbia thing?]

[beunbroken]

[Yes.]

He crossed the Delaware, leading to the Colonies' victory at Trenton. Your Christmas is... still celebrating the birth of Jesus, right?

[washitaway]

Uh, yeah, it's about Jesus. [Booker shakes his head.] Not sure I see the sense in Comstock's love of the founders, especially after Columbia seceded.

[beunbroken]

Hey, don't look at me. I never got to sit him down over dinner and ask about the finer points of his draconian rule.

[washitaway]

I know, I was just - nevermind. [He scratches the back of his neck absently.] Dunno if they'll have trees here. Haven't seen many that'd work.

[beunbroken]

We could make a tree.

[washitaway]

I... suppose so. Out of what?

[beunbroken]

Well, I don't know. But I'm sure we could figure something out.

[washitaway]

Sure. We can figure something out. [Booker's not one to stomp on her dreams when her dreams are as simple as 'let's make a Christmas tree'. But he knows that she's cleverer than him by far, so she's more likely to figure it out than he ever will be.]

And you can invite whoever you want over for it. [It should be safe enough, as long as he's there.]