thisavrou | video

[It's her first post on the network. It won't be her last. Karen slides her fingers through her hair, obviously looking for a place to start.]

Okay, does anyone feel like they've actually adjusted to all of this? I know I haven't been here for long, and even when you know for a fact that there are aliens, when you've seen them come down and make a mess out of New York City, you just never expect to be taken on board an actual spaceship. [There's a nervous little laugh at that before she takes a deep breath.] But this happened, so...

[Karen looks directly at the video and smiles.]

So I guess I'll start. Uhm...for those I haven't met, my name is Karen Page. I'm from Vermont, originally, but I moved to New York. Hell's Kitchen - I know, it sounds like a terrible place, and it can be. But there's also some really good people. I work at a law firm there. I'm not a lawyer, I'm...I make coffee and answer phones and I'm the deciding vote in things like whether or not we're having pizza or Thai food for lunch.

[And it's worth noting that the more she talks about her life, the more her face lights up.]

So, who wants to tell me more about themselves? Like where you're from and what you do there, or anything - just anything.

[Conversation always makes for the best distraction. She catches her breath.]

I promise I'll listen.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Vorbarr Sultana. ( ivan offers, not expecting her to have ever heard of it. ) It's the planetary capital of the Barrayaran Empire.

Wow, capital of an empire. I'm picturing something very fancy.

Sure is. ( he was born there, so he's biased. ) There's all sorts of architecture -- from the Time of Isolation to towering buildings built in the last ten years or so.

Wow. Do you ever feel a little claustrophobic? I mean, this ship is huge, but I wouldn't say it has a lot in the way of architecture.

( well he didn't until now, and he's going to think of it every time he's home. great, fantastic, maybe if it just doesn't rain or flood he'll be fine. his nice vorbarr sultana apartment is nothing like a small, damp, dark room where he was left to await death by drowning. )

Er, no. This ship is worse.

( and he's not thinking about that either, thanks. )