video

[clericals]

[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.

Comments

[clericals]

[Karen likes the way he thinks, the whole thing about ordinary people, if they just have the courage and can catch a break or two.]

All of that sounds amazing. I wish I could see it for myself.

The Avengers, they're everything from a really, really rich guy in a flying suit of armor to a god to a big green guy who can smash whatever's in his way.

[warandpeace]

He and his bionic arm are here. But the light refracting camouflage isn't.

The big green guy is here too. But I figure you already know that.

[clericals]

I'd heard, but I haven't actually spoken to him yet.

Have you?

[warandpeace]

Not yet. I just saw his warning about his angrier self. A responsible one to give.

He gave us ideas on how to deal with it if a problem rose.

[clericals]

I can't imagine how difficult that would be.

[The sort of thing that most people would want to hide.]

Daredevil is sort of like Hell's Kitchen's own personal Avenger.

[warandpeace]

Sounds like he isn't an Avenger for everyone only because he's localized.

No shame in that.

Daredevil, huh? I almost said that's a hell of a name, but then I realized how that would have sounded and I would have needed to be put down.

[clericals]

No, I think you're right. Before that, he was called the devil of hell's kitchen.

And for the record, you're always safe using puns with me.

[warandpeace]

I'm Japanese. You don't want to get us started with the puns. It's a weakness. [A language where no pun will go unexploited.]

I know there are several men codenamed "Snake" on board, and one called "Ocelot". So I can't say much for nicknames. [And at this point, he knows all the Snakes.]

My name actually means "Peace". "Kazuhira". Once I knew a woman whose name meant Peace, too. [A spy whose fake identity meant "Peace", but he can really only remember her as "Paz" now, not Pacifica Ocean.] Her and this professor of peace... I told them we should play a song that I wrote. Become a Three Peace Band.

[clericals]

Ocelot! I know him!

[Actual space cowboy. Karen listens to him with a smile, with no idea where it's going until he gets there.

She actually.]

Oh my god, you should take this on the road. [Which might be hard in space.] Your talents are clearly being wasted.

[warandpeace]

[He responds with a soft grunt about knowing Ocelot. In that way that they aren't exactly bosom buddies, even if he's found it in him to tolerate him more and more.]

[He'll always be pleased with his three peace band, though.]

Which, the music or the routine?

[clericals]

Both. Definitely both.