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

[ he doesn't need to see her to know she's nervous, and grasping for anything to allay it. ]

Breaking the tie is a very important job. Nothing like a mee krob fix from that little joint a few blocks away.

[ There's a smile in his voice that's obvious; Karen tends to underestimate herself a lot of the time. ] You're excellent with our clients and paperwork, too. Don't sell yourself short.

Or a pepperoni and extra cheese from the other side of town.

[Sorry Matt, she didn't always side with you, you know. But she definitely sounds more relaxed now that she's talking to him.]

Well that's easy. Nelson and Murdock always stands up for good, decent people. The paperwork, though, you're definitely right about that. My system should be patented.

Or pepperoni and extra cheese from the other side of town.

[ He agrees good-naturedly, his smile obvious in his words. How can he forget? She gives the both of them a run for their money. He's pleased by how she eases up. ]

Maybe the captains would pay to have your system here, too. [ He says lightly, but then he's asking, quietly curious. ] Did they give you a job to do?

Yeah, arbitration officer. I've already been working with someone.

[Karen's voice goes a little breathy, a little nervous. Yep, Rinzler. Karen wants desperately to ask his advice, but do the rules of client confidentiality apply? She's pretty sure that they do.]

What about you?

The latest case up on the network?

[ Matt had been a silent listener for most of it, gleaning what he can in between exploring every nook and cranny of this ship. It's easy to put two and two together, especially once he picks up on the nervousness. Karen working on it piques his interest. ]

I've been looking around. [ He pauses, because he knows that tone. ] Everything okay?

Yeah...yeah, everything's great. [She can deal with it, even when she actually can't.] I just miss you sometimes.

[He's familiar, home to her, but more than that.]

I'm sorry I haven't been around much. [ He had been more preoccupied with mapping out every inch of this space -- searching out dangerous points; he'd been at a tactical disadvantage when he arrived, and he's leveling the playing field. But he feels guilty for leaving Karen on her own, even if she's independent and able to take care of herself. He misses her, too. ]

Do you want to grab a coffee with me in the cafeteria?

No, it's fine. Are you okay?

[Because she can't imagine how hard this is. He seems to have a lot of accidents, even in Hell's Kitchen, and that's a place that he knows.]

Sure. Coffee sounds really nice right about now.

[ yeaaaaah, he tends to get into accidents a lot, doesn't he? ]

I'm fine, all things considered. [ He smiles. ] I hear you can see the stars and planets outside.

You can. [A little bit of delight enters her voice.] It's beautiful, so amazing but also so...vast.

We should go to the observation point too, I could describe every planet and star to you.

[ Oh, he can hear it -- and he's smiling despite himself. She's an open book, mostly; and he's relieved to know that she's actually excited about something. Space, though. He can't help a sort of wistfulness; all things aside this is a chance in a lifetime to see the universe, the stars and planets, and yet. ]

I'd like that. [ Having her describe it to him, hearing the wonder in her voice would come close to making up for it. ] We could grab some coffee and head up there. Pretty sure there's no rule against taking beverages out of the cafeteria.

Let's not ask anyone about it. That way, if there is and we get caught, we can honestly say that it was just a simple mistake.

[She can't ask a lawyer to break the rules, after all.]

[ That earns a soft, gentle laugh from Matt. ]

You're learning very quickly, Miss Page.

You're giving me a lot of credit. How do you know I wasn't always a little troublemaker?

And here I thought I was giving you the benefit of the doubt.

It is a very good thing for a defense attorney to have.

Unless, of course, you really are a troublemaker.

Should I come by now?

I guess you'll just have to find out for yourself.

Yeah, now would be good.

I'll see you. Save some coffee for me.

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