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[heliakal]

Hello everyone, this is Clark Kent, your resident gardener...

[ Clark smiles at the camera, and reaches up to brush a little water away from his brow. He's stripped down a damp undershirt and streaked liberally with dirt. It might be a little surprising to those who've only seen him in his loose-fitting uniform, but Clark is thickly built, and looks perfectly at home with physical work.

Granted, he's not damp from sweat. About five minutes earlier there was an incident with a garden hose that was most definitely shut off when he set it down. He's starting to think that a lot of things on this ship have a mind of their own. ]

If you've been through the gardens lately, you might have noticed some new seedlings peeking through the dirt. So far, I've planted a variety of vegetables and some fruit suitable mainly to humans. Ideally, I'd like to meet more the crew's varied dietary needs. If there are any specific foods you're looking for that I might not be familiar with, feel free to contact me. I can't promise that I'll be able to grow everything, but I'll do my best.

[ Clark glances at something over his shoulder, then rubs his chin, leaving another streak of dirt along his jaw that he's entirely unaware of. ]

And as a last note... I bought a sculpture here earlier, and put it in the gardens for decoration. Unfortunately, it seems like a lot of us are seeing memories and weird illusions in the glass produced by the locals. While the effect is physically harmless, it can be pretty jarring, and I wouldn't want anyone to be caught unaware.

[ He pauses for a moment, then shakes his head. ]

I think that's all. You'll be able to find me in the gardens for the next couple of hours if you have any questions.

[ And true to his word, Clark will be in the gardens for the next little while, watering the plants and re-planting any seedlings that need to be brought out from the nursery. ]

Comments

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[gamora]

( oh. well. )

What idiot assigned you to be a gardener?

( seriously clark, you look like you could punch a hole in a wall if you tried hard enough. )

[heliakal]

My parents were farmers - I suppose that had something to do with it.​ Apparently a journalist isn't quite as useful on a ship like this. [ He smiles. He might look like he could lift a house, but that expression doesn't belong on anyone more dangerous than a cream puff. ]

Don't tell me your job assignment is exactly what you did back home.

[gamora]

( oh no. oh no. )

Job back home had a lot more stabbing.

[heliakal]

Excuse me?

[ He can think of a few jobs that involve stabbing, but he's trying to give her the benefit of a doubt here. ]

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[stompadour]

[The disapproval on Jasper's face is palpable.]

If I were you I'd get rid of the sculpture instead of keeping something like that on board. What does a garden need decoration for, anyway?

Re: video

[heliakal]

Why not? [ Clark shrugs a shoulder. ] I thought it might be a nice place to sit and read.

Don't worry, I'll return it to the artist as soon as she opens up shop again.

[stompadour]

What's the artist going to want it for if it's defective? I say smash it now and have done with it.

[heliakal]

No one's going to smash it. If anything, I'll find somewhere safer for it, where it won't bother the crew.

[ You know, like the cat tree. He doesn't know how he keeps collecting strange objects, but at least this time it was his own fault. Still... ]

Is there a reason you're so against it?

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[incantamentum]

[Well hello handsome, Eric's smiling face appears on his own MID.]

The gardener, delightful. Monsieur Kent I was thinking of coming to find you... I have certain requests to be made of your garden. While simultaneously I have certain... talents which might be opportune to helping some of the more vital plants grow.

[heliakal]

And what does that mean? You're welcome to speak plainly - I don't think much can surprise me these days.

[ Clark understands why people might dance around certain subjects, so he doesn't blame the other man for doing so now. ] If it's something delicate or dangerous, I can make arrangements for you.

[incantamentum]

[Okay so being straight forward was the way to go about this.]

Ah, of course. Well... I'm a witch. A witch who can control and manipulate the earth... as such I can help growing certain plants that are in high demand quicker than we would have otherwise. Its an exhaustive process though, so it would be better done under a necessity basis.

[A cough.] And there are certain things of my own, that I managed to travel here with that will need planting before I run out. Herbs, flowers, plants native to earth.

[heliakal]

That's very impressive. I wouldn't want you to overexert yourself, but it's good to know we have someone to count on in a pinch.

[ He nods, though now he's curious about the hesitation. ] That sounds fine to me. Want to come by the garden and show me what you've got?

[tearmeanewone]

[Well that's... Wow. Why is everyone in space so attractive? Elizabeth swears to herself that she's experiencing the kind of sexual awakening in women that she had only read about once and been told about by an extremely drunk Parisian woman who wanted to know why Elizabeth was eating alone. It wasn't a myth, it's real.]

[But she has no questions, of course. She just... has to get lunch. It's lunch time. Time for an incredibly casual stroll through the gardens to get to the mess hall.]

[The first time she walks through, like a champion she waves awkwardly and keeps walking. But then she's coming back with a sandwich and her book, and Clark is much closer this time.]

Fancy seeing you here again!

[Nailed it.]

[heliakal]

[ Clark waves back the first time - Elizabeth looks like she's in a hurry, and he doesn't want to hold her up.

He does look over when she steps into the garden again a while later. He's carrying a crate full of equipment over one shoulder, but shifts it down to the ground in front of him. ]

I have to work sometime. [ Clark replies, laughing. He pulls his gloves off and drops them into the crate before he steps around it. ] You're welcome to stay for lunch if you want. I would appreciate the company, honestly.

[tearmeanewone]

[Oh God why did he have to lift heavy things like that. With one arm. It's probably heavy but, just the one arm.]

I know, that was an attempt to be funny and... [Sense of what is funny has apparently gone out to lunch too.]

I wouldn't be in the way? Or... subject to a sentient and angry hose?

[heliakal]

No, I got it, I was just... [ She's not the only one who's stumbled over a joke. Clark rubs the side of his neck, but he's still grinning. ] Well, hey, at least we didn't devolve into puns this time.

Here... [ He passes by Elizabeth to move some of his equipment off the bench for her. ] I can't make any guarantees about the hose, but I promise I'll defend you from its wrath, if you're worried.

[vengeance_driven]

I used to be a farmer when I was young. I could help out. I am better at driving equipment, but I am okay with keeping plants from dying.

Also I would throw a sheet over that sculpture if I were you. When it shows us things, I think this glass likes to show us things we do not want to see. I have not heard people speak of many good visions that come from it.

[heliakal]

I wouldn't mind another pair of hands​, if you're not busy.

[ Nico seems to have all sorts of history. Clark might not strictly need the help, but there are things he might have forgotten at this point - and aside from that, he'd appreciate some company. ]

It's just a shame - it's a beautiful piece of art. But I'll do that. I'm hoping to return it to the artist when she opens up shop again.

[vengeance_driven]

I am not poetic enough to do justice to the idea of beautiful things being able to hurt you, but there should be some English quote there that would work best.

I only work in the cargo bay, so I'm not too busy.

[Rural Yugoslavia wasn't so bad before all the ethnic conflict started up. He liked the little farming village.]

Do you have a schedule for days?

[imaginary_wife]

I brought some plants that I'd like to be kept in the garden. I have manufactured medicine on the ship but in the event of a shortage I want to be able to make my own, and I'm good at it. But I need to have a stock ready in case that happens.

I have instructions if you like. I'll probably be collecting more whenever we make stops.

[heliakal]

That sounds like a good idea. If you want to come by, we can find somewhere optimal to keep them.​

[imaginary_wife]

I'll do that. The sooner they're in the ground, the better.

[petrifiedshadow]

Fruit, or some root vegetables would be good, if you can manage them. Not that it's really a preference, but it would probably be good to have an alternative just in case we don't have any meat on hand. I know I can eat both of those in a pinch.

[He may have seen the other NightWings eating something as bad as rotten carrion without consequence, but Starflight was not nearly that brave. He was going to avoid new foods as long as he could.]

[heliakal]

Sure, I'll plant some extra for you just in case. I know it's not your first choice, but do you have any favorites?

[petrifiedshadow]

Not really, so long as it's not slimy. Carrots are ok. Sunny used to dig those up all the time for us.

[ His expression dropped like a shade, looking down miserably as the crippling homesickness caught up with him again. Not that he wasn't always thinking about Sunny, but mentioning her made it so much worse. ]