beetleboyblue | [001] Take me to your Cinnabon

[video clicks on to show a friendly-looking teenager smiling at the camera]

...I have to say, when I signed on for this thing, I kind of expected to see some kind of soulless ship cabin that I'd have to put posters all over or something. Not, you know. My bedroom. Not that I'm complaining or anything! I like having my bedroom, and not having to share a bathroom with Milagro, and...

I'm pretty sure no one needs to know any of this. Sorry.

I'm Jaime Reyes—I'm going to be a warden here. Anyone know what's for dinner tonight?

[video clicks off, then immediately clicks on again, though Jaime is not looking at the camera]

What? No. Of course I didn't ask about Cinnabon.

...

Because there is no Cinnabon here. This isn't a vacation.

...

Sometimes, we have to go places without Cinnabon. It's one of the sacrifices we make for the greater good.

...

Look, this is not a discussion. There will be cinnamon rolls if God wills it, okay?

...

It's not fatalistic, it's realistic, and--

[video clicks off again]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Maybe we're blushing again. Maybe Khaji Da is commenting on that.]

Yeah--fine. Just... [Don't mention hearing voices.] thinking that probably my life isn't exactly normal anyway, so what am I complaining about?

Floods and ports? [LET'S CHANGE THE SUBJECT.]

[Stop blushing, it's too adorable. She'll want to pinch your cheeks. But the subject change works.]

They happen fairly regularly around here. Floods are... not really floods the way you think of them; there's no water involved. It's more like--magical energy, I guess. The mechanics kind of escape me, but generally the place rumbles, the Admiral announces we're taking on water--even though it's... not water--and then weird stuff happens. ...For instance, my very first flood turned me into a boy. There have been a few where people become animals, where they become kids or old people or both, um... They're pretty unpredictable in terms of when they happen and what happens.

And ports are what they sound like--the Admiral docks the Barge somewhere for a few days and we get off expecting a little shore leave and find ourselves in Jurassic Park, or on a zombie planet or locked in a haunted house. Although we have had a few normal ports--Salem and Germany come to mind.

I'm pretty sure that none of that was in the brochure. Maybe I should change my evaluation from Ghost Ship to Voyage of the Damned.

But Salem sounds cool. Especially this time of year--maybe we can hope for a return trip.

Yeah, that fine print can be a real kick in the teeth. It's not always so bad, though? ...Not that you'd necessarily believe me if you looked out your door, because it does look kind of Ghost Ship-like these days. But it's really normally less... rusty.

Yeah, that's what I hear. How long have things been like this?

A few weeks now, I'd say. I mean, the doors locking randomly has been going on a little longer, but the sense of "this place is falling apart around us"? That's newer.

And it's never happened before?

Not anything quite like this, no. I mean... this one time, Aztec gods kind of took over and decorated the place like, well, an Aztec pyramid. But that was all at once and not... gradual rotting.

...I'm really hoping the gradual rotting doesn't mean this thing is about to fall apart. I mean--I just got here!

I don't think it's actually rotting or falling apart? But I've been called an optimist.

Well, I'm going with "we're safe unless we see giant gaping holes." But I might be an optimist, too.

Hey, this place can use more of us. Be prepared to face skepticism and scorn, though. Optimism and cheerfulness is generally met with sarcasm and eye rolling around here. ...Or, you know. Worse.

So... not much different than people back home, then. I have a friend that's pretty good at the sarcasm and eyerolling--affectionately, though.

Well, you know. It is a prison ship. The sarcasm tends to be less affectionate. ...Although there's plenty of that, too.

Well, I guess I'll just have to develop a thick skin.

...

Or armor.

Armor might be a little heavy to carry around with you all the time.

[grin] Guess I'll have to work on my upper body strength, then.

Well, there is an impressive gym, with quite the weight lifting selection. And popular punching bags. ...And a boxing ring now, actually. I also give archery lessons, and that's pretty good for that, too.

...That sounds an awful lot like work.

So you're an archer?

Well, they do call it working out. I'd guess for that very reason. And yeah, I am. I've been doing it since I was about five.

...Wow. See, I'm pretty sure I was eating crayons at five, so wow. You must be amazing.

[beat]

Hey, weren't you in the Olympics a few years back?

Or I had a slightly insane mother.

[...Pause for a 'holy crap' moment.]

Uh--yeah, actually. You--wait, you know me? Or of me. Or--we're from the same place?

Well, sure. It was, like, a big coup, right? Because you weren't supposed to be part of the team, and then you took gold. I mean... Pretty impressive, if you ask me.

Crazy mom or not.

...Which I guess means yes? We're probably from the same place. Except fo the whole Texas-Pennsylvania thing.

...Well, you know. The media loves an underdog? But--thanks.

And yeah, aside from that. There aren't many of us from the same planet here--although I suppose it's a bigger group than most people here have.

You're welcome. Like I said--it was cool.

Yeah, I'm starting to get that. There are... a lot of interesting people here. Some of them are from Star Trek, how cool is that?

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