[video]

[candothat]

[The video opens to--well, not much of anything. It's night; the stars are visible, and Chekov's face is lit by the dim glow of his network device. He's remarkably subdued, but he typically does only pause to make network posts when he's in a low or contemplative mood.]

For anyone who has not heard already and knew them, Lena and Asami are no longer in the City. I did not know Asami as well as I wish I might have, but Lena was a good friend. At least she will be happy to be home... she did not like being in the City.

[And changing topics. No one wants to dwell on the negative.]

I have two questions. First, does anyone know how the ship on the side of the mountain came to be where it is? I went inside of it, but there was nothing informative there and most of it was, I think, inaccessible. It looks to me like a spacecraft. I have heard stories in the City of aliens and creatures coming from beyond the barriers, but nothing related to a ship like this.

My second question is this: is it common to experience memory loss in the City? If not, should I be concerned? My medical knowledge is very limited, but if there is something wrong with my brain, I would like to know. It is, after all, the most important thing that I have.

[He ends the feed with a forced smile.]


[ooc: Picture is not IC, just there for your reference.]

Comments

[mightbeconcussed]

[Most of that made no sense to Lucy. Not in the least. However a tiny part of it did. She thought anyway and it was nice to hear him talk about something he was so interested in.]

So, it's like...putting something in a box with bubble wrap and sending it super express airmail? And you can do this with people too? Oh! OH! Do they ever get mixed up and come out with both arms on one side of their body or is it like the whole dead cat live cat theory? I forget the guy's name. I mean duh. You put a cat in a box and seal the box up it's going to be either alive or dead. It all just depends on how long you leave the cat in the box. Poor kitty. Forever traumatized by boxes for the rest of it's natural life or you know, alternatively dead.

[candothat]

[He pauses to assess this. Old-fashion postage escapes him.]

Something like that, yes, and all of the transporter malfunctions I have heard of end with the incorrectly-assembled object as a [randomly reassembled mass that has been scrambled at the subatomic level] goo.

[Chekov laughs at Lucy--not because she's wrong, but because her wandering trains of thought are very endearing.]

Schrödinger? I suppose; the transported human is either dead or alive. [That is not how Schrödinger's famous thought experiment went; Lucy's version is better. He kisses her on the cheek.] We will never test your theory, I promise. The City doesn't need dead or traumatized cats.

[mightbeconcussed]

[Sorry, it's the closest she can relate to.]

Okay. Eww. Suddenly rethinking OMG transwarp stuff would be so cool. I do not make a cute pile of goo.

[Blame pop culture plus Lucy's own way of twisting everything logical into something illogical. The kiss to her cheek makes her preen a moment though.]

No, it doesn't. I think I'm keeping Masha away from boxes anyway. Just in case. [Masha was entirely too smart to crawl in a box anyway. She'd watch with distain while Bryant tried to put his foot inside the box.]

[candothat]

The likelihood of that happening with the safety precautions put in place is small. You wouldn't be goo.

[Transwarp is still really interesting. Some of the mathematics involved are downright elegant.]

Masha? Is that your cat's name? It's a Russian name. You have exceptional taste.

[mightbeconcussed]

I'm only doing it if you're there to give me the thumbs up.

[If you say so Chekov]

Yes. I mean...she was Harry's cat. I inherited her. So technically, he has exceptional taste. I have no idea why he gave her a Russian name. He was Brit--okay no technically he was a Time Lord, but he was kind of a Brit.

[candothat]

And you won't be allowed to transwarp unless I am there to ensure that it's done properly.

[Oops. He hadn't meant to bring up the ex.]

I have heard about the Time Lords, but no one said that they had an affinity for Russian names. Is Masha intelligent? Cats are supposed to be.

[mightbeconcussed]

Deal.

[It's okay. As long as discussions about Harry were kept mostly surface and light, she was fine talking about him.]

I don't know that they do? I mean I'm not even sure Harry did, outside of the cat. Masha is smarter than any cat I've ever met in my entire life. She uses the toilet. [Because Harry brainwashed her.]

[candothat]

Thank you.

[A cat using the toilet? Chekov can wrap his brain around a lot of things; this is not one of those things.]

How does she not fall in? How does she flush?

[mightbeconcussed]

She just balances. She has to have the seat down and it's one of those automatic flushers. You know, they work with motion detectors?

[It's kind of weird to be honest, but Lucy doesn't have to change a litter box so that makes her happy.]

[candothat]

That is amazing--the cat, not the flushing. I never saw many animals at home, but I'm certain that none of them acted so much like people.

...Not that it is their fault. Even if tribbles had more than rudimentary brains, a lack of limbs would make any trick difficult.

[mightbeconcussed]

I'm pretty sure she understands what I'm saying when I talk to her and half the time, I think she disapproves of my life choices. She's just got this judge-y meow. I'll never be able to have another cat after her because none of them will ever measure up. Meanwhile, the dog is still afraid of stairs.

[She tilts her head to one side.] Tribbles?

[candothat]

But is she also affectionate? Is the dog?

[He's quick to clarify.]

Not like when the City is cursed, but at home, they are good pets when they are neutered. Their trilling is said to increase serotonin levels in the brain.

[mightbeconcussed]

She can be, at least when she wants to be. Bryant is very affectionate, but he's like 180 pounds so he can't really climb up in your lap the way he wants to.

[oh good that's a good thing to clarify]

and serotonin is the chemical that makes you relax, right?

[candothat]

They sound like good animals.

[Not that he knows.]

Yes--relaxed and happy. I believe my serotonin levels are very high right now.

[mightbeconcussed]

Yeah, they are. There's also a white rabbit named Ingram, but I have to put Bryant up to let him out. He scares the 180 pound dog.

[So much smiling.]

So I'm better to have around than a tribble?

[candothat]

Your giant dog is afraid of a rabbit?

Infinitely better.

[mightbeconcussed]

My giant dog, the one I got to protect me because I live alone, is afraid of everything.

Pavel, you say the nicest things to me.

[candothat]

Perhaps your rabbit will protect you.

I tell you the truth, Lucy. If it's nice, you should be credited with that.

[mightbeconcussed]

He's pretty fierce with his back claws.

[That look on her face is a totally melty 'I'm totally falling in love with you even if I don't want to' look]

Okay. Stop.

[Once he stops, he's going to get a real kiss on the mouth.]

[candothat]

[Nope, Chekov isn't overly familiar with that expression. He does, however, stop quite obediently.

And kiss back, hands settling on Lucy's hips.]

[mightbeconcussed]

[Sure he's not. He does, however, probably get it a good deal from her.

And he is the best, obedient boy ever. The kiss breaks and she pulls back only slightly to reach up and ruffle a hand through his hair.]

[candothat]

[It is one of his favorite of Lucy's expressions, not that he dislikes any of them. Everything--her look, the kiss, every little touch, absolutely everything about Lucy--makes Chekov love her. It wouldn't be wise to say so out loud.]

Lucy, you are very beautiful.

[mightbeconcussed]

[He is so twitterpated, which makes Lucy fall a little in love with him.

His words make her smile and preen just a little.]

You are...the sweetest thing. [She sighs a little happily and runs her thumb over his cheekbone.]

[candothat]

[He's not one to do things by halves. It's all or nothing and, when it comes to being in love with Lucy, it's all. Maybe she can't hold her own in a discussion about theoretical physics, but she's funny and kind and clever in her own way. Resilient, too; no one can endure what she has and still manage to smile unless they're strong.

Chekov isn't terribly eloquent and can't put all of those thoughts into a compliment, but maybe Lucy knows.]

If anyone but you said that, I would consider it an insult. [And he would really like to do that kissing thing again, but they're outside and there may be public indecency laws.] Maybe we should get to your apartment.

[mightbeconcussed]

Right. Apartment. We should...get there.

[Because now she's thinking about more kissing. Lucy has an idea that Chekov likes her in spite of the fact that she seems to be his opposite in many ways. She doesn't ever really stop to think that maybe he'd like someone who can talk theoretical physics because there are plenty of those people in the City and yet he's kissing her.

She takes his hand in hers and starts toward the apartment again.]

Let's hurry. It's cold and while I'm totally okay with atrocious PDAs I kinda think you wouldn't be.