[SEMI-OPEN]

[acreage]

WHO: Amos Burton, James Holden, Wysteria, Ellis, and YOU
WHAT: Two spacemen fall out of a rift, later explore scenic Kirkwall
WHEN: Nnnnowish? Waves hands
WHERE: The Wounded Coast, then Kirkwall
NOTES: A closed arrival thread, plus open individual threads for meeting Amos and/or Jim after their quarantine period.

Comments

[okayimin]

She huffs at him. "You go calling any of the other Sisters in Lowtown that and you're liable to get smacked," she tells him, "The taverns are a good a place as any to start with, just be careful if you go near Darktown. You're more likely to find a fight than a drink there."

[innerharbor]

Amos tsks. "Darktown's more like Baltimore than Baltimore."

But he considers it. "Whatever you say, Sis."

[okayimin]

It's so much like any number of Dusters she's stitched over the years, that it's easy to fall into the old rhythms.

"Baltimore can mind itself. I'm the one who's gonna be stitchin' you up if you catch a knife in some nug trap around here."

[innerharbor]

"Duster? What's that mean here?"

Because he's betting it doesn't mean Martian, for all the horses at Pimlico.

[okayimin]

That one's easy enough to answer: "What we call each other. Casteless live in Dust Town, so."

She shrugs. She hasn't really found a surface word that fits the same.

[innerharbor]

"Christ," Amos rumbles. "I owe whoever names things on this planet a kick in the teeth."

[okayimin]

"And yours are better?"

[innerharbor]

"We don't call Baltimore Crime Town."

[okayimin]

Primly as you please: "Hardly our fault if you humans insist on not naming things what they are."

[innerharbor]

Snort. "Yeah, yeah. I appreciate the labelling. When you in town, Sis?"

[okayimin]

"Most days, if there's no work that needs me in the Gallows," she says, "I trade rounds with a few of the other Sisters and midwives who live in Lowtown. Why?"

[innerharbor]

"You in the Gallows?" Amos summons up his rough approximation of charm. He winks. "Guess I'll be seeing you, Sis."

[okayimin]

She snorts and kicks his boot lightly, "So long as it ain't for a knife in your gut. What's your name so I know to listen for it."

[innerharbor]

That's good. He doesn't actually enjoy flirting. It just seemed like what a normal person should do to a nun.

Nuns are very hot.

"Amos Burton," he gives her a shitty little salute, his expression fading back into blankness. "Mechanic, not that people... do that."

[okayimin]

The blankness doesn't bother her so much as it pings something in her brain. It's familiar, though not something she'd ever expected to see on the surface.

"Not that I know of," she says, shaking her head, "I think I've heard Stark talk about it. He's like you." They're still deep enough in Lowtown, she's not inclined to out the man to any eavesdroppers, "It's like metal working, isn't it?"

[innerharbor]

"I can weld," a shrug, casual. "Who's the guy who keeps the ship working out at sea? I'm that guy."

[okayimin]

Her face scrunches up and she shudders. "I don't know anything about boats, Serah Burton, and I don't intend to learn any time soon." She does try to add helpfully, "There are those in Riftwatch who are familiar with that kind of thing. Sailing and the like."

[innerharbor]

"It's not really like that." Amos squints, thinking. How the fuck do you describe space. Why the fuck would you? "Doesn't matter. I'll check it out."

Stark. He can remember that.

[okayimin]

"It's a surfacer thing," she says, casting a distrustful eye toward the general direction of the ocean. And then one up to the two moons just for good measure. "Interesting as the surface is, I can't say I'll ever get used to some of the things you lot get up to."

[innerharbor]

"You never been on a boat?" This surprises him, though it barely registers in his voice.

[okayimin]

"Twice," she says, as grim as if he'd asked if she's ever killed anybody. "Don't know how anybody can stand not having stone underfoot."

[innerharbor]

He doesn't know why, but it seems important to state, "lady, I work in space."

[okayimin]

She frowns, "What do you mean?"

She has a distinct feeling she won't enjoy the answer.

[innerharbor]

Amos points up, straight up. "As far as you can go."

[okayimin]

Yes, that is indeed the worst answer ever. She does glance up and shudders again.

"Guess surfacers are crazy no matter where they're from," she says, still casting distrusting glances up towards the sky, half expecting a man or a whole ship to fall from it.

Still... She does have to ask, "So how do the celestial bodies stay up?"