tushanshu | Text; Don't judge.

Ok, thank you! I'm writing down your notes with the others. They really help me type better. Sorry if I am slow at it.

So you're like Admiral James Norrington! He has a boat in the navy too. Tho I think he is from a different one.

He has a hat.

Edited (html shenanigans) 2013-07-04 20:11 (UTC)

It's not a problem. You're learning.

Yeah we're not really into boats where I'm from.

And you’re helping, so it all works out.

I thought that’s what the navy used? Do you have an airship, or is that too much like a boat? You’re croo has to man something.

Do you ride dragons!?

[Jim just stares, laughs to himself and rubs his hand over his face.]

'Your' and 'crew'.

And no, no dragons. Starships. Here, they look like--

[And then he switches to video briefly, holds up a technical schematic sketch of the Enterprise for her viewing pleasure.]

In space. Where the stars are.

[How the hell else could he describe 'space'?]

Crew, not croo. Ok.

Oh, right! “Your” is possessive and ’re means are. I have to keep checking those notes from Jack.

[Seeing the drawing of the Enterprise causes Korra’s eyes to grow wide with mistrust and her upper lip to try and hide inside her nostrils.]

So that is like the ~~sattlyte~~ satellite that fell from space then. StarSHIP. I thought you said no boats!

How does that even fly?

It's not a boat in the usual sense, and it wouldn't really make sense to anyone who's only seen one that goes on water.

[For what is perhaps the first time in his life he's beginning to see the value in the Prime Directive.]

Technology?

Ok, technology is ofishally crazy. After Tony’s armor, I was pretty sure I had seen everything. Now there are ships in space that just go.

Where do you dock to get food?

And let me gess: I need to call you Captain Jim now.

We've actually got replicators. They make food, pretty hand. Spock knows all the specifics.

'Guess'. And it's Captain Kirk. But Jim's just fine, too.

And I have a mom, she makes food too.

I mean where do you dock to get more food? And what’s a Spock?

Guess, thanks.

I like Jim a lot better. You can just call me Cora, too. No titles.

[help]

No, I mean they make fully cooked meals out of [well there's science involved and protein vats and-- you know what--] thin air. Like magic.

Spock is my first officer. Great guy.

Cora. What sort of title would you have, exactly?

So replicators are technology magic, but not magic?

[She’s starting to think he has no idea what he’s even saying anymore.]

I’d like to meet him. Avatar Cora, but I just like Cora. Names are more friendly than titles.

[brb doing the Captainly Facepalm for the Ages over here.]

It's complicated.

[WHERE IS SPOCK WHEN HE NEEDS HIM OH MY GOD?]

What's an 'Avatar'?

It’s a magic oven. Made of technology.

Are you sure you’re the Captain of this ~~boat~~ ship in space with the stars?

[And not drunk?] I’d really like to meet this Spock friend.

Avatar?

[Uh-oh.]

Now that is complicated.

Edited 2013-07-05 21:01 (UTC)

I push a button and there's food. End of story. It takes a form of protein and re-atomizes it [or something] to resemble whatever you want to eat. It happens at a cellular level, I have no idea how to explain that to someone who doesn't have at least a formative grasp of the technology involved to begin with.

He's a bit of a stick in the mud, but I'm sure he wouldn't say no. He could help with your English, too.

Wait, what?

I couldn't read half of that, but I'm starting to like your "like magic" explanation better.

I'm actually working on my kolecshun of older stick in the mud people, so that's fine.

I think the Avatar thing would be easier to ecksplayn when everyone gets their powers back. A lot of people have a hard time understanding what I am because of how different my world is from theirs.

Any technology sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic, and all.

[Yes he did just quote Clarke, because deep down Jim Kirk is kind of a lit nerd.]

'Collection' and 'explain'.

Oh yeah? Try me. I've seen a lot of weird stuff in my time.

Collection, got that one now. Oh, explanation and explain. I get it now! Thank you.

So you can't even tell if it's magic or not either? [At least, that's how she's reading that quote as.]

I'll have to switch to video for that. And you may want to get something to eat, it could take a while.

You're doing great. Keep it up.

-- No, no. I know it's technology. It's a quote from an old writer on my world.

Switch away.

[But he does take her advice since, well, it's nearly lunch time.]

[Now's a good time for her to try out that fish jerky she's been drying out. On the chewy side, but otherwise good.]

All right Jim. Here we go.

[She'll even try to not be chewing too loudly while talking.]

My world has Four Nations. The Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. Sometimes people are born with the gift to bend.

That is they can manipulate the element of the nation they were born in. So a firebender would be from the Fire Nation and an earthbender would be from the Earth Kingdom.

[Korra actually smiled at this part, whenever she gave that example it was always with Mako and Bolin in mind.]

Now the Avatar is actually the spirit of the planet in physical, human form and exists to maintain balance in the world. Mostly when it comes to bending since the Avatar is the only one who can bend more than one element. All four actually, and learning them can be a pain.

[Time for another stick of jerky.]

When the Avatar dies, their spirit gets reincarnated to a bender from the next nation in the cycle. Earth, Fire, Air, and Water is the order it goes in. I was born in the Southern Water Tribe, which means the last Avatar was an Air Nomad. Each time the Avatar is born, they have to learn the elements and fulfill their role as protector of the people.

There's also the Avatar's connection to the Spirit World, but I haven't had much experience with that part yet. [She is just seventeen after all. Not a spiritual prodigy like SOME OTHER Avatars were.]

Oh. And I can also talk to the spirits of the past Avatars, but that's kind of a new thing for me.

[She points to her half eaten stick of jerky.]

You should try this. Best idea I've ever had.

[His expression is attentive as she talks, and when she finishes he opens his mouth. Closes it.

Opens it again, carefully.

You know what? It's not any weirder than the touch-telepathy of the Vulcans, or the psi-abilities that Mitchell had before-- everything. It's definitely not weirder than pink jellyfish monsters that could envelop people's heads.

Like. Not even remotely on the same tier of 'what the actual fuck', there.]

Huh.

[Yep, that's all he's got. The ever-eloquent James T Kirk, ladies and gentlemen.]

So it's kind of a Dalai Lama thing. Cool.

[-- and the jerky draws his eye.]

Hey, I never turn down food.

[She's actually impressed there wasn't any questions. A first, and a relief. Some questions became way too complicated, even a couple that she didn't have an answer for.]

Um, dollies are something else on my world. What's a Lama?

[Avatar dollies sounded weird. Cute. But weird.]

Good! You can be my guinea pig. [A smile creeps across her lips.] Apparently I don't have the same tastes as others, so you can tell me if this is tasty enough for everyone else.

Edited (Um, yeah. No courier new in video...) 2013-07-08 00:58 (UTC)

No, it's-- uh. It's a title, 'Dalai Lama'. [He stresses the individual syllables a tiny bit, just to make the distinction clearer.] He or she is the spiritual leader of an Earth-based religion, Tibetan Buddhism? Don't-- [he waves a hand] don't ask me to explain, I'm not really the religious type. Basically he's said to be reincarnated.

[OR... SOMETHING...]

Oh come on, how bad can it be?

Ooooh. That’s his title, okay. [That small distinction really helped. Though Korra did think dolly lamas sounded cute, even though she had no idea what it would look like. She opened her mouth to ask for a detailed explanation about the similarities and difference between the Avatar and the Dalai Lama, but closed it when Jim insisted to be spared.] Reincarnated spiritual leader. Got it. [Actually, that raised about a few hundred more questions, but Korra just sat on those to spring on someone else.]

Have you tried sea prunes? [Asked as flatly as possible, assured what the answer would be. Everyone has, they’re everywhere and apparently taste awful. A cheap, plentiful food source for Korra though.]

I didn’t season the jerky with them if you have. [She felt the need to add that in. Scaring off a potential taste tester would be bad.]

When would you like to try some? [As dried meat, it would keep for a long time. Perfect for rationing out fish that normally go bad after a couple of days if not frozen.]

Nope, but I have had Andorian wedding stew, which purportedly knocks about thirty percent of everyone who tries it unconscious, and that didn't kill me.

[He sounds probably more proud of this than anyone should be. Ever. But that's okay, he's Jim Kirk. He's got more pride than all the lions in-- wherever lions are these days.]

Whenever? It's not like there's a list of pressing social engagements on my agenda.

Wow, no, nothing like that. But if you want to try sea prune stew, you can! I made a fresh batch the other day. [Possibly finding someone who doesn’t think sea prunes are Satan’s turds dropped in the ocean and were actually quite tasty was a victory to Korra. After all, two water tribes can’t be wrong, right?]

Don’t worry, it’s not a wedding thing, just a Water Tribe dish. Hm, maybe dipping the jerky in the stew…

[Saving that experiment for later, Korra gave Jim a thumbs up.]

Glad to hear you’re not popular either! [That didn’t sound quite right actually, but Korra rolled along anyway.] What sector are you in? Unless you want to head over to mine at ME-2B.

[And then as an afterthought:] You’re not secretly some kind of ’creepy’ guy, are you? Because you seem like a nice captain, and I don’t want this to turn out bad.

[Bad meaning pummel and physically throw outside.]

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