responsiblecaptain

[responsiblecaptain]

Alright, I’m in.

Yes there is! But I'm joking anyway. I have higher standards than that.

- 🐈‍⬛ @kylarcat

I feel like you aren’t. I swear I’ve heard you say otherwise…

[responsiblecaptain]

GET THAT ANIME BOY OUT OF HERE

…

What colors do you have.

Yes there is! But I'm joking anyway. I have higher standards than that.

- 🐈‍⬛ @kylarcat

I feel like you aren’t. I swear I’ve heard you say otherwise…

[responsiblecaptain]

“ If I’m going to be your captain, I ought to have good manners. Though I’d do it regardless… I’m well trained. ”

He leads her off, walking a little faster than usual for her sake.

{Deep breath. Confidence. And god forbid this is torture-} "..Uhm.. Curly." {Shes fidgeting with the bottom of her shirt and chewing on her lip.} "..I need a 'favor'.. if you'll allow it." {She hasn't gotten laid in a hot minute and its becoming painful at this point.} "I-i get the company probably doesn't allow anything like this, but-" "..can you possibly maybe sleep with me??"

-@specialgalofthetulpar

Grant blinks in surprise. Not every day someone comes to him with the question…

… But she’s warm and pretty and willing, and he only really needed one of those.

“ Alright. Sure. Pony Express doesn’t need to know. When? ”

[responsiblecaptain]

the sun left us years ago 😔 the cold dark with ye

▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰

#wish i was JOGGING rn!!! #i neeed sun #what if i become as pale as curly #😧

they (swansea) hate me (cold) for girlbossing (laying on the heater) and also the crimes (burning myself on the heater)

▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰

#it just feels so good #i feel like a little baby bird #in an incubator #mmm toasty

[responsiblecaptain]

Obviously!

It’s just not your business most of the time.

Yes there is! But I'm joking anyway. I have higher standards than that.

- 🐈‍⬛ @kylarcat

I feel like you aren’t. I swear I’ve heard you say otherwise…

[responsiblecaptain]

they (swansea) hate me (cold) for girlbossing (laying on the heater) and also the crimes (burning myself on the heater)

▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰

#it just feels so good #i feel like a little baby bird #in an incubator #mmm toasty

[responsiblecaptain]

His smug expression falls in an instant, though it’s unclear what emotion he’s feeling presently. He resembles Jimmy in that regard- staring with a hollow gaze, dead eyes that almost look to be glaring, but not quite. His expression is simply firm…

That is, until he opts to relax back into a smile, trying to appear nonthreatening as he was before.

“ Captain, huh? I could get used to that… ”

Curly chuckles a little to himself, then offers out a hand.

“ Right this way. ”

{Deep breath. Confidence. And god forbid this is torture-} "..Uhm.. Curly." {Shes fidgeting with the bottom of her shirt and chewing on her lip.} "..I need a 'favor'.. if you'll allow it." {She hasn't gotten laid in a hot minute and its becoming painful at this point.} "I-i get the company probably doesn't allow anything like this, but-" "..can you possibly maybe sleep with me??"

-@specialgalofthetulpar

Grant blinks in surprise. Not every day someone comes to him with the question…

… But she’s warm and pretty and willing, and he only really needed one of those.

“ Alright. Sure. Pony Express doesn’t need to know. When? ”

[responsiblecaptain]

That just happens. That doesn’t mean I’m attracted to men. I can name three different men I’ve had sex with that I’m not attracted to. Happens with women too. It’s real easy to do.

Yes there is! But I'm joking anyway. I have higher standards than that.

- 🐈‍⬛ @kylarcat

I feel like you aren’t. I swear I’ve heard you say otherwise…

[responsiblecaptain]

You’re cute because you’re basically a catperson. That’s not the same.

I’m not attracted to men. They just end up attracted to me. It’s a whole ordeal.

Yes there is! But I'm joking anyway. I have higher standards than that.

- 🐈‍⬛ @kylarcat

I feel like you aren’t. I swear I’ve heard you say otherwise…

[responsiblecaptain]

@kylarcat

[responsiblecaptain]

I’ve had my share. Sooner or later, the ladies always fol-

I’M NOT A HOMOSEXUAL?

Yes there is! But I'm joking anyway. I have higher standards than that.

- 🐈‍⬛ @kylarcat

I feel like you aren’t. I swear I’ve heard you say otherwise…

[responsiblecaptain]

Anya’s head is craned down over her circuit board when the knock on the door catches her attention. She glances up to see Curly, solemn.

“ Oh, hey! Uh- come in, what’s up? ”

She expects him to break into a smile and get to joking, but he doesn’t. Only now does she notice the sheet of paper held tightly in hand. Firm, as if willing it not to blow away in a storm but not enough to crinkles it.

“ Curly, ” she tries again. “ You’re scaring me a little. What’s up? ”

“ … There’s something I need to tell you. ” His stony expression doesn’t waver.

Her eyes go wide and she nods, pulling up the second seat and offering it for him. He gladly takes a place next to her.

“ Captain hasn’t told you this- or me, or anyone as a matter of fact. I found this hidden in the cockpit. Our cockpit. ”

In front of her, he lays out the sheet of paper. A notice of termination for the crew of the Tulpar- not theirs, but another one.

“ They’ve been fired. Pony Express is going under. And there’s no reason for him to have this unless he believed it was going to happen to us as well. ”

“ Oh my god. ”

“ All of this has been for nothing, and he didn’t even want to share. ”

“ Oh my god… ”

“ And he’ll walk away with a big pat on the back, and leave the rest of us in the dust. It has orders not to share with the crew to begin with. He was going to let us be surprised by it, and ruin our lives. ”

“ For eight years… I- ”

“ I want you to keep it. ”

Anya blinks away tears as she looks at Grant, confused.

“ Why me? ”

“ So you can tell Daisuke and Swansea. ”

“ So we can figure out what to do without him. ”

[responsiblecaptain]

Fine then, keep your secrets.

Sooner or later, things will change. I’m sure you’ll get lucky eventually. ‘Til then, the waiting game is your friend.

Yes there is! But I'm joking anyway. I have higher standards than that.

- 🐈‍⬛ @kylarcat

I feel like you aren’t. I swear I’ve heard you say otherwise…

[responsiblecaptain]

I’ve never been one to get serious with anyone else anyways. Does no good to be held down like that, the most “serious” I’ve ever been with a person was sharing a dorm with James for four years and I barely tolerated that. I’m just never going to be a relationship type bloke, and that’s fine by me.

… You’ve got an eye on someone though, huh? How’s that going for you? Who’s the lucky someone?

Yes there is! But I'm joking anyway. I have higher standards than that.

- 🐈‍⬛ @kylarcat

I feel like you aren’t. I swear I’ve heard you say otherwise…

[responsiblecaptain]

Not really. I thought you were just a bit of a loser sometimes.

Though… we’re at least friends, aren’t we?

Yes there is! But I'm joking anyway. I have higher standards than that.

- 🐈‍⬛ @kylarcat

I feel like you aren’t. I swear I’ve heard you say otherwise…

[responsiblecaptain]

Oh.

Well, when you’re on a ship for a year and everyone else but you is on the spectrum, you start to get very different impressions of how people normally interact.

Yes there is! But I'm joking anyway. I have higher standards than that.

- 🐈‍⬛ @kylarcat

I feel like you aren’t. I swear I’ve heard you say otherwise…

[responsiblecaptain]

“ Same as always, honestly. Ca- uh. Kirk’s the only one whos struggling to adapt. Everyone else has sort of accepted it. Just is what it is. We’ll bear it until we get home, I guess… ”

“ We’ve seen plenty doubles. And variants too. The people we thought we knew but not quite. Real freaky… ”

“ Are things normal on your end? Nothing bleeding out? It would be bad if this spread… ”

[Incoming Transmission]

“Heeelllo Hello! Oh What Fun, It’s Like A Game! I Wonder Who I’ll Play With This Time!”

[ @candycraze-medicalhaze ]

Anya shouldn't be in here. Not at all. There's no reason for her to be alone in the cockpit other than snooping around- but it's rewarded by an unexpected transmission.

" Oh, uh... "

As she holds the receiver close, she puts on a steadier voice.

" Hello? This is, um. Captain Musume...? "

What? What? What is she saying? She can't stop now.

" Captain Musume of the Oasis...? Yeah, Captain Musume of the Oasis. Who am I talking to? "