I’ve traveled all this way for something

[maskormods]

WHO: YOU.
WHERE: Eden East's cruiseship
WHEN: Saturday February 15th, around 5 PM EST
WHAT: Registration in motion... among other things.
WARNINGS: None anticipated; let us know if this should be edited.

" The new frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises -- it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook -- it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security. But I tell you the new frontier is here, whether we seek it or not. "
( from jfk's speech "the new frontier," 7/15/1960. )

The sun hasn't set yet and the temperature hovers somewhere just below 70 degrees this evening; imPorts, both recently arrived and not, will have been escorted to this event so that they can meet each other, have a good time, and of course officially state their registration status. Or lack thereof. It's your decision, they emphasize, even though the unspoken "but" is always there.

It's an elaborate spread, certainly much more elegant than last time. Eden East herself, elegant in her backless champagne-colored dress, meets and greets each and every imPort as she flutters to and fro. She'll find you and chat for a few moments, shaking your hand and complimenting your dress. She'll know your name, and she'll have an entourage of aids and cameras following her wake. Captain Holiday, in contrast, maintains the energy of someone who feels out of place holding the Swear-In ceremony somewhere so extravagant. As imPorts arrive he tells them where to be for the ceremony part of the evening, but that they are free to enjoy themselves until then and after.

( Please state your character's official status -- REGISTERED or UNSETTLED -- in the subject header of your thread. Characters who are UNDECIDED may be contacted later in the week for their decision via their IC contact post. )

Comments

[boobwindow]

[ Her lips press together in a discomforted line. ]

I don't know much about your world, but I figure not everyone can afford the risk. It's not right that, what, the one person who can show his face to the world is the one making a call like that.

[ She's going to run in Max later. It'll be fun. ]

[smarterthandad]

[If Peej needs a psi-shield, Val knows how to build 'em.]

I'm not justifying his decision-making. I'm just telling you the factors that went into it.

[Gosh, Ms. Starr.]

More than anything, Mr. Stark is a futurist. He's focused on end states, not the process of getting there, and is capable of formidable and accurate predictive leaps that seemingly bypass any intermediary logic. But what he's not good at is filling in the gaps between now and the future he's envisioning. That's why he needed Dad.

[Val's very observant. It's just what she does with the observations that betray her lack of emotional development.]

[boobwindow]

[ Either way, it all sounds a load of bullshit from Tony. He doesn't have the right, she feels. Who knows how many in the community had loved ones threatened or hurt because of Tony's decision to bulldoze them with registration. ]

It sounds like another ugly moment in American history. Assuming it was mostly on our soil.

[smarterthandad]

It was a United States law, but the US has by far the largest number of superhumans and the most powerful teams, so the reach was functionally global.

[Val finds nation-state distinctions silly and fundamentally retrograde.]

[boobwindow]

[ ... Maybe Val is actually a robot.

Kidding, but the way she spouts information doesn't go unnoticed by Karen. In fact, she decides to put aside the cumbersome subject. She doesn't know how Tony spends time with Val and if she's getting the proper attention she needs. There's the mysterious other roommate she doesn't know much about.

She reaches for a utensil to scoop some tiramisu onto her plate. ]

Thanks, Val. I appreciate you explaining. [ She gestures to the table. ] Tiramisu?

[smarterthandad]

You should ask some of the mutants for their perspective, too. Like Storm.

[Val's terrible at emotions, no question, but she's also discussing something that barely impinged on her consciousness when it happened--and she's Reed and Sue Richards' daughter. She'll be protected whatever happens, and even if she doesn't think about it consciously, she's on some level aware of the fact.]

Yes, please.

[Sugaaaaaaar. She's so glad Karen understands.]

[boobwindow]

Mutants?

[ She's heard it over the network before, but not many names attached to it. She wasn't sure there were any here.

With a smile she scoops a small piece of tiramisu and slowly sets it onto Val's plate. ]

Try not to eat too much of this stuff or your stomach's going to regret it.

[smarterthandad]

In my universe, some people have a specific gene that gives them powers, which usually manifest at puberty. The first time a registration act was passed, it only targeted mutants.

[Val's sure Karen can figure out how racist that is on her own, and is more interested in her tiramisu.]

It's okay; I skipped lunch.

[Intentionally. So she could stuff herself at the buffet.]

[boobwindow]

[ Yep, that is pretty damn racist. Okay, next step: talk to "Storm" and see what went down with mutants during this registration business. She reminds herself to steel herself when the time comes.

For now, she's going to enjoy her own plate of tiramisu and make sure Valeria doesn't barf out her food or get a sugar high. ]

You shouldn't be skipping meals at all.

peej what are you wearing

[smarterthandad]

[Wait until you hear about Sentinels, Karen!]

I don't do it habitually, but it takes approximately three weeks for a human to starve, and this [she points at the buffet with her fork in an oddly adult gesture--but stop pointing with your utensils, Val] is sufficiently better than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to justify passing discomfort.

[It's all very rational, you see.]

a thought balloon (she doesn't know)

[boobwindow]

[ She offers her a fork to go with her cake before picking up one for herself and cutting a small slice. ]

That's not really the point. Your body is still growing and you'll make yourself sick and worry others.

[ At least she isn't staving herself for self-conscious reasons. ]

[smarterthandad]

[Because Fantastic Four life, Val's met her future self and knows she has nothing to worry about on that front. Besides, if her appearance were a concern, she'd invent a way to deal with it far more effective than dieting.]

I understand human metabolism and I'm not going to get sick.

[Jeez! Val cannot believe she is getting a lecture on this when she already explained the optimization involved.]

[boobwindow]

[ Though she hasn't lived with three year olds in the Brownstone, she has lived with young teenagers who have likely argued silly things in the past. She has a temper and admittedly loses it fast, but not all the time. ]

As long as you aren't skipping your meals.

But you're right about the food. [ She lifts her fork, biting off the piece of cake at its end and savouring the taste for a moment before swallowing. ] It's top notch.

[smarterthandad]

[It's hard to lose your temper with a little girl in a poofy pink party dress, even when that little girl is being a brat.

Then again, there's that time Norman Osborn tried to shoot her.]

I don't get to go to adult parties, usually.

[Staying up past her bedtime and all.]

[boobwindow]

[ She grins down at the young girl. ]

I didn't think so.

[ She takes another bite out of her cake and hums pleasantly. ]

Is your other housemate here? I'd hope Tony wouldn't leave you alone for too long.

[ Or did she wander off? She has a feeling it's the latter. ]

[smarterthandad]

Peter? Yeah, I came with him. But it's not like I'm gonna stick a fork in an electric socket if not constantly supervised or anything.

[She will eat nothing but sugar, though. And possibly strike a deal with a supervillain behind everyone's backs.]

[boobwindow]

I was thinking something less morbid. Like making sure you don't get lost.

[ So, she probably can't get lost. Whatever, she's a teeny child!! ]

You having fun?

[smarterthandad]

Not a concern.

[Her memory is nearly perfect and if she does somehow lose track of where she is, she's hardly the type to panic.

Val looks down at her plate, then around at the room.]

Not really.

[boobwindow]

[ Her smile drops for a split second before she perks up again. ]

We should fix that. There's got to be something on board that's interesting.

[ Unless it's a ridiculous request then Karen is saying no. Like making deals with supervillains. ]

[smarterthandad]

[The only one she knows is here is Osborn, and she'd rather drop him into an active volcano.]

I wouldn't mind a look at the engine room. Given the higher technological baseline, it's almost certainly not internal combustion.

[Fun with supergenius children.]

[boobwindow]

I don't know if we would be allowed anywhere near it.

[ Never mind security is almost non-existent tonight. ]

[smarterthandad]

I can turn us invisible and bypass any alarms.

And if we get busted, I act my age and you claim I wandered off.

[Valeria Richards: menace 2 society]

[boobwindow]

Nice try. How about something that doesn't involve trouble?

[ She understands she's really young, but — ]

Isn't there anything else you like to do?

[smarterthandad]

[Ka-ren. She thought you were cool.]

...Math.

[Basically she schemes and does science and that's it.]

1/2

[boobwindow]

[ Well, now she can see why Tony is having some... complications. ]