Afterparty 5.0

[forcegalactic]

[There's not much that can be believed about that trial. Or that execution. Still, like before, two hours after everyone leaves, they'll find a note slipped underneath their doors.]

We have to stick together. The dining room is there for anyone that needs a quiet space, and I cooked dinner.

Hibiki made some coffee and dessert for all of us.

-Mordecai Benmont Jiminy and Hibiki Ganaha

[Today's selection includes potato pancakes and a light coffee cake. Hibiki has lit two more candles in the dining hall. It doesn't take long before Mordecai lights a third.]

Comments

[forcegalactic]

Naw, learned it from my family. When you don't got access to everythin' the Earth has to offer, you have to learn to make due with whatever's available at hand. Ginger tea's one of the oldest tricks in the book.

[He looks at his own folded hands. Ever since he talked with Susan last week, it's been on his mind. How terrible his universe seems to be in comparison to others, but in some cases, better. He had killer robots and government mandated gladiator-esque tournaments for teenagers, she had incompetent police. When danger is everywhere, it tends to bring out better things in people, he guesses.]

Don't know. Grew up in a place like that, I try to keep fights out of my saloon as much as I can, but it don't always work. It's just another way of dealin' with what life gives you, and it ain't like most places are safer.

...So if a stranger dies, I know better than to weep over it. If it's a friend, th-that's different. [He suddenly realizes that he's hungry. Let's ignore that for now.] Remember when I said I can bring folks back to life with my space powers? I found that out when I recalled bringin' my best friend back when he got accidentally shot. Didn't think of revivin' the scientist what put us all in danger, just my friend.

Because I cared about him.

And that's sorta what's been happenin' here. I'm startin' to care a lot more than I expected for all of ya, and that means I can't lock myself in my room and hope nothin' bad happens. Not after Ashley and Rakka and Morty. And I won't let anyone else make a terrible decision to murder us all.

[heymcfly]

You don't got access? [ Marty feels like a parrot, repeating the things that the Barkeep says. ] You mean you can't get stuff that other places around the Earth can? [ Everybody had that problem, but at least you could make due with the other shit you had. Right?

He's quiet as Mordecai tells his tale, and it's...heartbreaking, to be honest. Marty can't imagine living in a place where you see people die so often you just kind of dismiss it. How many people had he seen pass in his saloon? How did he go on knowing that what he wants to be safe isn't? Did he ever think he was next?

It makes him sad. Mordecai was probably the nicest guy he's met so far, and he had to be almost conditioned to like the people around here. That probably meant that the recent deaths were all the more harder on him, though. Jesus.

Marty swallows, before taking a deeper swig of his tea. He's a lot more thankful for it, all of a sudden. ] How did you live like that? Knowing that shit like that happens and you just...deal with it?

[forcegalactic]

Well, yes. We have plenty of medical supplies - how else can we be safe without it - but seein' that Mars is mighty far, we can't depend on the fanciest tech to fix everythin'. That's why it's considered the frontier planet: we're roughin' it out together.

[That's why his parents decided to move there despite the harsh conditions. They wanted to live independently, somewhere that the Earth's government wouldn't reach easily. Strike out a new life.]

...I dunno. That's how life is when you're far from any military outpost. You can't get too worked up every single time someone gets shot, or eaten, or hit by a science gun. It's better to work together and face danger together, but you can't live on Mars without knowin' what you're gettin' into.

[heymcfly]

Jesus. [ Marty can't imagine half of that shit. Living on a different planet, but unable to rely on technology. Didn't that stuff get them there in the first place? It was like they jumped lightyears ahead in history, but had to depend on the Wild West to at least survive. Was there something wrong with that, or...?

He shakes his head, suddenly miserable. Or more miserable than he already was. ] I wouldn't make it an hour on Mars. [ He gives the Barkeep a sad kind of look. ] That's not fair for anyone to go through that shit.

[forcegalactic]

[They do have the technology, but it's expensive and not always worth the cost to ship supplies somewhere so remote as the human settlements on Mars. Life may be more comfortable there than in 1985, but there was still the instability of living far from civilization.]

No, it's not for everyone. Most humans still live on Earth. Billions of people, and they're normally much better of than we are, even if the Earth government might not be all too great. [Like turning the Moon colony into Panem.] But it's my home, and there's nowhere else I'd rather be.

[heymcfly]

Jesus. [ It's...kind of nice to hear that, actually. Being so dedicated to your home, being comfortable with it and yourself. It's different than his first set of parents. It's a change, one that he really, really likes to be honest. ]

'S good you like it so much. I'd be kinda afraid to leave. Least to the moon, or whatever.

[forcegalactic]

Well, it's got it's problems, sure, but I like it for what it is.

[Wide red plains, a place where a man can watch the stars and find peace and quiet. When there are no gangs of robots robbing banks, of course.]

No problem with that, Besides, the Moon ain't the best of places to live, anyway. And if you're interested in time travelin', I'm sure Earth would still be the best destination for you.