BWI Airport, Portalocity Lounge

[sciclone]

So ... this was the East coast, huh?

Cosima wasn't sure what she had expected to see, and the bland nothing of an airport lounge wasn't giving her much of an impression of her new home yet. She felt a sudden twist of worry mixed with homesickness. Maybe she shouldn't have obeyed the impulsiveness that had led her to transfer to some tiny boarding school thousands of miles from home. Not that San Francisco was doing anything great for her lately, but at least she knew people there.

If she looked at it logically, she knew not to let her nerves wreck the experience. School would be fine, and if it wasn't, she could go home at the end of the summer -- or even sooner if she wanted. But logic wasn't the easiest thing to have when you were 16 and alone in a strange airport.

She lounged in a hard airport chair, earbuds in, and poked at her phone until she found a new science podcast to listen to. It was comforting.

Comments

The Trip to Fandom!

[sciclone]

Meet your drivers and get on ye olde shuttle bus!

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[suitably_heroic]

"This galaxy's technology," Atton muttered under his breath as he futzed around with the dashboard from his seat behind the wheel. Or, well, eyeballed it, because there wasn't much to futz around with. He could drive just fine, he'd had plenty of classes and even some practice. Didn't mean he wasn't wishing for a large speeder right now.

Anyway, he was there, being the slightly friendlier half of your driving pair this morning. Hope you enjoy your trip!

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[wrongkindofsith]

"Is this thing meant to be making that noise?" Cara there were reasons you weren't the one behind the wheel. This would be one of them.

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[suitably_heroic]

"Yes," Atton said. "Unfortunately. You'd think they'd have gotten that one ironed out already. Stupid ancient technology..."

Look who you're talking to, Rand.

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[wrongkindofsith]

One of the only other sane people on the island? "I still don't see the appeal," she said. "Horses take longer, but at least there's a least one working brain involved."

She had a low opinion of their fellow road users.

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[suitably_heroic]

"I guess," Atton said.

Horses. So ridiculously low-tech. Maybe useful in a crunch, he wasn't going to count them out, but really.

"Personally, I'd like a nice big speeder here. It'd shave off so much time, and we'd be under less risk of crashing and burning."

On the upside, nobody was likely to start shooting at the bus, which put it a whole few notches above the last few things Atton had been put in control of.

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[wrongkindofsith]

But getting shot at would be such a valuable learning experience for the students they were here to collect.

"We could always make them walk," Cara suggested. "Tell them it builds character."

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[suitably_heroic]

Yeah, but people always put the blame on Atton when he inevitably found himself forced to crash-land the vehicle.

"Tempting," Atton admitted, "But I think just getting through the picnic is probably going to force them to build character enough. Or run to their rooms because they think everyone at their new school is on fancy hallucinogenics."

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[wrongkindofsith]

That was because Cara wasn't allowed to drive, due to the school administration being only mostly insane.

"So we're not warning them about the pony?" That was cruel, Cara.

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[suitably_heroic]

"I kinda like having the pony on the island as like, a shock-jolt," Atton said, shrugging. "I mean, she's a very tangible way of telling these students 'either what you're being told is true, or you're on hallucinogenics too, so you might as well roll with it'."

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[wrongkindofsith]

"An agiel to the ribs does have a way of convincing people," Cara agreed. "How many of them do you think she'll break?"

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[sciclone]

"Is the bus broken?" Cosima asked the driver as she boarded the bus. "'Cause that would be a problem."

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[suitably_heroic]

"Nah, the bus is fine, just slower than I'd like it to be," Atton said, glancing over his shoulder. "Hey, new kid."

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[sciclone]

"Too bad we can't just teleport, right?" Cosima said with a philosophical shrug. "And I usually go by Cosima, but I can deal with new kid."

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[suitably_heroic]

"Well, I was going to ask Cara to hand out name tags, but that might not end well," Atton said.

After a beat, he added, "...Professor Cara. The woman in red. But welcome. We're here for questions and transportation."

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[sciclone]

"Cara," Cosima repeated, and took advantage of the opportunity to give the woman another good look. "I don't know if I have questions yet? Everything's just sort of ... new and confusing. Transport, though, would totally rock."

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[suitably_heroic]

"New and confusing, and you haven't even gotten to the island yet," Atton mused. "That'll be interesting. But hey, sit your ass down, we'll get there."

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[wrongkindofsith]

The less friendly half of your drivers stood by the door of the bus, a completely approachable figure in red leather.

"Anyone who doesn't want to walk to Fandom needs to get moving," Cara called out. "And be quick about it."

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[sciclone]

Annnnd there went any lingering doubts Cosima might have had about liking girls. Cara in red leather made quite an impression.

"I'm ready!" she said, stuffing her suitcase into the luge hold. "Could we walk if we had to? I mean, not that I'm going to because bus, but how far is it?"

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[wrongkindofsith]

Cara's ego would've been gratified by Cosima's narrative. None of her self-worth issues related to her attractiveness.

"Far enough that you really don't want to." She was better at reckoning distances from maps than from driving times. "More than a few leagues."

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[sciclone]

Leagues? Okay, that was kind of randomly old-timey.

"I thought leagues were archaic," Cosima remarked. "You know, like fortnights or cubits."

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[wrongkindofsith]

Leagues were a standard unit of measurement in the Midlands.

"Why would anyone use cubits? Unless everyone has the same length arm where you come from."

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[boneyard_girl]

"Not it! No walking!" Ada yelped, tossing her duffel bag in the back and climbing in after it. "That's way too far to cover by foot!"

By fin... assuming she remembered where she was going, it'd be easy. But walking there in shoes that didn't quite fit was not top of Ada's list of things to do.

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[wrongkindofsith]

"Good choice," Cara said dryly.

Re: The Trip to Fandom!

[goforthe_optics]

Well, it was roomier than the Mako, although Tali was, out of habit, listening closely to the sound of the engine to see if she could figure out what might need tuning up, though unfamiliar as she was with combustion engines, that might prove tricky.

She made sure her luggage was safely stowed away and settled in for the ride. It would probably be fine; she doubted this bus was equipped for ridiculous vertical climbs. Besides, what were the odds that anyone in the galaxy was an even worse driver than Shepard?