GMP (gratuitous muse post)

[urbandruid]

Because I still can't sort this crap out in my head...


irina_derevko: So. How's it going, then?
urbandruid: *sighs* It's kind of, you know... not.
irina_derevko: How did you decide last time?
urbandruid: You mean with you?
irina_derevko: Yes
urbandruid: Well, I started with shadow_anna, because Star suggested her to me...
irina_derevko: And then I came next.
urbandruid: Right. I was thinking about a second muse, and I really wanted you. Because you're, you know, cool and stuff.
irina_derevko: *smiles* Thank you.
urbandruid: You're welcome.
irina_derevko: And after me came...
urbandruid: jaina_muse, right.
irina_derevko: So perhaps the question should be, how did you end up with Jaina?
urbandruid: I made a list of all the people I'd like to play, and started weeding through it. Most of the people who came back for the 4th muse trials were on that list; Stark and Mara, and a few others I got rid of before I typed the round 4 list...
irina_derevko: *nods* So how did you narrow it down to Jaina?
urbandruid: *sighs* That's the problem, I don't remember. I kind of just- did. I figured out I didn't really want to play another Alias muse, so that weeded out Sydney and Jack, and I realized that a lot of the others on the list were just reflex; like I love Mara, but I don't seem to have a lot of luck writing her these days.
irina_derevko: And then?
urbandruid: That left me with a few obscure book characters, Penny Clearwater from Harry Potter, and Jaina.
irina_derevko: And you fell in love with Jaina.
urbandruid: Yep. I'd been wanting to write her a lot, and I thought this would give me a chance. Like it gave me an excuse to write Anna fic, and to try and figure you out...
irina_derevko: *nods* So you've never been in a situation before, with this, where you had to chose between two real possibilities?
urbandruid: Exactly.
irina_derevko: Hm. *looks over the intro fics*
urbandruid: Help? Please?
irina_derevko: Stark is...a bit less than sane.
urbandruid: Don't get me started. She's not crazy, she's just... really pissed off.
irina_derevko: That, too.
urbandruid: But what do you think?
irina_derevko: I like her. And I don't like her.
urbandruid: *sighs* Thank you, Irina. That was very cryptic.
irina_derevko: You're welcome. It's the best I can do, I'm afraid. Pellaeon has less backstory in your mind, but possibly more depth.
urbandruid: It comes with age, I think.
irina_derevko: *shakes head* Stark isn't that young, though. You did the math.
urbandruid: You trust my numbers?
irina_derevko: Point. But still.
urbandruid: Right. But I don't think we can exclude her just because of... whatever. Come on, Irina- she's smart, bitter, pissed at the world- shouldn't you be offering her a job or something?
irina_derevko: Oh yes. Because I have so many uses for an unstable pirate captain in my organization...
urbandruid: Don't give me unstable. You mentored Sark, you worked with Sloane.
irina_derevko: Touche.
urbandruid: Let's talk Pellaeon for a bit though.
irina_derevko: Pellaeon, in a way, reminds me of Jack.
urbandruid: Oh?
irina_derevko: Part of it, I'm sure, is the, you'll forgive the expression, sense of warm fuzziness you feel towards a particular sort of male character in that age range.
urbandruid: Yeah, well... *shrug* I'm through with younger men.
irina_derevko: And so you should be. But he does remind me of Jack. There is a quiet ruthlessness there. For some time people don't notice this man, because he is in the shadow of greatness of those like Thrawn, or obscured by the stupidity of Daala. But he is capable of more than people think. When those conspirators threatened his friend-
urbandruid: Yeah, he did sort of kick ass and take names, didn't he?
irina_derevko: Exactly. And I think- while at first glance, he isn't someone I would have anything in common with, I could perhaps work with the Admiral.
urbandruid: I just had a very scary image of you with a Star Destroyer.
irina_derevko: Hmm. Do you think-?
urbandruid: Oh, gods. *pause* You want to work for the Imperial Remnant?
irina_derevko: *smiles* Give me a week, darling, maybe less, and I'll be running the Remnant.
urbandruid: He's dealt with this kind of crap before, you know... Hmm. Now there's an idea.
irina_derevko: *surprised* What?
urbandruid: You could be a shadowy political advisor, help him root out conspiracies... Hey, Irina?
irina_derevko: Yes?
urbandruid: You could be the queen of Imperial Intelligence?
irina_derevko: *wanders over to the bookshelf, pulls out The Imperial Sourcebook and begins reading through* Now that's interesting...
urbandruid: ...shit.



shadow_anna: Hey. What's Derevko up to?
urbandruid: Trust me, you really don't want to know. *shrugs, smiles*
shadow_anna: Ah. New muse stuff?
urbandruid: Something like that. It's down to two...
shadow_anna: And you're lost from there.
urbandruid: Yep. Stark and Pellaeon.
shadow_anna: Huh. *peers over her shoulder, looking at the fics* Not bad. Either of them.
urbandruid: *sigh* I know. Oh, why couldn't one of them just suck?
shadow_anna: *laughs* That'd be too easy, I guess.
urbandruid: What do you think about Stark?
shadow_anna: She's... a little disturbing.
urbandruid: So are you.
shadow_anna: Yeah. She reminds me of the Shadow- and of me, when I get really angry about things. If she joins up, though, Morden's going to...
urbandruid: Yeah. I know. She's already kind of heading in that direction.
shadow_anna: And I didn't think she could get much more screwed up. (Though I shouldn't throw stones, I guess...)
urbandruid: Maybe you're just the person to throw them, because of that. *shrugs* Okay. Movin' on. Pellaeon.
shadow_anna: *smiles, looking relieved* He's easier.
urbandruid: Yeah?
shadow_anna: Yeah. I like him. He's got pain, and angst, and all of that sort of stuff, but at heart- he's a good man. I keep thinking about his son, and I just want to cry.
urbandruid: I know, I know... It's strange, you know? You're the nice one, and you see his good side. Irina, who is ruthless, sees that he could be that.
shadow_anna: And I'm guessing neither of us was much help?
urbandruid: Yes and no. I'm still not close to a decision, but you have interesting perspectives on things, both of you.
shadow_anna: Talk to Jaina. And- here's another idea. You still have those other seaQuest muses running around, right?
urbandruid: Oh, gods. Them. I don't think any of them are speaking to Stark...
shadow_anna: I'm sure not, but you're going to talk to Jaina, who knows Pellaeon and likes him. You should talk to someone who knows Stark.
urbandruid: And likes her?
shadow_anna: I think we've pretty much discovered that the only person who fits that second category is you.
urbandruid: Huh. You may have something there, though... Thanks, Anna.
shadow_anna: You're welcome.



urbandruid: Bridger? Kristin? You guys?
Bridger: *rubs sleep from his eyes* What-? Oh. Hi there.
urbandruid: Hi, yourself. Got a minute?
Bridger: Sure thing. What's up?
urbandruid: I wanted to talk to you- and the others- for a bit about Marilyn Stark.
Ford: Oh, God. Now I remember you. You're that girl-
urbandruid: *sigh* Now I remember why I never took you on as a muse. Don't whine at me, Jonathan.
Ford: Yes, ma'am.
urbandruid: Better. Kristin, O'Neil, Ortiz, let's go. C'mon, wake up.
Kristin: Yes, we're here.
Bridger: You serious about this?
urbandruid: Yes.
Bridger: Okay. Stark... *sighs* She's complicated.
Ford: She's crazy.
Bridger: I've never thought it was that simple. Stark is a very troubled person.
urbandruid: *nods* Go on.
Bridger: Her family pushed her hard, harder than was good for her-
Ford: Is this canon?
urbandruid: *shrugs* Hey. He said it, I didn't. Her family is canon, at least as far as being military. So I made a few judgment calls.
Ford: I just don't think Stark is someone we should feel sorry for, that's all.
urbandruid: Yeah. 'Cause your opinion is really unbiased and all.
Kristin: She does have a point.
Ford: Oh, don't you start, too... Look, the woman tried to kill us. How much more information do you need?
urbandruid: A lot, actually. Okay, fine. So you hate her. I can respect that. But can I get just a bit more than "Stark sucks"? Please?
Ford: *sighs* Okay. She used to scare me. Really bad temper- don't piss her off. Really. And- you didn't hear her when she called us from the Delta; I've never seen anybody with that tenuous of a grip on reality. Ranting about there being no innocents in war, and all...
Bridger: She got that crap from her father. Who got it from his father. The Stark way of dealing. Her dad never really got over Vietnam.
Ford: Neither did a lot of people. But she had nothing to do with that-
Bridger: She did. She was born only a couple of years later. Hell, she never had a shot at a normal upbringing, not with Christopher Stark for a father.
Kristin: Wasn't he your friend?
Bridger: Yes, but he was... Somewhere far past paranoia, is Christopher.
Ford: Hey, she's not the first one with a crappy upbringing. We didn't all turn out the way she did.
urbandruid: I've always thought the military thing to do was not question the guy on the spot. Like it was her call, and if you weren't in command then, you can't- *shrug*
Ford: Oh, yeah. 'Cause you know military, and all.
urbandruid: Alright. There's no need to be rude.
Ford: I'm sorry. But I think almost getting killed makes me qualified to judge.
Bridger: You don't know how it would have turned out-
Ford: Yeah. Right. We were this close to World War III, and once it started, it wasn't stopping short of-
urbandruid: Here. *shows him the file* This is what she says.
Ford: We don't care what she says.
Bridger: I care. Give me that... *he reads aloud to the others*
Ford: I take it all back. She's way crazier than I thought.
Bridger: *winces* I had no idea...
Ford: Oh, man. Oh, man... We thought she was nuts before. Look- whatever, okay? I'm out of here. Gonna go find a hole to hide in, and pull it in after me.
Kristin: *sighs* Oh, fine. Run away, then. That will be a great help, I'm sure.
Ford: Help? Help who? Her?
urbandruid: Why not?
Ford: I'll tell you why not. Because she's pissed off and she's gunning for me- for all of us. We took the seaQuest from her, far as she's concerned, and we hurt her, hurt her badly, but we screwed up-
Bridger: Don't say it-
Ford: We screwed up; we didn't kill her. And now she's going to come back to haunt us.
O'Neil: *hesitantly* She has to find us first, though...doesn't she? And that could be hard, considering we're...
Bridger: *rolls eyes* I don't want to hear this, okay? That business with aliens abducting the boat? Let's just not go there. I think I'd rather deal with Marilyn.
urbandruid: I know I would.
Ford: Oh, well, that's typical.
urbandruid: You don't really care about her side of things, do you?
Ford: How many years has it been, and you're the only one who really likes her.
urbandruid: Someone's got to.
Ford: Just pick the other one, okay? Whoever the other one is- I don't even care. This Admiral guy? Him.
urbandruid: Gee. It's a good thing I wasn't looking for an unbiased view here, 'cause...damn.
Bridger: You know, I've got to agree. *skims the second document* He's not bad, this guy, but I've got to put in a vote for our Stark.
Ford: Oh, god.
O'Neil: Maybe she could use the help, you know? There's got to be a shrink out there...
Ford: They have Hannibal Lecter!
O'Neil: ... Oh. But, um...They don't have to be pros to help though, do they?
urbandruid: Thank you. *sighs* You know... it's odd. I didn't get what I expected out of Irina or Anna, but you guys... you guys are entierly predictable.
Bridger: Oh, thanks.
urbandruid: No offense, really, but I totally saw this coming. You feel sorry for her, and you kind of miss her, and you wish it all could have ended differently. Ford is still pissed at her; O'Neil is scared of her. Kristen... *eyes her*
Kristin: Yes?
urbandruid: What do you think?
Kristin: Can I come out and play in t_m?
urbandruid: *buries face in hands, begins tearing hair out, ect* No. No, no, NO! *sighs* Even though you do have better icons than her, and everything... *eyes Kris, and brusts into tears* No, no...fuck. I hate you.
Kristin: I'm sorry, I didn't mean... but it's so lonely being the neglected muse. You tried to write me years ago, and it never... Stark always got your attention and kept it, and I was just so... *sigh*
Bridger: *hugs her* You know, Kris has a bit of a point. We all got sort of ignored in favor of Stark...
urbandruid: *looks up, pissed now* Bite me, Bridger. And Kris- I can write you any old time.
Kristin: Uh-huh. Will you do it, though?
urbandruid: Touche... Damn you. Alright, fine. You want in, we'll chat later. Right now let's stick with Stark, huh?
Kristin: I actually symathize with her a great deal. Perhaps it's because I never knew her, and all I really have to go on are the stories Nathan used to tell... When she was his student, how young and full of hope she was...
urbandruid: *nods* Alright. Thank you, Kristin. Um... stick around, will you?
Kristin: Of course.



jaina_muse: My turn, huh?
urbandruid: Yep.
jaina_muse: Cool. You want me to weigh in on Kris, too?
urbandruid: *sigh* I really wish she hadn't done that... let's talk Stark and Pellaeon first, though.
jaina_muse: I'm probably biased towards Pellaeon, because I think talking out his issues is important to him. Damn Bel Iblis and his Corellian whiskey...
urbandruid: Yeah. I'm sorry about that; it was kind of a throwaway line that got out of hand.
jaina_muse: Not your fault. I'm just saying- Pellaeon needs the help. But maybe Stark does to. She could get into trouble out there, too, as easy as she could get better, but... *shrugs* Her call, in the end. Nothing we can do about it.
urbandruid: Exactly.
jaina_muse: So... give me a second, let me read.
urbandruid: Okay.
jaina_muse: *nods* Alright. It's like this. Stark is messed up. I'm not sure I can be for the idea of turning her lose.
urbandruid: So if she's out of the running, and we put Kris in-
jaina_muse: Then it's "congratulations, you got nowhere today."
urbandruid: Which pisses me off. But Kris is growing on me all of a sudden... damnit!
jaina_muse: See if she'll write an intro?
urbandruid: Oh, just perfect. Just bloody perfect. I so didn't need this today.
jaina_muse: I'm sorry.
urbandruid: *shrug* I'm not blaming you, hon.
jaina_muse: I know. I'm just... Look, here's an idea. Talk to the three of them; Stark, Pellaeon, Kristin. Let Kris write an intro if she wants, but as long as you're talking to everyone, talk to her.
urbandruid: Hmm... thanks.



urbandruid: Alright, children.
Stark: So you're finally talking to us.
urbandruid: Yes.
Stark: I should feel blessed, I guess.
urbandruid: Don't piss me off. It's gonna be a long day.
Kristin: You don't have to do this now, you know- you've got that eye doctor's appointment this afternoon.
Pellaeon: I'd forgotten about that. And then, of course, there's, the math homework.
urbandruid: *dryly* Thank you, Gil. *swats him* Let's not talk about that, okay?
Pellaeon: Alright. *looks around* Ladies...?
Kristin: Admiral.
Stark: *sigh* What?
Pellaeon: I suppose this is where we plead our cases?
urbandruid: Something like that. I just want to hear what you have to say. About... whatever. Something, anything... *looks over the muses* Stark.
Stark: You know, you've stood up for me for a lot of years, and I appriciate that. I've never had my own fangirl before; it's kind of flattering.
urbandruid: Thanks.
Stark: Of course, if no one else invites me out to play, then I won't get to go. You know that.
urbandruid: Yep.
Stark: Pellaeon and Kris, by contrast, have other fans.
urbandruid: This is true.
Stark: So I'm, you know, getting kind of desperate here. I'd like the chance to, um... recruit a new crew?
urbandruid: That isn't made up of morons- oh, and Maxwell?
Stark: Bingo.
urbandruid: Okay. Thank you, Captain Stark. That was... er. Let's just say 'next', shall we. Admiral Pellaeon?
Pellaeon: *nods* Thank you. I... well, I wasn't very keen on this idea when Jaina posed it to me, but the more I think on it, the more I think that maybe... it might not be such a bad idea after all. I could do with some...
urbandruid: Shred of a social life?
Pellaeon: *winces* Er. Yes. Something like that.
urbandruid: *hugs him* It's okay. I understand. You've been busy blowing shit up, and all. Though I've got to give you props for making friends with Bel Iblis.
Pellaeon: And his liquor stash.
urbandruid: Um. Yeah. I'm all for Corellian solidarity, but you're going to be the two-man chapter of AA if you keep this up.
Pellaeon: I know, which is why I'm looking for other alternatives.
urbandruid: *nods* Thank you.
Pellaeon: *turns to Kristin, bows* Doctor?
Kristin: Oh, I like this one... Well, first of all, I'm sorry to have messed things up by coming into this the way that I did- I realize I wasn't even in the running until a little bit ago. And I really am sorry for the trouble.
urbandruid: *shrugs* I'm sorry I forgot you. I had some pretty lame characters on the first lists, you know? Plus the weird OCs. And if they've earned a shot...
Kristin: Thank you. I've- missed being able to be out and doing things, since that first season of seaQuest ended. I do have history, and an interesting job, and I think about things. I've done very little else, sitting here in this forgotten corner of your head, as a matter of fact.
urbandruid: *sighs* Oh, damn.
Kristin: What? What's wrong?
urbandruid: You just kept yourself in the running. Oh, gods, someone shoot me now...
Stark: I hate to be the one to say it-
urbandruid: No, you don't.
Stark: *smiles* Alright. Maybe not. But you could always retire one of the others, and take two of us.
urbandruid: Great. Which two?
Stark: Anna isn't talking to you much these days-
urbandruid: I like Anna. And I like Irina, and I like Jaina.
Stark: Damn.
Pellaeon: If it will help, I'll bow out-
urbandruid: No, you won't.
Pellaeon: Ah. Alright then. Perhaps Kristin could write her introduction?
urbandruid: *nods* But gods, not now. My back is killing me, I've got to get out of this chair...


This shouldn't be this hard. Really, it shouldn't be.