The Wake-Up Service (D2, EM)

[Dove Gray]

"Hmm... no I don't think I'm immune to it," she mused. Would've been neat though.

"As for Arkanians. Long-story short, they're like... really good at science, especially everything to do with genetics, bio-engineering, cloning... that kind of stuff. In fact, they're so good at it that there is even a separate designation on Arkania for those who are the products of Arkanian science; Arkanian Off-Shoots." Dove raised a hand at that, to indicate that she indeed was one such creature.

"I don't know if it's intentional design or not, but Off-Shoots tend to... have shorter lifespans. Like, at least half of what a normal human or Arkanian can have." She shrugged, not seemingly bothered by it herself. "So I'm pretty sure whatever crazy stuff I might indulge in, like the occassional smoke, I will probably not have to worry about it too much in the long run."

[Petrus Karath]

"Oh." Petrus said in a small voice. His blue eyes were wide, stunned. Slowly, his arms unfolded, relaxed, came to rest at his sides.

"I didn't know." He said. "I didn't." After a few moments, he shook his head. "But I almost feel as though I should have known." It explained so much about Dove, about the way she behaved. Like a candle burning from both ends, twice as bright, but...

"Do you know how long you have?" Petrus asked.

[Dove Gray]

"Eh, who knows how long they have," she shrugged. "We could get hit by a galactic Gamma-ray burst in five minutes and we wouldn't even see it coming."

Chuckling, she gave Petrus a solid pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I know I'm not. Do you go and think oh no, in fifty years I'll be 70 years old and hitting old age?"

[Petrus Karath]

Petrus looked away. "No." He said quietly. "Actually, I don't really think about the future at all." Although that was perhaps less true today than yesterday.

He looked back at Dove, smiling again. "Well, okay. Just promise me you won't take any crazy risks that you don't have to? Even if your lifespan isn't gonna be as long as mine, I still want you to enjoy as much of it as you can."

[Dove Gray]

"Who's to say I'm not already enjoying things as much as I'm able?" she nudged Petrus' side with her elbow. "I get to tease you as much as I want to these days, and it is greatly entertaining."

Her lips pursed a second. "Besides, wouldn't you say something about not being scared of mortality, or something?"

[Petrus Karath]

That made Petrus laugh. "Good point. Well, I offer up my blushing and stammering for the greater good."

"Well, yes." Petrus crossed his arms over his chest again, although he was still smiling. "That's why I said that you don't have to. There's a different between not fearing death, and seeking or tempting it."

[Dove Gray]

"Or sometimes, the best way to overcome fear is to just meet it head on. Fear can't control you if you say pike off, berk to it and headbutt it back into the corner where it belongs."

She grinned widely. "We all got things we're scared about. Me, I'm more afraid of... nothing. What people call a normal life; that's not me - for me that would be a prison."

[Petrus Karath]

Petrus laughed at that, open and cheerful. "Pike off, huh? And headbutting. Alright. I'll remember that. Thanks, Dove."

He smiled, with just a touch of playfulness. "Well. Just so long as you remember that you owe me a hot springs trip, anyway. I think that swimsuit will give you plenty of chances to see me blush."

[Dove Gray]

She raised an eyebrow as she looked at him, an amused expression painted on her features. "I suppose I do owe you that much... perhaps I will have to make up for it in other ways if I'm unable to go on such a trip. Perhaps some candid holos, or a night of strip-sabacc."

[Petrus Karath]

"Strip-sabaac, huh?" Petrus pursed his lips. Perhaps it was the recent hedonism that he was exposed to, but Petrus' found his mind going to interesting places...

After a moment, he chuckled, shaking his head. "You know Dove, one day I might just take you up on one of your offers. Even if I'm blushing the whole time I do."

[Dove Gray]

"And when you do, you will have matured a bit more," this time she patted him on the head, because he was such a Nice Young Man.

"Well... I think that's enough sharing for me today. We're gonna have to do that again some other time, kid. I might get sentimental in my old age otherwise."

[Petrus Karath]

"Old age. Yeah, okay." Petrus shook his head. "C'mon. Have you had breakfast yet? Just kaf's not enough you know."

He waved his arm, gesturing down the street, and things seemed normal again.

(scene?)