closed ✧ just passing through now

[realists]

WHO: cassian, garak, julian, & jyn
WHERE: new casablanca
WHEN: june 14
WHAT: space buddies & cookie search 2512
NOTES OR WARNINGS: talking shit about earth

--

[ new casablanca is not the same casablanca of old, though they kept the spirit of it alive. like the rest of the cities on this earth, the buildings are built very high up and very deep down, but the colors — pale blue and cream and deep crimson, jade and warm orange — make it feel like an entirely different environment. the façades feature intricate carvings and horseshoe arches, tiled in highly detailed mosaic friezes, and stepping inside for relief from the sun exposes ornamental muqarnas like colourful, man-made honeycombs.

the open air market is low and wide, a rainbow of umbrellas and flapping awnings keeping shade across the wide streets. vendors sell fruits and vegetables at fixed stalls with bowls overflowing with individual fruits and jars of preserves. there are entire meals offered from food trucks, some that seem permanent fixtures, some that seem more transient. there are clothing sellers, small household furnishings, a lot of stalls that seem small and artisanal until you go to pay and realize it's owned by one of the large department stores and simply set up to look small.

bantha shit.

presently, jyn is sat on the edge of the huge central fountain, one hand lifting from the blue and white tile to shield her eyes from the sun as she looks up at cassian, even with sunglasses on. she takes a bite of her pear, juices dripping down her palm to her wrist. despite the summer heat and the beating sun, jyn has a grey long sleeve shirt — so thin that the logo of her tank beneath is still visible — on over her shorts.

with her mouth full of pear because she is a street urchin, ] I told him to meet us here, but I doubt he'll be hard to spot.

Comments

[frontierbashir]

Less than. Some people commute to Mars for work from Earth everyday.

There are plenty of more homogeneous worlds as well where we're from, some planets more open to outsiders than others.

It's a shame that this version of Earth is so...bereft. It's a lot more compelling in our universe.

[He glances back at Garak. It's a look knowing that Garak could have A Lot to Say on the topic.]

[realists]

The Empire — [ she chuckles, mirthless. while she is a very young woman and clearly full of curiosity and an exuberance for talking shit, the bitterness in those two words could chill an ice cap, grip on cassian's hand going too tight. ] The Empire makes a habit of it.

[ the empire can get fucked. ]

Planets that aren't hollowed out for natural resources are subjugated, oppressed, enslaved. But slowly, by bits, so no one protests until it's too far gone and the people benefitting from it can turn a blind eye.

[ especially if the planet being ruined is non-human. ]

[evasives]

It sounds like Earth to Mars in this universe is a long term move rather than a commute. The people there are... [ how can he phrase this? it's not like anyone has actually been there to witness. ] Largely prisoners and workers. We can only imagine the living conditions.

[ especially knowing jyn has inspired them already. that sort of gusto isn't born out of happy lives. ]

The Empire has taken over the majority of the galaxy. It is as Jyn says, there is no good end result. The way this Earth is now is very reminiscent of the way they drain all the resources and wreck a planet.

What makes this Earth different from what you know?

[plainsimple]

There's a group called the Dominion that would like to do something similar to your Empire, by the sounds of it. They would very much like to take over the galaxy and they've already conquered a significant portion of one quadrant by all accounts.

[He shakes his head, acting like his world isn't currently occupied by the Dominion and in danger. He's fine. Garak is always fine.]

But if you want a description of current Earth, I fear I have to defer to the good doctor. I've never been to the Earth of my universe.

[Garak grins.]

Or that's my story.

[frontierbashir]

[Julian raises an eyebrow at Garak as he looks over at his friend. The way he talks about the Dominion is almost...flippant. He knows better though. It feels strange to be on the other side of Garak's mask, knowing for certain that he's minimizing.

Of course, he knows that Garak was mentally strained right as they came here. He understands Garak's need to not address it with other people here. It's too much, it's too complicated.

That teasing remark is Julian's opening at least to distract.]

I know for a fact you've never been to Earth, else your quarters would be full of Swiss and Belgian chocolates.

[To Cassian and Jyn:]

There are a fair few foodstuffs missing here that were critical to some a lot of cultures' food.

I'M SO SORRY

[realists]

Oh yeah, chocolate. That's good shit, it's really expensive though.

[ if jyn weren't the type to already hate rich people, it would be the lack of chocolate because they ravaged the planet so much that it couldn't sustain... well she doesn't know how chocolate is grown. (it is like a pineapple? that would be neat.) ]

If you want coffee cheap, go to New Honolulu.