18981/Foundations of Love

Foundations of Love
Date of Scene:	03 September 2024
Location:	The Interceptor
Synopsis:	En route to New Themyscira with more supplies, Carol is working on a proposal for a new charitable foundation so that she can help the refugees and those affected by Galactus on Earth as more than Star Sapphire. But when Hal expresses his concern for her levels of exhaustion, she's receptive to distraction, even if she is worried about his stesses and obligations, too.
Cast of Characters:	Carol Ferris, Hal Jordan

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Carol Ferris has posed:
Despite the fact that Star Sapphire and the Green Lantern can both traverse the vastness of space without the need for a starship, there are limitations to their abilities. Transporting massive quantities of supplies -- enough to support a burgeoning refugee colony on New Themyscira -- requires more than just raw power. It requires the practicality and capacity a ship like Hal Jordan's new vessel, the Interceptor, can provide.

The ship hums quietly as it glides through the stars, its sleek form cutting through the darkness like a blade. Within the vessel's lounge, Carol Ferris, clad in her Star Sapphire uniform, sits on a bench seats in front of a large, curved table. Her legs are crossed and her ring glows faintly, feeding energy into the high-tech computer she's working on and syncing it with the ship's computers, a mix of green and violet energy mingling. Powered by hard light, a holographic display floats in midair. She swipes her hand through the air, manipulating the holograms as she carefully crafts her proposal for a new foundation -- Humanitarian Efforts And Rebuilding Through the Stars (H.E.A.R.T.S.).

The holographic displays shimmer in soft hues of violet, reflecting the aura of her ring. Charts, graphs, and blocks of text hover before her, each piece of data meticulously organized. She pauses, her eyes narrowing as she reviews a section on projected costs. The logistics are complex, supporting different groups spread across such disparate locations. The riots on Earth have left countless people displaced, their lives turned upside down by fear and chaos. And those refugees in the Atlantic Starport -- they've already lost so much, only to be caught in a holding pattern as they await relocation to New Themyscira.

Carol's fingers tap lightly on the table as her violet eyes scan over the figures, charts, and maps. The foundation needs to be more than just a lifeline; it needs to be a beacon of hope. The document in front of her envisions a network of support systems: housing, education, mental health services, and economic opportunities, all designed to help these people rebuild their lives from the ground up. But beyond the practicalities, the foundation must embody the principles she holds dear -- the power of love and compassion, the belief that even in the darkest times, there is light.

Even here, in the depths of space, as they make their way to New Themyscira, it's still not enough for Carol. She barely sleeps. Between her role as CEO of Ferris Air and giving every extra ounce of energy she has to to New Themyscira, the fatigue isn't just beginning to show -- it's obvious in the sag of her shoulders and the way she keeps that a cup of coffee constantly close at hand, even in space.

Even now, she's wrapping her gloved fingers around it and drawing it up for a long sip.

Hal Jordan has posed:
If it were really, truly necessary it would of course be possible to duuplicate a lot of this with their rings. They could transport large quantities of goods via energy constructs, could make the trip slightly more comfortable via the same methods as well.

But all of that would take energy. Energy that then would not be available in the event of an emergency. At the best of times it isn't exactly safe in space. There are any number of threats that can present themselves. Pirates. Rogue warlords. Stellar phenomena gone wrong. For all it's vastness, space isn't nearly as empty as some people might believe.

So having that freedom to respond to threats without worrying about a ring already done half it's charge is definitely a considerable advantage.

And, if Hal is going to be honest, having a starship is just kinda cool.

Not everything has to be rooted in practicality afterall. Sometimes it is just about how things make you feel. In his heart of hearts, Hal is a pilot. Even now, as an intergalactic law enforcement agent, a member of the Green Lantern Corps, in many ways he is still first and foremost a pilot. So having a ship to traverse space just *feels* right.

The fact that it is the practical decision, that it lends all of those additional advantages is just icing on the cake as far as he is concerned.

While he might not exactly be held in the highest of regards by the Guardians right at the moment, the fact that he still has an ally in Ganthet helped to cut through the red tape. While the Guardians might try to act as a unified body, it is not entirely unknown for individual members to have their own agendas and in this case it has certainly paid off for their particular endeavors. Given just how much travel they are likely to have to do -- bringing in necessary relief supplies to New Themyscira, attending to responsibilities back on Earth, doing what they can to help with the efforts against Galactus and who knows what else -- it is something of a relief.

Emergiing from the fore section and the cockpit therein, Hal slips into the crew quarters having little difficulty in spotting her. Those violet energy constructs that seem to spring up all around here, producing those holograms that seem to have an endless array of data scrolling over them are rather eye-catching. They might give Hal a headache if he had to deal with them all, mind you, but Carol seems to thrive on that sort of thing. One of the many, many things that he admires about her.

Though the fact that she is almost losing herself in them all maybe a touch less so.

He gets it. There are not nearly enough hours in the day and their are so many things on their plate -- which doesn't even touch her responsibilities to Ferris. But he can't help but let a flicker of concern slide across his expression as he pads over to that bench, laying a hand gently on her shoulder. It's impossible not to give a brief look to all those charts, all those invoices and other documentation that shimmers virtually in midair before her, but he spares them only a second or two of attention -- the wonder of it quickly wiped away but that flicker of concern.

"I thought you were going to grab a couple hours of sleep?" he asks gently.

Carol Ferris has posed:
Carol looks up at Hal, her eyes tired but filled with that undeniable affection she always has for him. A soft smile tugs at her lips as she takes in the concern etched across his face. She reaches up to cover his hand with hers, squeezing it gently before letting out a quiet sigh.

"I was going to," she admits, her voice laced with a mix of exhaustion and determination. "But then I thought of a few more things I needed to include in the proposal for H.E.A.R.T.S. You know as well as I do how time-sensitive this is. If I wait too long, more refugees and victims on Earth could suffer unnecessarily."

She leans into the hand he's placed on her shoulder, her head resting against his arm for a moment of much-needed comfort. The warmth of his presence seeps into her, providing a brief but welcome respite from the weight of her responsibilities. She sets her cup of coffee down on the table in front of her, then swipes the holographic document away with a graceful motion.

As she looks back up at him, her eyes soften even further. "I need to get this finished and presented to the board at Ferris Aircraft. It's an easy vote, but you know how it is -- every 'i' needs to be dotted and every 't' crossed."

Gently, she shifts the focus away from herself, a flicker of concern for him evident in her gaze. "How are you holding up?" she asks, her voice tender. She pats the seat next to her, a quiet invitation for him to join her. "Join me? We both have a lot on our minds. I've been so wrapped up in New Themyscira and John's idea about the herald's former lover that I haven't taken the time to talk to you about everything that's weighing on you, still..."

Her eyes hold his, and she even shifts that half-finished cup of coffee in front of the vacant space she's offered -- a quiet offering to share it with him just as easily as she shares her space, her time, and her heart.

Hal Jordan has posed:
In point of fact, in many respects Hal does not actually know how it goes when it comes to matters like this. At least not beyond his experience in watching her deal with these sorts of things.

So much of his life has been lived without any great concerns for responsibility. Certainly his early years where he didn't have to worry much beyond the bare necessities for himself. Even entering the military, rising to Captain only changed that in the barest of senses. More a slight layering on, then a truly radical change in perspective.

Really, it is becoming a Green Lantern that brought out that latest responsibility in him. But that responsibility tends to be directed to grander, more overarching ideals rather then specific scenarios. He might have to file incident reports as a Green Lantern, but he isn't making detailed proposals like she is putting together.

Still, he has been around her for a good, long time at this point. Just by the power of osmosis some of this has to start sinking in, right?

At the unspoken invitation, he circles around the bench, leaving his hand on her shoulder, at least until he sinks down onto the seat beside her. Even then it only slips from that resting point so that his fingers can seek out her own, can slip betwen them, join with hers and giving a reassuring squeeze. "Well, you know you. Just don't push yourself to the point of exhaustion, okay?" he says, knowing better to push for much more then that. They can both be rather stubborn -- or at least a little singleminded -- when they have something firmly fixed in their headlights.

Besides, he has no doubts that her Board will see things her way. She has a way of getting what she wants. Even if it's from sheer will alone. Seems like he might not have been the only one that could have made a pretty good Green Lantern under the right circumstances.

He smiles briefly as she nudges the coffee towards him and he does claim the cup, just long enough to take a quick sip, to get a brief blast of that heat, that caffeine before setting it back down in front of her. "The ship's on autopilot --" he begins, making a brief face at that. AUtopilot. Practically in this case, but he hates that word, that idea in some respects. "-- so we should be good until we arrive on New Themyscria," he adds.

"Lets just say that I'm glad that you're along and leave it at that for now. I'm still unpacking things, I think."

Heaven knows there is a lot of unpack. For the both of them.

Carol Ferris has posed:
Carol slips her fingers between Hal's as he takes her hand, a soft laugh escaping her lips as she turns toward him on the bench, snuggling closer. "I think I passed the point of exhaustion a few lightyears ago," she quips lightly, her voice tinged with amusement and a hint of weariness. "But I promise, I'll sleep at some point. There's always just one more thing that needs doing."

She leans her head against his shoulder, her concern for him evident as her gaze lingers on his face. "I just wish we'd had more time to focus on what's been weighing on you, Hal. Between helping the refugees and everything else going on, I feel like we haven't really spent any... quality time together." There's a note of sadness in her voice, a frustration with the way their responsibilities have kept them from addressing what's truly on his mind.

There was a time not that long ago when this exact situation had been reversed... many times. All those hours she spent alone on Earth, wondering if he was okay and wanting to talk to him about a million things she had on her mind. But he he was off saving the galaxy.

Now it's her turn, apparently. At least this time they're doing it together.

But she knows better than to push. She can see the reluctance in his eyes, the way he's holding back, still trying to unpack everything that's been thrown at them. When he mentions being glad that she's along, she smiles softly, the corner of her mouth quirking up in a playful grin.

"You know," she begins, her voice taking on a teasing tone, "if the ship's on autopilot, I can think of a couple of things that might help me sleep..." Her words trail off suggestively as she leans up to brush her lips against his, the warmth of her affection clear in the way she kisses him -- softly at first, then with a deeper, more lingering connection.

Her hand squeezes his gently as she pulls back just slightly, her eyes shining with a mix of love and mischief. "What do you say, Hal? Think you can handle a little distraction before we get back to saving the galaxy?"

Hal Jordan has posed:
There is always going to be something there, lurking. Something that requires one or the others -- or sometimes both -- of their attention. That doesn't feel like it is something that is going to change any time in the near future.

But at least the have each other. Can face these sorts of challenges together. So often in the past they haven't had that luxury. The time she spent in the thrall of the Predator. Those years when he was a little less responsible, a little less reliable. Lost time. Lost opportunities.

But a chancce to make up for them now.

She has her Corps, and the duties of the Star Sapphire that come along with it. Now she has taken on a leadership role in directing the relief efforts on New Themyscria. Then there is the hunt for the one true love of the latest of Galactus' heralds to present himself. And the ever-present business of Ferris Aircraft to concern herself with as well.

And he will always have the Green Lantern Corps and it's business to concern himself with. The duties that go along with it. Added to, of course, the need to devote time to Justice League business. They might have earned a reprieve from the Injustice League, but they have hardly been scattered to the wind yet. Add in the slow yet inevitable approach of Galactus towards their home. Add in the dissension amongst the Guardians. The lingering questions that surround the Emotional Energy spectrum and the true potential that clearly is far greater and more varied then the Guardians have been willing to admit to in the past. And top that off with some concern for Sinestro and his hunt for this 'new weapon', one not reliant on the Guardians to perhaps put to use against the threat of Galactus.

Yeah, it's safe to say that Hal has a lot on his mind.

Fortunately she does have a rather effective way of taking his mind of those kind of things.

"Hey, we'll get to them," he assures her quietly. "Trust me, I'm not forgetting them but the fact is that New Themyscria needs a lot of help, we both need that. They deserve not to be forgotten or abandonned again," he says quietly. "And Galactus might be taking his own, sweet time showing up on Earth's doorstep, but that's for the best too. Everything else, well, we'll deal with it when we can," he says, a smile flickering across his expression for just a moment, fingers still lace with her own.

That teasing tone makes one corner of his mouth curl in that roguish way that she can coax from him so easily, one brow arching evr so slightly. "You can huh? Well, I suppose I should put my money where my mouth is afterall. If seeing you get a few hours of bunk time is so important to me, I'd be terribly remiss if I didn't do everything that I could to make it happen..." he agrees.

Leaning in, he meets those lips lingeringly, for just a moment letting all that strain, all that worry drift away beneath the softness of that kiss. Then, drawing back, meeting her amusement with his own he gives a quiet chuckle and rises from that bench, hand still joined with hers as he helps her do the same.

"Race you?" he says, that green aura springing up around him as his feet lift from the deck. Then he's off.

That, apparently, would be a yes.