2253/Love Life of the Lone Dork

Love Life of the Lone Dork
Date of Scene:	27 June 2020
Location:	Penthouse - Kord Co
Synopsis:	Ted and Starfire watch a silly movie and decide to go after Brainiac.
Cast of Characters:	Ted Kord, Koriand'r

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Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord :frowns at the question. He thinks about it a bit. It's Steve after all. "Steve... wants me to date more. I disagree. He thinks my lack of female friends means I am lonely. But... I'm not ready to date at this point in my life. He just doesn't believe me. In fairness I never dated a lot... but it's hard for some people. I rather just relax with my friends and my work. Apparently he thinks you're a potential date for me. Bwahahahaha!" The bwahaha is not at all the usual stunted Terran emotional response. "It's a silly thing to think."

Koriand'r has posed:
    Starfire colors, eyes wide, then dims, her bioluminescence muting like a fire dying to embers. "I also do not prefer to date," she says somberly, and, probably not as cleverly as she thinks, changes the subject. "It is one of my great obstacles on this world, the insistence that innocent physical contact must become sexual intimacy, and sexual intimacy must exist before romance can." That's a weird conclusion to reach about human relationships, but maybe that's what you learn when you've been in the modeling business since before you were old enough to drive.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord nods, not nearly as sure as he appears then sticks a hand out to Starfire. "Humans are silly. I'm sure your people are more... efficient about such things. They have all that you said backwards in my opinion. Of course that's just... my... opinion. Would you like to stay awhile? I was just putting on a movie called 'Them' but we can watch what you want. It's a silly old movie about men fighting giant ants. It was set during a time with no real metahumans or Mutants in public. It's just people and big ants." He gestures at the huge monitor.

Koriand'r has posed:
    Starfire accepts Ted's hand and shakes it, smiling brightly, her glow picking back up again. "We may view this moving picture if you wish," she agrees.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord sits down on the sofa leaving plenty of room for Starfire. He's not sure how close he should sit, her being an alien and royalty. He puts on the movie and grabs a handful of popcorn. He finally puts a blanket on the back of the sofa because that is the way some women watch movies. He flashes a smile to her as he starts the movie. "Uhm... I usually obey a fifteen minute rule. After fifteen, if you do not like the movie tell me and we can watch your choice."

Koriand'r has posed:
    Starfire doesn't need a blanket. She hasn't been cold since they...well, it's been a long time since she was cold. She'd have appreciated the gesture if she'd noticed it, though. She watches the movie attentively, brow furrowed with concentration. After a while, she observes, "This movie is most liberal in its application of the word 'science.' It is quite fantasticaly to believe atomic radiation would trigger such manner of physical mutations. Would it not have been more realistic to say the animals' were altered by psionic resonance igniting the phlogiston in their genetic code, forcing a spontaneous evolutionary adaptation to the immense explosopsychic power within them?"

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord listens and looks shocked. "Holy Heissenberg, you're a nerd too! Uhm okay, those concepts were unknown to humans when this film was written. Atomic power was a great unknown and chosen for the cause. As for the science... movies are not known for scientific accuracy, nor is it required. The 'science' (air quotes here) is not as important as conveying drama and tension. The ants... well we had lost the Justice Society. The Justice League wasn't even born yet. we were without superheroes but we were determined to survive no matter what the Universe threw at us." Is that an unnoticed tinge of passion in his voice? Yep. The silly film resonates with Ted. He has an intense look most who knew him would be surprised by. Unbidden he scooches a little closer to Starfire to make his presentation.

He's not a dork. He's king of the dorks!

Koriand'r has posed:
    Starfire nods dubiously. "It seems to me the message is that a human weapon made more war than it stopped."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord looks at the blank screen and says, "Weapons always make more trouble than they are worth Ms. Starfire. Any time. Anywhere No one ever wants to lay them down when they aren't needed anymore. Humans at least. I only met two aliens so far. And one time traveler who seems to have attention deficit disorder. Certainly the world would be better without nuclear weapons. Sorry I called you a nerd. You just took me by surprise."

Koriand'r has posed:
    Starfire cocks her head curiously at Ted. "Why do you apologize for calling me this?"

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord blushes. "Well to some people the term nerd is derogatory, though... I surely one. It's a person with great knowledge of the sciences usually. But in some usage that knowledge again comes at the expense of... social skills, grooming, friends. You certainly have social skills, I know the Titans are your friends and you're beautiful by most Earth standards... and tell me to shut up whenever you want." He makes a few encouraging motions for her to do just that."

Koriand'r has posed:
    Starfire continues to regard Ted with cocked head. "A nerd is an intelligent but single-minded person devoted to a non-social hobby or pursuit, colloquially used to describe anyone with specialized or esoteric knowledge, yes? It seems a fair description of me."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord shrugs. "As I said, there are negative connotations that don't apply to you. Anyway, I've been called this few times and it was to ridicule me. You're very hard to offend for a woman who is so... emotive." He blinks and realizes he is probably in her personal space and retreats to his end of the couch. "But... did you like the movie? Apart from the science being flawed?"

Koriand'r has posed:
    "Offense is for those whom you trust not," Starfire observes firmly. She curiously watches Ted retreat but doesn't make a thing about it. "The movie is well but unclear. It wishes to decry humanity's use of science for the making of war, yet then solves the problem by making war with the science they have. I think I was wrong to estimate its meaning is about war at all rather than a fear of the future and a desire to return to the past. It must be very sad to be afraid of new experiences."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord watches her watch him for a minute. Then says, "Well it's not like those questions have simple answers... You do seem to read humans really well, better than I read you. It's nice you trust me already. Humans usually require some proof of intentions before trusting. I'm not good at talking to women. I usually say the wrong thing. I'm doubly cautious because aside from a grumpy Martian I have no experience with aliens. But obviously you are forgiving of honest mistakes. The Titans are lucky to have you on their team."

Koriand'r has posed:
    Starfire's brow clouds at the mention of the Titans, but it passes. "It seems to me that of all the emotions humans feel, you most powerfully feel fear. I feel much sympathy for your people. It is terrible, to be afraid." She hangs her head for a moment in silent mourning, then lifts it with animated interest. "I have been told your species is descended from prey animals. Perhaps that is the source of our differences. Mine are from predators."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord says, "Humans are not especially strong or fast or durable compared to other animals on Earth. So perhaps we are cautious. We're also as it happens crafty, cunning and persistent. We're endurance predators. We're relentless. We run down much larger more powerful beasts in hunting to exhaustion... but, ou looked... wrathful for a moment. Are you all right?" He moves closer again.

Koriand'r has posed:
    Starfire leans back, startled. "Wrathful? No, not at all! I am only mournful over a sadness. It shall pass, as such things do." She straightens back up again, smiling. Her winds do shift pretty easily.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord thinks it is more than a sadness. But for once keeps his mouth shut. He doesn't retreat this time though he shifts his weight away, a more neutral stance. "Tamaraneans seem pretty awesome from what I've seen. Maybe I could go there sometime? I can't fly per se but I am good at acrobatics and I like heights, I could probably put together a personal flying device. I don't want people to have to carry me around after all. It's imposing..." He trails off. And why isn't she home? You don't need a fine line for detail to know earth is no utopia. Probably more to that story.

Koriand'r has posed:
    Starfire's eyes light up, mostly metaphorically. "Acrobatics? Oh, you must show me soon."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord does not reply but does a quick roll and tumble off the couch. He stands only long enough to perform a backflip onto the trampoline in the living room and begins bouncing on it. Still bouncing he asks, "Is this soon enough?" He makes a power leap and grabs onto a trapeze hanging from the ceiling and swings from it smiling.

Koriand'r has posed:
    Starfire gasps in delight and applauds Ted's acrobatics with inarticulate, vowel-filled cheers. The greatest joys surpass words.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord drops off the trapeze to bounce on the trampoline. "Come on... I'll show you how to bounce... if a fearful prey animal can do it anyone can. Come on you don't even have to fly." He waves her over. Of course a race that could fly would never think of a trampoline. Their loss. "Hey, I'll teach you about trampolines and maybe you can tell me about warp drives. I want to help go after Brainiac."

Koriand'r has posed:
    Starfire looks at the grown man bouncing on an indoor trampoline talking about going after a Coluan supervillain and stands up. "Yes! We should definitely do this thing," she declares.