5707/Fly Me to the Stars

Fly Me to the Stars
Date of Scene:	24 March 2021
Location:	Space - Milano
Synopsis:	High fashion in space!
Cast of Characters:	Karen Starr, Zatanna Zatara

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Karen Starr has posed:
    It's hard to believe that they've been in space for as long as they have, but... Well, they're in space, so what even /is/ easy and hard to believe anymore?

    Regardless, Power Girl has spent a good deal of this time looking for the elusive Zatanna Zatara, as Karen has to get the woman her space suit. Everyone else has one, and she's resigned to the idea that she won't convince the sorceress /not/ to space walk at some point on this trip, even before having the discussion.

    The cargo bay for the Milano opens, exposing it again to the interior of the cargo bay on Maxima's royal ship. In walks Power Girl, still clad as if it were an ordinary day of heroing back on Earth- but right now, there's a whole lot less wind for her cape to be flowing in.

    "Zatanna?" she calls, slowly starting to work her way around the ship in search.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Space holds no particular time. Its vastness between specks of rock or chunks of ice is so great that Zatanna lacks much comprehension of a day or a night without a sun. Certainly being a spacefaring magician comes with perks, but staring out the Milano's reinforced windows at the endless monotony of darkness loses its charm after the first couple thousand space-miles.

That's totally a measurement. A Kree space-mile. Converts to something like 158,000 miles, maybe, just to keep things clean and tidy. Nebulas and distant stars aren't much visible except as pinpricks in the black quilt of the void, elegant as it is.

One side benefit of being on the Milano with an actual sorceress means the palatable choice of foods gets particularly interesting, in the good way, not 'this thing has four eyes and continues to moo at me' way. One of those perks comes in the form of a proper latte. Other standbys of cuisine she tucks into without complaint and almost joyously. Any stop involving some kind of market for fruit includes a box coming aboard, complete with "Pots gnieb cixot" announced over it to remove any poisons or problems to a human digestive track. One of those fancy blue speckled fruits the size of a coconut and filled with iridescent flesh smells something like bananas foster, and she cut a segment free to try. It sits harmlessly on a plate, where it can kill absolutely no one. Sipping her latte while tiptoeing around the cargo bay might be odd, but someone has to loiter impressively. Err, check gear.

They've not done anything particularly questionable with those ingots and the cache of explosive ticky things I'm supposed to know nothing about!" Zee announces this without an ounce of shame. Space pirate hasn't really rubbed off too much as she gestures to the platform turned into her meditative centre. Not so many crew make use of the cargo bay, so why not float and practice her usual routines. "Is everything going well on the Almeracian side? I'm overdue to make a round of saying hello." She smiles at Karen, the cape's antics distracting for a few moments. "You made a resplendent enough entry I'm half-expecting you to say we jump to Oa at the next gate."

Karen Starr has posed:
    The many Kree Space-Miles they've put between themselves and home can take their toll on even the most hardy of travelers. By now, they've genuinely left the galaxy they started from, and are on the approach to their first destination. Approach isn't necessarily... A landing approach, of course- instead it's more... They're entering the galaxy, probably.

    Karen is luckily not aware of all of the things Zatanna's been up to- most of the time, she's been basking in yellow sunlight when they're not screaming through some sort of transdimensional space- and the rest of the time she's giving the Guardians a wide berth. She's not the most comfortable with them- and trusts them only in so far that they'll do what they were hired to do. She hopes that doing any more than that isn't required.

    "Yeah, just about. It's quiet, and the technology is a little troublesome to get used to, but once you are, you can make anything you want. I had this sort of- The best thing to call it would be Kryptonian Tea, I guess. I really missed it." Clearing her throat, then, she offers a short shrug. "Uh, I am not keeping track of the distance to the destination. That's more Supergirl's thing, at the moment. I was just finalizing these..." she states, holding up a small disc. "There's one for everyone who isn't usually out here in space. Should tailor to you when you activate it, but I need to test it."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Departing a galaxy is genuinely beautiful, even if it's at faster-than-lightspeeds that give a strange effect Zatanna really doesn't have the strong scientific background to fully describe. Standing still within the embrace of the native light that birthed humankind and dazzled them forever after is one thing. Being under a distant star in another quadrant of space? That's a whole other kind of thrill.

The Guardians in general have no quibble with Zee either. She helps out where she can and occasionally speaks extensively about music. Visits with Lois to talk or offering whatever assistance might be needed to the Kryptonians is all rather low-key. Being a good passenger extends to largely staying out of the way. If her talents come into play seriously, they're all at a pretty pass. A pretty bad pass, frankly... because with three adult Kryptonians aboard, plus Maxima and her contingent, they must be bristling with 'do not touch' signs.

"Isn't it strange to have it all on demand? I thought getting one of those machines that mixes preprogrammed alcohols was the height of technology." Teasing, her tone warms up from a bit of disuse. Being quiet is a peril of long voyages. "That sounds surprisingly good. Does it contain different plants? I assume so; you probably didn't have camellia bushes the same way we do on Earth. But steeped, that is?" It's an opportunity to speak or Power Girl can gently brush it aside, no harm done in the meantime. "You are not alone in dealing with distance. I could see it plotted on a star chart but the numbers get a bit meaningless after a while. Just tell me the days in between." She glances to the disc, and then her eyebrows rise a bit. "Wow. Did you make one just for me? How would I activate it, by touch?"

Putting the latte cup down next to the suspicious blue fruit, she draws closer. Her standard gear of black pants and a tailored shirt work just as well in space as Gotham or Metropolis. Holding her arms out, she shakes a sleeve. "I assume streetwear is fine, or is there some kind of fancy leather suit they didn't tell me about? I noticed two or three of them wear that design a fair bit, though I assume it's a crew thing."

Karen Starr has posed:
    Much of the mystery and wonder of such a journey is lost on Karen. She's departed a universe, and even if she hadn't, she's traveled the stars in the ways this ship is, without a ship. Sure, reducing something as life-altering as sojourning to a far-flung separate galaxy as they're doing to pedestrian fare is kind of the worst thing one can do- but eventually, it just sort of happens. At least she's still enthusiastic enough not to ruint he fun of it.

    "Yeah, I don't think anyone'll ever /really/ get used to it. I wouldn't want to, either way. I mean, there's a difference between being comfortable and being reliant." offering a small shrug, she offers the disc to Zatanna with a confident smile. "Should work when you strap it to your wrist. Suit deploys from the disc when you tap it a couple times."

    The mechanics of From Whence Comes The Suit are left up to the imagination. Karen doesn't figure anyone cares as to the How. Just that It Works.

    "Yeah. A number of different plants, kinda. It wasn't /exactly/ the same, because when you make it out of the 'real thing' it always has this little bit of variance, but I remembered some chemical compositions, I was able to put it together. It was close enough."

    Taking a moment to look Zatanna up and down as respectfully as one can, she offers a calm nod. "Yeah, looks fine to me." she comments, "Nobody else should have an issue with it, but if anyone does I don't have any problems with... Dispelling that notion as being wrong."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"That's an important way of looking at the world." Zee purses her lips in thought. A warm smile erases any heavier thoughts that linger in the aftermath of putting down her coffee. The human mind is wonderfully adaptable and great at shutting off the bigger picture when it might be horrendously complicated, and it works then and there to admire the suit disc. She takes it, if offered, and puts it against her wrist. Fiddling with the straps takes no time at all, a hint of the legerdemain she rightly excels at.

Once it's on, she gives it a gentle tap to see the reaction. After that, two more touches announce it's showtime. "That sounds like a delicious memory. I've been thinking about memories in perfumes and oils myself. Quite a few smaller companies make things that distill the traces of a memory in an olfactory sense. I mean, they try to capture rain falling in a pine forest or the drowsy afternoon in a field of drying wildflowers with cotton laundry on a line. I've thought that could be interesting to try. We'll see if my chemistry is up to it."

A smile then, and she rolls her shoulders, testing as the suit hopefully activates. "How are you? Clearly the inventions are fruitful up here, and enjoying tea. Superman seems to enjoy the chance to get his hands dirty with some mechanical work when he can."

Karen Starr has posed:
    "I think so, at least. Maybe I've just had one too many Earth-shattering shakeups to allow myself to depend on anything that isn't inherent." she states, offering an impassive expression and a somewhat more-animated-than-it-needs-to-be shrug.

    The device now on Zatanna's wrist conjures around her form a momentarily overly loose space suit, made of a similar, thin but impossibly strong material to the kind that the Kryptonians wear. It's not the -exact- same, but it's close enough. For a moment, it looks like someone shrank Zatanna down within her suit, but soon enough it's starting to retract and bind down, until it clings to her like proper cloth. There is air within the helmet, and a small but functional backpack to it that contains the air and a few other things- nonetheleast of which is the small solar battery that won't be of much use to Zee, but may end up being useful to the Kryptonians.

    "Ah, it works. Glad I got your measurements basically right, as long as it isn't squeezing anything undue. Had to eyeball it." That's said unironically- and it's kind of true. Perhaps unwanted, but still /true./

    She offers a sigh, and runs her gloved fingers through her hair. "Eh. I'm okay." she folds her arms, then- even in space, or perhaps especially in space, it is neither fair nor, ultimately, should it be allowed for her to do so- and she leans herself against a table.

    "I haven't felt the need to do much socializing, but it's probably taking its toll. I don't hate these... 'Guardians' and I'm not bothered by Maxima, but I don't like either of them and the ships are mostly empty besides. I figured there'd be more people on a ship this size, but everything's automated. What about you?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The thin fabric sheathing Zatanna instinctively widens her eyes. A bit of a smile fades as curiosity overtakes concern, and she stays for the most part still as she gets acclimated to Power Girl's creation. Her fingers flex to test how constrictive that outfit is, though it's not unproblematic. The solar battery certainly isn't squeezing her in too tight.

"Not bad at all. It hardly weighs a thing," she explains through the helmet, no doubt hopefully audible. Of course, with Karen, she'd be audible whispering on the dark side of the Moon too. Twisting a little from side to side gives her the look of spacewoman doing aerobics, but it matters. "Nothing too squeezed or tight. The weight is well-distributed. I'm familiar with fighting in a light corset so that makes this feel like a friendly embrace." A little chuckle takes her back to somewhere different, lost to the moment. "Shoulders are nice and comfortable."

She rises on her toes and drops onto her heels. A few basic movements before she walks around in a comfortable circle to ensure no chafing or blisters might be acquired. The little things count. All the while, her gaze follows the stately Kryptonian woman.

A quirky smile reiterates that amusement. "Space pirates aren't everyone's choice, that's for sure. I do not quite know what to make of Maxima. She's intense." One way to phrase it, even as those expressive heliotrope eyes shift away to the cargo bay doors, the larger ship. "As a host goes, she hasn't been too imposing. I think that is a good sign." Her shoulders shrug under the comfortable suit, and she feels out the helmet just to learn its contours. "I'm feeling like a pair of skis on a cruise ship. Sometimes that's the case with the League, since I can't punch statues to dust or run from today to last week. But it's /good/ to get out of the familiar, and seeing space like this reinforces how magnificent life really is. Two weird extremes, sitting around waiting and feeling like the world is a sparkling jewel."

Karen Starr has posed:
    "Yeah, and it'll stop a knife- contextually, at least." she offers, nodding along with Zatanna's testing and commentary. "I thought about trying to build in a corset for yours, but I had already figured that we didn't need to try and pioneer space fishnets, so I didn't put in a corset, even if it would've looked really nice."

    Speaking of which, as Zee struts to test the suit, there's some degree of Karen's gaze that isn't, strictly, professional. Sure, much of it happens to be in the interest of ensuring that the joints of the suit are flexible, but when one is watching Zatanna, there's only so clinical one can be.

    "They weren't my first choice." she notes, offering a sigh, but stopping there. "As for Maxima... She's... Paradoxical in that weird way that only Space can provide. Civilized to a point, primitive in every other way. 'Honorable Conqueror' is what I'm getting. There's nothing else to understand. She's... Simple, but that simplicity can be overwhelming."

    Pushing off of the table, she smiles at the other woman, reaching up to put a hand on Zatanna's shoulder, if allowed.

    "That's not how any of us have ever seen it. You're always valued, and always, always have something to offer, even if that something is just that you're /there./ Maybe all that happens is you have a nice, relaxing, once in a lifetime trip to space. Maybe we have to punch our way off of Oa through every Green Lantern they can muster- regardless of what happens, we're happy, and -I'm- happy that you agreed to come along."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"I don't know about space fishnets. It sounds lovely. If you decide to try I will model them, but not at the cost of flash-freezing." Zee doesn't have problems with admitting that, and she gives a little tug to the sides of the suit to test for pliability. "It has my stamp of approval. Everything here seems to work the way that it should."

High craftsmanship and a good look are certainly high praise in her books, so she gladly leaves it at that, praising Karen without that saccharine suggestion of it being fake. Feeling for the disc on her wrist when that friendly hand lands, she taps it again to see what happens. Maybe it vanishes, and maybe not.

"I think you have a good read. Honourable conqueror sounds lie... what's that old book, the guy with the sword in Hyborea? Conan. I suppose space literally has all kinds. Though any empire set on running through reminds me uncomfortably of our own problems with egomaniacal imperialist types on Earth. Hopefully she doesn't feel the need to add us to an empire." She doesn't pull her hair aside, but there's the instinct to start, and catching herself. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the League. Everyone brings a different strength. You, Superman, and Wonder Woman are sometimes so..." She shakes her head, not so much at a loss for words as looking for the right one. "Larger than life in a way. It can be a little dazzling to see some horrendous mechanical monstrosity or a huge statue slamming through and one of you blocks it from falling or punching through a skyscraper. To be able to do that really is something else. And then... you have me, possibly turning the world inside out with a few words, so it's all relative, isn't it?" Cheeky isn't quite it. But she's acknowledging the balance. "I'm really glad you invited me, honestly. This has been good. Having a chance to travel with my friends /is/ great, in a way I didn't get growing up. And punching our way off Oa surrounded in a sheen of green light /is/ epic. I would subscribe to this as long as we aren't dead. Minus that bit, heck yes."

Karen Starr has posed:
    "I'll get to work on it," she starts, "But I make no promises that they won't be uncomfortably chilly." Having noted that, she offers this soft and short chuckle. "I'm glad we're on the same page though. Wouldn't want only parts of you exposed to the vaccuum of space. That's an all or nothing sort of deal."

    Her hands set themselves on her hips, and she nods solemnly once. "Yeah, like some sort of space-Conan. Honestly, that's... Probably the best way to put it. Respectful." Her head turns, looking out of the opening towards Maxima's ship proper, and she offers a small scoff. "Let's see her try. I don't imagine she'd find it at all very entertaining, or successful." Never let it be said that Karen seems anything other than justifiably confident. Maybe bordering on overconfident, but who can say where that line is drawn when you can punch the moon in half?

    "I've been called larger than life in more than one way, but continue." that joke was practically contractually obligated, but it... Does make a whole lot of sense. "As long as you're aware that you contribute a whole lot more than anyone even gets a chance to see. Maybe even more than -you- get a chance to see, the way this conversation started." Karen snorts a short laugh, then.

    "Yeah, we'll have to see about that not dead part. Not really looking forward to being violently shunted off of Oa as an alternative to being arrested for the questions we're going to ask. But, it /will/ be epic, and can you imagine the look that Hal's going to have on his face when we get back if it goes that way? He's going to be pissed."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"No promises are required. If I can't figure out how to warm myself up in space, I have no business being here." Zatanna breaks into a friendly smirk at that, half turning and echoing Karen's stance with her hands on her hips. "These legs aren't insured for as much as they just to freeze and fall off!" Cocking her hip, she strikes a pose and breaks down into a laugh again, unable to keep from showing that delight. "We've got Space Conan Princess, which has to make me... ooh, the choices aren't very good. Space-Houdini? That's really awful. I need better marketing." Really, it's pretty terrible. "I like to think Maxima has better reasons to spend time with us and visit Earth. Maybe she can see how interesting it is and feels comfortable. Like a tourist, but in a good way." Lines can be drawn, but it's not her who intends to enforce them against Majestic Laser-Eyes.

When conversation turns back to the League, she gives her head a good shake. "Hal is going to be thrilled, I'm sure. Make sure to stand /behind/ Diana when someone mentions it. Who knows, they could have mail for us to send him. Or a nice report about our behaviour. Do you think the Lanterns use paperwork? I intend to leave a good impression, either way. I don't know what we can expect as a reception. Do you think we stand at any risk of causing an incident with the space police?"

Because the space police are pretty impressive, but it's sort of a given she shares their powers in a way. Just without a ring. Less helpful in many ways, more helpful in others.

Karen Starr has posed:
    Karen is quiet throughout Zatanna's short display. Drawing attention to her legs causes the blonde's eyes to go where they're practically told, and after the whole thing is over, she offers a calm exhale. "You're not wrong." she states, trying her best to maintain as much decorum as she can.

    "I think that'd make you space-Teller, I'll be space-Penn. I'm the big idiot that doesn't do magic, and you're the one that actually does all the heavy lifting. Sound good? Being stage-mute is optional."

    Smiling her best, billion dollar smile at that, she does her best to be as charismatic as some of the others. She'd be able to pull it off, if it weren't so difficult to keep one's eyes on her face.

    "Yeah, I do. Just a little bit. It's kind of this... Nagging suspicion that something's going to go wrong. We're not going there to accept excuses or anything less than the truth as unfettered as it gets. I worry they'll object to that, and I know full well I plan to object to that objection. The rest is... Well, however they handle it is how they handle it."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The laugh is a salve to sensitivity and a warm balm for the soul. Maybe. Decorum is important and Zee brightly executes a bow with all the proper flourish for someone lacking a cape. Or a very impressive armada, which can be a fair substitute.

"Space-Teller? Oh gods, that's something to live up to. Space-Sorceress sounds better. Space-Merlin? I mean, I'm obviously not /him/ but name another wizard other than Harry."

A moment to shake her head. "Penn's the sharp one. Magical duos are fairly rare unless you're talking the sorcerer and his broom-carrying apprentice and it never ends well. I'll just rely on my Dad's fame." She winks, fully enchanted, and tips her head neatly to the side. Giving Karen a direct but playful gaze, and she raises her arms lightly. Pounce for a hug if need be.

"Don't ignore those feelings. Even if they're wrong, better to be prepared. The truth may be hard. I hope, however, they realize you come with good intentions."

Karen Starr has posed:
    Karen raises one brow, cocking her head to the side and retaining the posture of her hands on her hips. "So you're okay with Space-Merlin but Space-Teller might be a little too much to live up to?" she jests, "And I know Penn's the sharp one. Which one of us made a space suit that lives in the phantom zone when you're not wearing it?"

    Another chuckle. It's just not fair.

    Nodding again, she lets out a content sigh. Sure, if the invitation is there, she'll pluck the other woman up for a hug. "I'm not ignoring anything, which may be the problem. I'm also not about to take No for an answer- and the people in charge of the Lanterns absolutely love to say no. Thanks for sticking by us, even with that possibility on the table. I wouldn't blame you for staying on the ship."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"You've /seen/ Teller's hair, haven't you? The style, the pizazz? Only fools," Zee intones. A good shake of her head banishes the notion. "A hat with stars and moons is so much easier, believe me. Merlin at least can do the madman in the woods. I don't have the stature of a Teller. Or Penn, really."

Keeping a straight face takes all the power in the world. She has it... mostly. The invitation is there for the hug, too, which is met with a grin. Space-Merliness hugs Karen back. "Thank you so much! The costume, the chance. You're much better than anything in Fantasia or Vegas." Lived in one, invented the equivalent of the other, so it's all certain.

"Oh, don't you worry. Give up on watching you say /no/ to the space cops when they get snarky? Perish the idea. I can't wait to see what happens when Superman uses that friendly smile, Supergirl just turns up the lights, and you give them that look of meaning business. Put it all together, that's high drama right there."