8141/Regarging the Quantum Batteries

Regarging the Quantum Batteries
Date of Scene:	06 October 2021
Location:	Quantum Energy Chamber, Cargo Hold of the Milano
Synopsis:	After the narrow escape from the Kree border patrol, Ava gives Finley her data pendant and makes sure the engineer is in one piece, unharmed in the fight. It helps her sleep better so she can recharge.
Cast of Characters:	Ava Starr, Finley Ellison

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Ava Starr has posed:
Ava, stumbling out of the cockpit, through the common area, and down to the lower decks, doesn't bumble and bump into things like a normally exhausted person might. No. She clips right through them. Walls. Counters. Furniture. She slides right on through like they don't even exist. Because, for her, they don't. It's only once she finds her way into her QEC that she collapses on the bed and seems to come into contact with anything. Even without the systems in the chamber activated, there's enough ambient reflection of energy to give her a touch more solidity than she would have outside it.

That's fine by her. The mattress is her friend.

Finley Ellison has posed:
Finley follows behind her, narrowly avoiding the objects that Ava passes right through -- not because she is also exhausted, no. Rather her concern for Ava's intangible state has led to laser focus that has trouble seeing pesky things like the edges of counters or door frames. Still once she reaches the lower decks and the QEC, she pauses. Ava is inside. Good. "Hey," she says softly from just outside.

Ava Starr has posed:
Ava's eyes are closed, but she smiles, unsurprised to hear Finley's voice. "Hey," she replies. "I don't suppose I can trouble you to find me a bottle of water on this crate, can I?" It serves two purposes -- gives Finley an excuse to come in without feeling like she's intruding, and gives Ava a chance to just lay there like an old pile of bones. She doesn't really want to move right now. Her vision is only just returning to normal.

Which actually means that, with her eyes closed, the refraction at the edges of her vision is no longer seen.

Finley Ellison has posed:
"Of course," Finley says with a small smile. She dashes off to get one. grateful to be doing something useful. Now that she's seen Ava safely in her QEC, she's not quite so worried that the woman will evaporate in a poof of ever expanding molecules. Q-bands, or no q-bands, she still doesn't quite trust Ava not to disappear. She doesn't know the extent of her new powers. And the toll that they'll take on her.

When she returns with water -- and something stronger for herself -- she slips into the QEC as unobtrusively as possible. Not even considering what the machine could possibly do to her while it's on. A little quantum energy won't hurt. Certainly not after all the times Ava's taken her intangible.

She slips on to the bed next to the prone woman. "Here," she says. "Water."

Ava Starr has posed:
The machine isn't on. That would require de-tarping it, and Ava's not of a mind to do that, right now. The ambient energy that the lenses automatically catch just by moving through space is low-level enough it's not likely going to affect anyone or anything other than Ava -- more likely because of the q-bands than even her natural affinity.

As the mattress dips, Ava smiles and cracks open an eye. She takes the water. "Thanks." Then, holding onto Finley's hand, apparently having gotten enough concentration back to at least do that much, she pulls herself upright using Finley's weight as a counter balance.

She leans back against the draped glass wall and unscrews the cap of the water. Only once she's taken several swallows does she drape a wrist over a folded knee and let the bottle dangle between her fingers. "You okay?" she asks presently.

Finley Ellison has posed:
Finley looks momentarily puzzled. Then she laughs very softly. "Me? I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be okay?" She scoots over to lean against the wall of the container. She opens the bottle of the something stronger and takes a sip. "Are you okay?"

Ava Starr has posed:
"You ever go for a run and push past where you normally stop?" Ava replies. "Pretty sure I just did that." She looks down at the bands about her wrists. "Pretty sure I shouldn't have been able to do that." Not without help.

She caps her water and sets it aside, starting to awkwardly peel off her Ghost suit, now. She'll need to get back into it soon enough, once they're truly settled on Hala. But for now... it's bulkier than she'd like. Beneath it is a light grey tank top. She doesn't fight with the bottom half of the suit, but pulls the pendant out from against her chest, instead. "Here. You'll be wanting this, I reckon."

Finley Ellison has posed:
"Pretty sure you took the whole ship intangible and then invisible," Finley snirks. "Which, like I said before, impressive."

When Ava pulls out the pendant, Finley's face lights up. "Oh," she says, "You're wearing it!" She reaches out for it. But doesn't quite make contact. "Are you too overextended...?" she asks letting the question trail off into silence. "I know you did, I mean, you can...but should you?" Concern radiates. Finley looks almost scared to try and touch her.

Ava Starr has posed:
Ava snirks softly at Fin's sudden concern. Part of her understands it. After all, fear is what drove her to phase the ship in the first place. She tosses the pendant lightly at her. As it leaves her fingers, it becomes more tangible again. Which means it will make an impact, even if just a small one.

"I have a headache," she admits. "My eyes were doing funny things -- like they were pixellating around the edges in a weird refraction pattern. And I'm tired. And hot." She means warm, of course. "But I don't feel like I 'burnt', anything. Just like I stretched a little bit more than I should have. Rest will help, I'm sure."

Finley Ellison has posed:
"Can I stay?" Finley asks. "Or will you keep trying to be tangible? Or bringing me intangible? Not that I mind. I just don't know which one is more work for you..." She bites her lip to stop from babbling. She grips the pendant so tightly in her closed fist that the metal almost lacerates her skin.

Ava Starr has posed:
Ava slides down and rolls onto her side. She presses her back agains the cool glass wall on the far side of the bed and reaches out for Finley. "Stay," she agrees, perfectly willing to spoon around her. "Hide here with me." Away from Captain Wannabe and the others. "I don't think it'll hurt. And it'll help me relax." If only to know Finley's not in danger in the engine room again.

Finley Ellison has posed:
Finley crawls into Ava's open arms. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asks again, but she makes no effort to move out of the embrace. "I don't want you to hurt yourself on my account," she says. Even as she does, she snuggles against Ava. She takes another sip of the alien alcohol. She'll owe Quill, if he ever notices; right now she doesn't care.

Ava Starr has posed:
"I'm fine," Ava reassures her, leaning forward to nuzzle her neck gently. "Relax." She tightens her arms around her and lets out a soft breath that seems to deflate her whole body. "I just want to know you're safe, okay? I am not a fan of being shot at in the middle of a vacuum. It makes me grumpy."

Finley Ellison has posed:
"I'm safe," Finley says. And the tension starts to leave her body. "You've got me." She puts her own arms over Ava's and presses them to her abdomen. "I'm right here." Then she twists slightly so that she can turn to offer her mouth to Ava. "Kiss me?"

Ava Starr has posed:
Ava smiles at the request. She leans forward, lifting up enough to make it easier to find a comfortable angle to press her lips gently against Finley's mouth. Her kiss is warm, much as the rest of her skin is. She lets it linger for a few sweet moments and then she settles back down again, kissing along Finley's jaw with little, fluttering movements until she can nuzzle the back of her neck again.

She closes her eyes and inhales Finley's scent before smiling against her skin. "'M gonna rest now, 'kay?" Her energy is ebbing, as much from the exertion of being physically present as anything else. But she is content. Thus, she drifts off, limbs draped over Finley's, more relaxed than she's been in recent days -- just to know that, for now, they're both safe.

And one step closer to their goal.