Sanctity: Eveningish

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

The stack of invoices had disappeared, which left Zhaan with little to do but twiddle her thumbs. Rather than do that, she eyed the dust on the shelves and sighed. It was a job that never ended.

Grabbing the feather duster, she started in the back and worked her way to the front. Pretty soon, she was singing along with the radio, though she didn't quite know the words.

Comments

[mildly-super.livejournal.com]

Clark had always liked to get an early start on holiday shopping.

"Hello?"

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

"Hello," Setting the duster down on a convenient shelf, Zhaan moved towards Clark, "What can I help you with?"

[mildly-super.livejournal.com]

"Well I'm looking for a Christmas present for my mother."

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

Zhaan considered this for a moment, then asked, "Does she have much time for relaxation?"

[mildly-super.livejournal.com]

"Mostly. She lives on a farm, but it's mostly worked by the neighbors these days."

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

"Hrm. Perhaps some candles and bath salts?"

[mildly-super.livejournal.com]

"Candle's were part of what I had in mind...uhm, what, exactly are bath salts?"

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

Trying not to sound like a textbook or catalogue, Zhaan replied. "Aromatic oils and scent crystals--usually a form of salt--that dissolve and soothe the skin. The scents are considered conducive to relaxation and meditation. Some more so than others. And the oils soften the skin." Really, after a good bath, Zhaan always felt she could sleep for a few hundred years.

[mildly-super.livejournal.com]

"That sounds like something she'd like." Clark smiled. "I, uh, I remember some, uh, scents that she said she liked..." He started looking for the list.

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

"There are quite a few. Some are a touch more exotic than others." She smiled, and gestured at the display. "Please feel free to open them to decide whether the scent will work well."

[mildly-super.livejournal.com]

Clark looked at the display. Many of the lables were familiar, herbs his mother had grown, descriptions of things one would find on a farm. He chuckled thinking how he wouldn't even mind smelling manure, it would remind him of the farm after all.

Then there were some that seemed completely foreign to him.

mun would have to now look up things, as I've no idea what sort of things there'd be.

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

Gah. I'm sorry about this, but my brain has just officially shut down, can we continue this tomorrow, or do you want to just hand-wave that he bought some very nice bath salts and candles?

[mildly-super.livejournal.com]

i'm cool with continuing later or handwaving. it's tomorrow now though.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker had realized that *again* she'd forgotten the midterm project, and with limited time, she had to find someone to interview.

Thus she was thrilled that Sanctity was open.

"Hi Zhaan. Can I ask you a favor?"

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

"Certainly," tilting her head in curiosity, Zhaan asked, "What did you need?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"An interview, if you have time." Parker smiled, biting her lower lip. "It's for my astronomy class; we're supposed to conduct an interview with someone from another planet. If you wouldn't mind, answering just a few basic questions? You don't have to, if you don't wish to."

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

"Not at all." It might even be fun. Zhaan settled on the stool. If she'd had eyebrows, she would have raised them. Instead, she looked attentive.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker had been wondering about Zhaan since they met anyway; the opportunity to officially indulge her curiosity is too much. She flipped open her little notepad, and said, "Okay, your full name is what? And what is the name of your home planet?"

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

"Pa'u Zotah Zhaan. Delvia." Short, simple answers. Because her player is still watching NCIS.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"What would you want people here at Fandom to know about your home planet?" Parker noted down the name and cocked her head. "Is it much like Earth? I assume the technology is more advanced, since you're here, and we're not out there yet."

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

Zhaan considered a moment, "The air is incredibly sweet, and the rise of the moons is breathtaking. I used to stand out in the commons during my training and look up to watch them. Sometimes, I could stand for hours it was so peaceful. Delvia is rich in life, and as we tend to be rather long-lived, philosophy as well. It is Earth-like in some aspects, although the air is purer, and the politics are less seperated into states and more a global whole.

"Our technology is far in advance of Earth, some of it gleaned from the Peacekeepers, some from the Hynerians. In more recent years, I believe they've allowed the Peacekeepers to adapt Delvian ships to more efficient weaponry." Zhaan frowned at that.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker thought of Hawaii, and some of the places she'd been in the Everglades, and smiled, looking envious. "It sounds lovely. Do they let other races visit, at all?" Then she returned Zhaan's frown, and said, "Those are Aeryn's people, right? Are they allies of yours?"

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

"Delvia is an open world. You simply have to know where it is." Coordinates really were a bitch, Zhaan reflected. "Correct. The Peacekeepers are currently allies of Delvia." She didn't sound particularly happy about this.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"I'd love to see it." She traced a spiral on the notepad, then cautiously said, "Is that why you're here, and not still back home?"

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

It was actually a good question. Zhaan realized, suddenly, that she could go back. There were ships that would have navigational charts, and people who would be willing to take her there. And she could pay. The simple answer, though, was, "Yes. I'm afraid I don't exactly agree with the government, at the moment. Much as I would love to go home..."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"It's not the best place for you, right now," Parker finished for her. "We get a lot of that here, don't we?" She smiled a little, looking around the shop. "But if the rest of Delvia is like Sanctity, I can see why you miss it."

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

"Quite." Half-smiling again, Zhaan reflected that she once would have been restless with questions like these. Innocent ones, yes, but ones she had only recently begun to consider. "I suspect I spend time wandering your Earth simply to remind myself of home."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Oh? Where did you visit? And how--" Parker blinked. "Um, how did you manage? Forgive me, but you're very obviously not from around here."

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

"As the American government requires far too many papers, I have mostly traveled this continent. Make-up, veils, and the human ability to see what they expect to see," Zhaan explained. She made a face, "The makeup is quite stifling, at times."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Ahh." Parker tried to picture Zhaan with human-flesh-toned skin, and maybe a wig. She'd still have been exotically beautiful, but at least she didn't have horns to hide, like Lorne. "I can see how that would get annoying after a while." She looked down at her notes, then back to Zhaan. "I think that covers everything I can ask you right now. Thanks so much for letting me interview you."

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome. I enjoyed it."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker snagged some more bath salts and herbs to relax to, thanked Zhaan, and headed back to the dorms to get ready for her recruitment dinner.