working out complications

[coffee_elf]

People who have met and are familiar with Rondo are relatively few and far between in the Nexus. He appears here and there, and occasionally introduces himself, but for the most part he’s been an observer. It helps that he’s small and quiet; his ability to be overlooked is almost supernatural. Those who have met him, though, may notice that he looks slightly different today. He’s colored his hair, for one thing. The soft brown is full of streaks of plum-purple and there are a couple tiny braids decorating the back of his neck, each with a pair of little jewels stuck in the end, like the eyes of a dangling snake.

His clothing is mostly black, too, where he normally wears earthtones and green. Otherwise he seems the same, though, seated on a bench outside the library, surrounded by books but scrolling through his tablet screen. Rondo is obviously not human, significantly under five feet tall, with an elongated face and pointed ears dotted with chains and earrings. He looks young, though. A student, maybe? The large cup of coffee at his knee makes that idea plausible.

“Um…” he’s hesitant to speak publicly in this place. There are so many humans, and other species he doesn’t even know anything about. But he does have a couple questions. “So, uh, for people who come and go from this place, assuming you can’t just openly announce to your neighbors and friends that you have a gateway to a multidimensional realm—how do you keep it a secret? How strictly do you separate Nexus stuff from home stuff? Are you worried about cross-contamination?”

“And—I’m kind of thinking about renting a room here. Because I keep finding books I want, and things I’d like to have access to, but can’t take home. Tech, instruments, even food and clothes. I’d only need, like, a studio, I guess? Anyone looking for a very part-time tenant? Or roommate?”

Comments

[chiaro_oscuro]

"I can't go back to my world, so cross-contamination there is frankly not an issue for me. I only had one object brought over so far...and that's because I have someone special to me who wanted physical evidence that I was alive and real here. I thought a small gift would help her. As for other worlds, I travel light and keep technology unique to my universe under close watch."

But Ben's attention is more focused on the second question. Art is something he is interested in. While he's a mechanic, he does sketches when he's in the mood. It's a simple reapplication of his skill with calligraphy. Art's one of the calming hobbies he's taken on in his spare time to help himself relax.

"You're welcome to stay in the apartment complex where I live. It's easy to adjust there, isn't too crowded, and you'll have room for your supplies." Ben elaborates a little more. "I'm an artist, too. Well, it's more of a hobby for me. Sometimes I go to the Wilds to sketch landscapes or animals, and sell the better ones in the Plaza." It's not a job, exactly, but it's a way to supplement his income.

[coffee_elf]

If he hadn't met Felix at his and Kirk's wedding party, Rondo might have trouble being polite here, in the face of someone who is to all outward appearances human, but with an unmistakable aura of elemental power. Magical humans are a terrifying concept to him and his kind, and his ears flatten a little at Ben's approach, but he schools himself quickly enough. It helps that Ben is so soft-spoken at the moment.

He nods slowly at his first answer, thinking it over. "I think my perspective must be out of step with most people here. I'm just now realizing how xenophobic my planet is. The idea of bringing something home that's not properly vetted is...scary."

The first couple times he came and went here, he felt horribly guilty about it, too.

"Oh, I'm not actually an artist--well, not in the traditional sense. I suppose there is a kind of art to magic, especially at higher levels, but I'm still a student. Honestly, what I really want is an aquarium and some pet fish. We don't even have fish on my planet."

"Art is cool, though! Can I see some of your drawings sometime?"

[chiaro_oscuro]

"You're trying to learn and grow past that attitude - that's a very good thing. If it helps you feel better, there are people here in the Nexus far more xenophobic than you and who aren't trying to learn. So you're doing well."

Ben is used to being disliked. There are plenty of valid reasons to dislike or distrust him personally that don't involve xenophobia, but the idea of being hated for what he is rather than what he's done feels strange. As if it's responding to his presence correctly but for the wrong reasons. He's still not used to people being nice to him. It doesn't feel earned.

"My reasons are a little different. The universe I came from is on the higher end of the technology scale, so I want to be careful about outsiders having access to weapons from my world. Not messing with things too much, if you follow."

A little cross-pollination between universes is inevitable, but that's no reason to be careless and leave things lying around.

"Yes, you can. I live in the downtown area. I'll give you my address if you'd like to see what I can do one of these days, or you can find me in the Plaza on weekends."

[coffee_elf]

"Uh...thanks," he says softly, not entirely sure how to take the compliment. There are thousands of years of history behind his world's attitudes and trying to explain that to other people--humans especially--tends to upset them. It's probably better to change the subject, so he moves on to the next topic hastily.

"Yyyeah, I think I'm a little ahead with technology, too. At least, my comm pad has way more processing speed than anything in the stores here. We don't have anything with the quantum capacity of these PINpoints but they seem like the exception that proves the rule, mostly. We're mostly a pacifist planet, so I don't think our weaponry would be a problem, but...I don't want to learn otherwise the hard way."

"Yeah?" Despite his uncertainty, he is genuinely interested in art and making friends, so he nods and opens up a window on his PINpoint. "That'd be great. I'm Rondo, by the way. Nice to meet you, Mr...?"

[chiaro_oscuro]

Ben is more likely to understand the situation than some, or at least the idea that some things are too grave to be forgiven easily. The wounds of the past are not so easily healed. Scars run deep. Some things cannot be fixed, and some crimes cannot be apologized for. The fact that so many worlds are troubled in similar ways isn't surprising at all.

"Are your people space-faring?" There's interest there. "I suppose it's important to keep your PINpoint on you, too - imagine how powerful technology like that would be if the wrong person got their hands on one. The Nexus isn't always safe, you know, and not everyone who comes here is friendly or with good intentions. You have to be careful. There was trouble not so long ago."

Ben tries to brush the cynicism away when he sees Rondo typing on his PINpoint. "My name's Ben Solo. I live in an apartment complex in the downtown area, near the industrial section. Third floor. I can put it in for you."

[coffee_elf]

Rondo doesn't expect anyone to fully understand something his own kind are still coming to terms with. He also doesn't want to be talking about it constantly, not here.

"We...are, but we don't travel very widely. Out of choice. We have the technology but we prefer to stick mostly to our own system. We have a few close moon colonies, though. I'm supposed to get a chance to travel to one next semester."

"That's more my concern," he adds. "That something would come from the Nexus, intentionally or not, and disrupt my world. What I'm hearing makes it sound like that doesn't happen too often, at least."

"Mr. Solo," he repeats politely, and offers out the PINpoint. "Here, that'd be great. I don't know where I'll get a place, but it'd be good to stay in touch either way."

[chiaro_oscuro]

"Ah." That makes sense. "So it's more that your people are isolationists by choice. I hope you have a good experience on your moon colony. It's a big universe out there, but most universes do have their dangers."

Ben likes the Nexus - it's a lot better than being dead - but is more cynical than the typical resident. He knows the Nexus isn't always nice, though that's the way of most places.

"It doesn't happen often, no. It's a bit more common that things come from other worlds to the Nexus and cause problems here. I haven't seen it happen myself, but I heard stories. Weather turning bad, attempted invasions, a poisoners selling tainted goods, that sort of thing. It's...unpredictable. In good ways and bad ways."

"There are residential areas downtown. This place has a way of producing things people need. It's a good idea to build contacts here." Ben punches in his number and his address, handing it back to Rondo. "When we have longer to talk, I'd be happy to tell you some more about my galaxy."

[coffee_elf]

"Well...we have a bad history. With humans, specifically," he admits, his expression neutral. "Our culture is still rebounding, and we're long-lived, so we have long memories. We do interplanetary trade and mercy missions, and we have representatives in the Congress for our neighboring systems, but we're not explorers and that's not likely to change."

He smiles, because colonies are an easier topic. "We have three moons. Two colonies on one, and one on another. The third one's too small for a permanent settlement. We have a couple dozen satellite stations, too."

Nodding, he taps his fingers on the edge of his cup. "I guess with no real legal body, that's bound to happen. It's very impressive how well the place does hold up."

He offers a light fist-bump. "Let's compare notes, yeah. I'm always up for learning something new."

[chiaro_oscuro]

Ben listens to the background Rondo gives him. He assumes that humans had invaded Rondo's homeworld and done damage that they're still recovering from. He wasn't involved in the invasion of Rondo's home planet, obviously, but he had led more than his share of invasions and subjugations of other planets. It's not something he's proud of, but it's a part of his past he owns up to.

He doesn't press Rondo about the subject. He can tell it's a hard topic to discuss for both of them, for different reasons.

"There are no rules here from what I've seen. It's been quiet since I arrived - if you ask me, it's better that way." He offers his PINpoint to Rondo in turn. "The anti-violence field probably helps. But I don't trust it completely. We don't know how it works or who maintains it."

Still, the anti-violence field certainly plays a role in keeping the peace. Ben knows there are people who aren't so pleasant in the Nexus and the AVF, at least where it's strong, holds them in check.

Ben accepts and returns the fist-bump. "Yes, we should sometime. If you like, I can give you some pointers if you're interested in drawing."

[coffee_elf]

Rondo is being careful. He has no secrets in the Nexus; he's not afraid to discuss his planet's past, but it's very obvious that the majority of the population here is human, or close to it, or well-acquainted with humanity. It's unfair to judge a population of an alien universe by what similar creatures have done in one's own world. Beyond that, it won't win him any friends to go around badmouthing an entire species. He is learning diplomacy in a very immediate and immersive fashion.

"There are rules. They're just small rules, implied rather than written out," he says with a little smile. "People bring them from home and use them here, all these social mores and graces. I've been watching people return their shopping baskets, picking up litter, all of those kinds of things. Maybe there are illegal arms dealers selling around the corner, but people in the Plaza still open doors for one another."

"It's a fascinating experiment, if you think of it that way. Everyone bringing an individual concept of ethics to this place, and watching to see if all the divergent opinions click together into something like a society."

[chiaro_oscuro]

"I stand that it's interesting most people get along. The anti-violence field might help, but I think it's in everyone's interests - more or less - that there's a functional society in place even with no leadership or government. There are people in charge of their own factions, but that's hardly the same thing. I hope things stay peaceful, myself, and I don't think there would be much disagreement with me."

Ben's curious that a place as anarchic as the Nexus still has some degree of self-imposed order. He would have expected more culture clash. Even within his own galaxy, different factions and cultures don't get along, and some conflicts are ancient. But the Nexus is a place where darksiders - even ones trying to reform - can live in relative peace. He's grateful for that. Rey's the only lightsider who visits, but he quietly hopes more come in so there's more of a feeling of balance.

"What kind of being are you, if you don't mind me asking? Your people aren't native to my home galaxy, so I'd like to learn a bit more."

[coffee_elf]

"Most organized, sapient races have evolved from species that have social groups," he says thoughtfully. "Maybe because the various interactions force the brain to develop to keep up. I don't know. But it makes sense that the majority of the people who show up here want to make friends and fit in on some level at least."

He smiles a little then. "That's a polite way to ask. I'm Arraka'aran. Sometimes we call ourselves 'elves' colloquially, because when humans visited our planet ages ago, they noticed we resembled those creatures from their folklore and myths."

[chiaro_oscuro]

"I'm a little unusual in that respect," Ben says. "I'm not opposed to social interaction, that's true, but I usually keep to myself. But that's started to change the longer I'm here. Maybe there's something about this place that brings it out. But having friends does feel good, I'll tell you that." It's made Ben more outwardly friendly and social, against his own impulses.

He practices the word he was given, making sure he has it right. "Arraka'aran. Yes, your species is unknown to my home galaxy. We have humans, too, but I haven't seen most of the other native species here. Most of them I don't know, but that'd to be expected with such a large multiverse."