Happy New All Skate!

[raptorcanaria]

"You know what, let's have a party."

Dinah threw her platinum card (thanks, Oracle) on the Bar and as a result there is free flowing champagne for everyone whose culture, age and religion permits champagne - and top quality soft alternatives for the rest. There are bar snacks doing the rounds around the tables, and delicate winter flower arrangements on each surface.

And most importantly, on the TV screen is a lot of dancing, a giant countdown, and a big ball ready to drop.

...and when the ball drops, something happens.



Welcome to another Milliways All-Skate!
All welcome - yes, that means all. Whether they're retired, deleted, AU, original or already being played by someone else, bring 'em along.

Usual all-skate rules apply:
1. Everyone's stressed out of their mind right now, so have fun!
2. Communication is key.
3. Gratuitous behaviour (either of a violent or sexual nature) will not be tolerated in the bar proper. Take that to an OOM, and then Content Warning the hell out of it before you link it.
4. Much like Vegas, what happens in All Skates, stays in All Skates (in most cases)
5. Please don't be a dick.

Comments

[52_dropoff]

"And since they gave it to you, you keep it as a memorial?" Charlie, having refitted the name foisted upon him in the foster care system, is one for freedom of choice in names. Sometimes.

[twoforce]

"I keep it because it's my name," he says simply.

But maybe it needs explanation? He remembers that Charlie said 'I am called' rather than 'I am' or 'my name is.' So he waits for the next question, to see where Charlie wants to take it - because he's never been asked why he goes by his name.

[52_dropoff]

"That's fair." He can tell that Warlock, like most people, doesn't really think about what it means that someone else gave you the name you have to use for everything.

[twoforce]

He offers, then: "we weren't really given names, officially. Too many of us, you see. Just a rank and a number.

"Names we gave each other, or chose for ourselves... I think it maybe means more to us than to other people."

He shakes his head, fond. "I've met many brothers since that have changed their face, even to look like a different species, to avoid being caught and shot as a deserter. I don't think I've met a single one who would dream of changing his name."

[52_dropoff]

"I can't begin to understand what that must be like. I have enough trouble understanding Earth military culture, and where I come from, it's entirely a volunteer army these days. For the entire army to be brothers..." It boggles the mind and he will no doubt spend days pondering it.

"Most of them are still in service to the Empire?"

[twoforce]

"Not at all, the facilities were..." he chooses not to elaborate "...closed shortly after Empire Day. Now the troopers are mostly conscripts and recruits. Some clones survive, still, but time is never kind to soldiers in the best of times."

It's hard to make sense of his age, given the givens, but it would be hard to place Warlock as older than his mid thirties.

[52_dropoff]

You don't need to be an empath to feel the immense sadness of an army created, used, and thrown away in the garbage.

"Time isn't really kind to any of us, though, is it?"

[twoforce]

"No, that's true," he agrees readily. You're wise to make the best of your unique gift."

Which he's sure Charlie doens't need to be told.

[52_dropoff]

He doesn't.

[ooc: good place to fade?]