Stark

Stark had been unwilling, at first, to accept the fact that the ever-increasing list of disappearances might grow to include someone he cared about. That was what had kept him, so far, from trying to contact Moya. That, and the fact that regular contact was just not something Stark had ever excelled at.

But his concern had overcome any hesitation and he had taken his comms out and tried to call Moya. He held his breath, waiting, without even realizing it until he let out a sigh of relief when Pilot's voice finally came through.

( The relief didn't last long )

Stark was in his office. This was strange in and of itself. He’d never had an office before and wasn’t entirely sure what to do with one. So far he’d added a tiny potted plant to the desk and that was all. It had seemed like an appropriate thing to do. The pacing he was doing instead of sitting at the desk was less strange but, since this was Stark, just as appropriate.

There was also plate of assorted tiny cupcakes from J,GOB on the desk. That had also seemed appropriate. The cupcakes, however, were a far less permanent addition to the space. These were for sharing should anyone show up today while he was there. If not he might be forced to eat them all over the weekend.

[My standard “no internet at work” disclaimer applies. I will, of course, pick up pings when I return this evening. However, the door and post are open and the Banik would almost certainly be happy to see you and he'll share the cupcakes. Unless you call him “Professor,” Raven.]

There had been cupcakes and talking. Mostly talking. Zhaan had said she wanted to know what had happened with him and so Stark had tried to tell her all of it. And there was a lot to tell. And there was so much to say that wasn't just retelling what had happened since last he saw Zhaan. So much to do. More than could possibly have fit into the all-too-short time she was here.

"Please," he said softly, and not for the first time. "Please don't leave me alone again. There must be a way..." He said it even though he knew there was no way. He knew that this time had already been a gift. Time to see and hear and touch and simply be with his Zhaan.


[Up late because I'm in San Diego and had no downtime at all today. Also for epic amounts of SP]

Stark always missed Zhaan. This was a fundamental part of who he was, much like his tenous hold on his sanity or his tendency to babble. Sometimes he missed her more than others. Usually this was just something he accepted, something that bothered him on some level but not an immediate one. Usually it was a wistful sort of emotion, occasionally something stronger. Sometimes it was more immediate. Like today. Today it wasn't even just emotional. Today it was almost physical.

Staying cooped up his transport pod was not helping Stark in the least, which was why he'd landed on this small commerce planet. Doing something, even if it was just wandering through a marketplace looking for something more palatable than food cubes, had to be better than being left alone with his thoughts right now. Unfortunately for Stark, this particular commerce planet happened, at the moment, to be hosting more than a few Delvians.

Had Stark known about the influx of Delvians, he probably wouldn't have landed at all. Right now he wasn't in any shape to be running into blue people when all he wanted in the world was one particular, beloved blue person. One he'd been missing for far, far too long.

It had been merely an annoyance when he'd spotted the first Delvian woman. He'd simply turned and headed in a new direction. It had happened again, and he'd turned again, thinkin perhaps he should just head back to the pod.

And then he'd turned and crashed into two Delvian Pa'us. Having one eye, after all, led to a distinct lack of peripheral vision to one side. He stumbled backward, stared, paled, whispered "Goddess help me" in a tone barely audible even to himself and began stammering out an apology.

One of the priestesses had grabbed at his shoulder to steady him as he stumbled. She smiled, dismissing the apology as unnecessary, as did the other. "Are you all right?" one asked, "you look...unwell."

"Could we help?" offered the other. "Come, sit, before you fall over." She motioned to a recently vacated bench as she spoke. The first Delvian who had spoken nodded her agreement, gently pushing tugging Stark towards the bench. Part of Stark was having very happy thoughts at the idea of these two Delvians. The vast majority of him was appalled at that part and trying not to flail or run screaming.

"I..." Stark began, toying with the mask buckle at his neck in his effort not to flail. "I. No. No. This is. I...That is, you're...you're not. And I, no. You're not, even if you look...I need to go. Now. Need to go now. Need to be somewhere else. Alone." Leaving two confused Delvian priestesses behind him, Stark turned and fled in the opposite direction hoping he could manage to avoid anymore encounters with blue women on his way back to the transport pod. Perhaps being alone was his best option right now.

[I couldn't leave Stark entirely out of sex week even though just contemplating including him felt vaguely wrong somehow. Establishy unless you happen to be in the UTs or you're taking a break from your pollen-fueled sexcapades to call an alien. He'd enjoy that.]