Work Text:
Picture another world; your world, but different. Picture the universe; the human universe expanded, settlements in space, travel between 'worlds.' And into this world, picture four people, three of them human, and one humanoid, not actually exactly human.
Banksia Min, known most often as Banks, half-Malay, half-Pakistan, and wearing a guardian angel pin; frequently with her favourite t-shirt, that which reads 'I SOLD MY SOUL TO ROCK AND ROLL' across the front.
Then there is Pinky (Pinky C., upon occasion, but never Pinky Cake). Pinky is small and naturally pale blonde, who, when she is cold, goes pink and blue, which makes you wonder if this is where she got her nickname, or if Pinky is really just her name.
Third, is Harvey Carlill-McPhee (from the future, though, further afield than Pinky's future, where she once worked at The Wonderful Universe of McDonald's, in the Milky Way sector under the McEarth section, wearing a ridiculous headband with two antennae to which was attached at its ends two miniature Earths; she doesn't anymore). Harvey tells jokes, to which people rarely laugh at, human or otherwise. He keeps at it, nonetheless. One day, he's going to be funny. (People always laughed at Pinky, but he doesn't know this).
Lastly, is Tracy. He's not human, not really, anyway, though he looks just like one. To Banks, Pinky and Harvey, he's an alien, and to him, they're the aliens. Tracy's people have developed time travel, but Tracy doesn't care about this, though he travels in one of their vessels; he just wants to get away, wants to pretend he's something else, maybe human, maybe he is, in a way.
His mother might have been, he never knew her, so he can't be sure. He guesses, if she was, then that'd make him half-human, and that's half of him that he likes better than the other half.
He's a traveller, but he'd travelled for such a long time. He's travelled with other before Banks, and Pinky and Harvey, but they don't need to know this – and they don't ask, so he doesn't tell.
He listens to Banks' Elvis Presley – 'The King' – recordings, and watches Pinky busily sticking shiny plastic things that she calls 'rhinestones' to a paper backing in a scrapbooking album where she only puts 'nice' pictures of herself, and her younger sister, who Tracy heard had died – suicided – some years back. He won't bring it up; he doesn't want to hurt Pinky.
She's the cook, most times, and she's not as bad as she thinks.
Banks reads a book on mechanics, wearing a pair of ZFE (Zoom Factor Enabled) reading glasses, way out of her time.
Harvey concerns himself with a magazine of women in little clothing, sitting on the arm of the sofa Banks is lounging in; Pinky knelt on the floor by the low table which might be called a coffee table – which Banks has put her boots up on – pouring over her scrapbook.
Harvey casually removes his attention from the glossy plastic pages of his magazine to suggest she add a picture in which she is wearing something more feminine, and a little more brief, adding that he'd be happy to help out in taking such a picture.
Pinky makes a face at the page of her album, though it is really intended for him, and he smiles, knowing that she's not really angered.
Tracy is working on fixing – maintaining – the vessel. They'll reach Queen Anne soon, and he knows he has to have it in tip-top condition for then, if something happens, so that he'll be able to pull off a speedy getaway (he's never sure). If it failed, it would be embarrassing, and life-threatening. He may eventually live down the embarrassment, but he's not entirely sure of the life-threatening part, which would, in its essence, require a life to live down, and which would be slightly less useful – and doable – if he were to meet an unfortunate ending.
Banks is humming Elvis, and Tracy finds it relaxing to join in on occasion, though he knows the music isn't exactly to Harvey's taste, and Pinky likes any music (though he's not sure she's ever actually heard Harvey's).
Queen Anne is Pinky's homeworld, and she's hoping to be able to visit her sister's burial plot there – at Eternity Fair – and Tracy thinks that may not be a bad idea. It'd be relaxing, in a way, he supposes.
He doesn't think of death the same way that Pinky does.
Banks is looking forward to the shops, and to stocking up her music collection at Smiles, one of Queen Anne's capital city, Eternity's, massive retail complexes.
Maybe Harvey will tag along with Banks, buy some music, and check out the magazine scene.
Later, Tracy knows he'll need to stop by some place to pick up a couple of parts for Norabelle (the name he gave to his vessel – well, it is his now – and his home).