gotta get down for a mingle

[redactions]

Who: The crew of the SS Heron and visitors.
Broadcast: nope.
Action: Aboard the SS Heron.
When: After returning to the ship.

[ finally back on the right ship, except the corridors are all mysteriously cold and the ship seems smaller. Thanks, Atroma. New crew, visitors, starters in comments ]

Comments

[reconstitution]

..Was he here before, once?

[ Other than that, there's nothing that he can recall about him. ]

[mucked]

He was, indeed. I mention him only as an anchor of sorts -- for it's his father, Howard, who was instrumental in the project that brought Captain America into focus. [ not 'into being', but 'into focus' -- for captain america had always lurked under steve's skin, she's certain. ]

[reconstitution]

I don't think so.

[ He does try once more to consult his memory, but as the last time, there is nothing concerning Howard Stark. ]

Sorry to disappoint.

[mucked]

You don't. [ disappoint. ] Only I thought I should ask before I went on to explain anything else. Howard, you see, is an awfully integral piece of all that's happened since...

Well, since after the war.

[reconstitution]

So he didn't turn into such a good person, then.

[ A pause. ]

Made some calls that weren't so great?

[mucked]

He made some calls that resulted in him being brought up in front of congress as a would-be traitor. He was innocent, mind. But it's not as though they didn't have a damned good reason for it.

[reconstitution]

What did he do?

[ It's raising his interest, and there's something that feels familiar. He doubts there is a correlation between the two, though. What are the odds? ]

[mucked]

He brought the wrong person into his confidence. Brought her to the wrong places. [ her attention becomes focused. careful. after all, 'dottie' had been a soviet operative. ] Let her get her hands on the wrong sort of merchandise.

[reconstitution]

It ended up with the sort of people that very well shouldn't have access to it. Right?

[ He crosses his arms, leaning back against the wall. ]

[mucked]

Horrid and imaginative weapons. Deployed on American soil.

[reconstitution]

Was he remorseful?

[mucked]

[ her voice gentles. ] Very. At least, he was where it mattered.

[ her own personal problems with howard aside, she knows he felt quite keenly the harm his work did and could have done if leviathan had kept its hands on his bad babies. ]

[reconstitution]

Did he try to make amends?

[ Very much hoping that this situation turns out for the better? ]

[mucked]

He did. [ and i stopped him. because it wasn't amends to unwittingly crash death onto a whole city -- but she knows that, in that moment, amends was the only thing in howard's heart. ]

Absolved of all charges, as well. Although it's hard not to argue he was culpable. Negligence remains negligence.

[reconstitution]

Did he learn his lesson? Do better things after that?

[ He had a son, at the very least. So things couldn't be all bad, right? ]

It's a stretch to go from Captain America to building weapons.

[ His own situation is vastly different. ]

[mucked]

Not so much of a stretch, I'm afraid. [ her smile is rueful, but present. ] Project Rebirth always carried with it the coppery smell of a weapon. It was Steve himself who gave it dignity and nuance.

But -- I see your point, and I grant it.

[reconstitution]

It's the person who makes it a saving grace or a tool of destruction.

[ And it's probably pretty obvious which category he firmly puts himself. He just hopes there's time to change it. ]

[mucked]

Something like that.

[ a careful eye. and then, abruptly, she stands. ] I really ought to continue on and have words with your captain.

[reconstitution]

[ He nods, standing in turn. ]

He would like that, I'm sure.

[mucked]

[ her smile is slight. and sad. but she doesn't want to leave him with a stern expression on her face. ] Don't be a stranger, Winter. We'll talk again soon.

[reconstitution]

Yes, ma'am.

[ He offers her a nod, watching her go before returning to his position. ]