(no subject)

[outstandingbalance]

Who: Natasha Romanoff & You
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: 6/24

Video

[Transmission starts at the same moment the woman laying in fram shifts from unconsciousness to tense stillness—her eyes open, darting, and she goes tense, but otherwise there's no movement from her for the first four or five seconds. That seems to be how long it takes her to process that she's in an unfamiliar space with no memory of how she came to be lying there. Then one hand balls consciously into a fist. Her eyes flutter. Jaw tightens.

Natasha takes a deep breath and forces her body to relax muscle by muscle.

Seems like spies don't make for great entertainment when they first wake up. Not unless you find tension and veiled suspicious looks riveting. The first minute or two isn't much more than that. She wakes up. She sits up. She swings her legs over the edge of her cot and stretches her back, trying to flex the adrenaline out of her muscles.

She looks directly into the camera at one point, her expression flat, lips tightening in a frown. She taps the edge of the lens experimentally.]

You know, if you're gonna kidnap a girl you could at least buy her dinner first.

[Her voice is just a touch to defiant to be neutral as she speaks.

Then she hauls herself to her feet. The last thing caught on camera before the broadcast ends is a shot of her catsuited figure walking away.]

Comments

encrypted;

[unbearablynaive]

[Let's add a layer of encryption on this, shall we? This could be sensitive, after all.]

Captain Rogers doesn't share his thoughts on the matter with me, I'm afraid.

[Which, frankly, there could be any number of reasons for. He doesn't take it personally.]

Winter, as he calls himself, has made significant progress from where he was. However, something caused him to revert temporarily and many people were injured as a result. We've yet to positively identify the trigger.

[outstandingbalance]

[Probably a good idea. Natasha's interested in the encryption she's seen here. And guess she's lucky, because turns out she knows something about it.

Not sure she likes that.]

Winter, huh?

[She notes it. Never hurts to know what people like to hear, what they maybe don't expect to hear.]

You're sure something triggered it? It wasn't just a break on his part?

[unbearablynaive]

Winter. [A reasonable compromise, he thinks, between the "Bucky" of old that Steve knew and the tool of Hydra he'd become.]

As sure as I can be without witnessing the initial incident myself. But he believes it, and the telepaths who have looked into the situation agree - Wanda helped to neutralize him, and there's another one here named Charles Xavier who's been very helpful.

[outstandingbalance]

I won't doubt Wanda's word on it.

[Which doesn't mean she won't talk to her about it later, or Xavier if she gets the chance.

Or Barnes, for that matter.

If there's no one else from HYDRA here to pull the strings, though, there's no reason to assume he's an active danger.]

We know or a fact that Loki hasn't gotten into trouble?

[unbearablynaive]

[Talking to them seems like a very good idea, given the circumstances. Well, that and the Vision likes to see people talking to Wanda about her strengths.]

For a fact? No. No doubt you're perfectly aware how subtle he can be. But whatever he's doing he's kept it covert, and aside from the business with Winter there hasn't been anything that might even remotely be attributed to him.

[He tilts his head to one side.]

He's fond of saying he sees no point in "ruling a fish bowl".

[outstandingbalance]

[She's not sure if that sounds more like a rationalization or sulking, and she knew better than to assume one way or the other with Loki.]

As long as it keeps him out of trouble.

[She had enough on her plate, Natasha was willing to make Loki a low priority until he proved otherwise.

Though it was worth one more question.]

Do we know when he's from?

[unbearablynaive]

[With Loki, who says it isn't both?]

I'd even settle for minimal trouble. I admit I get concerned whenever he's too quiet.

[He nods.]

He claims he's dead at home, which would place him during the Dark Elves' attack on London.

[outstandingbalance]

[Probably both.]

He may be.

[Who's to say how that would affect someone like Loki? He was unpredictable enough when he was alive.]

How's that been for you? Dealing with Loki.

[She glances at the stone set in Vision's forehead, pointed.]

[unbearablynaive]

[Yeah, he catches that glance all right, and the Vision sighs.]

He hates me with what I feel to be an entirely unreasonable passion, as I've never harmed him in any way. Again, however, he's not openly hostile.

[...so, you know, being Loki, is probably a likely candidate behind anything "accidental" that should happen to the Vision.]

[outstandingbalance]

[It would be Natasha's first suspicion. Especially considering it wouldn't be easy to arrange an "accident" that would keep Vision down.]

Loki isn't widely known for being what you'd call reasonable. Don't take it personally.

[unbearablynaive]

I suppose that's true.

[But he kind of does take it personally anyway. :c]

[outstandingbalance]

[It is true. But poor Vision.]

Does it bother you?

[She wouldn't ask most people, but the Vision she knows is only days old. It's easier to take a proprietary interest under those circumstances.]

[unbearablynaive]

To be judged not on who I am but what I am is a difficulty I'm not alone in struggling with. Though, to be fair, I've had more luck with that here thanks to the diversity of individuals represented in the Fleet.

[outstandingbalance]

I notice that doesn't exactly answer my question.

[She lifts one shoulder, giving him a crooked look.]

That's fine. I won't pry.

[unbearablynaive]

[It isn't an answer, is it? He quirks his lips in a brief smile at her.]

I want to see what Thor sees in him. It's difficult if Loki dislikes me so much.

[outstandingbalance]

For what it's worth, I don't think it's you he dislikes. Not if he doesn't actually know you.

[unbearablynaive]

[He inclines his head in acknowledgment.]

Yes, perhaps so. The end result is the same, though, is it not?

[outstandingbalance]

Maybe. But different causes can be pretty important—you solve the problem different ways.

[unbearablynaive]

If the problem is that I bear the Mind Stone, I'm afraid that one is going to be unresolved.

[outstandingbalance]

If the problem is that you having the Mind Stone bothers him, then it's not your job to win him over.

[unbearablynaive]

[He smiles very slightly.]

And so I despair over seeing more of him than animosity.

[outstandingbalance]

How long has he been here?

[unbearablynaive]

Nearly as long as I have.

[outstandingbalance]

Guess it's too much to hope you'll win him over with time.

[unbearablynaive]

It's doubtful.

[Oh well.]