01 | action

[electus]

Who: Hartley and YOU
Broadcast: nope. once you put something on the internet it's there forever, you know.
Action: SS Paisley and the Iskaulit
When: upon his arrival and throughout the day

a. [closed] action for Paisley Captain and First Mate

[ hartley's stay aboard the marsiva is short lived, so he's managed to glean very little information. it's unsurprising; it would hardly be entertaining for an audience to watch him appear only to instantly disappear. if entertainment value is the main criteria behind every production decision, then he imagines he's not going to find his assignment to his liking; peaceful coexistence is a terrible bore to watch. steeling himself for the worst, he decides to tread carefully for now. he has a lot of learning yet to do, and it would be preferable if he isn't constantly interrupted to attend to petty squabbles. besides, getting into fights will increase his ratings which will increase the focus given to him by this show if he's to accept the premise and that - would limit his mobility. that means that, for now, he has to respect the hierarchy of the ship. from the little he's managed to learn so far, the fleet has two ranks worth noting - captain and first mate. so after locating his room and making himself as presentable as he's able (honestly, couldn't he have been taken with a better wardrobe than the casual wear cisco put him in? this is humiliating. he at least leaves the baseball cap and brushes his hair.), he goes to seek out those members of his crew he's meant to follow - and find out their qualifications because hierarchy or no hierarchy, he's not following an idiot. once he finds the correct hatches, he knocks, seeking admittance. ]

This is your new communications officer, permission to enter?

b. [OTA] action for Paisley crew and guests

[ the rest of the crew can find him wandering the ship, acquainting himself with every nook and cranny. before he settles in his bunk to start figuring out a game plan, he wants to know everything he has to work with. he pays special attention to the communications station, engine room, and laboratory, taking mental stock of the available equipment and supplies. he knocks before entering, but if there's no answer and no lock, he lets himself in all the same. ]

c. [OTA] action for the Iskaulit

[ once he satisfies his curiosity for his own ship, the next logical step is to take a visit to the communal vessel. his preliminary skim of the network informed him of the existence of a library on board, so of course that's his first stop. he expects any book of actual value to be out on loan but people tend to focus on the obvious, making them miss the immense, sometimes superior value in out-of-the-box thinking. he picks up a few books that would, at worst, help him pass a little time. he continues to systematically make his way through the ship, acquainting himself with every business before settling down in a strategic corner of the málum that allows him the best most hidden view of the patrons, with a virgin cocktail (it's not the time to dull his mind, after all) and one of the books he picked up ]

d. [closed] video for cisco ramon

[ upon studying the fleet manifest, he finds one familiar name. searching through the network proves that it is, in fact, the person the name suggests it to be. multiverse theory does suggest that it's possible this cisco isn't the cisco he knows, but from a purely dramatic standpoint - it would make no sense not to take them from the same verse, they would be far too entertaining. besides, it's a mystery easily solved - different verses would vibrate in a different frequency to avoid collapsing into each other. a simple test can let them know if they do in fact share a universe. of course, cisco is likely to be a annoying about allowing hartley to scan him after the way he put barry's scans into use, but that's really more of a mild annoyance at the moment than an actual problem. after mulling it over every which way, he decides it's better for him to reveal himself quickly and under his own terms than to allow cisco to happen upon his presence on the crew manifest or by running into each other unexpectedly.

dialing the man's private number, he clicks the video option, knowing the other is likely to think it some sort of time wasting trick. suspicion is so tiresome. ]

Boo.

Comments

video »

[benames]

[ it's a quiet sort of day on the blameless. Cisco is wearing jeans and a purple t-shirt ( what is it with these people and their weird color codes? ) and is working on calculating Zoom's speed so he can give Winn all the details when he asks him for help with the hologram. It's won't be the nicest job they've taken but it will help get Kara and the other heroes prepared if the Atroma ever decide they want a deranged speedster around. Cisco seriously, honestly hopes they won't but knowing them, he doesn't take chances.

He's doing his work to the sound of Let it Go, and somewhere mid belting here I am and here I stand and working on another equation and receives the call without actually checking the caller ID.

....and then there is the predictable, high-pitched, girly scream of terror as he actually throws the comm away from him, wishing he could do so much to the man himself.

a moment passes, some shuffles and an incredulous what the f! oh no, no, no, no - but then he looks down at the comm he just threw and groans in literal pain. ]

I knew it.

[ somehow, saying his name more than once had summoned the thing itself. a deep breath. You can do it, Ramon. ]

...Hartley. Must be Tuesday.

video » private

[electus]

[ it's an entertaining reaction, despite cisco's taste in music offending his already sensitive ears, and that scream certainly doesn't help either. he's torn - on the one hand, it's deeply satisfying to knock him so completely off balance. on the other - it's playing right into the "atroma's" hands.

it wasn't that long ago that hartley left cisco on the floor of barry's lab, moaning in pain. the memory of the torturous device cisco had used on him is still fresh in his mind. and yet, he doesn't find his presence alarming; he underestimated cisco's dislike for him, yes, but this isn't star labs and the security blankets of the flash and dr. wells are gone as well. the rules have changed which means - so will the gameplay.

the desire to rub cisco's face in all the million things he's sure he's doing wrong is very much present, and he's certain he'll give into it to maintain his sanity if nothing else, but for the moment, he simply quirks a brow and adopts an exasperated tone. ]

The calendar begs to differ. Any other pointless cliches to get off your chest?

video » private

[benames]

Let's see - the Atroma have no taste, one of them is a troll, I wish I had some holy water on me, oh look, it's Prince Hans from the Dickern Islands and -

[ touching his phone so it plays a mash up of Katy Perry songs which he knows for fact Hartley loathes. ]

...yep. I'm good now.

[ except that this is a nightmare ]

What do you want.

Action | Iskaulit

[takingkarabusiness]

[ well, kara notices a new fleet member, and never has been one for shyness, so she approaches ]

Reading anything interesting?

[electus]

[ he spots her approach long before she makes it to his table, but pretends to be oblivious and engrossed in his book until she stops right by his side; every person on the fleet is currently an unknown variable to him, and until he learns how to play them, it would be prudent not to give them any unnecessary information about himself. that includes how perceptive he is.

carefully marking his place with a folded up napkin, he shuts his book and stretches his mouth into a calculated half smile - friendly enough to encourage conversation, not overly friendly as to insinuate he's a complete moron unfazed by his predicament. ]

Marginally. I'd like to hope the good books are on loan. [ because that would mean they exist and will find their way back, at some point. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

Maybe some. Since we're planetside, I think a lot of people are out and about rather than being cooped up reading.

action

[stefanged]

[Never a quiet day on the Paisley, Stefan muses as he hears that (hauntingly) familiar jingle. He should go see who's on board. Or so he keeps telling himself as he pens down another diary entry. He doesn't trust Atroma and their communicator devices, not with his entire life's story. Even his fingers are getting smudged with ink as he gets into it.

When he hears the knock - or more frankly, hears the request because his super-hearing picked up on those footsteps - he calls,] Of course. Come right in.

[He opens the door, stepping aside. His silver t-shirt and blue jeans more than gives away his faction (and well, Stefan never did like those jumpsuits). His quarters, notably, has the largest bed, but it's also impeccably neat. Everything has a proper place, and he's even hung a couple of paintings: one of the NYC skyline, and another half-finished portrait of the Paisley. There's not a lot of space, but Stefan'll motion for him to sit on the bed.]

Is there anything I can do for you?

action

[electus]

[ taking only a moment to offer a nod and a smile in recognition and gratitude - all calculated moves to keep the encounter civil while he needs it to stay that way - hartley lets himself in and takes the offered seat on the captain's bed. ] Thank you. [ in a way, this is almost exciting, sitting on a handsome stranger's bed - but this isn't the time. making note of everything from his captain's choice of decor to his accent, hartley turns his gaze back to the man himself, looking for any useful tell of whatever personality hides behind those eyes. ]

I wanted to introduce myself. [ he offers his hand ] My name is Hartley Rathaway, and I am by far the best thing that could have happened to your ship. I have multiple advanced degrees, and the common sense required to come here and ask how things are done around here.

[ if he were in charge, he would make it his business to make sure every new addition to his vessel is instantly briefed upon arrival - and screened. that this hasn't happened tells him already that he isn't going to be pleased with the leadership, and he's certainly not going to count on it. but it could work out in his favor, if he's left alone to do as he pleases. ]

action

[stefanged]

[Oh boy. This one's confident. Stefan raises both eyebrows as he shakes Hartley's hand quickly but firmly.

There's plenty to note about the captain, from the large lapis lazuli ring on Stefan's wedding finger to his neutral American accent and even how composed he is. Sure, Stefan raises his eyebrows in quiet judgment, but he maintains a faint smile and otherwise easygoing posture.]

I'm Stefan Salvatore. While I appreciate you checking in, we're pretty flexible as far as routines go. Since we're planet-side, everyone's either on the Iskaulit or exploring the place.

[Since, you know, they're no longer cooped up in a metal tin. He'd join them too, if he weren't taking a breather from it all.]

c. Library: And then I changed my mind

[passingthrough]

[She hasn't been on the Iskaulit since she gathered Winn from it. And she'd rather not be here now. In her brief trips away from the Tourist she'd prefer to check out the planets than see a ship she could go to anytime, but she's had some of these books for awhile, so they should really make their way back to the library and she could use new ones. Except someone is standing right in front of all the extremely nerdy books she prefers. In fact, he's holding one she'd been planning to pick up next time around and this is next time around! How dare he not sense her innate claim for advanced theories of astrophysics!]

That one's mine.

[electus]

[ he's almost done looking through the shelves. as he suspected, the selection is severely lacking, but there's something to borrow which is a superior choice to the 'nothing' alternative. he turns to the young woman who addresses him, taking her in. either she's genuinely interested in science, in which case she's not a complete waste of his time, or she just wanted to speak to him - in which case she's a colossal waste of his time. ]

Once I'm done with it.

[ it probably wouldn't take him long, but the less he says right now the better. he's looking to learn about the members of the fleet, not teach them of his own ways. ]

[passingthrough]

[She reaches out to snatch it from his hands which is pretty easy to do when she can just phase it free. Almost no effort exerted at all to be a bully. Sorry. All the heroes in her world are really more like anti-heroes.]

How done with it are you feeling now?

c

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ Kirk had come to the bar to grab a light lunch after his workout, dressed in slim gray pants and a bright blue shirt. Sometimes it was good to get in a different space for his workouts. He could have done it down with the Moxxie or even the Savvy, but he liked the quietness of the gyms on the ships all things considered.

He was looking around for a table after placing his order, water bottle in hand, when he spied Hartley sitting at his table with his book. A ver advanced sciences book as it turned out, and a face he had not seen before. ]</sub>

That's a bit heavy for some lunchtime reading.

[electus]

[ he notices kirk the moment he walks in through the door. he's a very noticeable kind of a man. sneaking discreet looks over his book when the other's attention is otherwise diverted, he's filled with a certain smugness when he gains not only his attention - but enough of it to merit the beginning of a conversation.

looking at him over the edge of his book, not yet bothering to close it, he offers a half smile. ]

I plan to even it out with a good workout. [ he should be taking his time, this isn't laying low, but after spending so much time focused on taking harrison wells down a peg or 300 - a little flirting is called for. ]

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ It wasn't that he tried to be noticeable, of course. He just, well, was. It was probably the fluffy hair, wasn't it? That always caught people's attention.

To be fair, Hartley was one of the few in the bar, and Kirk was more than happy to be social when he could be. He wasn't one for being alone. ]</sub>

Oh? To bad I didn't wait a bit longer. We could have partnered up.

_{[ He grinned broadly at the other, deciding he wasn't all that bad looking, and he could hear when someone was flirting. He took it was an indicator he could sit down, and so he did, leaning back in his chair, downing the lemon water he'd ordered. ]}

Iskaulit for reasons.

[uprightness]

[ steve comes to the Iskaulit several times a week to use the training room. it's a good sort of workout for when the marsiva flies to her next destination, the other ships orbiting around her. it's Winter who pointed him this way and he's grateful for it. the only sandbag on the starstruck is the one Peggy favors and Steve has no interest in ripping it apart when she needs it. the ones in the training room seem to be made for those with above human strength and they don't rip at the seams with the force of his blows.

this is how he addresses his worries, between him and all that equipment. the memories from the war, the worries about losing those he cares for here, the knowledge of the rift between him and tony and the understanding that they can't let this happen here. the Avengers are already kept apart by timelines and universes, they don't need any more inner battles.

on the way back, he usually picks up books. he reads just about anything. his earlier years were spend mostly in bed, burdened by his own declining health and books were usually the only way to pass the long days and longer nights. it's not a habit he changed after the serum. Books were a good way of catching up with the world he woke up to, after all.

when there is disorder, he usually takes his time to sort the books back to place even though he doesn't work there. it's a basic sort of decency, making other people's work a little easier. He's never in uniform for this, never captain America; simply steve rogers, in simple slacks and a t-shirt.

it's what he's doing today, putting things back where they belong. one of which is at the shelf just next to Hartley ]

Sorry.

[ he smiles as he puts it back to place. stepping into people's spaces is not something he favors and a library is usually a place where most people won't want to be disturbed. ]

Someone forgot these at the table.

[ he doesn't say 'left these'. he may have seen much, being captain america, but he likes to assume the best of people unless they make him think otherwise. ]

[electus]

[ hartley subscribes to the opposite view - people are selfish and self serving, they're biologically programmed to be that way. when someone does something nice like clean up someone else's mess in a public establishment it's an attempt to fall in line with social norms and expectations, to be an accepted part of the community because it's safer that way. it is curious, though, for a specimen of this caliber to exhibit such a behavior. a man like that could skate by on his looks alone, and those muscles don't look like they're only for show, either.

he returns the smile and takes a step to the side, to allow steve more comfortable access to the shelf, proving his own view with his actions. ]

Not at all, thank you. Everything being in place makes it much easier to find.

[uprightness]

's what I thought, maybe someone would be looking for these.

[ he's a bit sheepish. the serum has changed steve rogers physically and the years since him awakening years after going beneath the ice have hardened him but at times, the skinny boy from brooklyn can still be traced there behind the hard lines. socialization is not something he gets to do a lot, being an Avenger. he has a chance to sharpen these skills here, at the fleet. he offers him a hand. ]

Steve Rogers, nice to meet you.

C - Málum

[onlyanapple]

Crowley spends a lot of his time in his bar. Mostly because it's where all the alcohol is, and he doesn't especially enjoy the Pathstone for anything other than sleeping. The main reason is that he enjoys peoplewatching, and there's no better place to do that than at a bar.

He knows the best hidden views well, mostly because he knows the people that use them tend to be much more interesting than the ones that don't. Just normal, mortal nature. This one, it seems, is a bookworm, and he has a secret soft spot for them. He blames the angel for that.

So, eventually, he'll sidle over, peering to see the title.

"I don't like the ending. The hero dies at the end."

Look, sarcasm is a great conversational starter, okay?

[electus]

[ considering the book hartley is currently reading is one of astrophysics and the big crush is an existing and even poetic theory to the end of the universe, not only does he find sarcasm to be a great conversational starter (in fact, hartley can find a place for sarcasm in every point of the conversation), he also finds its application here - interesting.

quirking a brow, he takes the opportunity to examine the man up close. ]

Everybody dies at the end, it's the least interesting part of the story.

[ it's a curious place, this fleet. a tight knit community. it's an interesting case for a psychological study, the motives that drive people to approach a new face, even one who doesn't seem to openly invite it. he doesn't mind at the moment - learning more about these people and their experiences is his goal here - but he imagines once that's achieved, it'll get tiresome. ]

[onlyanapple]

Well, everyone snuffing it would be the least interesting part. Nothing could ever happen after that.

[He knows that for sure. It's what he worked so hard to stop back home. Nothing good comes from the end of the world, not even for an immortal. ]

Still. Not a very strong drink you have there for such a heavy book. We have decent liquor, you know.

ACTION

[sandhate]

[ anakin's person quarters are so commonly filled with all sorts of machinery that he never welcomes anyone in. it's not so much a mess than an...organized mess; roughly sketched out blueprints from what he remembers of his droids and ships are pinned and draped on surfaces and various metal scraps collected in boxes are shoved to the corners while he tried to make more room.

but anakin doesn't want to remove himself from his current project - a rough sketch of a recon droid. a flick of a hand and he opens the door without leaving his desk. though he does have the courtesy to look at his new comms officer. ]

Something wrong?

ACTION

[electus]

[ hartley lets himself in and takes in the scene - the disorder is definitely a quality he doesn't appreciate, it almost looks like the atroma is trying to make a sitcom with the overly neat captain and his messy first mate, but the subject of the racket is much more to his liking. the designs are interesting - but weird - touched by the impracticality of needing to look cool, he would guess if they weren't in a meeting place of the multiverse. different universes, different technology. he itches to discover why they're designed the way they are.

all that takes a fraction of a second, before his attention is diverted to the man himself. his first mate. ]

I wanted to introduce myself. [ crossing the short distance between the door and the desk, he offers the man his hand. ] Hartley Rathaway.

action - b; I AM LATE!!

[huaaaaagh]

[Visiting the Paisley's engine room will send Hartley to Kirito, who doesn't answer the door directly, but he does call "come on in!" when he hears the knock on the door. He's just crawling out of a vent near the bulk of the engine when the door opens; he looks like he ought to be in grade school rather than repairing ships, and there's grease across his nose and on his hands, but he looks comfortable enough with the tool he's holding, at least.]

Can I help you?

action - AIN'T NO SUCH THING! \o/

[electus]

[ hartley's well acquainted with being ahead to the curve; when he looked like he ought to be in grade school, he was humiliating college students, and with his eternal baby face, he doesn't look like college was too far back in his past. he certainly doesn't look old enough to have been the right hand of one of the world's leading scientific minds on a particle accelerator project only a year ago - and yet he was.

of course, he's one of a kind. expecting his level of skill from anyone else, particularly a child is, well, unrealistic and unfavorable to his sense of his superiority and competitive nature.

he wasn't expecting a kid and yet, maybe he should've. children are rather popular with certain demographics. hopefully this one has some composure, because playing nice until he figures out who's who on this fleet is hard enough for hartley, he doesn't need to be worrying about offending a child. he wasn't even good with them when he was one. ]

I'm the new communications officer - Hartley Rathaway. [ he would offer his hand but. grease. ] Would you mind if I have a look around?

[ all a refusal will get him is hartley returning when he's away. ]