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(no subject)

Who: Natasha Romanoff
Broadcast: Fleedwide
Action: Iskaulit to start with
When: 16 Nov

Video

[The broadcast is brief and obviously accidental. A young girl's face appears on screen, confused and tense, then almost at once her brows draw down and together in an intense frown. Her expression is dark and thoughtful as the feed shakes, then cuts out entirely.

For those paying attention, the corridors off the Islaulit can be identified behind her before the transmission ends.]

Action

[When she wakes up, a young Natasha finds herself in what appears to be a small dance studio. Unfamiliar, but not too shocking. The mirror, the barre, the wood flooring, are all things she's accustomed to. It isn't where she expects to be, but it is somewhere she would expect to wake up in a general sense, in a general way.

Waking up somewhere strange isn't completely shocking either.

It's not until she ventures out into the rest of the Iskaulit that she starts feeling out of her depth. She can't place where she is, even where she might be. There's no outside. The structures are nothing like she's scene before. The computers are completely alien to her. The people are worse. She avoids them, of course. At least at first. Sneaking through shadows and hidden corners, in ducts if she's lucky enough to find access. She observes what she can, trying to work together the situation as she can, applying what training she can. But how much she can do is limited.

Tiny spy is out of her depth.

Which is what forces her to come out of hiding. (Maybe that was the point?)

When she finally lets herself be approached, she's already determined to put on a lost, scared face. It's for the best. That way people will underestimate her. Trust her more. It's a good plan.

The expression might not be entirely fake, though, and she can't entirely hide her suspicious skittishness. The end effect isn't entirely unlike a stray cat begging for food.]

((OOC: Augment glitch? Come play with smol murder ballerina.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

« It could be, though it is unlikely. Some of us have been here long enough to know not to trust a thing they say. While there is some truth to it, the difficulty rests in digging out the lie. »

[ Sure, things tend to happen in the way their gracious hosts say they will, but they aren't telling the full truth. There are quite a few things to omit, and Bucky is not going to take anything they say at face value.

Not after having Diamond in his fucking head. ]

[The best lies had some truth in them. What he says makes sense to her, at least in part. The part where they shouldn't trust anything rings the most true to her.

That probably includes him.

She stews over that a little, changing the subject in the meantime.]

What is this place? A training facility?

« This ship is multi-purpose. This room is for training. There are a few others throughout. »

[ There's still the obstacle course and Natasha's studio, though the number of people that knows of its existence is countable on one hand.

She should know not to put complete trust in anyone, though the fleet certainly makes it easier. ]

[Adult Natasha has her own feelings when it comes to keeping her secrets and extending trust to anyone. Young Natasha on the other hand...

It's hard to say how much she trusts anything, but Bucky at least makes sense to her. That alone is enough to keep her in line for now.]

No one is using it.

« At the moment, no. It is more active during the day. »

[ He much prefers it at this time of day when there's no one else. Bucky glances at her, trying to decide what she's thinking, but she's just as guarded. It's understandable, really. ]

[Natasha is still deciding what she wants to do here, both in general and with Barnes specifically. Her instinct is to differ to him, but that has it's own dangers.

Internally, she's sizing him up—already noted the way one arm appears useless.]

Seems like the best time to be here, then.

[Echoing his thoughts.]

[ Don't do it, girl. It's good that she's assessing how much of a threat he could potentially be, but she does not want to instigate the grumpy bear.

His broken arm is a disadvantage, sure, but it wouldn't slow him down for long. ]

« It's always best when no one else is watching. »

[Her calculations aren't overt—she's talented, her ability rightly recognized by Red Room—but to someone who knows what they're doing, the sideways attention she directs at him speaks volumes.

Especially when he admits that there isn't anyone else to see...

She'd have to take him by surprise, is she did.]

It's true.

[She's cautious enough not to make her decision easily, but she weighs her chances carefully.]

This isn't just a way to kill time, is it?

[ He does much the same with her, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye every so often. ]

« For some, it is. For most, it's a way to keep their form while we're idle. »

[ Some people pick it up as a hobby, others like him use it for releasing the pent-up energy. Though admittedly, he hasn't been using the gym much the past few months. ]

[Natasha huffs at that, managing to sound both too young and and too mature at once. She doesn't like the idea of being idle; even if time can be spent training, it seems like a waste.

The weight of his gaze on her keeps her from trying anything. For now.]

Is that it? We all just stay here until, what? We're abducted again? Or turned loose?

[She doesn't believe it.]

« Something similar to that pattern, yes. Not for lack of trying to escape. »

[ There have been attempts that have been thwarted, but none of them are really done trying to escape. Merely biding time. It's funny that even if they tried to stay on the planet, they would show up on their own ships or be drawn to them when it was time to depart. ]

« Tampering with the augments has negative effect, as well. Don't attempt it. »

What kind of negative effect?

[She doesn't like that. Doesn't like the idea of someone in her head, putting information there or changing her perceptions.

The aversion shows.]

« Temporary insanity. The last person who tried fainted before it could be dislodged. »

[ Needless to say, even in his most negative of moments, he's never attempted it himself, although the thought did pass through his mind after the glitch. ]

[Natasha makes a huffing sound. She can't argue with that being a strong deterrent.]

So that's it? We sit around biding our time? We can't escape and we can't get our kidnappers out of our heads?

« Not an ideal situation, but there are worse to be had. »

[ He gives her a pointed look. The Red Room and HYDRA's programs aren't for the faint of heart, and most don't make it through. ]

[The pointed look isn't lost on her, though its meaning might be. She considers it's implications, once again wondering if this is a test? A challenge?]

[ Everything is a test. Even the things that don't seem like tests are always one in disguise. ]

« Have you run into any civilians, yet? »

And people who claim to be.

[At least some of them really have been, though.]

I've run into spies too.

Edited 2016-12-22 22:47 (UTC)

« I'm sure you have. The Fleet is full of all kinds. »

[ Witches, over-powered soldiers, spies, vampires, regular people.. ]

I am sure it is.

[One more reason not to trust it.

After another short pause.]

Did you bring me here for a fight?

[ His brow goes up, and Bucky's head tilts to one side curiously. ]

« It's quiet and there is a lack of people. I don't need to fight you. »

[ Doesn't need to, but there's always a want to stretch his abilities. Not that there's much stretch fighting a child. She's not an ordinary child, though. ]

[She's not an ordinary child, and she seems to find it hard to believe that's all. No ulterior motives. No tricks.]

That is a strange answer. It doesn't mean you won't.

« I'm not about to control your decisions. »

[ If she attacks him, sure, he'll put her in her place. If she doesn't, it's just as well. ]

[She's thinking about it. She's really thinking about it. If only to prove that this isn't all a bluff. Her response is a huff, snide in a way that would normally get her punished.]

That would be a first.

[ He does nothing more than raise an eyebrow at her with a tilt of his head. ]

« Join the club. They're not here to control you. It takes time to sink in, but it's true. »