video + text + action

[mucked]

Who: Peggy Carter & YOU
Broadcast: Y, fleetwide.
Action: Aboard the Starstruck, if you like.
When: Today.

[ a video feed flickers to life, and fights for a moment to adequately focus on its subject. peggy carter sits in the kitchen aboard the starstruck, cup of tea and her elbow and half a biscuit in her hand. dabbing at crumbs, she sets her food aside and offers the network a bright smile. ]

That message -- the ominous one, in the bizarre language? It put me in mind of the sort of cryptograms and puzzles you might see in the Sunday paper. [ her expression is cheery enough, although she's not being wholly honest about her interest in such games. she won't be the one to say the words bletchley and park.] I loved them. Them, and crosswords. I thought maybe some of you might like them, too. [ ... ] We could do a few together. I'm not saying we all join a club, exactly, but back home they were always better solved in good company.

Let's start you off with one that's easy enough. But there's no shame in needing a hint, if needed. For what it's worth, the text I'm attaching is, in its deciphered form, English -- not yet certain how the augments' translation will handle it. We'll see.

BLSTKBC YLBSFKGISRX XL QIYT SL SFVBWIKAKJR STR QKBZ VX V XSRVZU EIFELXR — V ELKBS LB OTKYT STR XLIA QVU NKM KSX KBSRAARYSIVA RUR.

[ -- and then an afterthought: ]

...By chance, has anyone been brewing their own beer?

Comments

[mucked]

He speaks highly of you.

[takingkarabusiness]

He's a great guy; we've been through a lot together.

Steve speaks pretty highly of you, too.

[mucked]

Steve would speak highly of a badger, so long as it smiled at him.

[ can you feel the love? except really she just means to say that captain america is easily won over. he's a softie for sweet temperaments.

so it's a wonder he ever grew to like peggy, really. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

Hey, Hufflepuffs are great. Don't be a hater.

Someone told me the other day that I see the good in people even if there isn't a lot to see, so I guess that's why Steve and I get along so well. That and the whole "truth, justice, and the American way" thing.

He's a really good guy.

[mucked]

[ she doesn't relent, exactly. but she does draw the veil back on her honesty by some degrees, conceding: ] He's among the very best, certainly.

[takingkarabusiness]

How did you two meet?

[mucked]

We met during the war. [ and then -- realizing, perhaps, that this isn't an easy enough touchstone for some people. ] I hear they've taken to calling it the Second World War.

[takingkarabusiness]

Oh, I learned about that one. Are you from that time?

[mucked]

Shortly after. Last I recall from home, it was 1947. [ ... ] I tend to run a bit tardy when it comes to comparing timelines.

[takingkarabusiness]

Well, I'm not one to judge. My cousin and I left for Earth at the same time—he was an infant and I was 12. When I got to Earth, I was still 12 and he was 24?

So, I'm just saying, timelines are weird.

[mucked]

[ -- she's tempted to think it's aliens that are the weird part in that particular tale, but she manages to hold her tongue. ]

The real tragedy here is how the swapped difference in ages meant you couldn't boss him around any longer, I fear. [ you poor thing. she feels genuine sympathy over this. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

Well, I can still get some bossiness in here and there. Mostly I felt bad that he'd been alone all those years, but we've worked it out. He's a great guy.

[mucked]

Likes badgers, does he?

[takingkarabusiness]

[ that makes her laugh ]

He and Steve are birds of a feather, let's say that.

[mucked]

Then you've had your hands full -- no matter how you slice it. [ age difference be damned. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

So, do you have any fun super powers?

[ it seems like a natural inquiry, really ]

[mucked]

[ forgive her laughter. ]

Does wearing heels in the field count? I feel like it ought to count. [ ... ] Otherwise, none at all. I am thoroughly average.

[ even if steve wouldn't agree. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

It definitely counts! And I would never suggest you're average. You were in the field in World War II? That seems like anything but average, from my understanding.

[mucked]

I saw my fair share of action, certainly. [ ... ] Though, I confess, not always in heels.

[takingkarabusiness]

I'll allow it. My boots have heels but I don't run a lot of places. My sister wears much more sensible shoes; she's a government field agent.

[mucked]

[ now, there's a thought. ]

Which agency?

[takingkarabusiness]

It's called the DEO— The Department of Extra-Normal Operations. It's kiiiind of a secret-slash-shadow organization, to help with malicious aliens and other threats.

[mucked]

Sounds familiar.

[takingkarabusiness]

[ she's surprised ]

Does it?

[mucked]

A little less so the aliens, perhaps, but I've known a few shadow organizations in my time. [ ... ] Different acronyms, of course.