Heron - She's your problem now [Video + Action]

[shockjock]

Who: Livewire
Broadcast: Video, fleet-wide!
Action: Anyone aboard the SS Heron
When: Early morning hours of the 28th (Video), throughout the day (Action)

[VIDEO]

[Whether deliberately or by pure accident, the newest Communications Officer is abruptly dropped onto the bridge of her new cell posting, the Heron. Sure, she'd kept to herself aboard the Marsiva, mostly trying to figure out what was what by eavesdropping on everyone else, but she'd hit the breaking point and started pounding on locked doors near the end there. Which was why it was hard to say whether the timing of her sudden arrival was by accident or by design, as she'd shown up mid-tirade.]

-boot right up your sorry alien...!

[Aaaaand cue the confetti and tinny fanfare. That, and Livewire's immediate realization that she was no longer where she had been just a few moments ago. There's an obvious look of shock on her face at the sudden transition, but it's quickly replaced by one of seething fury. Which, admittedly, probably wasn't made any better by all the confetti falling deciding it'd be super neat if it reminded her that static cling still exists, and now she's a polka-dot confetti'd mess.

And it takes all of two seconds of gritted teeth and growling before she's a polka-dotted, smoking confetti'd mess as each piece starts to smolder, seeing as how she's currently jettisoning enough electricity to pass for an oddly human-looking Tesla coil. Hopefully those stray arcs of electric current that've started firing off around her don't hit anything expensive, but at least for the moment it's mostly the floor and bulkheads taking all the hits.]

[Action, throughout the day]

[For anyone fortunate enough to be absent or asleep for her arrival- or heck, even those who weren't- the morning after's gonna bring a whole new set of headaches. Because someone has found out she has access to the ship's entire electrical system. And she's using it.

All of it.

She doesn't have enough of a charge stockpiled to play around with it all at once of course- even for a ship this small- but she's certainly leaving no wire untouched. So depending on which part of the ship she happens to be "visiting" at any given moment, her presence is easily noticed, even if she remains unseen herself. Everything from doors opening and closing on their own, to panels lighting up like a Christmas tree, even kitchen appliances cycling through their various settings, just about anything electrical is showing some sign of her influence and generally misbehaving.

Fortunately, despite all the electrical confusion, she does seem limited to the common areas of the ship...for now, anyway. Another blessing would be that for all the mischief, she doesn't seem to be capable of messing with anything too important- the ship's power supply remains steady enough to keep everything running, and the navigation and propulsion systems both remain untouched.

Ground zero, however, seems to be the communications console. That is displaying an annoying tendency to periodically start cycling through a backlog of every stored message she can get her hands on, and even any and all unsecured comm traffic within range. More often than not, the screen's an endless barrage of video and datastreams flashing one after the other in rapid succession, as if the whole thing's gone completely haywire.]

Comments

[ action ]

[axiomed]

[ That is never a good sign. That, in fact, is what the VCR does when Charles has his hands on it. Grimacing, he approaches closer cautiously. He'd hate to call Hank over something like this but he also has the nagging feeling that this was not a simple weapons malfunction. ]

[ action ]

[shockjock]

[Unwitting participant in Road Rules: The Space Opera or not, Livewire was not one to pass up an opportunity for a little fun. Even if it could be had at someone else's expense. Especially if it could be had at someone else's expense.

Which was why she'd deliberately wait until Charles was just close enough to reach the console before spouting off in the most official-sounding voice she could manage!]

UNAUTHORIZED PERSONNEL DETECTED! DEPLOYING COUNTER-MEASURES!

[...she didn't have access to any countermeasures. She had already discovered this. She was also pretty lousy at sounding like a machine, but hey, improv is hard alright? Then again, maybe she'd luck out, and maybe despite everything cheesy B-movie Sci-fi had led her to believe, spaceship computers didn't normally talk.]

Re: [ action ]

[axiomed]

[ Charles just raises an eyebrow at the console, some of his trepidation dissipating. Interesting powers though, to control the console. Were they nearby? A cursory scan doesn't reveal anyone nearby. ]

Considering I am authorized personnel, I'd like to know when you learned to talk.

[shockjock]

[You know, at this point, she's kind of wishing she were more technologically inclined. Sure, she could manipulate just about anything that took a charge, but that wasn't quite the same as knowing exactly how it all worked. Because she was at a serious disadvantage coming up with the appropriate sounding jargon, here. Not that it was going to stop her from getting as much mileage out of this little bit as she could...all indications that she'd passed that point already notwithstanding.]

IT WAS A RECENT UPDATE.

[...okay yeah, she was already getting tired of this, and the lack of effort was definitely starting to show. Honestly there was way less panicking than she'd been hoping for. Maybe she should have just opted for saying the power core was about to go critical or something? Then again, she kept hitting a wall every time she tried directly exploring that part of the ship, so it would have been one heck of a gamble.]

Video

[alwayscomeback]

[Lighting bending? Probably not, but that's the first thing that comes to Sokka's mind. He waves a hand at the screen, in an attempt to get her attention. ]

Um, heeeeeeeeey? You might wanna...not so much with the electricity? There's a lot of space out there and I don't think bursting open a bulkhead would be a great idea for you.

[shockjock]

[That...only gets him an angry look of his very own- once she figures out just where the intrusion is coming from- followed by yet another unwarranted explosion of electricity. This time though, she seems to vanish entirely once the bright light from the discharge fades. It looks like she's even managed to knock out the feed entirely, though as the video goes dark, there's a very animated path of electrical current darting back and forth across the screen. After a few seconds of fruitless effort however, it changes back into the woman from earlier- though, still with nothing but the blank screen behind her.]

Ah shut it, half-pint! One overgrown boy scout's enough trouble in my life!

[She may or may not have been trying to show up and give Sokka a nice zap upside the head. She'll work on figuring out just why that wasn't working for her later. She was already neck deep in a Bad Day as it was, the last thing she wanted to do was work. So she'll be content to just broadcast from within her comm station itself...for now, anyway.]

If I wanted, I could do a whole lot worse than makin' some lousy hole in the wall!

[Well, she couldn't, but she doesn't know that just yet.]

[alwayscomeback]

[This is why he shouldn't talk to crazy ladies who shoot electricity out of their hands. This is exactly why. His tone is a little whiny, too, which probably doesn't help matters. ]

I'm like, twenty one.

[Stupid Atroma. Not letting him age.]

But hey, if you wanna be sucked into the vacuum of space and die, be my guest. Don't say I didn't warn you.

[shockjock]

[Well, if that wasn't, the incredulous snort and the brief fit of laughter that followed would certainly provide even further incentive.]

Right, and I'm Superman!.

[Okay ew, gross, it felt awful even saying that, sarcasm or not. Instant regret.]

What kinda backwater podunk'd you come from, kid? Cause I got news for ya, you need a little more'n a few sparks to blast through this stuff!

[Granted, the same probably couldn't be said for, oh, various instrument panels. But at least the opportunity to be an absolute jerk seemed to be calming her down a little. Enough that she wouldn't pose an immediate safety hazard once she returned to the bridge, anyway.]

action

[exothermia]

[He doesn't often pay attention to arrival videos, but the first thing he notices about this one is that the woman is on the Heron's bridge. The second thing? Definitely the bolts of electricity. His first irrational thought is of Ororo, but it's obvious this young woman is a different person.

Cursing, he leaves his room and heads towards the bridge... just stopping short before the closed door. He waits until he hears the sounds of the electric barrage dissipate, and then tosses a ball bearing at the door. He's not stupid enough to knock with his fist.]

Are you done in there?

[shockjock]

[If he's hoping for any sort of civilized response to that question, he'll be disappointed. What he gets is the door opening to reveal one very unhappy (though, thankfully, no longer crackling) supervillain. Who, admittedly, would probably be better at this whole "intimidation" thing if she weren't positively pixie-sized by comparison.]

Well, that depends, spaceman. You my ticket outta here, or do I just go upside that head of yours until I do get a ride home?

[exothermia]

[Not being a surge of pure lightning is a step up, as far as he's concerned. He crosses his arms when Livewire appears, looking decidedly irritated.]

No one gets a ride home. This is an intergalactic prison dressed up as a television show. And blasting our flight console won't do anything to help that.

[shockjock]

[Oh, good. More prison. There'll be a quite visible surge of electricity as she processes that, though it's at least contained to, well, her. Though it'll probably be a while before people stop getting zapped with a little static jolt every time they get too close to the doorway.]

We're on a spaceship, aren't we? So how's about you make yourself useful and go fetch the keys already!

[She literally just got here and is already hitting the whole "be a bossy jerk" bit in stride, apparently.]

I'm not exactly jumpin' to trade one cell for another, so get a move on already!

[She'll move aside to let him onto the bridge, but...yes, for some reason she actually seems to believe he'll just snap to attention and do as she says.]

Action - Kitchen

[stabsbothways]

[ If the noise wasn't enough of a tip-off that something was off, the sickly sound and sensation of her boots stepping into coagulated moist powder of all shapes, sizes and colors of the kitchen floor was certainly the nail in the coffin. ]

Oh dear. Our kitchen is possessed.

Do I call a mechanic or a mage?

[shockjock]

[IN HER DEFENSE, no normal person would ever consider that stuff food. So, really, this had been an act of mercy. Seriously, there is some small, tiny little ion of her being that weeps for your taste buds. And your digestive tract.

Also it's really hard to learn the ins and outs of completely alien tech without making a few mistakes here and there.]

My vote's on a chef. You know, the guy with the poofy hat who can get you some real food.

[Also: Your source of coffee grounds is mouthing off. Hopefully that's not normal.]

[stabsbothways]

[ Honestly as far as she was concerned the microwave was a bizarre demon-powered device so she didn't have a good grasp of what was 'normal' around here. It hadn't talked before, but she's only been here a week. Maybe it was taking a nap. ]

It's better than hardtack. It doesn't seem like fishing is as easy here as it is on the open sea.

[ She's not used to freezers yet, either. ]

Anyway, we don't have one. I don't think? No one with poofy hats that I've seen. I don't suppose you're going to clean all this up?

[shockjock]

[...alright she was going to make a mental note to ask about 'hardtack' later, if out of nothing but sheer morbid curiosity. And, you know, silently hope to herself that Isabella hadn't actually tried dragging a net behind the ship to catch some fish.]

Sorry baby, not gonna happen! Buuuuut I'm sure you could find some fancy little robot to take care of it for ya.

[She has literally gotten all her fancy space-age know-how from pop culture and Sci-fi. This is someone whose heart might actually break the moment she finds out she does not have a sassy robot maid to look forward to.]

While you're at it, maybe have 'em teach ya the difference between a fancy schooner and a spaceship. I mean, what kinda yutz tries catchin' fish in space anyway?

video.

[edwinjarvis]

............... Welcome to the Fleet, miss.

[He says while side-eyeing the holy hell out of all of this.]

Please don't destroy the ship interiors, we need those for travel.

[shockjock]

[Wow that does absolutely nothing to calm her down, she just sports one heck of a pointed glare instead.]

Cram it pops! I wanna hear from the peanut gallery, you'll be the first to know!

[Well, on the bright side, the little bits of confetti are too small so start any real fires? And, y'know, no fire sprinklers on the bridge to try to douse the source of the smoke, otherwise the entire ship'd be liable to get knocked right out of commission.]

[edwinjarvis]

[Gosh your hair is offensively blue.

But he's starting to note (more and more) that this person isn't merely a normal person. Okay, the electricity and smoldering confetti tipped him off, but still.]

You'll get nowhere with that attitude, young lady.

Are you — by chance someone considered super-powered, or do you call it something else?

[video]

[spacebro]

[Well, that looks impressive and dangerous for a ship. Mon-El tips his head and gives her a thoughtful smile.]

I should have thought of that. [He can't do that.] I was still finding the bits of paper for a few days.

[shockjock]

Yeah well, now ya know next time it happens you can go cross a few wires somewhere 'n hang on tight.

[She may still be just the slightest bit upset.]

[spacebro]

I think you might be better at it that me. [He'd probably be okay though. As long as he had yellow sun juice in his system.]

I'm Mon-El.

action;; backdated 1/28

[reconstitution]

[ He's doing one of his rounds of the ship when the noise of the communications console catches his attention in the halls. Upon closer investigation, the screen is flicking rapidly between posts, the audio playing brief snippets before going onto the next. With all of the glitches that have been happening lately, it makes him suspicious.

Stepping up to the console, he presses a few buttons that would normally cease the broadcasting, but it doesn't seem to do anything. ]

[shockjock]

[Aaaaand because she's an incorrigible brat, by the time he gets to that last button press, he gets a nice electrical shock for his trouble. Nothing too dangerous- just enough to sting for a while and maybe make a few hairs stand up- but definitely not most people's idea of "good, harmless fun" either. But that's not all he gets!

...he also gets the now unmistakably feminine-sounding console laughing at him. Because of course she wouldn't be able to keep quiet about it.]

[reconstitution]

[ He's thankful very briefly that his metal arm wasn't the one to get the surge of energy, but it still smarts. The tips of his fingers tingle when he jerks his hand back from the console, but it will fade quickly.

The laughter that follows makes his guard go up and Bucky scowls at the console. It could be the Atroma screwing with them again, but he doubts it. ]

Show yourself.