open » action

[mucked]

Who: Peggy + you
Broadcast: N/A
Action: Starstruck, Iskaulit
When: All day.

[ as compelling an attraction as the asteroids can be, peggy wakes up on what could have been april 21st and promptly decides that a captain's work is never done. despite a short holiday on one of the less glitzy asteroids, she storms her way back onto the starstruck around midday. she'd have preferred to be back earlier, of course, but a certain stubborn steve rogers had delayed her more than usual this morning.

because, you see, today is peggy carter's birthday. and up until recently, she'd thought this particular piece of sensitive intel might have remained under wraps. certainly, she's never announced it to the fleet (not had it announced for her) but over the last year there'd been an influx of individuals who might otherwise be privy to that sacred knowledge.

and so surviving the day becomes a little trickier. her first precaution is to not even address the network -- indeed, she hasn't got her device with her at all. so if some friend or ally does try and contact peggy, they may be forced to seek her out in person instead. after all, it's rare that she should persist with so much radio silence. visitors and crew on the starstruck will find her in her quarters trying very hard to dodge the likes of both steve rogers and edwin jarvis. and trying to busy herself with 'paperwork', though closer inspections might prove she's doing little more than working on a few hobby ciphers. and let's not forget the copious trips to the kitchen for tea, of course.

for visitors and crew: it seems steve's left the odd 'hint' and trinket around the ship. flowers here, candles there, and there's at least one cake chilling in the kitchen. perhaps more. when asked about it, the captain feigns innocence.

later, when that diversion fails, she heads to the iskaulit. first to the firing range, where she squeezes off just enough shots to counterbalance the creeping sensation of domesticity. and that done, she stops by the space bar for a drink of whatever-the-devil most resembles whiskey. ]

Comments

[outstandingbalance]

A girl after my own heart.

[mucked]

And mine. [ a beat. ] But his, most of all.

[outstandingbalance]

I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone so shamelessly love.

[mucked]

Unlikely as it may sound, we have Howard Stark to thank for that sight.

[outstandingbalance]

I don't know. Tony has a way of having some good people around him too.

[mucked]

Nearly -- except I mean to say he literally saved their marriage from the war. [ ... ] One of those rare and heartbreaking altruistic acts which reminds me, now and again, that Howard is a good man.

[outstandingbalance]

That sounds like it must be quite the story.

[mucked]

Oh, I assure you it is. [ and there's a moment where it appears as though peggy's about to tell it. her lips part; her eyes spark.

but, in the end: ] As tempted as I am to earn a third round of drinks with a tale like that, even I know it's unfair to deflect off myself with stories of someone else's grand romance. If he likes you, and I think he does, he'll explain it.

[outstandingbalance]

Don't worry. As interesting as it sounds...

[And Natasha is signalling for round two.]

You're not getting off that easily.

[mucked]

Fair enough. [ peggy drains her glass; let her nurse the next. this one's for courage. ] Give us a ballpark, then, and I'll see what I can dredge up that's worthy.

[outstandingbalance]

Are you sure you want to give me that kind of control?

[Or put Natasha in the position to either reveal how much she knows or continue playing dumb.

Peggy is much better at this game than Steve. Mostly he just refused to play.]

How about we try this a little differently this time. Tell me what it is we're drinking to?

[mucked]

[ at the mention of control, peggy only smiles. the moment she gets huffy over dictated terms is the exact moment she knows she's lost. best, she thinks, to appear magnanimous. especially as there are no lives on the line in this little barter. ]

Why, to April 21st. Of course. As good a day as any.

[outstandingbalance]

It is. That's the day Soviet forces attached the German High Command South of Berlin. Did I get that right?

[mucked]

Princess Elizabeth's birthday, actually. [ a crooked smile. ] Although I take it she's better known as Queen to you.

[ god bless the 111th day of the year. ]

[outstandingbalance]

Still Queen Elizabeth, too.

[Raising her new glass.]

[mucked]

Long may she stay that way. [ and, indeed, peggy raises her own. there's a lot of pride to be taken in a british monarch with a lifespan so lengthy and well-lived. she can't help but compare it to the knowledge that she, too, lives for nearly a century. ]

[outstandingbalance]

You know, I missed my birthday this time around. I was twelve at the time.

[Taking the opportunity of birthdays being on the table to mention it.]

[mucked]

Well. [ peggy's smile is quick. more importantly, it's heartfelt. ] That rather narrows things down, doesn't it?

[outstandingbalance]

A little bit. It's also seven months from now.

[So not much chance of anyone trying to make her celebrate it now. It's a calculated risk.]

If you were thinking of drinking one for me like the good queen.

[mucked]

Arguably, the dates are rather arbitrary. We could be in April, or we could be in October. The only thing that keeps us in one or the other is the community's will. [ ... ] We've no orbit or no sun to consider. None regularly, at least.

[ her smile persists. ] Today can be any day we want it to be.

[outstandingbalance]

Dates are always arbitrary. At least a little. [Maybe more in Natasha's case than most, but still.]

[mucked]

So today can be one day -- but also another, somewhere. [ elsewhere. ] Maybe we ought to drink to you and her Royal Majesty.

[outstandingbalance]

Let's not make it too complicated. We'll end up with anarchy on our hands.

[mucked]

I imagine you'd manage just fine with a bit of anarchy in play.

[outstandingbalance]

Me? Probably. But we're not talking about me. Not unless you start paying for the drinks.