001 } Can't keep my eyes from circling skies.

[speedboat]

Who: Howard Stark & You
Broadcast: Network
Action: SS Bishop (cockpit)
When: Right meow!

( OPEN BROADCAST )

[ howard has been here a few days, enough to suss out that something has happened. it's caused a bit of disquiet among his crewmembers already since apparently their captain died or something?! whatever. he's finding it disturbingly easy to fall back into this role. peggy told him how long it's been and who else is among them, but in usual peggy fashion: not much else. it's left him bereft and even a bit listless which is very uncharacteristic indeed.

he sets his communicator on the control panel so he can record as he flies. as a result, the feed is much more low-key and features a cool, collected version of howard those who know him might not expect. howard nods his head once to show that he is in fact recording on purpose. ] I hope my Huntress is in good hands. Though I guess... she isn't mine anymore. Forgive me, I'm usually not so bittersweet when saying goodbye to a lady friend. [ something of a wan look shadows his gaze, but it's quick, just a glimmer really. ]

Howard Stark. Ace inventor, innovator, pilot, and now director. [ a bit of a lopsided grin begins to spread across his lips, his mustache twitching with the movement. ] I'm also usually pretty charming if you can believe it. I would say you all missed me, it's been so long, but the turnover in this place is something else.

[ he hesitates over this next part, but he needs the intel. he knows questions will follow, but right now he doesn't care. later he'll be annoyed with himself, naturally. ] And if any of you used to know a Tony Stark or are holding his research... get in touch. [ tightly: ] Please.

( ENCRYPTED TO EDWIN JARVIS )

Hi-de-ho, old pal. [ a warm smile is reserved for his closest friend, even if he doesn't always treat him that way. or most of the time. whoops. ]

( ACTION SHENANIGANS )

Howard has been more-or-less just going through the motions since being assigned to the Bishop. He was actually a bit releaved to be off the Marsiva and have something to occupy his time with, truthfully. But with their captain MIA and everything more than slightly hectic, he's thrown himself into the work full on. He can really only be found in the cockpit or in his quarters for maybe two hours a night/morning. Even trips to the galley are extremely short-lived and involve toting snacks to the pilot's seat. With that said, he will be outspoken when matters of the ship come up that the captain would usually handle. It's easy for him to become attached and though he doesn't know these people yet, he feels responsible for them.

He hates responsibility.

Comments

[pidge_out]

[Way to catch someone off guard. Pidge almost visibly flinches at the sudden shift, taking one tiny step back.] More about what?

[speedboat]

[ oh that was offputting wasn't it. he regroups for a second, fixing a warm smile on his face. a little too easily, probably. ]

About you, Pidge. We're teammates now, copy? We should be friendly.

[pidge_out]

[Oh no. Oh no, this is like that one time with Allura all over again, trying to get Pidge to share something "personal," isn't it. Being friendly and getting involved in Share Time are both pretty much the number one thing that Pidges are not good at.] I... guess so? I'm not really good with people, though, so...

[speedboat]

[ okayyyyy startling science guy was too much. friendly guy is WAY too much. think, howard. think. ]

People are overrated, am I right?

[pidge_out]

[Pidge just.... blinks, first.]

...Pretty much. Most people, anyway.

[And then there's the tiniest glimmer of amusement in Pidge's expression. This guy is trying so hard. He's a lot like if Lance knew how to be chameleon.]

[speedboat]

[ awww yis third time's the charm. he smiles a more genuine smile this time around. ]

I tend to keep a select few around... just for novelty, you understand. [ or bc he loves them fiercely. you know, whatevs. same dif. ]

[pidge_out]

[And that earns you a little grin, Howard. It's short-lived, but that makes it no less real.]

Yeah, I've got a few of those. They kind of just kept following me around.

[speedboat]

That happens to you, too? Huh. I thought that was just a me thing. [ he's winning her over he can tell!!!! ]

[pidge_out]

[Sass is probably the best way into Pidge's good graces.

And she will even playfully roll her eyes at that comment.]

In my experience, a lot of people tend to think that "no" means "yes."

[speedboat]

[ oops he might be one of those people. still... maybe he's buttered her up enough to ask a question. it's hard to limit himself to just one, but he's gotten better at playing this game each time he comes back here. the people from the future are... touchy and easily offended. flighty, too. he's good at learning through observation. which brings them to-- ]

It's not easy being this cool and successful. We just make it look that way. We can't blame them for wanting to ride our coattails. [ yepppp definitely talking about himself now. welp. so for real tho ]

...Your augment. I'm just curious because I knew how to fly before. Planes, not spaceships, but same basic concept. Are you-- do you have a background in the sciences? [ there howard use your words. gj ]

wtf chrome, I WASN'T DONE

[pidge_out]

[Pidge snorts a little at that, reaching up to adjust her glasses. She's generally not one to brag about herself (much), but talking about her friends like they're the ones who need her more? Is fun. Also not entirely inaccurate, but mostly fun. Once the subject of her augment comes up, Pidge lets the small talk drop. She's not good at it anyway, and now they can talk about science. Much more interesting. It definitely helps that the subject came up a little less... abruptly.] Oh. Oh! [Pidge even half-smiles, just barely stopping herself from reaching up to touch behind her ear, where the implant is.] Yeah, I do actually. I'm kind of the resident techie on my team back home. These ships are different, but they're still really cool to learn about.

ruuude

[speedboat]

[ howard is happy to let all the pretenses drop, as ever, especially when it comes to science. it's as he suspected, the fleet tries to match you up with your strengths back home. but how do they know. what is their purpose? he gets lost for a second, his thoughts swirling. ]

You should show me the engineering room sometime. [ at literally any other time in his life that would be a come-on. science even trumps flirting ok. ]

maybe it thought you would enjoy that 1/4 tag anyway :|

[pidge_out]

[Even if Howard had meant it as a flirt, chances are it would've gone right over Pidge's head. Science is very, very important.] If you want. [Then her head tilts slightly, eyes curious.] So you're a pilot and a scientist?

[speedboat]

Actually, I'm more of an inventor-slash-engineer-comma-physicist who happens to be a pilot. [ does that clear things up?? ]

eeeeee~ <3

[pidge_out]

[That... Yeah, that actually does clear things up. Because Pidge is technically kind of in the same boat. And hey, it's Pidge's turn to light up a little, something that's mostly only visible in her eyes.] Really? What kind of stuff have you worked on?? Are you familiar with this kind of alien tech?

<3 <3

[speedboat]

This... all of this is leaps above my paygrade. And not because I couldn't do it, mind you, but because I'm limited by the technology of my time. In my current year, we've only just barely touched on the digital computer. [ hopefully that paints a picture for her... ]

[pidge_out]

[That gets Pidge to nod a little, thoughtfully, while she carefully files that information away.] So that'd be... What, 1940s-ish?

[speedboat]

[ oh very good, he's actually impressed. he nods enthusiastically. ] 1947. When do you hail from, my dear?

[pidge_out]

[She grins, terribly pleased with herself for getting such a close answer. Computers are kind of her thing, after all. It wouldn't do not to know its history.] 20XX. [WHATEVER THE YEAR IS FOR THEM BECAUSE WHO EVEN KNOWS] We've just started being able to send explorers out to the edge of Earth's solar system.

[speedboat]

That's a damn sight later than I'll ever see. [ said with no bitterness, he's used to it in this place. ] Explorers... like you? [ or is he far off with that one. ]

[pidge_out]

[Pidge looks thoughtful for a second there, head tilted and lips pursed, but then she nods.] Yeah, I guess technically we're still space explorers.

[speedboat]

Still? Moved onto bigger and better things already, have we?

[pidge_out]

[There's a shrug in response to that, along with the slightest of smiles.] Something like that. We kind of didn't really have a choice at the time.

[But back to science-] So being from the '40s and ending up on a spaceship must be pretty crazy for you.

[speedboat]

It's pretty wild. Mostly in a good way. [ even if it does highlight his own limitations at times... the technology is something to marvel at. ] I made a hovercar.

[ just FTR or something ]

[pidge_out]

[Pidge raises her eyebrows, the makings of a grin on the corner of her lips.]

On your own? From scratch?