01. | You're as cold—

[sinistral]

Who: Bucky Barnes (sinistral) and YOU!
Broadcast: No
Action: Yes; SS Starduck, SS Iskaulit, planetside
When: from Bucky's arrival through what's left of December

---

SS STARDUCK
→ Acclimating;

If waking up on the Marsiva had been unexpected, doubly so is the teleportation to a new ship entirely. On the plus side, there are at least more people here than had been aboard the host ship. On the negative, Bucky still isn't entirely comfortable around people, and he's already on edge from the circumstances as it is. He's not outwardly unfriendly, but he is wary of everyone and everything.

But he's here in the capacity of a security officer and that means— Well, he's not entirely sure what it means. Oh, he knows what his duties are, just like he knows where he is and why, but the strangeness of it still nags at his brain. He figures at the very least that he should spend some time in exploration, in assessment of the ship that's now his home. As such he's attempting to explore every inch of it and to learn the names, responsibilities, and routines of those with whom he's now living.

SS ISKAULIT
→ Exploration;

It's strange, he thinks, the way this ship is laid out. It's much different from his assigned vehicle, and nowhere near as sterile as the Marsiva. For all that he's been told what it is, seeing it is another thing entirely. So the exploration he does is part curiosity and part reconnaissance, learning the layout of the hallways and establishments as much as he's still trying to wrap his head around the existence of the space fleet in the first place. Movement helps at least, the steady cadence of footfalls on the floor interrupted here and there when he pauses to examine the outside of an establishment that catches his eye.

Though he's not one to make the first move to seek out conversation or company, he doesn't steer away or try to avoid it if he's approached.

→ Gym;

It'd taken him a few days to get used to the whole spaceship thing, including the idea of intership travel via shuttle, but Bucky's just firmly putting it in terms with which he's more familiar: the ships are buildings, the shuttles cars. And there's a certain freedom of movement in the allowance of taking a shuttle to visit another ship. For him it's exclusively to the Iskaulit, and minus the exploration of his first visit, is exclusively for the purpose of utilizing the gym facilities. Working out is the closest thing he has to any sort of regular routine, at least right now, and it's something to which he's going to remain faithful.

It's gratifying to find that the facility has been constructed in such a way that some of the equipment caters toward the physically enhanced; it means he doesn't have to pull his punches and that he can work out to his full abilities. And that settles the mind a little as well, just thanks to the pushing of the body to its limits. He'll still step aside quietly though, in order to offer the equipment to anyone who looks like they might be waiting for it.

PLANETSIDE
→ Working;

A search for laborers attracts Bucky for two reasons: it's physical activity, something to engage both the mind and the muscles, and there's the hope that working alongside people will give him a chance to learn a little more about where they are and why. While there's been plenty of the first, it's the second that's got him a little frustrated. Everything he finds out slots in so seamlessly with what he just knows, but he has no idea how he knows it. But he's so certain about it, while at the same time so uncertain of who he is. He feels like he can't fully trust his own brain and that's not a comfortable thought at all.

But physical labor? That's easy enough, even though the work itself is hard. It keeps him moving and earns him money, and he can't complain about either of those things — especially when it offers a chance to be out of doors. The ships are nice but they're enclosed spaces, and he doesn't have the best experiences with closed spaces. He much prefers being outside like this, even with the cold, and when he sees the signal from the group leader to start packing it up, he'll pass that signal onto the person closest to him. "Looks like it's time to go."

→ Ice Caves;

The problem with being strung so tight for so long is that when there's a moment to relax, Bucky finds it hard to do so. Idleness isn't welcome, and he's not sure if it's the unease of being suddenly drafted into the Fleet or if it's the fog that he can still feel clinging stubbornly to his brain. But whatever the case, he'd rather spend his free time doing something. Fortunately, this place seems to offer plenty to satisfy that urge.

The castle tour is a little disappointing only because, while history and architecture are momentarily interesting, it still doesn't mean anything to him. Hiking is better, dressing against the cold to explore the surrounding landscape and the caves. Sure, the ice makes the footing a little treacherous, but it's nothing he can't handle. And apparently, he's not the only one. "Excuse me, just passing through—"

WILDCARD
→ Elsewhere;

Want something else? Have an idea? Hit me up at sometimesamuse. Open to wherever, whatever, and though I write starters in prose I'm more than happy to switch to brackets if it's your preference.

Comments

starduck

[theladyofwinterfell]

( Sansa tries to spend less time on the ship when they're in a system but she always manages to be around when the new arrivals show and it's hard to miss this one. He's only a bit older than she is and yet looks older still - he has the weary look Jon has sometimes. Sansa doesn't know if that means he's a soldier or merely someone who's had a rough go of it in arriving but as communications officer, she wants to try and greet him and help him acclimate. )

I see you've been assigned to us, then? I'm Lady Sansa Stark and it's my great pleasure to meet you.

[sinistral]

Lady Stark.

[The name and title both throw him, and for different reasons. But Bucky forces both away; he's awkward enough without the weight of something that might be entirely coincidence.]

Thank you. [A beat.] You can call me Bucky.

[theladyofwinterfell]

Bucky, then. It's a pleasure to meet you.

( Protocol in the Fleet is so different from Westeros but Sansa cannot help but try and keep some of her own customs. To that end, she dips her head a bit in deference to him and in greeting. )

Is there anything I might explain? Some people come here knowing all about ships that sail through the sky and the magic of electric lights but for me, it wasn't so simple when I arrived. None of it made sense.

[sinistral]

[Surprise shows on his face at that, the expression quickly shuttered away almost as soon as it's formed. A pleasure isn't how Bucky would think to describe meeting himself at all. She must just be polite.]

The lights are fine, but I'm still getting used to the space travel thing. Not that I think this would make a whole lot of sense even if I did understand it all.

ice caves;;

[postocular]

[ Even though it's insanely cold, it's good to get off the ship once in a while, and there is a lot to look at on this particular planet. Being outside is always better, and even though he has no real idea what he's doing or what he's looking for, it's still exploring. He doesn't really expect to run into anyone else, so when he hears a voice, he moves to the side. ]

Sure. [ Oh. That's a face he definitely recognizes, even if it was secondhand. ]

Oh- hey. Didn't know you were back.

[sinistral]

[The cold and ice are bothersome, but he's experienced worse. There's no HYDRA here after all; this isn't the Siberia of his training. That fact alone makes the wintry weather entirely bearable. And though it surprises him a little that others are out in it, Bucky figures that he's likely not the only one with a tendency to prefer outdoors to in.]

Thank you.

[A simple politeness and nothing more; Bucky will be on his way in the hike as soon as he's stepped the other man. And he's almost dismissed the brief encounter and resumed his hike when the follow up comes. There's confusion on his face as he stops though, the words registering late.]

Excuse me?

[postocular]

[ Oh. The confusion on his face and the question make Carl realize too late that he made a misstep. This isn't a situation he's been in multiple times, and when it happened with Daryl, there were other things to worry about at the time.

He tilts his head, watching Bucky. ]

Do you.. remember being here before? Not everybody does. It's okay.

gym

[outstandingbalance]

No surprise this is where she runs into Barnes the first time. It's not planned; maybe that's for the best, no room to over think it, no opportunity to try to control all the little variables and details. Natasha came for a workout. She's dressed for it, her hands wrapped, carrying a water bottle and a towel. Not unarmed, but less armed than she might have been otherwise. Yeah, she can work with that...

She'll wait while he works over the heavy bag, watching his technique for signs which Barnes she's dealing with—the man or the weapon. She's seen the difference between how he fights when he's in control and when he's not.

"Don't stop on my account." There is a catch in her voice she doesn't intend to be there, a little thread of emotion that she thought she would be ready to keep compartmentalized. Her face, in contrast, is carefully neutral.

[sinistral]

The technique is simply described as: Hit bag with fists. Repeat. There's a little bit of remembered fluidity, muscle memory that hasn't been entirely stamped out. There's a lot more of HYDRA's training, the absolute command over the body and singular focus on the goal. But it's tempered by awareness and choice both; there is no need to push the body to its absolute physical limits, no need to ignore pain for the completion of a mission. There's no team of scientists and engineers waiting to put back together whatever he's broken — or to break again what shreds of his mind he's managed to regain.

"I was finished." Untrue, but close enough to being finished that he doesn't mind truncating the workout. Bucky steadies the bag before stepping away, hands tracing the leather to make sure he hasn't strained or split it. He's not sure where the habit originates, only that it feels natural to do this small, potentially preventative task before turning around to fully acknowledge the other person.

He stops when he does, because he does recognize her. Target confirmed, part of his brain reminds him, but he pushes it aside. He doesn't do that anymore and HYDRA, he has been informed, does not exist here. And of course he can't miss that little catch of her voice, but Bucky isn't entirely sure how to process it. "It's all yours."

[outstandingbalance]

She sets her things down, keeping him in the corner of her eye but not staring on him. Non-confrontational. They don't need to fight, not here or now, though she's well aware of the potential. That awareness raises every hair on the back of her neck.

"Didn't take you long to find your way here," she observes, the words smoother. She doesn't start her workout immediately. "Did you find it yourself, or did someone give you the tour?"

iskaulit

[sassy_assassin]

[ Sara's working at the bartop at the Space Bar when she sees Bucky pass by. She didn't know either iteration of him that well, but well enough to do a double take. if he sticks a head in, she'll wave ]

Welcome back?

[sinistral]

[It's the wave that catches his attention enough to make him really stop.]

Thanks? I've never been here before.

[sassy_assassin]

[ oh boy ]

Right, of course. I thought you were someone I knew.

Can I get you something to drink? Seltzer?

Ice Caves

[padadin]

[Shiro is becoming really fond of the ice caves, really. They're a sight to behold, fun to explore, make for good hiking exercise, and they're also a good source of work. He needs to refill his account after all, considering the big project last month.

He is in the process of gathering some precious crystals with his arm, which makes it easy to break ore, when he hears a voice coming through-- oh. He's back. Shiro's mind instantly jumps to Kate, and quickly discards that thought. Not now.]

Hey. You okay? This area can be very slippery.

[sinistral]

[They really are breathtaking caves. Cold of course, and a potentially dangerous hike, it Bucky’s more than equal to the task. And apparently he’s not the only one.]

Yeah. I’m good.

[It’s slippery but it’s nothing he can’t handle. It’s much like his training in Siberia, if he wants to make that comparison. The weather and the ice are old acquaintances. No, what has his attention is that free-floating arm and Bucky can’t help but stare for a moment.]

Sorry. Didn’t realize someone was working in this area.

[padadin]

It's alright, I'm done anyway. [He puts a couple of crystals in his bag before standing up and fully turning to see the guy.] Besides, I think this is pretty much how the locals approach these caves. There isn't an assigned area to work, people come by and explore or mine wherever. I'm usually a mix of both.

[Shiro never got to know Bucky well, having actually talked to him once and learning more from his universe friends than through him himself. But he gets the vibes that there are no old memories going on here.]

Have you just arrived to the fleet?

starduck.

[coinstability]

[One of the benefits of being an android is that when new information appears on the network, Connor knows about it within a second. Particularly when it concerns his own ship; scanning the network for everything all the time turned out to be pointless and frustrating, so he simply set up a few procedural sweeps for specific information. Changes to the Starduck's crew roster is one of those.

Bucky arrives when Connor's on the planet, so he doesn't immediately run into the android. Connor does make a point to return not long after the roster changes, thinking it would be useful to at least meet the new arrival. He finds Bucky when he comes back to the bridge, critically eyeing the communications station. Well, that makes things simpler.]

Excuse me, but would you be Mr Barnes?

[sinistral]

[The ship’s crew, from what Bucky has gathered, is small. Not critically small, the tactical corner of his brain supplies, but small enough that he can manage (with help) to figure out who everyone is, even if he doesn’t meet them all at once. It means that he’s aware that in person introductions are still to come, but he can manage that.

After the weirdness of being recognized by people he doesn’t know, not once but several times, he’s not too sure how this interaction is going to go.]

I am. [He is and he’s not and it’s complicated, but mister doesn’t feel right no matter what.] It’s Bucky.

[coinstability]

Bucky, then.

[Connor doesn't miss a beat, the LED on his right temple flickering its usual blue. It's the only incongruous thing about him, but it's a major one. He extends his hand to shake.]

I'm Connor, one of the communications officers on this ship. I saw your name appear on the manifest earlier today.

[He's learned from experience that humans don't really enjoy knowing exactly how long ago he saw something. Giving a ballpark time tends to go over better.]

gym

[becomebetter]

Shun is exhausted. Acclimating to a spaceship was easy considering that he'd been on one. Picked up and dropped off on another. The biggest difference is that there hasn't been anything attacking him. Yet. He understands why he's here but he doesn't agree with it. He hadn't signed up to be entertainment for anyone. It's a nice life, sure, but that wasn't the point.

He wanted to go back to the Origin. Say goodbye, at least. Tell Henri and Baum, the others, what had happened to Lana. Loose ends. He hated those. But he was here now and he'd make the best of it while he could.

The gym is not the first stop. Not the last. Somewhere in the middle and only to blow off some steam. Frustration was Shun's nickname. He uses a machine that defends his hits. One that shoots tennis balls at him. He dodges. He shifts and moves, shirt tossed aside as he tries to expel some of his anger and confusion. The tattoos on his back and shoulder tell a story. Yakuza, ex-yakuza, and the scars lighting up his face and chest are a part of that tale. Normally he'd hide them. Doesn't want to have to explain himself but he's in his own head, not thinking about it.

He hits a sandbag and it almost swings into someone nearby.

"Sorry." Shun's voice is low and apologetic.

[sinistral]

It's a helpful thing, working out. It settles the mind in a way that nothing else does; there truly is no compare to the stretch of muscle, the flow of blood, the engagement of body and mind both. It's the one activity in which Bucky doesn't hesitate to push himself to his limits, because he knows those limits and knows exactly what he can do. There's a freedom in that knowledge that isn't quite present in anything else in his life.

That he doesn't have the facility to himself does not bother him; there seems to be a general, universal agreement among most gym goers — or at least those he's encountered thus far — that a person's workout isn't to be interrupted. The attitude suits Bucky just fine, as he's quite content to do his own thing, and to leave when he's done. And while a sandbag suddenly swinging his way is unexpected, his reflexes are more than equal to it; he turns to meet it with his gloved left hand, the quiet slide of metal accompanying the motion as the arm absorbs the impact and stops the bag's momentum.

"Don't be," he says, attention shifting from the bag to the other man, then back to the bag again. Making sure it's steady under its chains, Bucky lets his hand fall. "Accidents happen."

[becomebetter]

The problem with taking your frustration out on a sandbag is that it doesn't really feel as good as taking it out on the source. He can't do anything to the people who brought him here and he can't do anything to Siren for what they've done. So that leaves him with hitting this damn bag until his knuckles split. At least the collateral damage wasn't extreme or pissed off.

"I thought this would help."

Shun isn't exactly talkative but he has a lot to say and nobody to say it to. Might as well give the bare minimum to a complete stranger.

"Falling asleep on one damn ship to wake up on another isn't what I'd call a good time."

He balances against the bag. His body is still weak but he's managing. Shun's eyes flit over Bucky from the way he carries himself to his build and stance. Shun takes a slight step to the side, putting the bag between them. He's not trying to be an ass but he's been trained to know danger and recent events make him cautious.

Iskaulit

[passingthrough]

[Kitty's working the early shift at the Malum. There aren't many people yet. No one is dancing, but a few people are drinking and talking at the tables or around the bar. She heads over to clear a table near the door when she notices Bucky looking around. His name had been missing from the crew manifest for awhile. If he remembered he probably would have reached out more openly. Not to her specifically. They weren't that close, but to the fleet at large? Then again, maybe not. He tended to keep to himself. At least the last version did. She'd met a few by now.]

Coming in?

[sinistral]

Considering it.

[The bar-and-dance-floor scene isn't really his type of place. At least he doesn't believe that it is, but he supposes too that he doesn't know for sure. Still, it's something he likely would have passed up entirely save for what sounded almost invitational.]

Not one for dancing.

[passingthrough]

Well, that is officially your loss, but also, it doesn't seem like you're alone in that tonight.

[She looks at him curiously before continuing.] Are we meeting again for the first time?