driftfleet | 01. | You're as cold

Entry tags:

01. | You're as cold—

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I try to tell other people that, you know. Whenever someone else comes here, I always tell them it isn't their fault. Sometimes it's difficult to take your own advice.

( This, at least, she says with a bit of a laugh - Sansa knows precisely how absurd it is to feel guilt about things happening in Westeros. )

Where do you come from, then? Somewhere that doesn't travel through space, I suppose?

You should take your own advice.

[He wouldn’t have anticipated the lopsided smile tugging at his lips but it’s there. Maybe it’s something in the honesty she shows to a stranger.]

Mmhm. It’s called Earth, and the idea of space travel is still in its infancy. We’ve put a man on our moon, but not much else.

I cannot even imagine a man on the moon, much less this place. I suppose you're a bit more prepared for the Fleet than I was, though, and that's a blessing.

( Sansa gives him a bit of a smile, wanting to be as welcoming and helpful as possible. She'd appreciated that in her early days here and she hopes others appreciate it from her. )

Do you understand about the ratings? They watch us here. We have to perform, sort of.

I have a hard time imagining it too sometimes, even though I know it happened. Even so, I'm not sure anyone could truly be prepared for something like this.

[But the fact that she's trying to be helpful and welcoming really does say a lot.]

I was afraid that would be real. [It's probably clear that he's uncomfortable with the idea.] What sort of performance are they expecting, can you tell me?

Well, my husband is here, so anything involving the two of us seems to garner ratings. They do like romance, the Atroma. Other than that, I suppose anything interesting - do you have any particular talents?

( Sansa has sung before, to increase her ratings, and she's made any number of lovely bits of needlework. If he has a talent, it will help him. )

I am glad you at least have the familiarity of that piece of your home.

[He does look away at the question; fortunately, being new to the ship, there's any number of excuses of things that may have caught his eye.]

Not the kind of talents you'd want to hear about, I'm pretty sure.

Perhaps I might not want to hear about them but they might. ( Sansa gestures vaguely upward, indicating the Lords of Atroma. )

You never know what might entertain them. It's almost always worth taking the chance, though.

Then I definitely don't need it getting out. [A beat.] I imagine they've garnered enough information already, if the choice of assigning me a security role was deliberate.

[He doesn't want to come right out and say it, but the thought that he's here because of his talents — and that his most prevalent talents are all related to killing — is not a comfortable one.]

The last time I was here, I was only a civilian. This time, though, they've given me communications. I'm not sure what I must have learned in my previous time but it clearly was sufficient.

( Sansa laughs and shakes her head a bit. She will never understand what their captors motive is in selecting them, nor what will please them. )

I only speak common, so I'm not sure what I did to make them promote me.

Perhaps it's less being a polyglot and more the way you talk to people. I mean, we're having a conversation right now, aren't we? One in which you've been nothing but welcoming.

[In another situation, and were he different himself, he might even call her charming.]

( Sansa hadn't thought of it that way, exactly. She imagined that someone assigned to communications would translate and she can only sing one song in High Valyrian - not exactly someone who speaks languages. But communicating, listening - these are things she does well. )

You may be on to something with that. Back at Winterfell, I heard disputes since my brother had gone south to treat with another queen. I suspect he was glad I was listening to arguments and he got to go use a sword.

It sounds to me that you ended up with the much harder job.

[But it does have Bucky thinking too, wondering if there's a reason outside of his combat abilities to have been assigned to security. If so he's not sure he can see it, but he's also not sure if he wants to. It's something to think about in his own time, certainly.]

But I feel like I should ask a little more about our jobs on the ship, and in this Fleet. What are we called on to do, as a whole?

Honestly? I think we're just here as a mummer's show to entertain our captors. Oh, certainly, we get to help people sometimes down on the planets and I enjoy that - it makes me feel like we matter. But as far as I'm aware, everything is staged for their amusement.

( Sansa is good at playing games but it doesn't always end up being something she enjoys doing. )

I was afraid it might be something like that.

[Not having all of the information doesn't surprise him. Playing the part of a chess piece also doesn't surprise him. What he doesn't like about any of it is not having much choice in the matter; it leaves him less than pleased about the entire thing.]

I don't like the idea of dancing like a puppet on a strong for others' amusement.

No, neither do I. I was used to such games at court, of course, but just because I can be good at it doesn't mean I like it.

( Sansa wishes she had better news for him. This place is an improvement over her own world, yes, but only because she's safe and warm and doesn't have to worry about every threat against House Stark. She doesn't know if that's enough to make Bucky feel better about being in the Fleet, though - she doesn't know his story. )

I think the thing to remember is that they cannot own your mind. Your mind is yours, always, and no one can touch that. They can try, of course, but there's always a part of a person that is locked away and kept safe.

[Bucky stiffens at her words; he can't help it. She has no way of knowing; they've only just met. But her reassurances touch exactly on what was done to him under HYDRA control: the torture, the brainwashing, the elimination of his memories. The theft and subversion of everything he was.

He's still not even sure who he really is.

But that burden is his own and no one else's. It's especially not something he'll share with someone he's known for only a handful of minutes. So he forces a smile and an attempt at deflection.]

That's good advice. You're very wise. No wonder they have you in communication.

Time will tell, I'm afraid. I wouldn't consider myself wise, though. It's only that I've learned the hard way how things are in the world. I learned what I can and cannot trust.

( If that makes her more suited for communications, so be it, but Sansa thinks it's just that she had to learn by repeated example over and over. She's a slow learner, yes, but she does learn. )

If there's anything you want to keep for your own, it's best not to share it with anyone. I don't think they can see into our thoughts or anything but they can overhear us, obviously.

Isn't that at least a little bit of wisdom?

[It doesn't surprise him to hear that they're monitored though. He doesn't like it, but it doesn't surprise him.]

In that case I hope you'll forgive my dodging your questions about my talents. Tell me, does this monitoring extend all the way down to the planet as well? Or just aboard our own ships?

I’m not certain how far the monitoring extends. I tend to be careful about my secrets all the time now but I had to be careful about them at home. It’s old habit.

( Sansa hates to incite paranoia but it’s the only way to keep herself safe and she wants to pass it on. )

And I take no offense at your wanting to reserve parts of yourself. You should - it makes things safer for you.

It's one that will probably serve you well.

[It's a tenant by which Bucky has been living his own life, at least in recent times. He's not sure how much of himself he's going to be able to keep a secret here though, not if things are as she says.]

I'm just not sure who I can trust yet — again with no offense intended. But if we're able to be overheard, I'm not taking that risk.

No offense taken. I would guard my secrets too. I do guard my secrets, when I can. Of course, I hope someday we might know one another well enough to share at least one together.

( That is said with the smallest of smiles; Sansa knows that trust is a difficult thing to come by for some people and she's learned it the hard way herself. )

Maybe we will.

[It's a foolish notion, isn't it? A silly fantasy but also attractive in its way, the idea of trusting someone enough to have a shared secret. And maybe that's the true danger of this place.]

Until then I suppose we'll have to be content in being shipmates.

I don't think being your shipmate is going to end up being a bad thing, not in the slightest.

( Sansa gives him a smile, a true smile, and hopes it conveys the warmth she intends it to convey. )

I hope you'll call on me if you need anything? I've been here just long enough to know most of the ins and outs, should you have questions.

I hope not! If being your Security officer means having an eye on your safety, I will do my best to make sure you have nothing to fear.

[It is a warm smile, and he's entirely unused to being on the receiving end of such an expression, especially when it comes with her offer. This, he thinks, is beyond the simple politeness of a shipmate or coworker. This seems just the way Sansa is, which is entirely outside Bucky's realm of recent experience.]

I will. Though I guess it's fortunate that the ship is only so big.

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01. | You're as cold—

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