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 can tell you what I know, but just so you're aware I have only been in the Fleet for a few weeks myself. There are others who have been here for years who might be better placed to talk about the history of it all.

[Though Connor is fairly confident in the information he's scraped from the network and the confirmation he's received from a few different quarters.]

To start with, assigning officers doesn't appear to be done based on what positions are vacant on the ships. There was already a Communications officer on Starduck when I was assigned here - now we have two. So whatever reasoning lies behind that isn't based on our needs in terms of having all augment types accounted for.

You've still been here longer than me. I'm all ears.

[He looks at the crew roster again as Connor speaks. A double in communications but a deficiency in Engineering; perhaps their keepers do not much care if the Fleet is balanced? Or perhaps vacancies are left or filled according to some other criterion, one known only to these mysterious Atroma.]

But you were lacking in Security before my appointment, so I can only assume that my assignment here is meant to fill that deficiency.

Most likely, yes. I assume it plays some part in the decision, but it's not the sole factor.

[Connor steps away from the communications console and over to the closest viewing portal, indicating with a tip of his head that Bucky should follow.]

Out there-- [He points through the portal, where a snowy hillside is visible] --is the planet we're currently visiting. Every four to six weeks the Fleet arrives in a new planetary system and remains there, until it leaves for the next destination. We appear to be free to do what we choose during this time.

[He follows easily, steps quiet on the decking. It hadn't taken Bucky too long to adjust to moving around the ship, even if it still is a little strange to consider he's on a spaceship, in space, looking at an alien planet. It's the stuff of faintly-remembered science fiction; it's the realm of fantasy and dreams.

It's right there in front of him, shown to him by a man with a blinking LED in his head.]

How free is free? If I'm correct in actually believing the reality show piece of things, we must be watched. How far does that monitoring extend?

[Connor's eyebrows pinch together, as they tend to do whenever he's reminded of the limitations of their knowledge in this place.]

It's hard to say for certain. There are no visible cameras or recording devices except for the communicators we each have. [He nods to Bucky.] You should assume those are monitored at all times. As for the ships in general or the wider area we find ourselves in, determining how much of our actions are observed is... an ongoing exercise.

[In short, he doesn't know. It also annoys the hell out of him. Connor is absolutely unused to the idea of his scans being unable to pick up technology in the area.]

As far as what we can do, it doesn't appear like anyone has escaped that I know of.

A logical assumption. [And one he had already made simply out of his own sense of mistrust. Still, having confirmation does help because there are times when Bucky privately questions that he's not too alert, that he's not tipping over the line into paranoia. Not everything need be a plot, he reminds himself. Not every organization is as evil as HYDRA.

He looks out the window again, a part of him still feeling the novelty of seeing another planet from space. It's almost like a story from a science fiction novel.]

So no one knows. [His smile is wry.] That would be too easy, wouldn't it?

[And for all the apparent comforts of their Fleet existence, for all the knowledge they've been given about the operations of their ships, there still seems to be precious little information about the true purpose of it all.]

Interesting. Brought here and kept and provided for, but doesn't it still amount to a pretty cage?

It's still classed as a kidnapping as far as I'm concerned, regardless of the intergalactic and interdimensional nature of the act.

[If Connor had the ability to arrest someone out here, he would be onto it extremely fast.]

The lack of information is a hallmark of effective kidnapping. The less you know about the surroundings, the harder it is to use information as leverage for escape. [With a slight shift of his shoulders like he's relieving some tension, Connor continues in a less textbook manner.] What I think is there probably is more information amongst the captives here, but it's not kept in electronic format.

We're agreed on that fact.

[Good luck with that Connor. Good luck.]

Kidnapping implies value. Either our skills put to use or our ability to be used as leverage against someone or something else. [Bucky looks completely comfortable with the somewhat textbook nature of Connor's speech. After all, it's not that much different from mission briefings.] That would be smart. Especially since, I'm assuming, these Atroma can't hack into our brains the way they see into our communicators.

If they can, it's subtle enough to be unnoticeable. Unfortunately I can't tell what the augments are capable of - they're invisible to scans, it seems.

[Or at least invisible to his own. It's not for a lack of trying on his part; Connor's set up routine investigative scans of his system several times a day, with nothing detected as yet.]

They may not even affect everyone in the same way. Does metabolism have anything to do with it? Genetic makeup? There are too many questions.

[Bucky most certainly doesn't like the idea of something foreign having been introduced to his body without his permission. He hadn't liked it the first time it had happened, and he certainly doesn't like it now.]

What about the purpose of the Fleet? We're told it's to provide entertainment, but what sort of entertainment are we really providing?

I don't have any information on that at present. As far as I'm aware, the augments behave similarly regardless of the person. That includes organic and synthetic lifeforms, even though that in itself should amount to a huge difference.

[Connor would know, being an android. Augments by nature should be far more effective on him than on a flesh-and-blood being, yet they seem to be exactly the same.]

If there is another purpose the Atroma are keeping it to themselves. I haven't yet encountered anyone on this planet who's heard of the alleged show we're part of. If no one has seen it, it can't be genuine.

Assuming there aren't differences in the augment makeup itself to accommodate, differences that we can't detect.

[But really all that's doing is arguing them into a logic circle and there's little enough to be gained by it. He does like that Connor clearly has given some thought to these things though, because it implies that the communications officer is similarly discontent with their being here.]

It could be genuine if the intended audience is not actually the planet, but that still doesn't leave us with much information.

It's possible. I don't know of any successful attempts to examine the augments, though. Their being embedded in people's heads is a considerable deterrent in trying to get them out.

[That, among other things.]

That is unfortunately the state of things here, as far as I've been able to determine. What's more, there's been no visual confirmation of these Atroma.

I can't imagine many people excitedly volunteering for a lobotomy.

[There's a touch of humor in it at least; he is joking. Mostly.]

Very convenient of our hosts to hide themselves away, isn't it? But this is still more information than I had coming into this, so I am in your debt.

Maybe not in excitement. But in desperation? It's more feasible.

[And Connor would be lying if he said he hadn't done a test to see whether he could tap into the augment in some way. One test was all it took for him to decide to not do that again.]

I'm glad to be of assistance. I went looking for answers when I arrived as well. There's only so much you can get from the network, so it's worthwhile asking around to see what else others know.

There's also the idea of someone being coerced, if we're considering all angles.

[It's not a pleasant idea, but it is a possibility. Still, it would take a particularly nasty type of individual to even attempt such a thing, so it's certainly not worth dwelling upon.]

I don't know if I fully trust the network either, considering that it can be monitored. But I suppose we just have to be smart enough to think around that.

Yes. There is that too.

[Connor reaches into his pocket and pulls out his communicator, navigating to where the network attachments are before he shows the screen to Bucky.]

As a starting point, read the New Captive Guide that's stored on the network. It has links to other files including previous attempts to remove the augment and what happened.

[Bucky shifts his attention to Connor's screen, following the navigation through the network, through the menus. That will take some getting used to, but it doesn't seem too much more complicated than a cell phone or tablet, so it'll be fine.]

That will be helpful. As much as I don't like the idea of something in my brain, I really don't like the idea of messing with it and not knowing the consequences.

I don't recommend it. Even once you know the consequences, I would still advise not to do anything without at least discussing it with another person.

[He withdraws the communicator, putting it back in his jacket with some degree of dissatisfaction. Connor has his own history of mental interference to deal with.]

In the meantime it's something we must live with.

Don't worry, I've had enough poking around in my brain to not be too eager for it.

[He doesn't like the idea of something there, but neither does Bucky like the idea of recklessly tampering with it. There's too much risk, especially for someone like him who could potentially be a danger to those around him.]

I guess it is our life as much as this is our new home. Making the best of it is just what we have to do.

[Now there's an odd comment. Connor regards Bucky more closely, as though he could see evidence of the supposed mental tampering just by looking. Of course he can't, but he'll take note of it in the background.

He does nod though at Bucky's assessment of how to proceed.]

I agree. I think it would become unbearable quickly if we focused only on the broader situation and nothing else.

[If only because Connor had started to find that unbearable after a few days of doing that. He's incredibly determined and single-minded when he has a task to complete - but he's not just a machine any longer. He needs more than that.]

[The fact that Connor doesn't pursue it is definitely a point in his favor. It'd been half the reason Bucky had tossed the statement out there: to see what kind of reaction he got. That Connor is willing to brush it by in favor of focusing on the rest of their conversation speaks volumes.]

I'm sure not everyone sees it so plainly, but I'm glad I'm not alone in that.

[Single-minded determination is handy but also too easy a mindset for Bucky to fall into. Life can be more than just another assassination mission.]

[He won't pursue it right now, no. But Connor has a habit of springing this sort of thing on people later on, in direct terms, once it's more relevant to the conversation. Right now the introduction to the Fleet takes priority.]

If you have any other questions, you can ask me at any time. But I would recommend acclimatising to the planet as we may be here for a while yet.

[Someday Bucky may even be willing to talk about it more freely. But that day is not today, and acclimating to the environment is definitely more important.]

I appreciate that offer. And I might take you up on it after I explore the ship a little more as well.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

01. | You're as cold—

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