the white noise is deafening silence

[thespaceopera]

[In the very early hours of January 20th, as the Marsiva and her captives drift nonchalantly through the depths of the universe, there is a call. Every single personal communicator and console springs to life, spitting out a stream of indecipherable static and showing only gray snow on screen. It continues like this for a few seconds longer, going black and then going staticky, and then the signal switches to the encrypted channel generally used for speaking to the Interceptors when something big goes down.

This is a little more successful. The voice may be familiar to some, at least through the static.]

Zhade here! I trust I ███ your attention? I'm having some ██▓▓ble ██tting through. Some of the ░▓██▓█ are missing. I can't ░▓▓▓ read on their loc█████ns. [A particularly long burst of static.] ███stening. I'll s█▓▓█ more inf██▓▓▓▓▓█ I get it.

Stay sharp! [There's the sound of someone actually doing the fingerguns wink noise, and then static.

Any messages sent back won't get through, and Zhade isn't there to answer.]

[ A blip of lost time passes right after those words, before every passenger mysteriously wakes alone in their own unfamiliar room. The style of decor resembles that of the Marsiva's Hospitality Deck, if any passengers should remember what that's like. It sounds and smells the same as the host ship as well, all clean and chrome.

Welcome back to the Marsiva, dear passengers. It's time for round three of calibrations. ]

[ This mingle will cover all non-calibration room interactions. Please continue to come back to it for the duration of the plot! You are, of course, free to post any other mingles/posts/etc. that you'd like. ]

Comments

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki's eyes light up. ]

Not bad at all.

[brooklyn_boy]

[Steve's nose scrunches up a little as he looks at it, already seeing flaws]

Yeah? I haven't seen the movie in awhile. I could probably do a better one with paints.

[dothelokimotion]

You just want me to supply with things, don't you?

[ with a flick of his fingers, there are paints now. ]

[brooklyn_boy]

[Steve's face lights up as he sees paints. Real paints he could use.]

Wow. You can just make anything?

[dothelokimotion]

[ his brow furrows. ]

To some degree. Basic conjuration is an easy skill, but not to be used too often.

[brooklyn_boy]

What happens if you do use it too often?

[Steve looks at the paint, cautious now]

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki shrugs. ]

It will lose some of its potency. And chances are, it will simply fade away.

[brooklyn_boy]

[Steve suddenly feels very conflicted about this paint set]

The item? Or your magic in general?

[dothelokimotion]

[ baffled, loki replies. ]

The item of course.

[brooklyn_boy]

[Steve is visibly relieved]

Oh, okay. Good. Remember, we're not all magic experts here.

[dothelokimotion]

[ fair enough. ]

Magic is akin to energy. I try not to use it too frivolously when I can because it is a gift, not simply a tool or a cheat.

[brooklyn_boy]

[Steve looks at Loki's hands curiously. He's never really thought of magic like that]

The only magic I ever knew was illusions before...all this. You have a lot of self control. I'd probably been making stuff all over the place as a kid.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki snorts lightly. ]

You have to, in order to make it work. We all can't be Thor, throwing lightning around.

[brooklyn_boy]

[Steve's eyebrow goes up, amused]

Is that something you're better at than Thor? Huh.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki shoots him a Look. ]

I have more control, but Thor still has more power. He was born with it. I had to work for my skills.

[brooklyn_boy]

[You're gonna get a Look right back, pal]

There. Now there's two things you do better. Control and working hard for powers.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki stares. ]

If this is your idea of a joke . . .

[brooklyn_boy]

What? No! No, it's not a joke!

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki takes a moment, eyeing steve before sighing, a touch uncomfortable. ]

There is no need to compliment me for no reason.

[brooklyn_boy]

It's not for no reason.

[He shrugs.]

Just pointing out truths.

[dothelokimotion]

[ the tips of loki's ears go the slightest shade of pink. ]

Ah, then . . . thank you?

[brooklyn_boy]

[Steve reaches to give his shoulder a pat]

Don't mention it. Really. It's just truth.

[He looks at the paint and shrugs]

I guess I should get working. I'll have you something of Stitch in a day or so. Depending on...you know. Sleep.

[dothelokimotion]

[ he blinks at the touch. ]

That is not necessary. The paints are yours to use.

[brooklyn_boy]

What else am I gonna paint? The beautiful sunset outside? Nah. It'll be a thank you gift.

Unless you don't want it?

[dothelokimotion]

[ this is still . . . odd. him, getting presents??? ]

I — I would like that.