driftfleet | 'cause it's better than nothing

[ Calibration Rooms ]
( for N-Z characters )

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ROOMS BY CHARACTER

N - P

Otono-Tachibana Makie

Q - S

Sandalio "Biffy" de Rabiffano

T - V

W - Z

(last updated: 1/25/19)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Unlike the other, self-contained memories, the Stone imparts a flood of data all at once. There's a great deal of text Kitty won't be able to parse, as it's largely code; a few flashes of a muted perception that give the impression of a vast amount of time passing; and finally the absolute rush and thrill of eyes opening for the first time. There are strange faces gathered around (Kitty will recognize at least some of the Avengers), but the first instinct is to flee, and only the view of an entire city spread out under him causes him to stop. Thor manages to reach him, calm him, and ground him, but that first sensation, of being alive after so long, is one that will forever have a place in its memories.]

[Kitty isn't sure how long she was touching the stone or how much she saw. It was probably not long at all before she jerked her hand back and took several backwards steps for good measure but it still feels overwhelming. Still, the biggest, final message she got from it was heartening.

She reaches out to steady herself, touching the image of the garden in the process. No rest for the curious and somewhat mentally winded.]

[This one is much calmer and more organized. Upon being touched, the garden image spreads out to occupy most of the nearby panels. Each shows a section of the garden - some are vanished sections, like Misty's swamp from the Windrose, and others are current with the most recent additions from Libuscha IV (a fragrant little pine whose needles can be brewed into a throat-soothing tea). Every plant has a label indicating its local name, system or planet of origin, uses, and soil/water preferences. Moreover, each flashes to an associated memory briefly, which plays on the panel for a few moments before returning to a picture of the plants. Here's the kelp tank with Wrath laughing on a beach with a ridiculous-looking alcoholic beverage; here's the mint variety that came from the planet with the arctic foxes, and Officer Snuggles in full working gear assisting one of Castle's janitorial bots with a rodent capture.

And there are the viny plants on the top row of the shelves, with Kitty standing in the air beside them, welcoming the viewer back to a place that was home once.]

[She looks over the various plants that bring up her own memories almost as quickly as the screen floods them with Vision's.]

I miss them too. [She's not sure if Vision is there and hearing her, but he's definitely not alone in still thinking of them. She still thinks of people from Marina too. She doesn't talk about them much, but that's somewhat by design as she tries to keep moving forward even as she misses them.]

[Kitty understands in a way few others do, really. It's probably for the best that she's captain of the Twin Roses not the Windrose, or else he might have challenged her for the Captain title when he returned. But like with the others who have moved on, so has the ship; he's content to be just an officer now.

Not that he wouldn't step up if he needed to.

But her words cause one last shift, and it's Wrath's mural in front of Kitty now. Wrath and the Vision are talking, although the image remains static.

"People die and go away all the time. But it still sucks and hurts and people feel sad. And it's good to remember everyone who was here, I think. Remembering things is... really important." That's Wrath.

"Then you should paint it," the Vision's voice says firmly. "Even if the memory is lost, you'll see it and know it was important to you."

"A painting is better than memory," she agrees. "Memory fucks up all the time."

There's a chuckle from the Vision, and then the continues in a quieter tone. "It could happen to any of us. The Atroma could decide we need to be sent home and clear all our memories, so I wouldn't remember Kitty's laugh or Dr. Crusher's kindness or the look on Eugene's face when he makes something palatable out of the cooking supplies. But I could look at this sunset" and there is, indeed, a sunset on one end of the mural: a beautiful mixture of colors that manages to be peaceful and heartbreakingly sad at the same time "and know that it is vitally important. And from there, I would know enough to try to learn why."

There's a pause, and Wrath sounds hesitant. "So it's not just a waste of time and resources?"

"Never," says the Vision firmly. "Not if it helps you remember who you are."

[She feels herself starting to tear up as she watches. She wears two lockets around her neck with pictures of her parents, Kurt, and Winn inside them. It also contains a chip with Winn's parting message to her and also hung on the chain is her engagement ring she found in his things. He never got to ask. She never got to say yes. They aren't paintings, but she keeps them close, hoping that if she gets sent away again they'll stay with her, but it's so little compared to all the memories that are important to her—even the bad ones make her who she is. Maybe especially the bad ones sometimes. And they could all be taken in an instant. Just like Wrath was taken from them twice or Castle or Misty or even Vision, Makie, and Wanda even though they've been returned. Not everyone comes back. Not everyone remembers when they do return.]

[The memory fades, replaced by a general feeling of warmth and well-being. There's a great deal that he's lost, and yet it seems he's content with having known them at all.

In front of her, a dark holographic screen with yellow text pops up.]

Exercise complete. Do you wish to stay or leave?

[She takes a breath. Part of her wants to see more. She's curious girl. She cares about Vision. She wants to know him better, but this isn't the way to do it. You do that with talking and sharing when both people want to.]

I should go if it's an option. Are you voice compliant or should I be pushing buttons?

[Rather than a direct response, the panel closest to where she's looking slides open silently, revealing an exit.]

[She glances around the space one last time before she makes her departure from it.]

'cause it's better than nothing

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