tushanshu | 001 [video]

[Aaron had spent the last several days exploring Tu Vishan with Marta, making mental notes of places and things they might need in the future. He was thorough with his recon, going so far as to even map out everything they'd seen, the crude yet detailed drawing on the table of he and Marta's shared suite. It marked not just Sectors and their boundaries, the shops and local drop ins, but also ways out of the Sectors.

Some of those were main thoroughfares, but most were back alleys that he had explored during at least one night of unrest. If something happened, he knew no less than six ways out of their own Sector and atleast as many in the others. He hadn't gotten as far as exploring the castle at the center, but he intended to.

For now though, he wanted to get a tab on the local neighbors in his own Sector and without. So, he opts for a video post from his own console, making certain that little enough is in the image to give any more indication of their whereabouts as any other residents room.

He might look familiar to some of you, but he's not who you think he is. His left shoulder, where visible beneath his t-shirt, is newly bandaged and he looks a bit worse for the wear and banged up. If only you guys knew...]

Hey... [He raises a hand and gives a half wave.] I'm James... from Earth. [He shakes his head laughing softly at himself. Superspy? What superspy? Look at this unassuming nice guy!!!] Man, please don't let that sound as crazy as I think it does.

I've been here a few days now and as fun as this little trip into Wonderland has been, I was hoping someone could point me in the direction of something at least vaguely resembling a beer. I'm not picky, honest, but if I'm going to be stuck here I'd at least like some of the comforts of home.

Anyone else brought here from Earth?

[Even with so simple and seemingly innocent a series of questions, it was a definitive way to start figuring out who, or what, was here.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Just as Clint takes in Aaron's responses, it happens the other way around too, Aaron listening to what is both spoken and unspoken. He frowns slightly as Clint says that it is still possible that, even with so many similarities, people could be from different places still.]

I suppose different timelines are another thing I should take into account, hmm? People popping up from the past or future seems about as likely as people from other worlds, and yet, here we are.

[The thought of running into some of the people from his past made Aaron's stomach clench, but he focused instead on the shift in Clint's voice. His tone flattens at the question, a certain level of wariness entering his posture.]

Life model decoy?

[The notion of cloning was certainly not unknown to Aaron, but he'd never thought that the Project might include it. To this point, he'd taken it at face value that it was genetic engineering... but cloning was just around the corner from that, wasn't it?]

Not the last time I checked... but then maybe I wouldn't know it even if I was. There a reason you're asking?

[Suspicion is go.]

Oh, definitely. But then the question becomes if they're really from the future or the past, or if they're from a world so similar to yours it only seems that way.

_{( Clint runs a hand through his hair, unsure of what to do with the last bit. Finally he bites the bullet, encrypts the feed, and opens the video function. )}

...does this answer your question?

Or none of the above and just rather good at lying... yeah, i see the problem.

[There is a beat and then Aaron sees the encryption click into place. His expression remains fairly flat until Clint's face pops up on the audio turned video feed; then his eyes widen.]

What the hell...

[He searches Clint's face... his face... it is identical to his own.]

Answers that one, but brings up a good number more.

[Excuse him while he tweaks the encryption here, Clint. Being a spy has it's benefits when in any situation and locking this conversation between them down entirely is one of them. His stomach is tight and his heart is racing, even if his expression is relatively calm. This man could mean everything or nothing, particularly with other worlds and timelines in play.]

Do you known anything about the Beta Projects? Threadstone, Blackbriar... Outcome?

[His gaze is steady, all hint of humor gone from his voice. If this man was part of the Project, then he and Marta's safety was at risk.]

_{( Clint, grateful to have someone else be disoriented for a change, has to resist the urge to laugh. It’s a high-pressure situation, to be sure, but at least he’s had a few moments to adjust. Since he hadn’t planned on using the video feature at all when he turned on his console, he’s still in his training gear—the SHIELD insignia present but slightly obscured on the shoulder of his shirt, his mismatched gloves visible as he rests his head against one hand. He listens to Aaron rattle of names and buzzwords, then just shrugs. )}

Nope. Never heard of them.

And I’m going to go out on a limb and say that if I asked you similar questions, you’d give me the same kind of answer.

So maybe we’re just going to have to deal with the fact that fate is screwing with us.

[Disoriented was quite the way to put it. Although Aaron has no idea about anything Clint himself has been through, he's had one hell of a time recently himself. He can't help but study the other man as he speaks, looking for any hints or clues in his dress.

Nothing he wore look to be issued from HQ and the insignia he was wearing on his shoulder patch didn't look reminiscent of anything he'd seen before.

The shrug and dismissal could be a ruse, but Aaron was taking a risk in thinking that this man wearing his face was speaking the truth. His hands, white at the knuckle, clutch at the edge of the table where it sits out of sight.]

I'm willing to say that you're right, even if I could do with a bit less of the fate screwing just now. [He swallows, sitting back in his chair again as he tries to gain some manner of composure after this shock.]

You got a name?

_{( That gives Clint pause. He's said his name a few times over the network, sometimes his codename. But it seems more invasive, now. Eventually he just shrugs it off. )}

Barton. Clint Barton.

001 [video]

no subject

encrypted like 75%

Encrypted 100%

Encrypted 100%

Let's pretend that Aaron's encryption was a more realistic 80% from the get-go, shall we? ORZ

right-o o>