001 - video

[neverdanced]

[He needs to stop thinking that he's incapable of being surprised. By the end of the Battle of New York, Steve thought he had seen it all. Insane technology, other worlds, aliens... What else could there possibly be?

The answer, of course, is a giant turtle in a realm outside the continuity of time. He had a long chat about nearly everything with the locals that helped him earlier, but it's still crazy, and he probably wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen some of the turtle shell himself.

Yet here he is. It'll probably all sink in over time; Steve's been overloaded with so much information over the past few hours and it's exhausting, even for him.

Getting on the computer hadn't been his top priority, but he's already gone outside of his new home and back. Steve's experienced enough culture shock for today. He might as well at least reach out and introduce himself to all of the other people who wound up here like him.

Once he's got the computer up and running, he accesses the network using the video function. He looks a little stiff and probably as exhausted as he feels, but that's the least of his concerns right now.]

Hello. My name's Steve Rogers. The kedin- kedan? - brought me up to speed already, but I only just arrived here a few hours ago.

[Maybe longer than that. He hasn't exactly been keeping track of time. In any case, it's really jarring to be talking to a computer screen and not actually know who's on the other end.]

I have a couple questions that I'd like to have verified. [It doesn't necessarily mean he'll believe whatever he's told, but second opinions are typically useful.] We're all more or less stuck on this turtle, right? But there's a way back.

[That's a question as well, but it ends up sounding more like a statement. It sounds like a reasonable assumption. There obviously isn't a rush since no time is passing back home; he just wants to know.]

The other question I have is about jobs. Since it looks like I'll be here awhile, I'll start looking soon. Does anyone know which places are hiring offhand?

[He pauses for a moment before adding a 'thank you.']

Comments

[neverdanced]

Dr Banner.

[Likewise, Steve doesn't know Bruce that well at all, but he has a high opinion of him.]

I think all of my questions have been answered. It's good to see you. [He genuinely means it, but Steve isn't one for false pleasantries to begin with. Familiar faces are definitely welcome, in his book, as long as they aren't his enemies.

Of course, were that to happen, he'd handle it accordingly.]

Tony told me almost everyone was here.

[angermanaging]

Almost, [he agrees.] Just missing a couple.

I've been here the longest now. You're not an unwelcome addition. [That's pretty overt praise from someone as reserved and careful as Bruce, but of course, whatever his personal feelings are, good or bad, he means it practically.]

I've heard you're good at fights like this. [That is his own brand of bland teasing.]

[neverdanced]

How long is that?

[He laughs just once, and it's self-depreciating in a way, too.] Thanks. And-- I guess I have some experience with this sort of thing. A good team is the most important factor, really.

[It's not his style to take credit, especially when there's no way anything could've been done successfully without help from others.]

[angermanaging]

[He has to think for a second on that question, which more than anything indicates how long it's been.] Nine months, give or take.

[Bruce had forgotten since the last time he'd talked to Steve how easy a conversationalist he is. It's a rare trait that makes Bruce feel like he can speak without modulating his words too closely, but he's sure that Steve wouldn't do anything to provoke him. Wouldn't turn him in either, back home. It's an odd knowledge to have, for him.]

We have a pretty good team here, [he says diplomatically.] We've accomplished a lot. Not-- ah, not that it's... an official team. But most of us here work together.

[neverdanced]

[Steve's not the type to judge. Unlike Tony, he's not keen on the idea of testing Bruce's limits; he'd rather avoid situations which could involve unnecessary danger for the masses.

Despite that, Steve doesn't look at Bruce any differently or treat him any differently than anyone else.]

That's good. I'll be more than willing to help with anything that I can; I'd like to do my part.

[He wouldn't have it any other way.]

[angermanaging]

[To be fair to Tony, testing Bruce's limits have been turning out pretty well for him so far, uneasy and unwilling as he is about the whole process. Regardless, he appreciates not being treated any differently. It's become a strange staple here, but not one that he's started taking for granted.]

I don't doubt it. There's... lulls, usually. In between moments of crisis. We're probably due for another soon.

[He sobers, saying,] The Emperor was murdered recently. Apparently not orchestrated by M, but it approved.

[neverdanced]

[While he doesn't particularly like the idea of being pulled off somewhere without his consent, it seems like he might have wound up here right when they might be needing help most. Steve doesn't know if he will be able to make a difference at all, but he can try.

It's an odd situation; he doesn't trust the people in charge here, but it goes against everything in him to stand by and just let terrible things happen.]

It benefits from it, though, doesn't it. [He doesn't know too much about the situation here yet, overall. But it can't be much different than any other assassination. There's likely to be some sort of reaction to that and the leadership change.]

And backlash from it could happen at any point, especially if the Emperor was popular among the Kedan. This could get messy. [At least, if his assumptions are at all correct.]

[angermanaging]

[It's a similar feeling to how Bruce has decided to approach it. He innately distrusts any official authority, which extends to the Emperor-- both of them now-- and the kedan government. But at the same time, it isn't in him to deny help to the average person, human or kedan or otherwise. Just as he'd spent years on the run helping those he came across, he does the same here, without looking for recognition.]

It does, [he confirms grimly.] Messy is an understatement. The previous Emperor's magic played a role in some of the... way things work here. I'm not sure what the impact will be from her death.

She said she'd put failsafes in place that would return us if she wasn't here, but-- no one surviving really understands the mechanics of that.

[Maybe someone else would have a more personal conversation with a recently appeared teammate. Bruce defaults to keeping things practical.]

[neverdanced]

[There's several different possibilities that come to mind. Steve hasn't been here long enough to know which of them are most likely, and he's not sure whether that puts him at an advantage or disadvantage. If anything, it makes him more wary.]

It wasn't something that would happen automatically, then. [He knows next to nothing about magic, with the exception of the powers from the Tesseract and Loki, to an extent.] But I'd think that it would've been more efficient tied to her life, somehow- if that's possible.

Is is possible that she's not actually dead?

[He's typically not one for conspiracy theories, but...]

It's unfortunate that any of it happened, though.

[angermanaging]

Not automatically, no, [he confirms.

Bruce isn't one for conspiracy theories either, except that so many of them happen to be true. One hand rests near his console's keyboard, fingers tapping silently against the table with restless contemplation.]

It's possible. Anything's possible. This is-- everything here is, is outside of our experience of reality at its core. It's hard to predict anything with a hundred percent surety. Not even the current Emperor has all the answers. [That much he's certain of.] And the kedan are as in the dark as we are, just differently in the dark.

[neverdanced]

[That's even more to take into consideration. Steve doesn't like feeling out of his element, but this confirms that's exactly what's going on. It's aggravating, really.]

That's extremely unhelpful.

[He can't imagine that all the answers would be handed over to them, even if the Emperor and Kedan knew them anyway.]

We're essentially sitting ducks at this point.