2.5.5 - Spam

[breakingmyheart]

[Spam for Megamind]

[Barge engine maintenance is reasonably straightforward when you know how, though the 'knowing how' can take months; like any regular task, after a while it becomes...not boring, but...routine. Clean parts, check valves, tighten screws, check readings, et cetera. It's a big job and has a lot of fiddly little tasks associated with it, but it doesn't change.

Sometimes Toshiko genuinely wonders if the engine serves any actual purpose besides giving a few more people something to do with their time, but the only way to test that would be by breaking it and seeing what happens and....no. No thank you. True, Kirk used it to take over the ship but for all she knows that could just be the Admiral propping up the illusion.

(And honestly, Kirk's brief benign dictatorship makes her feel better. Generally, the Admiral closes a path to the bridge after it's been used once. The engine room has now been officially neutralised as a way to hijack the ship.)

She looks over at Megamind from where she's sitting at the bank of monitoring screens, keeping half an eye on him and half an eye on the readings.]

How are you finding it?

[Open Spam]

[It's evening, and Tosh is sitting on a bench on the deck. Somewhere over her head there's a remote-controlled flying device (you can't really call it a model anything) moving in slow figures-of-eight around the length of the bench.

She's not holding a remote. Exactly. There's a cable plugged into the port in her neck, which is connected to a small transmitter device which was resting on her shoulder but has since slipped into her cleavage; never mind. Interfaced with the program that signals the little flying drone, it's not taking much more than a continuous awareness of its presence to keep it in a holding pattern.

She moved out here when Myfanwy started getting anxious (read: screechy) about another flying pet in her cabin.

Every so often she moves to do something else, picking up the cup of coffee next to her or turning a page in the book she's not-quite-reading, and it lurches or dips but that's fine. Practice makes perfect.]

[OOC: Because occasionally I step outside myself and remember that Tosh doesn't get out much: some time ago she had a dataport installed that allows her to interface with computer systems intuitively. And she keeps fiddling with it and probably won't stop until she's a Cyberman. And Myfanwy is a pteranodon. So that's where we are now.]

Comments

[megamind]

[ If there is a way to overcome the admiral's 'closed' sign on the engine room as a way to take power, Megamind will find it. Megamind will find it, exploit it, and TAKE OVER THE SHIP! Cue evil laugh, with a good muwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!! ]

[ Ahem. ]

[ Megamind is busy. Megamind took to manuals and drawings and is already putting together that maybe Tosh didn't give him everything and that's fine, it just means the engine room just became his personal puzzle box to tweak, poke, rummage in and otherwise explore. Right now, he is going through the motions of doing the routine labors, because he can, because it's good to have tools in his hand, because he's got his hands in technology he doesn't recognize.

It's dirty work; he goes in bare handed because the Black Mamba gauntlets aren't suited to the work. This leaves his bare hands -- impeccably trimmed nails, long spidery fingers -- working on cleaving valves, exploring nooks and crannies, and otherwise getting almost intimate with this new thing to explore. He's as careful as a lover would be -- he wants to make this engine sing for him. He wants the ship to love him back. He wants it to be his, so he doesn't have to play that stupid 'warden' game. ]

Mmm?

Oh, I'm fine, fine. This is nothing. I mean, it's totally unique and I know you're hiding the good stuff, but... This is enough for now.

[ She'll find him elbow deep in some system or another later on, it's a given. For now, he 'behaves.' ]

[breakingmyheart]

[Tosh watches him work for a few moments and all the while she's aware of something like jealousy, like she's watching someone (extremely expertly) groping her boyfriend and putting their hands in places only she's allowed to go. Like it's showing things to him that only she's allowed to see.

If she isolates herself from these thoughts for even a second it'll occur to her that maybe she needs to get laid and/or spend more time talking to people and less time interfacing with computer systems, but she doesn't. Instead, she tells herself that she's been working with this engine ever since she partially rebuilt it and it's only fair to feel possessive of something you've put so much time and energy into.]

Nothing stays hidden on the Barge that long. What 'good stuff' are you hoping for?

[megamind]

[ Megamind's eyes -- unnaturally green, so bright and vaguely luminscent in his particular cranny of the engine room -- peer down at her. ]

If I told you, you'll hide it, or ruin it, and then it'll be twice the work to get to it.

I know you're scamming me, though.

[ He unfolds from his perch, dropping down back to the floors, before he frowns at his hands; greasy and dirty. Well. It is a ...space barge, he supposes. Into every machine, grease must go. ]

Like a rag. Can you unhide the rags? Man, I hate lubricant on my fingers. Itches.

[breakingmyheart]

[She pauses for a moment because her brain decides to process that out of context before she remembers where she is.]

They're not hidden, they're just - never mind.

[She reaches over for a clean-ish cloth and holds it out to him.]

We do have insulating gloves. I could ask the Admiral for some that would....fit you.

[megamind]

Don't make any in long-fingered-alien, huh?

[ He knows. He knows he's different and freakish and accommodations have to be made and humans can't stand doing that for their own kind, let alone people like him. ]

[ He takes the cloth all the same and cleans up his hands, careful to scrub at his nails to get them clean. When that's done, he just throws it over his shoulder -- he'll be back in the guts of the ship in no time. ]

With no Minion here, my clothing options are-- limited, I suppose.

[ Point in case: laundry's pretty awkward when you have one super suit to your name and refuse to engage in anything else. He manages by not leaving the room much -- any thus not needing to be dressed a lot of the time, but it sure is something of a constraint. ]

[ Guess who is unwilling to ask for more, though? ]

[breakingmyheart]

Sorry. That was - insensitive. The Admiral generally makes them in the sizes he's asked to make them.

[She makes a couple of notes from the monitor screens.]

'Minion'? [She doesn't hear the proper noun.] You only had one?

[megamind]

If a minion is very good, you only need one. I had brainbots to fill any manpower gap, but Minion was-- well, he was singular.

[ Gone now. Walked out. Left him. ]

[ Megamind reaches out, taking up his gloves and looks at them. His tech, Minion's artistry and design. A beautiful marriage of skill and vision. It makes the guilt sour his stomach all the more intensely. ]

If I asked for clothes, he'll give me what I want instead of whatever he thinks is -- appropriate for a person of my station, then?

[ A prison. Not that he isn't remarkably comfortable in his orange jumpsuit, but-- still. Nobody else is wearing them, why should he? ]

[breakingmyheart]

I don't think the Admiral has a sense of 'appropriate'.

[She presses her lips together for a moment, actually considering the question.]

It does depend on how you ask. If you're specific, say 'please' and don't get sarcastic? I can't foresee a problem.

[megamind]

Do I just say, "Can I please have my wardrobe back?" to the middle of the air? Or what?

[ Seriously how does this even work. ]

I'm not used to talking to imaginary omnipotent beings. I mean, that gets you into trouble. Or office. Depends on how rich, white and human you are.

[breakingmyheart]

[Tosh's lips twitch in what might've become a laugh if she was talking to someone she knew a little better.]

You can filter a private message to him over the network. And - you should know, if you ask for a wardrobe you will literally get a wardrobe.

[megamind]

So I should recite a specific and itemized list so there's no confusion because apparently he's a literalist? [ Great. Just great. ]

Save me from the imbeciles I must work with.

[breakingmyheart]

Yes, well, what can I tell you. [A minute shrug.] Welcome to the Barge.

[It's so lightly said that for a second you might miss the fact that she's calling a nonspecific number of her colleagues imbeciles.]

[megamind]

[ He snorts, vaguely amused. Yes, she can call them imbeciles, he doesn't care; he's not swift enough socially to catch it, either. Probably for the best. ]

What's next then. Do I get a schedule? Do you expect me to be a good cog in our Barge machine? They didn't let me work at the prison at home. Too dangerous. I got access to tools and objects and next thing you know, a robot made entirely of rubber bands and utensils was staging a breakout.

[ ...he's not kidding either. ]

[truth_is_cold]

[A dataport is an oddly welcome sight from home. Rhade is meaning to go check the greenhouse- he does so for food from time to time, so he knows what's going to the kitchens, when he's distracted by the flying robot and then Toshiko herself.

He's not talked to her much since Rinzler was around, always having a little awkwardness because he knows she was close to Harper and Harper and he did not end on the best note (which was hard for him- at the time, he still thought of Harper as the one person that never left him).

But he goes over to glance at her book of choice.] Do you mind if I sit?

[breakingmyheart]

[It's World War Z. Fiction, gasp.]

No, not at all. How are you, Gaheris?

[Talking makes the drone lose both altitude and direction and it almost smacks her in the side of the head, but she reasserts her attention after a moment and it slips back into its previous flight path. This is good, this is a new challenge.]

[truth_is_cold]

[That's one he's never read, and he's about to make a comment when that flying drone nearly pings her.

And he sits, with his brows climbing, and just the slightest hint of a smile there.] Better. [He supposes that's a good generalization, his cagey bastardness must always guard his condition at all times.]

I've not seen you out in a while.

[breakingmyheart]

I've been busy. [Well, she's been making work for herself. Same thing, right?] I like to have projects.

[Relatedly, she makes the drone do a little somersault and looks pleased with herself.]

[truth_is_cold]

One can't be faulted for wanting to keep busy. Especially here. [Though he usually picks social projects, and she seems to not. He wonders if she's tired of people, or just generally prefers to avoid them.]

You didn't remember when you first returned, so I didn't greet you properly. I have difficulties with alternates, so I should apologize for that. [He killed his alternate self.]

[breakingmyheart]

[It's a little of both, and a lot of the sort of self-loathing that makes you think that trying to make friends is an unfair burden on the people you want to be friends with. But it's not a self-destructive downward spiral if you don't let anyone notice. Right?]

There's no need to be sorry. I was...it took me a while to adjust to having my memories back. A lot to assimilate. I wouldn't have made good conversation for a while.

[truth_is_cold]

[Self-destructive downward spirals always work best when no one is noticing them. He had friends with his, though. That was nice, as far as self-loathing goes.]

You vastly underestimate my ability to create a conversation out of nothing. Many a friend of mine has suffered by my hand because of it. It's one of the skills I'm most proud of. [Just a little cheeky.]

[breakingmyheart]

[She smiles a little. The drone starts moving in wide, lazy circles, easier to maintain without paying much attention to it. It's like running on the spot while holding down a conversation.]

...you know, it's strange. We've both been here a long time, but I don't feel like we actually know each other. [Her smile takes a self-effacing slant.] My fault. I keep falling off the radar, I know.

[truth_is_cold]

[The cheekiness fades and he looks out at the railing.]

It's not your fault. I avoided Harper for long time. [Including those he was in close proximity to.] I was the reason for the difficulties in his universe and nothing more, [he pauses, vaguely concerned about bringing him up] but the version I knew was different.

[breakingmyheart]

[She doesn't respond visibly to hearing Harper's name. It hurts - like pressure on a scar that hasn't healed properly - but it's bearable.

Her head tilts slightly. Alternates again.]

Can you tell me more? About that situation. I've only ever encountered alternate universes while I've been here.

[truth_is_cold]

[He knows how those moments go.]

The Nietzscheans originally were members of the Commonwealth. We usually colonized new worlds, we enjoyed the challenge. When the Magog invaded, the first systems they took were ones with predominately Nietzschean populations. Then the Commonwealth agreed to give those worlds up to the Magog- they didn't defend us.

That's how it was for both universes, and in both I secretly agreed to join the Nietzschean rebellion, but while trying to warn Dylan it was going to happen and prepare the ship. [He shook his head slightly.] In one, I ended up 300 years in the future, and I became Captain. Harper was the first of my new crew I met. [He might have hit him in the face for being flippant a little bit. Just a little.] He was the last to stay with me. Everyone else abandoned me, even Trance. So I went back to fix things- but the insurrection had to happen, because the Commonwealth had been lying when they made the treaty that gave away our worlds. It needed to be rebuilt on a better foundation and I wasn't the person to do it.

The Harper here only remembered me as the man that disassembled the Commonwealth and ruined his future. His only fondness was to tell me my genes were better off in the descendent he knew. I never told him I knew a version of him. He made it clear he didn't want to know me.

[He gives Tosh a sort of sad smile.] What was he like for you?

[breakingmyheart]

[She doesn't answer, but the circling drone abruptly jerks out of orbit and smashes itself dramatically against the railing. Toshiko flinches.]

...I'd rather not talk about him.