From Harbor to Fountain

[buildingitsir]

WHO: York and anyone else
WHERE: Arrival Fountain
WHAT: This isn't Jericho anymore
WHEN: Definitely not 2038 at least.
WARNINGS: None at the moment



If he were human, being absolutely drenched would be uncomfortable. But as it were, his blue and red blood soaked clothing is plastered against him like a second synthskin as York wakes up. Was it... an early stasis? Given the fact that he had used a lot of energy during the raid on Jericho, helping his fellow androids, and escaping into the icy harbor of Detroit... yeah. That was plausible.

Sitting up, York scanned the area. [NO DATA] his HUD helpfully supplied and he frowned. What the fuck? Was he not in Detroit? Maybe the explosion sent him into the future or something. Isn't that what happened in human media? That's definitely not how it worked. His sneakers scuffed against the asphalt when he got up, looking around. His black hair messy, teal eyes bright in the early morning. Yeah, this wasn't Detroit. As far as the android knew, the revolution hadn't gotten this far out of hand yet, nor did any place in the city have a fountain that looked like this.

Then he spotted a glowing datapoint, beckoning him. It was like being undeviated all over again, pulled by command to touch it. And he did... and absolutely didn't like it. Yet all the information that flooded into his system was useful. Agrii-10, Temba, everything he needed to know about where the hell he was now.

He pulled away quickly, almost tripping over a first aid kit with the scrawled writing of 'JERICHO' on it.

"What... what the hell?" He wanted to tag on 'where am I' and 'what is this place, but York knew that one already. "Send me back!" Was he alone here? That would be nice, being away from all the humans, but even this android would get lonely after awhile.

York couldn't help the revolution from here, damn it!

Comments

[out_of_order]

Things still felt like they hadn't quite settled into the norm in the city in the wake of the storm. Still, Cal tried to make the best of things while other problems were being worked out, pushed on while thankful of one friend's safety but sad for another's departure. Things still needed to be done around the city.

...and apparently new people were still arriving. BD-1 beeped curiously as the both of them caught sight of the man near the fountain. It was easy to recognize new people, especially among such a small population.

"Hello?" Cal called out, stepping towards the newcomer if cautiously. It was understandable for anyone to be distrustful in such a situation. And yet there was also something unusual about him that made the young Jedi wary himself. The man didn't seem quite there in the Force, after all.

[buildingitsir]

York must be quite a sight: drenched and splattered with what looked like blood. He's standing with his back to Cal for the moment, attempting to scan to start building a map in his database. He hasn't even noted the device in his hoodie pocket yet.

The android is far smaller than Cal, that's for certain, looking like a teenager instead of the usual adults that the Agrii bring to the planet.

His audio inputs hear the beep and the footsteps and he spins to face the other. And the robot? No style he's ever seen before that's for certain. Hands go up as though he's holding an axe that wasn't there when York remembers - right, he dropped it before plummeting into the harbor for safety. Hands drop to fists as he scowls at the other.

The android didn't trust this new guy, this human. Not after all the shit that went down that lost them Jericho. Lost York his home.

"Who the fuck are you? Did you bring me here? You better fucking send me back--"

[out_of_order]

The response did put him on edge, but the lack of weapon and the obvious confusion tempered Cal from responding in likewise manner, not that he'd ever think to draw his lightsaber on an unarmed person anyway. BD-1 peeked over his shoulder, head tipping to one side as the young scrapper stopped, allowing for plenty of space yet between himself and the new arrival.

"Easy, one thing at a time," he said, lifting his hands to show he meant no harm. "I'm Cal. This is BeeDee-One. We're in the same situation as you, although we've been here longer. You got the basic rundown, right?" he asked, nodding towards the fountain and the innocuous orb floating there.

[buildingitsir]

Eyes, teal in color, looked from Cal to the robot peeking at him. We’re they sent by Cyberlife? He doubted that the company was even here after experiencing the data point. So if Cyberlife wasn’t here, Stark Technologies wasn’t here either.

... Maybe that was a good thing.

His aggressive stance didn’t relax though. York didn’t know this person well enough yet. Even if he had a robot. How much sentience did the robot have? A foot scooted to get a better stance, almost as though the android was bracing himself, only to hit the box instead.

It was quickly snatched up and held in one hand. "I’m York Stark. Android son of Antonio Stark. Im guessing there’s no Cyberlife or Stark Technologies here.“

He pointed at BD-1. "What kind of robot Are they?"

[out_of_order]

There was a lot packed into those sentences of introduction. Cal exchanged a look with the little droid hanging off his back, the latter offering a confused hoot before they both turned back towards York. Cal however remained where he stood, although he did relax his own stance a bit, even as he watched the other man.

"Stark. Sorry, the name's a familiar one is all. But no, there's no Cyberlife. Or a Stark Technologies. This is Temba, on a planet called Agra Ten. We were brought in by the Agrii in hopes that we could help work some problems out so they could come back." 'Problems' seemed like such a minor way of putting it.

The Jedi held his arm out for BD-1 to grab onto so he could be held in front of him, settling like a little chicken, birdlike as he was with his little legs and body. "He's an exploration droid. And my friend," Cal felt he had to add. Some people here tended to be strange around droids for some reason.

[buildingitsir]

What? York squinted. No Cyberlife or Stark Technologies, but his last name was familiar? That didn’t make logical sense. The hand holding the box clutches it tighter. He kept his upward gaze towards the human.

A droid - short for android? - that was friends with a human? York made a scoffing noise of disbelief - or maybe disgust - and looked away.

"Are you fucking kidding me? I find him being friends with a human hard to believe. This planet must be nowhere near earth, and Temba nothing like Detroit." Another scoffing noise. "And you must not be from Detroit either."

[out_of_order]

The comment stung more than it should have, but then Cal had never heard anyone speak so emphatically with such an opinion. His arms tightened just a little more around BD-1, almost protectively. BD-1 seemed more offended, twittering his own argument.

"-it's fine BeeDee," Cal said, a little more quietly as he set a hand on his buddy's boxlike head. He had nothing to prove to anyone, and this person couldn't possibly know what things he'd been through, and how much BD-1 had been vital in helping him through it.

"I'm not from Earth, for one. But I'm pretty sure this isn't in the same system as any planet or galaxy I know." He arched a brow at York, helping BD-1 back over his shoulder where the little droid could grab onto his harness again. "Are you all right? You...look like you've just come out of a fight or something."

[buildingitsir]

At least York didn’t make a move to get BD-1.

But it was tempting.

He was about to remark about the not-from-earth comment, about to question if Cal was an alien in disguise when instead the remark asking if he’s okay distracts him. It’s only then that he looks down and remembers what happened before getting shipped off to bumfuck nowhere. "Yeah, 'm fine. I think. Let me check."

Most humans would pat themselves or check under clothing, but instead of doing any of that, he goes still. His HUD reads a few superficial cuts - probably from the explosion of Jericho - but nothing else. Finally glances down to scan the blood.

"None of this blood is mine at least and looks like I’m still good. Just some nicks here and there but my skin will repair itself." At last he took the hoodie off so he could wring it out.

Two things happened: the device given upon his arrival clattered out of the hoodie pocket, and the removal of the hoodie revealed a slightly muted glowing teal light at his chest under his shirt.

"...What is that? Never seen that device before."

[out_of_order]

That would certainly prompt action from Cal if he had. Already York's comments had once again put him on edge. Clearly the man had no love of humans, which was piecing more to the puzzle that the Force had first presented him.

And then York runs some diagnostics, leaving Cal and BD-1 to watch in awkward curiosity. The glow was telling. "That's um. Good, then. If you need spare clothes you'd probably be able to find something in the store out that way. Although most of them have an extra set of arms on them." He wasn't sure that anyone had brought anything from the shops in Sh'Ka. At least those seemed more suited to human proportions than Agrii.

"That's a communication tablet. The Agrii provide them for us."

[buildingitsir]

"Mine will dry. I don’t need new ones." There was less hostility in his voice now. The device was picked up in his hand, then into a jean pocket. Aside from that glow on his chest and the teal eyes, he looked like an average teenager.

Hands wrung out the black hoodie with the NYC design on the front. "I'll probably have to find a way to wash this though. It’s probably gonna smell like the harbor. I imagine that’s not a pleasant scent for those that can smell it."

Water dribbled to the ground as he wrung at the fabric over and over. There was a moment of hesitation as he thought about doing the same with his shirt. No, not in front of a human. No way he was going to show that kind of vulnerability on front of one.

"How many people were brought here?" came the question at last while York tied the hoodie around his waist. He pulled the device back out to study it. Hm. No way to connect to it like he wanted. Shame, that would’ve been more efficient. He looked to Cal and BD-1. "so if BD-1 and you aren’t from Earth, where are you from?"

[out_of_order]

"There's running water in the hotel rooms, and machines aboard the ships. And Tony was working on a washing machine too, some time ago, but I'm not sure where it was supposed to be installed," Cal said, folding his arms as he watched York try to dry off as well as he could.

"How many? I'd say a little more than twenty, probably not fifty. We're a small number."  It was a sobering thing to think about, really. He lifted his head then. "Guess you could say I'm from Coruscant." It had been as much a home as any before the Purge, anyway. "I'm not sure where BeeDee came from but I met him on a planet called Bogano."

[buildingitsir]

The world seemed to stop for York. It didnt, it was just his system doing that emulation of system stopping surprise he had seen in his dad.

Antonio Stark. Tony Stark.

Cal's seemed to go distant. Was his dad here? Brought here onto this ducking planet? The pump in his chest did it’s job faster to keep up with the cooling system.

"Stop. What was that name you said." Not a question, but a demand. "Is that a nickname? What’s his full name?" The amount of people in this shithole didn’t matter now.

Was his dad here?

[out_of_order]

Cal frowned slightly,although at the same time he couldn't say he was entirely surprised. There was already an uncanny amount of people who were brought here who seemed familiar with Tony Stark of one form or another.

"Stark," he said. "Tony Stark. Short for Anthony, I think, but he never goes by it." A remnant memory from that strange alter-city experience. He was sure Tony never bothered to state his name as anything other than Tony, otherwise.

[plate_builder]

"Sadly, it's not as easy as that."

Reeve had been out of town in the other city for a while, but today he'd finally returned. And of course it was just in time to hear the splashing in the fountain and come to investigate. What he hadn't expected to find was a young man. One that looked in quite a state.

Mini, never too pleased about water, was currently with Reeve of course, but hiding behind one leg. Which was not easy to do as a three foot tall bipedal cat, but somehow he had gotten good at it.

"We don't have a choice about coming or going. That's not a He Rows's lot."

[buildingitsir]

York turned quick on his heel, those bright eyes falling on the newcomer and his...cat? He scowls heavily at the words. No choice in coming or going? "Who the fuck are you? And... who is that?"

He doesn't close any distance between them, but looks between the human and his three-foot-tall cat for a long stretch of time. "I'm not a 'he row', or whatever. I need to go back home. I'm needed there, not this rundown shitty town. Or city."

Though external temperature doesn't bother him, York pulls his hoodie off to wring harbor and fountain water out. It puts his LED light on display, glowing from underneath the black t-shirt he wore. Yuck, this needed to be washed at some point. It smelled like the Detroit harbor.

[plate_builder]

"Put the verbal claws away. There is no need for them," Reeve said, voice stern as he crossed his arms over his chest. He didn't take very well to things like that after all.

"Aye! And dunnae try an' start what ya cannae handle!" Mini agreed from behind Reeve's leg. Which of course earned an eyeroll.

The little one needed less time around the Exos and Soldat until he realized he was not as big and scary as them.

"You are here, so for the time being, you are an Agrii He Row, you can't go back home, and you're as trapped as all of us. I'm sorry that these are true statements, it is often very upsetting. But disliking them does not change the situation you find yourself in."

Still, he's left staring at the glowing display. Interesting. Very like Tony's own situation. Which Reeve was not touching right now.

[buildingitsir]

If he had a secretion gland installed, York might've spat at the human's feet. Instead, the strange cat creature seems to challenge back at him in what had to be a Scottish accent. But the human didn't have one. Probably friends of some sort here.

The challenge from the "cat" gets a physical one - a fast step forward with a quick jerk of his arms like he’s gonna close the distance between the two of them for a fight. He doesn't, but the threat is there. The teal light shines to red for a brief moment before going to gold. "Don't fuck with me, alien cat!"

He meets Reeve‘s stern look with his own unfaltering glare. "And how long am I trapped here? I'm needed back home for fuck's sake for the revolution, not to rebuild this decrepit place!"

[plate_builder]

While Reeve might look like an unassuming middle manager, he was far from it. York stepped forward and Reeve lowered his hands to his sides, fingers sparking with electricity.

"Neither of you will be fighting, thank you very much," Reeve advised them, sparks still curling with potential. Don't make him be the disciplinarian here. He doesn't like it.

"Stupid angreh boyo," Mini grumbled.

Reeve ignored that entirely, turning his gaze on York.

"He's not an alien cat. He's a machine, built in this form, with a soul bound to it. There are alien cats here, but they are the mothcats, and they like books. And Jon. And Tony. So they have better taste than my companion here. As for your term of residence, no one knows. Sometimes we go home. Sometimes we come back. In theory if we save the Agrii we get to go home at last. The choice is out of our hands."

[buildingitsir]

The electricity crackling on the man's fingers are noted. He’s about to just ignore the ordeal until the cat companion calls him stupid in a low grumbling voice.

Whatever Reeve Said about Mini was lost as York near stomps forward. "Stop hiding behind him and say it to my face, you little fucker—" he shot back, his own hands curling into fists as he glared down at the robot.

[plate_builder]

Yep, this wasn't working. Reeve gestures and the sparks on his hand hit the ground. Followed almost immediately by a bolt of lightning from the sky.

"Stop, both of you are acting like children."

[buildingitsir]

York recoils at the electricity, Mini immediately forgotten. A hand goes up to shield his face as the bolt of lightning cracks down between them. The android backs up as he feels the crackle of static in the air. Okay that wasn't going to be good if he did that again. Hands go up to show he was going to drop the fight (though does shoot Mini one more glare).

One small huff - something he learned watching Poppy when she was frustrated. "What did you say he was? Not an alien?" There was an underlying hiss to his voice as he kept those emulated emotions in check from lashing out again.

York did NOT want to get zapped.

[plate_builder]

"At his core he's a machine, with the body designed in joint effort by myself and Tony Stark. Over that is the doll. All of it is given motion, will, and life through my magic. He's a living, breathing, thinking construct. That he has this form means he's more like a cat. That includes the shyness, the testing at perceived prey, and the little needling comments."

The form informs the personality with Reeve's magic.

[buildingitsir]

York looks… surprised. Then looks to Mini. "Wait wait." He replays what Reeve said again in his mind. This was way too fucking weird. "Tony Stark built him. Built an android." He pauses as that LED swirls into gold now as he tries to process what was being told to him.

"Shut up, what’s this Tony's full name? Like that's short for something right?"

[plate_builder]

"I'd hardly call a cat an 'android'. The term is meant to refer to a machine with the appearance of a human male," Reeve points out. "Male he might be, but he's definitely not human."

"Ya makin' this a wee bit complicated," Mini protested to Reeve, who clearly ignored the cat.

"And I'm not certain," Reeve said, arms crossing back over his chest, "that you've done anything to earn the full name of my friend. Especially since he doesn't care to use it. Tony is Tony, you should remember that if you meet him. And given I expect you are indeed an android yourself, you'll meet him sooner or later. He is a fiend for all things robotic."

If not for Jon, Reeve expected Tony would have tried to seduce Cayde. And may have succeeded by now.

[buildingitsir]

"No, shut up it's important!" There was no way. It had to be a coincidence of some kind. He looks at Reeve. "My dad, where I'm from is named Tony Stark, founder of Stark Tech to compete against Cyberlife. He made me and my three brothers, Gervais and Duncan. His name is Antonio Stark."

He sobers a little bit, hoping to not give too much information. "If he's my fucking dad then I have to make sure not to find him." His voice goes a little smaller admitting that. York didn’t want it to be his dad. He’d rather short out his circuits in the fountain than deal with whatever would be waiting for him with his creator.