Calibrations ›» Home is Where the Synthetic Heart Is

[buildingitsir]

WHO: York Stark & You
WHERE: York's Calibration room
WHAT: Calibrations
WHEN: June 10 - July 10
WARNINGS: Memories are marked accordingly for cw/tw



Mingle Post: 01010011 01110100 01100001 01110010 01101011


The first thing to note about the room is that it’s small. An average human has to lower themselves to fit within, though there's more horizontal space compared to last year's room. And this one is less like the interior of a computer - the ceiling, floor, and walls, are all made of rusty metal, creaking. Pipes and wires run through to different areas. There's a lite sway to this room, like it's on a ship.

It is a ship - the interior of one.

The room is fashioned to look like York's former home in Detroit: Jericho.

There's a table with newspapers on display. All of them have different headlines, with the cover photo moving to capture the visitor's attention. The first shows figures leaping from a ship into the harbor before it explodes with the headline 'DEVIANT HIDEOUT RAIDED' [cw: gun violence; death]. Thers's a splatter of blue on the paper's corner. The next newspaper shows the landscape of a park before hands come to cover the camera with the title 'HUMANS ATTACKED BY DEVIANT ANDROID' [cw: assault, physical violence]. Another paper next to that, this one featuring the library of Temba with 'keep out' tape altered over the image. 'LIBRARY BREAK-IN' reads the title. The paper looks like someone tried to crumple it. And the last one, a wet newspaper, shows a cliffside house being demolished and falling into the ocean below with the headline 'CYBERLIFE ATTACKS STARK'.

The room creaks and at the far wall, sits York, but it doesn't look like the teenager that's a current resident of the city. This form is older, like a man in his twenties. The way he's supposed to look before the shell was lost. Wires connected to the walls are draped around him, keeping him tethered to the far wall.

"Ah," he says when he spots his visitor. "So we're really are doing this shit again. Fanfuckingtastic." Less angry compared to last time. Just annoyed by this shit again.



_{[I'll be using a different set of icons for the older version of York in replies, but that face doesn't apply outside of the calibration room. ~Xi]}

Comments

[butterfly_kiss]

What in the world is this? The room was too small, the things were weird, and Tae was not enjoying any of it. Not by any stretch of the imagination. This was all just a farce and a half.

"And just what," she says to the stranger in the corner, "is 'this shit'?"

[buildingitsir]

The woman is...new. York's never met her before but he wants to say he's seen her face pop up on the network maybe. He sighs and lets his hands drop in his lap where he's sitting.

"The Agrii did this shit last year. Lured us down into the bunker place, and make us go to sleep. And we can go to other people's dreams. Dreamwalk I guess you could call it. I don't...really dream like humans do though, so this is as close as I can get." Bright blue eyes glance around.

"I don't think we've met though, not in the city. I don't...I don't look like this out there. I'm York. York Stark. No relation to the city's Tony mind you."

[butterfly_kiss]

Yes, she is relatively new, and people are not fond of her, so she's got to deal with it. But that the Agrii did this is so...

"This is bullshit," she grumbles. They were supposed to help and they were getting treated like this? That was not very cool.

"You lack his good looks," she agrees when he says he's not related.

[newmemorywhodis]

Good thing Link is short. Otherwise, this place might be quite uncomfortable. It takes him a moment to get used to the swaying back and throw. Link's not been on many proper boats - mostly just rafts he'd commandeered.

"...Hi," he says to the man he finds here. He's not really familiar with York - so he doesn't realise that this is not, in fact, his regular appearance.

[buildingitsir]

If he ever saw it in person, Link might be impressed by the freighter that York called home. Impassable for humans to get through to the heart where the androids hid, it was perfect for the deviants. That is until...

"You're new," comes the blunt remark. Not even a reply. Just...blunt. York's not familiar with this guy, but doesn't get up to return the greeting. He can't, with the wires holding him. "I'm York Stark. No, uh, relation to the Tony Stark in the city if you know him. Coincidence thankfully."

[buildingitsir]

"Because I got my Tony's best looks," he retorts with an eyeroll. "And this is bullshit. They lured me down here last year with the image of my brother, and this time... I just wanted to go home. I figured whatever science they used to bring us here didn't work so they had to do it a different way."

York can't say he hates it here though, because it's not true. Not anymore at least. He's got people like Reeve and Richie. A found family like he had in Jericho. The android shifts where he sits.

"Sorry it's small. Fastest way out of here, or at least how it was last year, is to watch a memory and hope the door opens for you afterwards. At least you can leave."

[butterfly_kiss]

Was that true? Well, then his Tony was lacking something because there's no magic here.

"I suppose all of us who are here wanted to go home," she observes. But she doesn't like the 'hope' the door opens.

"Alright then. What sorts of things lead to memories in here?"

The sooner she can get out, the better for them both.

[newmemorywhodis]

"...Four months," Link says. Which doesn't really count as new. At least not in Link's book. With how little he still remembered of his own life, his time here actually represented quite a significant chuck of his own memories.

Then, almost as an afterthought, he gives his own name. "Link."

He eyes those wires, curious as to just how exactly they connect to York.

[buildingitsir]

He was lacking alright. York could go on an hour long rant about his creator, but he knows known of the memories are for that. A small miracle, he supposes. So he doesn't, and shifts where he sits. A hand lifts to point to where the newspapers sit, the cover pictures moving to show a preview of the memory it holds.

"The newspapers there. Antique things, paper newspapers, but I saw some at some point and thought they looked interesting." The raised hand makes a dismissive wave. "The sooner you pick and view, the sooner you get to leave."

[buildingitsir]

Four months? Yeah, that's pretty new to York still. But he hasn't been out and about so that's on him he supposes. He looks over the strange manner the other is dressed in, but is polite enough not to remark about it. Reeve would disapprove of his lack of manners.

"Welcome to my programmed brain. Watch a memory, and you get the way out after that." A gesture towards where the newspapers with moving pictures sit on the low table. "Waiting things out isn't an option here and there's no way to hack your way through, either."

[butterfly_kiss]

Well, that's some help. She sighs and moves to look at them before finally reaching out for one that includes a library. No chance it's this one here, right?

[buildingitsir]

York watches her, wondering about this new person in here. He says nothing as she touches the newspaper and a white light engulfs her.

...Strangely enough, it's Temba. It's the city square with a much younger York than Tae's familiar with, sitting outside with next to a much older guy with brown fluffy hair and dark rimmed glasses. The man smirks at whatever was said in their conversation before continuing it.

"if you wanna sneak into the library, I'm game for that. Anything to piss Jon off."

York smirks back a little. "Yeah that's the guy I upset. I don't see how he can ban someone from the library. Aren't those supposed to be for the public? Which I'm part of of course." Then he's pulling the black hoodie off, allowing Tae to see the glow of teal visible from under his black shirt. "…for a human you legit don't seem too bad. For now."

"Heh. I think that's the first compliment I've gotten in awhile. I'll take it. Especially since humans on the whole suck, I'm with you on that one." Then Richie gestures at the library by way of his chin. "Also...you might be banned, but Jon is a little busy right now. Might be the perfect time to slip in..."

Whatever York's thinking, it makes him grin. "And if he comes back? Is there a rear exit or a window?" He thought for a long moment and then looked back at Richie. "…You’re coming, too, right?"

Richie scoffs. "Do I look like someone who visits a library? Even if Librarian Douchenozzle wasn't there, I'm not exactly a scholar. But yeah. I'll watch the door for ya. I have one skill and it's talking. Great to slow someone down with."

York started tying the arms of his hoodie around his waist. "Yeah, you do actually. Only nerds would want to help break into a library, and before you say that makes me one, I'm an android. I should be a walking nerd."

The pair head towards the library, talking a little bit more about each other's worlds. Banter about his LED, teasing about Richie being scared of red balloons. The two seem to get along well enough clicking almost like two friends remeeting after a long absence. York says something and laughs, and Richie does too before shoving the kid's shoulder. It's when they get to the library that they stop at the doors. "You're not setting me up on this, right? Last thing I need is that pompous fucking nerd coming over to snap my neck or something."

"I promise you, I would not make you deal with Jon intentionally. I barely wanna see the guy myself so there is no way I would set you up. I've also never been inside this place though... But I promise I'll at least guard the door."

York nods and gives him a long, unreadable look before going into the very building he had been banned from. The white light returns to engulf Tae, putting her back in York's small dreamscape.

"Yeah, that's kind of a boring one," the older version remarks from his spot. He hasn't moved. "That was day two of Temba, and I'll always remember it. Don't know if you know Richie but he's pretty much the first human friend I've ever made.

[butterfly_kiss]

"Day two and you were already on the bad side of someone?"

How intriguing. Especially since Jon seemed pretty wonderful.

[quark_assassin]

Dustin swings himself into the room - only just barely having to duck under the short door, and only to avoid having it clip the fluffy top of his thick head of hair - and as soon as his feet hit the ground, he regrets being here. At this point he logically knows that this is a Calibrations-related dream. This does not stop him from feeling the floor tilt underneath him, or being able to rationalize away the sudden sense of vertigo that makes his stomach do a backflip.

He's never ridden on a boat before, so, great time to discover that he's prone to seasickness. Any curiosity at his surroundings or disdain at being trapped in yet another room must be momentarily put on hold while Dustin stumbles to the nearest wall, breathing deep to force down a wave of nausea.

York's pithy commentary - something Dustin instantly recognizes, memory-related abilities repressed or otherwise - isn't helping. "Piss off," he manages after a few moments. But when he glances up to shoot York a glare, a twinge of surprise detracts from the intended venom. Wired to the back wall? Why? "I don't wanna be here any more than you do."

[buildingitsir]

Of course it's Dustin because the aliens really like fucking around with people that are not favoring each other. After the ordeal in the hospital, York had gone out of his way to avoid Dustin until this Calibrations had happened. Again. This version of York glares at the human.

The ship still rocks gently under them, a familiar feeling he longed for since Jericho was massacred.

"Well neither of us get a choice. And there's no waiting out to avoid my memories. You gotta pick one and watch or you'll be stuck in here." The android shifts in the wires, unable to really move away from the wall.

[buildingitsir]

There's a scoff of a laugh. "Yeah, doesn't really take me much to get on someone's bad side. I was on Jon's, I'm probably still on Tony's, and I definitely got off on the wrong foot with the talking cat a month ago."

He gives a shrug. "Where I'm from, humans aren't the best." He points to the newspaper with the picture of the ship exploding and the hideout headline. "Markus has turned the public eye more positively towards androids back in Detroit, but we still have to deal with people that want to tear us apart."

[butterfly_kiss]

Talking cat? There was a talking cat? Tae just hates all of this thank you.

"Tony is a difficult man, yes. But pleasant when you come to understand how he acts."

Androids. Yes, that made sense. More anime bullshit.

"Strange. It seems like humans look forward to technology like that where I'm from."

[buildingitsir]

A shrug. "I guess. Human interactions aren't exactly my directive and until I got here in Temba, I was okay with keeping it that way. At least...after the ordeal in the diner I did make one friend. Don't know if you've met Richie yet or not."

"Yeah, well when the technology decided that they had their own emotions and wanted rights to be treated like sentient being, the humans decided we were a threat. We just wanted to be treated like people, and left alone. Instead they had the military raid our hideout, taking people in for reprogramming, or just taking them offline completely. That's what happened right before I was brought here."

[quark_assassin]

Same hat, York, same fucking hat. "Yeah, yeah, I know," Dustin mumbles, waving a hand irritably in York's general direction. The older model, interestingly; Dustin's memory might not be perfect at the moment, but with how much he internally studied York's blueprints to work out the abandoned prototype, it'd be hard for him to forget what the android used to look like. "Hate this shit. So fucking invasive. Shove me in some fucker's brain so I can sift through all their personal--"

The whole room tilts to the other side and Dustin cuts himself off, legs wobbling and knuckles white against the hull, looking decidedly green. Don't do it. Don't you fucking do it.

He doesn't, just about. Dustin swallows thickly, trying to distract himself by taking another quick look around. "...The fuck even are we, anyway?"

[buildingitsir]

York watches Dustin curiously. What was wrong with him? Well, okay, loaded question there, because the android could go through a list to be an asshole. His brain searches and scans what information he does have before something sticks out.

"...are you seasick? We're not actually out at sea, but my mental mindscape must have one of the nights where there was a storm outside. We're on a lake freighter. This was my home before shit went down, and also before I was brought here."

"Michigan uses the Great Lakes for shipping between USA and Canada. Jericho was one of those shipping vessels, but it was abandoned. The androids took it as their refuge with clues to get to it that only we can see.

A symbol appears, flickering between them before disappearing again. "Have you met Markus yet? He's from there too. He comes a later time point than I do though."

[butterfly_kiss]

Richie? Name rings no bells so she shakes her head.

“Huh. Well, people do suck a hell of a lot. Especially in large numbers.”

Perhaps she’s more shocked than she should be. But then again, politicians were shit in Japan too. So even. If people wanted to see these androids around, the government would fuck it up.

[buildingitsir]

"Yeah. I can only imagine the worse shit that happens after they decimated our refuge. I should ask Markus, but I don't want to know, either." He pulls his legs up to his chest, the wires shifting over the form.

"And who are you anyways? I told you my name, but you decided not to give me yours. Isn't that considered rude amongst humans?"

[butterfly_kiss]

"Dr. Tae Takemi, and given you seem familiar with this place and how it works, as well as the fact that I've made a few public network posts, I presumed that you knew who I was."

Which was clearly faulty.

[quark_assassin]

"Ah," Dustin mumbles with a single, shallow nod of realization. A boat makes sense, not just because of the surrounding architecture and the sloshy twisting of the floor (don't think about it), but also because he used to get motion sick in the car as a young kid. Took him years to get that under control, and even then, he's still diligently avoided things like amusement park rides and the ubiquitous fishing boats of his childhood town.

All things that would be beneficial to tell York, maybe. But Dustin is not in a place where he feels like talking all that much. He lets the android talk, just drinking in what he says and trying not to think too hard about how he's swaying on his feet.

It takes a moment or two for him to formulate an answer. "...Haven't," Dustin says, then frowns at the floor. "Name is...familiar."

I should remember his face from the directory, he thinks bitterly. Of course he doesn't without his powers; he'd need more than a cursory glance to recognize someone now.

"He's like you, then?" Dustin manages to ask, his eyes flicking back up to York. "An android."

[buildingitsir]

"Yes. He's our leader where I'm from." A program window opens up, showing Markus in Jericho, face illuminated by barrel fires that the other androids used to melt the ice from their hardware. He lets the image stay long enough for Dustin to see it, examine it, then the window closes.

"I don't know who chose him, but he's good at what he does at least. And survives Jericho, so there's that too." A shrug and he points to the newspaper with the exploding ship as it's headlining picture. "He was there, same time I was, and I wasn't sure if he got out or not. Apparently he does, which is good. I don't think our movement would've lasted if he had died."