Log // Catch-All for April - OTA

[out_of_order]

WHO: Cal Kestis, BD-1 and you!
WHERE: Around Temba
WHAT: Exploring, fixing stuff, poking around and scavenging
WHEN: Catch-all for April
WARNINGS: N/A

Without the threat of a storm looming over them, Cal figures it's as good a time as any to try to get anything done. There seems to be plenty to see, and he's had his share of experiences when it comes to roaming ruins. The replicator project has been a success, and in no small part due to the help of Cipher Nine and Hux. What else needs fixing around here? Other than...well, everything.



Green
In the northwest part of the city he's begun clearing out one of the larger buildings. The space had seemed ample enough for a suitable work area, and the adjoining room suitable for storage. If not moving things around, Cal can be found bringing in some things, likely broken, very much salvaged, from wherever his wanderings have been.

...or you might catch him napping on a makeshift pallet in a corner while BD-1 plays around in a box of junk. Hey, even Jedi get exhausted! Who knew?




Blue
Running around some random ruins is probably training enough, but sometimes it's nice to know you're in a controlled space. The old theater looks sturdy enough, and given it's still standing as it is after so long, Cal hopes his trust in the architecture isn't unfounded.

If he's not found climbing along the sides of the highest raised rows or making impossible jumps (or heaven forbid, wall-running), he might be found at ground level at the theater's center, going through some exercises with a metal rod (probably a thin pipe) he'd found somewhere. It's far from a lightsaber and it makes him miss the one he's lost, but he goes through the forms fluidly and with as much care as if he still wields a blade of light.

Alternatively he can be found by the flood plain, looking very much like he's contemplating a swim as he wonders what the waters have swallowed up.



(OOC: Or choose your own adventure/wildcard! If you're up for doing anything else or have any ideas, tag away or PM/plurk/discord (Trilobite Punch#4073) me! :D And if action tags are more your thing over prose, I'll go with whatever your pref.)

Comments

[out_of_order]

The last thing Cal wants to do is hurt anyone. He can still tell how anxious Jon is, and he's not so sure that it's something that will just dissipate after a few swings.

The weight of the weapon in question is a matter he'd forgotten to take into account, so when he sees the man trying to get an idea of its weight, he nods. "It takes some getting used to, true. You have the general idea. Now...show me how you'd swing the weapon." It might be easier to see how to go from there.

BD-1 looks from the two to Tony, bouncing a bit before launching into some enthusiastic hoots and beeps that entail his usual tasks of scanning and ziplining and crate diving, adventuring besides.

[beholding_archivist]

The chances for the anxiety to go away? Pretty low. The chance that Jon will stubbornly press on regardless? Actually remarkably high. Especially now that he has agreed to get along with... Oh, whatever it is they are even doing here.

So once Cal tells him to swing his... Weapon, Jon casts the younger man a short glance before focusing his attention back on the fire iron which he then raises and swings downwards in a diagonal ark with about as much force as a twelve-year-old and the balance of a toddler, causing him to stumble forward with an undignified yelp.

It may be pure luck that he manages to catch himself before tripping entirely and to his credit he reassumes the stance Cal has set him into before and tries with a few even less forceful sideways swings, trying not to feel too flustered by his initial display.

"...I suppose I'm not bludgeoning anyone today." He muses with some reluctance.

[out_of_order]

Thankfully Jon manages to recover his balance before Cal can reach out to try steadying him. He steps back again to allow the man space enough that he'd feel comfortable with swinging again. There's a crooked smile for the thought presented thereafter.

"Well, the point isn't to bludgeon anyone anyway, not if this really were a blade," the padawan points out. He takes up a position beside the Archivist again, if perhaps with a few steps worth of space between them. "At least you're not stiff when you're swinging. It's good to follow through the motion with the rest of your body, but control's also important. As you saw. Let's try this."

He nods to the fire iron before he takes up his own stance and goes through a few basic swings, taking a step with each before looking to Jon.

[beholding_archivist]

"...Christ..." The Archivist mutters while watching these basic swings. Memorizing them isn't the issue he is about to face, however. He doesn't exactly forget anything anymore. But replicating those movements is trickier than one might think.

At least it is for him, who hardly ever tries to accurately coordinate the various parts of his body at the same time. Maybe he would have an easier time if he had ever learned to dance or done some sort of sport growing up. But neither is the case and therefore his version of Cal's demonstration looks a lot more uncoordinated and at various moments confused with which limb is supposed to be going where.

And though he may look a little like a lost pigeon waving around a piece of iron, Jon sort of manages to combine steps and swings without further tripping over his feet. Sorry, Cal. But he's trying.

After a while of this, Jon stops, however. He should be feeling out of breath by now, shouldn't he? Or at least be getting tired. But even though these thoughts cross his mind, they aren't what he turns to Cal to ask about.

"Is it okay to imagine hitting someone dreadful while doing this?" Or should he feel bad about imagining swinging his fire iron at his boss...?

[out_of_order]

It's not easy, and Cal doesn't expect anyone to get things on the first go. It's takes practice and has taken years to hone his skills. That Jon can remember the movements enough to try mimicking them is certainly something, and for all that they aren't the most graceful, Cal can tell enough from the attempts.

Jon doesn't seem like the sort to use a weapon, and honestly, the padawan would rather hope he never has to. But with so many unknowns, maybe a little bit of an introduction won't hurt.

And if nothing else, stress relief.

"Heh, it wouldn't be something my teachers would ever have us do, but you're not training to be a Jedi," Cal chuckles. "If you think it'll help." He gestures for the man to go ahead. Maybe it'll help Jon loosen up, or at least get rid of some pent up frustration.

[beholding_archivist]

Jon offers a short shrug in response "I believe it does? Though I suppose this would be easier if I were training to be a Jedi..." His words trail off into a swing that takes off an imagined Elias' head. Flawed, maybe, but even Jon won't deny there to be something cathartic about combining this unexpected exercise with a bit morbid imagery.

And he adds a few more, focusing less on what his feet are doing and the angle of his hands or the arc of his swing. It seems easier when he tries less to analyze his own movements and rather tries to find new angles to split the mental image of Elias Bouchard.

Needless to say, Jon does get a little lost in this new, nonverbal way of venting. At least he makes up what he lacks in strength, elegance or skill with a certain enthusiasm.

Though he is the first to agree that he'd rather not have to engage in an actual fight with actual weapons.

[in_extremis]

Between Cal's gentle instructions and the whistling fly of their makeshift swords, and the babbling of BD-1, this space didn't feel so massively empty for a moment and Tony realized his shoulders had relaxed in a way that they hadn't since he had woken up on Risa, like they would while he was watching someone like Quicksilver dart around the training room while Tony took copious scans and suggested new equipment that could be of use. He couldn't really tell how irritating BD found Tony asking him to repeat himself several times, but the little guy seemed enthusiastic enough to share until Tony felt reasonably confident that he had a general picture of what his life with Cal was like, wherever they came from. It didn't sound like he had a particularly stable environment where he was supposed to be, either. With a hand out to coax BD to offer his own, Tony asked, "Do you mind?" hoping to better investigate the articulation of his hands, feet, stabilizers, and what exactly those wires might be for. Meanwhile, he continued, "Do you know what that crystal is, for the lightsaber?"

[out_of_order]

BD-1 doesn't seem to mind at all, well understanding that not everyone understood Binary. That Tony's even attempting to try is something he can appreciate.

Together with Cal he's gone to explore various worlds, slicing- which would amount to hacking- his way into various locked things that might otherwise have hindered their progress while they tried to stay alive. It seems a lot of parties just have it out for the poor padawan. Hardly a stable environment at all.

The boxlike head tips as though studying the hand Tony offers before the little droid shifts his balance to one of his feet, extending the other. They're the only limbs he has, but it obviously hasn't stopped him from getting around or climbing up things and people.

The question about the crystal is given pause, the droid hooting his response, basically a reiteration of its name, a kyber crystal. However that translates in Binary.

Meanwhile Cal watches as Jon gets into things. There's a definite difference between his movements than from the practice swings he'd first attempted. Structure, lines and stances can get in the way, but Cal's early Temple days had been made up of repetition, meditation and training of various methods. And then came the war, and he'd had to really see how well his lessons had held up when put into actual practice.

His mind drifts for a moment, even as he looks on as Jon wails upon his invisible target before he remembers himself and their present location. Whoever the man is envisioning, Cal wonders just what sort of relationship there had been between them.

"Not bad," he says, amusement coloring his tone. He brings up his pipe again. "Now how about trying to hit something that's actually there?"

[beholding_archivist]

Cal's words reach Jon in the middle of yet another quite liberating downward swing that the Archivist dares to feel a little proud of.

Blinking, he dislodges himself from his mental happy place and turns to look at the Padawan and the way the young man raises his pipe as part of his suggestion. And to his own surprise, he simply nods "Right. Trying can't hurt."

It's not a confidence usual to the Archivist by any means. But he does feel a little bold after swinging around a makeshift weapon in a surprisingly freeing way. He has even set aside that Tony has dragged him into this originally against his will. Maybe this crazy, insufferable man isn't entirely filled up with bad ideas. Maybe.

"I assume you want me to try and hit your pipe." Jon says as he walks over, fire iron in one hand while the other points at Cal's weapon. And there is less doubt in the Archivist's voice for a change. Less tension.

[in_extremis]

Those little ambulators were lovely pieces of machinery, complex systems to balance how topheavy this droid was and still be able to climb confidently. The wires seemed to be for some kind of interface, maybe for what he meant when he said 'slicing', but more notably, this foot wasn't all one original piece. "He's taking good care of you, hm?" Tony murmured, assuming the mechanic's skills must have been more useful than putting replicators back together. Whatever BD-1 had to say about the crystal did not register, though, and Tony gave a helpless shrug, not sure how to translate two languages at once without some kind of rosetta stone. "Does it generate energy, something like vibranium?" he asked, hoping if they shared most minerals, this one was among them and they weren't just trading phrases neither of them understood. Tony didn't wait for an answer, though, because Cal was squaring up and Tony had to point out, "Oh, this is the good part," to the droid, stretching his legs out to cross at the ankle and propping himself up on his hands.

[out_of_order]

The little droid beeps an affirmative. Cal had fixed his busted scomp link and given him useful upgrades, and BD-1 tells Tony as much. The query about energy and the kyber crystal gets an uncertain hoot, followed by a question as vibranium's a new thing to him.

BD-1 spins about as Tony makes himself comfortable and points out that things are about to be stepped up between Cal and Jon.

Jon's response prompts a bit more of a smile and an encouraging nod. Cal had thought he might decline, after all. Looks like the Archivist has gained more confidence in the whole exercise. It's a distinct change from how the man had been acting earlier. He grins briefly in Tony and BD-1's direction.

"Yeah. I'll hold it up for you to hit. I might move it a little, but I won't be striking back. For now, just think of it as a target," he suggests, getting a firmer grip on the pipe as he holds it outward, a default at-ready stance.

[beholding_archivist]

Jon takes a moment to cast Tony a look himself, but is quick to turn back to Cal as the Padawan assumes his own stance, then proceeds to do so himself, readjusting his own two-handed hold on the weapon currently in his possession.

"That doesn't sound too hard." He confirms the instruction, then lifts the fire iron for his first swing - And it hits with a metallic clang.

Cal may note a certain lack of force in the impact, but that is plain the Archivist's very own lack of actual strength. Most of the force in these hits stems from the swing itself and the weight of the iron. But he has been told to hit the target, and so he will.

[in_extremis]

"Now, look," Tony started his commentary for BD-1, one hand up to point between his subjects as he casted in a controlled whisper like he sat green-side at a game of golf. They would get back to the vibranium and the crystals. "Cal's been training his whole life for this match, he's confident, look at that smile. Some might say cocky, you've got to look out for that attitude, its been the downfall of many a...Jedi...Sword-fight...Man," Tony stumbled, he was going to have to workshop the name of this sport, but pressed on bombastically, "does he have the skills to back it up? Jon is a newcomer to the ring, a fresh-faced fighter, obviously in the prime of his youth, just recently graduating from the amateur league, an absolute unknown on the field and isn't that exciting for all of us today, here, at the Jedi-Sword-Man Ampitheatre? If I were you, I'd let it all ride on Mr. Sims because the payout is bound to be massive. And here comes the first swing!...And it hits, it does make contact, the audience is on the edge of their seats."

[out_of_order]

The little droid glances at Tony and then back at the two, his head tilting from one side to the other as the man takes on the part of an announcer. Tony's words are more exciting than what's actually going on that BD-1 figures the poor guy's just that bored.

Cal's not feeling cocky so much as relieved that all the heaviness of concerns with weapons have been put behind them for the moment. He bobs his head in a nod as Jon's iron connects, not nearly as forceful as he'd expected after seeing the intent of the Archivist's earlier swings.

"Keep at it," he encourages, keeping the pipe where it is so Jon can at least get a feel for hitting something solid before Cal switches up the position of his makeshift weapon.

[beholding_archivist]

Well, hitting a metal pipe sure is different than hitting your imaginary boss. Jon still puts more intensity into his hits once he has gotten a feeling for- Well. Hitting a metal pipe with a fire iron.

Once or twice his mind does drift off, though. Back down into the tunnels below the Archives. Back to being chased by the Not Them. Back to trying to convince himself he could do any damage to anything with a metal pipe he could hardly carry. And it's that thought along with the frustration it brings along that results in a notably stronger strike from the Archivist, the noise of metal meeting metal louder and sharper.

Tony's commentary? Not truly registering for Jon at the moment. Not while he's beginning to focus on striking actual monsters.

[in_extremis]

The things Tony did because he was bored were far more self-destructive, but the lack of reaction in the room certainly wasn't what he was hoping for and BD-1 might have been dangerously close to witnessed Tony at bored. He continued, "The standing champion is on the defense early. We'll have to see if this is a ploy to get Jon to let his guard down, or the new kid has really got him backed against the ropes. He's really taking those hits! It's a slaughter! Can he recover from this or are we finally going to see our champ go down-- Ooh!" With that last hit, Tony's voice changed, abandoning his sotto voce commentary to directly address the combatants of his play, "You alright, Cal?" It wasn't really a question about Cal's ability to manage Jon's clumsy swings.

[out_of_order]

Beside Tony, BD-1 flinches with the sharp sounds accompanying Jon's attacks. Didn't know the guy had it in him! As Tony continues to babble on, the little droid looks him over before attempting to clamber on up and onto his shoulder, as though that new perch will provide him with a better view of things.

The padawan can feel the strikes as they gradually grow more intense, more sure. Whatever Jon's thoughts have drifted off to, it doesn't seem pleasant. There's that underlying sense of frustration.

Cal takes a step back as the strikes continue to ring out, shifting his foot, the angle of the pipe. A better position to absorb the mounting force issued with each swing of Jon's fire iron.

"I'm fine-" he manages between the ringing of metal, his eyes not leaving the Archivist. Letting his own attention slip would be dangerous, and while earlier he'd been amused at the man's focus and ability for a simple change of mindset, he's now cautious about making sure Jon doesn't accidentally hurt anyone, himself included.

[beholding_archivist]

The changeling is the first being Jon's mind sets as his target. He still remembers that creature well. The one that took Sasha then took her place and it still infuriates him that it simply erased any memory of his actual assistant and that all that is left of the actual Sasha are the few recordings of her voice on some of his tapes. Tapes that the powers of the monster couldn't alter despite how easily it replaced Sasha everywhere else.

Prentiss makes another worthwhile target. The image of her hole-riddled body still so vividly burned into Jon's mind from her attack on the Archive. Then there are the hunters. Who still pose a threat, and it's unlikely that Jon would be able to take either of them on himself, but right there and then it feels good to drive some iron against their skills. Of course Elias shows up again, if only because Jon has never met Peter and Elias is well enough to blame for whatever the avatar of the Lonely is dragging Martin into. Trying to attack the ever winding corridors isn't half as satisfying.

But then there is the mannequin, of course. A voice that makes Jon glad he doesn't sleep anymore. And for not having dreams of his own any longer should he try. Wandering the nightmares is preferable to reliving the Unknowing. Nikola has cost him a lot. And for all she has taken and caused, she deserves every harsh and every imperfect hit. Every swing that shatters plastic and bones and tears through leather and stolen skin.

Outside of his own mindscape, the Archivist has worked himself into a bit of a frenzy, beating down on that target before him with an intensity that matches his glare, but not quite the lack of actual breathing.

[in_extremis]

The look on Jon's face was a familiar one. Not only had Tony been in something like Cal's position enough times to know when Tony Stark was the symbol of all of the ills of the world for a desperate guy in a stilt-suit he had rigged himself in a basement, but he had seen friends and team members like Steve enter a similar fugue state after a tough loss and pour all of that aggression into the nearest punching bag. It wasn't any more healthy than finding the bottom of a bottle.

With his gaze darting between the two other men, Tony had barely dipped his shoulder to help BD-1 find a place, bringing a hand up to hold over his feet and impart at least some of the thrill that trust had given him, under the circumstances. It might have been misplaced, though, because Tony was shortly on his feet, trying to catch Cal's eye, knowing full well that this would have been the worse move if Jon had been someone with the brute strength or stubborn temper of Steve, but not about to let Cal suffer the full brunt of this when he knew he could easily pin Jon if he had to, and grow back a finger if it came to it. "Oo-oh-kay," Tony concluded for them, making his move just as Jon made another feral swing and shot out to halt the more laborious upswing with a hand spread over the tense knot of Jon's wrists, just a little pressure to make lifting the iron that much more difficult, then followed his arms up to bar his across Jon's chest, holding him back from Cal and patting his far shoulder to bring him back to the present. "An impressive display from the new kid," he played off for them so no one had to feel self-conscious. "That's one for the record books, folks, incredible sportsmanship."

[out_of_order]

Whatever's going through Jon's mind, Cal only feels the growing emotions. The Archivist has been holding back a lot, he realizes, and what was meant to be a simple exercise of stress relief, maybe a little introduction into swordplay, has turned into pure venting of aggression.

Cal's changed his stance completely, remaining completely on the defensive as he meets each blow now, purposely blocking each wild, desperate swing by Jon's fire iron. That the man's so bent on trying to strike something, or maybe someone gives no real thought to tactics, thankfully, but on the other hand his giving into his emotions like this makes him all the more unpredictable for where he might aim.

He steals but a glance in Tony's direction, all at once getting an idea of what the man intends to do and knowing somehow that despite his headshake Tony would make his move anyway. Drawing in a sharp breath between his teeth, Cal prepares to reach through the Force if he has to.

On Tony's shoulder, BD-1 clings to his shirt, hunkering down a little once the man gets to his feet and moves to intervene. The droid squeals, slipping back behind Tony so he won't be in the way when the man interposes himself to stop Jon.

[beholding_archivist]

The Archivist for his part is too wound up mentally beating a cackling woman made of wax that he is entirely oblivious to the man approaching his back. So when his last swing is being halted before he can even bring up up, Jon pauses - And finds himself being pulled back from his intended forward-movement. Not harshly by any means, given that Jon's movements are rather blocked than anything else as he is being trapped between an arm and the owner of said arm.

It's a rather effective trap for the Archivist, though.

Reality comes crumbling back around him as the pat on his shoulder draws Jon's attention and that oh-so-familiar voice finally makes itself be heard pretty much right above his own ear, sending a shiver down his spine with its closeness. He tries not to shudder even though the words make little sense to him at this point. Though he does look down at Tony's hand against his own shoulder and the man's arm across his chest and he can feel the warmth of a body behind him and that's about when he finally picks up the fear.

It's not exactly fear in the sense of someone fearing for their life. It's more of a worry. The creeping sense that something isn't right, one aspect of I Do Not Know You - The Stranger. Fear of the unknown.

And looking up from Tony's hand and arm, Jon can see it clearly around Cal, directed at him.

And it feels right.

"...Jesus."

That's all the Archivist mutters as he lets go of the fire iron and the makeshift training weapon clatters loudly to the floor while Jon takes an instinctive step backwards. Or tries to do so, at least. Tony is still right behind him after all, meaning that Jon plain backs right into the taller man and tenses up instantly at the realization that, yes. He is indeed trapped.

Is he about to panic? Of course he is.

[in_extremis]

"That was fun, huh?" It's a question directed at Cal again, but the hard line of Tony's mouth didn't say fun and the quirk of his brow pressed a very different question. Cal was in a better position to read Jon's expression now, and while Tony could tell how tightly wound he was, he had no idea where that pressure might release and isn't eager to pull his steadying arm back without Cal's signal.

[out_of_order]

Cal lowers his pipe, still cautious, but grateful that Tony's intervention proves to work, and seeing Jon finally come to his senses is an additional relief. It's the hint of what will follow that keeps the padawan on edge.

He looks at Tony, understanding the implications, his eyes flicking back towards Jon as he slowly stoops down to set the pipe down on the ground rather than let it drop and create more of a ruckus. Then slowly, he approaches the two, directing a nod at Tony to let Jon go.

"It's...it's okay. You're okay. It's just us," he says, softly in attempts to calm the Archivist, even as he tries to modulate his own pulse and breathing from the abrupt exertion.

[beholding_archivist]

It's hard for Jon to ignore the fear. His eyes find Cal when the Padawan moves and the caution he sees... That's not a good sign. And while Tony's voice just remains too close to his ear as to not have the hair in his neck stand on edge, Jon finds himself paying more attention to Cal. His voice, words, the way he moves...

All too cautious.

It's then that the Archivist finally starts breathing again. Or rather: He takes one deep breathe to have air in his lungs to slowly exhale through his teeth while clenching them into a bit of a grimace that is a mix of irritation and his very own fear. One of his hands comes up for him to lightly place it around Tony's wrist, not really trying to remove the hand but more a wordless sign on his own.

"You know I'm- I'm not some wild animal, right?"

Coherence. Just letting them know he has it.

[in_extremis]

It might not have been a great idea for Cal to approach, Tony had no way of knowing if Cal had been part of Jon's trigger mechanism, but with a signal from both of them he had no good reason to keep hovering over Jon. Cal knew what he was doing, right? BD-1 was pretty clear (insistently clear, it was Tony that was having a hard time keeping up) that Cal would have every reason and experience to be keyed in to someone's intentions. Reluctantly, lingering enough to give Jon's heart a grounding press of his palm as it passed, Tony withdrew his arm and stepped away enough that he was confident he wasn't putting BD directly into any fray as he twisted and tried to coax him to come on out under Tony's arm, where Tony could hold him up to see that Cal was doing okay. "Yeah, well, you smell like one, boss," he said, which could have easily just been light teasing for the sweat he had worked up just swinging a fire iron for a few minutes, but something wild had been evident to a few more senses in the room.