ruminate

[in_extremis]

WHO: Tony, Eli and anyone hungry.
WHERE: Vanto's Diner
WHAT: A regular meeting of a breakfast club, and some investigative interviews to build a database of the city
WHEN: Most mornings for a while, if Tony remembers to emerge from his mad lab
WARNINGS: Tony.
YOU KNOW I HAVE NOTES: If you want to have an interview with specifically Tony, Jon or both of them, just make that clear somewhere in your tag, don't stand on ceremony. If you're coming to breakfast, do threadjack.


for Eli
Food in general had been a series of continuously upsetting discoveries since Tony's arrival, everything native entirely new and having either an unexpected flavour profile, a very wrong texture, or turning out to be highly combustible. The latter had made him frustratingly skittish about even trying something else new, reducing his options even further, until he was sure it didn't come with adverse side effects like a total alcoholic relapse. Some gassiness he could deal with; he didn't know if he could handle an entire break from reality right now, that already felt on edge with his reality so inscrutably distant. While he hadn't ever been great about his eating habits, this situation was a test. His patience was already questionable, and he was starting to lose focus. The forge was difficult enough to run on his own, if he started losing more mass the work would slow to a crawl.

Most importantly, he hadn't had a cup of coffee in a brutal lifetime and a hit of caffeine would really solve all of his problems. His most reliable company in Temba weren't really big eaters, if that was something, but he didn't have to ask around; the little sign in the window declaring 'Vanto's Diner' had been a consistent enough curiosity every time Tony had to cross through the centre of town. If anyone could offer Tony some relief, it had to be the Vanto of the diner, which this desperate morning Tony was imagining had to be one of those retro type, vinyl boothed, checker floored staples where a waitress had a pot of coffee in either hand at all times. He could practically smell it. He wasn't exactly disappointed that it clearly wasn't when he had dragged himself all the way up from the forge, but he still closed his eyes and sniffed the air as he stepped inside, sad to see the fantasy go. It was dark, the long night not quite subdued yet by the rising sun, and the scattered tables were empty when Tony allowed himself to accept the reality and look around, but the one promise the sign lived up to was that this place didn't seem as abandoned as the rest of the city. "Hello?" Tony tried, wandering further into the room, wondering if this was a self-serve situation, and offered to the space, "You should maybe get a bell, something, liven the place up..."



the breakfast special
It got lively in Eli's diner by mid-morning. It was one of the few communal spaces established in the city, and with the population so small and spread across the crumbling area, it had to be a natural contact point for even the most reclusive residents when the cabin fever, as it were, set in. The one thing they all confidently had in common was that fountain outside. Everything else, how or if they settled in this city and what they did with their time, what planet they were from, what time period, what species, were all barriers between them that the fountain flowed through. Tony didn't have a lot of faith in Eli's branding or business plan otherwise, but the location was an undeniable spark of genius.

He wound his way through the diner back to the table that had been claimed while he waited for their meals, balancing several plates from Eli that rattled ominously as he tried to carefully lift them over other people's heads, but couldn't confidently tell anyone what was on any of them. "Which one of us got the...blue, herby experiment? I've got a kind of orange porridge concoction. And this looks a lot like a tea biscuit, which, honestly, I'm threatened by," he announced as he arrived, ready to dole out however a meal was claimed; he had faith he could eat what remained, if anything.



take a seat
The video shared to the Net Work had been short, with Tony looking off screen with a question in his expression directed toward someone who seemed to be with him when he didn't seem sure how to construct his message. "Listen, this isn't working, we're all over the place," he had started, commiserating with the camera with what must have been a shared frustration with their situation. "Every day someone tells me something about this planet like it's common knowledge, like I'm supposed to know that if I turn three times in place clockwise at sunset, I'll summon Billy for fashion advice. When do you think I figured that one out, what was I supposed to be doing to make that breakthrough?...Okay, sorry, here it is, we're going to make a database, we want to start figuring this stuff out and sharing it, so there's a record in the library. We could use your help, everyone has figured something out or has seen something interesting that is worth looking into, and maybe together we can get a better idea of what we're working with, properly distribute the resources, that kind of thing...If you've got a minute, we'll be at Vanto's, it'll be super casual, no commitments, just the dirty parts. Must be good on camera, bring a headshot."

Video wasn't actually part of the recording process, but it was slightly imposing. Jon's tape recorder alone set a certain mood that Tony wasn't getting used to, but he brought with him to arrange on the table a small globe, not entirely unlike the data point outside the diner, that glowed faintly and connected by a myriad of wires to the exposed hardware of his communication device cracked open in front of him. He wasn't great at waiting without someone sitting with him, so if he was meant to be alone the globe pulsed ominously, abandoned on the table, while he flitted around the room or disappeared into Eli's kitchen to assess his hardware with a general impatient disappointment until he had a quick solution to a small problem that he thought he could get away with. With the Archivist, Tony lounged more easily, draped across his seat and nursing a drink, working out his impatience by obviously needling Jon and getting him just on the edge of snapping at Tony for the leading questions, trying to find new buttons to push with a taunting grin he wasn't even hiding.

Comments

Option 3 with dadx2

[out_of_order]

It sounded like a fair idea. Cal wasn't particularly sure what the specifics were that Tony and, he assumed Jon, had in mind. At least he expected things would be lighter than they had been the last the three of them had been in each other's company. Hopefully.

His trusty droid-buddy on his back, the padawan made his way out to the diner. He poked his head inside, grinning as BD-1 clambered down and scampered off to surprise-greet Tony and Jon ahead of him. The droid hopped up on the opposite side of the table after some chair-platforming, twittering cheerfully.

"Wasn't sure if you wanted him in profile or a frontal shot," Cal said as he came around to join them, dropping a hand lightly over BD's head before appending a greeting and a smile. "Hey."

Cal, they just want to tell you that you’re adopted.

[beholding_archivist]

When Cal enters the diner, Jon’s attention is still on Tony seated by his side, giving the man a glare as if to dare him to try anything funny while the Padawan is around.

BD-1’s arrival tears the Archivist’s attention away from Tony, which in all fairness isn’t always an easy task these days. Jon’s smile comes easy in response to the droids twittering and he raises a hand with a soft “Oh, hello.” Before looking up at Cal, now equally present and no reason for Jon to drop that smile “And you as well. It’s good to see you, Cal.”

[in_extremis]

The rattling of the chairs as BD made his approach drew Tony's concerned attention away from giving Jon a look of haughty innocence, he would never, and he immediately brightened as the droid popped up, glad to see him and even more glad that the rats here weren't that big. He straightened slightly from his slouch against the wall, pulling himself up with the arm draped over the back of his chair, to offer BD-1 a handshake as he said, "Finally, some good company." That had to mean Cal was close, and Tony wasn't in a rush to turn his attention away at the sound of his voice, only his smile widening at the greeting.

"For him, I wouldn't settle for less than a full 360," he replied, giving a twirl of his finger to encourage BD to give him a spin and show off his moves, belatedly realizing, "Maybe not on the table, not with your dad here. We'll get you through college some other way." Finally to Cal, he asked, "Are you hungry?"

[out_of_order]

BD-1 hooted at Jon in reply and leaned back on one foot to offset his balance as he obligingly brought up the other to return Tony's handshake. Cal laughed as he slid out the empty chair to seat himself, watching as the little droid gave an indulgent spin, somehow graceful despite his limited articulation. "Careful BeeDee, he's trouble," the padawan leaned over to aside, even as he pointedly looked at Tony as he spoke. He was still grinning as he sat back, the droid crouching on the table at his elbow.

"Good to see you too," he said, nodding at Jon. "Both of you. Not that hungry, but maybe later. So..." He looked at the set-up, definitely new since the last time he'd stopped by the place. Looked like they were going all out. "What's all this?"

[beholding_archivist]

“Vigilo, opperior, audio...” Jon muses aloud in reply, disregarding the part where the Institute’s motto may not mean anything to either of the others. His tone remains friendly as he adds with a shrug “Just making sure we have a sustainable way of recording these.”

He looks back over to Tony and places a notepad on the table before himself “Shall we start?” For obvious reasons the Archivist doesn’t wish to be the one asking the questions.

[in_extremis]

Without the context, the latin was just a strange pretension and Tony widened his eyes at BD to say, "See, this is what I've been putting up with," twisting his foot where he lounged with his heel on the seat to give Jon's hip an extra jab with the toe of his shoe under the table. His setup was somewhat more advanced than a some paper and plastic ribbon, if not terribly polished-- it was still in beta. "This little lover is D.A.T.A.-- part of him, just an external hard drive, really. This one can't talk, we're working on his voice, but he's very attentive and he can't wait to make his debut," he explained with a growl in his voice as he dropped his chin onto his fist that suggested the machine wasn't the one fed up with waiting. "Maybe BD can teach him a few things." The globe was waiting and listening, if not doing so much watching, the wires letting where it lacked piggyback off of the communicator's microphone and connecting it to the network for Tony to transcribe through Extremis while they talked without busying his hands. The more D.A.T.A. could process and learn, the faster its AI would mature.

"So, what have you got for us, Red?" Tony prompted, the dent of frustration with his own progress smoothing out of his voice easily with a practiced, charming smile. "We're taking environmental data, structural concerns, useful scavenging sites, some weird shit you thought you saw one time, potentially some particularly vivid dreams and, my favourite, salacious gossip. It any of it is true, that would be a bonus."

[out_of_order]

The words meant nothing to Cal, who only looked at Jon with a tilt of his head, but it was apparently nothing important as he proceeded to explain the devices alongside his by now familiar recorder.

Smiling crookedly at Tony's complaints, he turned his attention to the extra attachments that the man explains, nodding. Well, Jon had been looking into other ways to record things, so the collaboration made sense. At his name, BD-1 perked, head swiveling towards the sphere and giving an inquisitive beep, testing for a response, it seemed.

"Red?" The padawan arched a brow at Tony, an unvoiced 'really?' suggested there before he considered the subjects prompted. "I feel like I'm being drilled at the temple again," he laughed. "Couldn't you narrow it down a little, pick one to start?" Gossip was definitely out, and he wasn't all that eager to share his particular dreams, although he figured Tony was only listing out the last because he was Tony.

"Well, I've only been here a few months, but it's kind of hard to keep track. The days are longer than I'm used to. I'm not sure how drastic the weather might shift here, or if there are seasons, or if the only real anomaly are those storms.

"My first experience with the storm was not long after I first arrived. I guess the Agrii had sent those that they'd had here already, off to another planet because I saw the ships coming in at the time, but I didn't get to ask where they'd been off to. The news of the approaching storm was the focus at the time, off in the mountains. Maybe they'd be nice to explore now, without a storm tearing through it and disintegrating things with lightning. I'm not sure the ships will take off for a joy ride, but they were working to take us to and thankfully from the storm, probably because the Agrii allowed it."

[beholding_archivist]

“Huh. I have been wondering about there ships.” Jon says, leaving Carl’s droid and Tony’s sphere to deal with one another and deciding to not engage with Tony’s prodding at this point “No one seems to be using them, yet they may be our best means of reaching more places around the planet.” Not that he is particularly taken by the idea of flying in any of these.

“That Storm you mentioned.... It’s not the one that has been active when I arrived, I assume.” It could be. Or it could have been an earlier one. Just how often do these occur?

Jon || OTA

[beholding_archivist]

Breakfast

Jon has made it a habit to appear for these breakfast meetings if only to keep somewhat track of time. It's also a decent enough way to check in on certain people and get a glimpse of certain other people more often.

He is never present without one of his notebooks and the tape recorder is never far either. Though the Archivist's usual breakfast mostly consists of some tea - safe for the rare days he feels daring enough to try some actual food. And should one of those random tape recorders spawn while they're here, he will make a short gesture to have it passed over to him “Hand me that, pease.”

Interviews

Unlike Tony, Jon is very much used to take statements on his own and therefore a whole lot less restless. All he will do is turn on his recorder and give a short nod “Whenever you’re ready.”

With Tony around, the Archivist appears to be more on edge, seemingly feeling compelled to glance over to the other man as if to check on him and his behavior more often than not.

Interviews, Tony & Jon

[wearingthestars]

Billy looks a little unsure himself.

"So um...what am I supposed to say? Are you going to ask questions, or do I just...?" he gestures vaguely and gives a flustered laugh.

[in_extremis]

This one seems to make Tony unsure as well. He's still warm and amiable, but his personable ease isn't as natural and he is less active than usual as Billy settles with them, eyeing Jon with both hands around his cup with a scant tilt of his head, hopeful he would take more of the lead. It's a brief look, gone before Billy is finished his question for Tony to pout at him with a thoughtful roll of his eyes up to the ceiling. "Maybe start with your name, your sign, what you're looking for in a guy, get the basics out of the way before we get personal," he suggests.

[beholding_archivist]

There is a lot of insecurity around, Jon can tell as much. Back I’m at the Institute the Archivist’s presence used to help steady statement givers to not feel overwhelmed by recalling and reporting their fears, but he knows he can’t really expect it to work that way here on Agra 10. This isn’t the Institute.

He lets his eyes linger on Tony for a few moments, then turns fully to Billy.

“I suggest you disregard half of what he just said. We’re interested in your time here. Strange observations, unique locations and any information that might be useful for us to leave behind for those the Agrii call here once we’re.... Returned. To where we come from...” The last bit feels heavy to say for Jon. He is painfully aware of what being send back means - And what he will lose. The slightly fretful tapping of his fingers against his own cup is the only indication he gives for his uneasiness, though.

[wearingthestars]

Billy gives a hushed laugh, not taking Tony too seriously, and he nods at Jon's words with a hum.

"Mm, well...I've been here since the start, so...I guess the most useful stuff would be about the storms though, right? If that's what everyone's here to help stop?"

He looks between them then. "Were you here for that?" he asks uncertainly. He's reasonably sure Stark hadn't arrived yet, but less sure of Jon.

[in_extremis]

"Half?" Tony complained under his breath, but Jon was already launched into his much more prim explanation of their expectations. He seemed to lose his nerve as he searched for the correct word for the end of their experience with the Agrii, and Tony's combative expression softened, teasing abandoned.

"Haven't seen one yet," he confirmed for Billy. But, "What do you mean, the start?" He didn't realize there was a definable point of inception.

[beholding_archivist]

Yeah, Jon doesn’t necessarily wish to think about what happens when they are being released. Yes. They are all here against their will, but he dislikes the idea of forgetting everything and everyone. Especially those he consider close to him.

“Well. As for me... I arrived during the last storm. Actually was lost in it for about a week? Then they sent us off the Risa.” He finishes with a shrug. Tony has been on Risa, he knows as much. He vividly remembers their first conversation...

[wearingthestars]

"Um, yeah, well- I don't know if there were people before us, but...it seemed to be the start of things. They had a welcome party for us and everything. This was before they locked us in the ships to get to know everyone. They weren't as good with English back then. Believe it or not they've actually improved." Billy explains with a laugh.

"You know then," he confirms, looking to Jon. "Did it...mess with your powers too?"

Eli [OTA]

[thrawnsaide]

Eli kept to work in the kitchen taking the orders and preparing the meals. He no longer wore his Imperial line officer uniform anymore not wanting it to get ruined and kept to the civilian clothes he had picked up. He noted that people reacted differently when he wore the uniform verses regular civilian clothes. This helped provide a lighter atmosphere to the diner.

The buisness seemed to be picking up more then usual especially around breakfast time. He believed it was due to Tony and Jon interviewing various people. At first he had been a little wary of this, due to how they had clashed with Altair on different occasions.

However, he was okay with them operating their little interviews and kept his own opinions to himself. He was able to get the buisness and the information. He had originally opened up the place was a way to gain information. He did keep an eye on things just in case things got out of hand and made sure his presence was known at all times.

Each day he would always post what were the meals for the day. It was usually different due to what he had on stock at the time. He also liked to try to keep a variety going. If people had suggestions for new dishes, Eli would take them up on it and try to learn to make them. Sometimes he was successful other times he wasn't.

He always kept tea and caff on hand especially since he picked up a large supply while at Risa. Having the replicator around also helped. He greeted everyone in a cheerful manner and struck up conversation with the regulars. He would make sure to learn the names of any new faces that wandered in. Always he stored away useful information and recorded it later.

[theladyofwinterfell]

Breastfeeding has left Sansa hungrier than she's been in her entire life so it's no surprising thing she's found herself at the diner in search of something to eat as soon as James is fed and comfortably asleep in the sling she's fashioned for him. He weighs so little just now that it's hardly a burden to walk with him nestled against his chest and she sits down eagerly at a table to tuck in.

"I think I want one of everything here. May I have one of everything here, is that allowed?"

[in_extremis]

That Sansa was even up and out for a walk that long with her very important cargo made Tony grin brightly as soon as she came through the door, standing to greet her and pull out a chair before settling close with an arm along the back of it to peek hopefully into the sling. "Try that first, see if you like it," he offered, sliding his plate across the table of Eli's special of the day, which didn't have any Terran inspiration as far as Tony could recognize, but Sansa seemed eager enough to not be too picky.

[theladyofwinterfell]

Sansa doesn't recognize any of the food on her plate but it doesn't matter because she's hungry enough to try it. She isn't disappointed but she looks up at Tony all the same.

"I'm eating your breakfast, you realize."

[in_extremis]

"No, you're not," Tony laughed, braving any frenzied fork stabbing to drag his plate back to safety, maybe a little further away than he had to. "I'll send the chef your compliments," he promised as he bounced up to find Eli and put the order in, with plenty of tea if he had it, and an extra bowl of that potato thing just in case.

"Your breakfast, my lady," he announced on his return and gave her a meaningful look before actually crowding everything onto the table, because his freed hands flexed expectantly for the very reasonable payment of her firstborn son. "What are you, remodeling the house or something, got a tapeworm, what's the deal?"

[theladyofwinterfell]

"Breastfeeding," Sansa says in between forkfuls of food. "I'm starving all the time because I think everything is going to him and not me. Obviously I don't mind it but I've never eaten like this."

Sansa is usually a light eater, for the most part; rationing at Winterfell had been a real problem and she'd taken the lead with it.

[in_extremis]

While nothing about the pregnancy was, admittedly, anywhere near Tony's area of expertise, he looked skeptical about this answer as he took his post against Sansa's shoulder again. "I thought the eating-for-two phase was over. Are you sure it's not going straight to your--" he started, catching himself not nearly in time to do a smooth recovery but at least he didn't actually say ass. With a a grin of absolutely weaponized charming warmth, he finished, "Heart?," fluttering his eyelashes. Of course he meant she was just full of love now, she had no reason not to let him hold James while she packed more in.

[theladyofwinterfell]

"Yes, my heart." Sansa says, an eyebrow lifting. "Would you like to hold him? I can eat easier when I'm not reaching around poor James."

Distraction is a good tactic for the time being, she thinks.

"He spends most of his time sleeping since he's so young. He'll be screaming all the time soon enough so I would recommend holding him now when he's sweet."

[in_extremis]

No recommendation needed, Tony brightened the moment she offered, finally, shifting in his seat immediately to receive his gift. "And it looks great on you," he insisted, about her heart of course.

"That's not fair, he's just going to figure out what he likes and be very vocal about it. It's a strength," he recontextualized for her, which he knew wasn't going to mean anything once they were well out of the sweet phase and Sansa started to consider running away from home. Just for a few hours, of course. "Besides, you're out in the middle of nowhere, who is it going to bother? The glownies? You should try screaming, too."