A Diving Expedition

[out_of_order]

WHO: Cal Kestis, Jonathan Sims and Tony Stark
WHERE: The Flood Plain
WHAT: When one has rebreathers, one does underwater exploration
WHEN: A few days after being freed of Calibration hell
WARNINGS: N/A, will update as necessary


It was decided rather unanimously, and perhaps unsurprising given the time that had been spent in confinement. After being cooped up indoors with little place else to go, the opportunity to finally go elsewhere is a welcome one, and there seems no point in waiting. Besides, Cal can use the distraction. While he's not certain of exactly how many of their number have been sent away, it's difficult to miss at least one presence, strong in the Force as Altair was. Hopefully he would be back where he was meant to be.

Cal's looking forward to the outing, however, eager to be about and exploring with friends. Given the chosen venue, one might never guess from the way he's prepared. He's dressed as he usually is, BD-1 perched on a broken bit of wall, both beside the shallows of the eastern-most inner curve of the large lake that's taken up a good portion of the southwestern corner of the city.

It's a lot of area to cover, and the more he looks at it, the more he wonders just how deep it can be. The couple of times he's gone in probably haven't even covered very much of anything, and with so many places to look, he'd been practical and stuck to where he could make out the remnants of buildings. That seemed to be the most ideal place to find anything, anyway.

Glancing at his droid friend, he tilts his head. "They should be here soon. You ready, BeeDee?" The little droid borbles, wiggling eagerly, making the padawan laugh. "Yeah, it'll be a nice change of pace after all that." He turns, looking out towards the main road again for any signs of Jon and Tony.

Comments

[out_of_order]

"I don't know if its another ship, but we can't really rule it out. The design is similar to something we've seen before. But if it's not Agrii-originated, then who built it..? And why is it here?"

BD-1 shakes his head off when Tony splashes at him again, perhaps considering whether it was worth the attempt at that challenge. One can practically imagine the little droid squinting at him.

The suggestion that things were going to be busy for him and Jon made Cal give Tony a flat look. It's tempered with a faint smile, and lastly a shrug. He supposes there's no arguing it, even if he were inclined to.

It's while Tony brings up the projected map that BD-1 retaliates, using his rear rocketbooster to hover long enough to use both his legs in a quick spatter of water at the man.

[beholding_archivist]

"...busy." Jon echoes with a frown, which mostly results from him trying to fully figure out that three-dimensional scan. Which isn't exactly the sort of display he's used to. Outside of video games and movies he doesn't necessarily watch, maps on his Earth still happen to be primarily two-dimensional.

Of course thanks to him leaning closer to the map, half of BD's little splash attack hits the Archivist's face much rather than the intended target. Granted, he hasn't really dried up yet, but... It does cut out any commentary he might have had in favor of raising his brows at the little droid. He even opens his mouth to say something, but... Doesn't.

Instead, he leans away a little again and just exhales, settling for the obvious observation. "Right. We obviously need more information." More data to work with. More examples. More... Basically everything. That's encouraging.

[in_extremis]

Their displeasure with Tony was noted and disregarded with a crooked grin, impenetrable, because it wasn't like they could force him to participate in their boring note-taking. He'd be back for the practical exercises, the fun part. It was gone as the droid started hovering, just enough warning for Tony to throw his other hand in front of his face to protect the ember of his much too precious cigarette, a position he couldn't maintain as he had to devote his abs to the coughing laugh of delight caused by Jon taking the brunt of the attack. Of course he did, Tony shouldn't have even been worried.

Tony was still trying to catch his breath, snickering in the grass, as Jon came to the best conclusion they were going to get out of this excursion, and tried to nod sagely, definitely still worried about this, he was participating. "Can you feel your toes yet, sunshine?" he asked Cal, bringing his golden hand up to pull the suit back enough and check what might have been going on with him under there at this point. He had been saved the swelling that plagued the other two, but his skin did look, generously, gangrenous. At least it didn't immediately start itching. "Oh, that's gorgeous," he admired, then sat up on his elbow again to check how it was interacting with the gouges he knew were in his shoulder from being jammed through that anemone's hidey-hole. It wasn't actively bleeding, no one was going to lose a limb today, probably. All around, a success.

[out_of_order]

Cal laughs. He tries very hard not to, but in the end it's a failed attempt, and Jon's expression just makes it all the more funny. BD-1 doesn't look at all remorseful for accidentally catching Jon in the crossfire, only pausing once he settles back in the water, head canting as though to ask the Archivist 'whatchu gonna do about it?'

They need a lot more things, but at least this recent discovery proves that there's probably a lot out there to find. The padawan nods at Jon. "Just add it to the list," he says, smiling ruefully. They have a lot to do, but at least they have things to work with. He fixes a look at his foot, reaching over to give a brief massage down his calf. "A little? I don't think it's spreading any more, anyway," he replies to Tony, wiggling his toes. It feels like his foot's been asleep, which is at least better than feeling like a lead weight. He stretches out his other foot to tug on a boot after brushing it off.

BD-1 comes back out of the water with his latest fish-corpse haul to deposit into Jon's bag. Perhaps it's a peace offering. Cal grins at him, then looks at the two men, smiling crookedly at Tony. "I'm surprised they even managed to get through that. You feeling better?" he asks before also turning a look to Jon, inquiring the same.

[beholding_archivist]

There really isn’t an awful lot Jon could have done to prevent the little droid from splashing around, but Jon still directs a slightly chiding look upon him as he accepts the fish and pats BD-1 briefly, if with a small sigh.

Tonys commentary on his own bites and Cal’s question get a nod from the Archivist. “I’m good, thanks.” One of the tolerablere side effects of turning into a monster. “If you two can stop by the library tomorrow morning, I should have the antidote ready. Some food and rest will do you good until then.” He pauses a moment before adding: “I will make sure it doesn’t taste as vile as...” And he lets that sentence trail off with a small gesture.

And then his attention turns more towards Cal. “If you don’t mind any assistance in gathering notes on your echoes, we can talk about that later as well.”

[in_extremis]

"Incredible, always," Tony assured Cal as the undersuit knit back into place, flawless as ever. "It's more of a...protective coating," he explained, enough to dismiss the concern without getting too specific. If Tony could get his actual armor powered, he would be more invincible. In the meantime, he rolled up onto his knees to search the ground for his clothes, gathering him over his shoulder and more than happy to follow the doctor's orders to go completely crash. If he woke up in the morning, he might make it to the library to find out if Jon was capable of making the antidote experience any more tolerable, which was doubtful, then maybe head back here himself to pick up those pieces left behind. With a ruffle to Cal's damp hair to leave it an undignified mop and a wink Jon's way, he bid farewell with all of the earnestness in his heart, "Don't call me."

[out_of_order]

BD-1 beeps happily at Jon, walking off a ways to shake off again before wandering back over to Cal.

The padawan shakes his head at Tony but grins, probably figuring he should have expected as much for an answer. "Yeah, we'll do that, Jon. And if you can manage to do something for the flavor, I'm sure we'd appreciate it." He's not sure how well that will go, given most remedies aren't made to be tasty. "Wouldn't mind the assistance at all," he adds at Jon's suggestion, nodding at the Archivist.

Turning to watch Tony gather his things, it seems that at least it's agreed upon that they get some food and rest, now that they're not playing chicken with the poison from their fishy encounter. Cal ducks his head to no avail at the hair ruffling, moving to run slightly numb fingers through his bangs. He waves a hand at Tony.

"We'll text," he adds with a smirk.

[beholding_archivist]

"And I will see you in person." Jon remarks in turn, casting Tony a single raised brow that clearly states that Tony better be there in the morning or Jon will come after him, potion in hand. Though to be fair, he isn't entirely sure yet what to do flavor-wise. Maybe condense it enough to make it possible to mix a comparably small amount into a cup of tea. Which at the moment is his primarily considered solution.

The raised brow for Tony turns into a smile and a nod for Cal. "And I will see you as well. I just... Want to record a quick record while I'm here and the memory is still fresh, then I am headed for the library." As he says those words, Jon retrieves his tape recorder from his bag along with two tapes, giving each a quick look before selecting one of them. But rather than placing it in the recorder right away, he turns to BD-1. "And thanks to you I have enough fish to properly work with. So... Thanks for that."

Yes, Jon will stay behind a little longer. And he will make a short report once both Tony and Cal have left. Then listen to one of his pre-recorded tapes to re-energize and help with his own healing. Unaware to him, Jon is having pretty much the same idea as Tony. With the small difference that Jon doesn't plan to wait until the next day. It feels safer now, that they have just driven off that horrible swarm of water-creatures. And it is his fault that they were attacked in the first place and lost those other pieces they found. Therefore, he will retrieve them - And prove that he isn't entirely useless.