Happiness lies in the past. Ahead waits only empty SPACE!

[beholding_archivist]

WHO: Remaining Vanquish Crew [ Jon, Teddy, Raphael & Chikai ] & Network || Open to potential visitors
WHERE: The one place that hasn't been corrupted by capitalism. SPAAACE
WHAT: The Vanquish's pilot has vanished after its start and one Archivist begrudgingly addresses the network.
WHEN: Shortly after the ships leave Agra 10 + the happy space trip that follows
WARNINGS: Moody Archivist
NOTES: Basically a Free For All sort of things for everyone on the Vanquish. Our Pilot!Bucky is on hiatus, and Raphael will fill in for him so we don't crash into any planets! Bother Jon, make your own TLs or have sleepovers while we fly through space~

Missing Pilot
If it were up to him, Jon would have rather stayed back in Temba, hiding away in the basement of the library and not having to deal with anyone or anything. And yet, here he is. Standing quietly next to the miraculously empty pilot seat of the Vanquish, staring at it with a deep frown.

That's... Great. He briefly eyes the controls and the monitors and the many, many buttons. Thankfully, the ship's course has been set before the man that has gotten them off the ground has simply- How does that even work?!

With a brief sigh and a displeased mutter the Archivist taps a finger against the recorder in his hand, then turns back around to find the rest of the people he is stuck with in this dreadful contraption.

"So. We may not know where he is, but we do have a second pilot. That's... Acceptable for now, I suppose." Acceptable. Still, if Jon hasn't appeared very pleased before, his mood certainly has dropped even further.

Visiting Hours
It's a long trip they have ahead of them and of course people are bound to get bored. And it's notably worse than being stuck in the tunnels. They had more space there. Finding a quiet corner has been easier. And quiet corners are what Jon yearns for.

It's especially bad when people from the other ships decide to visit and he has to try and avoid more people than his own crew. And every darn time someone requests to enter the Vanquish, the Archivist flinches with a little grimace, dreading that the person about to board their ship is the one person he just can't bear facing right there and then.

So he tends to watch from a safe distance whenever someone shows up and in most cases simply retreats either into the crew quarters or the cockpit, depending on which happens to be empty at that moment.

The remaining crew may be happy to see some friendlier faces than his, however.

NETWORK

[ audio ]

[ There's a brief flicker of static before Jon's voice cuts straight through it, crisp and somber. ]

Right.

[ He's putting in a lot of effort to hide how tense he really is - And just how much being in a space ship freaks him out. ]

Jonathan Sims reporting from the Vanquish. Our pilot, Bucky has vanished. We do have a replacement on board, however. We're fine.

[ He pauses and there is the faint sound of paper rustling. ]

To the ships' medical personnel:
I assume you have found and picked up the bag of medical supplies I left at the entrance of each ship. Be mindful with these supplies and refer to the included instructions. Any questions can be directed at me.

I am well aware that the medical data point did not magically teach you about human biology or basic first aid. These were originally set up to use the equipment in the hospital which has never been designed to be used on humans. So again: If you run into a problem you don't know how to deal with, I will try to assist as best as I can with what I know.

[[ ooc note: The bags Jon is referring to contain a couple of bandages, sterile cloths, two bottles of disinfectants - one for surfaces, the other to be used on wounds - and three bottles with medications in liquid form. None of the bottles are labelled directly, but have differently colored caps on them and can be identified with the mentioned instructions: One is a basic painkiller, one is a simple anaesthetic that can also be used to help people sleep, the last is basically the opposite. There is also a bag of tea made from herbs native to Agra 10 that supposedly helps with nausea and has an overall calming effect. ]]

Comments

[brooklyn_boy]

Claustrophobic?

[Steve is jaded at this point but he can understand.]

Or is it just space you don't like?

[beholding_archivist]

[ Just a sigh and a short shake of his head. ]

It's... Actually less related to being in space. I-... I'm just... Trying to deal with my own... Loss, you might say. Being in this ship... It gives me fewer options to hide.

[brooklyn_boy]

[Steve frowns and feels guilty for putting more on this guy after he too lost someone.]

I'm so sorry. Did they vanish too?

[beholding_archivist]

Ah... N-no. He's still a-around.

...but that only makes it harder. S-seeing he's had... no qualms just moving on. Learning you're... Replaceable th-this easily... That you never really mattered...

Just hurts.

[brooklyn_boy]

[Oh. Oh, that kind of loss.

Steve gives Jon a soft look. He doesn't know who he's referring to but he knows that situation.]

I'm sorry. It can't be easy to have him around and see him with other people. But, if it helps, I'm sure you're not replaceable. He probably needed a distraction and got scared when it became more than that.

[Yeah. Funny enough he's unintentionally using his Tony as a point of reference.]

You mattered. I'm sure of it. If you didn't matter then he'd have had no issue keeping it going and hurting you worse.

[beholding_archivist]

[ Just the fraction of a bitter laugh on that before Jon just drops his shoulders and his head. ]

Oh, h-he would have kept going. I- I just... I left. I ran. Didn't try to stop me. Just... Let me leave. I- I mean... R-right. He has others. Better options.

Easier ones.

[ A pause, then an exhale. ]

...this shouldn't be on the network. I... I'm sorry.

[brooklyn_boy]

Hey. No, no. It's okay. Really.

[Steve purses his lips for a second and considers.]

My ship has some red-fruit juice on board. The kind that is like alcohol? If you wanted, you're welcome to come over and have some. I know I probably will.

[beholding_archivist]

[ Oh, he remembers those red drinks. ]

I- uhm...

Thanks. Actually...

[ A pause. Then a sigh. ]

Right. I think I will take you up on that offer.

[brooklyn_boy]

I think we both could use some company. I'm on the Starduck.

[He smiles wide.]

I'll get a glass set up for you.

[beholding_archivist]

[ Some company does indeed sound nice. ]

Starduck it is. I will find one of our shuttles and... Be over in a bit.

And thanks again.

[brooklyn_boy]

Great. I'll see you soon.

[Steve still feels like his heart has been ripped from his chest, but at least now he has someone in a similar mood to sit with. He busies himself getting out the beer, wine, and juice so Jon has options and then goes to wait by the shuttle dock. The ships are all the same, sure, but it is rude to just have someone wandering around without being greeted.

He's still a man of his generation.]

[beholding_archivist]

[ It takes Jon a little to fully figure out the shuttles, but he manages. Mainly by just telling the shuttle to take him to the other ship. Otherwise he might have ended up God knows where.

The man that sets foot on the Starduck isn't a tall one. Or an impressive one. Jon is comparably short, unflatteringly scarred and takes a moment of cautious hesitation before fully stepping on the unfamiliar ship.

Though he spots Steve easily and addresses him with a short nod and a little smile. ]

Hello. I- ah- I hope I didn't make you wait too long?

[ Right. This is one of the Avengers - The one Tony kept going on about. Jon will make an effort not to feel too intimidated. ]

[brooklyn_boy]

[ Steve extends his hand to Jon for a shake. He's got a pretty genuine smile on, considering the circumstances. Jon's scars and height don't seem to even register for Steve; he was on a ship with a woman who had four arms and six eyes. This is mild. ]

No, not at all. Welcome aboard. Not that I have been here long myself, but...

[ He shrugs and gestures the way they should go toward the kitchen where the drinks are. ]

Thanks for making the trip.

[beholding_archivist]

[ Jon is quite happy that he doesn't have any extra eyes so far. Though he does have a bit of a history of being picked up by people taller and stronger than him.

He accepts the offered hand and then walks towards the kitchen as indicated. At least the ship's layout doesn't differ too much from the Vanquish. ]

Yes, I mean... Thanks for inviting me.

You are Steve, right? Steve Rogers.

[brooklyn_boy]

[ Steve smiles and goes right over to the red fruit juice to get himself a glass when they reach the kitchen. Nothing else will even touch his sobriety for more than a second. Even this will only work for a small bit. ]

Yep. Steve Rogers. The only one for right now but we all know that can change.

[ He extends his glass for a cheers. ]

How about: to bad days getting better soon?

[beholding_archivist]

[ The Archivist can't claim to be as resistant to alcohol as Steve is, even though his body recovers quickly from being wounded and he has yet to test out where exactly his physical boundaries lie. From his last encounter with this red juice Jon at least already knows that he is able to sober up from it well enough. So he picks up a glass himself and raises it to meet Steve's. ]

Better days, huh? Very well. We might all appreciate those.

[ He takes a long sip of his drink before settling the glass in the fingers of both of his hands, looking down at it pensively. ]

Tony, he... He's a big fan of yours. Made me win him a plastic toy version of your shield... At the carnival.

[brooklyn_boy]

[ Steve also takes a long drink of his juice before putting the glass between his palms and just holding it.

Tony? Jon knew Tony, it seemed. ]

Yeah. We're friends Well. We're from different universes. But in both, our versions of each other are friends.

You know him too?

[beholding_archivist]

[ There's the hint of a one-sided shrug from Jon. He refrains from looking up from his drink, but removes one of his hands to clasp it onto his own shoulder - Just where he knows a faded mark sits hidden beneath the fabric. ]

W-well... Not as much as I believed I do, but... Yes?

[ Jon's voice drops a little at that last word and he presses his lips together to not say too much. ]

[brooklyn_boy]

[ Steve is nothing if not observant. He watches Jon's discomfort and replays what he knows of his troubles. There is a connection there that is impossible not to make. ]

It was Tony, wasn't it? [ He says it gently. ] The guy?

[beholding_archivist]

[ Jon hesitates a moment before answering, but eventually nods. ]

...yes. It's him.

[brooklyn_boy]

Ah...

[ Steve nods, slow and somewhat sad. ]

I'm sorry.

[beholding_archivist]

...hmm.

[ Jon maintains his slow nod for a few more moments, then takes another long sip from his glass. ]

...thanks.

[ He takes a deep breath. ]

...do you think I... I should try talking to him...?

[brooklyn_boy]

[ He shakes his head. ]

I don't have the insight you'd hope I would. I know his history where he went through people like candy. But I also know that he fell in love, in my universe, and married a wonderful person who he never strayed from.

[ He sips his drink again and looks up at Jon. ]

But something important I learned the hard way is that you can't change other people. There's no words that will bring them somewhere they don't already want to go. So, if you talk to him, it should be for you. To get closure for yourself. Not to change things.

[beholding_archivist]

...

[ Candy. Is that what he's been to Tony? Just a piece of candy among many? It's an uncomfortable thought, and yet that might have just been the case, regardless how much thinking of it like that ties his guts into a knot.

Jon closes his eyes for a moment, swallows, then lets out a long exhale before finishing his glass and setting it back down before the shaking of his hand gets too obvious. ]

Closure... R-right. I will... I can.....

[ Jesus Christ, he feels like an idiot. ]

I... I-I-I... I may try.

[ Possibly. ]

[brooklyn_boy]

[ He realizes the mistake in what he said too late. Steve reaches for those shaking hands and takes them in his own to just give a squeeze. ]

I had a friend, long time ago. I was a sick, scrawny kid then and girls laughed at me whenever I got the guts to ask one out. He'd set me up with them and they'd be awful. No matter how I felt about them, it was always the same.

[ He squeezes his hands again and tries to move so Jon looks him in the eyes. ]

I don't know what you were or weren't to Tony. But my friend told me then like I'm gonna tell you now: 'You don't get your self worth from other people and they don't have the power to take it away unless you let them.'

What Tony did has to do with him, not you. It's about who he is and what he is searching for. You're not to blame for the decisions he makes. You didn't do anything wrong.