ataraxion | 003 ⇒ video

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003 ⇒ video

[There's the drumming of fingers in apparent boredom and the video is slightly off centre, looking over Tony's shoulder instead.]

I take it there's three different events circulating around right now. One apparently rather benign and the other two of the same event, but from different perspectives. If we're lucky, the events that occurred won't be repeated, but since when were we ever that lucky?

So far two options appear to be either hallucinate jawdropping monsters and there's something out there that eats the bodies you gun down or turn into one yourself, but remain unaware of it. [His hands pause and his gaze moves to a point past the video.] In the interests of self-preservation I ask no one try eat me if the latter is true. I'm already dying, there's no need to speed it up and I'm sure cancer makes the flesh taste horrid.

[He continues on cheerfully, his hands resuming their drumming. Now the lack of eye contact makes him look thoughtful rather than avoidant.]

And if it seems relevant to anyone I've always associated the name Schue with a tv show with singing in it. Although there was definitely no singing from what I remember, just getting shot.

[ooc: and if anyone with death related powers wants to call him out on it... he will actually die a little bit further down his canon.]

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[Such drama.]

Do you think the mysterious beasts are edible?

Edited 2013-11-19 22:19 (UTC)

[....no.]

You do realise there's a good chance these 'beasts' are other people?

Unless you're talking about what's already known to be on board. And then I'll tell you right now to stop this train of thought.

[Well, then. He's just making a suggestion.]

Don't be ridiculous.

[Thor pauses just a moment before adding:]

I would never suggest that we consume people.

[Obviously he's asking about the strange monsters on the ship, Tony. Why would anyone want to eat a person? That's just plain silly.]

[Tony has never claimed to understand Thor's ways. Also the Hulk ate people, they have a precedent for that sort of thing in their universe.]

Just making sure. I wouldn't recommend either course of action, we have no idea what diseases they might be carrying.

[Are you seriously going to compare him to the monsters, now? Really, Tony? He thought you were his friend.]

Can't you tell? It is better not to waste what we have, is it not?

And it would be less boring.

Oh do go ahead and kill as many as you'd like, but forgive me if I'm wary about using them as food.

[And Tony doesn't really use his brain a lot. Everyone always talks about how brilliant he is, but he rarely shows it.]

I could if I had access to equipment, but I'm hardly going to sign up to a department just for this. Working for someone has never been my style.

Should I ask our other friend? Perhaps he knows of something.

[No jokes there. He's being serious, because there is a problem with finding proper supplies, right? They should at least try to be prepared. And make the best of a bad situation.]

...How are you?

There's enough to work with in the various departments, the problem is sifting through the junk to find something useful. It's not really his speciality.

[This is an unencrypted conversation so he's not going to be as open as he might be inclined to be. And even if it were, there were some things he told no one.]

Much better now that you're here, darling.

[Thor knows Tony well enough to know that some things are off limits. And he's not about to interrogate him over the network when he doesn't know how much he trusts the infernal thing anyway.

But Tony suddenly blurting out that bit, making it sound like an announcement, that has him worried.]

Hm. He seemed to have another opinion.

[No, but really.]

We should attempt to find the afflicted.

You look very well for a dying man.

[There's a faint, bemused smile on Abby's face. She's had the shared memories, she knows something is coming. She just isn't concerning herself with it until it gets here.

On the subject of how flesh tastes, though, she at least can comment to a certain extent.]

Cancer doesn't change the taste of blood.

[This really does require video to see the full extent of his false sincerity.]

Thank you. I've been dealing with this for a while now so I think I've got it down to a science.

Even in leukaemia? I don't have it, but humour me. [The implied fact that she knows this from experience strangely enough doesn't worry him.]

[She shakes her head. She isn't 100% positive about this because it isn't like she's purposefully attacked cancer patients before but she's pretty sure one singular type of cancer is going to be any different than the rest and she knows she's had infected blood before.]

No. Too much alcohol will make blood taste different. Not bad but... stronger. Too many drugs, too. But not cancer.

What a pity. I'd been hoping my illness plus the alcohol would be enough of a deterrent.

Any chance flesh and blood taste significantly different to each other?

[That small smile is back.]

I don't think anyone gets that lucky on this ship. [a pause] And I don't know. I need blood to survive, not flesh. That just gets in the way.

[That's what emoticons are for, obvs.]

Regardless, your ability to stave up under pressure indicates the unlikeliness of you falling prey to the more common ailments on this ship.

Though I would argue that this place is a lot safer than we've been told. Comparatively.

[He smiles in amusement at having his own words turned against him.]

One can always hope.

Considering the number of vampires and werewolves that seem to be here, I wonder if it wouldn't be too much to expect a cannibal to be amongst us.

[Abby gives a slight shrug.]

I wouldn't be surprised but I doubt they'd admit it. Even if most people are okay with things like me [yes, she said 'things' and she very much meant it] they probably wouldn't be so understanding about something like that.

[A pause as she considers.]

Maybe one of the werewolves has eaten someone before. They might be able to answer your question.

[This is certainly not as planned. Tony operated by making people underestimate him and it makes him uncomfortable to have it pointed out otherwise so easily.]

Not quite sure if I believe your assessment. I just have a friend with a very big hammer.

But I have found that sticking to certain areas and avoiding all attempts at exploration does increase the chances of not getting ambushed by a nasty.

[Tony looks off to the side at seemingly nothing.]

When did you talk to him?

[But his attention snaps back to Thor at his suggestion.]

We don't know if there is an afflicted. I remember getting shot by someone who was clearly not thinking straight, but this memory isn't mine and it's not from any one here right now.

[He'll back Thor on whatever option he chooses, but he doesn't want them going into something without thinking.]

Then the question becomes, would any of them be willing to step forward and admit it. It feels like the vast majority on board are humans and for someone to admit they've eaten one... there's a good chance there'd be a violent backlash.

Even approaching me privately might be a bad option. I might be hysterical when faced with my own mortality.

Hmph.

[But Tony, he's bored. Thor looks disappointed when Tony points out the logic, but he trusts him. That's what the man is good at, after all.]

Perhaps it is something else, then.

[He hesitates, then goes on.] Someone else. A message from someone trying to reach us.

[Or just crazy talk. But he's more inclined to believe the memories actually come from real people.]

[Hence the desire to not use video -- Armin would be sporting a rather smug smile right about now.]

I admire your ability to remain content, despite natural human curiosity. Unfortunately, my extreme desire to escape has made it impossible for me to do likewise.

[He rubs a hand across his face tiredly.]

Or to screw with us.

[If this was a genuine attempt at reaching out to them, sending out three different messages was just plain stupid. Remember those all those years ago when they were still on very good terms with the X-Men? If Professor X was still alive, he could of been a lot of help.]

Perhaps. It is not unlikely in a place like this.

[He waits patiently for Tony to adjust. Thor has seen that look enough times to know not to push him too hard. Sometimes he deliberately ignores it, but right now he's not under stress.]

But if this is a message, don't you think we should try to find the ones sending it? They might be confused.

[It's only them now. He can't offer much on the psychic or tech end of things, but he can give his fair opinion. And try to keep Tony from getting too depressed.]

I know how to build a machine that can allow travel to other universes, but even if I could build it here finding the correct world for everyone would be harder than finding a needle in a haystack.

There is nothing to escape to outside of this ship. There is only survival. Your hope is admirable, but it's only going to get crushed.

[If he'd ever asked Tony, he'd reply that it was enough to have Thor here with him.]

There are three options so far: magic, psychic and tech. From my own experiences so far magic seems unlikely. But psychic and tech overlap on some points that I might be able to cobble something to get a rough idea of where the signal came from if there's a repeat. If you're right and it is a confused signal, it could be like with Vision.

[But Vision had come to warn them of Gah Lak Tus and it's a worrying thought that there might be something coming for them.]

[The fact that Tony doesn't have all the answers yet is worrying in itself. Thor has come to expect Tony to know when he's dealing with weird technology. That's what he does. He may be annoying about it sometimes, but most of the time he is the best answer they have.

And if this has him stumped, then they are probably in trouble.]

That is a better alternative than going mad on an abandoned ship.

[That's just his opinion, of course.]

No one's going mad while we still have therapists. [Because that's the kind of thing he's expected to say. For all his intelligence he doesn't convey it often enough and he doesn't maintain seriousness for long.]

Underpaid those poor souls may be to have to deal with us.

[Thor for just a moment looks like he might not be sure, but he recovers quickly. As long as Tony is around, he'll be all right.]

Heh. I hope you're not giving them too much grief. I doubt a group of them would be enough to handle you.

But the possibility of escape still exists, right? You've admitted it yourself. Even if the odds are one in a million, the fact that there are any odds at all is enough to sustain my hope.

I need to get home. That is the only option.

[His smile turns a little bit more brittle. He sought out help back in their world, but he's yet to do the same here.]

I managed with just one back home I think I can avoid overwhelming them with my charm here.

[Oh, Tony. Thor pauses, then decides that now might be a good time to, you know, say something supportive.

How does that go again?]

Well, if you need an ear, I hope that you know you have one. On call... even if it is over these wretched machines.

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