( AUDIO | 001. )

[skyn]

[ the distress signal is tapped out using her fingernail against a wall. it's one of the few signals jane knows in morse code, a trick taught to her by her father during their many late night stargazes. ]

· · · – – – · · ·
[ SOS

a few seconds pass, silently but only slightly disturbed by soft, hurried pants and then, ]

Hello. I'm Dr. Jane Foster of — of Earth. Or Midgard. [ jane feels the need to mention that, in case she tripped slapstick style into a gravitational anomaly and ended up god knows where again. she knows that by this point she shouldn't feel surprised waking up in a strange place, lost and confused, with a number tattooed on her arm. after all, safety and normalcy had pretty much been tossed out the window as soon as she hit the god of thunder with her van.

it still does, though. it's like a seizure by the throat, a fire shut up in her bones that makes her both restless and weary. it's the fear that never truly leaves the body, like malaria, and it's a fear clearly evident in her voice when she speaks again, ]

I — don't know where I am. Or how I got here. Or what any of this is. [ she won't exactly say it, but jane is completely clueless. it's an odd, sickening feeling and one she isn't used to. usually, she could grasp at straws, ultimately finding a conclusion through the little scraps of clues she was handed. in fact, her entire career has been built on that. here, however, there are no answers and no work for jane to use as a distraction. all there is the silence and the cold, harsh reality of the unknown.

jane lets out a sigh, heavy and tired as if the realisation just dawned on her, and she runs a shaky hand through her hair. ] If anyone can hear me, I need answers. Please.

Comments

[Audio]

[the_other_eight]

[With a non audible sigh, Pepper turns on voice.]

Please calm down Miss Foster. You're safe. [Mostly.]

audio.

[skyn]

[ her back straightens and the non-existent tears threatening to spill from her eyes dry. jane knows that voice. oh yeah, she might not know who the latest teenybopper hunk of the season is but everyone in the scientific community knows of the person who commands that voice, knows of what that person commands with her voice. ]

Miss Potts.

[ jane cuts herself before she can say anything, honestly unsure what she should say. ]

Re: audio.

[the_other_eight]

I am.

[There's a small pause as Pepper debates not leaving her room. It's not that she doesn't want to help Jane, it's just that she doesn't really want to see anyone right now. She's starting to realize that isn't an option for her on a ship like the Tranquility.]

Where are you Miss Foster, I'll come get you.

[skyn]

Erm — [ jane glances over her shoulder, trying to discern her location without getting up and leaving the safe area that she's found. she spots a sign, pointing down the hall to her left. ]

I'm near the passenger quarters.

v i d e o

[favouring]

( it may or may not be reassuring to see nuala, whose face is not one readily mistaken for human by those who know there are alternatives-- but her expression is concerned, and her choice not to mimic audio has to do with consciously choosing as much transparency as possible to set the midgardian woman at ease.

interesting choice of identifier. )

The answers we have here are limited, but-- if you have questions, I will try.

audio.

[skyn]

[ her first thought upon seeing the elf is the mental image of a dark elf — except this one has softer features, kinder eyes, and none of the darkness. she isn't the figure of nightmares that have come to haunt jane's nights sometimes; more of the ones that she'd find in a j.r.r. tolkien inspired dream.

all the same however, jane decides to stick with audio for the time being. she knows that looks can be deceptive (she's learned that from her research on the god of mischief), so she won't so readily trust the woman. besides, keeping her appearance hidden can be an advantage. ]

Uh, where am I?

v i d e o

[favouring]

( nuala makes no objection or comment on jane's decision, but persists in her own; she doesn't find it awkward to be visible when someone else isn't. )

You're aboard a spacefaring ship called the Tranquility-- each of us here arrived as you did, with as little explanation. We don't know, precisely, what is responsible or why.

audio.

[skyn]

I see... [ her voice trails off as her eyes glance over her surroundings. now that it's mentioned, jane can feel a faint vibration and hum, similar to the kind felt on boats. ]

What's the destination?

voice.

[50000volts]

[ Jane's message goes unnoticed by Darcy for a while, mostly because she's being self-absorbed and wrapped up in her own trauma coping mechanisms. Which means that when she does answer, she's a little drunk. ]

Jane!

[ And extremely unhelpful. But at least recognizable. ]

[skyn]

[ reflexively, jane holds the comm away from her, almost as if she can smell the alcohol wafting towards her. her nose curls and she's hesitant for a moment before replying, ]

Darcy?

[ please don't tell her that darcy's drunk. or isn't. to be honest, jane isn't sure which is worse: darcy drunk or... something, she won't even entertain the thought. ]

[50000volts]

You're here!

[ A short hesitation. ]

I'm sorry? But it's totally not my fault.

[skyn]

Unless you've been doing research behind my back, I figured this wasn't you.

[ a lot of things can be said about darcy, but she knows what and what not to touch in jane's lab. ]

Are you ok? You haven't gotten hurt, right?

[ SHIELD ENCRYPTION. ]

[specialism]

Dr. Foster.

( a beat. ) Agent Grant Ward, SHIELD. You're on a space ship, and none of us know how we got here.

[skyn]

[ jane doesn't reply or make a move for a long while, holding her breath, pinching her eyes shut, and willing herself not to throw the comm. look, she can admit that without s.h.i.e.l.d. funding and resources, her research wouldn't have reached the heights that it did, but that doesn't tamper the anger boiling in her stomach by just the mention of the agency. they stole her life's work, sent her to tromsø with nary an explanation, and, now, they put her on a "spaceship." she can hold on to the grudge for a little longer, yeah? ]

S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm shocked.

[ the emotion is clear in her voice, along with the happiness and joy that she's clearly experiencing by the idea that s.h.i.e.l.d.'s here. unsurprising though — who else but a gigantic, mysterious machine would have enough money for a gigantic, mysterious machine? ]

[specialism]

( the reaction is, perhaps, not surprising. ward can put two and two together and figure out the source of the anger.

for what it's worth, though — )

This isn't ours.

[skyn]

[ her reaction is quick and sarcastic. ] Oh, I believe you.

[ she doesn't. she doesn't trust him as far as she can throw him (and she doesn't need a visual to know that it wouldn't be far). still, the known enemy is better than the unknown enemy. jane knows what she's facing if she decides to tango with s.h.i.e.l.d., but she isn't so sure what she's facing if she doesn't reply and stays on her own. even if this agent is lying and this is indeed a s.h.i.e.l.d. ship, it would be better to have answers (even if they are half-truths) than none at all. ]

Alright, Agent Grant. If I ask a question, you'll tell me the truth, right? [ because in jane's experience, most s.h.i.e.l.d. agents don't, instead hiding behind their fake smiles and flamboyant mustaches to convey the truth. ]

Video

[mjolnir_time]

[Thor stares at his communicator in shock for a moment when he hears Jane identify herself. Then he starts pushing buttons. Unfortunately, in his haste all he manages to do is close the message. It takes him a minute to find it again and listen to the end.

Finally he manages to turn on the video and send a message.]

Jane? Jane, it's Thor. Where are you?

video.

[skyn]

[ figuring out how the communicator works, now that's a good distraction. she's only beginning to flip through the settings and programs when she receives his message, and it doesn't take someone as technological savvy as her to understand the device and watch the video.

his voice is like a ray of sunshine cutting through the clouds, or a golden star spewing its cosmic breath of life into the cold, vast darkness. the mere sound of his voice blows life into jane again. her eyebrows rise, her brown eyes twinkle, and her voice reaches that sweet, high octave that is only grasped when research is involved. as quickly as the message ends, jane sends one back. ]

Thor? Where are you, what's going on? [ the words rush together, almost like she had just a few moments for a message before the feed cut off. she has so many questions, but she already answered a few through the snooping on her communicator. at the moment, however, that becomes secondary; thor is here and he looks fine. whatever this place is, he's alive and surviving. ]

video.

[mjolnir_time]

[Thor was already moving when he receives her message back. He knows Jane wasn't on the ship before, so she obviously arrived in the last jump, just like Darcy. Which means she's probably somewhere in the 030 rooms.

When her message comes in, he answers immediately.]

I'm on my way to find you. Are you in your room? What is the number?

( video. )

[carbonite]

Seriously? [com'on padme, give him a break.]

Let me tell you something sister, if you think this is a gravitational anomaly, keep the thought to yourself.

video.

[skyn]

[ padme wouldn't be caught dead in plaid.

a scowl twists at her mouth and her brows furrow. ] Why should I? I have had experience with them.

[ admittedly, the last one she went through didn't cause her to feel like she went nine rounds with the hulk or cause memory loss, but it's close enough. until jane discovers otherwise, her theory is gravitational anomaly. ]

video.

[carbonite]

[obviously it means that he has to prank her and make her wear plaid one day.

argh, she even talks like padme.] You and half the people on this rust bucket. What, you want a prize?

[in a galaxy far, far away though.]

oh no your jane is amazing i am sorry i'm spamming you.

[overthought]

I'm assuming you have a colleague on board? This is the second time I've had something relating to wormholes appear on here.

oh never apologize :>

[skyn]

On board? You mean — I'm on a ship?

[ colleague? you mean — there's people she knows here? ]

[overthought]

She was looking for a bar, earlier. Mentioned something about an Einstein-Rosen Bridge? I just thought it was interesting, considering that they're supposed to be considered gravitational anomalies, especially given our present situation.

[bless she's found someone that knows basic astrophysics.]