text.

[technologist]

[ Again with a small wall of text, though this time there's no obvious indication that it's meant as an Engineering PSA. It shows up roughly 24 hours after Annie's warning about the strange noises in the corridors. ]

Re: the creepy sounds in the hallways.

Sent a few volunteers out into the darker corridors to record video and audio (cheers Raven, Sirius & Murphy), along with Grumpy and Sneezy.

[ Context would probably be useful on the last two, but either he doesn't think of it or doesn't care enough to add it. ]

Not sure whether this is reassuring or not, but analysis of the recordings didn't find much. The sounds appear to be inanimate/non-biological in origin. Grumpy didn't pick anything up in the way of human voices or otherwise obvious signs of life forms.

The noises are a bit like what you'd get from a house settling, just on a much larger scale. That said, it's probably advised that you don't go wandering off into the dark, as per usual.

The lights coming on don't appear to be related to any movement, either, but more a methodical rebooting of basic systems. Unexpected, but nothing particularly alarming on the Engineering side of things just yet.

That's about all we've got, but if you've got any questions, let us know.

Comments

[vdova]

[ :'( her pun is lost on you fitz ]

Steve and I have it handled, I think.
Besides, you're one of Coulson's. I hear his team's pretty good.

[technologist]

[ look his sense of humor is a little more literal now SORRY BAE. Anyway, after a mildly concerning pause: ]

Yeah.

[ That's it. Super reassuring. ]

[vdova]

[ its okay fitz she'll get you your sense of humor back ]

Yeah?

[technologist]

[ No don't question his crappy answer!!! ]

I mean
Yeah, Coulson's fantastic. It's just been a bit shaky, lately.

[ Post-HYDRA. Or post-SHIELD, technically. And it's a shame he doesn't know about Quake, because that could've been a great pun. ]

[vdova]

[ She doesn't know about Quake, either, otherwise she'd be giving him a thumbs up. ]

HYDRA?

[technologist]

Yes.

[ Better than another vague 'yeah'? ]

We're holding things together. It's just different.

[vdova]

I won't give you platitudes or lie to you. It will be. But, I think, you'll be able to pull through. You made it this far.

[technologist]

[ Reassurances from Black Widow. Bizarrely comforting, actually. The answer comes after a brief pause; he can't manage a somber thank you, or an agreement, but there's a note of humor in his attempt to rally. Beats pessimism, at least. ]

We'll certainly try.

[vdova]

There is no try. Only do.

[ jfc natasha you nerd ]

[technologist]

[ He's about to respond seriously, then it clicks. ]

Isn't that from a film

[ ..... sort of clicks. Worst thing for his memory to fail him on. ]

[vdova]

Got it in one.

[ She's so proud!! ]

But he's right. Either you do it, or you don't. And if Coulson believes in you, then I do.

[technologist]

[ Except he's not so sure Coulson does. Fitz has been on the back burner too long, kept from missions and from everyone else. But instead of saying any of that, he settles on an incredibly underwhelming: ]

Thanks.

[ Maybe it'll just come across as flustered. Shy?? ]

[vdova]

[ She's actually not sure about this question she's about to ask, but there's only one way to find out. ]

You don't think so?

[technologist]

[ A question he could ignore, or lie to. After mulling that over, he doesn't. There's no point. ]

I don't know.
I was injured. I haven't been in the field since. Or on the team, really.

[vdova]

Still recovering?

[technologist]

Not that kind of injury.

[ Permanent. That's the word he's going for, and the reason he doesn't type it has nothing to do with forgetting it. ]

[vdova]

I'm sorry.

[ She gets the implication there, and won't pry. If he wants to tell her more, he will. There's no need to invade his privacy. ]

This might be stepping over a line.
But I don't think they would have kept you around at all if they had thought you useless. SHIELD won't keep their dead weight any longer than they have to, which usually isn't very long.
I'm making an assumption here, but they needed
wanted you around.
Otherwise you wouldn't be an Agent anymore at all.
And if this isn't the case, I'll be blunt:
They're idiots. I don't know the extent or cause of your injury but you were more than capable to lead a small team to investigate the phenomena of the hallway and report it to the rest of the ship in a clear and understandable manner without incident on your end.
You may not be able to do field work, but you are far from unneeded, Agent Fitz.

[technologist]

[ It isn't stepping over a line, necessarily, but communication has never exactly been Fitz's forte — and it's a lot to absorb. The delay's long enough to call into question whether he's planning on replying at all. ]

It's a shame I can't forward this back to Earth.

[ Or print it out and frame it, because Black Widow. It's a poor attempt at humor that he's not 100% feeling, but the implication's honest; her opinion means a lot, more than he can properly say. ]

[vdova]

Screenshot it and save it for when anyone else shows up. ;)