[MINGLE] Scout's Honor

[sixthiteration]

WHERE: Hot Springs
WHEN: 21 Sept, after sunset
OPEN TO: ALL - MINGLE
WARNINGS: Please warn in your subject line as needed
NOTES: Details found here

---

It's been a strange, rough couple of months for our intrepid villagers — Bunkers, superpowers and clones, oh my! Perhaps the Observers are sympathetic to their plight, or maybe they just have a peculiar sense of humor. At any rate, they've set up a gathering space chalk full of summer camp goodness, no strings attached. Not that anyone knows that part.

Just before sunset, a cheery message pops up on wrist devices all across the settlement and beyond. The instructions seem simple enough, although one does have to wonder at what dubious gift awaits them all after everything is said and done.

Marshmallows are on the house, so grab yourself a stick, strap on a sash and get to roasting, villagers. Skinny dipping, sing-alongs and friendship bracelets optional.

Comments

[ethnobotany]

Somehow it's not surprising to hear about gods of legend being real people. Even if that's not exactly real in her reality, it could be just as easily as any alien Beverly has met. And given that she has met quite a few alien species, it's not that big of a stretch. But that does bring something else up.

"Is space travel a common idea for your universe?" she asks lightly, trying to feel out just how much she can tell him without having to explain everything about her life. She and Jean-Luc have more or less thrown the Prime Directive out the metaphorical airlock at this point. They aren't too concerned with the debriefing by Starfleet brass whenever they end up back at home, although Temporal Investigations will likely be involved if only because of the trip back in time just prior to their arrival here. Beverly is still expecting a full court martial for that.

Her smile turns more interested at his admission. "We've got plenty of people with different backgrounds here. Any kind of scientific or medical background will help, I'm sure. We have a few medical people here, though we just lost one recently." As for the length of time, she has to think for a moment. "A year and a half or thereabout. It's only recently that we've had a means of keeping track of dates." She holds up her left wrist so he can see the white band on it. "Until we got these, we guessed based on the seasons. So I've only got a general idea, not anything specific."

[notsoangry]

"No, it's very new. Well, on the level it's at now. We were really only touching the edges of our solar system before. Thor was a rare occurrence, and he came to earth the first time by accident, but he'd been to a lot of planets before that. Earth was a little behind the curve." Or a lot behind the curve, because he knew of the several alien species out there who traveled space and to other planets like it was nothing. They were excited to land a rover on Mars. The universe was out there functioning at a level it would take centuries before earth could match. "We've been invaded by two alien armies now, so I'm not sure people are that eager to get out there."

It had been a long while since he got to interact with a peer. He'd been isolated, so this was a pleasant surprise. "I'd be happy to help out in whatever way I can. From what I hear this place occasionally needs medic support." Bruce liked to be helpful. This was the kind of helpful he preferred. He nodded when she showed the band. "My friend Wanda tried to help explain how this was a simulation once but then it became a reality. At least from her perspective." It was only afterward he realized he called Wanda his friend, and it made him smile slightly to himself. Well, guess that bridge was successfully crossed.

"I know they say weather changes happened a lot, but was there any other surprise danger? I figured we could make sure the shelters were ready for weather, but I'm not sure what other threats we should be preparing for." Bruce knew he was more or less just stumbling his way into it, so others likely already knew what they were doing. Hopefully his enthusiasm for helping would be enough to show his heart at least was in the right place.

[ethnobotany]

Given how it is for her universe, Beverly can understand. She nods thoughtfully. First Contact with the Vulcans was a relatively short time ago, in the grand scheme of the cosmos, after all. They'd been traveling space for a long time when they stumbled upon Zefram Cochrane's warp trail. Earth really was a bit behind.

"It's the same in my universe," she admits. "Our First Contact was a few hundred years ago, but it really wasn't very long relatively speaking, when you take into consideration how long everyone else has been traveling space." She probably won't get too deeply into the details of that for a myriad of different reasons. For now, this is enough to explain what she knows of history. The mention of alien invasions makes her think of Wanda, which is a good connection to make, it turns out. Her face breaks out into a bright smile as Bruce mentions her friend by name. In fact, she looks delighted to find that they have a friend in common.

"You know Wanda?" she says warmly with obvious and deep-seated fondness. "She and I are living in the same house here and she's one of my closest friends as well." Their relationship goes deeper than simply friendship. At this point, Beverly treats Wanda much the same as she treats Wesley: like a grown-up adopted daughter, someone to love, cherish, and protect, but who can easily take care of herself if needed. Someone Beverly treats with respect, kindness, and gentle guidance. If Bruce is a friend of Wanda's, then he's already got more than a few points in his favor for Beverly.

"Anything can happen here, unfortunately," she continues, her smile fading slightly to something more serious. "Storms, earthquakes, truth-spouting fog. Fever-inducing fireflies. Honestly, if you can think of it, it's probably happened." She wishes she could claim to be exaggerating on that one, but she's really, really not. "If you're willing to help out in a crisis, we'd be happy to have your help. Your knowledge is... 21st century?" She's guessing based off of what she knows of Clint and Wanda's universe. Hopefully, she's not too far off. Knowing the answer to this question will help her figure out what he already knows.

[notsoangry]

"I guess we are behind, but at least we got there eventually. The aliens I've seen are definitely ahead of us, and have been for a long time." Bruce learned quickly Thor and the Asgardians weren't the only advanced aliens out there. He would say he was surprised but also not surprised. Humans were their own worst enemies. They stalled progress wherever possible. But it was good to know that they had the potential for going far outside of where they knew now, eventually.

She had a very soothing presence. He immediately sensed that. It was a great trait for a doctor to have. Bruce himself was only really calm and soothing when he was being a doctor. Most of the time he was a nervous wreck, but when people needed help, he focused. He smiled at her reactions to Wanda and nodded. "Wanda's a ... well, a teammate of a sort. She's a part of a team that I used to be a part of. We were trying to save the planet. She and I didn't get much of a chance to get to know each other, but we're making up for it now." Bruce slipped right into forgiveness and understanding with her. She was so young. She was used badly. He could sympathize.

"So that means you know Clint and Nat too? We're all from the same group." His friends, and he was glad they were there, and also not glad they were there, because they were stuck. Clint always kept him calm and level, they were good at that for each other, but Nat ... there was history there. History that stuck in his throat now, but he swallowed past it. It was in the past. He wondered if she forgave him. If she still thought about it. But there was no use dwelling on that now when he was having a perfectly pleasant conversation with a fellow doctor.

"It all sounds intense, and deliberately planned by whoever brought us here. It's not the only thing that will be sent our way from here, too. I think as we adjust and move, they'll do the same , like a chess game when they're way ahead. Or playing an entire different game." Bruce couldn't know anything for sure yet, but he was damned sure he was going to try. "Yes, a lot of what I know I'm not sure will be helpful here. I'll try to see. My specialties are in nuclear physics, or physics in general, biology, chemistry, biochemistry, engineering. It's hard to say how they'll be utilized."

[ethnobotany]

Humans, or Terrans as they were often called by Beverly's time, would eventually make it to be an interstellar power. They likely just have a few more decades before that starts coming into play.

She nods at the mentions of her other housemates. She's known Clint and Wanda the longest, but Natasha has been a good housemate so far. At this point, Beverly trusts Clint's judgment. He wouldn't bring an enemy into the house. "Yes, Jean-Luc and I are sharing a house with the three of them." From the smile on her face and the fond tone in her voice, it should be no question that she likes Clint and Natasha just as well. They might not need the mothering side of her as much as Wanda, but she absolutely still cares about them and makes no secret of that.

"I wouldn't be surprised," she admits, her smile fading to a slightly more serious look. "That's sure how it's been so far. There's always been an element of survival here, but it has changed over the months. I've been here long enough to get the general idea, but every time we think we understand, they change the rules on us. Case and point-" She lifts a hand and gestures around a little. "-when we all got shoved through the fountain a second time and found out that the canyon we were in is now... I guess an island or a continent. I'm not sure if anyone's been able to explore the entire thing yet or if that's even possible at this point. But our little 'world' here just got a whole lot bigger."

And more dangerous, given the flora and fauna they've all come across since that day.

"You never know what will come in handy. I'm sure everything you know will be put to good use. I've got a background in cybernetics that I'm not sure will be useful here, given the lack of technology, but if anyone arrives here needing an artificial limb or other body part, at least I have the background for it." She has a feeling that Bruce's background will likely be more useful than hers, though at this point the only cybernetics she knows of is Jean-Luc's heart and she would much rather never be needed for that.

[notsoangry]

It was interesting, how many of the Avengers started out as enemies or at least very cautious and paranoid strangers. None of them were up for becoming a team at first. It was necessity that spawned it, but after that they did try. They even had moments when Bruce started to believe they were more than only a team of strangers. Or a ticking time bomb like he originally speculated. They were growing close. But they frayed at the edges before he left, and broke apart entirely afterward. "That's great. They're really good people. They've been fighting to protect our world for a long time now. I'm only sorry that Clint's been far from his family this long." A wife and children? That distance must be so difficult. Bruce longed for that for himself, but it was never in the cards.

"Wanda explained that to me. That it was what appeared to be a simulation before, and then you had to start over again here, but it was the same property and style." It was fascinating honestly. He didn't understand the rules of the study yet. Some day, maybe. "We really should find a way to explore as much as possible, but I know it's dangerous here, especially the farther you get from the village. We're making do for what we can so far, from what I can tell, it's truly impressive what you've all managed to put together.

His eyes light up. "Cybernetics, that's interesting. I have some experience with it, although I doubt to your level. Have you met Tony Stark? He's our number one genius in that field." Bruce could probably talk up Tony until the end of time given the chance. "I have a feeling all of our skills might eventually play into this place. I think we were hand picked."

[ethnobotany]

Beverly and Clint haven't really had a chance to talk in detail about families yet, but she'd gotten the idea that he had one when their wristbands all changed their network names suddenly and without their consent. Clint's had referenced Husband and Father, so she'd assumed he was both, though never really asked. She nods now, understanding entirely what being away from his family would have been like for Clint. A few years have passed since Beverly last saw Wesley and she misses him every day.

"Honestly, I'm not entirely convinced that this isn't a simulation, too," she admits, her eyes briefly turning to the sky. She wouldn't be surprised to find that this was another holodeck-like simulation, especially after the first one. With that in mind, she and Jean-Luc have been looking for hints or signs that this simulation is failing the way a holodeck program would over time. So far, they haven't found anything, but neither of them is willing to stop looking. "Going in groups helps with anything dangerous. So far, the villagers have managed to survive by virtue of always stepping up in a crisis. We help each other when necessary and I don't think that will ever change." She hopes it never does, anyway.

Her expression turns to one of interest as they continue. "No, I haven't. But I think you're right. The Observers seem to like throwing us into different situations and seeing how we manage them. If we weren't able to survive, it wouldn't be as interesting to them."

[notsoangry]

"It could be," Bruce admits. "It's crossed my mind. It would be like a dream within a dream situation. I know people were talking about clones too, and it's not the most ridiculous theory. The bunker is questionable." Bruce hasn't really been in there outside of a quick peek, but it did churn around in his head. He had about a hundred theories at the moment, but simulation and clones were high on the list. Perhaps both at the same time. "They were able to fundamentally change our biochemistry. Either of those scenarios would work in that case." A simulation they would only think they were cured of them, a clone could be made with different biology so they had different abilities or none at all. For many people this would be unnerving, but Bruce is more curious than concerned.

"How we're taken throughout the timeline is interesting too. I saw Wanda recently and she's been here years, and she doesn't have any memories of what we just went through. That's a puzzle." Not that it was strange to pluck people out of time if they could do everything else, but to what end? Honestly he's glad there's so many questions. It keeps him from dwelling on what he just survived.

"That's good. In a community this small, if we don't make it work, we won't make it period." He didn't know the exact number, but it isn't in the hundreds. It is smaller than a small community. Bruce rubs the back of his neck. "I guess we're lucky that this is what they're doing to us right now." A gesture to the peaceful enough event. "The calm before the storm, maybe."