cryobiological | IC Inbox

[She does laugh at that, wry and dry; he's not wrong.] Especially if you say you're not buying into his game. You obviously still are, respect or not, otherwise we wouldn't be here.

[ That is more than fair. ] I wish I was one of the wardens on-board who see the system he's running as broken, but stay to help people and refuse payment.

I'm not. ...Not only am I not, I don't trust those people.

That's a funny thing to want to wish, if you don't trust them.

[ Except it's not. She knows it's not. What she wouldn't give to be blissfully ignorant, sometimes. ]

Why are you here, then?

I miss... the luxury of being able to believe that right is right, wrong is wrong, and to believe there is no situation in which I would sacrifice my morals for getting shit done.

[ He is going to be honest with her, if it kills them both. It's only fair; she has her file. ]

My original deal, when I was Clark's warden, was to repower a bunch of people in my own world. That deal's been accomplished. My second deal isn't as important, but the Admiral still has what I need to make the most of the opportunity the first one gave me.

Good. [ She shifts in her seat, leaning forward a little more. This guy is really a warden? Frost grins at him, dark and knowing. ] I can't stand people who can't admit that they're even a little bit in it for themselves. Nobody is that fucking altruistic. And black and white morality gets everyone killed in the end - one way or another.

What's your deal now?

You might want to steer clear of Steve Rogers.

My deal right now is to keep my son from dying. [ Maybe, and there's some confusion there. It's mostly an excuse, anyway. ]

[She makes an inelegant sound somewhere between a scoff and a snort.] Already met him. He's as bad as Barry Allen. Worse.

[But this is interesting.] What's wrong with him?

[ Scott tries to think of an answer that doesn't involve his history with another version of the man, because that wouldn't be fair.

He also doesn't think there is enough time to go through the entire list of things Steve has done to make Scott insane over their shared years on-board.

He needs a synopsis.

That isn't a list of immature insults or venting his spleen.]

He refuses to learn. [ that narrowly, narrowly missed being 'he's stupid'. ]

[ Still interesting. Another small laugh, this one dryer. ] And that's gonna kill him so bad it requires a deal?

Oh. [Oops. Yes. He's embarrassed. ] I thought you meant Steve.

I'm not entirely sure with my son. He's not exactly communicative. I only know about the possibility of his death because his daughter is here.

Well, I wouldn't be surprised if his stupidity eventually gets him killed.

[ It sounds complicated, but it's on a level with some other things she's dealt with. She doesn't bat an eye at it. ] Seems kind of wasteful if it's something that hasn't even happened yet. Couldn't you just ask for, I don't know, a better son?

Better the idiot I already know and love than the one I don't? [ His tone is wry, because he'll acknowledge that he could, and he is kind of passive aggressively refusing to let Cable and slink off at die out of annoyance as much as love, but the love is there.

Plus, you know, her suggestion bemuses him. ]

I guess. But hey, it's your deal.

I was just hoping if I was going to have to change for something, it'd be something that's really good. Like your last one.

[A slow grin.] Speaking of ... how would you feel about cranking me back up to full power? I hear permanent wardens can do that, for their inmates.

That's fair. [ He might make some changes, or try to. Though his presence here, really doesn't hinge on his deal anymore. It hinges on getting people he wants - and needs - the hell off this ship. It's probably time to stop using the barge as an escape, at least, and go back to working toward fixing shit instead of... treading water. Somehow.

The rest, though....

He smiles, faintly. ]

Probably not full power at once, but I'll see what the Admiral can do about bringing it back in stages. After I read your file and figure out exactly what they are.

[She rolls her eyes; it's not really the answer she wanted, but it's better than nothing.]

Cryokinetic. We've been over this, right? All I can do now is make a couple flurries. Chill some drinks. [She gestures as she speaks, leaving tiny trails of snowflakes and ice crystals hanging in the air.] I'm not even 'Mildly Inconveniencing Frost' at this level. I should at least be able to get them to close school.

I know. I also know that one of my oldest friends is a guy who has a similar power set, and that he's fully capable of ending life on earth. I need to get a better idea of what full power looks like.

Then we'll work out a plan to get you back to it.

[ He's gained some... practical sense, over the course of working with Clark. ]

Well, it's not ending life on earth. [ That she knows of. ] And besides, even if I could, why would I want to? There's no fun in that.

Let me actually read your file, then we'll get a plan together. Though not being able to freeze the planet solid is a good sign for getting them back sooner rather than later.

And not wanting to. Remember that, too.

[Finger gun, wink.]

So tell me about this friend of yours ... besides the potential to usher in a new ice age, what else can he do? Is he cute?

Given where we are, not wanting to might actually be more important.

[The fingergun and wink almost makes him want to laugh, but he saves himself from that at the last minute - mostly because trying to decide if Bobby is 'cute' breaks his brain. ]

That's like asking me if my brother is cute.

See? I'm not nearly as bad as half the nutjobs on this boat.

Oh, come on. You've got --

[ A curious headtilt, and she leans in a little closer, to peer at him more carefully. ]

You can see, right? Not that it's a problem if you can't.

[ He's blinking a lot behind his glasses - not that she can see that, but it's not a question he expected. He should have. He didn't. He's apparently gotten too used to the barge.

It does mean silence goes on a little long, though. ]

Yes, yes I can see.

Hey, you never know. The other guy with the red glasses can't. I don't know if it's a whole Thing or not.

[If she could blush, she probably would be.]

Anything else you need to know?

[ Matt's glasses are red? Okay then. He shakes his head slightly. ]

No. I'll read through the file and see what's there, then we can catch up again.

Fine with me. [She's playing it casual, but man, she is anxious about someone reading that thing. She doesn't even know what's in there.] Maybe you can even tell me what it says.

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notrosecolored - 2018-05-12 00:18 (UTC) - Expand