001; video

[readytocomply]

[It had been the right thing to do. For everyone. He wasn't safe, couldn't trust himself, and while he hadn't wanted to do it, it had been the only choice. But he's been in and out of cryostasis enough to know when coming out this time isn't the same. It's not the same room. The same doctors. The cityscape outside is far from what he'd last seen. It's not just that that's off - it's how he wakes up. Relaxed, naturally, like he'd slept the whole night through, and there's nothing normal about that.

The telepathic earplugs don't bother him. The signing up to be a Legionnaire doesn't bother him. Not knowing where his best friend or anyone else is does. So when he's cleared by the medical team he uses the network to find answers. Bucky's face is half-hidden when the feed starts, voice low, and he wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't necessary.

He was on shaky ground and he needed something to steady him.]

Name's Bucky. I'm looking for someone. Steve Rogers.

[It's risky to put it out there like that. He doesn't know these people and he's been alive long enough to know that even the brightest smiles can be hiding the worst secrets. But he needs to find someone he remembers. Everything is muddled and this place looks like something his mind has made up.]

He might go by Captain America.

[Just in case he's alone here, he adds a little more.]

If someone could tell me what the hell's going on here, I'd appreciate it.

[There's a brief pause.]

I don't wanna talk in person. Here's fine.

[ooc: Bucky's new and sworn in - he may change his mind about that later. He tends to swap to text at random.]

Comments

[actionishisreward]

Ohhh crap.

[Hey Bucky, remember that kid who webbed you to the ground and refused to shut up? He's here.]

Um, hi? Cap's sort of here, but, and please don't fteak out, he's not actually the same Captain America we know. He's from an alternate universe. Same guy, roughly similar history, but it's the differences that will trip you up.

[readytocomply]

[Ah, this kid. Mouth that ran a mile a minute and was strong enough to stop his arm.]

What does that mean? Either he's Steve Rogers or he isn't.

[Now Bucky will come to terms with this eventually but right now he's stuck in a headspace that leaves him thinking he's gone crazy.]

And hi.

[He's got some manners. He just forgets to use them.]

[actionishisreward]

That's kind of my point. He's a Steve Rogers, not our Steve Rogers. We're from one universe, he's from one that's similar but not entirely the same.

...it's kind of like Wizard of Oz. You know how all the people Dorothy came across in Oz looked and sort of acted like people she knew in Kansas? That's how alternate universes work. There are people you know, but not the same people you know.

Also, hi. I'd apologize for webbing you to the floor, but you kinda threw a metal sign at my head so I think that sort of makes us even.

[readytocomply]

Does he know me?

[Bucky doesn't want to panic, but he might. He also doesn't want to dig a hole and never come out, but if he's got nobody to verify that this is all real, he might. Maybe red spandex guy can help with that.

His movie reference is a good one. It makes sense even if it's a little unbelievable.]

Never apologize for protecting yourself.

[actionishisreward]

I think he does, yeah.

private

[readytocomply]

And you know me?

[unrecovered]

[Hello, shameless curiosity]

Okay, that's a story I want to hear.

[readytocomply]

It's really not.

[unrecovered]

Look, I've watched enough shitty entertainment in my life to know when there's an actual good story somewhere. "I webbed you to the floor after you threw a sign at my head" sounds like a good story, or at least a good highlight reel.

[actionishisreward]

It's a long story. I wasn't there for most of it, and a lot of it is stuff I had to work out after.

Basically, because of several very destructive incidents that the Avengers played a role in, even if they didn't exactly cause them, the UN decided they should set a up a panel to oversee the team. Mr. Stark was for it, Captain Rogers was against it, apparently because he felt it would limit there ability to help people? The other Avengers sort of took sides from there. It probably wouldn't have been a thing I ended up involved in, but then a guy whoo looked like Bucky here caused an explosion that killed the King of Wakanda during the signing of the Accords that created the oversight panel.

Cap went after Bucky, figuring he'd framed, which he was, which kind of violated the Accords. It turned into this whole huge mess, one half of the Avengers fighting the other half, and I ended up involved because Mr. Stark figured he needed some backup, and kinda-sorta blackmailed me into fighting by threatening to tell my aunt what I'd been doing.

[unrecovered]

[Okay but why turn on video if you're going to basically hide from the feed? Someone does not look like they're doing okay.]

He's around, but Peter pretty much hit the nail on the head - between alternate dimensions and timeline bullshit, it's probably better to talk to him before you assume he's the one you know.

As for what's going on, did you get the briefing?

[Sure, this place is insane, but that doesn't mean Wash wants to explain the same thing twice.]

[readytocomply]

Where around?
You say he's not my Steve but he's still Steve. I want to see him.

I did but it's a lot to accept from complete strangers.

[unrecovered]

The ship, mostly. Your best bits are his part of the habitat deck or the training deck, or you could always just ping him here.

[If this entire callout post hasn't already. "Will Captain America please report to the observation deck; your party is waiting for you."]

[As for the "what the fuck is that briefing" response, he just shrugs.]

Yeah, it is, but you get used to it after a while. Any questions about anything in particular?

private

[readytocomply]

If he wants to see me, he'll find me.

[Bucky gets the feeling that maybe this Steve isn't his friend or doesn't like him. It's hard to imagine a universe where they aren't close but he won't push anyone to be around him who doesn't want to be.]

Will they try to make me kill anyone?

Permafilter

[unrecovered]

True, but it would probably help if he knew you were here. Unless you think he's the type to scour the records every day in case one of his friends shows up, you need to be the one to take the initiative.

[Says the person who does take a look at the records every day, given the Time Trapper's propensity towards grabbing people from his dimension.]

[Also Jesus fucking Christ that's one hell of an opener. Bucky might as well have damaged tattooed across his forehead for how obvious that question makes it.]

No. Lethal force is a last resort here, to the point where if you do kill someone on a mission, there's a full-on criminal investigation to make sure that it really was a last resort and you didn't just do it because it's easy or for funsies. The higher-ups don't want any of us killing, so they're definitely not going to make you do it.

[And the fact that that's his first concern is a little worrying.]

[smarterthandad]

[It's a small blond girl, perhaps three or four, but the intent expression on her face belies the possibility that someone's kid got hold of an unattended omnicomm.]

Oh, boy.

[Thanks Val, that was very helpful.]

[readytocomply]

I prefer Bucky.

[Haha.]

[smarterthandad]

[No one can roll their eyes like a small child.]

Don't quit your day job.

[You know, of being a brainwashed killing machine.]

You sharing a universe with Spider-Man complicates things.

[She's too loyal to Steve to outright say "Cap is gonna be surprised and not in a good way."]

[readytocomply]

Why's that?

[Bucky doesn't know everything about the spider guy. Their meeting was brief and he didn't get the chance afterward to get filled in.]

He do something? Or do you know who I am?

[The latter was worse.]

[smarterthandad]

Let's take this backchannel.

[She takes a sip of her drink with one hand while reaching out to tap the controls with the other, the way anyone sitting at a desk might. The weird part is that instead of a coffee mug, it's a juice box with a cartoon rabbit on the side.]

[private]

The Steve Rogers here is from my universe, though he's back a few years from me. James Barnes exists for us, too.

[Yep, she knows who he is. Sorry, Bucky.]

Unfortunately, Uncle Steve [wat] is too upright for his own good, and refuses to hear any information from "the future." [Another eyeroll. Like that matters.] He doesn't know the Winter Soldier's actual identity.

[walkingballpit]

Uh - you've been kidnapped to be a Space Avenger. Like the Starjammers, but actually useful.

[ Man, the Time Trapper just has their universe and its analogues on speed dial. ]

I see other people have handled the whole "Cap's here bit. He's also from the past - although not all the way to the Cap-and-his-pal-Bucky-punch-Nazis era. Speaking of, how removed are you from that?

[readytocomply]

Kidnapped.

[That's exactly what it felt like and exactly what he'd hoped it wasn't.]

Seventy years, give or take.
Does everybody here know who I am? Or some version of me.

[walkingballpit]

Kidnapped, but not by the Legion of Superheroes. The Time Trapper did it - he's complicated, but if you imagined that 1940s Switzerland was a person and that person had the power and inclination to balance out the universe while still being, you know, Switzerland and not wanting to be bothered - that's the Time Trapper.

[ Robbie's chosen to focus on "this universe needs help" and ignore that the way of asking for it was pushy as heck. ]

That's... about right! Man, that's a relief. I'd hate to have to explain rock n' roll to a guy. And, no, not everybody. There's maybe six of us, but we're not all from the same world exactly. Or time. There used to be more, but people got sent home.

[readytocomply]

That's a lot to process.

[If text could hold a tone, it'd be wry. This Time Trapper is someone Bucky will have to keep an eye on then.]

Rock n' roll's been around for a long time, pal.
Why'd they get sent home?

[walkingballpit]

[ Robbie shrugs as he reads the first time. ]

What in this business isn't a lot to process?

[ Really, once you get beyond superpowers and alien invasions, something like the Time Trapper isn't a big stretch. He doesn't keep giving the guy a hard time though, mainly because "My BFF is a huge Captain America nerd, and I know you went missing way before Elvis in my world" is awkward.]

I'm... not sure why they got sent home. It's not because they couldn't cut it. Namorita and Doctor Strange are worth a spot on any team.