voidtreckernet | [ Audio + Brief Video ] Domino Day Eighteen

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[ Audio + Brief Video ] Domino Day Eighteen

I know there's a lot of this going around lately, but I promise to try and make this quick.

There are people on board this train that are good with technology, right? Computers and things like that? Everyone knows the name Tony Stark--it's hard not to hear someone talking about him--or him talking about himself... So I'm going to ask where he is right now. If it's the Quiet Carriage, he won't hear this but maybe someone will let me know they saw him there recently.

But if anyone else is as good or better with tech than he is I'd like to know. I've got a few things to share. On one condition: make something useful with it.

[The feed switches off and then a video turns on in it's place a second later. No one is visible except for a black hand with sharp claws that holds what basically looks like a foreign cellphone in it's grasp. It's rotated slightly one way and then another before the video feed shuts off abruptly. An audio-only starts again.]

That's what you have to work with. We could use a better device than these things. [He does not miss Ryslig but gods does he miss the communicator devices from there.] For lots of reasons. [Someone is paranoid.] Any takers?

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I'll keep that in mind. You know their names?

[He can always look them up or something if they don't eventually respond. Write notes for doors or some crazy old fashioned thing like that.]

Yes.

Luke is the main one that comes to mind, although I just met this man known as the Doctor. Feanor isn't from the future but he's still formidable.. with this and otherwise.

[He thinks for a moment, giving this a serious consideration.]

Cal is also from Luke's world and has a droid, so he likely knows a few things. I know I'm forgetting people at the moment, but I'll keep thinking for you. If you're coming to the dining car, how do you like your coffee?

The man with the screwdriver that doesn't screw? Yeah, I noticed him. You think he's good with technology? Huh. What about this Feanor? Are you implying he knows magic? That could be good for this sort of thing, too.

[Garrett doesn't know much about this stuff but he knows that the people responsible for the ones in Ryslig used both technology and magics to make theirs and try to keep them as safe to use as possible. And unavailable to prying eyes.]

I don't. I'll be there shortly.

[He's quick as an arachne. Also, it's less he doesn't like coffee and more that he doesn't accept drink from strangers. There's a subconscious reason for that. It involves Trickster gods and horrible vines and we'll leave it at that.]

Yes.

[He frowns a bit.]

Why don't I wait till you're here before openly discussing other people's abilities.

[He isn't the only one with a healthy case of paranoia.

Whenever Garrett arrives, he'll find Tony with his laptop and a cup of that coffee he turned down. Tony gives the man a curious look, wanting to know why he saw claws in that video.]

[That was fair. That was the whole point of creating something new after all. To be discreet.

It took Garrett about two minutes to travel from the back of the train to the dining car. Not only was he quick but being able to travel on the ceiling made it so much easier not to run into people. Except when he ran into Dread or Piccolo. Damn tall people. As for his appearance, Garrett was dressed in full black at this point having cobbled together pieces from stolen clothing from the mountain valley village and working with Kumoko to remake his usual thief's attire. The black clothing helped to hide some of his arachne bits but if Tony was truly scrutinizing him he would see the scorpion pincers folded up at his shoulders and notice the spiky bits at his shoulders and elbows were not apart of any armor but rather chitinous protrusions, the same as his clawed hands and feet. There was also a scorpion tail curled up against his back and four long harvestman like legs that he tried to hide folded against his body but honestly didn't completely disappear like some parts of him. His extra sets of eyes were hidden beneath the hood over his head at least.

Garrett walked up the stairs into the dining room instead of crawling across the ceiling since the double decker made it awkward. He moved over to Tony and sat opposite him. He gave the man a moment to take him in since he knew what it was like for humans to see him for the first time.]

[His eyebrows rose as the man approached. His eyes darted to those areas where he was obviously different, but also kept returning to his face. There was calculating and looking for any hint of danger. So far so good, so he smirked.]

I can see why video chat isn't your thing. What's your name again?

Garrett.

[It was inevitable that a comment be made. And honestly it was kinda the truth. Back in Ryslig it hadn't mattered except if he just didn't want a background to be obvious. But here it was kind of...a courtesy. To others and himself.]

Go ahead and get it out of your system if you've got questions. [He waves a non-human limb at himself and his monstrous appearance.]

[Tony considers this for just a brief moment before holding out his hand.]

It's nice to meet you Garrett.

[No questions. No extra eyeing things. Just a greeting.

Okay, maybe some questions.]

You said you picked up some phones from the last world?

[Garrett just shifts uncomfortably whenever the hand is held out to him. He doesn't break eye contact though showing it's not embarrassment that prevents him from taking the offered hand. (In fact, it has nothing to do with his monster bits. He refused to be touched long before they were added to him.)

Instead, after the awkward moment passes, he leans back in his chair and basically lounges as he replies.]

Yes. A handful of them.

[A bit of an under exaggeration. Garrett had a literal bag full stashed somewhere. What he pulled out of his various pockets however was two different types of phones and one tablet. He didn't know the difference beyond the sizing. He set them on the table and slid them closer to Tony.]

[Rude. Tony does pull his hand back after a moment, his gaze is harder and less friendly than a second ago.

He examined the devices, getting a rough idea of how advanced the technology is. He finds it would be a lot easier to do that if they weren't designed so radically different thank these items in his own world.]

Hmm. These could be very useful but I'll need to work on them to see what I can learn about them. This power source is unfamiliar to me and some of these other features. I believe it will be close enough I can find a pattern.

[He straightens and looks at the odd man.]

And what do you want in return?

[The arachne raised a hand and waved it flippantly.]

A communication network operable outside of this train, for starters.

[It was literally all he had wanted when he had picked up the electronics in the first place. He had no use for them otherwise.

He leaned back into the chair some more.]

But you already knew that. [beat] You mentioned some others that might be interested in this project. Do you plan on working with them or working on those yourself?

[Tony looked at him a moment.]

Just seeing if that had changed.

[He gave Garret an odd look.]

What? Are you wanting us to set up shifts? Of course I'll be working with some of them on this project. Feanor and I have already made some progress with the SCA.

[Though obviously not as much as he would've liked or he wouldn't be standing in front of Mr. Creeps-A-Lot.]

Is there anything else you want before I take these with me?

[Garrett shook his head though if anything he looked amused.]

Just checking. If you're working with them it means less work for me. And a quicker solution. Especially if anything tries to work against it...

[The train didn't seem to react too negatively to its passengers when they got up to things. Ryslig had scarred him in more ways than one though. He couldn't help but think of the worst case scenarios rather than the best.

He shrugged.]

Let me know if you need more. Or anything else to work on them. I can always pick up better supplies next mission if it's as accommodating as the last.

[He set the item he had been looking at down and sighed.]

As helpful as this is for us, I find it very questionable that you're stealing from the people we're saving. I realize this is a gray area but may I get your word you won't take something that a family there clearly needs? Like cell phones and stuff, I get it, these can be replaced and aren't essential, but something that might harm them if they don't have.

You'll have to be more specific. Where I'm from the only thing you need to survive is food in your stomach. That makes everything else free game.

Besides, I'm not worried about them; I'm more worried about us. They get to stay in their comfy homes and all the better for it after we pass through and save them as you put it, while we get kidnapped and run around in this death-trap waiting to spring. And maybe it's been fine for you people so far but in my experience random kidnappings to other worlds don't typically end all that well.

Really? That's the only thing you need to survive?

[He folds his arms in front of his chest and gives Garrett a glare.]

Their comfy homes that just got ruined. These are people- innocent people. They don't have anything to do with us being trapped here. I don't care if this place turns out to be a death-trap. It's not right to help these people only to turn around and abuse them.

[His eyes narrow.]

And what kind of experience is that?

When you grow up on the street it is.

[Don't give him that look, Tony. He can glare, too, you privileged prick. He wasn't born a noble, he was an orphan who stole his food and learned to survive on his own merit.]

They'll survive. Where I came from we still have to vie with things like plague and sloop. [And he's not sure which is worse--having the plague or having nothing to eat but sloop soup. It ain't tasty.]

This. [He spread his arms and limbs wide to show off all his arachnid glory.] You think I was born this way? No. Somewhere I'm sure that's a thing, but I wasn't. I was human. Then a god decided to kidnap me and a whole bunch of others for her war and turned us into monsters. And the natives? They weren't exactly enthusiastic to have us around. Why would they? Just look at me. I know you feel repulsed. No one likes a monster in their midst.

You make one wrong move and the people you're trying to save? Will just damn you to hell.

[This is why he hated dealing with people. This was why he remained unseen, unheard. Being a thief just made it that much more applicable to his life.]

So we're ignoring the fact that you might also need a planet that's not on fire or one that's in an eternal blizzard making you freeze to death. Those aren't necessities too? Because last I checked, most people have more needs- even 'on the street' ones.

[He obviously doesn't know what sloop is but he didn't want to find out. He also looked at Garrett's uh.. extra bits with disdain.]

Sounds to me like you're making a bunch of damn excuses for getting to abuse people just because that's what happened to you. That's a pretty pathetic rational for leaving people to not have what they need to survive.

I'm flattered you think I can steal an entire world. [The smirk doesn't last long but it's there before it slips back into the serious face.] Your words just reveal the fact that you've never lived on the street before. It's pretty straight forward actually: stay away from people larger than you and procure just enough food to stay alive without gaining the attention of people who will beat you to death for simply filling your aching stomach. Which, by the way, is pretty much everyone.

For the record? I'm not abusing anyone. I don't hurt anyone, I don't even get noticed. I'm not a highwayman that beats their victims half to death or a burglar that smashes their way through a robbery. And I don't approve of those sorts.

But people can survive without their pretty little trinkets and baubles just fine. You even said yourself they don't need these devices. What, then, could I possibly take that would ensure their death? Please, tell me. Because I honestly can't think of anything small enough for a sneak thief to take that would leave a person for dead. Take your time contemplating your answer. You know where to find me. In the meantime... [Garrett rose from his seat.] ...you have what you need. And if you need more I'm the best bet to procure it seeing as the shop has limited options. Just keep that in mind.

[With that, he turned to leave.]

Wait, Garrett. You misunderstand me. I'm questioning your logic and principle, but not what you've done so far. I'm not as sheltered by my ivory tower as you seem to think. I get it. We're at war and we have to live in the gray to survive. And I can understand that you've been through a ton of shit- especially looking like that or even before. I'm not familiar with a 'sneak thief' so help me get a better idea of what you're about.

Let's speak hypothetically here, okay? If, say, you ran across a portable power generator that was being used to give people the warmth they need for their homes. Would you steal that? We could certainly use it but I wouldn't want to put those people in a vulnerable state by taking something like that. Another example are the guns from not this past mission but the one before. I know there are people on our train who took the guns we used. However, if we'd taken all of them, we would've left those people facing a new world without a way to defend themselves. So I'd argue we could take a few but not all of them. Where would you fall on that scale?

[Garrett stopped in the doorway but his shoulders were tense and his spider-y limbs twitched irritably. He didn't turn back to face Tony as he listened.

He almost still left. There were still obvious insults thrown at him and it didn't make for a very happy thief. He still refused to turn around instead turning his head to answer over his shoulder.]

Only if I was about to die and they weren't there to use it. I don't typically steal from the poor either unless they're crooks, thieves, or hiding something they shouldn't. [Garrett wasn't even sure what something like that would look like or how portable it really was for one person. The concept wasn't one he was familiar with. Electricity was made in great big factories, wasn't it? He wasn't even aware of how they worked to be honest. They were relatively new in his world and he hadn't gone looking in Bavan either where something like that might or might not have been more common.] It's easier for me to steal something I recognize. A piece of jewelry, a small tool set, small electronics like those. Wiring, paintings, silverware. Scrap metal. A book. Or food if I'm hungry.

[He glanced at Tony briefly.] If someone requested something like what you just named I'd have to ask for a description. But if all you're asking is 'would I steal from a poor family?' The answer is no.

[They had Darth Vader on board. Tony didn't think he was so out of line asking these questions. He truly meant them as questions and not insults, though he certainly didn't know the man well enough to have an idea how to phrase them better. He really didn't have an idea what Garrett was about and where his moral lines were drawn.]

If that's the case, then you have my apologies. I shouldn't have assumed otherwise.

[He was willing to make that concession and own that he'd been in error here.]

[Garrett hesitated. He glanced over his shoulder again to take in all of Tony's form and assess the over-all demeanor of the man. Garrett made a living on his observations; he considered himself fairly good at reading people as well as his surroundings. Garrett didn't know Tony hardly at all beyond what he heard but the man seemed genuine right now. Maybe it was play-acting but Garrett decided to take it for face value.

Reluctantly, he half turned. He wasn't quite facing Tony but he was no longer facing the exit either. He nodded once.]

Accepted.

[His reply was quiet yet firm, decisive.

Then he shifted awkwardly, not knowing where the conversation would go from there. He wasn't very good at this even on the best of days never mind the worst of them.]

[Tony met his gaze and gave a nod.]

Thank you. I won't keep you any longer.

[He was going to discuss this with the council too- not Garrett specifically but what they were going to do if there were other with less morals when looting.]

[Oh good, they were done for certain this time. Garrett would take the semi-amiable exit rather than storming off any day. It was anticlimactic, sure, but it left the rest of the day easier. Even if he was a little wary of future interactions. Usually he didn't have to worry about people knowing where to find him--they didn't know where he lived and he had a whole city to hide in anyway--but the train made that pretty much impossible. Oh well.

Still, when he turned to leave it was with a lighter step than before.]

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[ Audio + Brief Video ] Domino Day Eighteen

He likes the...relative promptness.

He was in the quiet room!

ofc, ofc.

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