capeandcowllogs | a small oversight in the machine design - another victim of built-in obsolescence

WHO:

technophantom
WHERE: One of Ghost's safe(ish)houses in the more run-down part of the City.
WHEN: Very late night of the 1st to early morning of the 2nd!
WARNINGS: Nah probably G.
SUMMARY: Moonstone wrangles Ghost into disabling her nanites before going on the f--k tha system Vulcanus mission with him.
FORMAT: [Bracktion]

[It was pretty remarkable how much one could get done if one forwent time-sinks like hygiene, social contacts, regular mealtimes and sleep. And beyond getting his skinny ass in the deep end with Vulcanus, Ghost had done little but focus on the leash the Thunderbolts program had left on him when the Porter'd sprung him from the Raft. After a few weeks he'd made considerable progress, and managed to crack the nanite problem with complete confidence. Finally.

Now he was just sitting back on a cracked countertop perusing the Network idly, waiting for Moonstone to arrive so he could do the same for her. Liberating people, liberating his people was one of few things that brought him satisfaction these days. And Moonstone and Marko were more his people than he was comfortable admitting aloud to anyone. This was a position of weakness the young, naive programmer would have found himself in; Ghost was older, and wiser.

Supposedly.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ghost being here this time around was a blessing, as far as Karla saw it, especially if the techno-freak could really disable their nanites. The last time she was here, she had to rely on Norman Osborn to do it, and, frankly, she didn't trust him to do the job right and not leave some way for him to use them if he ever decided to.

Ghost was easy though, she could use him, and, though it wasn't something that she did, she could trust him. To that end, she flew through the door, floating over to Ghost, and though she could already tell that he'd been neglecting the few simple things that would have actually made him tolerable to be around, her fingers lightly traced over his shoulder.]

I heard that you had some good news for us.

[He was working on an encryption, glanced up as she came in, and then fumbled the comm as she touched his shoulder, hunching in a little visibly and then setting the comm down decisively on the counter next to himself. Better than just dropping it on the floor.] I do.

[he reached up, touching the side of his helmet with one hand. While it was natural for him to seek the most efficient solution to solve any given problem, a small part of him wanted to delay a little, enjoy the attention. The businesslike part forced otherwise.] Hhhh. Hold still.

[He reached up, passing his free hand intangibly through her sternum without so much as a by-your-leave, his other hand still fiddling with his helmet.]

[She jumped back slightly, ready to punch Ghost in the face for the sudden and unceremonious intrusion. Yet, she held back, because as much as Ghost was a filthy, disgusting degenerate of a human being, Karla knew that she could trust him... as strange as that was. At the very least she could trust him to do the job well, and that was all that mattered, so she huffed dramatically.]

This better work, Ghost. I usually expect dinner before I let a man inside me.

[his body language suggested all his focus was on the task at hand and that he honestly wasn't just staring at her chest or otherwise getting some weird thrill off the partial intangibility, though with that mask, one could never be fully sure. After a long silence he finally seemed to let his brain catch up to what she said, letting out a raspy flat snicker] You're welcome to share my field rations afterward. [another ten seconds, and he phases back out of her, resting a fingertip lightly on her collarbone for a second.] There. Your full range of abilities and control have been restored, and the nanobots permanently disabled.

Ugh, I feel so violated.

[A shiver ran up her spine. Whether he showed it or not, she felt pretty sure that Ghost was somehow getting off on this, but she wasn't going to complain too much. That would have been a small price to pay for being able to go intangible once again.]

You're the best, though. [He hand cups the side of his mask, before finally passing through it of her own free will, and, yes, that makes her very happy.]

So, are you still serious about stopping Vulcanus?

Thank you. [he hhrms as he starts to get up--and then leans back again as she touches his mask, going very still, letting out the softest of sighs as she verifies her abilities by phasing through him. It's a self-satisfied sigh if ever there was one.]

I calculate a preemptive strike is the best tactical move available to us. At best, we cripple their production. At worst we inconvenience, and perhaps intimidate them. 

However... I suggest you take steps to conceal your involvement. Your slate in this world is clean.

[She crosses her arms, satisfied with his work, and sighs. She really didn't want to get involved with the entire mess, sure one side would eventually decimate the other and she could make it out unscathed, but... She couldn't just let Ghost do anything on his own and get himself killed.

Though she'll never acknowledge or accept that reasoning.]

My slate will never be clean, Ghost. I came in as Moonstone, and the Avengers know what that means, of course. I might not have a criminal record here, and I do want to keep it that way for the time being, but... [She looks thoughtful for a moment.] Doing this would make us look better in the eyes of the other imports, and that's more important right now.

[this was definitely dangerous, for both of them, but Ghost was surprisingly gratified for the assist.]

Of course, the Avengers will never accept us as heroes. The other imPorts--that does seem likely. I have encountered a handful of individuals friendly to the cause. Their status as unwilling immigrants to this world seems to trump grudges from home. 

Do you prefer this place to our world?

As long as we keep up appearances, even if it becomes known what Cage's version of the Thunderbolts program was, people will accept us. Really, this is what the team should have always been about, and if the Avengers say too much, it will work against them.

[She's silent for a moment, a bit surprised by Ghost's question. She never really thought about it.]

I don't think I like it any better or worse, since it's pretty much the same. I do enjoy not being in prison, though.

What about you?

[he trusts her judgment on these matters, she's usually right. And having the Avengers proven wrong kind of notably buoys him for a second, a split fraction of emotion suppressed as quickly as it came]

Our intentions do speak for themselves... and from my research, Mr. Cage has been here before. If he were to return --he may vouch for us?

[that much he's plainly not sure of, though. But somebody's gotta!

He gets up after a second, floating over to pick up his comm--taking the batteries out and tapping the screen a second before discarding it again, then turning to Karla with more confidence.]

You should be free. 

...I find this universe singularly liberating. There is still corruption, greed and cruelty enough to keep me busy - and Iron Man has regressed - if Marko were to arrive and the rest of our slavers remain at home, I could exist in a state of... quasi-serenity.

a small oversight in the machine design - another victim of built-in obsolescence

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