worthallthis | The Last Voyages: IC Inbox

[He actually takes a moment to grind his palms into his eyes because of course she is. Of course the cool robot is on the floor he doesn't go on and in the room he doesn't go.

Asking things is hard. Asking things via text is apparently slightly easier.]

want to meet on the deck

Sure thing, The!

[Gortys is under the impression that Bucky's first name is 'The'.]

Be right there!

[Ya know what? He doesn't even care. As long as it's not that goddamn name he can deal with it.

He picks himself up from the corner he'd tucked himself in at hearing it, makes sure he's not too much of a mess from the panic attack, then heads upstairs to the deck. He's not in his tac vest,
but instead in a couple layers of shirt and a jacket, so the metal arm is mostly hidden, but his hand is exposed, if she'll notice something like that.

He has no idea what he's looking for, so he's just kind of. Loitering. Looking for something that says "robot" to his limited experience.]

[The Asset is in luck because Gortys is the most robot-like robot to ever grace the Barge. She's about two feet high, round and brightly colored to be friendly and accessible for the technologically inept.

She zooms out into view, looking around for anyone who might look like a stranger and who also would have called her on deck.]

[There she is. Yep, that is definitely a robot, and definitely a robot looking for somebody. Jesus Christ, she's cute, too. He's starting to feel kind of stupid for the panic attack. Well, more stupid than usual.]

Hi. Uh. Gortys?

[Gortys turns at her name and brightens, coming over to wave at him]

Hiii. Yes! Are you The Asset?

Yeah. That's. That's what they called me.

[What's the proper protocol here? How does one converse with a robot that comes up to one's kneecaps? Does he crouch down? Does he stay standing? Does he fucking sit?]

It's really great to meet you. Steve says that we might get along with each other. I asked him if maybe you wanted to learn a board game with me, because even though we've got a full group going now, there's always room to make more.

[Yep, Rogers' fault. At least this time he's got no real urge to punch him over it. He pauses, tries to come with a mental image of that, and fails.]

I don't know what a board game is.

[Gortys nods, and comes a little closer to the stranger]

Well, uh. Let's see. It's like a game, but it's on a board, and usually there's cards and dice and things to move around. Oh! I could show you? I taught everyone I know how to play Bunkers and Badasses.

[There's another pause, mostly while his brain parses "bunkers and badasses" and tries to gauge just his utterly ridiculous that name is. But showing seems the most efficient method, here, since he's not even really sure what "dice" are (it sounds familiar, but nothing's coming to mind, goddamn sieve-brain) so he says,]

Sure. Where is it at.

Over in my cabin. Oh, but maybe we should use yours - mine is kind of small...

[He's going to take that at face value: she is very small, so maybe all aspects of her cabin will be, as well. Crouching in a room with ceilings at Gortys-height would be awkward.

On the other hand, someone in his cabin. That makes him twitchy. On the other other hand, robot. That might make him less twitchy than a person.]

Okay. Third level, room fifteen.

Great! Hey, uh, but you might need to be around to help me with the elevator buttons. Hope that's okay!

[Opens mouth, shuts mouth, goes maybe a little bit paler. He doesn't use the elevator, but of course a little round, rolling robot won't be able to use the stairs.

He can suck it up. He can. It's only a couple of floors. So he says,]

Okay.

[And he'll let her lead the way to said elevator.]

[Gortys makes her way inside the elevator, then turns around to wait patiently for the Asset]

Thank you.

[It takes him a moment of standing outside the open doors before he can make himself follow her in. It's an enclosed space, not as well-lit as he'd like, and it sounds so mechanical. It's... very unpleasant. He holds very still by the row of buttons, and asks very, very calmly,]

What floor is your room.

[Need to get the game first, right?]

Oh, that one.

[She points to the bottom level. Sorry, Bucky, you're in for the long hall]

Are you okay?

Fine. I'm fine.

[He is not fine. He hits the button and continues holding very still.]

Small places are. Hard.

[Especially when they move and make noise. Jesus, he cannot do anything like an actual person, can he.]

They are?

[asks Gortys, who looks up with both confusion and sincerity.]

Why is that, exactly? Sorry if it's a private question.

I don't know. I don't remember. Programming, maybe.

[Did HYDRA just... program him to hate small spaces? What the fuck purpose would that serve? That seems like it would be counter-productive, he's sure he's had missions where he had to get through small spaces.]

Oh.

I didn't know humans could be programmed to think things like robots could.

[Technically it's intensive conditioning more than actual programming, but, well, he doesn't have the terminology for it, and the techs mostly treated him like a robot, anyway.

He shrugs awkwardly.]

I was. There's rules. Protocols. T. Trigger words.

Oh.

[She says, taking this all in matter-of-factly. After a few seconds, she nudges a little closer to bump against Bucky's leg without saying anything. She is a little concerned for him.

When the doors buzz she comes out of the elevator and rolls over to her room]

It's in here. Do you want to wait out in the hall?

[The bump makes him twitch a little, but mostly in surprise. Touch from a little rolling metal robot isn't as bad as from a fleshy-type person.

He steps out of the elevator immediately when the doors open, and does in fact wait out in the hall. It's wide and open and safe, and he needs to get his heart rate back under control before the next elevator ride.]

I'll wait right here.

[Though he might peer into her room curiously from his hallway vantage point.]

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