2049/Truth Be Told

From Heroes Assemble MUSH
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Truth Be Told
Date of Scene: 10 June 2020
Location: Hot Joe Coffee
Synopsis: Daniel affirms to Peggy Carter that he's not an apparition and apologizes to her for leaving SHIELD.
Cast of Characters: Peggy Carter, Daniel Hastings




Peggy Carter has posed:
Just being able to be out of the complex helped a lot. Still in a lot of physical therapy, still somewhat fragile looking compared to her old self, but out and around. Peggy's settled in at a window seat in the coffee shop, something comfortable and tucked to the far side of the store so she's not near the crowds and can keep her back to a wall while staring out over the window, patrons, or into the tablet in her lap. She's got a cup of tea and two biscuits in front of her, the tea cooled but the little pot at the center of the table still hovering on warm. Now doing her best to blend into the modern era, she's found a comfortable mix of vintage cut and styled clothing that have come back in the last few years. Today, it's a pair of high waisted, wide legged gray plaid pants and a wide lapel burgundy shirt which is nearly a match for her normal, red lipstick.

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Salem is still something of a haunt for Daniel. It was the first 'city' that he toured after New York and its still a much more comfortable size for him comparitively. The trick though is that he can't just pop into the Triskelion any time he likes and its not as if he has Peggy's number. When last he spoke to her, a phone was the least of her concerns. It felt a little awkward.. knowing you'd been spying on your not quite ex.. until one day you saw that she was moving around and actually leaving the confines of the secretive complex. He'd waited til she was settled with her tea before making an appearance around the corner and casually walking into the establishment. The barrista recognized him, commented that it had been a while, and had his tea ready in short order. Then.. he steeled himself and walked over to Peggy's table with a gesture to an empty chair. "Do you mind if I join you?" His smile was warm but not too familiar. For all the staff was concerned, they were strangers.

Peggy Carter has posed:
Dark eyes flicker up from her tablet, another file of history that she's been combing through intensely, trying to get caught up on not just the world but also SHIELD. It must be classified stuff, because a brief swipe of her finger and the screen goes dark for privacy concerns. It seems she's adapted to the motions of basic technology fairly well, at least. A strange, only slightly surprised but, never the less, with an inch of shock behind it smile crosses her red painted lips. So, his presence hadn't been a sick bed dream either. She takes a heartbeat or two in order to fully study him, looking up and down his frame before nodding to the seat across from her. "Not at all. Sit. Feel free to get yourself something, I shan't be disappearing, I promise."

Daniel Hastings has posed:
There's a faint laugh that comes from him. "I certainly hope not.. though I can't make promises. Apparently, I've quite the knack for it lately." Daniel pulls out a chair then sits down, the paperboard cup in his hand steaming from his tea as he tugs on the string to steep it. "I.. don't even know where to begin." He offers with his gaze mostly upon the tea but eventually tearing its wear back to look at you. "You.. look good." His smile warms. "Things.. going alright with Steve, I hope?" Maybe its an assumption there but the man's not dead and is still with SHIELD. "I'm sorry I left, Peg. I am. It's just.. SHIELD.. isn't.. anyway.. I'm teaching now. It's a good life." He takes a deep breath and sips his tea. "How about you? I'd ask if there were new developments.. but I think that's all you've had of late."

Peggy Carter has posed:
The brunette keeps her quiet study of him going. If it was anyone else, it might not seem like she was putting details together at all, but it's Peggy. She's always analyzing, never quieting that part of her mind which is profiling a person, every update, every new wrinkle or set of their clothing. Whatever she finds, she seems content in it as she gives him a bit of a tired smile. "Teaching suits you. I'm glad you found somewhere better. I never... Ever wanted SHIELD to be a trap for anyone, even if it might have felt like that some days." Her quiet, clipped voice offers earnestly. "Steve is fine enough. We are both...adjusting. And yes. It is all adjusting. Physical therapy takes up the rest of my time. I'd rather be in better fighting shape than I...am..." For a moment, there is clear frustration with her own body behind her voice.

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Daniel smiles again and takes a deep breath. "I know what you mean. I.. spent a lot of time malnourished. Took me a solid two months to get the meat back on me and into something even close to a fighting trim. Give it time." He reaches out and rests his hand on your wrist. "I know that. Fury knows that. Hill.. I'm not so sure of." There's a faint squeeze before he takes his hand back. "Anyway, I'm actually scouting out research jobs. Someplace I can stretch the brain without building the next generation of military hardware." His brow knits again. "I think that's what was eating me. I've never been a soldier. Even when I was and had to be." She can read him as conflicted. Certainly, he'll fight if lives depend on it but he'd rather try to solve world hunger or the fresh water crisis than build a better missile. Mostly, he feels as if he's let her down.

Peggy Carter has posed:
There isn't an inch of judgment in her eyes. Just that simple, warm, respectful gaze he's always known. Perhaps a bit more forgiving than she has been in the past, but her life has changed a lot and she's not upper management any more. She lets one hand free of her tea cup and folds her slender fingertips over his for just a heartbeat, giving a faint squeeze before they both let go. "The...difference between us. I think I was always a soldier, of one sort or another. As much as they'd let me be, being a woman. It's... really all I know." She admits softly.

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Daniel Hastings's brow knits. "Peggy, you are the most fierce.. most intelligent.. sharp witted.." He sighs. "I'm glad they froze you. You got to wake up after the Women's liberation movement. Not that things are perfect.. but they're a damned sight better than they were." Is he pissed off for her? Maybe a little. "Not that the military is completely integrated but.. I digress. The point is.. be whatever you want to be. I know I'll support you." He laughs faintly. "Listen to me. As if I was the one that was fighting that battle." Which he did. Even back then. "Of course, the question is.. where are you going to fit in the chain? It's not as if either of them are just going to hand over the reins." Likely meaning Fury and Hill.

Peggy Carter has posed:
A little laugh escapes her lips, which she buries in her tea cup for a moment. She gives a slightly shake to her head at his commentary about women's liberation, mirth behind her eyes. "Daniel, I was awake for all of it. A mix of some... strange luck and experimental science... I was awake until 1985. The biggest things I missed were invading the middle east on multiple occasions and the end of the cold war. I was director that *entire* time. I think...going back to being a field agent will be a nice change, instead of sitting behind a desk. I just need to get up to physical spec and that is... a process." Clearly her biggest struggle, the resentment of her own conditon clear on her face. "And...where ever you wish to go, as long as it's not to some... enemy government or facist organization, and I know you wouldn't...I support you."

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Blink. Blink blink. "You were?" Now Daniel is confused. "Right. Well.. I wasn't." He laughs. "I ahh.. well I'm sure they'll let you read the report. Suffice to say I wasn't exactly in Kansas. And when I came back there was this little hiccup in my travel arrangements and my arrival time." Sipping his tea, he lowers it to look at you like you'd lost your mind. "You know I wouldn't. And if I did and found out I'd been duped.. well.. woe be to them." Soldier he may not be but he got a steely look in his gaze just then. He sniffs, relaxes. "Take Lexcorp. That reporter.. Lane? Of the Daily Planet? Seems to think he's dirty. Which is why I'm just warring corporate sector science as opposed to say.. NASA."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"I should have seen if they'd let me read your file but... maybe that's just nosy of me. I couldn't quite remember of you were real or not, those first few days awake were a... Well, I couldn't entirely tell what was real and what was dreams. For what it's worth? I'm glad you're real..." Peggy now reaches her hand across the table to give his a bit of a squeeze, but she's never been much of a touchy person and that hasn't changed over the decades. She goes back to delicately grasping her tea cup and watching him over the rim of it. "...Corporations aren't much better than governments. Independent scientists are... most likely your best shot for something vaguely ethical. Grant writing aside."

Daniel Hastings has posed:
    There's a soft smile for Peggy when she reaches across to give his hand a squeeze. He turned his hand up to meet hers and return it. "When I heard the rumor.. well.. I'm glad you are, too." Daniel's gaze lingers a moment then he looks to his tea. Brits were never good with awkward moments. Even if he was a Canadian. "The only problem with being an independent scientist is the money. No money, no research. No research, no publishing. No publishing, no money." A fingertip spins a circle. "But.. that's not going to stop me. What I could use is a telescope.. or time at the Arecibo." There's a chuckle. "Maybe Foster will hire me at the Hayden."

Peggy Carter has posed:
Another sip of her tea, the cup finished, and she pours the last dose out of the pot in front of her before it gets entirely cold. She's definitely still a brit about her tea, taking it horribly strong with just a dash of milk against the Lady Grey flavor. A grimace of understanding crosses Peggy's features as he mutters about the academia grant loop and she gives a small nod of understanding. "You should apply with Foster. She's quite brilliant and I think the work she's doing is excellent. Then you'd still have some ties and be able to trust whom you're working with without being under SHIELD's thumb."

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Daniel Hastings smirks, "Just working under the directorship of an agent." There's a small shake of his head. "Still. If she keeps working on special projects for them, someone's going to need to run the planetarium. I'm more than qualified for the job considering I was breaking ground for her field before she was born." He gives Peggy a good natured wink. "And chased that down with.. a visitation to other worlds and civilizations." His free hand brings a finger to his lips. "Not that she hasn't. But still. It's worth a thought. It would get me access to labs anyway.. experiments.. back into Big Science." He says the last with no small amount of longing.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Negotiate your freedom... If you are that in demand, and I suspect you are, lay out the terms that she is to give you no directives from SHIELD and not feed anything you work on back to them, if it bothers you so much. At least, have the converation with her. There is no organization in this world that is going to be clean, Dr. Hastings, and you know that." A ghost of a smile crosses Peggy's lips as she remembers something she read on the internet the other day. "...while...I think it's rather extreme, I think there's a lot of children on the world wide web who have been yelling 'No ethicalc onsumption under capitalism'? Or some such? This is rather the same, but with governments and knowledge. People have eyes everywhere. I simply know which eyes I trust."

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Daniel Hastings takes a deep breath. "It's true. Unfortunately. So long as greed exists as a medium, it will always be true. I suppose I'm just one of those starry eyed idealists that keeps reaching for the impossible." He profers her a wan look then sips his tea. "I think Jane would understand though. Not that anything I'd be doing is something I wouldn't want the world to have anyway. That's.. part of my problem. I want to come up with solutions that are free.. but to make them you have to spend money.. to get the money to make them you have to earn money.. which means they can't be free." There's that circle again. "So maybe not free. Just at cost." He lets out a chuckle then tilts his head as he looks at her. "Doctor Hastings.. you know I used to have a name."

Peggy Carter has posed:
A little chuckle comes, "Yes. Daniel. It's... simply been a long time. And your title is a show of respect." Peggy offers earnestly, having been the whole reason she mentioned it. She takes a long sip of her tea then, considering the situation before them. Finally, her head tilts in affirmation, "I don't know enough of this world to make better recommendations. I do know Dr. Foster. You'd do well with her, and she is very much a woman of the right ideals. Talk to her, at least... That's the best advice I have." She offers gently before taking one last, finishing sip of her tea.

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Daniel Hastings takes a deep breath. "Yes.. yes it has." So much time has passed. So many things that were.. aren't. It's a sobering thought that has him regarding Peggy as she considers her tea. "I'm sorry. If.." His fingers drum on the table as some inner war wages on. Maybe he heard what she said about Foster. Probably did. He nods in the end. "I will." Then he hand comes back to his tea with his fingertips pushing it back and forth across the table as if passing it between his hands. "I would.." He offers as his hands stop playing with his near empty cup. "still like to be friends." His gaze lifts to her. "If you think that's possible. They're in short supply these days."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Of...of course. I mean, I'm not... I don't know that I'm all that *good* at friends, in truth. I've always been married to the job and once I'm active I suspect I'll be in as deep as before. But I am still fond of you and your leaving SHIELD doesn't change how I see you as a person. So... Friends. Absolutely." She sets down her empty tea cup and reaches over to squeeze the back of his hand reassuringly. Just a few moments of touch, but it's there. "Now... I should be getting on. PT and I'll need to change and the therapist is quite a battle axe when it comes to timing. And... everything else."

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Daniel smiles warmly at her words and dips his chin. "Here. My number. Not for SHIELD." A small emphasis there. Surely SHIELD had his public information already tracked. He took out a pen and wrote on a napkin that he slid over to her. "In case of emergency." Straightening, he rose from his chair. "Oh they're very much battle axes." Speaking from experience, there's a small exhale of breath then he looks back to her. "And if Romanov makes an appearance.. give her a good right cross from me. Out of deep respect." He winks then approaches for a brief hug. "Take care of yourself, Peg. Be safe." He met her eyes with his own with all sincerity then backed off knowing how personal space and agents are.. especially her. Then he snaps her a salute, Canadian style. "Give them hell."