DAYCYCLE 5

[ NOV 16-20 ]

MORNING

You wake to yet another exciting day in Alpha Complex at 0600, but you may immediately sense that something is off. Your mind is muddled and it takes you a moment to remember where and who you are. But even that is uncertain, because if you think hard enough, you can remember people calling you other names. In fact, you can remember a singular, life changing memory that makes no sense when you compare it to all of the others that you possess…

Heads are going to roll at the MemoMax facility. Apparently, last night instead of downloading memories, someone hit the upload switch instead. Each Alpha Complex citizen now possesses life changing memories from another citizen’s life. This doesn’t make much difference for the majority of Alpha’s citizens, but makes a big difference for the Specials who possess the glitch that left them with past memories. Enjoy this window into a stranger’s life while you can, by midnight tonight the MemoMax facility will be under new management and memories will be restored to normal.

Ray Palmer and Alec Hardison are pulled from the morning briefing for interrogation regarding Maria Hill and her recent actions. Hardison is released after a brief session, but Ray is subjected to almost an hour of questioning due to him being the common link between recently convicted traitor Abbie Mills and Maria Hill.

No missions are issued to any of the specials today.

All other Troubleshooters: You are to report to your Service Firm positions for the day, until called on for Troubleshooter duty.

AFTERNOON

There is an R&D Synovation conference today beginning at noon. R&D Project Directors host these conferences so researchers can share ideas and show off their latest triumphs. However, because R&D researchers tend to be highly secretive about their work, many present bogus projects and inaccurate data, to throw off their jealous rivals. All citizens at a clearance level of RED or higher are invited to attend.

EVENING

There will be a TopWare party in the Troubleshooter’s common room at approximately 1800. Come see the wonders of TopWare and all it’s capable of! Bring your ME cards.

Sleep aid gas is expelled into the sleeping quarters at 2100.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Steve had been on planes enough times now for his mind not to go immediately to the right memory. It wasn't one he liked to visit that often.

"I have a feeling I'll be sharing a similar story once you're done," he says, taking a spoonful of his non-appetizing food and putting it in his mouth. He doesn't make eye contact with Dick, even though normal social interactions would dictate that he should, given the topic they were speaking of.

"Tell me what you dreamt, but keep eating. Act normal."

He'd been avoiding higher scrutiny all week long. As much as he wanted to get to the bottom of this, Steve needed to maintain the integrity of his current mission as well.

Dick raised an eyebrow at the 'similar story' comment, there was clearly something about what Dick was saying that made sense to Steve, which made him wonder if perhaps their memories had been swapped somehow. The command to act normal made him grin a little as well, a lifetime with Batman left him very good at having one conversation while looking like he was having another, and the subterfuge was familiar to him.

Leaning back in his chair, he picked nonchalantly at his breakfast and explained what had happened in a low voice. It was difficult to keep his emotions in check, there was a really distinct sense of loss that accompanied the memory that felt all too familiar to his own losses, and he still felt it like it had happened to him.

It wasn't until a third of the way through that Steve realized exactly which of his plane rides Dick had experienced, but he doesn't cut him off. If it felt as real to Dick as Steve's latest memories felt to him — well, for that, Steve was sorry. It was difficult for him, even now, to maintain a type of composure that signaled "nothing is happening" to their fellow breakfast crew.

This wasn't a battlefield and he wasn't a spy. In the end, he looked down into his food, and just appreciated the memory of Peggy's voice one more time.

But when the recounting is over, the Captain realizes that the boy never got to experience the ending, so he fills it in. "No one died during that plane crash." He eats another spoonful of mush, and manages to give Dick a convincing smile afterwards. "I woke up seventy years later. It was too late to make it to the dance, but I got to see Peggy one last time."

But that was a whole other story. Now it was his turn to tell Dick what he'd seen.

"I had a dream last night. Multiple actually." There was a feeling of nostalgia that was difficult to hide. They'd felt so real. "I was talking to a therapist about being a hero." He tells about each of the dreams in sequence: what he (or Dick, really) had said about Batman, going through a training routine and then being invited to play basketball, all the way to the flashbacks within his memories of the trapeze.

None of it was easy.

One last time. Seventy years later. It didn't take a genius to figure out the circumstances of that meeting, given that Steve definitely did not look seventy years older, and it was achingly bittersweet to think about with those memories fresh in his mind, but he manages a sort of smile and he's at least glad that Steve survived.

When Steve starts to recount what he experienced, it helps ground Dick a little bit, drawing up his own memories of the events as Steve speaks to remind himself who he is. He feels awkward that Steve witnessed his talk with Black Canary (since he's pretty sure that's the therapy session he must be talking about), but he has to concede that he saw a deeply personal aspect of Steve's life, it was only fair that Steve saw something similar. Despite that, it all seemed quite tame, the memory of the basketball game made him smile, but then... the accident. Somehow he wasn't surprised, and yet it still hit him like a brick, it always did. He nodded slowly, not quite trusting himself to speak for a moment.

Steve lets the silence wash over them for the moment, focusing his own hands on maneuvering his food into his mouth. He doesn't want to talk about how this is proof that the Complex does have control over their memories. All he wants, is to give some semblance of comfort to the kid in front of him.

An entire minute goes by before he speaks again.

"The man you referred to as Batman in those memories. Is he family?"

"He's.." Dick hesitated, poking at his food. This place tired him out, second guessing everything and making him think too hard about secret identities and how much to say and who to trust and he just wanted to take a moment to actually connect with someone. This ... glitch, whatever it was, made him feel a connection with Steve, so he halted himself before he could think too hard about the situation.

"Yes," he answered "He's my dad."

Steve nods. "My father was killed in action." But before Dick has too much time to feel sorry for him, Steve adds: "I was just a kid when it happened — even younger than you — so I don't remember him much."

"In the memory, I could tell you cared a lot about your father, and that he felt the same about you." A beat. "I have to thank you, for giving me the chance to remember what that feels like."

There's a semblance of a smile on Steve face, and his voice is calm and unwavering, like a man who's already come to grips with those parts of his past.

Their time in the canteen was coming to close. Most of the other troubleshooters were beginning to file out. At this point, Steve was done with whatever was left of his food, so he sets his utensils down on the tray, and throws his napkin over it.

Dick couldn't help but smile at that, it's a little bittersweet but he still feels good that he's given Steve those memories, if that's what he took from them, he knows what's it like to lose a parent - both of them, actually - and he knows how important it is when those emotions you never thought you'd see again get a chance to come back to you.

"Well...you're welcome, for that. I'm glad." he said softly, not sure what else to say. It was nearly time to go though, and he pushes himself to his feet, knowing he's got a lot of work to do today.

"It was nice to meet you, Steve," he says genuinely, although what they've seen goes a little deeper than a simple meeting "I'll see you around?"

Shortly after Dick stands, Steve follows, picking up his tray.

"You can bet on it." It might have been a glitch in the system, but their memories have brought them together. At future mission assignments and at meals, the Captain will be keeping an eye out for Dick. Just to make sure that he's doing all right.

DAYCYCLE 5 [ NOV 16-20 ]

DAYCYCLE 5

[ NOV 16-20 ]

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let's end this one soon

Works for me :)

perfect