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[abide]

[ When the feed begins, Steve's face is relatively solemn the thirty seconds before he decides on what to say. There's plenty to address, and he doesn't want to drag it out needlessly. It seems their "captains" have done a good job of that so far. ]

There's been a lot of talk lately. [ He pauses, collects his thoughts again. ] From what's been said, I know most of us aren't happy with the situation, and that's okay. It's not a normal position to be put in. For some of us, anyway. But it's also important to remember the goal we should be working towards, and that's getting home. Not all of us are gonna want to go, but the majority seems to be in agreement.

Whether we trust those in command or not, we shouldn't forget that. Fighting or killing isn't going to solve the problem. Calling people out for things they've done in our own world or someone else's is only going to cause fires, and we should be trying to put 'em out. Not start them. [ He takes a breath, expression still relatively neutral. He's not pushing, not angry or worked up. If anything, he just looks... sad.

If those running the ship won't say it, he will. ] Some of you aren't going to listen, and some of you might be too scared to have a voice. That's fine too. Not everyone's willing to see eye-to-eye, but this isn't just about us. It's about the ones we've left behind, the people who are counting on us to make it back to them. Fear can do a lot of things, and right now, it's got us right where we shouldn't be. So... [ Another small breath. ] If you ever need someone to stand with you, fight for you— that's what I plan to do. Back home, it was my job to help keep everyone safe, and being on the Moira means this is my home now. It's all of ours, and we should be protecting it, not trying to destroy it. Or each other.

Even if it's not what I was assigned to here, I'm not gonna quit. I'll be around if anyone considers taking me up on that. [ Uh. ] My name's Steve Rogers. Thanks for your time.

[ And it immediately ends there, the lingering hint of a soft smile settling at the corner of his mouth. ]

Comments

[abide]

It's not that I don't want to tell you. [ It's a lot more complicated than that, and while he actually trusts Tony enough to offer that information to him... He doesn't want it to impact whatever he might think—of himself, of them, of the future. Steve shifts, sliding a hand through his hair. ] Since New York, we've focused on tracking down as many HYDRA bases as we can. Find the scepter, stop the experiments. It's why we ended up in Sokovia.

[ And that's just the beginning. ] Ultron was a program you created. You and Banner used the scepter to get it working. [ Or something. Please don't ask about the specifics; science is not his Thing. ] But it went wrong. Ultron overrode whatever protocols you had and got out into the world.

[ Which is why he feels like he's right back in the thick of it, Ultron's search for vibranium and the havoc that had come from it. The Vision, and how Ultron had planned to use Sokovia like a bomb. Pietro's death, Wanda's grief. The countless other civilians who had died and all the guilt they now carry. Steve's expression thins considerably, his voice tight. ] Ultron killed a lot of innocent people because of that. [ He doesn't mention that one kid just yet. Tony's smart enough to put it together, he's sure. ] Something intended to bring peace destroyed Sokovia and nearly took everything with it.

[arcreact]

[ He goes very still and very silent on the other end of the line, which is probably alarming if only because Tony Stark is so rarely either. Whatever answer he expected, it wasn't... this. ]

[ Slowly: ] You're telling me I made a program to support peace, and it destroyed an entire Eastern European country.

[ Yes or no question, this one. ]

[abide]

[ Some part of him wants to take it back. He wishes he could, especially when that silence falls between them like it does, but it's easier to get it out now rather than let it fester and boil over. Still, he can't bring himself to verbally acknowledge it, so there's a short nod. ]

It would have done more than that if we hadn't stopped it. What we did to do that-- [ He frowns. ] That's on all of us, not just you.

[arcreact]

[ Yeah, he's not feeling that, Cap, if it weren't clear from how his expression just closes off. Cleaning up your own shitshow doesn't wash the blood off your hands.

It's the same deal again, isn't it? Build weapons, have them used on innocent populaces. Build an Iron Man suit, have it used by Stane for whatever the hell he wants. Build an arc reactor, have it used by a psychopath on a revenge quest. Build a goddamn building and have it used as the welcome mat for an alien invasion.

He's not surprised, not shocked, because how could he possibly be at this point? ]

That girl. [ A pause, but it's really just a deliberate pretense. He knows her name. Of course he does. ] Wanda. She's got an accent.

[ It might be telling that that's what he chooses to fixate on just now. ]