dangerous games

[thedoctordances]

After a day or two of nursing a hangover, and several days of writing up the patient care plan for Glitch, and another day or two of attempted woodworking, Dr. Beverly Crusher had had it with the tropics. It was at least something that she hadn't ended up sanding her hand off--she was used to places with limited economies, but there was always a

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[notquitekang]

The Vision watched in amazement as the woman fired her weapons at the marked targets. It seemed almost a blessing to him that she was using some sort of exotic weaponry, which told him immediately that the novelty of this island was beginning to wear off. He was prepared to return to New York, hopefully returned to his synthezoid form instead of this new one that Tabula Rasa had decided to don him with.

He noticed as she went through the motions of her target practice that she seemed to hesitate upon firing, the hallmark of either someone with little practice with such a weapon, or a pacifist. It was then that he noticed her eyes upon him.

"That is a remarkable weapon you have," he told the woman informatively.

[thedoctordances]

Looking at the man over her shoulder, Beverly smiled tentatively. "Standard issue," she said, casually, then seemed to reconsider. "Though I guess it would be somewhat different, around here."

She had subtly flicked on the safety as she turned, having cued it to her thumbprint before even leaving the house. "You're used to ballistic weapons?"

[notquitekang]

"I would assume so," he affirmed as he made his way off the path and closer to her. He stopped a few feet from her and wiped a bit of sweat that was forming there. "Yes, I am. I trained with the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. in the use of such weapons, though I do not think you would know what those organizations are."

[thedoctordances]

Something about him slightly disarmed her, until she realized what it was--he wasn't using contractions. Either a non-native Standard speaker, or...well, she'd only known one person who had that particular speech pattern, and he was dead.

"I'm afraid not," she said, giving him an apologetic smile. "I guess you haven't heard of the United Federation of Planets, either."

[notquitekang]

"On the contrary, I have," he told her, "though my knowledge is limited." If there was one thing he retainred since becoming human, it was his ability to memorize things photographically. "The United Federation of Planets is a future group of human and alien races brought in alliance for the peace of the Alpha Quadrant. Such races within this alliance are among humans and those known as Vulcans. Beyond that, my knowledge is limited. S.H.I.E.L.D. has had a few occasions upon which they encountered the Federation officer James Tiberius Kirk."

[thedoctordances]

Beverly looked quite surprised. "Well," she said, "I guess you have heard of it. Though by my time, Captain Jim Kirk lived a century back." She offered him her free hand. "I'm Dr. Beverly Crusher. Nice to meet you."

[notquitekang]

"It was merely a chance happening," the Vision told her. "I am sure you would find someone much more surprised than I." He took the hand, shaking it firmly. "I am the Vision. It is a pleasure, as well."

[thedoctordances]

"The Vision," Beverly said. She'd met the guy who called himself 'the Doctor', but that made more sense than 'vision' at least. She shook his hand back with equal strength. "Pardon me for asking, but vision of what?"

[notquitekang]

"It was what one of my colleagues had called me when they first saw me," he informed, monotone. That had been so long ago. "I was an android before appearing on this island, originally programmed by the sentient robotic criminal known as Ultron. I was sent to dispatch his creator, renowned scientist Henry Pym. His wife, upon seeing me, had called me an inhuman vision. When I defected from Ultron, the name stuck."

[thedoctordances]

"An android," Beverly said, and, perhaps unexpectedly, smiled. "I was friends with an android, once upon a time. His name was Data, I guess that stuck, too." She thought through his story. "So you were created for evil purposes and turned."