Luminescence - A Happy Lights story
Jan. 10th, 2018 12:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyshadowdrakevia http://ift.tt/2CYJcWJ:
Hi, all! I thought I would experiment with posting this as I go. I will still number the updates to make them easier to find, but keep in mind that this will be posted in the rough draft stage, and things may change as we go. If you would rather not see the story in its infancy, blacklist “drake’s rough drafts.”
“While ‘magic’ is technically accurate, in that this science is so far beyond your comprehension that it may as well be ‘magic,’ you cannot persist in being angry about it when you have decided not to understand it. By calling it magic and dismissing the science, you have admitted that you will not understand it.”
Loki was in a set of silk pajamas, which he had recently decided were quite fashionable, and had his hair pulled back in a bun that was the twin to Bucky’s most recent style. Tony had pulled off some questionable looks in his day, but he found himself annoyed again at how effortlessly he made bedclothes look like the height of fashion. He had one elbow braced on Tony’s work table, and his cheek in his hand, and Tony’s latest attempt at a working portal device in between them.
Tony set his stylus down very carefully and spread his hands out on the table. He had been trying to learn Loki’s ‘science’ – which involved far too much mysticism and handwaving for Tony’s liking – but the man was an abysmal teacher, and while Thor treated complex astrophysics like Tony treated arithmetic, he didn’t understand Loki’s science much better than Tony did. In theory, the colony bond should have let Loki just pass the information, but he’d only given Tony a derisive look in response to the suggestion.
“Do you understand that we –” he gestured in between them, knowing that the question was futile, “ – are telepathically linked?”
Loki ignored him. It had been months since the colony’s last visit, and he still refused to acknowledge the colony bond, even while they were building a portal device to go visit the colony on the home world. Loki twisted one hand and made a complicated gesture with his fingers. Green light wove around the shell of Tony’s portal device, subtly changing the shape and turning it a deep emerald with gently glowing golden accents.
Tony’s fingers curled in slowly, blunt nails scraping against the table. Thor. I am going to murder your brother.
My brother can hear your threats, and therefore will be prepared to defend himself, Thor pointed out.
Not if he’s decided that he can’t hear me, Tony responded. He drummed his fingers and stared at the portal device. It wasn’t an exact replica of the original device he had helped the colony build during the first visit, but it was close enough. He looked up at Loki, who had an expression of indulgent boredom on his face. “What did you do to it?”
“I fixed it so that it will work,” Loki explained very slowly. “Obviously.”
Running his hands through his hair and down his face, Tony said, “Obviously.” He picked the portal device up and turned it over. The access panels had been sealed shut, and the exterior of the device was smooth to the touch, and slightly warm. He drew his thumb over the curve, but he couldn’t feel a single seam, button, ridge, or goddamned zipper.
“How does it work?” Tony asked begrudgingly.
Loki snorted. “If you want to spend a few centuries in remedial mathematics, I can probably get you through the blueprints.”
Thor. Your brother –
– Is one the most celebrated minds of his day? Thor tried hopefully.
We still have all the information from the portal device we built for the colony’s first visit, Steve broke in. Why can’t we just re-build that?
Because we don’t have the colony here to operate it, Tony explained patiently. Jane, I need you. Please.
I am very busy, Tony, Jane answered. Also currently on another continent, trying to listen to a presenter. You should have come with me.
Tony pointedly did not whine. You left without me!
I reminded you several times that we needed to leave.
I have a private jet, Tony tried to explain for the many-th time. Schedules are not actually a thing.
They are when you have a conference attend. Hush, this guy is trying to explain the colony and he is so wrong. I need to pay attention so I can verbally destroy him in fifteen minutes.
Me and Darcy are making popcorn and tuning in for the verbal destruction, Clint said. And tea for Bruce.
Tony drew in a deep breath and tried to give Loki a smile as he tuned out the excitement in the colony bond. Judging by Loki’s hiked eyebrow, he hadn’t been very successful. Tony set the device down and nudged it a few inches closer to his most infuriating colonymate. Tony hated magic, and he hated that he couldn’t learn, and it he really hated that he wanted a visit to the colony more than he wanted to understand how the device worked. Loki looked down at it, and then up at Tony.
“Then you can work it,” Tony suggested.
Loki rolled his eyes heavenward. “Of course I can.”
“No, I mean, you can be the one to turn it on to get us to the colony world.” And then I am going to smash it with a hammer and figure out how it works.
“I could, if I knew where it was going. I already told you that I can’t open portals to places I’ve never been,” Loki said with a dismissive flick of his fingers.
I do not advice taking a hammer to any of Loki’s workings. They tend to explode when meddled with.
You let him build a bomb? Bruce broke in, his mental voice tinged with concern and some curiosity.
Thor’s amusement filled the bond with glowing warmth. Trust me, if I my brother intended to build an explosive device, none here could stop him.
Comforting, Phil said.
(Your picture was not posted)
Hi, all! I thought I would experiment with posting this as I go. I will still number the updates to make them easier to find, but keep in mind that this will be posted in the rough draft stage, and things may change as we go. If you would rather not see the story in its infancy, blacklist “drake’s rough drafts.”
“While ‘magic’ is technically accurate, in that this science is so far beyond your comprehension that it may as well be ‘magic,’ you cannot persist in being angry about it when you have decided not to understand it. By calling it magic and dismissing the science, you have admitted that you will not understand it.”
Loki was in a set of silk pajamas, which he had recently decided were quite fashionable, and had his hair pulled back in a bun that was the twin to Bucky’s most recent style. Tony had pulled off some questionable looks in his day, but he found himself annoyed again at how effortlessly he made bedclothes look like the height of fashion. He had one elbow braced on Tony’s work table, and his cheek in his hand, and Tony’s latest attempt at a working portal device in between them.
Tony set his stylus down very carefully and spread his hands out on the table. He had been trying to learn Loki’s ‘science’ – which involved far too much mysticism and handwaving for Tony’s liking – but the man was an abysmal teacher, and while Thor treated complex astrophysics like Tony treated arithmetic, he didn’t understand Loki’s science much better than Tony did. In theory, the colony bond should have let Loki just pass the information, but he’d only given Tony a derisive look in response to the suggestion.
“Do you understand that we –” he gestured in between them, knowing that the question was futile, “ – are telepathically linked?”
Loki ignored him. It had been months since the colony’s last visit, and he still refused to acknowledge the colony bond, even while they were building a portal device to go visit the colony on the home world. Loki twisted one hand and made a complicated gesture with his fingers. Green light wove around the shell of Tony’s portal device, subtly changing the shape and turning it a deep emerald with gently glowing golden accents.
Tony’s fingers curled in slowly, blunt nails scraping against the table. Thor. I am going to murder your brother.
My brother can hear your threats, and therefore will be prepared to defend himself, Thor pointed out.
Not if he’s decided that he can’t hear me, Tony responded. He drummed his fingers and stared at the portal device. It wasn’t an exact replica of the original device he had helped the colony build during the first visit, but it was close enough. He looked up at Loki, who had an expression of indulgent boredom on his face. “What did you do to it?”
“I fixed it so that it will work,” Loki explained very slowly. “Obviously.”
Running his hands through his hair and down his face, Tony said, “Obviously.” He picked the portal device up and turned it over. The access panels had been sealed shut, and the exterior of the device was smooth to the touch, and slightly warm. He drew his thumb over the curve, but he couldn’t feel a single seam, button, ridge, or goddamned zipper.
“How does it work?” Tony asked begrudgingly.
Loki snorted. “If you want to spend a few centuries in remedial mathematics, I can probably get you through the blueprints.”
Thor. Your brother –
– Is one the most celebrated minds of his day? Thor tried hopefully.
We still have all the information from the portal device we built for the colony’s first visit, Steve broke in. Why can’t we just re-build that?
Because we don’t have the colony here to operate it, Tony explained patiently. Jane, I need you. Please.
I am very busy, Tony, Jane answered. Also currently on another continent, trying to listen to a presenter. You should have come with me.
Tony pointedly did not whine. You left without me!
I reminded you several times that we needed to leave.
I have a private jet, Tony tried to explain for the many-th time. Schedules are not actually a thing.
They are when you have a conference attend. Hush, this guy is trying to explain the colony and he is so wrong. I need to pay attention so I can verbally destroy him in fifteen minutes.
Me and Darcy are making popcorn and tuning in for the verbal destruction, Clint said. And tea for Bruce.
Tony drew in a deep breath and tried to give Loki a smile as he tuned out the excitement in the colony bond. Judging by Loki’s hiked eyebrow, he hadn’t been very successful. Tony set the device down and nudged it a few inches closer to his most infuriating colonymate. Tony hated magic, and he hated that he couldn’t learn, and it he really hated that he wanted a visit to the colony more than he wanted to understand how the device worked. Loki looked down at it, and then up at Tony.
“Then you can work it,” Tony suggested.
Loki rolled his eyes heavenward. “Of course I can.”
“No, I mean, you can be the one to turn it on to get us to the colony world.” And then I am going to smash it with a hammer and figure out how it works.
“I could, if I knew where it was going. I already told you that I can’t open portals to places I’ve never been,” Loki said with a dismissive flick of his fingers.
I do not advice taking a hammer to any of Loki’s workings. They tend to explode when meddled with.
You let him build a bomb? Bruce broke in, his mental voice tinged with concern and some curiosity.
Thor’s amusement filled the bond with glowing warmth. Trust me, if I my brother intended to build an explosive device, none here could stop him.
Comforting, Phil said.
(Your picture was not posted)
