Let it Snow: Red Start

[voidtreckermods]

The doors slam shut, the train moves. Through the snow this time but the shuddering is almost worse that entering the void. "Red team to doors." The visibility out of the window is low but they are moving further up the mountain.

The doors open, allowing red team to jump. The snow here is thick, there is little protection from the howling winds and biting cold.

Their SCA shows a route, following it will, presumably lead them to the gang that caused these problems. Here on the low slopes of the mountain there are some homesteads. Much fewer than in the town itself but cottages and small farm houses. All seem abandoned.

For now there is not much to do but to walk, forge a path through the snow. Fight the snow and ice monsters that attack and do their best to survive as they follow the map towards their goal.

Comments

[tholes]

Steve is the first to admit he has a little trouble following orders. Anyone's orders. He wouldn't be surprised if there's a top-secret diary from the war, with Colonel Phillips detailing all of his rule-breaking over the year that the Commandos were active. But he's trying really hard to at least give Tony the benefit of the doubt as team leader. Which means that, for the most part, he's stuck to helping route the thugs that Tony points him at.

But now it's late and cold, and even a super-soldier doesn't mind a breather now and then. Although he's got to keep on eye on his own reactions to the cold and snow and not let any unpleasant memories interfere with their mission. "You doing okay?" He slips into the cave, fresh from a perimeter patrol, and drops down next to Tony in the gloom.

[runs_on_batteries]

Whether Steve noticed or not, but there were several on the red team not listening to Tony. In fact, the main ones who did were the elves, the kid, and a corpse (sometimes). The book and Wade- who knew what they were doing. At the very least, Tony didn't seem all that concerned with the rebels. However, Tony would notice and care if Steve was listening or not.

Tony looked up pleasantly surprised by who was joining him, giving the beefcake a warm smile. "Yeah, turns out I can't actually exist comfortably for a whole week in my suit. Who knew?" He joked and split the dried granola bar-like rations Ignis had made and handed the other portion to Steve. "Enjoying the break from train life yet?"

,

[tholes]

"I get to hit things. What's not enjoyable about that?"

Mostly it's sarcasm. Yes, he is enjoying a break from the cramped quarters of the train. But it would be nice of their somewhat involuntary vacation didn't include having to take down some asshole and their weather powers. Or weather machine. Or both.

"Thanks." He accepts the food, biting off a corner and chewing slowly, one ear still tuned to detect trouble. "Hey, if we run across a mad scientist's lab, maybe you can tinker around with the suit long enough to make it more comfortable on a prolonged scale."

[runs_on_batteries]

He chuckled at that. It was true, getting to fight did take some of the edge off even if they both knew other things would be preferable to this icy headache.

"Is there something that stays comfortable after having to wear it for a week straight?" Those in charge of laundry always had it rough after a mission. He pointed toward Prisoner. "We're going to have to hose him off when we get back on the train. He normally smells. After this, he's going to make the whole train reek."

[tholes]

That is mostly true. Steve would rather be back home, getting into trouble and also getting a headstart on the list of things he has to do now that. Well. Now that Tony is dead in their world. But there's a small part of him that is fiercely glad for this chance to spend time with his friend. Even if they didn't see eye to eye most of the time.

"Not unless you've invented something and not told me." He turns, glancing in the direction Tony indicates. "Or maybe we just get through this and then bury him in snow for a while. That might help."

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony chuckled and shook his head. The suggestion on how to get Prisoner to not stink up the train was amusing. He wondered if it would help.

Turning his attention away from the corpse, he looked at his old friend. "Are you still bristling against taking orders on a mission like this?" He asked. It wasn't accusing, but genuine curiosity. "So far all of our missions have been something very obvious like this- well, even more obvious than this one really- on which side we need to be on. I didn't like the idea of accepting someone or something giving me objectives or giving orders before I saw what we were doing." He shook his head and looked down at his cold hands. "The first place after our training mission was this city that was getting tormented by goblins. The next, the planet was dying and was falling into volcanic ruin."