Summary:Ted meets and greets the fabulous Dr. Strange! Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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All manner of strange sights might occur in or around the Sanctum Sanctorum, but today there is one that is at least unusual, if not novel. A giant, hovering blue aircraft shaped like a Blue Beetle descends from the skies overheads - not on any apparent combat trajectory - but in a gentle, casual sort of approach. It comes to rest over the grounds (and some of the sidewalk and street) outside the Sanctum Sanctorum. Moments later, a hatch in the bottom descends, and, riding down on a lowering line, is a man in blue spandex, dressed up to match his aircraft.
He hops off lightly and hits a control module on his wrist, prompting the Bug to retract its rope and scoot upwards into the heavens, to wait, hovering in place, in a more suitable location. The Blue Beetle walks with a lively step to the front door of the Sanctum Sanctorum and goes to knock on the front door. He's carrying a fern in hand.
Doctor Strange was meditating in one of hte main rooms of the Sanctum, cloak of levitation around his shoulders, and the eye of Agamotto around his neck. He was probably monitering the greater universe with the Orb of Agamotto, which was right in front of him. But then…his focus was interrupted by the sound of an aircraft outside of his house, and the loud knocking on the door. His eyes open.
By the second knock, The Blue Beetle was suddenly inside of the sanctum, in the welcome room specifically. and in front of him was Doctor Strange.
He looks at Ted, takes note of his interesting attire, then he looks to the fern. "…I sense the beetle joke coming. But, what can I help you with?"
Ted Kord blinks behind his bulbous yellow-tinted lenses as he's just suddenly… somewhere else. He looks around - one side, the other side, up, down, before settling his gaze on Doctor Strange. "Holy, that was neat!" he proclaims with a wide grin. "I hope my atoms are all where they're supposed to be!" Still, he doesn't seem put out by the risk that they are not. He steps forward and extends the rather plain fern. "Well, if you *insist* on a pun, I'm not here to bug you, but I have some serious buzz-ness that I'm hoping we can discuss. Here, I brought you a fern because mama bug taught me never come to someone's weird magic mansion empty-handed."
Stephen maintains a neutral expression. "Your atoms are fine. Magic is precise when successful, when done by someone of even decent skill." but then Ted is apparently all smiles and happiness, but the bug joke does get a very small grin. It was lame as hell, but at least he tried. The fern is given and Strange accepts it into his scarred hands. "Erm…thanks. I usually don't get ferns, but Wanda should like this." Wanda, his SO. he seems to set the fern on one of the tables in the welcoming room before he looks at Ted. "Tea?"
"Oh good!" Ted punctuates when Dr. Strange communicates that his atoms are fine and why. He offers a wide smile and bobbing of his stupidly-costumed head in response to the uncertain thanks. "Oh, tea'd be great, thanks," he answers. "This is really a swell place you've got here." He looks around with ignorant appreciation before he realizes he's likely intruding. "Oh… so, I should probably come to the point. Cap - er, that's Captain America - said I should maybe look you up, because I'm having some magic problems that are seeming like a big enough deal to bring up. I guess… I'm wondering if you could help out."
Stephen looks upon Ted as he agrees to tea, and at the very least, he waits for the Blue Beetle to finish speaking before Strange makes a gesture with his hand, and suddenly both of them are in chairs, and Ted has some tea beside him on the coffee table beside him. "Not everyday I get a reference from Captain America himself. Now then, tell me the specifics of your problem." Stephen still hasn't namedropped anything of the sort.
"and thank you for complimenting my home, I and a few others like to keep it neat, considering what we experience on a daily basis."
Ted Kord looks around again as he's teleported to a seated position with tea at hand. "My what a gentleman!" he proclaims before seeming to impose some self-control. He can't entirely contain his grin though and he crosses one leg over the other, clearing his throat and getting on with it as best he can. "Well. As I expect you know, the Asgardians are a bit tense right now. They've met up with Hod, or Hodr, some long-exiled one of them. Prophecies say that he's going to be involved in the end of the world and… it seems they're sensitive that terms of the prophecy might be coming true. I don't have all the ins-and-outs of it, but I expect you have a better handle on it than me."
He takes a breath then adds, "Anyway. I was out on patrol one night when I found some yellow robot-beetles chewing up a building. Some others and I put a stop to them and I investigated ones that we caught. Turns out, these things aren't *entirely* robots. They're some kind of marriage between Egyptian-style rune-magic and technology. Like, circuit pathways that don't do anything obvious take the form of these runes, that kind of deal. Plus when you kill 'em they turn into sand - so not your usual robot setup. Their software has them programmed to etch some designs. I pulled them from their harddrives." He reaches into a pocket within his suit and pulls out a creased, folded-up piece of paper. "Sorry… just… gotta flatten this back out… and… there, good as new," he mutters as he works to smooth the papers before handing them over toward the Sorceror Supreme, all curled at the corners and unprofessional looking.
Stephen seems to be paying attention, though when he mentions the name of Hod, or more specifically, Hodr, Strange immediately knows this has to do with one of those strange (hur hur hur) Asgardian prophecies. Well, at least it isn't Ragnarok. Because NOBODY needs that headache, trust me. Strange seems to look intrigued and interested at the same time. "Egyptian rune magic and technology. Interesting." he then receives the piece of paper, and he looks it over while Ted most likely enjoys his tea. "Interesting." he tries to translate the designs. "This certainly should not be happening under normal circumstances."
The runes are - assuming that Dr. Strange is familiar with such things - symbols that are used to draw on power form other dimensions. These could be used for a variety of purposes, depending on the order in which they are inscribed - they could be used for a powerful summoning spell, for raw destructive power, or to enhance someone to essentially godlike power - at least for as long as possible until they died from it.
While Stephen looks the images over, Ted also sits back and sips some tea, giving the magus time to consider the designs and consult his encyclopaedic knowledge on the subject.
"I've been working with Amora the Enchantress on this one," he says after a pause for processing. "She's Asgardian. And she's… I mean, she's *really* smart and good with magic and all that." He's starting to flush under his mask, and if Strange if imbued with even regular levels of human perception, the infatuation is likely easily guessed. "But this stuff… is just stuff she's not familiar with. I think she could use some help, in terms of the broader magic issue, you know? And, like, you couldn't find someone more knowledgable on the Asgardian side of things. So I thought I would come down, see if it's a case you'd do some work on, and maybe I can put her in touch with you? Or vice versa? I mean, this is all stuff she's tried to dumb down for me, but it's not my area, you know? I figure I should get the real smarties together. She can use a phone and everything. Unlike *some* Asgardians I know." Somehow, for Ted, it seems Amora's ability to even use a cellphone is not only impressive, but also endearing.
Doctor Strange IS familiar with these runes. He wouldn't be the Sorcerer Supreme if he couldn't decipher what was before him. He seems to hum lightly as Ted speaks. "I see. Be careful with Amora the Enchantress. She is not known with treating men with kindness. If she has an interest in you, tread lightly. She was called 'the Enchantress' for a reason!
and yes, he did notice Ted's blush. He also knows who he is. But he doesn't say. "I can help you. Are you looking to find a weakness in these designs? or a way to destroy them entirely? My vote are those two options. In which case, I can most certainly help you." he folds up the designs and sets them on the counter to his left. "But, for now, I will ask: have you managed to anger any Egyptian Gods with knowledge or use of these runes?"
Ted Kord quirks an eyebrow behind his yellow-tinted lenses. "Amora? Nah, she might have a *rep*, but like, who wouldn't after living for thousands of years. She's really great." He nods emphatically. There's no reasoning with this one, not on this subject.
As the topic turns more serious though, he opens his mouth and closes it. He motions toward the pages in Dr. Strange's hands and assures him, "I'm not doing anything with those. I mean, I made a print-out of those, obviously, and I made some electrical schematics of what was in the scarabs' circuitry. But beyond that… I don't know what they're for, who would claim proprietary use of them, anything. This is *way* out of my league. As for the best way to deal with 'em - right now my focus is on finding out where they're being made, if they're being made. I'm working the tech angle to see if I can seize control over these things or, like, at least learn where they are and what they're doing. The magic stuff." He waves his hands as though to banish the thought. "Way beyond my pay grade. That's why I go to the experts."
Strange quirks a brow at Ted. "Your funeral." he says, knowing full well that Ted is probably in too deep with Amora. But, regardless, Strange seems to clasp his hands together. "Egyptian runes give off a unique mystic signature. I can find them, if given time. and, while I work, I can search for a spell that can help neutralize them. Or at the very least, let you borrow a magic artifact that should do the trick." Strange smiles then. "That said, I'm happy to help you."
Though Strange ponders. "Is there anything else I should probably know?"
Ted Kord lets the funerary foreshadowing pass without comment. Instead, he focuses on the business at hand. "Well… I'm not sure they're even *made* yet, but yeah. I'm working the tech angle. Other than that… I don't know what to tell you. These is a mysterious person behind these robots, and the operating theory is that they're trying to frame Hod - or trying to get the Asgardians to over-react, while at the same time working toward whatever Egyptian-powered spell they're going to do. I'm going to try to get somebody to figure things out on the corporate side - the corporation that seems to make these robots, I mean, since it seems to be bad apples in that company. They're tracking some people too… though I'm not sure what for. I'm compiling data on that currently. Just hacked into their network so… hopefully results soon." He crosses his fingers on both hands and gives a wide, cringey-smile. "But… yeah, beyond that, do you have a phone number I should give to Amora? Or… like, do you snapchat? How do you magic types get in touch with each other?"
Strange looks at Ted as he speaks. "Frame Hod. I see. Well, if this Hod is innocent, I'll be certain to help prove this is the case." he nods lightly, but he kinda doubts someone could make this a corporate thing, unless a spell is used to keep the workers quiet. Or simply violent means. Nevertheless, Doctor Strange stands up to his feet at the cringey smile. "I imagine there are better people than me that can handle that kind of data. I don't have social media." in Ted's palm though, would be the address to the Sanctum and a cell phone number. "I tend to be straightforward. I don't text." call him old fashioned. "But if Amora wants to compare notes, she can come herself. Best way I can help others is through some form of face to face." That being said, Strange smiles. "That being said, have a good rest of your day Mr. Kord." and suddenly, Blue Beetle would be outside of the Sanctum. Tea still in his hand. Well, suppose the Doctor is now out?