Help them, Guardi-Wan Kenobis...

[furtitude]

[Their network at the Pole just got haxxed, but to be fair, the magical network has been augmented for security by the Starfleeters to magically run on subspace and one of Little Cato's cellmates knows how to access that. Combined with Cato's 29th century hacking skills, it was piece of cake. Still, without McCoy, it would've cost Cato a lot more time - time they don't have when some of the components they stole won't last long.]

Is anyone there?

[The boy - and it's clear from his voice he is just a young teenage boy - on screen looks worse for wear, fur unkempt, clothes grimy, and scratched up and stained with dried blood in places. The two men with him aren't looking any better. They're all leaning over the comm with extreme interest. The lights above are harsh and impersonal the walls around them are clearly metallic and devoid of any decoration.]

[It's obviously a cell, with a massive, heavily armored door. The walls and door are scratched up in a way that suggest this cell has held many that tried to claw their way free.]

I don't know if you're like us, if you were from some other world and wound up on this one, and heard that voice talking about saving kids. But I'm Little Cato and this is Hellboy and Dr. McCoy. Right after we showed up here from our universes, some humans captured us. We're in some kind of secret facility. Other people that call themselves "myths" are imprisoned here and explained what they were. The humans think we're the same thing, I guess. They think we're dangerous, they're studying us.

They keep us locked up and run tests and scans on "myths." [A pause.] Or...worse. We haven't been tortured yet but it's only a matter of time. We hear screams sometimes.

We managed to steal some components and slap together this device to hack into stuff. We don't have long before the long-range transmitter burns out. Dr. McCoy recognized some parts of your broadcasting signals, though. He said it's from something called Starfleet? The organization he's in? If someone out there is from that, you need to know they've got one of your guys.

Please...

[There's a reason he decided to take point instead of having one of the others speak: Look at those big, cat eyes, shining with tears. Look at the miserable soppy preciousness. It's giving Miette energy. It's giving starving Victorian child. It's giving sad wet kitten in snow.]

[...It's also him completely hamming it up and putting on a sad kitten act because he knows someone fluffy, small, and cute, sounding super young and sad, might hit some people's guilt trip buttons, people that might be more hesitant to help otherwise. It's very convincing, too; how can you say no to those eyes? Even the small handful that knew an alternate version of Little Cato from an alternate Earth in an alternate dimensional adventure might just assume he's just that traumatized.]

Please, if you're not bad guys, if you're willing to help us, we need help, like, fast. Everyone here does.

Comments

[mostdangerousbird]

[ Tim is miffed on behalf of Starfleet and himself that the system has been hacked, but nevertheless answers the call while dealing with the call in more ways than one. The feed catches him directing three Elves. ]

get every myth in the building here in 3 minutes by any means necessary.

Little Cato, this is Robin. We're working on getting your location from the signal, but it sounds like you're working with kludge.

No, if Jack stops you, you tell Jack I said by any means necessary means by any means necessary and I told you that first.

Are you able to provide any additional information?

[bestbrotherever]

[Loki considers replying, but given the security breach, Tim might prefer to talk in person. So Loki's quickly outside his room.]

[mostdangerousbird]

[ The door opens 5 seconds later and Tim wanders back into his and Kon's room, grabbing gadgets with one hand and tapping at a holographic device with the other. ]

Do you think I don't have cameras on the door?

[bestbrotherever]

Surely you don't think I was trying to break in. I think you have enough security concerns at the moment without adding to them myself.

Have you traced the signal to its origin yet?

[furtitude]

[The fact their would-be rescuers are all different species and have some weird little guys running around doesn't even phase him. His crew is all different species and has their own weird little guy: Bizkit.]

[Little Cato wipes away the fake tears in his eyes and gets to work.]

I've got next to nothing here in terms of signal. Short-range is janky and it'll take me hours to work through security to any internal databases. Nothing for mid-range. Your frequencies are lit up like an exploding Lightfold engine, though. I could've probably seen them from another planet.

So I'm barely reading anything local that'd peg location, you're just projecting super long-range - for anyone that actually knows how to look for interplanetary communication, anyway.

Your signal's the only outside link we've got.

[mostdangerousbird]

[ Tim took a chance on professional and not soft - sometimes, calm and methodical helps even with kids. It doesn't always have to be a lollipop and story.

Besides, Little Cato told a clear narration of what's going on, so it's a fair guess that he can handle more direct questions. Handles those like a pro, too. ]

I'll be sure to forward your complaints regarding data detection to Starfleet. Some of us wanted more discreet, randomized comms but were shot down in the best interest of the planet.

You're thinking too technical. what language do they speak? Give me everything you've seen. Roman or Cyrillic, or kanji? Soda cans, clothing brands, snack food, what's the food like? What's the water taste like? Has anyone seen a window when they knew what time of day it was? Where was the sun?

action

[divasmio]

[ Okay, this fellow sounds like he knows what's happening. Longbow in hand, after some high-speed wandering he manages to find where Robin is gathering the other myths. ]

Hello! Uh, Apollo reporting for duty.

[ beat. ]

I'm new.

[mostdangerousbird]

Hi new, I’m Robin.

[ There will be time to explain the Robin/Tim dichotomy later. For now, Robin works and won’t lead to be called the wrong thing at the facility.

Because they ARE going to the facility, it’s just a matter of when. ]

How good are you with the bow, and any relation to the Green Arrow?

[ He has to ask. Not every blonde archer is a Queen, but he’s not Ollie or Connor. That much Tim saw in the five seconds he spared from the monitor. ]

[ferengineer]

[Nog curses under his breath, because that is *definitely* a younger Admiral McCoy. Albeit with a slightly different uniform style than he should be wearing at that point in time. That's a question for later, however]

Boimler, Mariner, I need you to help me run a trace on this signal. We need to find out where it's coming from.

I'm Lieutenant junior grade Nog. Is there anything you can tell us about the facility you're in? Security measures, that sort of thing.

[letskicksomeice]

[Jack is flying frantically into some kind of storage room as he records, one filled with artifacts and dusty tomes.]

Just hijacking off this, but [he twirls a hand around] assorted nerds! Assemble!

Everyone who can do computer stuff get to the lab and do some of that computer stuff really fast. Triangulate a - a something.

[He is way too old to understand any of this stuff.]

I'm looking for a backup to use at the same time. We have some magical stuff in here that we can maybe use for tracking.

[It feels like it'd be best to try both methods at the same time, while they still have a connection and a way of talking to the captives at all.]

[mostdangerousbird]

[ Tim is interjecting wherever he finds people talking about relevant things. ]

You have my blessing to say Titans Together and this nerd says I need anything you have on “Prometheus”.

[antigravboy]

Wait, wait, wait, did he say McCoy? [His voice cracks and goes shrill at on the name.]

[And he is booking it to the lab, which makes it hard to get a clear view of his comm because he's moving.]

Like the McCoy?

[But when he gets there and finally has a second to squint at his comm, his eyes pop open wide. He wants to fanboy, but also, oh no. But also he wants to be fanboy, but also also double oh no.]

Temporal Investigations is nooot gonna like this.

[But that doesn't matter. They have to ignore that. He jumps over to a console to get to work.]

[ferengineer]

They already weren't going to like this. At least this way they'll probably just chalk it up to the Enterprise being the Enterprise instead of court-martialing us.

[It wasn't like there wasn't precedent for it, after all.]

Video then Action

[onegrownup]

VIDEO:
[ Oh, Cato, you didn't even have to turn on the eyebrows. You don't sound much older than Ven — Aqua's already got a soft spot for you. ]

We've got your message. Help is coming. Is anyone hurt?

---

ACTION:
[ There is murder in Aqua's eyes as she helps prep for the rescue mission. She'll go where she's needed — Stocking supplies, planning the assualt, getting everyone else's ass moving to mount a rescue. ]

Re: Video then Action

[furtitude]

Just a little. The doc's been keeping an eye on us, though.

[There's not much he's been able to do but they at least know none of it's permanent.]

[onegrownup]

[ She keeps her voice calm. The tracking and the planning is being taken care of; The next most important thing is keeping the prisoners from worrying enough. And giving them something to look forward to so they don't lose hope. ]

Okay, good. I'm glad the doctor's there. Tell him and Hellboy that when you all get out, this place will have everything you need, starting with a soft bed.

[bestbrotherever]

Well. I have good news and bad news. This is not Starfleet, but we do have several officers.

Were you called to this realm by the Moon? Why did you not arrive near the North Pole? I would not have thought any humans would have the opportunity to capture new myths before they met up with the rest of us.

[armagettingpancakes]

We were. No clue why we didn't show up there, but we didn't all come in together so you'd have to ask them where they showed up. I popped up in Jersey, got the whole spiel. Kuk, kids needing help. Then I got knocked out by some kind of magic powder and woke up in a cell.

[bestbrotherever]

You would be Hellboy, then? Though familiar enough with human civilization to recognize Jersey on sight. And you do not know how these humans found you before we could.

My apologies, I do not mean to dismiss you as liars. But- this is a very unusual and dangerous situation. I hope you understand if we have no wish to become their new captives.

Have these humans mentioned anything about Kuk or his allies? Or any enemies?

[millenyal_pink]

[Elle hears the familiar voice and hops on video immediately.]

Cato! Oh my god, are you okay? Is Gary with you?

[She's simultaneously relieved and dreading the fact that he's here too.]

[furtitude]

[He squints in confusion, his expression totally unfamiliar.]

[And a little suspicious. It's super weird any of them would figure out some kind of information he never gave.]

How do you know my dad's name? I didn't mention him.

[millenyal_pink]

[She's visibly surprised.]

We were in- it's Elle.

[There's a lot of concern and a little bit of hurt in her voice that she's trying to hide.]

What's going on?

video

[favoritefearlesshero]

[Oh, that's actually kind of heartbreaking. And impressive that he can do the tears on command, really, Puss never got the hang of that, it's really tricky-

Wait, that's an in with a young man who's doing this at entirely the wrong time for reasons Puss can at least guess at. There's sympathy in his face when he answers.]

You're good at that act, Gatito. Really, one adorable cat to another? The tears are amazing. Game recognize game.

...But you don't have to do that. At all. We'd come for you regardless of how cute and sad you are.

Re: video

[furtitude]

[There's only the briefest pause.]

...I don't know what you're talking about, man.

Re: video

[favoritefearlesshero]

Oh, oh, of course. You weren't doing-

[Puss swipes his paw down in front of his face, as if he's magically changing his face to the Cute Eyes.]

-the thing.

[Paw back up, face back to normal.]

Look, I'm only telling you. If you are in trouble, you only need to call and we shall ride to your rescue!