[Center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019a15dc-9e5f-77fa-97eb-e14f7303d896.webp[/img][/center] [color=#f6dd69][H3]The White Mountains, New Hampshire[/H3][/color] [hr] “You would do well to take my concerns seriously, Marr-Vell.” The director of the program was fuming, as he often was, while the being he addressed remained focused on the holographic screens before him, tracking performance parameters as he pondered. “Your own lack of imagination is not my concern, Director. We both know that should you try to make the changes you wish that ‘your’ superiors will step in.” It had been a long time since Mar'vell had lived among the Kree and he played the game of human office politics as well as any, despite no longer wearing the disguise of a human scientist within the inner circle of the Warbird program. “It is ridiculous, she is barely more than a child, insubordinate and distracted by [I]school[/I] of all things.” The man continued to rant as if Mar'vell had not responded. “She holds near infinite power within her, we could simply strap her up to a turbine and revolutionise our military without having to deal with her distractions.” Mar'vell had come to care for, or at least appreciate, a great many humans. Some, however, continued to openly present the most base aspects of the species as if it was something to be proud of rather than overcome. He allowed that disdain to touch his words. “Your technology is a thousand years away from being able to harness and store the energy of the Nega-Bands and Miss Danvers unique physiology has already enabled her to surpass what even they could produce. What you would create is an exceptionally bright light bulb.” Now Mar'vell turned towards the Director, his alien features set in a mask of contempt. “And even if not, I am doubtful your superiors would prefer an improved nuclear reactor over the most effective precision weapon on the planet, because you could not handle crew resource managing a single young woman.” There were few who would speak to the ranking brass of the Pentagon in the manner Mar'vell did, considering his official rank within the system, but he knew the truth of the matter. They provided him the cover to remain hidden on Earth, but they required his [I]willing[/I] capabilities far more. “This discussion is not over, Doctor.” The sneer he received in turn was a far more savage expression of Mar'vell's own, as the Director turned to step away from the platform on which Mar'vell worked. “No, I don’t suppose it is.” The alien spoke, before turning back to his holograms, now expanding to present the information of the threat assessment from SWORD. Present activity within the mountain-base that house Project Warbird momentarily halted as a concussive boom rippled through the air, a loud enough sound to push through the layers of rock and bunker that made up the hidden facility. It was nothing but a slight distraction to those within but there was the possibility several surface level trees had been ripped from their roots closer to the hidden entrance to the base. Already the Director was yelling a new set of expletives in the brief moment before Carol Danvers walked into the grand Central chamber of Project Warbird Command. “Operative you have been warned multiple times to bleed speed well before your arrival to the facility.” One of the calmer members of staff helpfully stepped in to provide the feedback directly to Carol as the Director fumed from his place among the banks of computer terminals. [color=#f07244]"Sorry Jim, but the summons did say it was an emergency!”[/color] Carol chimed happily, patting the man on his uniformed shoulder as she walked past, her eyes momentarily falling on an empty greased paper bag on a worker's desk. [color=#f07244]"Is catering in at this hour? I'm starving.”[/color] She looked forlornly at what once likely contained any variety of pastries she could have enjoyed. “No…. Although that is strange, current estimations are that your energy conversion means you no longer require traditional sustenance. You could simply subsist of energy created by energy exhange, from light and heat, ectera” Jim mused as he walked beside her, gently maneuvering the young woman to prevent her being distracted further by the possibility of pastries and instead towards the briefing platform. [color=#f07244]"Like a plant?”[/color] “Not at all like a plan-” [color=#f07244]"Hang on, am I going to get fat sunbathing!?”[/color] Carol stopped in place, fixing her eyes on Jim with all the intensity she had the Hyrda facility. “....I suppose it would be important to continue to use your powers to expend excess energy when in hotter climates.” [color=#f07244]"Jim if I don't fit in my prom dress I'm going to ‘expend excess energy’ hunting you down.”[/color] Carol fixed him with an even more theatric scowl, flicking two fingers from her eyes to his, before laughing. [color=#f07244]"Don't worry Jim, more cushion for the p-”[/color] “Operative Warbird!” [color=#f07244]"Sorry Captain I'm on my way!”[/color] Carol replied before she zipped through the air the remainder of the way to the central briefing platform, sending a rustle of papers from desks as she did. Despite apparently following orders she first headed towards Mar'vell who offered the young woman a brief dip of his head. “Car'ell, you must remember to visit more outside of mission briefings. Present company is far too predictable.” He motioned around him towards the suits and uniforms of the Project with a show of amusement towards. At first Carol had loathed Mar'vell's use of her mother's birth name for her, but over time she had grown used to it. The idea of another family who might want to have her in it overpowering the alien presumption. [color=#f07244]"Sorry Mar'vell, finals have been kicking my ass worse than Hydra.”[/color] She gave a dramatic sigh, before turning to regard the same holograms as Mar'vell. The Kree symbols that floated across them were no great mystery to her, unlike the rest of the room. [color=#f07244]"What have we got?”[/color] “Two alerts, actually. Some amount of trouble in New York, and an alert from SWORD, the detection of an extraterrestrial anomaly they believe to be non-friendly.” There was no doubt someone more formally connected to the US military had been planning to brief their superpowered asset, but with Carol finally on topic no one deemed to interrupt. [color=#f07244] “Well New York is closer, shouldn't we deal with that first?”[/color] Carol placed a hand on one hip as she flicked a finger ‘through’ the holograms, manipulating the view for her own benefit. “Thankfully, Operative Warbird, you are not responsible for strategic decisions. The priority of the extraterrestrial threat is an order right from the top.” The Director, General Erickson, spoke rather than have Mar'vell reply. “The administration feels an alien threat would be an ideal public launch for Warbird.” He did not add that a further consideration was the presence of political considerations in New York. “Oh nice. I'll remember to smile for the cameras.” Carol spoke with no obvious sign of irony as she turned to regard the ‘screen’ once more. [color=#f07244]“Alright so….space.”[/color] “You have done this before.” Mar'vell offered supportive, placing a hand on her shoulder. To which she gave a somewhat nervous nod. [color=#f07244]“Sure…for a few moments.”[/color] “All our testing suggests you need no further protection, the cosmos is yours to master.” [color=#f07244]“I [I]do[/I] like the sound of that.”[/color]