20210/This is what we do for fun

This is what we do for fun
Date of Scene:	09 March 2025
Location:	Weapons Testing: Triskelion
Synopsis:	Director Fury watches the first testing of a new weapon. It passes. Mostly.
Cast of Characters:	Natasha Romanoff, Nick Fury

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Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Energy weapons were not the msot common thing on Earth. Difficult to design, manufacture, and power, they were rare outside of very specialist groups. SHIELD had a number in their arsenal, most of which were of an anti-personnel nature, focusing on quick fire and light armor penetration. Heavier weapons could only often be mounted on vehicles or required being connected to a generator to be effective. Heavier weapons were in turn much slower to fire as well.

Given many experiences fighting entities which were resistant to damage, SHIELD was working on their own alternatives. While alien technology required being returned to the friendly party, that didn't mean that SHIELD couldn't at least look at it and try to grasp the physics. Using purely Earth-based materials to try and replicate the technology.

The result? SHIELD's prototype dubbed the 'Heavy Plasma' which was a weapon that required a shoulder bracing and weighed a massive amount for a handheld weapon. Using fusion power cells, focusing lenses, and a solid two inches of heavy metal reinforcement to help hold back heat (as well as deal with the issue of normally the slightest jostle damaging the focusing crystals)..

Natasha was holding the twenty kilogram weapon braced over an arm, in one of the shooting galleries. "Readying for test."

Nick Fury has posed:
Despite rumours to the contrary, Director Nick Fury does keep an active hand in all things SHIELD. There is nothing that he doesn't know about his Agency. HIS Agency. That word gets underscored each and every time he has to talk with his 'so called superiors'.

Superior asses.

Superior at not being able to fight their way out of paper bags.

The man is a shadow. Dark clothing is worn, the only burst of color is the bright, international orange puffs that are in his ears in the way of hearing protection, and he's watching one of his agents, his left hand woman (he's got a right-hand man) carefully.

//If this backfires, there'll be hell to pay.//

"You sure you don't want to let Barton do the honors? It's a whole lot funnier watching him pretend his shoulder doesn't hurt." Nick's voice is raised, only to compensate for the ambient noise in the area.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would glance over at Nick, "I have a steadier aim with Barton. He uses small arms. And he'd rather shoot a gun from his bow than actually use one properly." She's going to snark at her partner, particularly when he's not aware of what she's doing. It's her way of enjoying herself at his expense. And a sign that he's one of the rare ones that she actually is a friend with.

She goes to speak calmly to the earpiece <<Technically we're not in violation of any accords. We've not used pieces from technology nor taken them apart. We've just extensively reverse engineered them and done our best with Eartn materials>> she would deadpan. That was at least the official response if anyone from the Starport put in a complaint.

Natasha goes to brace her shoulder, and then goes to speak <<Engaging in test fire one>> She moves to aim at the target, goes to brace the weapon to her shoulder, and fires. The fusion cell gives a charge, which would be pressed through the focusing array to narrow the beam, and a huge green ball goes to 'spit' forwards, a continuous arc of plasma rather than a single burst keeping the heavy ball blasting 'down'.

The result is an extremely large explosion..

And a blast that moves at the speed of about a fastball.

Nick Fury has posed:
It's a testament to them both, really, that Fury, too, can joke about Barton. One man he'd trust with no questions. The other, she is standing before him on the test range. All others need not apply.

Not entirely true, however. Nick trusts everyone. To work in their best interests.

"You're not wrong," comes the easy response. Brows do rise in quick askance, however. "What, you beat him in darts once?" A scoff sounds, and he shakes his head.

The narration of test has him falling silent, listening to the words, nodding his head approvingly. <<Edit to add: Earth materials gained from trade with friendlies.>>

Just in case.

The beam that erupts takes him by surprise, but he's practiced enough to weather the blast, as it were. The only hint of the potential of being a //little// surprised is a hand that reaches out briefly as if to steady himself. There is silence in the face of the burst, and once it's done, he simply stands and stares at the spot where the barrel had been aimed.

"Damn."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would nod over at Fury, while going to speak once more, "Test firing one successful. The speed of the beam, however, leaves much to be desired." Something you could visually track and dodge without too much of an issue meant the weapon was ineffective when it came to an engagement with even the slightest mobile adversary. Of cousre, if someone was behind cover or there was a mass of them..

Natasha goe sto speak, "Test fire two. Attempting focused beam at lower power." To see if that might improve the 'speed' of teh projectile. "Setting three." She moves to go to line up the weapon over with her shoulder, braces it.. And fires another beam.

This one lacks the 'ball' that the first shot has, and fires. At a speed more on par with one of the arrows that Clint normally uses. The energy bolt flies forwards towards the target..

This time rather than simply disintegrating it, it goes to essentially blast it over in half.

Nick Fury has posed:
Nick sets his hands into his pockets and takes a step to the side to lean on the wall, the single eye not leaving his agent or the weapon in hand. He's looking for anything that might clue him in if it's going to fail. He does worry, though it's never overt. Ever.

The second blast isn't quite as cinematic as the first, even given its faults. Still, it's good to know. That eye narrows in consideration; is it worth bringing into the field? Weight vs punch. Does the arsenal already have something like this, only smaller and lighter?

"I expect that to be on Dr Fitz' desk tomorrow." Which means fine tuning, and miniaturization.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would muse, "The weapon is effective, however the projectile has.. Significant limitations." The gun is extremely heavy, the projectile is dodgable even by a base human, and they haven't ested out the efficiency of the power cells. However, the weapon took a basic test firing with no issues. No overheating, no overloads, and no signs that even after a few shots the gun was broken.

"One more thing." Natasha picks up the gun, goes to smash it several times over into the ground, leaving dents all over the heavy metal.. Then goes to line it up once more to fire it on the lowest setting.

Again, no issue.

Nick Fury has posed:
Nick listens to Natasha as she notes her observations, right down to that last bit. Its durability.

Takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

Next up? "Desert testing. Jungle. Time to put it through its paces." He nods his head once as if accepting that final bit; a taste of that milspec shake and rattle test.

"Not bad."