10151/Meanwhile Back At The Mansion

Meanwhile Back At The Mansion
Date of Scene:	16 February 2022
Location:	Avengers Mansion - First Floor
Synopsis:	Carol returns to the mansion after saving some ships. Janet is running repair efforts in Manhattan. And there's coffee.
Cast of Characters:	Carol Danvers, Janet van Dyne

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Carol Danvers has posed:
The sun is out and shining over Manhattan. The weather is still cool, but there are only a few clouds scattered about the sky to relieve the bright blue.

High up in the air, something moving can be seen. Just a dot at first, but coming nearer until the sharp-eyed might make out the figure of a woman, blond hair blowing about her head, and a red sash about her waist.

Captain Marvel comes in for a landing at the front door of the mansion, rapidly decelerating to land lightly. A haze of distortion passes down her body from her neck moving on down, her Starforce uniform taking on the appearance of normal clothing. A pair of snug blue jeans, boots, a white t-shirt and a leather bomber jacket overtop.

Carol Danvers trots up the steps to the front door, opening it and walking inside. The footfalls of her boots can be heard, muffled echoes that travel down the hallway preceding her as she heads for the large entryway from which stairs and hallways branch off in various directions.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
The Mansion's empty, or at least there are a lot fewer members of the support staff on site. Most of them have been diverted to help with the rebuilding of Manhattan; once the Mansion was secured they were sent out to offer labor and logistical help with the rebuilding from the prolonged occupation.

Janet's in the command center towards the center of the house. It's a little anachronistic, old hardwood and soft carpet decor marred by computers, large display screens, and a holographic map of Manhattan superimposed on the surface of the titanic single slab of mahogany that serves as a conference table.

Janet's got an earpiece in and she's keeping up a steady chatter with someone on the other end. The socialite's wearing a sleeveless one-piece wool dress, ivory white, with a thigh-length hem and a pillowy yoke that hangs to her mid-sternum. Thigh high heeled boots and a black leather belt are perfectly matched, and the jewelry at her wrists and ears is polished gold.

When Carol arrives, Janet flashes a smile and beckons her in. A finger uplifts to beg a moment's pause. "Charlie, that's-- yeah, that's fine. Go do that. I gotta go. Text me with an update in an hour." She ends the call and beams another welcoming expression at Carol. "Hey trouble, decided to blow back in?" she teases. The coffee in her hand emits gentle wafts of steam, and the coffee maker in the corner is topped off with some high-end roast. Carol's senses wouldn't miss the strong scent of liquer in Janet's mug, though.

Carol Danvers has posed:
Carol's lips curl back into a soft grin as she spots Janet manning the command center. "Didn't expect you to be the one in here. Someone's name come up on the roster?" she teases. "Though those corporate skills probably come in handy in a moment like this."

The woman pulls her leather jacket off, hanging it over a chair as she moves over to the coffee machine. A flavor is selected and she loads it up, then turns back towards Janet once it starts in on her beverage. "Was down in the South Atlantic. Passenger liner on a whale watching tour hit an iceberg. And then the container ship that was nearby that went to help, also hit an iceberg," Carol says with a sigh and a shake of her head.

"Lost a few containers from the stack before it was all over with. Probably going to try to send Tony a bill for it. Never mind the sailors that were saved and the ship and rest of the containers that didn't sink," she says with a shake of her head. Carol turns back, scooping up her cup when it's ready. "No more signs of angels here in the meantime, I gather?" she asks.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"The Angels have left Manhattan," Janet confirms with a nod. "Well, mostly. There's that... weird gothy chick, Lady Death? Sounds like a bad dominatrix." She waves a hand at the display and a red circle pops up in Hell's Kitchen. "She's taken over this vacant lot. Which hasn't done real estate prices any favors," she adds, dryly. "I don't know what she's gonna do with it, but I think she's not here for us and she's enough of a threat that I don't wanna go there to evict her without Steve, Thor, Superman, and Diana on-call."

"But yes, this is my contribution to the disaster efforts," Janet says. She touches her fingertips to the table and levers her hips up onto it, legs crossing at the knee. "I mean, aside from funding the relief and recovery efforts," she clarifies. She pauses mid-sip, gestures at Carol. "Oh, if you're looking to expand your portfolio, I've got a shell company picking up the properties that are being abandoned or forfeited by the insurance companies. Pennies on the dollar," she emphasizes. "We'll rebuild 'em as apartments and throw in some restaurants and community centers. Got a few hundred grand you can throw into the pot?"

Carol Danvers has posed:
Carol Danvers breaks out into warm laughter. "Jan, your concept of what SHIELD pays, and the reality, are so far apart," she says of the notion of her having a few hundred thousand dollars of disposable income. "But hey, if teachers get paid what they do, saving the world a few times over probably isn't worth that much either, right?" she says.

The coffee cup is held in both hands and brought near to her nose so Carol can inhale the aroma. "Oh man. Just the coffee alone, compared to what SHIELD serves," she says with a shake of her head and a chuckle. She takes a slow sip, savoring it, and then moves to lean back against one of the counters.

"Sounds like a great cause though, wish I could help. If you need something heavy moved about maybe? About all I have to my name at the moment is an old house I inherited from my family. Haven't really been out there, they got it after I..." Carol says, trailing off and making a little motion as if up into the sky to indicate the time she was living in space, if unwillingly. "Supposed to have some of my old things there too though. Soon as I get some downtime, going to go check it out."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Good lord, Carol, you really need to stop being such a plebian," Janet advises the leggy blonde. "Tell you what, call my accountant up and we'll see what we can do for you," she suggests. "It took me forever to convince Steve to stop leaving his money under the mattress. I can help you with some savvy investments and build up a decent little nest egg," she offers.

Janet slurps her coffee and looks up at the display screens, scanning over them. Janet's far from a scientist, but she's a hell of a business administrator, and the dizzying logistical map of services and goods seems to be plain English to her eyes. "You could swing through some of the demolition sites," she offers. "There are a few buildings that they're having trouble taking down because of the partial collapses. Can't blow them up, can't get a crane in there. That would help a lot of the workers breathe easier, and we could get going on the rebuilding quite a bit faster," she suggests. "But only if you're not busy saving sweaty cornhusker tourists from wild orcas."

Carol Danvers has posed:
"Hey, orcas need to eat too," Carol tells Janet, grinning over the rim of her cup at the other woman before taking another sip. "Nah, the shipping lanes are safe for the moment. So I'd be happy to swing by. Knocking down some buildings is probably good stress relief or something. I'll have to ask my therapist," she says. "When I get one."

Carol pushes away from the counter she's leaning against, moving over nearer to the display. She studies it, setting down her cup and resting both hands on the display table as she leans over the hologram. Maps and aerial views are kind of her thing. "They really did a number on us," she says with a sigh and a shake of her head.

A hand reaches out to grab part of the display and move it, panning across the island, then zooming it in on an area Janet knows well. The building housing JVD Fashion. "How'd your company and employees fare? Able to get everyone off the island in time?"

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Of course!" Janet almost looks insulted at the notion she'd do less than take care of her people. "I mean, it's just the 5th Avenue outlet. We moved out the really expensive stuff, you know the diamond-studded bras, the custom shoes, that kinda thing. Brought them to the corporate offices and stored them in the vault there."

She shifts, recrossing her legs, and sips her coffee briefely. "I told everyone that they could take paid vacation until the angel thing blew over, or work at the corporate offices with a ten percent pay bump. Had to put a few people to work pushing brooms and repainting my office," she concedes. "I booked up a hotel on the far side of Brooklyn the minute I heard the rumors about an invasion. Peggy's instincts are dead-on for that kinda thing. It was a little crowded but no one got hurt and I didn't lose any employees. Once the rebuilding's done, we'll throw another grand opening. Like the first time we opened. I greased a city inspector's hand and he put barrier walkways up around Sak's for the entire weekend. Dick Baker was -piiiissed-," she chortles.

Carol Danvers has posed:
Carol Danvers breaks out in quiet laughter. "See, that's all too cut throat for me. I'll settle for shooting missiles and guns, and photon blasts at people out in the open," she teases quietly, but appearing amused at what Janet pulled over on the rival business.

The coffee cup is recaptured and she gives a happy sigh. "I needed this," she says of the cup. "Figured I'd touch base with everyone. I'll knock out those buildings you mentioned, literally. But then after I think I'll head up north and find that place. Not really sure what to expect from it. But, it's a short flight for me, could be a nice getaway. Though, I might grab one of the rooms at the mansion too. Need to talk to Tony about it. Hadn't bothered, but since I'm around as much as I have been, might as well, right?"

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet rolls her eyes. "Why do you need to talk to Tony?" she inquires, rhetorically. "The Mansion isn't like, his personal home. It's funded by the Avenger's corporate shell. Same place all our royalty and likeness checks go, before we get our personal cuts off merch' and stuff. Just go find an empty room, scribble your name on the door, and if Tony gives you any shit throw him out the window."

"But--" she sips her coffee, finger uncurling from the mug at Carol briefly-- "if you really feel uncomfortable about it, you can crash at my penthouse for a bit. There's only one extra master suite there, sort of on the north side of the building. It's a bit cramped, the condo association wouldn't let me build more than 5,000 square feet," she says in a tone that sounds vaguely (but not sincerely) apologetic.

Carol Danvers has posed:
The largest smile seems to come in response to Carol envisioning herself throwing Tony out a window. Though it's short-lived as she murmurs ruefully, "He probably has armor that would fly out and catch him. Plus, the mansion is just a few stories."

Carol looks back at the holographic map zooming it out and changing a display setting to color code areas by the amount of damage sustained. "I might take you up on that," she says. "If you hear some tapping at the window it's probably me," she tells Janet.

Carol finishes off the coffee, taking the cup over to where they leave them for the staff. She turns back, ruffling fingers through her long blond hair. "But for now, I have sea salt to wash off. Going to grab the first open room for now," she says. "I'll send you an update when I get those buildings demolished," she says. "JARVIS, please upload the locations in question to my suit."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Well give me a heads up before you do, I'll make sure I'm doing something indecent," Janet sallies back with a bawdy amusement. "Go on, get outta heah with youse, ya knob," she says in a passable imitation of a Bahston acccent, and waves Carol off with her free hand. "I need to get back to wrangling cats. Once things calm down though, you, me-- Pepper, Sue Storm, we'll go hit a club out. I can probably even bully Peg into coming along for some fun."

She lifts the earpiece and puts it back into place. "And keep your emergency channel open, just in case something happens. I wanna keep everyone on alert until we're absolutely sure this angel shit's blown over."