17476/Widows and Voodoo

Widows and Voodoo
Date of Scene:	23 March 2024
Location:	Swordfish Bar (SHIELD)
Synopsis:	Natasha and Priscilla talk at the Swordfish, and much of the conversation is unheard.
Cast of Characters:	Natasha Romanoff, Priscilla Kitaen

---

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
It's a quiet night over at the Swordfish, the bar that primarily caters to SHIELD personnel. There's a group of exhausted looking agents that have the battered look about them from having just come off a field mission, then debriefing, and now looking to unwind some.
    Natasha Romanova is not among those going to unwind, even as she sits to the side and has an array of files in front of her showcasing summaries of recent terrorist activity.

Priscilla Kitaen has posed:
After entering the bar, Priscilla Kitaen pauses and looks around. The woman is working overtime to hide her wariness and the strong sense of paranoid unease. Blue eyes a bit wild, flicking from face to face and then spot to spot, she finally relaxes and moves further inside. It wasn't hard to come to the conclusion she should join the group when the invitation was extended. If they are after her for nefarious reasons she'll find out quicker. If they aren't, it's a layer of protection against those who do want her for those reasons.

Of course it also gives her more of a chance to help people and that is what Pris wants. Okay, she definitely wants to be part of a team again too but is still smarting badly from the lose of her last one. It'll take time to adjust to this. Hopefully it's time she has now. Ordering a whiskey, double with no ice, she moves to a table next to Natasha and sits down.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would turn over from her position and glance over at Priscilla, "Ms. Kitaen." She would speak to her in greeting. She had skimmed the woman's bio with the understnading that there was a chance the two would operate in the field. So it was as good a time as any to see how accurate the bureaucratic summation of someone's entire life was.

"How has your adjustment to field duties been going if you've been on any operations?" If she had or had not Natasha would know - but it was called being polite.

Priscilla Kitaen has posed:
Priscilla looks up from the intent study of her drink. There had been an expression of something, perhaps longing? As she gazed into it's amber depths. The liquid doesn't have much effect on her anymore. She smiles at Natasha, a bit of a amusement lighting those blue eyes, strange on someone so dark skinned.

"I haven't yet. Not with you all at least." It's been years since she was in the field and part of a team but her descriptions of what she'd done before and where were enough to get her bumped up from a newbie's status. So long as she does well when she *is* called into the field, and Pris is determined to do well.

"I've read up on the rules and regs. I'll do my best to stick to them." Do her best to follow orders too. She knows well that inital plans don't often survive much beyond the moment of engagement though. "I just want a chance to prove my use." It's not a lie. It's not the entire truth either. A part of her desperately wants this, the rest of her is horribly certain she's doomed to disappointment. If the others turned on her so easily.. but no. She won't waste anymore time thinking about that. Them.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would nod over at Priscilla, "Very well. You know what's required for field operations. If you don't feel up to them, then you can remain in training or in a consultancy role until you do." That's the point of volunteers from among the more.. Exotic types. Those that are figuring out what they're doing can take their time - until they get drafted for an emergency that's alway san all hands on deck routine.

"What are your general assumptions so far on SHIELD operations when it comes to a more specialized nature?" Taking a sip of her own drink, even as she reviews reports - recent operations by groups such as HIVE, Kobra, Advanced Idea Mechanics.. A reminder of the wide number of threats out there in the planet.

Priscilla Kitaen has posed:
'Hm.' Pris thinks and stares into her as of yet untouched glass again. With this woman, she figures it's best to be honest. "I haven't been with you long enough to really be sure of anything but one thing I do worry about is how other Beings, or people with powers are handled. If someone like that is bad well then yeah, they need to be stopped. Some of them might be redeemable. Some of them won't. Some are just trying to make their way in the world and those are the ones I worry about."

Herself so very much included in that statement. "I know that life isn't fair but having to always look over your shoulder just because you aren't a standard human, or are something else entirely but still a good person.. it sucks. I'm not saying SHIELD does that or takes things to extremes but with an organisation like this, it could easily happen." Her expression darkens momentarily before the woman visibly shakes herself and takes a sip of her drink. "I've seen it happen. So far everything I've seen here has been good." And with her Sight, she would know if it wasn't.

That is one thing she held close to her vest so to speak. She admitted to being a human alien hybrid and nearly everything else she can do, or potentially learn to do. The Sight though? That is her own secret for now. Once she feels she can trust them, then she'll reveal that power.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would nod, "SHIELD operates as a fast response force and damage control. As well as an intelligence gathering service. Most often domestic affairs such as bank robberies will be left to the local authorities and on occasion vigilantes to handle. SHIELD operates to counter greater threats to stability and the international status quo. SHIELD is also a military and intelligence organization. While on occasion we take on trainees that have a difficult time exerting thier powers.. IT is not our primary purpose."

There was a difference between a school, an academy, and an operational force. SHIELD, as Natasha would define it, operated soldiers and spies. "You're always encouraged to share your thoughts on things with your superior officer if you have things you believe can be improved upon." Natasha is one that should never be trusted when it comes to secrets.

She's Russian. SHe's Soviet. SHe's KGB.

Priscilla Kitaen has posed:
Priscilla nods and looks as if she's considering what Natasha is saying. Part of her mind is actually but most of her focus is wondering at the woman herself. 'It can't hurt to ask, well actually, it surely can', Pris thinks with a dark sort of amusement. "Why do you do this? Who are you loyal to really? SHIELD or America or the world at large? I know why I'm here...and I know what I've heard of you and I'm just confused I guess.. someone like you seems like you'd be welcome most places, with your skills, I mean."

Natasha is much harder to figure out even with her secret power. Not everything is so easy to read or understand especially when it comes to things outside her experience. Pris wants to know who she can trust and how much. She also needs to get to know the people she might be working along side.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would glance at Priscilla, pondering how to reply. Her body language is completely passive, and her mood extremely guarded. She's nearly a century old, and her mind has long since become alien to the ways that most humans think of things due to her lifetime as a spy. "I do what must be done to complete my objectives. Whatever organization I am with at the time by necessity." Her tone is very guarded as she gives a non-answer as to where her loyalties laid. Then again, with everything she had done and all of her reputation, accurate or not.. Such things always changed.

"My skills are useful. They make me an asset." It is a give and take. She works with the Avengers and SHIELD. They help her accomplish her own tasks. Natasha is at the end of the day a weapon. For better or ill.

Priscilla Kitaen has posed:
Pris tilts her head, considering the response. It does offer insight despite not giving much away. "I think.. I understand." She wants to offer some sort of advice, give the woman some sort of.. oh hope or something. Help her see that she can be so much more than what Natasha sees herself as but it isn't her place. It wouldn't be welcome. Not right now. Maybe one day in the future? Not likely, Pris suspects but there is still a part of her, a very small part these days, that holds onto the idea that people can be better, be more than just what their nature deems or everyone else expects from them.

Knowing she can't do anything for Natasha Pris sighs inwardly but then remembers the exhausted looking agents. Now those people she can help, but should she? "What happened to those people over there? They look kinda rough." Natasha would know that Priscilla didn't hide the fact she's well practiced with her telepathy and empathy but doesn't use those powers outside of battle unless absolutely pressed to. Sometimes she can't help it of course, shielding a world's worth of people's emotions and thoughts from your own mind when you are self taught isn't easy. So far though Pris seems to have been telling the truth about those powers. There is genuine concern in the woman's tone as she eyes the other agents and she'd been honestly interested in Nat's reply to her questions.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha has been molded by life to be a thing. Perceptions, experiences, training. Reinforced by decades and decades. The woman is close to a century old. Not as old as many, many others. But by human standards she is worn. And almost her entire life has been spent upon her duty, her focus. She is a weapon. She has many ways to go about her purpose. But her life has honed her to a specific way of doing things. It gives her strengths and it gives her vulnerabilities. It gives her flaws. She has no qualms on admitting it.

"They had a field operation where intelligence was.. Inaccurate and they had to abort the mission under heavy fire." Intelligence was only proven inaccurate heading in after the battle, but everyone expected it to be going in. Natasha's no telepath, but she can read body language fairly well. "If you wish you can ask them on the specifics." The fact they were still alive and able to go get a drink meant it couldn't have been that bad!

Priscilla Kitaen has posed:
Priscilla nods a little. Her eyes widen as a thought occurs to her. Beyond helping those agents get a better night's sleep and soothing over the rough edges of what they just experienced.. what if.. "What if you had a way to.." Then she pauses. She's very careful in how she uses these abilities because it could become all to easy to fall into using them all of the time and that way lies the path of a monster. She refuses to become inside what she is outside.

Only.. Pris turns and looks at the agents for a moment and bites her lip. She can always say no, if it doesn't feel right. "If you come across a situation like that again.. where the intelligence could be wrong, and you need to be sure and don't want to risk lives finding out then get me. I have ways of getting close enough to find out the truth but I can only do it if I'm sure it's the right thing to do." Another glance behind her. To spare her new ..coworkers? fellow spies and enforcers? whatever, they are on the same side.. she'll risk it.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
The veteran spy just looks over at Priscilla, "The intelligence is always wrong. Nothing is ever accurate. There's a reason why one of the oldest axioms in combat is 'no plan survives contact wtih the enemy'. No picture is ever completely accurate. No matter the ways that it is accmoplished. Infiltration, divination, observation.. In the end, no matter is flawless. Inaccuracies can be minimized but will always be present. Whenever one fights they must be ready for that." That's just the way life is.

Never th eway that you hope it will go. She's Russian. Expect the worst of things. So you're never upset when it happens. Well, upset more. It's also a quiet way of giving Priscilla the chance to back down and keep her secrets to herself.

Priscilla Kitaen has posed:
Well, that is true. Priscilla well knows. She nods. "Fair enough." She really does need more time to figure out her place here and it's not as if she isn't still helping people in her off time. If anyone kept track of her movements they might be surprised just how much of her time is spent in various hospitals and hospices as a volunteer. She's found a unique way to help others with little risk to herself. Or so she hopes.

"Well anyway. I'm looking forward to being in the field, although obviously I don't want anything bad to happen. I'm sure it will and I'll do my best to be a good asset for SHIELD." She finishes her drink and eyes the empty glass with a mournful expression. Again, nothing. It might as well be water. Maybe she should start trying to experiment with slowing down her regenerative abilities. Surely that's possible? Ah well. There are worse things than not being able to get your drink on.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
What someone does on their own time is their own business. At least until it isn't. A paranoid spy agency makes all kinds of exceptions after all. Natasha probably isn't aware of what Priscilla does in her free time. And likely wouldn't care either. "It's in our nature for the unexpected to happen." There's a reason why they get sent into things instead of the local authorities.

"I'm sure that you'll do fine with some experience. The adjustment phase can take awhile when one is getting used to a new organization." Natasha's ability to drink things is nowhere near as good - she's just Russian.

Priscilla Kitaen has posed:
She's begun to realize that while she has plenty of experience, it doesn't translate well to working back here on Earth. That's okay though, she'll learn. Pris might not be highly educated but she's smart and quick to pick things up. She had to be in order to survive what she has. Tired of just surviving, the woman is ready to thrive. So yes, she'll throw herself into the work until it becomes second nature.

For as long as she believes in the job and what SHIELD is trying to accomplish. Unless things go absolutely crazy, Priscilla doesn't expect that to change. She has however, been wrong before and that blindside cost her dearly. Natasha is right, things can and do go wrong, even someone who can see everything about a person and their nature can be caught off guard and surprised. She isn't omniscient or a god or anything. Just better at seeing the truth than most and that is not always enough.

Pris seems to realize she's been lost in her thoughts for awhile and looks up. "Sorry. I get distracted thinking things through when it's quiet sometimes. I might not have liked it but I got used to going it on my own. I'm glad (and definitely afraid!) that I was asked to join."