17738/SHIELDs and Sentinels

SHIELDs and Sentinels
Date of Scene:	22 April 2024
Location:	Ready Room: Triskelion
Synopsis:	SHIELD members talk about the seizure of the Starport and what to do about it.
Cast of Characters:	Natasha Romanoff, Marc Slayton, Richard Stadler, Cole Cash

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Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Last night, the Atlantic Starport had been occupied on the mandate of the United States Security Council. It had involved the deployment of multiple carrier strike groups, an unknown affiliated Hellicarrier, magic that had been stolen from Avengers Mansion, and the United States sending out a Sentinel. The Amazons and SHIELD personnel had surrendered, and the alien evacuees had been attacked by said Sentinel, before being driven off by Doctor Doom and Polaris of Genosha. On top of the Chinese sending in their government sponsored equivalent of the Avengers. It had been a very, very long night.
    In the ready room, Natasha Romanova is looking at photographs of the large Sentinel now deployed outside the occupied Starport.

Marc Slayton has posed:
Marc Slayton was present for the briefing. As always he was in the back of the room, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed across his chest. He was in full "uniform", mask, costume, and all. With a silent movement, he shifts his foot that was placed against the wall, holding him into place. Left to right.

"Nat." One word. Her name. It was all he said, but he wanted to let the lady know he was there. If anyone could match his skill for moving silently in the shadows, it was her.

Richard Stadler has posed:
     Rick had looked through the after action report again, and again, in the way of a man hoping to find some part of it that would click things into place; the first draft of a man who really wishes he could be an apologist, and is finding no help in the text. He sighed, a bit, leaning back in the ready room chair, and slapped the folder down on the table for emphasis.

"I know it had to be done. Agree with the general principles of the action; International Starport is just that, and if we're going to have humanity going into the stars it needs to be a mandate. That being said, do... we even have a State Department? I mean, I'm a scientist, I look at evidence, and it is pretty damn thin on that front. Does anyone else need emphasis on what sort of a diplomatic trashfire this is?"

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would glance over at Richard, "Yes, but there are.. More pressing circumstances. The deployment of Sentinels by the United States military is the effective abandonment of the Sokovia Accords. It is likely to go down.. Poorly within the mutant communities. There are further worries. The deployment of magical items stolen from the Avengers, the use of our own seized technology.." What were clearly hostile Quinjets, likely the teleporters used to infiltrate SHIELD itself, a large Hellicarrier of unknown origin.."

This is a bit beyond trashfire.

Marc Slayton has posed:
Marc Slayton's eyes, white through his mask, look at Rick, and then back to Natasha. He doesn't say a word, as Natasha continues. Shaking his head, he drops his foot, and switches to his right. Was that a twinge of age there? Naw.

"So." His words are low and deep. "Another screw up. Seems to be happening a lot."

Cole Cash has posed:
"I didn't do it," Grifter says as he walks in to join the others in the discussion.

He's pretty casual, white t-shirt and military khakis, double holstered and carrying as usual. He never quite feels complete without a gun. He's scruffy but with his mask pulled up to make a crimson headband holding back his dirty blonde hair. He pulls out a chair, straddling it backwards Riker style and gives a big yawn.

"So, uh, who am I shooting next? What's up? What's the haps? You guys are the big cheeses, I'm just a grunt."

Richard Stadler has posed:
     Rick gives a slight look over to Cole; clearly the levity he's willing to inject into this situation is more of a acerbic quality. "I'm beginning to wish I was one of this big cheeses; then I might have actually had some consul on what just happened. Suffice to say, I don't think we're getting out of this one by shooting. As much as it would simplify matters."

"Screw ups this frequent are generally not a coincidence here. It might be the paranoia talking, of course, but no one deploys that many secret weapons without informing their principal agency dealing with them without an agenda. As you mentioned in the report; some of that tech was taken from the Avengers. Some from SHIELD. Why? What's the point of sidelining us like this?"

He lifts the bridge of his glasses, rubbing his nose slightly. "So upset I'm touching my face- and the sentinel! The last time the world saw those Nazi's were using them to assault Manhattan, and they think to bring one out here? Were we trying to send a message to the superpowers? Or does President Luthor think it's just a /bang/ up idea to start pushing the Starport Three, Genosha and fucking Latveria into an alliance of convenience"

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would fold her hands together, "Yes, and one that we're just being taken along for the ride with. The evidence presented indirectly implies that the attackers were sent in by the United States government. Or at least tolerated by them." Given they were used in concert after all.

"And, Cole, we're figuring out who we're going to be sent out shooting next. If NATO is cooperating in this.." Well, then SHIELD is under NATO mandate. They'll have to obey orders. And this goes beyond just a localized clusterf***. Attacking alien refugees makes it interplanetary.

"One can only think that President LUthor was nearly killed by one and decided he liked it so much he wanted to get his own."

Marc Slayton has posed:
Was that a sigh? Cole arrives. Slayton turns slightly to ensure he can see Cash, and then returns his attention to the room. "Good to see you Cash. I see you are still alive." Now that was cold and unfeeling. As though Slayton was surprised at the current healthy state of Cash.

Stadler's comments almost elicit a smile. Slayton shaes his head, and says, "Sidelining. never. I go where I am needed. At the moment, it isn't cleaning up this mess Mr. Stadler. You make some good points though."

Looking at Natasha as she continues. "Luthor. Almost killed. So they failed?" He almost sounds...disappointed.

Cole Cash has posed:
Cole Cash sticks his tongue out at Slayton, "Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. Mostly by me. Being dead is the best cover," he says.

"Mark me down for 'against' on the big fascist robots. I hate robots. You shoot a robot, what happens? Nothin'. Sure, if you hit some of them in the eye, you might make their circuits blow out the back of their head, but if they have any sort of armor or other Iron Man crap? Bah, just call in the Avengers and I'll sleep in."

"Speaking of things that suck donkey tail, President Luthor."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
There's a grunt from Natasha in agreement, "Beyond the now hostile political climate.." By which she means the likelihood of three of the most technologically advanced entities on the planet finding common ground with Doctor Doom, and something that Genosha could very legitimately take as an act of war..

"Hydra had rather grand designs." Ont he whole 'killing President Luthor'. Natasha didn't particularly care. One politician for antoher.

"We need contingencies. WE can't have our organization utilized in ways that undermine it's integrity." They couldn't be used by NATO to start slapping down anything domestic, which would escalate at a terrifyingly exponential rate.

Marc Slayton has posed:
Slayton ignores Cole's "tongue". He does say, "Pity." Almost under his breath. Which he never does. He knows Cole hears his response. "Playful banter". Indeed.

"Doom." A pause. "I told everyone he would be a problem. That Nation is poised to cause a lot of problems in that section of the world. Especially if Hydra is a part of this."

"Nat. I can be anywhere. You need Wetworks done, or someone disappear, I am there."

Richard Stadler has posed:
     Stadler shakes his head. "The organization, I mean, not the personnel. Why would Uncle Sam steal the gear they need for this operation, when they could simply tell us." He says, nodding to Natasha. "We're NATO. We'd be first up on the line for a sensitive operation like this, and if not us, I'm sure we had an MEU that could run this. Hell, include the VDV, I'm sure the Russians would love the propaganda hit of 'fighting side by side against fascists'. A Sentinel..."

He leans back in the chair. "SHIELD wouldn't. All of us have the power to resign, and if they decided to start using us as a domestic security organization, I daresay it wouldn't be SHIELD anymore. But this is a NATO outfit, and, need I remind you, some of us here are still drawing pay from the DoD. Half pay, but. Well. I'd love to see some options other than just killing who we think will stop this."

Another pause. "There's... another thing. These Quinjets. I think I've seen one of them before."

Cole Cash has posed:
Cole Cash pulls a toothpick out of his pocket and puts it between his teeth. He used to do gum, to help him cope with the no smoking indoors that the modern world had become, but, honestly, it was bad for his teeth. He only just GOT dental care when he signed back up with this outfit, he's not going to blow it now.

"Look, pal," he says to Richard, "We're in the shadow business. Plausible deniability's a thing. Wouldn't be the first time agencies of the same government ended up crossing swords on the battlefield. Friendly fire sometimes ain't all friendly."

He sighs, "I guess I should've voted."

"Anyway, yeah, count me in on the wetworks dealio. Have gun, will travel."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would nod at Cole and Marc, "Good. We need information. Actionable information. Don't make a mess while doing so." Cole and Marc were experienced enough that Natasha trusted them to do things of their own initiative. She would nod over at Richard. "Elaborate." SHe had the same context. But wanted it confirmed.

"There's too little we know, and too many moving parts. We can't take action until we understand how they operate." IF theye ven could. In an official capacity.

Marc Slayton has posed:
"He's not wrong." Slayton says about Stadler's comments. "Pretty observant." High praise from the Kherubim, aimed at Nat. "I know there is more going on here. A lot more. This whole machine is moving too slow." Was that a shot at NATO, SHIELD, the US, or something else?

"Cole can do what you need Nat." A pause. "If absolutely necessary." Was that praise. "As you wish." Another open ended comment. That was to let Nat know he was on it. "So. No action. As always."

Richard Stadler has posed:
     "You're in the shadow business. I'm a community college professor who does this instead of painting houses in the summer." Rick says, deadpan. "I'm not saying blue on blue doesn't happen in a compartmentalized environment; I'm saying this isn't the NSA and CIA having a row in the middle of a housing block no one cares about in Saincong. This was a major operation, a major international incident, showcasing technology publicly. This was meant to send a message, and I feel like we're members of the audience. And vote next time."

"Stadler sighs. "Ambassador Marshall, during the attack at the UN, had one waiting for him as an escape plan. I know his record; a lot of secret squirrel stuff there."

Cole Cash has posed:
Cole Cash grins at Slayton, "Aw, thanks, Mon Capitan. I believe in you, too. Whenever they need someone to be a stiff-necked bastard who could choke out God, I'm like "Go get Backlash. He's your big beautiful man."

Grifter doesn't care much about official or unofficial, sanctioned or unsanctioned. He's gone off-book and off-grid plenty of times before, sometimes far enough out that even he felt a little lost as to where he stood. But, at the moment, he's hanging his holsters 'round these parts.

"I used to love Secret Squirrel. Right before Rocky and Bullwinkle. I wish being a secret agent was more like that. We need more Borises. We already have the better Natasha. Anyway, like I said - you guys figure out all that stuff and just tell me who needs shot."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would fold her hands together, "Exactly. There's many moving parts here." She would look at Marc, amused. "We need to know who we shoot first before we go in. It's sloppy to take out things which aren't our targets." She would leave it that way. "Information first, targets second. Get whatever you can and make sure not to make a mess doing it." She would nod at Richard.

"Far be it for me to comment on United States domestic politics, but it sounds like this was a campaign ad for the President."

Richard Stadler has posed:
     Rick shakes his head. "Politics. I'd like to think we were above them. I /really/ want to believe that we had a good rationale for taking control of the Starport; now how much of it's political theater? Worse, especially with Sentinels, some... wink and nudge to the anti-mutant crowd about what sympathies Luthor has. God, it is sometimes tough to love this country."

To Cole, he gives a bit of a grunt. "Preferred Underdog myself."

Cole Cash has posed:
Cole Cash shrugs, "I was never much for patriotism myself. But, then, I got dunked into the darkside pretty quick after I grew up and childhood wasn't a picnic to begin with. That whole power corrupts thing tends to apply pretty universally. Doesn't mean we can't still be the good guys. Just depends on whether you think sometimes even good guys have to do bad things. Me? I stopped worrying about it a long time ago. But you seem like the type that needs some philosophical self-doubt to fill up the quiet hours in the night, so I figured I'd feed your demons a little," he says jovially.

"Mutant hatred ain't nothin' but pure jealousy anyway. But not every power is a blessing. Some of them cost more than they're worth."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would give a nod, "Divide and conquer. The refugees make for rather effective targets as outsiders. Then double down if you need to on mutants for an alternative. It doesn't even need to be direct, just implied. Then you have the world unifying against them, bringing enemies together.. Rather brilliant." She would lean back in her chair.

"ANything we can find out we can use."