3875/Wing Stop at R&D with Nth Metal flavoring

Wing Stop at R&D with Nth Metal flavoring
Date of Scene:	20 October 2020
Location:	R and D Labs: Triskelion
Synopsis:	Fitz scans some wings, finds out they are a bit more than wings.
Cast of Characters:	Leopold Fitz, Kendra Saunders

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Leopold Fitz has posed:
Ahhhh, home sweet home.

It's not just anyone that could find the the stark lines and cleanly tiled floors of SHIELD's Research and Development lab welcoming. Not with that constant hum of electronics. That faintly antiseptic smell to the air. All those computers, all that technology. The feel of being in a library where someone will surely glare at you if you raise your voice above a low murmur. There aren't a whole lot of people that would consider this home. But it certainly is for Agent Leopold Fitz.

He doesn't hate it out in the field. He really doesn't. No matter how much he might complain when he is there, enough so that some of his fellow agents that he works with on a regular basis can pre-emptively tease him, well aware of what is coming. It's not even the danger, the prospect of being shot at, or blown up with nuclear devices. Or even giant scorpions animated by unknown forces. Maybe alien metal. None of that is a problem. It happens in the lab too. Well, some variation on that theme at least. But here it happens in climate controlled comfort! And there is definitely no sand. Or snakes, he can do without the snakes too.

With luck he will be sticking around the Triskelion for at least a little while longer. Indeed, there is already a message waiting for him on his computer when he returns from cleaning up from his latest excursion into the field. Out of the SHIELD issue jumpsuit and field gear and back into his lab coat and pleasant cardigan. That's the proper ticket. Even as he reads over the directive waiting for him he doesn't change expression, simply pursing lips. "Donaldson, get the scanning chamber prepped. Everyone else, all non-priority inquiries are put on hold for the next hour. Clear out," he says crisply.

There might be a little grumbling but everyone here is a SHIELD agent too, even if they're more comfortable in a lab then firing a gun. If they're being ordered out of the lab they know the reason why. This place does love it's secrets.

Kendra Saunders has posed:
It had been a while over at the medical facility verifying that Agent Saunders wasn't going to die or something the moment she took a step out of the facility. Now, however, they have discovered some information that they have sent over to Fitz. Their scans haven't worked all that well as most of their equipment can't handle metals. So, Fitz is given the information they know, which is that Agent Saunders is healing, far faster than she did before. That and she's fully healthy despite the bruising and scrapes...and giant wings.

So Kendra comes walking in to the lab with a small escort that was supposed to, for now at least, keep people from seeing Agent Saunders. They, after all, aren't sure if she's even keeping them and if they are something anyone should see. So, with a large blanket over her shoulders and back, Kendra walks in to Fitz's lab.

"Fitz." She calls out upon arrival and nods to him before she carefully takes off the blanket, glancing around to make sure they are alone and revealing her top being currently consistent of a sports bra and those two huge wings. They flex and shift a little, much like a bird's wings might.

Leopold Fitz has posed:
By the time that Agent Saunders actually arrives in the lab even Donaldson has cleared out leaving Fitz alone for the moment. Well, alone as far as other scientific types at least. In time it seems inevitable that knowledge of both Agent Saunders' condition and the about the properties of the unique metal that makes up these new wings will surely have to spread. But not yet.

And not really Fitz's concern, at least not for now. That sort of decision is for the higher-ups. His job is to provide them more information to make whatever decisions it is that they need to make.

Of course he already saw those wings out in the field, jutting from Agent Saunders' back. But they had a few other concerns at the time. Still, Fitz does his best not to stare, certainly gives it the old college try. It's difficult though and he quickly bobs his head in greeting -- more or less ignoring her escorts for the time being. They're not part of his job here. "Agent Saunders. Are you... okay?" he asks slowly. "I mean, is there any pain or discomfort? Anything that we can do before we start the examination?" He presumes that she has already seen a medical doctor. But so much of this has been compartmentalized.

Kendra Saunders has posed:
A look over at the lab equipment and frankly Kendra still isn't used to this sort of thing. She isn't really the type to spend much time in the lab and it always seems to clean and linear for her taste. Yet, she moves to focus on the situation and looks back over her shoulder at the wings before looking to Fitz, "I'm fine, all things considered, Fitz." She states softly and her shoulder moves a little as the wing shifts and bobs slightly. She gestures over her shoulder.

"The Doctors say, as far as they can tell, it's like the wings have always been there." Kendra nods her head and frankly, in a way, they have but not like this. She looks to him and then back over her shoulder, "I'm not sure there's much else to do than look. I just want to know what that maniac was up to or what he intended." She nods her head and looks back to him, "You're one of the only ones that has had access to this information and so..." She shrugs and gestures, "I leave it in your hands."

Leopold Fitz has posed:
Ahhh yes, doctors. Biology, anatomy, it's all so messy compared to physics and engineering. Oh, it has it's place. Fitz would never say otherwise -- if only to avoid being on the end of one Simmons' stares. Still, she's not here right now and he makes a slight face at the mention of her doctor's observations. "Mmmmm, helpful isn't it. Always been there, have they? You would have thought we might have noticed them sooner," he says, keeping his tone deliberately neutral. He even manages to refrain from rolling his eyes.

Glancing towards her escorts, Fitz finally dips his head in acknowledgement. "You can wait here. Don't touch anything," he says, stating it as if it is a law given down from on high. Everything is where it belongs. He doesn't want people who supposedly know what they're doing messing with his lab, let alone those who clearly do not. He would have probably tried to order them to stay outside altogether if he could but he doesn't know what orders they have been given.

He is rather certain that they are not in the know about Nth metal however and he is fairly certain they are not meant to, hench his instructions to stay behind. Taking their compliance for granted he turns back towards Kendra and motions towards a heavily reinforced door that begins to slide open revealing another chamber beyong. Much smaller then the lab they are in there do appear to be a number of rather sophisticated machines scattered at even intervals around the room. "This way Agent Saunders. Lets see what else we can learn," he says, snatching up a tablet in one hand, tapping at it and finding that he can indeed pull up the medical report.

"We'll figure it out," he adds, sneaking a quick glance back over his shoulder as he falls in besides her, lowering his voice. "I can tell you they're definitely constructed of Nth metal. That much was obvious even back in Egypt. The largest, most pure sample I've ever seen."

Kendra Saunders has posed:
A nod to him and she frowns, "Fitz, they are some of the best on Earth in their field. There's a reason SHIELD hired them." She then follows him and looks back to the guards, giving them a nod and then looking back forward to walk with Mr. Science to his secret science toys. She does her best to pull her wings in, still not used to them being on her all the time like this. She has had wings before, just, this is a bit different. She winces when one actually clips a small machine and there's a scraping sound and she looks back at it before looking to Fitz.

Hopefully that wasn't important.

She then steps into teh smaller chamber. She looks around slowly as they walk in, glancing at his tablet briefly and then back around at the room. She considers the various things.

"I assumed." She states simply, "Good to know I wasn't wrong. I have used Nth metal many times." She nods her head, "For various reasons. I know the feel of it and this definitely felt like it. For one, they are light as can be." She nods her head, "Something that normal metal couldn't do."

Leopold Fitz has posed:
Diplomacy is not necessarily something that Fitz has in any great excess. For a 'spy' he doesn't always have a great poker face, especially with what he is feeling etched out there for anyone with a little bit of perception -- or training -- to see. It's another thing he has been working on as he has been assigned out to the field more and more. Working on, not mastered. Still, he manages to give Kendra a brief nod at her words. "I'm sure they are lovely, gifted people. With a clear grasp of the obvious," he agrees. In about as diplomatic fashion as he's capable of.

That diplomacy is in full force when those wings clip one of the devices left by the entrance to the scanning room. There is an ever so slight facial tick, just a little twitch and it might be possible to hear him mutter under his breath 'Perkins was supposed to put that away.' That damnable Perkins again. It would seem that she at least has been absolved of any responsibility. But woe betide Perkins the next time Fitz sees him.

"I figured you would understand what was going on. That much regular metal and you probably wouldn't be walking anywhere. We would be carting you around. Of course we could probably also just cut them off of you if they were regular metal," he notes, tapping at his tablet as the heavy reinforced door begins to swing shut behind them. Needless to say they will not be casually carving Nth metal wings off her anytime soon.

"With your permission I am going to initiate a few scans. We haven't had the best of luck learning a ton about Nth metal from scans in the past. I'm hoping that the sheer volume that we have here this time might change some of that," Fitz offers up, some of those devices along the wall coming to life with little beeps and mechanical whirls, moving on cushions of air apparently.

Kendra Saunders has posed:
A glance to him as she hears him mutter something and then she looks around slowly. She looks at the various machines coming to life before she glances to him, "I know a fair bit about Nth Metal but have never formally studied it like this." She states, "Just had access to it and seen it in action." She nods her head, "It's less about actual data and more about just experience." She looks back at the wings. She frowns as she flexes them out carefully, looking where they are going and then pulling them back.

"It really is like they are just normal wings that I have." She nods her haed, "I would be lying if it I said it didn't feel natural." She then looks back to him carefully and nods her had, "Where do you need me to stand?" She asks and tilts her head, "The sooner we get this out of the way, the sooner we can determine next steps."

Leopold Fitz has posed:
Well now, that's interesting isn't it? It feels natural to have wings jutting out of her back? Nodding slowly Fitz strokes a hand across his chin thoughtfully. "I wouldn't have expected that. I mean, I know you have some experience obviously, but this would seem to be an entirely different animal. At least judging by your medical report. If I'm reading these reports right," he begins. And he probably is. He might prefer technology, prefer engineering and physics to the 'messier' sciences, but he's still a genius. "it looks like they are actually tapped into your nervous system. I can see them them flexing, moving. Are you consciously doing that?" he asks curiously.

Even as he's making those inquries, he continues to tap at the tablet in hand, the whirling little scanners beginning to move, no longer independent, but apparently a coordinated reaction as they fan out, rolling along the walls like little balls without actually touching them. "You can just stand in the center of the room. Actually, truthfully, it doesn't really matter. If you're more comfortable pacing, feel free. It's the beauty of this system," he says. His design of course.

An instant later an array of diffuse red beams project from each sensor, sweeping over her, though in particular those wings of course. "Your practical experience counts for a lot. Clearly you can put them -- and other Nth metal tech -- to use. I'm hoping if we can wed your practical knowledge to true technical specs you might be able to do even more," he asserts absently.

And besides, this metal is like nothing he's seen before. What self respecting scientist wouldn't want to play with it?

Kendra Saunders has posed:
A look back at the wings as he mentions the flexing and movement and she shakes her head. She looks the wings over as best she can from her angle, glancing to a reflective surface to see if she can see better, "I am not." And it is just like one might see from someone's arms or legs or shoulder. Even facial ticks and movements. The wings just occasionally ruffle or shift slightly simply like they are part of a living being. Kendra does notice it a little now that she's paying attention.

Then the scanning starts and they shift slightly, uncomfortably just as she does. He might be big into science but she's not used to it completely. Getting scanned in any way is always a bit disconcerting. She then looks back to him and nods her head, "I will offer what I can but there is...well, was only so much Nth Metal." She nods her head, "I have done my best to find what I can in my particular assignments and missions."

Of course, as the scanners get going, it first confirms what was already assumed. The wings are made of pure Nth Metal, as if someone simply had enough of the stuff laying around and also an amazing talent for engineering and biology to somehow turn the Nth Metal into a seemingly living system. Then...it becomes clear there's more to it. The Nth Metal has roots directly into Kendra. Weaving into her spine, shoulderblades, and rib cage as if it were making its own nerve attachments, ligaments, and the like in order not only to attach the wings but make them truly a part of the woman. The doctors weren't exagerating. It is truly like her biological system and the Nth Metal are perfectly in sync.

Leopold Fitz has posed:
Truthfully, the wings are practically works of art. Fitz doesn't have any deep knowledge on the subject of course -- working on multiple doctorates while striving to be amongst the youngest graduates of the SHIELD Academy doesn't leave one with a whole lot of time to appreciate some of the other finer things in life. And really, nothing can compete with the beauty of SCIENCE regardless. But he knows craftsmanship. These wings, these wings are all about craftsmanship. He might be more of a function over form sort of guy, but he can definitely respect work like this.

He listens with interest as she offers up what she can about what it is like to have those wings even as those circling probes sweep those beams over her. While the focus might be on the wings it quickly becomes apparent that those same wings definitely run further then just skin deep. In short order that network is mapped out and Fitz can see just how pervasive the Nth metal runs throughout her body, in many ways functioning as a sympathetic biological system, working in tandem with her natural systems. Sahking his head, he can't help but let out a low whistle.

"Whelp, I can pretty much tell you that whatever we thought we knew about Nth metal before this, it was just the tip of the iceberg. Based on just the imaging scans this metal has bonded right into your natural biological systems Agent Saunders. I don't know of any other kind of metal, terrestrial or alien in origin, that would do anything like this. It's not like it is mixed with circuitry or any other sort of neural interface that we would be familiar with. I don't want to say that it's living, but it has properties that I've never seen before. I'm not sure anyone on this planet would have seen before," he says slowly. He could probably come up with a way to design wings that could fly. He could, working with other specialists like Jemma, probably find a way to tie those wings into a human's biological nervous system. But the advanced circuitry, the myriad of components that it would take... it would be a significant undertaking.

This? This looks like it could just been grown in its own weird way.

Kendra Saunders has posed:
A sigh and Kendra looks back at the wings and then over at Fitz before she nods her head, "I see what you are saying. I think." She nods her head as she looks over at the wings again before looking to Fitz, "I don't know what to say to that, Fitz." She states and flexes the wings a little, "I can't say I'm fully used to this or the idea mentally." She nods her head as she closes her eyes and lets out a breath.

"I am going to go lay down...somehow." She looks at the wings and then looks over at Leopold again, "I will figure it out." She nods he rhead, "Thanks, Fitz."

Leopold Fitz has posed:
With their job completed -- at least for now -- the scanners seem to deactivate, the little spheres rolling back to their designated place and the laser light show fading away. A torrent of information begins to scroll over Fitz's device -- a host of data to go through. Whether any of it makes any sense is a different matter of course. Their luck in the past has been decidedly mixed.

"I understand. Perhaps we will be able to arrange a more practical session sometime in the coming days," Fitz suggests, though that will be entirely contingent on the higher ups. He can't lie though. Back at his desk he has a nerf gun tucked into one of his drawers, largely to shoot at Perkins when he screws up. Which is often. But he does have a desire to shoot it at her right at the moment to see just how the wings will react. It's a valid scientific inquiry. Honest.

With another tap of a button, the reinforced doors to the scanning chamber slide open, freeing Kendra to rejoin her escorts and get out of this less than comforting environment. "Thank you for your time Agent Saunders. We'll get to the bottom of this," Fitz offers up as he escorts her out. If anyone can.