3876/I'm Not Meddling!

I'm Not Meddling!
Date of Scene:	20 October 2020
Location:	Victor's Cafe, NYC.
Synopsis:	Colette and Carol join a very exclusive club. There are ballcaps. Or there will be.
Cast of Characters:	Colette O'Connail, Carol Danvers

---

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    It has been months since Colette had appeared in any SHIELD reports, or otherwise given Carol any reason for extra headaches. The last time had been a pretty special one even by Colette's former standards, given the whole thing of having been accused of being a HYDRA agent, claiming to be part Martian, and asking Carol if she was absolutely sure she wasn't a Kree sleeper agent. This occasion promises to be less dramatic, if only because it's in a more public space.

    Given so many months had passed Carol might have thought - or possibly hoped - that Colette was out of her hair, so it might have been something of a surprise to get invited to lunch, but nonetheless that's what happened. The location is Victor's Cafe, a long-established and rather smart Cuban restaurant on 52nd street, in New York's theater district. Fancy, but not too fancy. The place is light and airy, with Cuban themed murals and an impressive amount of glasswork hanging from the ceiling in the form of rather fancy pendant light fittings, the the large skylight provides quite a bit of light of its own.

    The occasion hopefully promises no more dramatic revelations or alien strays, but perhaps good food and cocktails are on the agenda. Perhaps it's just a testing of the waters of that last exchange between the two, where Colette had suggested putting other things aside and being friends, though if so she's taken a while to act on it.

    One way or another, when Carol arrives she'll be lead to a table where Colette waits patiently sipping a mojito and showing no signs of doing anything troublesome or dramatic.

Carol Danvers has posed:
Ah yes, that was dramatic, and to be honest Carol had forgotten about it with the sheer number of alien invasions since then. Three. Three major incidents. So yeah it kind of fell off the good Captain's radar.

At least until routed along came an offer to lunch. Still not about to pass on meeting one of the more meddlesome Martians that Carol has met, there being only what three now that she is aware of on Earth and all so yes she shows up.

Civilian not SHIELD casual of course, this being a nice place on 52nd Street. Flight jacket, ball cap for superhero incognito mode, a Pearl Jam concert T-shirt, and very nice jeans.

The chair pulled out from table and Carol settles in across from Colette and she smiles. "Hey Meddler, good choice it smells great."

Colette O'Connail has posed:
"Hey Carol," Colette says with a smile. "Glad you could make it. And yeah, it's good. Ever been here before? It's a bit of an institution, been around since forever. Great food, great drinks to." She gestures to her mojito. "Join me in one? My treat today, I guess I owe you for the hassle I've put you through."

    She breaks into a grin and shakes her head. "Or at least for accusing you of being a Kree sleeper agent. I mean it wasn't exactly an accusation, but all things considered it seemed like something worth knowing." She gives a little shrug. "I have no idea how much your SHIELD guys actually know about things like that, I wasn't sure they'd be asking the right questions. I'm just really responsible in that way."

    She can't help smirking at this claim, and raises her glass for a sip to hide the smirk -- though she's not trying too hard to hide it. "So how have you been, Carol? It has been a while and I guess it's been a pretty busy time for you, what with one thing and another. I can't say I envy you the responsibilities you have. I guess knowing what you know about me now I could say 'been there, done that.'"

Carol Danvers has posed:
"Eh you aren't the first to worry about that and you probably won't be the last Colette. As for it being responsible... I think the jury is out on that" there is a smile tough and then she picks up the menu and looks it over "I'll have a Canchánchara." then picks up the actual menu and starts to thumb through it looking the menu over carefully.

"I actually haven't been to this one. One of the best parts of this town is the sheer level of food options, which seem to come and go all the time. Institutions though are special like this one, staying power."

"Also no most of the people at work probably do not know all the right questions to ask. I'm the resident expert in these sort of questions after all."

"Hmm is it bad to get a cubano at an authentic Cuban restaraunt?" she muses half to herself then looks up "Lot of alien invasions, been pretty busy. I could deal with not having an alien invasions for.. maybe a year.. that sounds nice."

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    "No, the cubano here is great," Colette says with a grin. "Though I haven't had anything here I didn't enjoy. If you're worried about the authentic experience, we can order the aperetivo Cubano, it's a plate of assorted appetizers."

    She gestures to a waiter to order Carol's Canchánchara, then sits back in her chair to watch while Carol goes through the menu. "A year... you never know. We've probably been a bit unlucky having two in such close succession, but you and I both know what it means that Earth has the attention of the rest of the galaxy now. It may turn out to be a good thing. Those are two victories that are going to make the next batch of would-be conquerors think twice about trying it on."

    She tilts her head to the side, and shrugs. "On the other hand the solar system is not as well defended as it has been at certain times in the past. There may be a few powers out there who think now's the time to strike before things get too organized, you know?"

    "You do know. Probably not many other people do. I mean if you're the resident expert, I think it makes it pretty responsible of me to check you weren't actually a sleeper agent." This time Colette doesn't bother to hide the grin. "Carol... I'm not gonna put on a cape or anything, but if you ever hit a problem where the resident expert finds herself in a situation out of her expertise, you know... you could ask me. I might know some things you don't. My information is going to be a bit out of date, but it's fairly broad-ranging. And ummm... this is an offer to you. Not to anyone else. "

Carol Danvers has posed:
Carol shifts in her chair looking after the waitress and really just gathers her thoughts then shifts to look back to Colette. "I'm very aware. I mean we ended up on a Malukian's planetary barcrawl. That whole Kaiju incident in London was a third 'invasion' even if it wasn't one to conquer just to have a ripping good time at our expense." she sighs and just shakes her head. "The idea of us being an intergalac tourist spot is ... well disturbing is a good word for it I suppose."

Oh the drink so fondly looked after again. "But yes. Things are going to be very problematic and we don't have a one earth government to deal with it unlike a lot of other planets by the time they find themselves thrust into the spotlight. So it will be difficult and problematic." there is a bit of a smile. "Why thank you Colette, and I mean that non-sarcastically. I haven't logged your secret with anyone so I doubt anyone will come to see you about it yet. Mind you if I am taken down and I tell someome I trust to seek the great Meddler.. she will know what to do.. try not to be too cross with me if they come find you." she isn't sarcastic, but she is teasing with a bit of fondness.

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    Colette narrows her eyes. "London... The reptilians? A Kakarantharan shape shifter?" she asks. "That's not exactly characteristic behavior. Unless they've all gone crazy in the last few centuries, that is. Hopefully just a rogue, that's not a species we'd really want as an enemy."

    She sits back and sips her drink thoughtfully. "The world government thing... yeah. Nail on the head. Our responses have been... well, chaotic. Interesting that the target seems to keep being just about right here, where the greatest concentration of powered types are. The whole take out the head and the body will follow theory. If someone realizes how disorganized this planet is and has the smarts to start with the easy conquests to give themselves a beachhead, things could get a whole lot messier."

    "You know, that's part of the reasons why I was pushing Beast Boy to get the Titans back together. Earth kind of needs a more coherent response to the threats out there, and I don't see that coming from governments. The Titans are young, not so tied up in conventional thinking." She grins a bit. "Rebellious. They'll come up with their own ways of doing things, and who knows... maybe they'll point the way."

    The conversation is interrupted by the arrival of a waitress to take the order, and Colette adds the aforementioned mixed appetizers to the order for good measure, and a second mojito for herself. When the order is taken and the waitress moved away from the table, Colette leans forwards a bit. "Look, Carol -- that offer is to you. Because I trust you, and because I like you. If someone else comes to find me, there's no guarantees I'll be co-operative, okay? I'm not trying to be an ass about this. Just... careful."

Carol Danvers has posed:
Carol shrugs "I have no idea why Fing Fang Foom was on a pub crawl vacation and picked earth... also you are right they are generally a conquer or destroy sort of species." she just sighs. "Maybe we got lucky or maybe they have really let themselves go." a shrug.

"There is very little to say they haven't already started in some of the weaker points and are trying to build up to the point they can stage something bigger honestly. It is something that SHIELD and other groups are tryng to keep an eye on and root out though .. if it starts to happen. So far so good on that front but I imagine we have mostly been lucky."

"As for the Titans, they did really good on the Warzoon invasion. Though it did end up costing them dearly. I had to deliver the news about their friends and the wormhole to them after I had the Lanterns and Nova Corp double check the readings I was getting." she frowns.

Ah thank god the drink, she gets her drink and then puts in her order, putting in a second drink because this one wont last. also a Cubano for good measure. No apps and liquid dinner.

"I understand Colette, I was mostly teasing. Though if I am killed and tell them to go find you because you might know what to do about whatever threat did me a mortal wound.. I'd listen at that point."

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    Colette is oddly quiet for a few moments as she struggles with some complicated emotion. "Carol,the Titans who... I knew two of them. One of them I'd consider a close friend. When I heard, I uh... well let's just say my instinct was to meddle. Believe it or not, I'm trying to do that as little as possible." She gives a shrug and leans back again. "Sometimes the universe doesn't seem to want to let me, but that's kind of my aim. If you're killed, I'd probably get an urge to meddle. I'd probably regret that, so try not to get killed, okay?"

    It sounds weirdly like she actually cares.

    Colette looks away, out over the room and the assorted fellow diners gathering for lunch. "They're not dead, by the way. Don't ask me how, because the idea of surviving a wormhole collapse at that range seems pretty absurd, but I've talked with a few of the other Titans and they're pretty confident. They've got some kind of magical confirmation. Best hypothesis I can come up with is that wormhole didn't entirely collapse. Hyperspace is kind of a two-dimensional surface curved through up to eleven dimensions. I've never studied the physics of it, but I suppose that it's possible that the hyperspace brane could collapse into a bubble, and anything caught inside that bubble could be ejected from the wormhole surface and... well. They may be adrift in hyperspace somewhere. "

    Colette looks back, wearing a wry smile. "I don't know how that's useful really, but I guess it means there's hope. You wouldn't happen to have an omni-wave projector, would you? If they can actually locate them in hyperspace, that might allow for a rescue."

Carol Danvers has posed:
Carol nods lightly. "I'll do my best to not get killed." she promises and then sips her drink. "You try your best too Colette."

The next bit though causes her to blink and tilt her head slowly to the side. "Wait what. They aren't dead?" she pauses then says gravely "While that is good news, that is ..extremely unlikely to be true. The odds are astronomical and the readings were not at all that of a survivable experience for the dreadnought and the people on it." she frowns and leans back sipping her drink thinking about what was just said.

Thing is, Carol is an Astronautical Engineer and scientist who also had some of the best raining the Kree Star Force could muster into their elite agents. People tend to forget as much as she teases the science geeks she can actually hold her own very well. Not to mention the thing she does to basically fly across the Galaxy under her own power which is pretty much a cosmic speedlane.

"Fuck." she notes. "I don't mean fuck they are alive... more.." she sighs "That is a really hard thing to crack if they did survive." thinking face, sip drink. "The scanners did pick up some chaotic magical signatures... I suppose if Vorpal did his trick." she sighs.

"No I do not have one on my handy..." she takes a deep breath. "I could probably liberate one though."

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    The second round of drinks arrives along with the appetizers, and Colette greets both with obvious pleasure. It's only recently that she's been able to order drinks legally, and she's still revelling in that luxury.

    "Magic is weird. Wormholes are weird. Magic plus wormholes? Who knows. Vorpal's Rabbit Holes are a magical portal of some type, who knows what they are actually doing to space-time. This Martian aspect of my memories? She was a philosopher and a warrior, not a physicist. But I know a bit, and yeah, I'm with you on this one. The odds are ridiculously small - but then magic does throw those calculations out the window. I've seen enough magic to know that... well. They've got magical confirmation from multiple sources, that seems pretty strong."

    She nibbles thoughtfully on a plantain croquette. "Carol, let's keep the omni-wave projector idea in reserve as a possibility and see what the Titans can come up with on their own, yeah? Because 'liberating' one sounds quite a lot like the kind of thing that isn't exactly compatible with the doing your best not to get killed thing. This might sound odd but... I like you. I mean I started to become aware of this whole thing, the memories, you know, when I was about ten. As I remembered more and more, it has been kinda hard. Not having anyone I could speak to about it. It's nice, you know? This. This conversation, not having to think up excuses, not having to dissemble. Losing friends isn't fun, even if they turn out to somehow be alive after all. And I do kind of feel a bit of guilt about it. I mean I pushed them to getting together, and if I hadn't maybe that would never have happened and maybe they wouldn't have fallen into a wormhole. I'd like not to get into the habit of sending friends off on suicide missions."

Carol Danvers has posed:
"The Kree have more than one of them and I'm not too worried about the Kree. Still while they aren't willing to invade earth just to take a swing at me.. if I liberate one of those then they would probably take a swing at earth. The things are way too easily weaponized and they couldn't risk that." she just slides her empty glass over to the side.

Oh look apps. She smiles to the waitress then picks up a bit of food and nods. ""that is pretty understandable. That said I am not the only person on this planet who you could probably talk shop with, there is J'onn and M'gann. Also the Kryptonians." thinks about. "A couple of others too. I mean probably not Kian though.. his people aren't exactly worldly. Not that the Kryptonians were either to be honest."

Another bit of food snagged. "Maybe the lanterns who have traveled abit in the sector and to Oa..."

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    "Actually I went for pizza with a Lantern the other day." Colette smiles and shakes her head in disbelief. "Weird story. All he knows is that he got handed the ring with a lantern and a little pep-talk from some dying alien. He'd never even heard of Oa. He's with the Titans now though, so at least there's someone keeping an eye on him."

    "As for Kryptonians and Martians, I dunno. I mean they're actual aliens. There's a Tamaranean too, in the Titans. Starfire. If she ever offers you a sandwich, refuse. Thing is, I'm human. I was born here. I just have this... thing. I figure you can understand what that's like, having these two sides. I don't figure anyone else can. Especially not... well, the Martians. Martian communication is so much in the mind, that if you can't communicate that way, it's just not the same. It's hard to explain, but I feel like me talking to a Martian would be a bad idea. I'd seem both less alien and more alien to them at the same time, I figure it would be extremely awkward."

    She looks up with a rueful grin."As for Kian, he doesn't understand the concept of untruths. He's a friend, but not a friend I can explain anything to that I don't want to be widely known. So that pretty much just leaves you. Help me, Obi-Wan Carol, you're my only hope."

Carol Danvers has posed:
Carol considers that then nods. "Okay fair point. Man who would hand a kid a lantern and a ring and not..." she sighs. "Why hasn't his ring directed him to Oa to get basic training actually." that is a very .. very fair question. She just stares at her drink for a moment.

Then she shakes her head. "Fair point though, part human and very strange with interstellar bits thrown in. Very rare club. We should get membership kits.. maybe ballcaps." it is light hearted but yeah Carol gets it. She snags another bit of the food while waiting for her sandwich to come out.

"Suppose we will just have to make do with it. Thanks for inviting me to dinner Colette."

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    "Exactly the question I asked. I guess the answer has to come down to 'because Oans'. They're not exactly shy about doing whatever the hell they decide is best for the universe. Maybe it's some kind of experiment - toss some random person a ring and see if that actually works out for the best. Maybe Earth is lucky enough to be their latest proving ground. It strikes me as deeply irresponsible, but I intend to keep an eye on him."

    Whatever she may say about trying not to meddle, apparently she can't quite help herself. What she could actually do about a rogue Lantern is another question altogether.

    "Ballcaps, huh? I could get some printed up. Maybe something less provocative than the T-shirts I got printed up with Harley one time" Yeah, trying not to meddle. "Very rare club though, you're right." Colette breaks into a grin and raises her glass. "I'll drink to that. Careful with the thanks for the invite though, Carol. I may think you're enjoying yourself, and make a habit of it."