5388/Evening at the Triskelion

Evening at the Triskelion
Date of Scene:	01 March 2021
Location:	Recreation Lounge: Triskelion
Synopsis:	Ward and May meet up in the rec lounge, heckle a few probies, and agree that everyone just needs to let Frozen go. Seriously.
Cast of Characters:	Grant Ward, Melinda May

---

Grant Ward has posed:
It had not been that long since his return. A few month long undercover operation in Siberia had kept him away in the finest location that Russia had to offer. The mission was a success and all of the effort put into it had provided the necessary intel to finally put an end to an lucretive smuggling human trafficing ring.

He had spent the last few days settling back in, well except for the courier escort mission with Agent Croft he was assigned to a day after he landed. A few long nights of reports and analysis, the man known as Agent Ward decided he had earned some time to himself out of his suite and the Triskelion's Rec room was just what he thought he needed. If he was lucky, there would not be many people down there and he could avoid large amounts of social interaction.

It was on his way to the rec lounger that he was being followed by an eager young Agent, following him with a folder. "Agent Ward. Will you look at my report before I hand it in? I want to make sure it is perfect."

"I am sure it is fine Agent Simpkins." The folder was taken anyhoe and his hand judged it's weight. "Actually...it seems a little off. You forgot the weapon performance analysis didn't you?"

The young Agent quickly reaches for the folder to take it back and with a shake of his head make rhis way back down the hallway, leaving Ward to make his way into the lounge finally and settling himself into a chair.

Melinda May has posed:
May doesn't typically spend a lot of time in the Rec Room, but she has been known to take a cup of tea there on occasion. At this moment, she's watching one of the hotshot young probies try to break Couslon's PacMan record. Of course, he's across the room from her. And if he knew he was being scrutinized by the Cavalry, the woman who was Coulson's field partner for so long, he might be more nervous than he is. Which is to say, he'd likely to actually be nervous. Because, right now, he's cocky.

But Phil has played PacMan since it was invented. This kid grew up on Mass Effect and Red Dead Remption and Super Mario. Not the same thing at all. And Melinda May knows it.

That's not to say the kid isn't good. He's got twitch skills, to be sure. But still. He's not Coulson. And his lives run out before that score gets high enough to be a real threat.

May gives the faintest smirk as he hits the side of the arcade in his defeat, his compatriots laughing at him. She pulls herself to her feet, thinking it might be time for a strategic retreat, when Ward's form darkens the Rec Room doorway.

"Ward," she greets, moving toward him. "I heard rumours you crawled back in from the cold. Welcome home."

Grant Ward has posed:
Of all the people that could stabbed his attempt at relaxing in the heart, twisted the blade, took it out and licked she now stood before him. "da, yi priyatno videt vas toze (Yes, good to see you too)." There was a respect for the Field Leader, how could one not respect the reputation that surrounded Melinda May. He had not had many missions with her, as he tended to be a soloist for those special missions, but the time he had spent in her prescence was always interesting to say the least. They both were not about to start a clown school or become stand up comedians.

"Agent May. It is good to be back. I could go a lifetime without seeing snow again and be perfectly fine with that. It was worth every frozen moment. How have things bene for you trying to keep the sheep in line?"

He steps further into the room and makes his way over to get himself some coffee, speaking to her as he does so. "Tho, it is safe to say that for foreseeable future I am at your disposal should you need me. I hat eto stay idle for to long. It makes you dull."

He looks over to the young Agent playing the Pac-Man game and shakes his head. "Find a new dream kid. That's Coulsons." He gestures back to Melinda with a casual wave. "You can't leave now, I just got here and I am not sure I can handle it if Agent Pac-Man here decides to start up a conversation."

Melinda May has posed:
May understands Russian. Her own Russian accent, however, is shit. So, she doesn't reply in kind. Instead, she snirks at his comment about the sheep, stepping back to let him pass toward the coffee maker. "More like trying to teach them how to be wolves," she says dryly. "It's an impossible task." As well he knows.

"I'm sure we can find ways to keep you busy, Agent Ward," she says, as he comments on becoming dull. "This is SHIELD. You know there's never a dull moment." Hell, the fact the woman is in here is, in fact, proof of that -- though no one else is likely to know it. She's between missions, yes, but only overnight. The one she just returned from is off the books. The one she's going to is to bring a pair of agents home from a remote, god forsaken place filled with metahumans.

She gets all the fun stuff, these days.

She scoffs a little as Ward tells the probie to give up. It's a smug sound, actually. Rather protective of Coulson in that way. She moves to join Ward. "I doubt most of these guys would be any braver at talking to you than they are to me," she informs him. "Most of them are Communications." Not Ops. Different breed.

Grant Ward has posed:
Ward listens as he ours the coffee into a mug that says "Drink Me" on it with a icture of Alice in Wonderland on it, adding nothing to it and obviously choosing to drink it black. "Ah yes May. Trying to teach a sheep to be a wolf. Well the only way to test that is to drive your flock into danger and see if they turn and run." He takes a sip of the coffee and moves over to take a seat, gesturing to a spot near him for her to join him if she wishes.

"It's true May, we have a bit of an unapproachable reputation around here. If SHIELD was a pet shop we are not the cuddly kittens...,ore like the snake and scorpions. We are looked at in amazement and respect, but nobody wants to hold us..." He pauses and then corrects himself. "I mean engage with us. We are the untouchables. And truth be tld I kind of like it that way. Let me come to you. It does help to avoid conversations you would rather not get into."

He studies his superior a moment before continuing. "I will have my report to you tomorrow. If you would look it over for me before I submit it. I usually would not ask such a thing, but..." There is a soft beat. "...I would appreciate it on this one."

He raises the coffee to his lips again, speaking behind the rim before the sip. "You know, I was told they were going to give me some time to settle back in after being gone so long, but if you need me for anything...well you know where my door is May. I will admit, I have have missed working with you. We are cut from the same cloth. Burlap. Sturdy and a bit rough."

Melinda May has posed:
May arches a brow faintly at the request. "I'll glance at it, sure," she agrees. "I'm wheels up with Gonzales, tomorrow. So, have it to me early, if you need it in before the day's out."

Then, she snirks, lifting her cup of green tea to her lips. "And speak for yourself. I'm smooth as silk and twice as strong." And silk isn't the queen of fibers just because its pretty. It's tensile strength is right up there with steel.

She gestures to a couple of chairs out of the way of the main action, where they can sit without being disturbed. "Long haul, this one, huh?" Even a short tour in Siberia is long for most people. She's never been a fan of Russian assignments, herself. Beyond the language issue... she prefers the warmth of Asia to the cold of Siberia.

Grant Ward has posed:
Ward does his best to keep his smile hideen when Agent May compares herself to silk, but makes no effort whatsoever to question or challenge her on that. "The finest Chinese silk May. Extremely rare." He winks and takes another sip of the coffee, following her to the suggested chairs and settling into one. "Yeah it was a bit long. Almost forgot my name when I got back. I had lived as Grigor Melenkov for so long I began to think I was actually him. God I miss my /wife/." It was in the report, that he actually lived with a Russian female agent as part of his indercover work. "One day Anya we will be together again." That warrants a smile in May's direction

"They are keeping you busy then. Agent Gonzales is good. You can depend on them. Had a few missions and was quite impressed with their skill and professionalism. I won't ask where you are headed." He leans back in the chair and with a small peer over to Agent Eat-the-Dots, looks back to May. "Make sure you find time for yourself May. We get so wrapped up in all of this that we tend to forget who we are."

Melinda May has posed:
"He's Director Gonzales, now." May says. "In charge of SPOT. He's been running Morse ragged. I guess it's my turn, now." She gives a mild shrug. It's all part of the job.

"How long did they say they were furloughing you?" she asks presently. "There are a few ops coming down the pipe that'll be right up your alley." God knows she doesn't have enough time to do all of them. And there's plenty to go around for all the agents on the rotation.

Grant Ward has posed:
"They told me a few weeks. I told them a few days. And technically those few days are up, so consider me available for whatever you think you might need done." He sips again. "I would even consider working with other Agents if you need it. I know right. I can be a team player May." He leans back in the chair and runs a hand over the back of his neck. "If you need someone to take some of the rookies out...consider it done."

Ward then leans forward, setting the coffee down on the table in front of him and rests his elbows on his knees. It is not something he was going to ask, but he asked in anyhow. "How has Daisy been? I know she has had a lot going on and being somewhere south of Novosibirsk for so long I was...well wondering."

Melinda May has posed:
May studies him for a moment. "I haven't seen her in a while," she says finally. "She's been... on a mission." More of a personal mission, but May doesn't see the need to say that. "Last I did, she was doing well. She's a good agent." A beat. "She's seeing someone. I haven't met him, but..." She gives a mild shrug to finish off that statement. Daisy's happy. It's enough.

Again, a sip of her tea. Were they not in the rec room, she'd ask him about more of his misison details. But they are, so she doesn't. And with the pac-man contest ramping up again, it's probably just as well. "Damn, I hate that music," she says referring to the game. "Phil must have played it for hours... years."

Grant Ward has posed:
The news that she is seeing someone does not shock him, well if it does, he makes no sign of showing it. Perhaps he is controlling his expression and emotions as he often does when on a mission. "That's great. She deserves to be happy. She has been through a lot. I am sure he is a wonderful guy. She has great taste in men...clearly." He winks and reaches for his coffe taking another small sip before setting it down on the table once again.

He cannot help but smile again at the commen about Pac-Man and the music. It is quite annoying and he was not fully noticing it until she mentioned it." He looks over his shoulder to the young Agent playing it and softly mutmurs. "Aren't you missing Physical? I saw a bunch of them down at the courts before I came in here." He leaves it at that and looks back to May with a shrug. "He might by it."

Melinda May has posed:
May snirks. "They wouldn't know physical unless it walked up and hit them," she says softly. She side eyes them. "Which it just might." But probably not. She really can't begrudge them their time off. And,the fact they're from communications... well, it's kind of expected.

No one challenges the senior operatives if they can possibly avoid it, after all. "I had to do the physical performance review for most of these kids," she says with a shake of her head. "I can say they passed." She doesn't say by how much.

Grant Ward has posed:
Ward laughs lightly and nods in agreement. "SO very true. It is only a matter of time before his finger siezes up and he grabs it. Carpal tunnel is real May. Oh it's real." He winks and after a quick glance to the pac man playing agent, looks back to her. "So tell me Agent May how goes the intel gathering on HYDRA? Have they continued to be a thorn in our side in my abscence?" He reaches for his coffee, leaning back and watching her. "I've been out of that loop for a while now."

Melinda May has posed:
May barks a sound that could be a laugh. "It's HYDRA, Ward," she says dryly. "When *aren't* they being a thorn in our side?" She makes no indication whatsoever of the things she's found, of the things Peggy's found. They haven't vetted Ward.

She sighs and shakes her head. "I spent two months out of commission, myself," she tells him. Actually, she spent two months back in 1948-1949. "And since then, most of the assignments I've been sent on have been chasing 084's for WAND." Not directly for WAND, mind. But she's seen more than her share of magic, lately. "HYDRA hasn't been high on my hitlist." A beat. "*Loki*, on the other hand..." God, would she like to put a bullet in him.

Grant Ward has posed:
"Truer words have never been said. They are like an STD that just won;t go away." Leave it to Ward to make such an analogy. "Well, I am sure whatever they have planned we will find out and stop it like we always do." The empty cup is set down on the table. "Ah the 084's. The seem to be becomning much mor eprevalewnt from what I have been hearing. No doubt that will keep you busy until you decide to retire."

At the mention of Loki he sits yup a little straighter. "Loki? Like /the/ Loki? SO what kind of toruble has he been causing? Wow, you go away SNow Central and you miss all the good stuff."

Melinda May has posed:
"Head to the Bronx," May tells him. "There's still a damned Ice Palace out there that looks like something out of a Disney movie. He didn't cause it, but he sure took advantage of it." She came sooooo close to getting him, too. So very close. Her and Barton.

"I damned near had my head chopped off by an army of walking ice skeletons." She shakes her head. And then, the hint of a smile touches her lips, a sharp gleam in her dark eyes. "Turns out, though, R&D knows how to make a plasma sword." Okay, really, it was a long, superheated baton. But in her hands, it might as well have been a lightsaber.

Grant Ward has posed:
"An ice castle? No thanks. I have seen enough snow and ice to last a lifetime. Forgive me if I do not want to go re-enact a scene from Frozen. Yes, I know the movie. Daisy made me watch it. If I hear /Let it Go/ one more time I am going to let the TV go right out the window." He actually smiles and shakes his head. "You'll get him. You just need for him to slip up...his arrogance will make that happen."

His glance focuses on the Agent across from him a moment without speaking. "Wait...a plasma sword? A heated baton. A lightsaber. I do not care what it is...I need one. If not just to look cool. I mean seriously, who comes up with this stuff?"

Melinda May has posed:
May groans. "God," she grumbles. "Yeah, I don't even want to *talk* about Frozen. The cracks were incessant during that whole damned mission."

Then, however, she smirks faintly. "Yeah. It was like a lightsaber. I don't know who made it, but I was very sorry to have to give it back." A beat. "It works really great against the frozen minions of dead necromancers, let me tell you."

Grant Ward has posed:
"The chance to be a Jedi? I am going to look into that on an upcoming mission." It is then that another Agent tucks her head in the door of teh Rec room, seemingly relieved to have finally found Agent Ward. "Agent Ward. You're wanted for another debreif At your eaelist conveinence, which is now."

There is a small sigh and an long exhale as he pushes himself up off the chair and nods to May. "It never ends." He starts for the door and just to be annoying starts to sing off key. "Let it go...let it go..."

Melinda May has posed:
May would flip him the bird for that rendition, but that would mean letting him know he got a rise out of her. That's not happening. Instead, she pushes to her feet, tosses out her now empty tea cup, and gives him a smirk, instead. "Enjoy your debrief, Ward," she says, brushing by him out the door. She glances lightly over her shoulder, raises a hand in farewell, and breezes off down the hallway in the opposite direction.