8844/Shocks and Revelations

Shocks and Revelations
Date of Scene:	28 November 2021
Location:	Chief Carter's Office: Triskelion
Synopsis:	Summoned to speak to Peggy about his newly-revealed relationship with Jessica Drew, Michael/Cal'hatar has a great deal more to tell her - and she learns probably things she'd rather not about this new alien ally...
Cast of Characters:	Peggy Carter, Michael Erickson

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Peggy Carter has posed:
While it wasn't an order to report to her office, a note was left for Michael that when he's in the area, if he could stop in, Peggy would appreciate it. She's working more at the office than anything nowadays, trying to be the chief and leader on the ground that everyone has access too, since Fury is nearly always gone. She's working over the weekend for no clear reason except for habit. But it's a casual work, her suit jacket off and a good pot of herbal tea half drank on her desk.

Michael Erickson has posed:
    He shouldn't really be here.

    This thought floats through his mind as he walks to the office. Hands behind his back, dressed in a plain black suit. Tabula rasa, as it were, like a UFO spook from yesteryear. He approaches her door, expression flattening, waiting at the door for a long moment as he stares as if looking through it. Deep breath in, out. In, out.

    He reaches for the door handle and steps through.

    When he enters, he stops just inside, standing at attention. Old habits, the training of the cadres trickling in. He says nothing, waiting to be addressed, though his eyes sweep across the room. Sizing up changes, another set of instincts working, too.

Peggy Carter has posed:
Looking up as her door opens, Peggy might be 'relaxed' working, but she's always on alert. She sees the somewhat familiar face (she's read over his file multiple times now, especially lately), and the slightly stony expression there. In turn, she gives him a softer smile. There is something gentle, almost motherly, in the set of her features and that gaze in her eyes.

"Michael. Come in...I'll admit I wasn't expecting you *tonight* but as good a time as ever. Come in, come in...Relax. Breathe some. Tea?" She pushes the pot on her desk gently in his direction. "It's herbal, but I can brew some black if you prefer."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "I'm fine," he says, giving her a faint smile. Blandly handsome, really. Fades into a crowd, and pleasantly -- good stock for an agent. "And thank you, but no. Something about the tea on this planet doesn't really agree with me." He makes a very faint face. "But hot water would be nice. I can never get warm enough in this climate, this season." He makes to take a seat, then, settling in. Still professional, though he has relaxed /just/ a bit. But like Peggy, his mind is always ready, those blue eyes always scanning. Like the Boy Scouts. Do they have that on his world?

    "So." He folds his hands atop one knee as he crosses his legs. "What can I do for you, Chief?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
A slightly curious tilt comes to her head as he says he can't get used to the tea. That makes Peggy chuckle just a little as she stands and moves to fill up the electric kettle again. Once she has it going and a cup out for him, she turns back to the alien man. "Now that sounds like a challenge to a Brit, you understand. We certainly believe we can find ANYONE their right tea with enough hard work. Just don't start with that pre-bagged shite. Loose leaf all the way. Anyway."

She clears her throat a touch, still standing, watching him quietly as she tries to keep piecing together more of the profile. "You and Agent Pezzini... have grown romantically close, from what I've been told? Is this true?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "Oh, I'm happy to find one that doesn't make me sneeze," he offers. "At home I quite enjoyed tea. Used to bring ka'atui leaves with me in my kit on campaign, even as a boy. I'll be pleased to be your test subject, if you'd like."

    And then, just as he's about to speak again, his voice dies away in his throat. "No," he says then. "I have had only two occasions of contact with Agent Pezzini. Once here when we first met, and then another on mission a few weeks ago. Where did you hear otherwise?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
"...wait. Not Sara. Goodness, I am... more scattered tonight than I thought." There is an intense moment of embarrassment in her features as she drags a hand across her face, Peggy trying to resort her brain. "Sorry. I recently had a meeting with Sara as well and my... well, it's been a long few weeks. Jessica Drew. It's Jessica who filed the fraternization notice with me. Now if I have that wrong, I'm going to truly start thinking I'm losing my marbles..."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    His brows lift. "No worry," Michael replies with a nod. "Yes, Agent Drew and I have become romantically involved. I am pleased that she filed the report - we are prepared for my being reassigned to another handler. I urged her to do so, sooner than later."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"...Sara might be a possibility, honestly. She's a good agent and I could see her doing well to have a bit more responsibility." That's probably where Peggy's wires got crossed, but she still looks a little embarrassed by it. Even the boss isn't perfect. Maybe this was some sort of ploy to set him at ease? Either way, the kettle clicks off and she grabs at his mug, filling it with hot water. She brings that over to rest in front of him, as well as the tray of several boxes of loose leaf tea. "If you wish to attempt and smell any of those, you are most welcome."

"As for your time with Agent Drew, would YOU be more comfortable with another handler? When I spoke to her about the matter, I did remind her that, unlike many military organizations, SHIELD has no direct rules about fraternization. I was my own husband's commander and chief for... well, since SHIELD was founded, and now I am again."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    He leans forward, sniffing at the various boxes - instantly sneezing at the Darjeeling, a faint, sniffling snort of a thing. Tightly controlled. He chuckles. He sits up, then, abandoning the tea in the moment, and looks to Peggy with his heavy brows lifting high. "No," he says. "Given a personal choice, I would prefer to work with Agent Drew. She has, far and away, demonstrated herself to be the most professional of your agents in the field. It may be strange to say so, but short of her species and the fact she has no love for imperialism or proto-fascist autocracy, she would make a magnificent member of my race. I feel very comfortable with her, and I trust her with my life."

    So. There you go.

Peggy Carter has posed:
A sympathetic smile crosses Peggy's lips as she hears that odd sneeze. It was worth a try. She takes her own tea back, topping off her mug and letting her neat hands nest around the warmth of the mug. She listens to him openly, not interrupting the words as he goes on about his paramour and handler. Her smile does warm a bit more, something appreciative in her soul of his quite frank admiration.

"Well, that is... quite the compliment. Should I be worried you might attempt to steal her away one day anyway? She assures me you are quite loyal to SHIELD but... it sounds like you are missing home as well."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    Michael lifts a broad hand and waves away her question. "I have been missing home since the day I came to this planet, Chief," he replies with a chuckle. "And I have had almost fifty years to get over it. Besides, my life there is over now. As for Jessica..." He pauses. "I would like to show her the galaxy, certainly - but only within the boundaries of her duty. I know very well that her place is with this planet, and with this organization. Just because I chose to turn against my people...well." He makes a faint face. "I would never try and take her away from home."

    Michael pauses a moment. "I actually have been inspecting your star system for some time now, since I bonded with the Raptor. With my armor, that is. I have discovered a number of things."

Peggy Carter has posed:
Peg is silent for several heartbeats, her eyes narrowing upon his face, considering how much she trusts his words and the promise that Jessica will be kept here. She gives him a small nod after a bit, seeming to accept it, and then leans back a bit deeper in her seat. "Very well then. I think, for this moment, you and she may remain as you are. If I notice either of your professionalism slipping, then you will lose the privilege of working together. But, I know this is rare for a spy, I do try to operate on a principle of trusting my people to be their best selves. I trust this of both of you as well."

Peggy then takes a longer sip of her tea, letting it's warmth relax her and give her a few seconds to order her thoughts which come to an abrupt halt as he mentions their local system, "...And you found...what in our star system? Should I be worried?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "As you wish, Chief."

    He pauses as she speaks again, then, and Michael's brows lift anew. "Well," he says, taking his cup of hot water and taking a sip, letting the heat soak through his lips, down his throat. "I was in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter a bit ago. Found an automated facility, extremely old - sort of an oil derrick, only it absorbed and processed atmospheric gas. It was several centuries old, and its reactor was about to go into an uncontrolled chain reaction so I had to destroy it. I'd like permission to go to Agent Foster about the situation, considering she is my closest connection to SWORD." A beat. "I also have a corpse in my deep freezer for Agent Simmons to examine."

Peggy Carter has posed:
Everything seems perfectly normal and Peggy's giving him the professional, agreeing nod about Foster until he comments about that corpse. Then she nearly chokes on her own tea, coughing a few seconds as she sets down the mug before she spills the thing. "...P-permission granted to takl to Dr. Foster but... WHAT?! Why do you have a CORPSE in your FREEZER? There are proper ways to dispose of those things!"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    His brows arch for the third time now. "It's hardly the first time I've had to stow a body in my freezer chest, Chief," he observes, though Michael knows quite well this probably doesn't /help/ matters. "It was frozen when I took it through space, and I had already bagged it. My instruments ensure that there was no risk of biological contamination - it's a perfectly safe sample. But it /is/ of alien origin, so I assumed that SHIELD would want it."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Oh... that's... " Peggy clears her throat, sitting back in her chair and trying to reorganize her thoughts as she stares at him, still looking quite incredulous. "I suppose that is a little more... Sensible. And yes, SHIELD will want it. That is probably something you could give to Dr. Foster as well but... if you are going to keep, uh... storing bodies, we should probably get you a better... facility for that? How in the world is it not the FIRST time? Where are you finding these *bodies*?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    He blinks faintly at that. "My assignment had always been to monitor the Kree, and the superhuman community," Michael points out. "But I also had a duty to ensure that nobody who wished this planet harm got their hands on artifacts of offworld origin. On occasion, this meant that I could not be merciful." Oh yes. Dyed in the wool spook, this one. Even down to the wet work. "I'm sure you've had to do the same in your line of work, even if you didn't care for it."

    He takes another sip from his cup of hot water. "But this is the first time I've /found/ one, yes."

Peggy Carter has posed:
Dark eyes stare hard at him for a few moments, Peggy's brows furrowing and lips settled into a worried, slightly displeased line. She dips her head in agreement about having had to do such work, "I have been a spy since the second great war, Michael. I... have killed my fair share of people. Yes. I just simply don't *keep them in my FREEZER*, and neither should you." Peggy seems completely beside herself that she has to explain this, but she seems to mean it quite seriously.

"...This body is one of the kree, then? Or you are talking about an artifact of offworld origins?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "Forgive me," Michael says, his lips flattening out a bit. "You must remember, Chief, I have operated on this planet for, as I said, almost fifty years - with no support save for what I came here with in the Seventies. I've had to...improvise quite a bit. I assure you that I won't do it again." He gives her a deep nod, a seated indication that were he standing, it would have been a bow.

    "As for the corpse, no, it is human - surgically modified to a significant degree, with machinery not of my experience melded to the original body. Animated through synthetic means. It's...well, sort of a zombie, I suppose you might say. A robot, basically, with a human body as the base platform. I destroyed a number of them when they attacked me for being on the processor - it's unsusual because the platform isn't human in origin. It belongs to a species known as the Badoon, though I know very little about them personally."

Peggy Carter has posed:
One hand drags quietly across Peggy's eyes, pinching at the bridge of her nose for a moment as she chases away the headache that is starting to form. She certainly doesn't dare pick up her tea again just in case he starts talking about some invading army or other implausble but shocking situation. "So... this body is a... robot zombie. And you have it frozen. And you're certain there is nothing like a... tracker in it? Or anything else that could compromise you? Just how long had you planned to...Keep it? Where did you FIND it? God, Michael, we... we need to get a science team to you to extract it SOON. We should have done it the day you found it."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "It's only been a few days," Michael replies, lifting a hand and pitching his voice a bit lower to reassure her. "I intended to speak with Agent Drew tonight about it, but you called first so here we are. There is no tracking device, nothing of the sort; the thing was being used as a maintenance machine, basically, for the platform. I'll write an entire report on the encounter."

Peggy Carter has posed:
A slow nod comes from Peggy and she finally dares to reach out and take up her tea again for another long sip of it. It gives her time to process more of what he's saying and calm her heart from the adrenaline response of just how strange the situation is. "Well... we'll send a science team over tomorrow. Agent Drew can help with the removal. And, in the future, if you get into such a situation, you are welcome... No -- required -- to call and tell SHIELD so we can transport the body or evidence directly to the Triskelion. Understood?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "But of course, Chief," he replies with a nod. "That's why I'm telling you now. I apologize for a few days' delay; it's hardly the strangest thing I've seen in my life, given my background. I'll adjust my policy for the future."

    Yes. Meat-robots? Not the weirdest thing. Old hat. Harrumph. Aliens are strange people.

Peggy Carter has posed:
A faint smile echoes after that, Peggy trying not to be completely indimidating about it, now that she's through the initial shock. "Yes, well, I'm glad we know now and we have procedures in place for the future." She finishes off her tea with a good gulp, the mug too cool now for really being enjoyed. She then sets it aside and folds her hands on the desk, looking a bit more calmly at him.

"Otherwise... I simply wanted to check in with you that you truly do... Feel this way for Agent Drew. That taking this risk personally is worth it to the both of you. I wanted to hear it from your mouth, not just a report in a folder."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "I don't love her." He pauses a moment. "That sounds...harsh, but my people do not love quickly. I have a deep and abiding affection for her. Great respect. My people usually mate for life, however. We aren't there yet, and I wouldn't be so crude as to pretend otherwise. But she has...captured me. And the last time I was so captured, it was long before I came here."

    He smiles, then, and smooths a lapel. "I apologize for alarming you, Chief. I know that I must sound awfully cold. I'm just..." Michael searches for the word. "Professional. But I care. It's just not easily sensed from the surface."

Peggy Carter has posed:
Peggy considers that for a long moment, though the honesty in his answer and the couching of the fact he doesn't love Jessica seems to reassure Peggy more than anything. She gives him a single, approving nod and a small smile to echo it. "Well... good. That's an honest answer, which I infinitely prefer to a pretty or flowery one. Love is... hard. It takes time. And, when you find it, does span space, time, and the whole universe." Her voice is quieter as she says that, the pad of her thumb playing against her wedding ring that she has begun to wear again. "It sounds like this is the proper step for both of you."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "A human would say we are in love," he says. "I am caring, doting. Devoted - but my people..." Michael considers. "Wars have occurred on the honor of our love, when we choose our partner for our heart's total devotion. Massive slaughter on a galactic scale. Such is the depth and heat of our affection when we are moved to give it - and I would never put myself, or Jessica, to that test unless we had known each other long enough, shared enough, and fought at one another's side long enough for that burden to be put on her." Michael's quiet a moment. "But. Of any woman of any species I have met on this planet thus far, she would be the candidate, if such a candidate were to be chosen today."

Peggy Carter has posed:
A bemused expression crosses her face and Peggy reaches one hand up, palm forward, shaking her head slowly, "No, no, fortunately you do not need to choose such a candidate today. As long as you have been honest with her about this, I trust you both are at a place in your relationship where you are comfortable being. If you *haven't* told her, well... Then we have a far longer conversation to have about respect. But I doubt you'd do that to her." Peggy watches him, just double checking that he HAS been honest to the woman. Her protective mom instincts are in full swing nowadays.

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "I would not." He goes to take another sip of his water, though it too has gone cool, and he sets it aside. "We are clear on where we are, I believe - but I will ensure that, just in case. Since you have brought that concern to light."

    After a moment's pause, Michael looks at her evenly once more. "Will that be all, ma'am?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
A gentle tip of her head, "Yes, indeed, that is all. You are dismissed. Please get in touch with SWORD as soon as possible and get that body out of your freezer before 24 hours is up. Understood?" Peggy stands to properly see him out. It's only respectful, after all.

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "Yes, ma'am." He follows as she directs, nodding once as he takes his leave through the door - and today, Peggy Carter has learned quite a lot more about Cal'hatar of Chandilar. Perhaps a good deal she could have done without. Oh, what one must do when one is sent into the field without support...