9129/Strictly Space Business

Strictly Space Business
Date of Scene:	16 December 2021
Location:	W.A.N.D: Triskelion
Synopsis:	Talking with Jane, Mike and Jess present the plan to space-catazz some SHIELD agents.
Cast of Characters:	Michael Erickson, Jane Foster, Jessica Drew

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Michael Erickson has posed:
    Today it's an Official Meeting Request that Michael makes of Jane, though he thankfully does not arrive wearing his Shi'ar dress uniform as he did with Peggy - one imagines rumors might have surfaced as to his fashy cosplay from the other night - but in a plain gray one, well-tailored but not insanely expensive, shoes polished bright and his expression properly sober as he sits in the waiting room ready to be conducted to her office. Serious Business, for certain.

Jane Foster has posed:
An official meeting request: great. Just thrilling. Flashy cosplay may not be required for a woman already enticed and amused by the likes of Thor, and the rest of the Asgardian Court presumably. She has her cup of tea, her chin in her hand, and a look of uttermost boredom when it comes to reviewing the endlessly annoying permutations of a spreadsheet. She doesn't like spreadsheets and they really do like her.

"You can go hang yourself after you're saved," she tells her monitor and presumably not Agent Xi who sits by a desk somewhere over thatta way in the pool of people tasked to deal with weird things. They are by nature a small division. Michael therefore stands out quite a bit, as much as Mike the rock guy does.

Righto, on with the show. "I wouldn't trust the coffee," she warns softly. "Been an age since the pot got changed over. Shall we claim a conference room?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "The coffee is apparently never good around your offices," Michael observes as Jane arrives and delivers doleful sentence; he rises to his feet, brushing at his slacks as he does so, expression serious if polite as he flicks a glance toward Agent Xi on the way toward Jane. "Please, Doctor. Do lead on."

Jane Foster has posed:
"We tell everyone that to avoid having the pot pilfered, though in fairness I prefer tea and keep a French press hidden in a drawer around here somewhere for when we really intend to make it. Something I learned at MIT: never leave out your coffee and tools if you expect them to come back." Scooping up the tablet that never wants to work for its own reasons, proof SHIELD can be funded by a multi billion dollar budget and still not get decent goods, she leads Michael to one of the conference rooms. It's a small one, barely large enough for a table of four, a pleasant projector, and probably a bank of VR equipment if needed. Around here, things get weird fast. Her badge admits them, though she pauses for the machine to blink angrily at least four times. Habit.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "I've come to prefer a Chemex, myself." He smiles as he comes to settle down at the table, folding his hands upon its surface - he watches her for a moment, eyes blue like sea ice, cold and hard. The most obvious sign of his inhumanity, if you knew what you were looking for. It's just a different gaze.

    "I'm given to understand that you're the lady to speak of where S.W.O.R.D. is concerned. I'm curious - for a group that's focusing on space threats, I haven't heard yet of what training you offer agents. Are you given survival training? Tradecraft school where other worlds are concerned? How prepared are agents of S.W.O.R.D. and S.H.I.E.L.D. to operate on other worlds and environments?"

    So that's...you know. A question. Or several in one, at least. But he seems at least pleasantly earnest.

Jane Foster has posed:
Something on that scale might end up in May's office and never come out. Or Palamas', as she isn't going to surrender that easily either. Jane simply has her own home to work with.

She puts the tablet down and takes a seat, smoothing her trousers as she sinks down into the sterile embrace of 'not good enough for a desk' seating. Posture is nearly perfect, and she's otherwise unchanged. "That understanding is generous considering we have very real space-based people here, though Captain Marvel has significant importance elsewhere. She can't be asked to take care of all our terrestrial considerations. Therein probably lies the rub; several of the S.W.O.R.D.-based members can withstand the troubles of the upper atmosphere or space without being concerned, and the rest look at it as a spy-astronaut program, which may not be quite worth the risk until technologies are solidified and proper options for escape modules, a secure platform, and such are figured out. It has a solid R&D department -- robust, practically -- but not quite the same depth or reach as other divisions. So you see the rather glaring hole in how it works. Having reach into space proves more and more important, especially given when War World showed up or the risk of something dropping from hyperspace into our backyard. At present, I don't believe the US government /has/ plans to operate on other planets beyond our solar system, and more significantly, standing up for the whole human race to do so. Certainly I'm not suggesting that Commander Brand hasn't thought about it. I'm sure she has. But for what they share with the hoi polloi, we're in a position to be more reactive or Earth-based. Which may yet be a distinguishing matter when it comes to dealing with alien races, putting a somewhat crude point on it. You've got the Justice League with two Kryptonians, we then have the Avengers with Thor. Captain Marvel goes between both. On that basis alone there's representation in the heroic community but less among the rest of us."

Her fingers tap lightly. "So you're about to suggest strategies perhaps because astronomy classes weren't enticing enough or looking over the materials I've sketched out in the past four years about bringing a proper training regimen that far and away exceeds the LEO or satellite-level training we're already dealing with, since SHIELD hasn't move beyond our L2 in orbit, right? I've been trying to bother Reed Richards for a month but he's a busy man. Myself and I have some credibility but the reality is, I need more input. Practice. Chances not to die in an oxygen-free environment. I thought about hiring the Kurzgesagt video developer, but he's busy with his second book."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    He just stares at her. So many words. So many. He /could/ elect to address many points there, but instead, he does not. Instead...

    "No," he says. "I'm suggesting I put your people who cannot withstand or otherwise navigate space themelves into boot camp, or at least a team of them. Because I am a experienced combat officer of an extremely advanced spacefaring society who has trained and led a wide variety of species into battle. If that's not welcome, or necessary, then I understand. But I don't know anyone else on the roster, as far as I have experience, who is a literal space combat commander, especially with deep training in reconnaissance, survival and tradecraft on a wide variety of worlds and offworld scenarios."

Jane Foster has posed:
Jane's expression becomes absolutely delighted. Has a feather been ruffled? So many words. Just so many.

She doesn't explain herself. "I hardly think it's unwelcome, though ultimately Brand gets to decide if she roasts you or warms to the ideas." Ha ha, in-joke about the pyrokinetic. Her expression is rather relaxed but still animated. Someone is in a good mood. "We're still working on making that all happen. Nonetheless, I'm listening. What thoughts are you considering?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    Ruffled feathers? Not really - she's just served up a very large banquet of information and it makes little sense to pick at every morsel there. Big-ticket items, folks. The rest go into a doggy bag for later consideration. "Well," Michael says, "I thought perhaps I might take a small unit of agents, those of you who fit a modified physical specification, and train them in just what I said. To Imperial standard, of course. Metahuman powers are incredible, certainly, but they don't help your rank and file. It makes little sense to call out Captain America to deal with an alien incursion if a squad of baseline humans with proper training will suffice. Frankly, it would make any surivors very unlikely to see humanity in the same light, which to my mind is all to the good."

Jane Foster has posed:
Delicious meals. You never know when you're going to need a toothsome morsel of information for a snack. It's all about the good stuff, later. "A modified physical specification," Jane replies, though she's already considering notes, carefully moving her fingertips across the tablet screen to catch every second or third letter. "I rather like how we acknowledge that not everyone has powers, nor do they need to for survivability. In reality, training people to be able to step into the role needed would help. Though we're looking at an exploratory position as much as defense, I assume."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "Shi'ar can lift a metric ton on their own and have ten times human standard stamina," Michael offers. "So standards will need to be adjusted. However, that can be compensated for either technologically or just by reducing the environs in the training menu. But this planet belongs to humanity, not just metahumans - and certainly it should not cling to metahumanity or aliens as their only defense." Move over, Lafayette. "Weapons will be an issue. I am dubious as to the effectiveness standard chemical arms will do for a spacegoing unit, however..." He considers. "I may well have a means of getting around that, on a limited basis."

Jane Foster has posed:
"Understandable. There are some races among us able to achieve that, I think, but not many of them on our payroll. Therefore having something that allows the improved tolerance for spatial conditions would be essential. We'll need to compensate for acclimatization, but even a moderately rigorous program should make that achievable." Jane is probably making a general note here or there. She checks what she has written down, and then sketches a few more. "The Dark Forest theory comes to mind. If we /want/ to have these sorts arms, and if so, what kind of arms should be used. Bullets are simply too difficult."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "Bullets are fine," Michael says, "So long as they're sufficiently powerful. As it happens, for some time now - and his is how I was brought into SHIELD's fold - I have been dealing with a German technological group known as Tannhauser. This is under my heroic guise as the Red Sentinel, which has of course fallen to the wayside the past few months." A grim smile, there.

    He continues. "Amongst their more interesting technological products are a mastery of electromagnetic accelerators - coilguns, you would call them - that are as effective at /least/ as chemical arms of their, ah, caliber. Remarkably simple, made from entirely modern technology with some additions that I suspect might have come from a metahuman scientific mind. Perfect service weapons for a small group that might do battle in space."

    He's about to say something more, but then looks at his watch, a terribly large and chunky metallic thing that men in their fifties tend to buy when pretending they're going to sail around the world now that they've retired early. "Ah. Agent Drew should be joining us, if you don't mind. I thought it important she be here to weigh in since we've already discussed the situation."

Jane Foster has posed:
"Interesting. Named for the gate? Or the fairy queen poet?" Jane breaks into a grin. "I didn't know if we had Blade Runner fans in the security field, but it seems likely." Trust her to know the name of that particular piece of sci-fi lore, since why wouldn't the astrophysicist be well-suited to identifying that particular element of the weird? "I appreciate you have the contacts that might be useful for this particular endeavour. Electromagnetic accelerators then. I can interpret the schematics of that sort of thing well enough, and they would be advantageous."

Coilguns are a notion that don't particularly surprise her, then. "We might want to work with the ARMOR division on refining the weapon possibility. It's less of a lift than using pure energy weapons straight out of a video game, which will no doubt please the upper echelon. They appreciate innovative engineering with a basis in functional and practical reality, though that's easily rectified by a demonstration now or then."

She would know, given her talent now and then for developing some pretty implausible pieces. Like, oh, black holes. The watch he wears brings her gaze up, a smile widening. "Why would I be bothered? Your handler and a fellow agent. Unless she's bringing microwaved fish sticks. Then I protest -- loudly."

Jessica Drew has posed:
Jess had promised to go to the WAND offices about now and is late. Hair still slightly damp from her shower, she pulls on her office clothes - black and white checkered tweed jacket, pencil skirt and black heels, grabs her computer pad and runs for the elevator. She walks very fast from the elevator nearly bumping into a friend and cards into the offices.

"Michael, Agent Foster, so sorry for being late."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    Michael gives Jess a smile as she enters, shaking his head. "Not at all, Agent," he says, perhaps a bit more fondly than he intended. "I got here earlier than expected." He looks back to Jane, then, as Jessica takes her seat. "The opera, I believe. Wagner. The collective itself is a group of anarchist technophiles, engineers and other malcontents operating under a banner of racial purity - but they of course will do business with everyone who has money, so long as you aren't /too/ brown." He makes a face. "At any rate. Their technology is above the normal, but it's also field-operable; as you say, energy weapons aren't going to be something that will fit easily in budget, but these devices should be perfectly within budgetary confines so long as they're kept within a small stockpile."

Jane Foster has posed:
Doesn't take much skill to negotiate that interaction, though Jane has the audacity to overlook it and keep her mouth shut. Certain communication requires not a word; she learned at the knees of a master, collectively. "Wagner's an excellent choice, although the man himself is terrible. Wretched opinions, sadly. Unsurprising they took up the same motif of thoughts and decrepit viewpoints. One day."

A promise and an unspoken opinion there? Naturally. "That sounds flexible and doable. You've got a start on something. Next comes practice then." Her gaze flicker-flashes to Jess and she brightly grins. "Where you come into this puzzle with greater skill than I, at the very least."

Jessica Drew has posed:
"Tannhauser weapons," she grimaces. "Who likes white neo-nazis even if they have sexy weaponry? They really don't take expertise, if you can aim a gun, you can use a coil gun with deadly results. I'm glad this is a compromise that gets us one step closer to getting into space without relying on outside forces. I'm looking forward to the null-g training myself."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "I'm afraid I can't say much," says Michael, "Coming from a race of elitist conquerors. We are happy with our client races, but they aren't Shi'ar." He makes another face. "But at any rate. Doctor Foster, I'd like to ask - does SWORD make use of void-armor? Ah, that is to say, spacesuits. I'd like to requisition two for now, if possible. And then, if we have your blessing on the training program, we'll go to see Chief Carter to get hers as well. I already have a training program and writeup on Imperial standards as applicable to baseline human agents available."

Jane Foster has posed:
Jane shakes her head slightly, a smile touching her lips. "I admit the advent of space missions sounds delightful and terrifying at once. No doubt SHIELD kept refining their plans for this since the Sixties, though the longer we get past the turn of the millennium, the more ridiculous the delays feel. Especially considering the Space Race long ago revealed we need a coherent strategy in the stars. SWORD /does/ have certain refined spacesuits as far as I know, modified from those developed for working past the Karman Line and into the exosphere. The next gen options require better degassing and communications integration than what NASA or the Russians developed, and the microfibre structure able to withstand temperature variations well-beyond what we've already seen. I would sit down with Tony Stark or Reed Richards, but the latter owes me a conversation about six ways til Sunday now."

Her expression shows a faint smirk there, slipping sidelong, crackling upward. "Carter will need input on that, since I imagine a few of the prototypes in the pipeline need further clarity if we can start using them. Blessings galore. Things get so /complicated/ with bureaucratic red tape. We need better scissors."

She has one. Sadly, its use would be compromising.

Jessica Drew has posed:
"Well, having children is out of the question for me but I still worry about rad poisoning. Working with adequate shielding is one of my concerns even if, for whatever reason, we are laggards in space technology. What none of us want to see is our budgets being goosed into something operable by the appearance of an alien threat that portends the end of the world."

"Only two suits available? Tony Stark, where are you now?" she asks with a faint smile.

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "Well," Michael says, tapping his nose, "This brings me back to my 'plan B', as it were. I've still thought about going into nearby civilized systems, see if I can trade or otherwise purchase suits of serviceable make, though these, of course, would be of offworld origin." He shrugs. "I had an invitation to meet with Reed Richards via his comrade, Ben Grimm. Perhaps I might speak with him then. Either way, combat-capable suits will be required, even if very lightweight where defensive capability are concerned."

    He drums his fingers on the table. "So, then. We have your blessing to speak with the Director on this? Your...support?"

Jane Foster has posed:
"Purchasing anything offworld is /far/ outside my approval range. I'm not a commander," Jane warns. "You want that, you need to talk to Carter too. Would I suggest we look at it? Yes. Backward engineering something may be faster than Richards can come up with it, and that's assuming Reed has time at all. The other alternatives leave much to be desired." They rhyme with Room, for example. "Depending on what we have available, in development, or accessible, the options change. Budgets are another matter."

Her gaze flickers to Jess and she nods quietly. "Rad poisoning is an issue. None of us can get near Jupiter for that little platform issue, not with our current levels of shielding. The severe radiation environment outside orbit will give us significant problems. We need proper shielding. Ganymede and Callisto offer /some/ protection but the long-term effects of operating that far out are going to be fatal, long-term."

Jessica Drew has posed:
"One good solar storm at the right moment, could cook a whole mission without the right shielding." She acknowledges Jane's look with a nod then turns to Michael, "Who would you go to Michael? Would they have HUD systems adaptable for human use? Would SHIELD be able to adapt them to our communications systems?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "Well that's rather the point of these things," Michael says, chuckling faintly. "Exploration. I dare say you could analyze my armor, but..." He looks down at himself, frowning. "It might not lke it. And I am not /in/ my armor when I, ah, manifest it." More things to discuss. Michael looks back up and then between them. "Well, it's a thought. I refuse to believe that we cannot come up with something for people to use. Humanity must not be left to depend purely on metahumans when they can do for themselves."

Jane Foster has posed:
"Exploration and advancement of scientific technology, improvement of existing procedures and substances, and pushing a new wave of development are all good reasons to pursue something like this. We merely need to go into it with eyes open. A proposal for exploring space begs questions of why; what our main aims are; how SHIELD will operate within that wider venue. Are we foremost investigating, if so what? Defensive? Then how are we implementing that, through a satellite network or something else? Offensive, against /what/ conditions? Things that need to be surveyed in full detail."

Jane's not a neophyte in this situation, at least. She shakes her head. "Solar storms we can at least prepare for locally. But if you have anything moving physically... the distances are simply huge."

Jessica Drew has posed:
Eagerly, the agent leans toward them both with a smile lighting up her face at the prospect of going into space, "I'm ready when you are Michael, Jane. What research should I be doing to contribute to the mission?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "You need not tell /me/ about that, Doctor," Michael says, grinning. "I am a military man. Mind you, I do approach things from a military mindset, but my career as an intelligence operative also grants me some sense of subtlety. I promise that any approach I suggest will not end with an eye on warfare." But that doesn't mean he isn't a fan of Renatus's maxim, either. "In any case, I appreciate your advice and your time. We'll speak with the Chief, and then we can go from there. You'll hear from me far sooner than later, I'm sure."

    With that, he rises. "Well, I suppose we should speak to Chief Carter first, Agent Drew, and then I can start telling you about what it's like to fight in space. Can you get us an appointment with the Chief?"