Captain America holding the gavel looked straight at Thor from his seat behind the table as he said. "This meeting of the Avengers has been called to answer charges brought against one of our own by another member." The Black Widow and Hawkeye looked with him from their seats behind the table while off to the side Bruce Banner checked to make sure the recorders were working. Tony Stark in his Iron Man gear stood facing them along with Thor but with ten feet of space between them. The two glared at each other.

"Thor, as the accused, you have the right to counsel of your choice which you have declined." He cleared his throat. "You stand before us accused of wantonly destroying the property of Iron Man, namely Stark Tower, without listening to reason or coming to us with any evidence of wrong doing by your accuser who has now given good evidence that he's innocent. How do you plead?"

Thor said with slowly measured words. "Aye, I destroyed the tower after this iron playboy disrespected my sister."

There was a shocked murmur from the other Avengers. "You have a sister?" The Black Widow asked.

Thor nodded. "I do. Her name is Angela and she is a member of the Guardians and she was invited to one of his parties." He pointed at Iron Man.

The Widow looked at Iron Man and frowned. "A Stark party?" There was coldness in her voice.

"Aye. Do you know of them?"

"Oh, I do indeed. It was early in my career and what went on at his party shocked me so much that I left and never went back. It was the only way I could maintain a working relationship with this, this playboy." She glared at Iron Man.

"I'm not on trial here, Widow." Stark said. "And whatever happens at my playboy parties is between consenting adults."

"Who defines consent?" She snapped back. "You or the woman?"

Hawkeye said. "I don't know what you're getting so excited about, Nat. I've been to several and enjoyed myself."

The Widow sniffed. "You would."

Captain America banged his gavel. "Tony's parties are not on trial. Let's keep to the subject here, people."

"How come I never see you at any of the parties, Cap?" Hawkeye asked. "You need to lighten up more and enjoy yourself."

Captain America looked away. "I'm not comfortable at parties."

"I'll bet it's because you come from a generation that had more respect for women than the current one does just as I did." The Black Widow observed. "And how about the free use of drugs at those parties?"

"People, we're off the subject again." He said as he banged his gavel. There was sweat beading up on his brow. He turned back to Thor who'd been listening to all this with interest.

"Do you have anything else to say, Thor, before we begin this inquiry?" Cap asked.

"Aye. I tell you that my sister was fed a drug to make her have sex and then was spelled to make sure it worked. It happened at his party and was done by his people and so I make a counter complaint that Stark encouraged and fostered an environment that led to the near rape."

Everyone stared at him open mouthed. The Widow was first to speak. "Thor, that, that was very articulate of you. I did not know you had it in you."

Thor shrugged. He owed his brother big time for his suggestions and a small spell which had helped organize his thoughts. It was another step in his brother's plans, one that he whole heartedly agreed with.

Young Loki whispered with glee to Angela. "The trap has been baited."

Thor continued. "I'm not just some brute with muscles answering violence with more violence. I've had a lot of time to think about this and I do agree that the evidence Stark has presented since the incident shows that I was wrong in that he was not the one who gave her the drug or used the spell and so I apologize for my actions and will have Stark Tower rebuilt at my family's expense. But I stand behind my accusation that this, this playboy ensured something like this would happen by his cavalier approach to women at his parties."

Tony shook his head. "Thor, you can't just change people. People want to have parties and to stop them from having fun is just plain wrong."

Thor glared angrily. "I can protect my sister and any other woman from those who would do them harm at such parties in the name of fun just because they're women. We call ourselves the Avengers and that should extend to all women too."

The Black Widow clapped her hands. "Well said, my friend." She looked around at the uncomfortable men. "This has been too long in coming because it's happened before and been suppressed."

Captain America frowned. "What do you mean?"

"It happened here, Captain. If you don't remember, then read you're Avenger's files and they'll tell you about what happened to Carol Danvers the first Miss Marvel who was hit with a love spell and we allowed her to be taken to another dimension thinking she was in love with her abductor and allowed her to be abused for two years and we never checked on her. Finally, she escaped on her own to the X-men. Access the files under Danvers-Rogue and you'll find it."

Bruce Banner looked up from the computer. "I just accessed the files." He read for a minute. "It's as the Widow claims." There was a deadly silence.

Captain America broke it with his gavel. He looked at Iron Man. "I take it Thor's offer of payment and his apology are acceptable?"

"Yes, they are." Tony replied.

"Then I rule this hearing is concluded." He banged the gavel.

"Hold! What about my charges against Iron Man." Thor growled.

Captain America sighed. "Thor, Tony's lifestyle is his own business and is not Avenger's business."

"Since when has abuse of women not been our business?"

"Are you accusing your colleague of that?" At Thor's nod he sighed again. "You may so propose and put to a vote if you want."

"Then I so call." Thor handed him a slip of paper. "You'll find it here." He didn't tell them he'd had his brother write it up for him before he read and approved it.

"Here it comes." Young Loki whispered in Angela's ear.

Captain America read the note, looked up with a frown, and then said. "All those opposed to Thor's proposal that we investigate Tony Stark and the Avengers themselves for fostering an environment harmful to women, resulting in their abuse and sanction Tony Stark if we find he does so and change Avenger rules if we are at fault signify by raising your hands." He looked around. "Two vote nay. Let it be recorded that Iron Man and Hawkeye voted nay. Now, those for signify by raising their hands." He frowned. "That's two for. Thor and the Black Widow vote aye."

He looked over at a silent Banner. "Bruce, you have the tie breaking vote. Do you wish to use it?"

Banner shook his head. "I'm too conflicted to vote. Tony is responsible for my becoming the Hulk against my wishes and indirectly responsible for the death of my beloved wife from radiation poisoning which his doctors never warned us about. And I heard later it was because they didn't consider her important enough to save unlike me and that some resented her resistance to things they wanted to do to me to improve me."

His skin took on a green hue as he continued. "His doctors and hospital failed to cure her and she died in agony of cancer." His shirt split as he turned ninety percent into the Hulk and shouted. "But I don't blame the dastard as he tried his best to save my Betty after she was so sick. So, don't ask me to vote." He leaped up and away and there were tears streaming down his face. Everyone ducked from the rain of pieces of ceiling tiles.

"Dr. Banner abstains." Captain America intoned. "And that leaves me as the chairman with the tie-breaking vote."

He looked around and then said. "As the Widow says I come from the 1930s, an age where women and the elderly were respected and men fought other men because those men had hurt a woman. Part of it was because women were and are not usually as physically strong and we felt that men had the responsibility to not misuse their strength against them. To my mystification after I was revived from my sleep in the ice I found that women themselves no longer desired such protection and some considered it an insult. It has been one of the hardest things I've had to adjust to."

"Like the rest of you I've been deeply disturbed by the reports in the news of the abuse and worse of women and children. It is something that I'll not tolerate and like Thor I'll defend women and their rights, especially to decent treatment." He inclined his head to Thor and then looked up. "Unlike the sports organizations we'll not be slow to act. After all we are the Avengers and if the people cannot trust us, then who can they trust?"

Into the silence that followed he declared solemnly. "I vote aye. A committee of six will be appointed with three women and three men Avengers to investigate these charges and our policies towards women." He banged down the gavel. "This meeting is concluded."

They didn't know it but Young Loki had just struck the third blow in his war against Stark with Angela's whole-hearted support which she demonstrated by hugging him. "Good one." She whispered.

"You haven't seen anything yet, sister." Female Loki said with pride. She owed her brother big time. Stark had not prepared well for this hearing, thinking he only had dumb, old Thor to deal with. He had never realized he had two brothers and their sister to contend with. The third battle had been won by the Asgardian brothers and their sister.

Young Loki was already planning his next strike at Stark but unknown to him Old Loki was preparing one that would soon be ripping through his guts, but would have unforeseen consequences.