Cap was treated like royalty by the villagers for the unexpected liberation. There could always be varying motives for it. It could be dishonest too. Bucky had told cap how the place could be. Cap had read history too. Tribalism governed everything here. Alliances could shift often; even between family members. The elite guys that served here had understood that. They'd tried to make the command aware of that. The command was stupid and didn't get it. It was that simple in the end. Cap had seen a pattern with things like this since coming out of the ice. Most of it had started in Nam. That much was clear. It had happened until very recently with police and other responders. A war had been declared on America's heroes at home and abroad. The domestic stuff would be under better control now. The foreign stuff was still ongoing; hence why cap was here.
Treating America's heroes like garbage-something unique to America-was actually the top reason why cap had retired his previous mantle. Not the only reason to be sure; but it had been the main one. It had superseded the race ones even. And unlike his multiverse counterparts that had only been nomad for a brief time or had gone through a nomad phase as it were this cap's nomad journey was permanent. But then the others hadn't become archangels either. Unique distinction there.
And unlike those poor guys that couldn't read deeper into things here cap could. He reached out with his angelic power as they served him tea and heaped honors and praise onto him for his efforts. They weren't being deceitful; but they were lukewarm too. It wasn't aimed at cap personally; just the situation in general. He played his part; much as they did theirs. He wasn't here for them. He was here for the troops; as he had told Sharon prior to departure. He was nomad now; a man without a nation. Technically a mercenary/ronin combination of sorts. Not that he did his new role for money but needed funds to operate/survive; although that need was diminished to a great extent being angelic and having a magical shield. Angelhood had simplified a lot of that.
The village elders came then to see him. More came in on foot to speak with him. Even here in these remote parts of the world, though not as much as the Hindu Kush to the east, had heard of Captain America in some form. They realized this was who he in fact he was. "I used to be," he told them. They still seemed convinced that he was old cap. That was a common confusion element. "Are you here at the behest of the US government?" they asked. "The US is gone; America has a new government now." This puzzled them. Understandable. It would be doing that to the world for a good long while. Hell, I'm still processing what it all means. "What happened?" "A lotta things did. America was long overdue for a change; and we changed it." The elders shared looks. Obviously many of them didn't come into the village often. They came from remoter places than here. The very notion of time's passing was also very different with the Afghans.
There was no way that America could nation build here. Never gonna happen. But America would still conduct security ops here for a time. Shield had maintained that position even postwar. Cap didn't agree with that shield position at all. He was all for turning them into a parking lot but that wouldn't happen anytime soon. Granted, as former rebel army commander he still had a ton of pull; but he didn't wanna abuse that influence either. If the situation called for it he'd do what was needed. The goal now was troop support and hitting those enemy elements as needed. Liberating the village had really been about stabilizing the area to make it better for the troops to operate in; relative yet effective.
Commotion came from outside the dwelling he was in. The villagers grew restless. Cap went outside with them to see what the trouble was about; reaching out with his power as well. He didn't sense a threatening presence this time. In fact, the presence was familiar. Sabra. She walked readily among the villagers; not being sharia attired this time. Although studies had shown that Afghans would choose ancient honor codes even over Islam in moral instances. Interesting...
"Cap," she said with a small nod. "Agent Sabra." The villagers surrounded them but gave them plenty of room. "What brings you here?" "Bucky and I spent a lotta time here. I might be able to help." That was true; and she was enhanced; comparable to Nat. Captains Israel and Russia as it were. "I'd appreciate that." Sabra nodded grinned.
They were familiar with Sabra and gave her plenty of room. They said nothing about burkas or similar garments there. Safe to say she wouldn't do it either cap thought. He was right.
There was a time for everything the good book said; including both compliance and defiance. But cap was American; and defiance there was a virtue. Even here among the cavemen of the world. Arrogant? Maybe. Did he care? No. If the baddies didn't like it? Bring it on... that's what my shield's for... "That's" Nomad...