Disclaimer: I do not own any movies set up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Star Wars movies, cartoons, games, books, or comics. They belong to their respective copyright owners. This story is not created with a commercial aim. It is not for sale or rent.

Phase 11: Party crashers

=SI=

Part 5

=SI=

Issabelle's Diner
Puente Antiguo
New Mexico

"Hogun! My friends!" Thor's voice thundered as he appeared from the diner. "What are you doing here!?" He exclaimed in genuine surprise.

"We are here to bring you back!" Proclaimed a tall man with short, shaggy blond hair. He wore forest green armored clothes not too dissimilar to Jedi Knight's armored robes from the Cold War era.

"Bring me home?! My friends, unless Father has changed his mind about my exile, I am not going home soon!"

"What do you mean?! Wasn't Loki who exiled you after he became regent while the AllFather sleeps?!" The raven-haired woman narrowed her eyes at Thor. There was genuine confusion in her voice, matched by the jumbled emotions she felt – relief, worry, and acute surprise.

"Loki!? This is not one of his pranks! It was Father who banished me until I proved myself worthy!" Thor shook his head.

"But you did nothing wrong!" The last of the group rumbled in bafflement. He was almost as tall and much broader than Thor, but not at the shoulders. The man looked like he stepped out of a Hollywood poster about a Viking saga.

"Did we not? I've had some time to think, and conversing with Lord Stark here put our actions into perspective," Thor countered.

"Should we be arresting them all for trespassing or something?" One of the SHIELD agents asked just loud enough to be heard. I could hear Coulson curse when everyone turned to look their way.

"Boys, we landed into the middle of something here, literally at that." The female warrior pointed out the obvious.

"Politics, my Lady Sif. There's no escaping them, no matter which of the Nine Realms we are on," Thor sounded a touch bitter as he said that.

"Does they involve us? We smash faces in, not deal with politics!" The stereotypical, according to Hollywood, Viking grumbled.

"I'm afraid so, Volstagg. Lord Stark, these are my good friends, the Lady Sif and the Warriors Three. My friends, this is Lord Tony Stark, who is in charge of dealing with visitors from other realms in this part of Midgard. However, some among the locals want to dispute that fact," Thor nodded at the SHIELD agents.

"Who is friendly, who is neutral, and who needs their heads smashed?" Volstagg patted a large double-headed ax he carried over his shoulder.

"Hopefully, sanity will prevail, and no one will need their head smashed in," I deadpanned at them all.

"This is your realm, Lord Stark, your people. I am content to let you deal with them," Thor smiled bitterly. "I'm trying my best to think before acting as I must."

"That's usually a good first step," I nodded and looked at Coulson. "Mr. Secret Agent, what will it be? If I was a less well-adjusted individual, or if I had a grudge against your agency, I might be content to let you try to take these four into custody to see what happens."

Volstagg beamed at this as if I was his new best friend, while the other two looked between me, Thor, and Coulson, wondering what the fuck was happening. Lady Sif gave Thor a long, suffered look as if this was all his fault, which was true, discounting the SHIELD complication.

"You are not that much of an ass, Mr. Stark," Coulson gave me his best disarming smile.

"My patience is also running thin," I noted. "Coulson, what is your endgame looking like here? You are disrupting a diplomatic meeting. I am sure you can imagine the worst-case scenario here."

"I can. I don't know if the people who authorized this can. It's either that, or they're ready to take the risk anyway. You know I am the reasonable option, Mr. Stark."

"What does the unreasonable one look like? Would they open fire on US military unit seconded under SWORD's command? Will they risk starting a war with an alien nation due to internal politics?"

"Was that how us going to Jotunheim looks from the outside, Lord Stark?" Thor interjected.

"It looks worse. You are the Crown Prince, Thor. You were expected to know better. I can't say the same for the idiots who sent Mr. Secret Agent Man to us and thought this was a good idea."

My phone began to vibrate. I thought about ignoring it. Yet anything that might buy us time to de-escalate and find a rational solution to this idiocy was worth trying. I pulled it out and unlocked it.

"Yes?"

"Tony, please give the phone to that young man you keep irritating for no good reason," Pamela Hawley's irritated voice sounded in my ear. "And good work at proving me and my compatriots right."

"It's for you, Mr. Secret Agent Man," I waved my phone at Coulson and slowly walked to him, offering it.

He looked at the device with a hint of amusement. His emotions betrayed how he felt – Coulson was even less happy than me to be put in such a situation.

"Agent Coulson. Who is this? Yes, Ma'am, I recognize your voice. Yes, your identification checks out. The best I can do is enter a waiting pattern until the Oversight Council and the Director straighten out my orders, Ma'am. Thank you, Councilor!"

He gave me back the phone. I was reasonably sure Coulson was stretching the truth a bit and that someone else in his shoes might have ignored Hawley.

"We now have conflicting orders and will wait and observe until the Director makes up his mind. Stand down, folks!" Coulson waved at the SHIELD Agents and went back to his phone.

More than a few of them looked ready for a fight. Yet, one after another, they lowered their weapons until the last die-hards decided that starting trouble under these circumstances might be an excellent way to commit suicide.

"Talking worked? It never works for us!" Fandral looked incredulously at me. "Who is this man, Thor? His silver tongue works better than Loki's, and your brother is well known as the Liesmith!"

"That might have something to do with why people often try to kill us," Lady Sif pointed out.

"Your brother is a known liar, and you people wonder why no one listens to him? Did I get that right?" It was my turn to look incredulous.

Thor and his buddies looked at each other, then nodded in as one.

"Oh, people listen to Loki, especially when they shouldn't. It's when doing so would do anyone some good they don't," Lady Sif explained.

How did you get here? I don't think you got permission from my father?" Thor inquired.

The newcomers looked at each other, and the sense of guilt and determination radiating from them was thick.

"We might have spoken with Heimdall, who very conveniently had to briefly leave the Bifrost control station," Lady Sif had the good grace to look embarrassed.

"Back in my days as a ruler, that would be considered borderline treason at best," I noted.

"My father might agree. What have you done, my friends?" Thor groaned.

I wondered who was the worst influence upon whom in this little group.

Before I could get any more answers, the other shoe dropped. The air tingled, and the sky darkened again.

"I think Loki might have found out what Heimdall allowed to happen," Hogun grimaced. "If it was Kind Odin who sent you here in exile, my friend, that changes our situation."

"I'll take full responsibility!" Thor declared.

"I don't think Loki or the King, when he awakes, will agree," Fandral muttered.

A stream of energy ruptured the heavens, this time striking just outside town. More lightning and thunder followed before the sky began to clear up slowly.

"Captain Elis, do we have eyes on what just landed?"

"One-Five is looking at a… metal giant? It's some robot, apparently," Elis sounded like he could hardly believe his words.

"Big, spiky thing with large squares in the helmet where the eyes would be?" Lady Sif asked worriedly.

Elis repeated the question and got an affirmative answer.

"That's the Destroyer! It's one of the most dangerous creations merging magic and technology Odin ever built! It is supposed to protect the Palace's vaults!" Thor elaborated.

"It is also under the control of whoever wields Gungnir. That's Loki right now, Thor," Hogun pointed out.

"How sure are you that your brother wouldn't walk over your corpse to take and keep the throne, Prince Thor?" I asked in a voice that felt much calmer than I felt. So much for peaceful first contact.

"There is only one reason Loki would send that thing here, Thor!" Lady Sif agreed.

"Captain, get this city evacuated; we've got hostile incoming. Contingency Black Two is now in effect. We have a hostile alien incursion in progress."

A weird sound echoed over from the outskirts of the town, followed by an explosion.

"That thing just opened fire on our observers with a heat ray!" Elis exclaimed.

Yeah, that was the other shoe-dropping, alright.

=SI=

Part 6

=SI=

SWORD HQ

New York

General Danvers wasn't surprised that everything suddenly went to hell for some reason. Things were going far too smoothly to expect anything else.

Mr. Murphy was a vicious bastard like that.

"We have a confirmed Case Black Two," Carol sighed quietly and turned to face the Councilors.

"It is legitimate," One after another, they gave their assent.

Moments later, using state-of-the-art communication equipment, the General could communicate with relevant military commanders worldwide. At the same time, the Councilors smoothed over the inevitable political fallout and dealt with civilian matters.

"This is General Carol Danvers, Director of SWORD. Case Black Two is now in effect. We have confirmed a hostile alien incursion on Earth. I am declaring Winter Contingency for the Continental United States. Containment protocols are now in effect…."

US military forces would be going to DEFCON 1 momentarily. SWORD rapid response units and SOCOM QRFs would be converging in New Mexico. Military assets within the state were now under SWORD jurisdiction.

"I am assuming operational command,' Danvers continued. "SWORD Councilor Stark and SWORD Two have tactical command and are our point of contact. Stand by to receive tactical information. Operational parameters are these: contain the threat, ensure the safety of alien VIPs in the Area of Operations, evacuate civilians if and when possible."

=SI=

Puente Antiguo
New Mexico

"We have assets en route from Holloman and Cannon Air Force bases – armed drones, strike fighters from the fifty-fourth Fighter Group, and SOCOM unit attached to the twenty-seventh Special Operations Group. The only heavy ground support we will get in a reasonable time frame is what we have here and at Site Alpha. Anything else is a few hours away at best," Elis reported. At the same time, I officially proclaimed that we were being invaded with all that entails.

One way or another, there would be hell to pay for today's events.

"Evacuate the civilians; then we will draw that thing towards the Alpha Site if we can't take it out. The Air Force can bomb it at their heart's content while it moves through the desert," I hoped so anyway. "Prince Thor, what are that thing's capabilities?"

At the same time, Thor's buddies looked at each other and nodded at themselves.

"We will take it!" Volstagg boasted.

"It might not be that easy," Thor looked haunted. "Father sealed up my powers until I prove myself worthy and redeemed. I probably won't be any help…" He looked at Fandral. "Hit me to make sure!"

"That might not be the best idea…" I tried to stop even more idiocy from unfolding in front of my eyes.

"As you wish, friend," The Aesir moved almost faster than the eye could follow. I heard a crunch, then Thor was on the ground, spitting teeth and groaning, while his buddies fussed over him.

"He's like a mortal, all right," Hogun groaned. "Thor's going to be of no use," He looked at me. "Lord Stark, might I burden you with keeping our Prince away from the Destroyer?"

"That's the plan. I need to know that thing's capabilities. Any tactical information you can share?"

"Get a medic over here!" Elis shouted and pointed at Thor. Looking at him, it wasn't clear if his jaw was broken, though he had a nasty, rapidly darkening bruise covering a third of his face.

So much about Thor thinking things through.

"It's the Destroyer," Lady Sif was the one to answer my question. At the same time, soldiers scurried around to get the civilians moving. "King Odin built that thing to protect Asgard's treasure vaults. Rumor has it; it was built with rare materials making it nearly indestructible. The Destroyer is a deadly fusion of technology and magic. We don't know its full capabilities!"

"Start with anti-tank weapons and have the air force hammer it down. Use small arms if you need to distract it away from civilians; otherwise, do not engage," I offered my advice.

Lady Sif and the three self-proclaimed warriors ran toward the mayhem, leaving Thor behind so much for keeping the alien dignitaries safe.

I noticed a trend I didn't particularly like.

"Observe how they engage that thing, and move vehicles to provide fire support and distraction if needed. Lase it for air strikes."

Elis didn't bother to argue and relied on my orders, then waved me to follow to his command vehicle. We soon had a view from a drone. The Destroyer was indeed a spiky metal robot that shot fire from its eyes. It had fun blowing up cars and buildings as it advanced through the town. That made no sense for a robot programmed to defend something. It was either reprogrammed or someone was remotely controlling it.

"They wouldn't…" Elis muttered incredulously. The drone operator zoomed in on the Asgardians, showing them approach openly. Well, three of them. Lady Sif might have at least a few working brain cells and used them to flank the thing. Meanwhile, Fandral and Hogun literally threw their buddy at the robot after he made a running start.

For a moment, it was like watching a movie as the large Asgardian flew through the air, ready to cleave the Destroyer in tow with an ax. Volstagg got backhanded for his trouble and crashed into a relatively intact car. The Destroyer's eye-sockets glowed, ready to blast him into oblivion, when Sif used the distraction to jump off the roof of a nearby house. She used some kind of spear staff that had blades on both sides.

It was notable the Destroyer didn't notice her in time. It only attempted to react when she was already in the air, and it was too slow to turn around. She slammed the spear through its neck and into the ground, pinning it. Briefly, it appeared that this was it. It would have been nice to have an anti-climatic end to today's nonsense.

We had no such luck. I watched in high definition how the thing's segmented body glowed and shifted, switching its facing to what was its back. Its head turned around, forcing Sif to jump away before it could fry her.

The Destroyer rose, pulling itself off the spear staff as if it didn't pierce it. The Asgardians were on the run now, not bothering to use the side streets to break contact.

"Distract it from the VIPs," Elis ordered. Heavy infantry opened up with machine guns, grenade launchers, and a few prototype blasters. Two Humvees drove forward to allow their gunners to light it up.

High-caliber bullets harmlessly glanced off the robot's armor. Grenades detonated around it or upon impact, barely staggering it. Its armor absorbed the energy of the blaster bolts with nothing to show for it.

"You're right; nothing short of anti-tank would even scratch that thing," Elis spat. "Hit it with Javelins! Where is our air support?"

At least the Aesir managed to get out of sight while remaining mostly intact. The same couldn't be said for a few of our soldiers. A sweeping beam caught three of them, and the result wasn't pretty. What little was left of them would be fit only for closet casket funerals. The HUMVEEs barely managed to get out of sight before fiery beams blew up corner stores and houses in their wake.

A Javelin popped into view and slammed into the Destroyer's shoulder. When the dust settled, it was on its knees, with the armor between its neck and shoulder visibly burst open, revealing that the bloody thing was empty inside! Magi-tech indeed. The metal flowed and folded, healing the wound, and it soon stood up, no worse to wear.

"We need a lot more firepower to take that thing down. Likely sustained firepower to overwhelm its ability to repair itself."

"Unless the Air Force can do it, the only way we might deliver enough punishment is the IFVs at the site," Elis nodded.

"We're moving that way anyway. This thing keeps bee-lining towards Thor, isn't it?"

Elis consulted the drone operators and confirmed it.

"Get him in a vehicle, and we are going to draw it away. Have someone inform the Aesir, so they don't freak out and do something even more suicidal."

"Good, we were about to drag you to safety, sir," One of my bodyguards pipped up. I gave him a dirty look and got into a nearby HUMVEE. A pair of medics helped Thor sit beside me. He had an ice pack, likely from the diner, which he held to his jaw. The Prince tried to say something but only ended up mumbling. He had a broken jaw.

Was there no end of idiocy today?!