DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters from Guardians of the Galaxy, either in its movie or comic incarnation. I own any OC I can invent, though. I am not making a £ out of this. It is just for shits and giggles.
Compared to the last chapter, this one seems like a midget, but hopefully it will satisfy you folks until next month.
I have to be honest with you: I have written precious little for Spoils of War, compared with what I'm writing for Breaking the Chains, but I have the plot all written down and I'll do my best to finish it.
There might be some hiatus in the future, though, and I apologise in advance for it.
Warnings: strong mentions of torture, aftermath of torture, PTSD, mild speciesism, angst, politics.
Enjoy, and please don't shout at me!
When they get into the meeting room, Fury is as angry as his name indicates.
Based on that, Helenai would have thought that the talks with SHIELD would be much tougher, but they reach an agreement on most points quite quickly.
Having Thor, Vision and Wanda on their side surely makes things much easier. Or maybe, after being targeted three times in three years, the Terrans are just tired and a bit desperate.
Faced with the new, far-reaching threat of Thanos and his plans to unleash the end of everything, the Avengers seem to be quite enthusiastic about having some help.
The stickiest point of the negotiation is the presence and role of Loki within the mission, as they thought it would be. Thor, Vision and Wanda try to smooth things out on this issue too, but Fury, Hawkeye and the Widow seem to be entirely against the idea of giving him a chance, regardless of the guarantees and reassurances her, Gladiator and Saskia are ready to give them on behalf of their respective governments.
The Jothunn prince must have really messed things up on Terra during his last stay.
"Sorry, but we cannot trust that individual. - Fury declares - Thor has told us that he is known for his ability to deceive and manipulate, and now you have just told me that he has been impersonating Odin for more than a year without anyone being the wiser."
"I did that for a reason! I was trying to save Asgard!" Loki protests.
"Says the man who claimed he was invading Terra to save it from itself..." Fury comments. Between the two of them, the rest of the people in the room are drowning in sarcasm.
"That was different. I wasn't in my right mind at the time." he retorts stiffly, clenching his fists on the table.
"That's very the most abused excuse in the world. In the Galaxy, probably." Fury dismisses haughtily.
"Are you familiar with the concept of psychological reconditioning, Director Fury?" Saskia intervenes bluntly.
"What are you insinuating?" the Terran asks.
"I am not insinuating. I am asking. - the Xandarian retorts tersely - Are you familiar with the concept?" she insists.
"I am, of course. And our government does not condone it." he hastens to declare, like someone who has a guilty conscience, possibly on behalf of his beloved government.
"As we told you in the yard earlier, we have evidence that Loki was forced to attack Terra on behalf of Thanos by the use of such unsanctioned techniques. - Saskia explains patiently - Thanos is not limited by laws and other niceties. He has people ready and willing to use torture, and he is in possession of the Mind Gem. He is not shy about using everything he has to obtain his objectives, as other members of the team can attest." she adds.
"So far, all I've been given is words and assurances. - Fury retorts, unimpressed - I want the evidence you were talking about. I want to see it, to examine it for myself, not just to hear about it." he declares, crossing his arms over his chest.
"We'll have it sent to you once we will be able to set up a secure hyperwave connection to the Council Headquarters." Saskia offers.
"That is not good enough. - Fury retorts - That man is officially an enemy of the United States of America. We have orders from the President to apprehend him or shoot him on sight, and we need a damn good reason not to do so. Unsubstantiated excuses just won't cut it." he says with a sneer.
Helenai is suddenly taken by the desire to box him around the ears. Even Irani Rael was more easily convinced to let Ronan off the hook than this guy is proving to be.
"They are not unsubstantiated excuses. These are the results of an official enquiry of the Safety Council." Helenai insists.
"Your word is the only proof I have of its existence, and my government does not recognise it. - Fury retorts - Now, you can either stop beating around the bush and show me your evidence, or I will take him in custody." he announces.
"We don't have it now, but you will have it. I promise." Helenai retorts.
"Then he waits in a cell until I do." Fury says calmly.
Helenai gives Saskia and Gladiator a quick glance. It would make sense to make a gesture of goodwill and let them take Loki in temporary custody, but the Jothunn seems to feel nothing even remotely close to goodwill towards SHIELD. Nebula and Thor are surely going to defend him, regardless of the consequences to the mission, and in all honesty, knowing what she knows, she doesn't really feel comfortable with asking Loki to give himself up like that. She is not into victim-blaming. This can get complicated.
"This won't be necessary. - Thor intervenes - I will keep watch on my brother, while we wait." he offers with a smile, trying to smooth the situation out.
"Sorry but no. - Fury retorts - You seem far too willing to believe your brother just because he is your brother. Have you seen the evidence?" he attacks, leaning in the chair.
"No, but..." Thor replies.
"No buts. - Fury intervenes before he can finish - Evidence or jail. There isn't a third option." he declares, glaring at the Jothunn across the table.
Loki glares back. His face is pale and drawn, and the Space Gem practically vibrates with his anger.
"You want evidence? - he repeats quietly, with a clear threat in his voice - I'll show you the evidence." he declares, standing up.
He shrugs off his long coat and lets it fall to the ground. His jacket follows suit, and then he pulls off his shirt, balls it up and throws it on the table with as much contempt as he can infuse in the gesture.
Helenai has already had a good view of him at the Council hearing, and knows what to expect, but the Terrans and Thor look at him with eyes wide in shock and horror.
The Jothunn's torso and arms are a patchwork of ropy, twisted scar tissue, some still dark and raw, some silvery and sclerotised. Linear gashes along his ribcage show where the scars had to be incised to allow him to breathe properly. There is hardly an area which has been left unmarred.
"You will forgive me if I don't shed my trousers to show you where else they burned me." Loki hisses, leaning his long, thin body over the table to get in Fury's face as much as he can.
The Terran recoils as much as the chair allows him, while some of the others seem on the verge of being sick.
"Who did this?! - Thor explodes, pale with horror and outrage - Who did this to you, brother?"
"Everyman and the Other. Two of Thanos' men." Loki replies between gritted teeth, without turning to look at his brother.
"I will destroy them!" Thor vows, slamming a hand on the table.
"You can't. - the Jothunn replies - Ronan already did. I wish I had gotten to them first." he comments, deflating a bit. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, then re-focuses on his target.
"You remember my friend Ronan, don't you director Fury? - Loki drawls -Tall, blue skinned, scarred face? Was sick in the yard not long ago?" he adds.
The Terran nods, looking increasingly confused and horrified.
"Everyman had him in his clutches for just about half an hour, and still managed to take a blowtorch to his face. - Loki reveals - They had me for weeks, maybe months, him and the Other. Thanos gave me to them to play with, because I wouldn't yield to the Mind Gem even though falling through the Void had made me quite insane. They were quite inventive, I can assure you." he explains, eyes boring into him all the time.
"Do you know how many times you can break a Jothunn's bones before they stop healing?" he insists, speaking softly and almost sweetly.
Fury shakes his head mutely.
"I don't either. - Loki replies with a manic smile - They didn't manage to find out, but not for lack of trying. They did find out what was the limit beyond which my skin wouldn't grow back like it was before, though." he reveals, and his voice is calm and even as if he was talking about the weather.
"I will stay like this forever. - he adds, gesturing towards his scars - I will always be forced to remember that I was hopeless and powerless as they broke my mind and my spirit, until I could no longer resist the Mind Gem. I will always know that I wasn't strong enough to prevent Thanos from taking everything I was and twisting it, poisoning it and turning it inyo yet one more tool for him to use." he hisses in the Terran's face, then shoves himself away from the table and backs off, shaking all over, until his back is against the wall.
Nebula jumps from her chair, grabs his coat and runs to him.
"They're dead. - she whispers, wrapping him in it - And he'll be soon. We'll be alright. I promise you, mo chroi." she adds, hugging him as best as she can as he slides to the floor, curling in a tight ball, wracked by shivers.
"Is that proof enough, you assholes?! Will you leave him alone now?!" Nebula yells, gritting her teeth in fury.
"I... I would have never imagined... - Captain America stammers, pale with horror - He looked... well, unbalanced... but composed, you know? It was a very lucid and determined kind of madness. He looked like he knew exactly what he was doing." he adds weakly, still shocked by the unexpected turn of events.
"Ronan looked the same. - Gamora confirms - The Mind Stone works subtly, but deeply. It convinced him he was doing the right thing, when he was in fact betraying everything he had once stood for." she explains.
"And how do you get rid of its influence?" Black Widow asks the practical question.
"Getting the shit beaten out of you surely helps." Rocket intervenes with his customary subtlety.
"Neural reconfiguration by head trauma... it's a true and tested method." Iron Man comments, scratching his beard.
"So getting hit over the head actually cures you from insanity?!" Drax intervenes.
"More or less." Iron Man agrees.
"It looks like you Avengers fixed him, - Peter butts in - and Loki has been working his ass off to put a spanner in Thanos' works ever since. I mean, he could have stayed disguised as Odin and just let us fend for ourselves on Spartax, but he blew his cover to help us. He probably saved us all." he declares.
"Yeah, and that thing about blasting Thanos with his own fire-bombs? It was his idea, and it was sweet." Rocket adds approvingly.
"And during the Svartalfar crisis, he fought alongside me. He helped me to save Jane and to protect Midgard, even at the risk of his own life. - Thor chimes in - He might be a trickster, and he might like to make people look stupid, but my brother was always a brave man, a hero. He fought at my side in countless battles, and saved my life more times than I can count." he declares, and Loki uncurls partially from the tight ball he has tucked himself into to look at him with undisguised, raw love.
"I trust him to fight by my side in this glorious quest. I know he won't betray us, and I won't let anyone harm him. - the Asgardian continues, thunder in his voice - If you maintain your hostility towards my kin, you can fight without us." he threatens.
"I agree with my good-brother. The United States of America are not the only government on Terra. - Helenai continues - I am sure another government, like Britain or Wakanda, or the European Union might be more understanding of the situation." she adds suavely.
"I am Groot!" the plant-child approves. He grabs Loki's shirt and pads to where the Jothunn and Nebula are still curled on the floor.
"I am Groot?" he asks, pushing the shirt towards the Jothunn.
"Yes, little one. I will be better soon." Loki manages to reply.
"You can't do this!" Fury hisses.
"Of course we can. - Helenai retorts, knowing she has the backing of the whole team - Our diplomatic mandate is for establishing relations with any suitable Terran authorities, not specifcally with the USA. We though to choose you because you knew Thor and trusted him, but this is proving to be more trouble than help, so... It was good to know you, but I am afraid that, if you refuse to drop your hostile attitude towards an integral member of our expedition, we will have to leave it at that." she declares, standing up.
"Does anyone know the route to Britain?" she asks the Guardians over her shoulder.
"I do." Thor and Loki reply in unison.
Helenai turns back towards Fury and looks at him in silence, waiting for him to make his move, but the man just stares back at her in silence.
"I think we should give him a chance to prove to us that he is not what Thanos made him into. - Captain America intervenes - It is only fair."
"Yeah, I second. - Iron Man agrees - I feel like I have kicked a puppy."
"I am not a puppy, and you barely managed to touch me." Loki points out fastidiously.
Iron Man smirks.
"I am sure I can do better, if you give me a rematch." he provokes.
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather stick to chess? - Loki retorts - I am sure it would cost a lot of money to repair your pretty armour..."
Black Widow rolls her eyes.
"And the testosterone is boiling over again..." she comments, much to Saskia's approval.
"I don't call the shots, Fury does, but, in my opinion, we can make this concession. - she argues - They have the intelligence, the resources, and the experience. I don't like that man, and I will keep on doing so until he gives me a reason to start liking him, but I won't let my personal feelings interfere in this mission. The stakes are too high for this." she concludes.
"Natasha has a point. - Hawkeye chimes in - But if you so much as try to mind-fuck me again, you're going to be extremely sorry about it." he adds, turning towards Loki with a grim expression.
The Jothunn chuckles quietly to himself. "Don't worry, I lost the taste for such things. You are safe from me, now." he reassures.
Hawkeye makes an ambiguous noise, possibly of approval, but possibly also of disbelief.
"We'll see. - he says - You space-people would do well to remember that SHIELD is the only agency on the planet that knows how to deal with you guys. We have kicked alien ass for years, now. You can go and try with any other government, if you like to waste your time, but we are the only professionals in this field." he adds smugly.
"People tend to learn quickly, when their lives are at stake." Gladiator retorts, supporting her declarations. Helenai makes a mental note of thanking him later, if they have any private time at all. She still has some trouble with the spontaneous, freely given support her husband showers over her. She loves him, and freely choose to marry him, but everything is so bloody perfect between them that it seems unreal, and she keeps on waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"Groot, grab Ronan from the infirmary, if you please." Helenai bluffs.
She knows that SHIELD is their best option, but in all honesty, Loki has a point. Hawkeye has not been punished for what he did while under control of the Jothunn. It is only fair that the same favour should be extended to him.
"I am..." Groot manages to say.
"Call the plant back. - Fury cuts in - He can stay, but he goes nowhere unsupervised, and he wears one of these." he offers, nodding towards Loki and pulling a thin metal bracelet out of the pocket of his coat.
"What is that?" Loki asks.
"This is an electronic tag. - Fury explains, without turning towards him - It will prevent him from accessing all computers and electronic devices and certain areas of the base."
Loki glares at him, but keeps quiet, waiting for her, Saskia or Gladiator to make a move.
"This is all I am willing to offer. - Fury points out - If you don't like it, you can go and try your luck somewhere else." he adds unflinchingly.
Helenai exchanges another quick glance with Loki, who sighs and rolls his eyes.
"Deal." he says.
"Deal." she repeats to Fury.
The Terran tosses the bracelet towards the Jothunn, who deftly catches it from the air and snaps it around his wrist. The implement emits some sort of electronic buzz and seals, without any evident joining point. It is a neat piece of equipment.
The Terrans might not have achieved hyperspace flight yet, but they are quite crafty nonetheless.
"There, all done. - Loki announces, shaking his wrist to show that the bracelet cannot fall off - Are we done with this empty posturing, now? I though you wanted to figure out a way to save this planet..." he drawls. It seems like he has regained some of his composure, and most of his arrogance. Oh, joy...
"Coulson will kill me." Fury mutters, wearily rubbing his forehead.
This simple utterance seems to throw the Avengers in total disarray.
"What?!" Iron Man exclaims, turning towards the Director with a confused expression.
"What do you mean?! - Black Widow insists - Agent Coulson is dead. He has been for years." she points out.
Fury hesitates a bare moment before nodding, but the woman immediately smells the rat.
"You lied to us! Why?!" she exclaims.
"I didn't lie. - Fury retorts quickly - Coulson did die, for a while, and when you were fighting the Chitauri, it looked like he was going to remain dead for good." he reveals.
"What?! What did you do to him? And why did you keep on lying to us?" Captain America asks, looking and sounding outraged.
Fury shakes his head and curses under his breath.
"I can explain." he declares, raising his hands.
"You'd better." Black Widow threatens.
Helenai curses inwardly. She needs to use the facilities, but she can hardly ask for directions now, with the upcoming throwdown.
She will have to wait it out. It's just her luck that it looks like it is going to be a long explanation.