The prisoners were led in shackles deep down into the dark humid caverns that rested beneath the facility. The journey down was a torturous one in itself as the temperatures slowly rose the farther down they went until now where it practically felt they were surrounded by the fires of Hell. Along the walls of the endless networks of carven tunnels, each made by the very prisoners brought down, were strings of fluorescent lights that staved off the pitch black darkness of the depths. The jagged rock surface was only occasionally broken up by hints of metal that pulsated with a subtle blue glow, vibranium. It was what powered the prison and most of the restraints and bars were made of the substance. There was a cruel irony in how the inmates endlessly toiled to mine that which kept them imprisoned. This was especially ironic for the Wakandan prisoners who had once relied on vibranium for their society, only to have that society destroyed and now tasked with gathering the metal for the people that conquered them.

The mines were absolutely the most miserable of all The Raft's many miseries, where down here the prisoners would work for hours upon hours doing backbreaking work with few breaks in tunnels that reeked of body odour. The guards assigned to watch over the work seemingly hated being there just as much as the ones they guarded, often it being assigned as punishment for various things, and they took their displeasure out on the convicts with particular sadistic glee. The prisoners who showed weakness were dealt with and forced to learn that there was no mercy here. Any unauthorised pause only earned that inmate more time working until they either passed out or somehow managed to make it through. A few lucky ones were extended the offer to sleep with a head guard and they'd be given a short leave of anywhere from a few minutes to a couple hours of entertaining the guard before being brought back to resume their shift.

Somewhere among the hardworking prisoners, Yelena and Natasha were shackled together. Both of them struck down on the hard rock with their pickaxes, the sharp dinging sound echoing on the walls around them and making their ears hurt. Natasha wiped her forehead with a dirty, muddy hand and huffed out air.

"So, Kate huh?" She said, smirking at her sister as she continued digging.

Yelena grumbled, distracted. "What?"

"You seem to like her a lot." Natasha said, non-accusatory. She knew making friends as an adult was something that had been really hard for Yelena, given that she trusted no one. It was surprising to see her interacting with a stranger.

"Yeah, she's funny." Yelena snorted, thinking of all the stupid shit Kate had done after they met in New York.

"Okay so is she like a friend-friend or…you know…" Natasha tried carefully, knowing that Yelena never had crushes on anyone and was pretty guarded when it came to love. As far as she knew, Yelena had only loved one person and it had ended really badly for her.

"What do you mean?" Yelena stopped hacking at the tough stone and looked at her sister.

Natasha chuckled. "Just saying…I've never seen you like this. About anyone."

Realisation dawned on Yelena and she flushed red. She scoffed and continued digging, albeit using slightly more force.

Natasha was afraid she had upset her sister, so she stayed quiet. Sometimes, it was hard for her to know how to interact with Yelena, because they hadn't really grown up together. Both had been through so much individually, it was difficult to know what would trigger the other.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Natasha eventually whispered apologetically.

Yelena sniffed. "I'm not uncomfortable."

"Okay." Natasha replied, rolling her eyes. They continued working in silence for a while.

"So what if I like her?" Yelena broke the silence suddenly. "Is that bad?"

Natasha let out a dry chuckle. "Well, not necessarily. But…you know what happened last time. It's better not to get involved with anyone." She didn't want to squash her sister's hope, but wanted to be realistic as well. "We're in a dangerous place, where love gets your hurt, one way or another."

Frustrated, Yelena crashed her pickaxe down onto the sandy floor of the cavern. "It's not the same. I don't love her. Love is for children, as you always say."

"Okay, so what is it then?" Natasha challenged her.

"I don't know! All I know is that she has a fucked up roommate that's probably gonna kill her in her sleep tonight so maybe we won't have to worry about this anymore tomorrow!" Yelena yelled, her voice echoing through the cave. "Who cares, right?"

Natasha groaned internally. Fuck. She tried to collect her bearings. "You care." She said eventually.

"Yes, I do. Because she's a fucking dumbass who can't protect herself and thinks the world is all bright and beautiful and has no idea that this place is gonna kill her. And there's nothing I can do about it." Yelena wiped her eyes angrily.

"I'm sorry, sestra." Natasha said lamely. She remembered how hopeless she felt when Yelena came to this place and all she wanted was to use her influence over the other inmates to make sure no one would hurt her sister. It was a dangerous game, because playing favorites could get them really, really hurt.

Yelena continued digging madly at the stones before suddenly stopping. "I have a plan."

"Oh, man." Natasha sighed, already preparing for the worst.

"You're gonna make it so that she's bunked with me." Yelena connected her eyes with Natasha's. "I want you to try."

Natasha bit her lip, going over the ways this could go wrong in her head. "You have a one person room." She offered.

"No, I have a bunk bed. I have space." Yelena countered stubbornly. "They don't even have to change beds around."

"It would draw a lot of attention to Kate." Natasha tried desperately. "And on you. And on me, in relation. We could get hurt."

"You practically own this prison, Natasha!" Yelena said angrily. "You don't take shit from anyone."

"And how do you think I got to that position?" Natasha replied, equally as angry. "Why are you willing to risk everything we built, everything I've done to protect you, for this random girl you only met a few times?!"

"Because she's good! She's the kind of person who doesn't deserve to get hurt by this system. She…she deserves to be saved." Yelena said, frustration and emotion coating her voice. "She doesn't deserve any of this shit."

Nat stepped back. "And what if she dies because you try to help her? What good will that do?"

"She won't. I will make sure of it." Yelena's jaw was set.

"Fine. I'll get a guard to change the arrangements. But don't come crying to me if she's dead tomorrow. And if this hurts me or my girls somehow, I will hurt you." Natasha's eyes flashed dangerously and they stood across from each other for a moment, both breathing heavily. Yelena took her hand and shoved Natasha slightly, playfully.

"I'd like to see you try."

Natasha's anger subsided now that she had caved to her sister's wishes, and she continued digging, instead racking her brain on how the hell she was gonna pull this one off.

On the other side of the tunnel, more prisoners were digging for vibranium. A random assortment of women all joined together by links of chains that clanged and clattered with their every movement. The heavy shackles chafed their already sore bare ankles but for most this was a discomfort they'd long gotten used to. First in the row was Darcy Lewis, using the pickaxe to aggressively have a go at the wall. She'd done something to earn herself work down in the mines and was very angry about it. Not only was Darcy one of the most desired inmates and therefore had a lot of the guard's attention on her, her ever sardonic wit had a knack for getting her in trouble and this definitely wasn't her first time here.

Sylvie Laufeydottir, the time travelling goddess of mischief, panted as she swung her pickaxe into the wall over and over again. She endured the gruelling work the best she could but the futility of it all really annoyed her. Her body was enveloped in a light but visible cloud of cool mist, the Frost Giant equivalent of sweating. Sylvie found herself stranded in this universe a few years ago and it seemed she'd be spending the next few centuries in prison paying for the crimes of her variant. Apparently indefinite mine duty was a part of that sentence. Besides her was Jane Foster, a midgardian bitch she'd claimed and now forced to toil alongside her because why should she suffer alone? Jane fared much worse than Sylvie and looked just about ready to collapse with each swing. She had never been particularly strong, and working in the mines was really tough. To the sides, a huge green shape was moving rocks around and punching the wall. She-Hulk had gotten mine duty as well for beating up Titania on the tour yesterday. Jane envied her strength, as her own arms shook with effort holding the pickaxe. It seemed like She-Hulk was the only prisoner who enjoyed her time here.

Last along the line was Kate who hardly fared as well as the women besides her. Covered in dirt and sweat she panted with each heavy swing against the dense cavern rocks, wincing as the sharp jagged stone ground cut against her feet which was made only worse by the small pebbles that broke from the walls (a pain most experienced inmates grew used to, but proved a memorable agony) Because she hadn't slept at all, she was quickly exhausted. The work they were being forced to do didn't really seem legal to her, but she definitely wasn't about to go and try complaining to one of the guards that lurked behind them revelling in their suffering.

She was an observant person, her years of archery training having developed her senses to the point that it was hard for her not to always be aware of her surroundings and the people in it. She had noticed how the blonde Asgardian was strong and capable, while her friend was barely getting any work done. She made a mental note to not cross the former. She was terrified of She-Hulk, scared that she might accidentally drop a rock on her.

Awkwardly, she shuffled towards Jane, being an extroverted person and unable to deal with awkward, prolonged silence.

"Hey." She said casually.

Jane looked over, surprised that someone was talking to her and not Sylvie. "Hi…" She said through heavy breaths while attempting to lodge her pickaxe into the wall. Tiny bits of rubble fell to the ground but nothing significant.

"What's your name?" Kate tried nicely. She was definitely not aware that Jane was not in the mood to talk.

"Jane Foster" She replied in a huff.

"Oh! I heard about you! Aren't you Thor's girlfriend?" Kate went off.

"Ex-girlfriend. I'm also the Mighty Thor and a renowned astrophysicist but it's great to know I'm remembered as his girlfriend…" Jane said bitterly, rolling her eyes.

Kate's face blanked. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know. What's the Mighty Thor? Is that another name for Thor?"

"Well yeah kinda. It was the title bestowed upon me when I wielded Mjölnir"

"Mj-what?" Kate stuttered, confused.

"Thor's hammer," Jane was getting really annoyed with the conversation now.

"Oh. I thought only he could lift it or something. Clint told me." Kate was oblivious to the other's frustration.

Jane groaned from all the questions, but it probably only came off as being tired of mining. "Anyone who is worthy may lift it!"

"I would love to try it." Kate said dreamily. "I bet it could break these stones in record time."

Their fun little conversation was cut short as the guard overseeing them barked "Faster ladies! Come on! My grandmother has more life in her, god rest her soul. MOVE IT!" It was difficult to tell who exactly she was yelling at, but it made everyone just a little more tense.

"Jesus." Darcy mumbled under her breath. She was easy to scare.

Sylvie briefly turned to face Kate, clearly displeased with her. "Did I give you permission to speak with my pet?" She quietly asked. Despite being used to near constant degradation by her cruel queen, Jane still blushed.

Kate flushed. "Pet? Huh?" She looked around for a dog or cat or some other animal. "Where?"

"Do you think you are humorous?" Sylvie asked, burying her tool deep into the stone with aggressive force.

"I'm confused." Kate admitted. "I was just talking to Jane…Oh." Realisation dawned on her face and she looked at Sylvie offendedly. "But she's a person! Not a pet!"

"You're evidently new. In prison the strong own the weak." Sylvie smirked. "Your failure to comprehend that doesn't bode well for you."

Kate gulped. "Well, maybe somebody already owns me." She bluffed.

Sylvie raised a hand in sarcastic defeat, showing she meant no harm. "I don't really care. I have no interest in having you as mine. I merely was informing you of something any new girl must know. Especially one of such beauty, midgardian"

"Uh…thanks." Kate smiled thankfully, though still on guard.

Officer Renee Winters watched the inmates toil with a sadistic glee. She had been assigned guard duty down in the depths by the warden as a punishment for accepting a few bribes, a formality really. Everyone knew the prison did little against corruption usually but sometimes there were the unlucky few who were dealt with just to give the place the facade of being secure. Still, her "punishment" quickly turned into a blessing as she got to watch criminals be broken down into exhausted desperate messes and she essentially had free reign to make sure every moment was as miserable as possible. For Renee no feeling compared to that of controlling some of the most powerful women on the planet.

As Kate continued working she noticed one of the guards step behind the brunette with glasses. "You look tired." Renee playfully taunted.

Darcy sighed and dropped the pickaxe to the ground. "Well, yeah, I am!" She hated the way guards would antagonize them and make the task at hand even worse.

"Tough break…if only there were something more useful you could be doing…" The guard smirked. Most of the prisoners ignored the entire exchange, but Kate was watching in curious horror.

Darcy immediately stiffened. She knew where this was going. She could refuse, but the guard would make sure she'd be here again tomorrow. They feigned the prisoners having a choice, but in reality going along with it was the best option. She looked at the huge rock in front of her, which would take at least 2 hours to finish working on, and shrugged.

"Yeah, okay."

The guard gleefully nodded and then unshackled her. She then cuffed Darcy's wrists behind her back and escorted her up the mine shaft.

Kate heard Sylvie say something that sounded like "Lucky bitch" before violently piercing the cave and having to use force to dislodge the pickaxe.

The guard brought Darcy through a few winding passageways until they reached a part of the mine that was unoccupied. She removed Darcy's handcuffs now that they had arrived. "Alright, you know what to do. Start stripping for me."

Darcy rolled her eyes and started by taking off her glasses. Immediately when she moved to remove them, the guard stopped her.

"No. Leave those on." The guard smiled down at her smugly.

"Okay, creep." Darcy said, having to chuckle. She kept her glasses on and her long slender fingers moved to the zipper of her prison uniform. She knew how to put on a show and removed the garment slowly, sensually.

Soon enough, her large breasts were free from the fabric.

"Never gets old." The guard said admiringly. It was known that Darcy had one of the best pairs of tits in the whole prison.

"Trust me, it does." Darcy rolled her eyes. "Wanna touch?" She challenged the guard.

"No, I'm good. Now then, if you're wanting a break from mining you're gonna have to work for it. On your knees." Renee ordered as she leaned back against the damp wall and pulled down her trousers.

Darcy slowly got on her knees, her legs pressed against the jagged stone floor, and timidly approached her face to the guard's cunt. Annoyed with the nervous approach, Renee put both hands behind Darcy's head and pushed her nose-deep into her bush. "I expect full effort from you." She admonished. She adored ordering the inmates around, especially when it came to sexual actions.

Darcy showed inexperience as she sloppily lapped away, eating out another woman had been a rather recent thing she'd learned. Prior to prison Darcy had thought herself 100% undeniably straight, but since her arrival that was something that didn't matter too much. Limited in options and easy prey for a majority of the far stronger prisoners, learning how to pleasure them had proven to be a valuable thing to know. Renee was blatantly aware of Darcy's inexperience, but the thrill of the situation mixed with the touch of her tits against her leg more than made up for it. "You can be more rough." She instructed. She never understood why the inmates were always so gentle. It didn't feel like much at all like that.

Darcy hummed and increased the strength of her tongue and her pace. Her hands gripped Renee's thighs tightly to get more pressure, her fingers digging into the skin. "That's a good girl." Renee whispered, finally feeling something.

Darcy was glad to hear the praise, particularly because it meant an orgasm was closer and she would be released. She let the tip of her tongue run across Renee's entrance, teasing her before entering, making sure to also keep pressure on her clit. It was still sloppy and too soft, but better. Renee's moans filled the chamber, echoing off the walls. She didn't care about being discovered, there were only prisoners down here and they were chained down. The few other guards strayed far away from her, knowing her habits. She basically had free reign.

Renee grew closer and closer, tongue working hard between her thighs. With a triumphant exclamation of pure ecstasy she came hard on Darcy and slumped against the wall. Both were breathing heavy and Renee smirked. "Good job, now you get to go back to your cell!" She slapped Darcy on the ass dismissively and continued to bathe in her bliss, leaving most of the prisoners unguarded for the time being.

Carol and Monica were working hard, chained together in the very depths of the caves. To the right of them was a large mound, signalling the end of the dug tunnel so far. They were so deep in the caves, their ears popped repeatedly and kind of hurt. As Monica let the pickaxe slump down again and again, she huffed. "I thought Vibranium was only in Wakanda. Funny." Carol didn't respond, and Monica felt awkwardness creep up in her chest. "All Wanda had to do is break into this prison to get herself a new husband it seems." She joked, hoping to get a laugh out of her friend.

Carol's eyes shifted over before she let out a careful chuckle. "You should watch your words, Lieutenant Trouble. If her or rather Jean's goons hear you, you're toast."

Monica smirked. "Ain't nobody down here but us." She dropped the pickaxe down lazily and stretched. "In fact, I think I'm gonna take a break. It's not like anyone will notice."

Carol shook her head. "They've got security cameras, you know." She whipped her head around to spot the one trained on them, but her brow furrowed as she saw none. "I guess we're too deep."

"Exactly. So are you gonna keep digging, or join me in this break?" Monica challenged her childhood friend.

Carol shrugged. She knew it was probably a bad idea to stop working, but it didn't seem like anyone would find out. "Kay."

They both sat down, stretching their sore muscles in the sand of the cave.

A comfortable silence was between them, until Carol spoke up. She had wrapped her arms around her knees, hugging them to her chest. "I never meant for you to end up here, you know?"

Monica looked at Carol, who looked sadly back at her. "That's why I left. I didn't wanna bring you and your mom into any more danger."

"Well, she's dead and I'm in prison, so you did a great job at that." Monica's words left her mouth before she could stop herself. She saw the impact immediately on Carol's face.

"Yep. Guess I'm a disappointment huh?" Carol said bitterly, wiping her eyes.

Monica regretted her tone. "You're not. I know you helped many people. Skrulls." She realised that Carol had only done what she thought was right. It was unfair to blame her for her mother's death. Or leaving. "My mom missed you every day, you know?" Monica whispered sadly.

"I missed her more. I'm so…so sorry I didn't get to say goodbye. I'll regret that for the rest of my life." Carol sniffled. "I loved her a lot."

Monica swallowed heavily. "Me too." She whispered. She felt a little lighter. "I'm sorry for being mad."

"I get it. I was kind of the dad that went to get milk and never came back. Shitty move on my part." Carol joked.

"Did you find the milk?" Monica replied, chuckling softly.

Carol snorted. "No, in fact, I'm lactose intolerant."

Both women smiled at each other and the air was definitely lighter than before.

After a while, they started working again, because they could hardly turn up with zero vibranium parts mined.

They talked about Monica's childhood and what Carol had been up to after leaving. Neither talked about Maria's death. After about 30 minutes, they took another break, lounging as comfortably as possible on the floor.

"I'm glad I'm not alone. I don't think I would have survived without you here." Monica said softly. She realised Wanda probably would have killed her yesterday if it wasn't for Carol. "That punch on Wanda was epic."

Carol shrugged. "It's kinda my thing."

"Having a tea party?" Their conversation was interrupted when three shadows turned up around the corner and a voice cut through the air. "Oh, no, don't get up. You'll be down soon enough. And your chains will keep you neatly in place."

Both women looked up in surprise to see who was speaking.

Jean, Mystique and Rogue were looming over them, pickaxes in hand. No chains were to be seen on them.