Sorry I have not updated in a while. College was hectic and I literally had not free time. So, I hope this chapter makes up for it.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything
Everyone in the room stared at Fury with wide eyes. The man they had known for years and known him to be one of the most dangerous, serious, and paranoid men on the planet, was sitting there with an orange cat on his lap. It definitely didn't match the usual super spy image he presented them.
Fury inwardly groaned. He rarely ever let his guard down around people (for extremely good reason) and let them know facts about his personal life. Goose being one of them. It wasn't as if he cared whether people knew he had a cat, but he knew it would make him look softer which he couldn't afford.
"Everyone, this is Goose, my cat," he slowly introduced.
Goose offered a meow as a hello to the heroes. It had various reactions.
"You have a cat?" Clint asked incredulously.
"Isn't that what I just said?" Fury retorted.
"I never knew you were a cat person," Steve stated.
"There's a lot you don't know about me," Fury reiterated the answer he gave at Steve's apartment when SHIELD was compromised.
Thor eyed the creature with curiosity. He had heard about them from Darcy but had never seen one before. He had to admit though it was, as mortals said, cute.
"Nick Fury, master spy, former director of SHIELD, now a living ghost, is a cat person," Tony joked in a smooth mischievous voice. "Oh, how I wish I had my phone with me right now."
Already he was putting together a hundred ways to mess with Fury. Oh, all the cat jokes he could tell, this was going to be fun.
"Stark, you even think about it, and I will release the file I have on all your nightly adventures and cohorts, before and after you became Iron Man," Fury threatened. "I wonder how Ms Potts will react to it, especially the ones she and Rhodes weren't aware of."
Tony's face turned pale. If Pepper ever found out she wouldn't scold him like a child, no she would take one of his suits and straight out murder him. And the aftermath would be him as charred remains and her on the run as the woman who killed Tony Stark, with her friend James Rhodes reluctantly pursuing her.
Yeah, that is what would happen.
"What exactly aren't we aware of?" Rhodey asked suspiciously.
"Plenty," Fury answered in a happy tone. "Perhaps I could."
"Don't we have a movie to get back to?" Tony intervened.
Several individuals shot him amused looks. They had the strangest feeling the end result would be Pepper killing him.
"Hey there what's your name?" Peter said softly as he approached the cat holding out his hand.
Goose eyed the stranger with curiosity. There was something innocent about his eyes, a thing she rarely saw in most people nowadays. It reminded her of Monica and Talos's daughter. Not sensing any hostile intent, she put her head forward and allowed him to pet her.
Fury was a little surprised since Goose rarely took to strangers. She seemed to be getting along with the kid though.
Peter was enamoured with the fluffy kitten. She was so adorable. Aunt May and he couldn't have a cat because of the costs but Peter still liked them. He at least got to interact with Murph at the Deli-grocery.
"Her name is Goose," Fury reminded. "If you want to sit with her you can."
Whatever he was going to say was promptly ignored by Peter sitting between Fury and Natasha while petting Goose. The latter of which had switched to Peter's lap.
The two agents looked amused. Peter looked between them realizing what he had done.
"Um, hi," he said shyly. "I'm Peter."
Natasha gave him small smile. The boy's personality was innocent, that much was obvious. Then there was his voice, Natasha could have sworn she had heard it somewhere before.
Fury was seriously wondering who this boy was and what the hell he was doing here. He wasn't brought here by chance.
"As interesting as this is, let us get on with the movie," the voice commanded as everyone was once again focused on the screen.
The scene opens up at Hala where Vers is walking towards a Kree Ship with members of her team. Three males and a female.
"I'm just going to spare you the details," the voice said. "They are the Kree Starforce. And their names are Minn-Erva, Korath, Att-Lass, and Bron-Char. Their leader is the one from before, who goes by the name Yon-Rogg."
Everyone was happy they didn't have to wait for their names.
They boarded the ship carrying both their weapons and serious expressions.
Tony felt his mouth water as he marvelled at the ship's design. The tech the Kree possessed was incredible. Maybe he could get his hands on some in the future. It would definitely help out with what they have here.
Peter on the other hand, was in awe of how cool it looked. It was like something out of Star Wars. Sometimes it really amazed him how much the movies got it right. Aliens, Gods, spaceships, and superpowers. What was next? Magic?
The group discussed the situation with most assuming it was another Skrull attack. A big one.
Thor frowned. Another infiltration must have begun. Which meant, both Earth and Asgard could be in danger.
Following this viewing, he would need to return home and investigate. One could only guess where the Skrulls would be hiding.
Minn-Erva asked Korath if a Skrull had ever simmed him, to which confirmed before admitting it was deeply disturbing. When Vers asked why, he responded by saying he stared into the face of his mortal enemy and the face staring back was his own.
"That would creepy," Scott agreed. "Fighting someone who looks exactly like you."
"Like you're in some sort of horror movie," Sam added.
Vers said maybe if he was more attractive it would be less disturbing, but Korath wasn't amused and said he wasn't laughing, only for Att-Lass to point out that he never laughs. Korath countered by saying he did laugh, on the inside, and he wasn't doing right now.
"I don't think that's how it works," Peter said uncertainly.
The others were mostly in agreement until Natasha spoke up.
"You can if you know how to control your emotions," she explained. "How to conceal them. It takes practice though."
"Is it difficult?" Peter asked.
"Very kid," Clint answered. "Especially when you are trying not to laugh at something you find funny."
Peter didn't say anymore as he looked back at the screen. Meanwhile, Clint and Natasha were racking their brains for any information they had on the boy. They knew him from somewhere, they knew it from the sound of his voice, but they couldn't think of where or when.
Yon-Rogg entered and broke up their debate telling Vers to knock it off.
Fury let out a small smirk. It seemed Carol's behaviour was pretty common on Hala.
Yon-Rogg went straight into explaining the mission using holograms. They were to rescue and extract an undercover Kree operative named Soh-Larr who alerted them to a Skrull invasion on a border planet named Torfa. He explained Soh-Larr was being pursued by General Talos, and if the Skrulls got to him first the information Soh-Larr had acquired over the years was theirs. Yon-Rogg then explained that the Accusers would bomb the Skrull stronghold while they slipped in and extracted their agent.
"Very efficient," Natasha commented. "Distraction, get in, get out. Although I doubt it will be that simple."
Thor didn't pay attention to her words. What he just heard was a confirmation of another Skrull Invasion. He would need to speak with his father afterwards and search for a way to locate and take down the impostors before the invasion could advance any further. It wouldn't be easy, but it could be done.
His thoughts were interrupted a simple, yet important, question.
"What are the Accusers?" Wanda asked confused. "Yon-Rogg just said they would bomb the planet. Are they some sort of military force or weapon?"
"They are a military force Ms Maximoff," Thor answered quickly. "Among the Kree, they are the most ruthless and effective when dealing with enemies or war. When dealing with the Kree, Asgard was always quite wary of them due to their reputation."
No one said anything as they processed the new information.
Fury didn't need to hear it from Thor. He knew first-hand what the Accusers were capable of when they nuked earth or attempted to before Carol stopped them.
Yon-Rogg stated that the Torfa were not to be interfered with and to follow all protocols when extracting Soh-Larr.
"At least he is willing to avoid civilian casualties," T'Challa mentioned.
Yon-Rogg told them all it was a dangerous mission and must all be ready to join the Collective today if that was their fate. Preaching it was for the good of all Kree they ended their meeting and took off.
That last line resonated with several of the Avengers, particularly, Steve, Clint, Rhodey, Natasha, and even Fury.
Every time they went out into the field there was always a chance that they wouldn't come back, they would die. They had come to terms with it a long time ago but still, it wasn't something to be happy about.
The scene changed to the ships following after the Accusers as they all entered the jump holes and were now at Torfa.
Tony was in utter awe at what he just witnessed. Those ships travelled to a faraway place in a matter of seconds, while their jets took hours to get to a place, and even their space travel had not allowed them past Mars yet. It was another reminder of how far they to come before being on equal footing with the rest of the universe.
The Accusers ships fired missiles on the planet creating large explosions.
Fury held his breath at the site. Earth had come dangerously close to experiencing that same destruction.
If Carol hadn't managed to stop the missiles, no, he didn't even want to think about it.
The Starforce ship crashed into the sea where emerged with their helmets active as they surged towards the shore. Coming up quietly, their uniform transformed into a darker shade and their helmets deactivated.
Yon-Rogg ordered Vers to track Soh-Larr's beacon, and for Att-Lass and Minn-Erva to find elevation.
As they went off the planet's architecture was shown for the first time.
"That doesn't look like much," Rhodey commented.
"Almost desolate," Tony added.
"It is unlikely that every planet in the known galaxy is technologically advanced, some could be nomadic," Vision pointed out.
After taking up positions Minn-Erva identified several possible civilians with her Kree sniper rifle. However, upon radioing Yon-Rogg, the only thing he got was static. She continued to try and contact him, anyone, to no avail.
"And this is where everything goes to shit," Clint declared.
Everyone internally groaned at the statement, remembering all the times their plans and strategies had backfired, leading to more trouble.
It seemed like this was another universal problem.
With Minn-Erva unavailable, Starforce advanced forward undetected while Vers finally located Soh-Larr's beacon. Suggesting they move Yon-Rogg quickly argued against it by pointing out it was the perfect position for an ambush.
Bron-Char highlighted the locals but Yon-Rogg wasn't sure if they were locals.
"Wow, paranoid much?" Scott joked.
"He's just being tactical," Steve explained. "They are in enemy territory; they need to move quietly and carefully if they want to succeed. Running around making noise will alert the enemy to their presence."
"That, and the Torfa may be Skrulls in disguise," Vision pointed out.
Scott nodded in understanding and returned to the movie.
Vers said she would go alone but Yon-Rogg instantly refused. He then looked around to assess the situation.
Fury frowned. It seemed Yon-Rogg was genuinely concerned about her well-being at that point.
It made him wonder what their relationship was like now. He knew they been enemies when Carol sent him off-planet but that was over twenty years ago.
After much deliberation, Yon-Rogg ordered everyone to stay close and if they lost communication they were to return to the Helium. With that, they all took off towards the beacon across a bridge.
Meanwhile, Minn-Erva finally got through to Att-Lass who both noticed several alleged locals running towards their teammates.
As they arrived close to the beacon, Vers went on ahead to find Soh-Larr while Yon-Rogg and the others encountered the Torfa who was quite angry to see them. They started screaming at them, to which Starforce brought up their weapons and told them to stay away.
"Now it's going to go to shit," Clint murmured softly.
"In their defence, the Kree are trespassing on their home and pointing weapons at them," T'Challa pointed out.
"Can they understand that though? Right now, it doesn't even seem like they can understand what the other is saying," Sam pointed out.
Sam's point brought up another important question.
"How can we understand them then?" Peter asked confused.
Everyone turned to look at him with perturbed expressions.
"What do you mean kid?" Tony asked. "We can't understand a word they are saying."
"Not the Torfa guys, the Kree. They're supposed to be aliens right? How come they're speaking English?" Peter questioned.
There was a sudden exchange of glances throughout the room. The kid brought up a good point. Leading them to gaze at the one who had more knowledge about aliens than we did.
"Different races speak different languages, some of which are more similar than others," Thor explained. "I do not know why they sound the same."
They weren't entirely satisfied with the answer but since they had no other proof, they just accepted it for the time being.
Fury was different. He knew for a fact that the Kree language was different from English. Mar-Vell's notebook was proof of that.
Yon-Rogg and Minn-Erva repeatedly tried to contact one another only to receive static. At the same time, he was trying to keep them back and failing.
Wanda eyed the scene carefully. She and her brother had taken part in riots and protests years ago after their parents had been killed. She knew how quickly they could escalate.
She also knew how people's anger could escalate along with it. The incident in Lagos was proof enough of that.
As things continued to escalate, Minn-Erva started to slowly pull the trigger, only to be stopped by Att-Lass who told her that they were just locals and he found two dead who were not Skrulls and that they were just starving. This caused Minn-Erva to halt her shot.
The Avengers exhaled in relief that no one innocent had been hurt or killed. Things would be a lot more serious if they had.
Minn-Erva looked through her sniper again and saw Att-Lass arriving, causing her to realize that the one next to her was an impostor.
The fake Att-Lass tried to kill her, only for Minn-Erva to evade and kill him with her rifle first. The dead Skrull reverted to its original form.
"Holy shit!" Tony exclaimed.
"That was a close one," Rhodey added. "Too close."
"If she hadn't seen the original, she would be dead," Vision noticed.
Thor didn't blame them for their reactions. It had been similar for him and his fellow Asgardians when the Skrull Invasion first took place. He had more close encounters with death than he would have liked.
It was at this point the Avengers realized how dangerous the Skrulls were. They could shapeshift into anyone of them and they would never know.
It would be possible to tell just by behavioural patterns and their memories but even then it may be too late.
Vers proceeded through the temple with caution. She stopped when she noticed a figure in the distance and her tablet lighting up as the signal came to an end.
She called out a Kree code for verification and he responded with the correct code, revealing himself as Soh-Larr.
"Well, she found him, now she just needs to get out of there in one piece," Scott mentioned.
"Easier said than done," Fury retorted.
The locals surrounded the Kree, now preparing to attack. One of them whipped out a weapon, similar to the one in Vers dream, only to be killed by Minn-Erva alongside several others who reverted to Skrull form after death.
Readying their weapons, Starforce prepared for battle while the Skrulls changed into their true form. They screamed in anguish for their fallen comrades and drew their weapons, ready to annihilate their enemy.
Despite the situation, Steve couldn't help but feel a small twinge of sympathy for them. During the war, he had witnessed so many soldiers, so many allies, and Bucky (or at least he thought), die against Hydra.
He might not agree with what they were doing, however, he could still sympathize with them to a degree.
Starforce readied their weapons as the Skrulls charged at them. The Skrulls fired laser guns while using powered maces, and the Kree put up a small shield to deflect the blasts. Yon-Rogg used his magnetron gauntlets to manipulate the gravity around the area and send several Skrulls flying.
"Whoa! That's pretty similar to the Chitauri tech," Tony realized.
Ultron has used something similar, perhaps he could recreate it. The device, not Ultron.
Yon-Rogg attempted to alert Vers to what was happening. Before she could react, Soh-Larr shocked her in the neck with a Skrull weapon, paralysing her.
"Seriously!" Rhodey exclaimed. "This whole time he was a Skrull."
"Which must mean the true Soh-Larr is probably dead," T'Challa realized though.
"Why though?" Wanda asked. "If they have the information why draw the Kree to them?"
"More information," Scott suggested, though he really wasn't sure.
Meanwhile, the battle raged on outside with Starforce cutting down the Skrulls with their respective weapons.
Despite not liking them Thor had to admit, the Kree had excellent warriors.
"Okay, is anyone else getting Star Wars vibes from watching this, or is it just me?" Peter asked earning everyone's attention. "Laser guns, lightsaber swords, hyperdrive spaceships. Those are all things from Star Wars."
Some took a moment to consider it.
"Now that you mention it," Sam started.
"There are similarities," Rhodey finished.
Thor raised an eyebrow. Darcy had mentioned something about 'Star Wars' when he was on Earth. It was some sort of movie franchise or something like that.
"Okay seriously, how did none of us realize that?" Tony exclaimed.
A Skrull ship entered the vicinity and began firing at the Kree, forcing Yon-Rogg to order a retreat.
He tried contacting Vers one last time but she was unable to answer. Soh-Larr transformed into General Talos
Vers demanded to know how Talos knew the code considering it's not something they could sim from memories. Talos smirked and said he would tell her his secrets in exchange for hers, all before electrocuting her into unconsciousness.
"So that's what it was about," Natasha realized. "They weren't after Soh-Larr, they were after her."
"And flagging his beacon was a good way to lure them there," Steve added.
"Why though?" Tony asked. "What makes her so special?"
"I think we will find out as the movie proceeds," Vision said. "Perhaps they were not after her, but a high-ranking Kree soldier."
No one said anything. Vision raised a good point, but they had a feeling there was more to it than meets the eye.
In their line of work, things were never that simple.
Fury knew though. Right now he was the only one who knew, just like he knew what was coming next.
If this movie was showing his and Carols time together, he just hoped, prayed even, that it did not show that moment.
Because if it did, he would literally die of shame, mostly because he would never hear the end of it.
H there. Well, what did you think of that? I was originally going to include the Skrull ship but decided to save that for the next chapter. I will be dividing chapters up into different scenes to show more reactions.
Also, does anyone else find it weird how a bunch of alien races just happen to English like everyone else? Even in the Guardians they speak it with ease and Thanos.
By the way, are there any more characters you would like me to add to the story to watch? I'm considering Maria Rambeau or Monica, or the Guardians even. What do you think? PM if you would like any of these to appear.
Again, sorry for the delay. College was hectic with the amount of work I had and will be hectic when I get back. So this may be the only time I upload, aside from chapter 4 which I hope to do in the future.
I hope you enjoyed reading this! Please review!
Merry Christmas!