4706/Ragnarok pt 2: First Responders

Ragnarok pt 2: First Responders
Date of Scene:	20 June 2018
Location:	Low Earth Orbit
Synopsis:	The Asgardians are visited by a Nova, a Lantern, and some Wakandans. Help is given, and T'Challa offers asylum.
Cast of Characters:	Thor, Sister Reinhardt, Nuala Duvall, Black Panther
Tinyplot:	Ragnarok - Aftermath

---

Thor has posed:
    Above the earth in the silence of space an alien space craft had appeared only some small time ago. It had made no effort to hide itself, nor did it brandish any weapons of dire import. However it was radio silent for the most part as it slowly tilted in the solar wind. Though there was one short burst, a single focused communications beam sent to the surface of the planet towards New York City. That signal was there for four minutes... five and then abruptly it fell back into silence.
    Afterwards it continued to slowly turn. There were signs of life from afar, flickers of the rare bit of light, movement of sensor arrays. Upon closer inspection there would be tell-tale scorch marks across the hull, signs of a struggle surely...
    But then, very slowly, the rear docking array uncoiled. It looked somewhat unpowered as the hangar-bay door opened in small jerky motions, only for it to finally remain open and accessible from without as a thin magnetic barrier seems to maintain the atmosphere.

Sister Reinhardt has posed:
    It didn't take long for someone to notice the ship above earth. From earth streaks a blue comet that breaks earth's atmosphere and slowly, gradually, arcs towards the ship. the closer the comet gets to the ship, the smaller in appearance it shrinks, until it gets close to the ship, and reveals itself to to be a Female Blue Lantern. "I don't think I'll ever get used to being able to do that."

She turns towards the ship and makes a face. "What the hell happened here?" she says looking the ship over.....but then looks at her ring. "You sure this is the site where hope is slowly leaving?" And her ring flashes once. "Well.....if this is it, I'd better start looking." She says flying around the vessel....looking for an entry point. it'll take her a little while since she's going front to back.

Nuala Duvall has posed:
    Nuala was sitting and analyzing a space squid when Timmy's alert came on in the main speaker of the ship. "Nuala, we have visitors."
    She brushes a lock of hair out of her face, carefully working to dissect the creature in front of her. "Just a little more...there, severed the neural synapse." The creatures spasms a few times in its partly frozen state, and then relaxes. "Okay, now what?"
    "We have an unidentified alien presence entering orbit."
    "What?" She stands from her seat, and moves from the lab into the main room, then to the cockpit, sitting down at the controls. "Sakaar. What in the blazes is a Sakaar ship doing all the way over here? Is that a luxury liner?" She starts up the engines, the ship coming to life around her.
    A Cargo hauler." Timmy corrects.
    "And who might be making a delivery to Earth. The grandmaster certainly must know that Earth is a hands off planet." She sits into the seat, annd the controls wrap around her, interfacing with her slim suit. "

    The Sea Song lifts off the roof of the manufaturing facility, and she raises to a safe altitude, leaving the smog of New York City behind her. Once clear, she punches the controls, and the small ship bursts forward into space, and toward the unexpected visitors.

Black Panther has posed:
Word had come to T'Challa from Wakanda at the almost completed New York embassy, and he was onboard his ship within minutes, Okoye at his side. An extra-terrestrial ship had arrived in orbit, showing battle damage, and was not responding to communications from any number of the world's governments, Wakanda included. Whatever was happening, it could present an enormous threat, or opportunity, and T'Challa did not intend for Wakanda to miss it.

They cloaked as they took off and soared up through the clouds, de-cloaking again in the upper atmosphere. The world would soon know that Wakanda was a space power. But the time for secrecy had passed. It was a new age for Wakanda.

As they broached the Karman line, a UN-undersecretary appeared on the screen. "Your highness, as you can imagine the Secretary General is very busy right now. He has asked me to handle anything you need."

T'Challa hid his irritation. "Thank you, Madam Undersecretary. I want to inform the UN that Wakanda will be in orbit in moments and will provide whatever assistance it can to the UN."

The under secretary thanked the king and promptly asked him to hold on.

"Perhaps now they will pay attention," Okoye said.

"We will see," T'Challa replied. He looked out the front of his ship and breated. "There it is, beloved. And look, it appears the reports are correct, they are damaged." he says as he brings his on an oblique approach keeping the front of his ship pointed away from the alien ship so as not to appear to be attacking. Or at least he hoped that was how it would appear.

"And it seems we are not alone," he says.

Thor has posed:
    As the first defenders of the Earth respond to the intrusion and draw closer, they'll see that the ship itself seems to offer no reaction to their approach. There are no further transmissions, the sensor array upon one of the masts of the ship remains there unmoving and as Suzanne flies slowly over the surface of the ship she'll see no reaction at all to her proximity.
    As she drifts along the length of the ship she'll see a few hazed viewing ports, those scars along the vessel that look like some form of energy weapons fire, but for the most part it is quiet. Rarely... very rarely, one of the vector thrusters will fire with a spit of energy... only for another to fire as well a moment later to keep the ship in place in its orbit.
    However, when the investigators draw line of sight to the rear portion of the ship and that twisting and distorting magnetic field that holds the atmosphere within... it'll be easy to make out the subtly twisting silhouettes of figures moving about in the hangar bay.

Sister Reinhardt has posed:
    "Well...it's purposefully keeping it's orbit above earth." Suzanne says, either talking to herself or her ring. Who knows. She almost runs a hand over the scars on the ship....but doesn't. It takes her a bit longer to get to the rear of the ship, but once there, she takes care to look inside. the aura of energy around here keeping her own personal 'atmosphere' intact as she looks into the hangar bay......peers, actually. "Whatever's going on, this must be the point of entry." She says slowly flying towards the magnetic field, and if unimpeded...she will enter.....

Nuala Duvall has posed:
    "Nuala," Timmy announces. "I have an emotional spectrum reading. We are not the first ones to respond."
    "A green lantern?" Nuala asks.
    "Blue."
    "Even better, we could use some hope right about now. Lanterns are more directly suited for this than we are, let the lantern lead."
    "We have another contact," Timmy chimes again. Nuala rolls her eyes. "Okay, now who?" she asks. "Human. Wakandan technology detected."
    Nuala sighs. "Okay, where did the lantern come from?"
    "North America."
    "Right, let's pull up behind her, hopefully she recognizes Nova ship designs. Give her a blue flash in morse code the first part of the Blue lantern code...thing that they say so she knows we are friendly."
    "I don't have that in my databases."
    "So look it up. Second, let's establish a link with the Wakanda ship."
    "Much faster."
    "I know....

    "Wakanda ship, this is Nuala Duvall of Halal Corps. We are engaging an unknown alien presence in orbit. Please be advised that this presence has an unknown threat level. No weapons are currently detected, but that does not necessarily mean that they are friendly."

    The controls unwrap as Nuala gets up from the seat, and she walks back to the armory, stepping into the Shell suit. The heavy armor closes around her, and the light blue glow of the face light illuminates the room. "Go ahead and stick our tail to the door, just in case we are needed. Scan for known virulants and personal weapons."

Black Panther has posed:
"Halal Corps?" T'Challa mouths to Okoye. She shrugs unknowningly.

"Halal Corps vessel, this is King T'Challa of Wakanda. We have received your warning, but will continue to investigate. We are currently in contact with the United Nations. Do you have any information on the origin or purpose of the damaged vessel?" he asks.

"What should I do?" Okoye asks.

"Pull us in behind this Nuala Duvall's ship. I think she knows what is going on better than us, so we will go cautiously."

The Wakanda vessel arcs slowly to come up last in the chain following the blue light ahead.

"Is that..." T'Challa asks.

"I think so, my king. A lantern," Okoye answers, wonderingly.

Thor has posed:
    The silence without is lost as soon as the barrier of that magnetic field is passed. There is the noise of activity as two score souls seem to be within that hangar bay working on the three shuttles that are docked there in a large chamber that seems as if it would be fit to house many times that number. At a glance they are humanoid, bipedal, and a look to their features speaks entirely of humanity though their garb is outlandish.
    At first those that might be ones to draw initial scrutiny would be the two tall guards standing on either side of the hangar bay doors. Their heavy armor seems thickly plated though when they snap to attention it does not seem to impede their movement as they draw their spears to the side and then stamp them down upon the metal floor with a sharp ring of metal upon metal.
    But then across that bay floor, rising from a crouch as he had been examining the supporting landing gear on one of the shuttles, a tall blonde man rises and starts across the room. His own armor is heavy though apparently savaged in recent fighting. His features are grim, haggard, and the roughly crafted eyepatch across his right eye testament to injuries sustained. To those who were present during the Battle of New York they might well recognize the man for who he is despite the changes. But for others it must wait until he speaks."I bid you greetings, protector of Midgard. I am Thor, Odinson." He looks Suzanne over, "We mean you and yours no harm."
    Outside the ship they will likely see the movement, the glow around the Blue Lantern is hard to miss and they'll see the... rather tall figure approaching and stopping a fair distance away with arms open. Humanoid is clear from there, and from the movements and hand gestures it is likely that they are conversing within.

Sister Reinhardt has posed:
    "you guys look like shit. Pardon my language. What happened to you?" Suzanne says as she looks about. "I am the Blue Lantern of earth....what you call Midgard, Thor." She then looks to the side as a 'window' appears near her face for her to read. "And....I'm not the only person here. There are two ships outside willing to assist if need be."

"Excuse me a moment." She says as she turns and....has a beam lances out and touch Nuala's ship....which in turn....allows communication to her ship by finding a frequency.....and consequently getting a signal to the Wakandan Ship. "Assisting ships.....this is the BLue Lantern of this sector. This ship means earth no harm. In fact, they are in dire need of assistance.....and have wounded on board." She also keeps the channel open to everyone can hear. "How bad is it Thor?" She says as she lands her feet on the hangar. "If there's anyone who desparately needs medical attention, I can help, but....if they don't, I would save them for the experts."

Nuala Duvall has posed:
    "Humans. Timmy, just make sure it's logged that we warned them if they get blown up." It's just then that Timmy patches the signal to Nuala's suit as Suzanne announces. "Thor? From Asgard?" Nuala asks. "I have medical facilities onboard that can assist. Can you request their permission to dock?" she asks.
    Timmy, taking the cue, starts to move the Sea Song into position. "My ship can serve up to 10 people, so I can tend to some others who might be seriously wounded." The docking door lowers, her own force field preventing oxygen loss, but she waits for permission before sending signal to actually dock.

Black Panther has posed:
"It is a Lantern," T'Challa marvels then triggers the comms. "Blue Lantern, this is Bast's Pride. We will assist and summon two more ships if necessary," he says.

"But my king, that is everything we have, if something happens we will have no ability to return to space," Okoye objects.

"I understand that, beloved, but it is not everyday that a Lantern asks for help. Doing less than our best would be a worse disaster. Take us in to land near the Lantern and update the UN."

Okoye gives T'Challa a disapproving frown but does as she is told. The Bast's Pride arcs in slowly, rotates and approaches backwards for a landing near the Blue Lantern.

"This is an incredible risk, my king."

"I know," T'Challa answers.

"I am just making sure."

Thor has posed:
    The Asgardian leader looks past Suzanne, his blue eye focusing upon the ships beyond. He recognizes neither but he gives a nod as he accepts what the Lantern says. His attention returns to her and he says levelly, "Your aid is much appreciated." He steps to the side partially, "Below decks we have our injured though at the moment we could make use of supplies as we work upon repairs. I have sent word to Tony Stark and hopefully will have further aid coming until I can speak with the leaders of Earth." He says that final word as if accepting the term given by Suzanne.
    To the side he looks towards one of the guardsmen, "Harald."
    "Yes, your majesty?"
    "Take the Blue Lantern to see what aid she can be to the injured."
    The guardsman salutes, "At once, milord." And with that he looks to Suzanne, "If you will please follow me." He says and then turns to move off towards the interior of the ship.
    Then towards the other ships, "Convey to your comrades that they are welcome aboard the ship, though be warned that we are still under repairs." He cocks an eyebrow towards Suzanne as if to make sure she got that and in turn the others did as well. He does, however, back away from the docking area to make room for their approach. His attention now on the Black Panther's ship, then Nuala's as she makes her approach.

Sister Reinhardt has posed:
    "Thor says it's all right to land." Suzanne says to Thor. "tell me later about what happened." As Suzanne speaks, Thor may notice that her ring is starting to glow brighter. It could also be brought to his attention as she lifts her hand to examine it.....this makes Suzanne smile.

So you know Thor.....my ring sensed the failing hope up here....so I came to investigate. I'm glad I did...' And she turns towards the herald. "and I'm glad to help." And she follows the herald below decks to heal the wounded....

Nuala Duvall has posed:
    The Sea Song starts to back in. "Halal Interceptor Sea Song is coming in to land," she says. The helmet retracts, and she goes back to de-armor herself and returns to exit the ship with the thin, purple lit form fitting slim suit. She steps off, and starts to take in the situation with her standard protocol. Upon spotting Thor, she makes her way over.
    "Your majesty," she says with a slight bow. Despite her need to properly contain herself, there is a certain edge of energy behind her Xandarian accent. "Nuala Duvall." She glances around the battletorn populace. Rather than ask for the nature of what happened, she motions to her ship. "I have medical facilities onboard, the best Nova has to offer. I can take some of the most seriously wounded and care for them if you desire, but I can only treat one at a time."

Black Panther has posed:
The Bast's Pride settles in beside Nuala's ship, and the back opens. T'Challa, dressed in black with a black and purple embroidered tunic, walks down the ramp followed by Okoye in her red and black armour. Both had already surveyed the hangar quickly on screens inside the ship, and had overcome the initial surprise, and concern, to see that it was Thor, the Thor, waiting for them and that he looked somewhat worse for wear.

Noting Nuala's deference, T'Challa inclines his head. "Thor, I am T'Challa, King of Wakanda. My people are willing to offer whatever help we can. But I must also ask if whatever attacked you might be on its way here. If so, I must warn the United Nations immediately."

Thor has posed:
    Thor gives Suzanne a nod as she makes her way off as he says to her, "You have my thanks." And once she's led to the medical facilities he turns his attention back upon the Sea Song as it drifts slowly through the magnetic field with a faint hum of energy. Once it settles and the pilot steps down the ramp he will step forwards to greet her, "I bid you greetings, Nuala Duvall. Any help you can provide will be most welcome." He gestures to the side as he begins to walk across the hangar deck. His cape coils around the back of his knees as he moves, the great hammer hanging at the side of his belt.
    "My people have endured much and they have traveled far, but we are fortunate to have made it here." He pauses in his steps to meet the landing point of Bast's Pride, the reflection of the Earth ship caught upon the gleaming metal beneath their feet. "The Blue Lantern has departed to tend to some of the wounded, though we have tended to the worst during our journey." His brow furrows, "For now we must wait, and endure while the people of Mid... of Earth confer."
    The tall blonde man's eyes flit first to T'Challa, then his accompanying guard. He gives a solemn nod in greeting, "I bid you welcome, King T'Challa. Your aid is most fortunate though I say to thee that nay, what befell our people did not survive what ill it wrought."
    He looks back to Nuala and then T'Challa and Okoye. "Asgard's ancient enemies struck and though they destroyed our homeland... they did not survive."

Nuala Duvall has posed:
    "Destroyed?" Nuala echoes. "All of Asgard?" She glances to T'Challa, and back to Thor. "That's horrid news, your majesty." She looks over toward the king of Wakanda. "I have no political pull on Earth," she says. "But your highness does. As a member of Nova, I have to enforce the non-interference pact, but if Earth's leaders make their own decision to accept..." she pauses, "...refugees," she says the word with hesitation, as if she does not want to use it, but has none to substitute, "I will happily vouche for the character of Asgard's people. They are known to be a noble force in the galaxy."

Black Panther has posed:
T'Challa's brow furrows deeply and he is not certain he understood until Nuala clearly understood the same thing as he did.

"My deepest condolences, Thor. I am not certain of what pact Ms. Duvall speaks," he says with a glance to Nuala for clarification, "but you have been a great friend of Earth, it would be an honour to return the kindnesses you have done for us. Wakanda will offer..."

"... My king..." Okoye begins softly. T'Challa holds up a hand to cut her off. Okoye straightens.

"... /temporary/ asylum to your people if you wish, until you can speak with the United Nations and decide what will be done."

Thor has posed:
    "Aye," The tall blonde man nods once, his features drawn but controlled. "We some three thousand souls are all that remain and my first duty is to them and them only." He looks back towards Nuala, then his good eye shifts to Black Panther and he says levelly, "We are come because in times past Midgard has been kind to our people, and we have long lost brothers and sisters who have lived here amongst the mortals." He takes a deep breath and then exhales it slowly, his features grim. "But your voice added to ours will be a welcome thing, Nuala of the Nova."
    He extends a strong arm and rests it heavily upon her shoulder, giving her a solemn nod as if imparting some form of an oath with but that gesture and the steady gaze of his eye meeting hers. Then his hand withdraws and he focuses upon T'Challa.
    "King T'Challa your sentiment is noble and I would accept, though a poor friend I would be to do so without gauging the outlook of the other rulers upon Midgard. There are those in power who would view our arrival and aye, e'en our friendship as an act of aggression against them. For now I can only ask for what aid can be granted, and the strength of your voice along with the voice of the others here be lent to our cause."
    There's a short sound of metal compressing and a snap as one of the shuttles further back in the bay /creeeaks/ heavily upon one of its landing struts, even as others around it shout warning for some of the workers to step away. Luckily nothing further untoward comes of it, though it does draw the eye. After a moment Thor says sidelong towards T'Challa. "Though if needs must and we must set down in an emergency..." He looks back towards the other ruler, his smile a small one but the humor dark. "Then we may take you up on that offer."

Nuala Duvall has posed:
    The right side of Nuala's lips curl up to a slight lopsided smile of satisfaction when T'Challa makes the offer. She really didn't want to have to follow the rule on this one. The grin becomes stifled unsuccessfully when Thor puts his hand on her shoulder, followed by a mild blush before regaining a professional demeanor.
    "I might pretend I didn't hear that," she says. "You see, King T'Challa, much of the galaxy views Earth as a place that should be left alone. Think of it like a wildlife preserve." She pauses. "That sounds really bad. Not like humans are unintelligent animals. It's complicated political arrangements. A bit above my station. I'm just the local enforcer. I'm here to make sure that alien parasitic life forms which don't care for politics any more than I do follow it anyway...that's not important now," she says with a tone that is a self-rebuke of her rambling.
    "If you need, perhaps we can take some of your engineers on an external tour once the medical facilities are no longer needed."

Black Panther has posed:
He smiles ruefully at Thor's joke. "I understand. We will know more about how your people will be received when I speak with the Security Council. I am certain their representatives are driving my ambassador crazy right now. But they will not stop me from giving you what help we can. Let me know what supplies your people need and I will send for it from Wakanda. I can also offer doctors and engineers to help your people if you wish."

T'Challa then listens with intent interest as Nuala rambles. "I am glad you are here then, Ms. Duvall; Wakanda thanks you for your service. Bast knows the Earth needs protection from what is out there," he gestures vaguely to space, thinking of the footage he had seen of the New York incident. "I hope we will have time to talk once we have made certain Thor's people have everything they need. It seems I have much to learn."

Thor has posed:
    A sharp nod is returned to Nuala and he says quickly, "That is an excellent idea," He turns and starts to step away, moving down the length of the hangar bay as he walks. "Come, our means are diminished but not so much that we cannot provide to share with guests." He pauses and gestures with one hand towards the other guard, "Biern, contact me if others seek to dock. There may be more visitors until word spreads."
    "Aye, milord." The guardsman gives a nod back to the Asgardian ruler, then retakes his place facing outwards.
    Then to he visitors, Thor lifts a hand, "We have much to discuss." That said he turns and resumes his journey towards the innards of the ship.