4780/On Top of the World

On Top of the World
Date of Scene:	01 July 2018
Location:	Dailly, Planet, Metropolis
Synopsis:	Astrid drops by the Daily Planet and has a chat with Clark Kent.
Cast of Characters:	Astrid, Superman

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Astrid has posed:
    It was great being out of sick bay on Frigga's Mercy. Astrid took the opportunity to go exploring. She'd never been to Midgard before, and it was.....such a strange place." Of course, one of the buildings that caught Astrid's eye was the Daily Planet, and the spinning 'globe' on top of it.

"Midgard is strange." She says as she lands on the roof...of course, she circled the building a couple of times, so it likely caught the notice of a few reporters.....and few, if any were willing to get close to an asgardian.

Once she landed, she looked down at the streets....and took a drink from her tankard...then belched. "I can tell this is going to be a world I need to be drunk to handle. I can tell that already." Too bad she doesn't drink as heavily as the rest.

Superman has posed:
People were running to the windows to look up as the building was circled by the flying woman. Everything else had stopped.

"I think she's on the roof!"

"No, I saw her go around."

"Definitely on the roof!"

"Kent!" Perry bellowed over the hub bub. Kent came running over, glancing toward the window. "Alien Lands at the Planet" Perry says with a spread of his hands. "Get up there, you're on it!"

"Me? No, I uh..." Clark protested.

"I'm not asking, Smallville. Get going!"

Clark sighed and made his way across the news room, out to the hallway, and took the elevator up to the top floor. From there, he took the stairs to the roof access and stepped out. The wind whipped his blazer immediately, forcing him to wrap an arm around himself to keep it in place. He saw the woman immediately, and judging by her clothes...

"Uh... Hi there," he called out, walking over, bent slightly against the wind whipping across the roof. "Hi!" he waves to get the woman's attention. "My name is Clark, Clark Kent? I'm a reporter and um... You are?"

Astrid has posed:
    Astrid seemed to be used to this sort of thing this high up. The wind didn't really bother her all that much, not ever the way it tousled her hair.

When Clark calls out to her, she stops looking down at the ground, and looks over towards him. "What is a reporter?" She says taking a couple of steps towards him. "Clark....Kent.....I have never heard of you. Nor this....Daily Planet." She says pointing towards the apparatus on the roof.

Superman has posed:
Clark pushes his glasses up his nose as he comes closer to the woman, noting the tankard in her hand with some perplexity.

"A reporter?" he says still hunched against the wind. "I gather news, stories about important things happening, and tell other people about it," he gestures towards the rest of the city but studiously avoids looking down. It's a long way down. "And Daily Planet is where I work, with other reporters," he says. "You're Asgardian, aren't you? What's your name? What, what brings you here?"

Astrid has posed:
    Astrid actually puts her tankard away, and notes his apprehension of heights. "Why don't we go inside and talk a bit more. Quieter inside as well." She says gesturing towards the door. "Yes, I am Asgardian. I am Astrid, one of their warriors. I am sure you've heard many of the news reports upon your televisions...." She seems familiar with that, at least.

Superman has posed:
"Pleased, to meet you, Astrid," he says and looks relieved at the suggestion to go inside. "Much easier to talk," he says.

He leads Astrid into the stairwell and down to the news room floor where the meeting rooms are as well.

"I think you surprised everyone, dropping in like that," he says.

That seems to be an understatement. The news room falls silent as the tall, armoured woman accompanies Clark toward one of the meeting rooms. There is not even a whisper in the normally chaotic "Really surprised," he mutters.

"Seems like all the news is about your people lately, didn't think I'd actually get to meet one of you," he says and offers Astrid a chair at the table. "I'm sorry about your home, and the statements from the UN. We ran a story supporting Th.. uh, King Thor's request for help."

Astrid has posed:
    Astrid just looks at quite a few of the people in the newsroom and smirks at them. "Odinson does seem to hold your realm in his highest regards." She says as she enters the meeting room. "Your people are scared, and they have every right to be, Clark. Frigga's Mercy came here mostly because Thor had memorized where Midgard was. If not for his quick thinking, I'm sure the remaining Asgardians would have been dead. Myself included. However.....many of your 'United Nations' seem to be united in their small mindedness. This planet is but one speck in the galaxy, and it seems to have some of the greatest warriors around, but your UN seems to think it is the center of the universe.....when it is not. even I had to learn that lesson the hard way."

Superman has posed:
Clark sits and sighs at Astrid's comment about the United Nations. "They do a lot of good, but it's hard for governments to see beyond their borders. And people are scared. They remember what happened when Loki attacked New York, and how helpless we were. I think we all really feel for Asgard, and are grateful to Thor, but... They are afraid," he agrees.

"We might be a speck, but it's all we know and we have been learning just how small our world is. It's been a shock to learn just how insignificant we are compared to Asgard and other races. I'm glad you made it here, though," he adds.

Astrid has posed:
    Astrid only chuckles at hearing of Loki. "This world is not the only world that has suffered because of Loki....Asgard has as well. That man has ambition and is willing to sacrifice his adopted family for it, as well as vengeance. What he didn't realize was that his treachery only sowed more treachery. There is a legend of an enchanted spear....the Backbiter. It has a curse that, if you use it to kill someone through treachery, you can no longer get rid of it. It will be the only weapon you can wield, and own. you set it down, and leave it, set it in a chest, or whatever....in your next battle, you can draw another weapon, and backbiter will appear in your hands. And when you try to use it....any damage you inflict upon your opponent will be put on yourself instead....until you die from it."

she then turns towards Clark and smiles a bit. "It's always a shock, but now, sadly, you have about 3000 asgardians upon a ship called Frigga's Mercy in orbit around this planet. And all are in a state of distress. Some were even near death when they arrived."

Superman has posed:
Clark nods as Astrid speaks about Backbiter, keeping his expression controlled when she laughs about Loki.

"I've been wanting to know how things were on your ship," he says, his expression concerned. "I'm sorry to hear about the injured. Do you have enough doctors and medical supplies? What about food? I don't think people really understood your situation before Thor spoke to the United Nations; there was no time to really show how serious this is. They hear about 3000 people in a starship, but not how many died in Asgard. I think there's a really important story to tell, and it could change minds at the United Nations and elsewhere. People need to understand, and then maybe they'll be less afraid."

Astrid has posed:
    "At least a hundred thousand during the battle, and not all of them were warriors. Some were parents and children. and that's just what I saw before I was poisoned." Astrid then turns to look at Clark. "Alpha Flight actually set up a teleporter on the cargo bay, and have been sending supplies to us on a daily basis. Plus someone from the Nova corp has been helping the most greivously wounded....and Wakanda has been attempting to assist with the children."

Superman has posed:
"A hundred..." Clark says, shocked. He reaches into a pocket of his blazer and pulls out a notebook and pen. He seems about to write but stops and looks to Astrid for permission. If she does not give it, he tucks it away again, otherwise he jots down a few notes.

Either way he shakes his head. "It must've been a horrific battle," he says. "I'm glad you're getting some help here. What do you think your people really need from Earth? If the nations weren't being so small-minded, what do you wish they would do?"

Astrid has posed:
    "We need a place to recover, and not aboard a ship." Astrid sighs and turns back towards a window. "What I saw of it, even Thor didn't emerge unscathed. but we do have warriors, ready to defend Midgard if needed....if we're allowed to stay here. And, as I've said before, Thor holds Midgard in high regard. That is why I was looking about. I have never been to Midgard before. Also...there a task force that Thor has put together, to assist with the mushrooms that have been growing on the surface.....I'm part of it."

Superman has posed:
He nods, his look empathetic. "Safety, refuge, free from exploitation. Hopefully it will be granted, though some governments may only want to help thinking they can get Asgardian technology," he observes. "And if you want to see some of the sights of Metropolis, I'm sure I can get my boss to let me show you around. It's a special city," he says, with a smile.

"I hadn't heard of this task force, must be something new, thank you for serving in it. Is fighting this kind of thing normal for you, as a warrior of Asgard? I'll be honest, we know almost nothing about your people or your culture. Thor has not really given an interview."

Astrid has posed:
    "That is because our society can be rather.....strange to those not in it. We are a warrior society, and honesty is part of said code. So if Loki weren't Odin's son, he'd still be in an asgardian jail....where he belongs." She then turns back to Clark. "So, yeah...fighting is rather normal for us Asgardians. And....Gender does not make the warrior."

Superman has posed:
"Noted," he says, clearly not wanting to prod that bear. He taps the table with a finger for a moment then speaks.

"A warrior society, does Asgard have a lot of enemies, then?" he asks, his head cocked slightly. "Who might want revenge for past battles?"

Astrid has posed:
    "Too many. Asgard was the highest of realms, and there were those who were jealous of that. You'd have to talk to Thor if wanted to know the nature of our enemy. As I said....I was poisoned and one of the lucky ones to be near Frigga's Mercy when we evacuated." She then looks to Clark. "A lot of this I do not want printed....as it would be used against us. I would like you to tell that Asgardians do need help. SO we need safety and refuge...without exploitation.......and I know there are those that will expect Asgard to give their technology."

Superman has posed:
Clark exhales slowly as she talks, then nods. "It's off the record," he assures her with a sigh. "It would be used against you, but would also be used to protect people. People need to know what they might be facing if they open their arms to Asgard, so they can prepare, so the heroes of Earth can prepare. And so they can make an honest choice."

"Do you think Thor would talk, on the record?"

Astrid has posed:
    "You'd have to talk to Thor about that. Odinson is our King and knows more than I, as I've said. I spent a lot of the battle in the medical bay." Astrid then pops her neck. "I should keep wandering about this city of yours. I don't plan on landing, yet. I just want to see the sights for now. At least you're willing to keep our conversation confidential....for now."