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During the last ACT-F meeting, Laynia was impressed with Liv's knowledge of Asgard, and asked her to attend a private meeting with her at a later time. Strangely enough, she doesn't invite Liv somewhere fancy, instead she set the meeting at the lowliest of motels in Hell's Kitchen, the Sleep Eazy Motel. It's quite in shambles, and yet, has nice rooms that nobody would care to approach unless they absolutely needed a roof over their heads and had no other option.
Laynia is waiting inside, sitting on one of the two chairs in the room, dressed in her Soviet uniform as she was during the meeting.
*
Liv had not responded poorly to the request for a meeting, but with everything unfolding in the world (and even just within New York itself), the timing is… less than ideal. Still: she has come where Laynia requested, when Laynia requested.
How she can keep an appointment in the middle of a Jotun invasion is anybody's guess. Maybe it's a super power.
Clad in her sword and armor, Liv trudges up to the door to the motel room and, with a sigh, lightly raps her fist against it.
*
Laynia gets up to greet Liv as she arrives, walking up to her and extending her hand, "I knew you vere varrior, not just talker," Laynia says with a grin at Liv's attire, studying the sword she's wielding. "You are of Asgart, are you not?" She asks as if she couldn't quite recall from the ACT-F meeting. Though obviously, seeing how Liv is dressed, there was no doubt. It was a formality type question, no doubt.
"I von't take much of your time, and I promise, zis room is secure, ve can talk here."
*
"I suppose that if you were not yourself, you would not know to be here," Liv replies with a tired smile, and the words are not in English. Her Russian is flawless, as easily spoken as any native would. There is no hesitation when she returns the handshake.
Liv waits for Laynia before she moves towards a seat of her own. "I am from Asgard originally," she confirms, but the question — for some reason — makes her wince.
*
The moment Liv speaks to her in perfectly fluent Russian, Laynia smiles a far more relaxed smile then she had moments ago. Clearly, being away from her beloved home country hasn't been easy on her. Just hearing the language makes her smile warmly, it also immediately makes Liv all the more likeable to her. "Ah, your Russian is exquisite, Liv, I would dare say you have spent some time in among my people? Is that so?" Needless to say, Laynia herself is much more comfortable with the switch to Russian.
Moving to sit down next to Liv, Laynia's eyes light up at the mention of Liv originating from Asgard. "Wonderfull, I would love to ask you some questions about it. But obviously, now is not the best of time…I take it Asgard has a close connection with these giant attacks?"
There are no snacks on hand, it's purely meant as a short and informative meeting, and Laynia didn't want to introduce any pretense to the contrary. "The Skrull…if they wanted, they could have killed President Kennedy in private, not public, and had an agent take his form, right? They don't want to cause manipulation directly on Earth to their own ends. Could it be they benefit from a war between Earth and Asgard? If Loki is guilty, surely the United States have a problem with Asgard, and may rally the entire world to join them, correct? Looking for your input, to see if I'm on to something here…"
*
"Not as much time as you perhaps suspect," Liv admits, her own smile widening slightly. She gestures at herself as she settles into a seat, carefully propping her sword against the side of the chair. "My people have a gift for language. If it is spoken, we can understand it, and we can speak it. I only wish it came with an inborn talent for diplomacy." She rolls her eyes towards the ceiling.
Clasping her hands in her lap, Liv frowns thoughtfully. "It is… well. There are Nine Realms," she explains slowly, letting her eyes fall to Laynia. "Asgard is one. Earth — Midgard — is one. And Jotunheim, where these giants are coming from, is another. As the Protector of this realm, Loki had placed wards to prevent the others from crossing into this place, but with his death…" She splays her fingers. "…the wards fell with him."
With a shrug, she lightly scratches her chin with a pair of fingertips. "But your suspicions, I cannot think of any reason for them to be inaccurate. I do not know much about the Skrulls, but they clearly wanted to enflame the tensions Loki initiated when he went on Ed Sullivan's show. If Earth and Asgard were distracted by one another, it could leave both realms vulnerable."
*
"Well that's a useful talent, isn't it? But your people, as I understand, are a warring people. You don't rely on manipulation and espionage, do you? Opting more for honor on the battlefield? If true, I respect that stance."
From Laynia's smile, it's easy to tell she got the joke on the part of diplomacy, but doesn't build on it, rather leaving it at that. "So, nine? And here we were surprised at a mere two." As Liv explains it, Laynia starts to get a better picture. "They wanted Americans to kill Loki for them, didn't they? When that failed, they had to do it themselves. So these giants, they might be working with the skrulls?"
*
"I tend to be very straightforward," Liv agrees, raking both hands back over her hair. "But I cannot speak for the whole of Asgard, or its leadership. I haven't been back in… centuries. And I am, to them, essentially a deserter." She shrugs. Whatcha gonna do.
"I do not know if they wanted Americans to kill Loki for them. That was Loki who went on television, not an imposter," Liv notes, frowning down at her hands. "The giants and the skrulls are not connected, so far as I know. The Jotun are not typically… collaborative."
*
"A deserter?" Laynia seems to take much more interest in Liv after she let loose that fact, "and you live? I take it desertion doesn't carry penalty of death in Asgard?" She then considers Liv again, "or are you just the finest warrior I have ever met?" She can only assume what it might take to survive these Asgardians if they were after one's head. "There seems to be too much benefit shared here…maybe then the Skrulls are using the Jotun for their own gain? Do you think Earth is even a target rather than a pawn?"
*
Liv actually laughs. "I am fairly confident that the only reason I was never punished for coming here is that I am so unremarkable that they never realized I was gone," she admits, and she sounds like she means it. "If they had wanted to find me, they could have." After all… Heimdall sees everything.
"I am sure that the Jotun are targeting Earth. The Skrulls also seem to be, though I do not know why. I am just unconvinced that they are doing so together." Liv smiles wryly. "It may simply be an incredibly poorly timed coincidence."
*
"If you would entertain me, when you do have time, I would love to get to know you better. Sounds like you have one heck of a life story," Laynia freely reveals how impressed she is with Liv, laughing at her joke, as she takes it for a joke. It couldn't quite be that she truly is unremarkable as she claims. Modesty was refreshing too. "Are female warriors openly accepted in Asgard?" Laynia asks, before listening intently to Liv's take on what's happening.
"So the only thing we do know, is that we don't know? That's tough. We'll see how things progress. I am glad to have you on our team, Liv."
*
"When the current crises pass. Though there is honestly not a great deal to tell." Again, Liv sounds entirely genuine about this. But perhaps her standards and the average Midgardian's standards are a touch different. "A warrior is a warrior. It's your skill that matters. Though women do sometimes have to work a little harder to prove themselves," she admits with a sigh. "I have never understood it."
*
"Sounds much better in Asgard," Laynia concludes, even with the noted hardship. She doesn't relate her thoughts about Liv's story, as she already said she'll bother Liv with it when there's more time. But to her, the very notion of a person deciding to leave the homeland without permission is unheard of. "I am Captain in Soviet Army, very rare feat. Usually women can be nurses in military, but for combat role? Have to be extremely exceptional, even then, you face a lot of prejudice. Misogyny. But also, have to wait for right moment to shove it back in their faces." Tilting her head a bit, she grins at Liv as she asks, "you ever got to shove it in an Asgardian's face?"
*
"No, Captain. There is nothing to shove," Liv replies, and her smile is a touch sad. After a moment's thought, she shifts to stand, reaching for her sword. "We should get back out there. Even if we are only spitting into the wind until the Sorcerer Supreme can reinstate the wards, someone has to do it."
*
It seems for a moment that Laynia might say something more, but she just stops herself at the last moment, and whatever she thought to say turns into, "good luck showing them the cost of attacking the Earth, comrade Liv," Laynia offers Liv a salute as she moves to leave, Laynia leaving shortly after.
*