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So, since Carol let slip that she had some alien DNA spliced into her through some weird machinery, Act-F's scientists really have wanted to take the opportunity to study her. Since, for now at least, Act-F and SHIELD were playing nice with each other considering the threat of the aliens encroaching on Earth, Carol came over to volunteer for some tests. And so, she's been poked, prodded, and generally treated like a prize lab rat by the scientists here. In a rather nice way, all things told, but her patience does seem to be wearing thin as she's once again waiting in an examination room…
*
Dr. Walter Lawson has come to dislike what might be termed 'Probable Reports' across the vast expanse of U.S. military paperwork. Actually, the late Dr. Lawson probably couldn't have cared less about the myriad alien contact accounts filed across service and espionage branches from SHIELD to Project Blue Book that end with a finding of 'Probable __'. But Captain Mar-Vell of the Kree Empire, having taken Lawson's identity since his arrival on Earth and with it the scientist's access to sensitive government documents, however, finds most of the 'probable' conclusions premature, misleading or downright untrue, all in the name of military expediency. Of course, some are appropriately tagged, and Mar-Vell has found most often that these explainable accounts involve Terrans with mild mental, mentions of a cryptoid called 'Bigfoot', or deliberate hoaxes.
His major focus have been in examining encounters with believed extraterrestrial forces or beings that he might recognize as Kree, Skrull, or other cataloged star-faring sentients. Project Blue Book, headed by Major Hector Quintanilla since August of last year, should have been an invaluable resource. Instead, its reputation in government and civilian circles was one of 'shoddy science and questionable findings'. Still, Mar-Vell had found some validity in accounts that refused to be buried. Ones that due to the number of witnesses, or independently reported details from myriad sources, kept resurfacing even after a 'probable' explanation had been assigned and the files officially closed.
The latest in that category was the claim by one NASA-assigned SHIELD operative, Carol Danvers, of being imbued with 'alien DNA' bonded to her human genome. Narratives Mar-Vell had managed to wheedle were, at first, skeptical. But some included blood test findings labelled 'Probable Technician Error' and 'Probable Sample Contamination', but with elements that fully captured the Kree warrior's attention.
So when he saw her scheduled for Act-F testing, Mar-Vell bided his time, allowed the Earthers to gather their samples, and waited. High above the city in his compact Kree shuttlecraft. Which he now guides down to the examination lab, aims the craft unibeam at the section of roof above Miss Danvers, and pulls it apart with a tractor application. The pieces are held apart, suspended, and the effect is fairly quiet.
*
Carol blinks at first, not immediately noticing the change until she realizes that the lighting is decidedly different. Glancing up, she sees the spacecraft hovering there, using its unibeams to keep the roof separated. She blinks in surprise, shielding her eyes a bit from the sudden glare of sunlight into the room, "What in the…" She doesn't really do anything just yet, as she's more surprised than anything else.
*
From inside the ship, Mar-Vell activates the gangway platform, opening the belly of the craft before setting the controls to auto and easing from the pilot's chair. He makes his way aft in the emerald and white costume that the Terrans have become accustomed to as the uniform of their 'superhero', Captain Marvel, descends the gangway, and smiles down on Miss Danvers. "Please forgive the intrusion, but I was hoping you might come with me for some more definitive tests," he calls down into the room. For a possibly abducting alien sort, as his ship is certainly nothing that any Earth government organization has, including SHIELD, he's polite enough. "I'm Captain Marvel, also a member of Act-F. At least, nominally."
*
Carol looks a bit suspicious, "Carol Danvers, SHIELD Agent." She tilts her head, watching Captain Marvel closely as she's familiar with him from the press, but wasn't quite expecting this. "What sort of tests were you planning to do, Captain?" Well, disassembling a roof with a spaceship is a tad bit suspicious.
*
"From what I've seen of Terran tests, even those conducted by exceptional researchers, the margin for error is vast. Mainly because they don't know what they're looking for, specifically. Nor, sometimes, exactly what they're looking at," Captain Marvel explains, still standing on the gangway and not entering the room without Carol's permission. "If you're partially Skrull, they might be able to tell that. They have samples, after all. But if you're something else? They may have more questions than answers." Mar-Vell holds a gloved hand up, indicating his ship. "I have equipment they don't, and a much broader database of information." The Kree warrior pauses and adds, "Any findings will be yours to do with as you please. I will not reveal anything we discover unless you wish it. And no harm will come to you. You have my word."
*
Carol considers, then nods, "Alright then, I'll go with you." She wrinkles her nose involuntarily at the mention of Skrulls, as a bit of the racial feelings to /those/ got coded in with her DNA. With that, she steps onto the gangway, looking over at Captain Mar-Vell, "How long will these tests take? Because I definitely have… something. Though I really don't know what." She makes a bit of a shrug at that, giving Captain Mar-Vell a curious expression.
*
The green-and-white armored man reaches down and takes hold of Carol's hand, making certain she navigates onto the gangway and is secure before speaking into his helmet, "Shuttle Gardar, take us up." With Mar-Vell and Carol still standing on the stairs, the ship begins silently, quickly, ascending. Beneath them, the unibeam re-seals the hole in the roof, placing the materials back as they were before the alteration. Still gripping Carol's hand and forearm to assure her balance, Captain Marvel answers with, "Most likely, less time than you have spent up until now. It depends somewhat on the findings, however." He leads you up the stairs and into the craft, the belly port closing behind you.
Within, suspicions that this vessel was not constructed on Earth are confirmed. The bay is spacious enough, much like a transport helicopter in dimensions, but the metals and the materials seem of a different alloy than most Terran military vehicles. There are scopes similar to radar tracking stations, and yet scanning in a wide variety of colors and with plainly otherworldly writing crawling across the screens. "Gardar, deploy shields and radar countermeasures. Take us into low orbit, pattern beta." There is a slight sway in the center of the ship's gravity, and the Captain presses several buttons on an instrument panel, resulting in a wall section peeling back and a reclining platform sliding forward. Instrument panels descend slowly from the ceiling, and Mar-Vell powers them up. "Tell me, please, what makes you believe that you have a combined human and alien DNA profile, Miss Danvers?"
*
Carol doesn't say anything about the ship, staying quiet as she looks around. Then, when she looks at Mar-Vell, "Well, I had flashes of… something, happening." She pauses, then shakes her head, "And when I would sleep, sometimes I'd wake up and be saying something in a language that wasn't human. Though it seemed to make perfect sense to me." She then looks at Captain Mar-Vell, "Oh, and I have superhuman abilities now too. That was a bit of a giveaway." Ah, sarcasm, the last resort of any good SHIELD field agent, even as she looks around and studies the ship with a surprising familiarity.
*
The subtle human expression of sarcasm, once completely lost on Mar-Vell, has been experienced, explored and eventually even appreciated by the Kree warrior. Carol's metapower sidenote nets a crooked smile, perfectly framed by his helmet. "I'm not doubting your belief, not at all," Mar-Vell replies. He listens to her account, and to her comments about languages in her sleep. "Do any of these sound similar to what you recall?" he asks, and then taps out an input on one of the lowered control panels. Audio begins playing in low tones about them, though any speaker locations evade notice. The stream begins with Earth languages and dialects, but soon becomes a litany of non-human languages. Skrull, Shi'ar and Kree are included.
While Carol listens, Mar-Vell turns to the biometric platform and adjusts it for someone of her stature adding, "What sort of metahuman abilities have you displayed, if I may ask? And the instruments are ready, if you would lie back here so that the scans can begin. You may have a sensation of weightlessness. Otherwise, there will be no pain or discomfort."
*
Carol listens intently, "Sounds like just gib… wait." When the Kree starts playing, she recites it word for word, first in Kree, then translating it to English, "This… this one makes perfect sense." She looks a bit startled at that, though she does go over towards the biometric platform.
Pausing, she looks at Mar-Vell, "Well, I can absorb energy and use it to make energy blasts, fly, and have extraordinary strength. Plus I'm rather invulnerable." She looks a little awkward saying that, but… well, it isn't like an alien is going to go to the Bugle and spill the beans on her, right?
*
Captain Marvel turns his full attention on the Terran female as she begins repeating back the Kree words, and their English equivalent. "Amazing," he murmurs, evaluating her translations. Once, he stops her and suggests, "Almost. it's not exactly 'funny' as much as it is…mmmm…'quirky'. Yes, that's the human term, I think." Then, with the audio feed ended, the Kree warrior does a test of his own and murmurs, "Gr'nzzk chee f'langla, doffnyn skirra." It isn't a phrase that would be included on any Kree language simulator, rather a somewhat off-color limerick that a soldier might hear in a pleasure den or drinking parlor in a Kree colony and not on Hala.
While he waits to see if she understands his phrase, Mar-Vell exhibits surprise at her answer regarding her metahuman abilities; clearly her answer is not what he expected at all.
*
Carol blushes a bit, "Ah, do you say that to /all/ your patients, Captain?" She blinks and looks a bit sheepish, "But I suppose you were just testing me to see if I understood that." She looks at Mar-Vell's expression of surprise, "That doesn't sound like what you were expecting… if you were expecting anything."
*
Mar-Vell's surprise is doubled when Carol -does- understand the limerick, and his cheeks flush a little deeper as well. His laugh is low, deep and melodic as he replies sheepishly, "I don't, because, unless they served in a starforce military garrison, they wouldn't have any idea what it meant. Uhm…no offense intended. I'm sure your mother is nothing at all like that." He gestures for Carol to recline on the biometrics table and admits regarding her powers, "Not even remotely what I anticipated, Miss Danvers. I was expecting low superhuman strength and stamina, superior leaping ability and reflexes, perhaps resistance to toxins. Not energy absorption. And so, the mystery deepens."
As promised, there is a sensation of weightlessness as what appear to be laser beams emit from the walls of the shuttle and begin scanning Carol on a cellular level: blood, bone, skin, and right down to her genetic profile while Captain Marvel watches the outpouring of data on his primary screen.
*
Carol's readings are… peculiar. In that they are neither baseline human anymore, nor baseline Kree, but rather an odd conjunction of the two. It's definitely apparent that she has some instinctive knowledge of the Kree, just by knowing the language, right down to some of the idioms, but at the same time she's not fully Kree. Her physical profile is almost like she's an energy battery, for lack of a better word, where she can absorb most forms of energy and release it at will.
Including, as it turns out, the lasers, which she stops absorbing after a moment as she floats in the examination area, "Oh, sorry… I tend to instinctively do that." The lasers continue their examination, confirming that while Mar-Vell's initial guesses were correct, they have spiked well beyond the norms for either human or Kree with this woman.
*
The first findings bring a smile to Captain Marvel's masked features, but that quickly turns to astonishment as the scans deepen. Gloved fingers dance across the control panel and he murmurs, "It's trilateral. And not a hybrid, but more a splicing together. Fascinating." Belatedly realizing how rude muttering about one's DNA could seem in human relations, Mar-Vell turns to Carol and admits, "This is beyond what I expected, on several levels. My suspicion was initially that you might be the offspring of a human and an alien life form, based purely on blood testing. But it goes far beyond that."
The laser scans stop and have to re-charge as Carol explains the drain she can subconsciously apply to power sources, and the machinations about her seem to record and report on that as well. When they resume, the scan is brief and then ended. The data stream, however, continues to spew forth across the faces of most consoles in the shuttle. "At times like these, I wish I was a biomed tech or a corpsman and not a warrior," Mar-Vell admits. "I can suss out some of this, but- well, part of it is beyond me." He stands beside the biometrics platform and offers Carol a small container of cold water. "How are you feeling? I would like to try a few more things, if you're not too tired?"
*
Carol snorts, "My father might be a piece of work, but he's human, just like my mother. Though I never had anything like this happen, until I came across some alien tech while working for NASA." She takes the water with a smile, "Sure, I don't really tire that easily anymore. What did you have in mind?" Maybe it's just the fact that she instinctively knows this shuttle, but she feels relatively at ease here.
*
Mar-Vell laughs along with Carol about her parentage, but also keeps in the back of his mind that, with Skrulls embedded on the planet, human-alien hybrids are, indeed, possible. "Alien tech?" he questions, changing the display panel before him to swivel up and over so that Carol can see it more plainly. "What did this technology look like?" As he waits for an answer, the Kree captain prepares a new data stream from the ship's files and begins what humans would term a 'slide show'. As Dr. Walter Lawson, he's been subjected to a few when his college colleagues came back from summer break with photos of areas called 'Yosemite' and 'The Rockies'. This one, however, is a bit broader in scope and tri-dimensional. It begins with an orbital image of the planet Hala, jewel of the Kree Star Empire. Next is a holo-image of a blue-skinned Kree family in native attire. And it continues, with holographic representations that include several Kree colonies, a prepared Kree battlefleet, along with examples of Kree art and images of captured enemies including the Skrulls and the Brood. Mar-Vell studies Carol for her reactions as the high-tech slide show plays out.
*
Carol blinks, "I… I recognize that. That's… not home, but it's… Hala. And those are, those are Kree." She doesn't seem to know all of it, the colonies and artwork seems to escape her, as do the Skrulls and the Brood. But she actually knows the classes of ships in that battle fleet, even identifying the formation that they were in. "The device it was… well, rather large, with a saucer-like base, and then something projecting out…" She gestures, then frowns, "I could maybe sketch out a rough idea of what it looked like, though it was buried somewhat under rubble."
*
"Inherent Kree knowledge along with the DNA infusion," Captain Marvel nods slowly. Based on Carol's description, he searches the ship's memory banks and brings forth images of varying Kree technologies that match what she could see of the device in question. The items slowly cycle through, the shipboard computer starting with the most likely and analyzing the metahuman abilies descriptors to combine with the physical appearance of the device. "Just tell me if anything look like the machine you encountered, Miss Danvers," Mar-Vell shares. As the selection displays, he adds, "Again, I'm not the best suited to explain -how- this happened, but with the help of these very smart machines, I believe I can relate what did befall you. A Kree device, one either containing elements of their DNA as part of its matrix, or residual samples from its construction, lost molecular cohesion and caused a cosmic radiation-based singulairty as it attempted to hold it's physical form together by absorbing as many varieties of radiation and matter signatures as it could from its vicinity, including its own. Failing that, its matrix bonded with the nearest life-form in a final wave of energy expulsion. You. In that instant, it wrapped its own signature and all that it carried into yours on a cellular level, creating…a spliced version of three entities."
*
Carol nods and looks at the various devices, "Well, that's… huh. To be honest, I'm not much of a scientist either. Before I joined SHIELD, I was a pilot in the Air Force." She hmms, regarding the various devices displayed, then pauses, "This… this one looks like it, I think. Or close." And the device? It's a Kree Psyche-Magnetron.
*
"Great Hala! No wonder you have military insights," Captain Marvel grits. "A weapon, and not just any weapon. What was it doing here?" The question seems mostly rhetorical, and it also has the edge of familiarity. As if it's the sort of query Mar-Vell has issued more than once regarding this small, backwater world. "Still, it provides another vital piece of the puzzle."
The viewer above clears and then resumes with two separate genetic signatures, one human and the the other Kree, displayed. Mar-Vell brings up a third energy signature, which has elements likening it to a third genetic model with nanites included to breach the gulf between device and biological entity. "Human profile," Captain Marvel gestures. "Then my profile, that of a pink Kree. And then, the device's unique elements." Slowly, he layers one over the other, until they are melded. Over that, he brings forth Carol's profile. The match is almost perfect.
*
Carol blinks, "Wait, a 'pink' Kree?" She gives Mar-Vell a curious look at that, before glancing back to the display, "So… that's how it happened. Makes sense, I suppose, as much as any of this does." She still sounds a bit disbelieving, but shakes her head nonetheless, looking back at Mar-Vell, "So I guess this means you're still with the Kree?" Her eyes narrow a bit as she regards him.
*
"The original Kree were blue-skinned," Captain Marvel explains. "Those closest to genetic purity still are. But as the race spread across the stars, they bred with other life forms until, today, the vast majority of Kree are less than genetically pure, and have a pink coloration. Like me." He grants a quick smile even as Carol's features twist into a mask of suspicoius distrust. "It appears the Kree genetics you got were also of a pink variety, otherwise, well. Blue + Human = Lilac." But as she continues to eye him, the warrior finally nods, squaring his shoulders.
Captain Marvel traces his gloved finger along a line running beneath the chin of his mask. The emerald material appears, in some lighting, rigid and unyeilding as a combat helmet, and in others as some sort of reinforced fabric. Now is added in an electronics elements, as apparent hidden diodes and transistors emit a soft green glow in the wake of his touch, ending in a series of small, lighted pads beside one ear covering. The man presses out a very specific sequence on the touchpad, and with the battlesuit seals separated, he lifts his helmet off to reveal a 30-something Caucasian male with platinum hair and startlingly cerulean eyes. Once the mask is removed from the battlesuit proper, it loses the inflexibile quality of ballistic shielding and he folds it over his belt as neatly as he might tuck away a pair of kidskin driving gloves.
"My name," the silver-haired man intones, "is Captain Mar-Vell." The pause brings attention to the subtle yet distinct breaking of the second word into two syllables. "I am a warrior of the Kree Star Empire, sent to Earth a year ago to determine if the human race has developed sufficient technological capabilities to pose a threat to the Empire. My mission has been one of infiltration and intellience-gathering, conducted by myself alone, and following the activation of a Kree Sentry unit deployed on your world centuries ago to alert us to atmospheric or bioenergy changes that would indicate your people had advanced sufficiently to consider space exploration."
*
Carol looks at Mar-Vell, blinking a bit, "Well… I guess I wasn't paranoid after all when I was working with NASA. You have been watching us for quite some time, it sounds like." She tilts her head, "We don't have hostile intentions, Mar-Vell… I mean, we will defend ourselves, but we don't wish to take war out to the stars with us." She tries not to think about the fact that humanity doesn't mind warring on itself.
*
"That's my belief, as well, Miss Danvers," Mar-Vell replies, relaxing a bit as Carol does likewise. "And currently, technologically, Earth is well behind the Empire. This has been the findings in my reports thus far. But the human rate of discovery and expansion as regards new technology is greatly beyond any intelligent race encountered by my people. And the sudden proliferation of mutant and meta-human beings, combined with that ablity to devise and adapt? It begs two conclusions. One is that someone, some advanced race, has been using this world to conduct extreme genetic experimentations in hopes of breeding some sort of new adaptive and superior being that they can use or fold into their own genetic makeup. The second is, that this tampering makes humanity and this planet a threat to the Empire. And the Kree do not, unfortunately, share your world's hesitation to bring warfare to the stars."
Mar-Vell brings up NASA footage of rocket experiments from 1960. "But my reports have not reflected those findings. Instead, they focus on your woeful space exploration attempts to get to Luna, and more recently, that the Skrulls are here. It's amazing how distracted the Kree military can get from the prime mission point when you yell 'Skrull!'. Somewhat like yelling 'Fire!' in a Terran cinema."
*
Carol frowns, "Well, how can we prevent a fight? I mean, Earth won't just surrender to the Kree." She listens intently, then she glances at Mar-Vell, "Skrulls… those are shapeshifters? I actually had a recent run-in with them myself. They were impersonating SHIELD agents." Though she neglects to say how high up the infiltration went.
*
While we both watch, the first NASA rocket tests show a terrible tendency to go wrong. Or explode. Or both. 1960, 1961, 1962, the progress is slow and varied. But in 1963, several tests succeed, and lead to better and improved rocketry designs. "This is where I began working as an advisor to the space initiative as Dr. Walter Lawson, military advisor and now attached to the Goddard Space Studies Center," Mar-Vell shares quietly. "I've done my best to give your tech a little bit of a push ahead," he murmurs, glancing sideways at Carol. "And, as I say, I falsified my reports. Which makes me a traitor to the Kree, should they discover that." He doesn't seem happy about that outcome, but he's also not ashamed of it. "In the time I have been on your world, I found what it feels like to be part of a truly living society. Part of a race that is alive with hope, with possibility and not simply with the dream and duty of Empire. And since the first time I decided to be the defender of this world and not one contributing to its destruction or enslavement, I've asked myself the same thing: How can we prevent a war? Short answer? We probably can't. But the element of surprise, the complete inability of the Kree to imagine the scope of human potential and the fight they would have taking this planet, that is the best weapon we have right now."
*
Carol hmms. "I wonder if others feel the way you do, that they left that… Psyche-Magnetron for someone to find." She looks thoughtful, glancing back at Mar-Vell before she blinks, "Wait… Dr. Larson?!?" She blinks in surprise, then actually laughs a bit, "I admit, I had no idea. But, well, there's also the matter of the Skrulls too. I'm feeling there's no real love lost between them and the Kree." She thinks a moment, "You know, there's an old game, 'let's you and him fight.' Maybe the Kree and Skrulls could fight each other, and leave Earth alone for now."
*
"Miss Danvers, I was given Kree training in espionage and counter-intelligence, and before that extensive Kree military training with enough combat duty to attain the rank of Captain, unheard of for an inferior 'pink Kree'. If you -had- had an idea that your Dr. Lawson was anything but a somewhat eccentric & purely human 'lab boy', I would have been doing somEthing very, very wrong," Mar-Vell laughs. "And no, there's no love lost between my people and the Skrulls. Pitting them against each other sufficiently to take either of their focuses off Earth may be possible, but it all depends on what the Skrulls are doing here in the first place. Those expermentations I mentioned earlier? If this goes south, both Empires will be doing their best to claim this genetic meltingpot like a planet-sized petrie dish. Or destroy it to deny the other side from seizing it."
Mar-Vell powers down the biometric platform and the slight pressure of gravity slowly returns to Carol's form. He begins powering down his devices and speaks quietly, "Gardar, all information on subject Danvers, Carol, downloaded into data cube 001. Any residual files in the mainframe, delete on my authorization." Mar-Vell takes a small ebon square the size of a sugar cube from a wall outlet and hands it to Carol. "This is the only copy of our findings today, Miss Danvers, as promised. You would have to use the shuttle or another piece of Kree technology to look over it again, as no Earth machine can read it. But you are welcome to use the ship whenever you like. And better to contain our findings, in case the Empire ever decides to look more closely and quietly at the research I've conducted. The sort of examination they don't bother telling a lowly espionage officer about before doing."
*
Carol nods, "Alright. I'll keep this safe." She smiles a little, taking the cube in her hands, "Mar-Vell… are you still in contact with the Kree. Did they give you any indications on what they are planning here?" She looks over at him, "I mean, even the smallest clue might be useful here, since we're pretty much operating in the dark."
*
"In my strata of the Star Fleet, there seemed genuine surprise regarding the Sentry activation. The military, at least, had forgotten your world or that the Kree were ever here, seemingly. And honestly? I can't believe my mission was considered very important, more of a dangerous curiosity that my superior leapt upon as an excuse and a justified means to kill me. Covert ops on backward, primitive and dangerous worlds are never lone operative missions. Until this one," Mar-Vell confesses. "The Colonel I answer to happened to desire my betrothed, and since she resisted his advances while I was around, he sent me here. Part of my reason for turning away from the Empire's goals, I suppose. Now she'll have no trouble deciding who she wants, what with one of her suitors being a traitor to the Kree."
The moment of reflection past, and the brief glimmer of pain it brings dimmed in his gaze, the Kree warrior continues, "If the upper echelon had a more subtle purpose for my mission, I'm unaware of it. My reports have been tailored not to raise any alarms, despite my findings. The Skrulls being here, however- that fact, one I couldn't hide and so decided to play up as a distraction from other factors, puts a different emphasis on the entire situation, and one I've not been advised about so far. The field op may, in fact, be the last to know. Especially if he's expendable. I'd say in the Kree lexicon, my picture's above that term. Especially in Yon-Rogg's view. But for the moment, I've asked for time to conduct my own covert investigation into what the Skrulls are up to, citing a better chance for answers that way rather than by the Kree simply invading. No landing craft have arrived yet, so my plan seems to be accepted so far."
*
Carol winces in sympathy as Mar-Vell mentions his home, and who would have been waiting for him there. "I'm sorry about that, Mar-Vell." She considers, looking at him curiously, "We will need to prepare for when the Kree make a move, since if they discover the Skrulls are moving in earnest, they will move, to keep the Skrulls from claiming Earth if nothing else." She reaches out and places a comforting hand on Mar-Vell's shoulder, "We'll figure something out, and I'll need to talk to my superiors to try and make a plan for what's to come."
*
"I'm part of the Act-F Initative," Mar-Vell offers. "In the screening they do to prevent Skrull infiltration, they have determined that my blood isn't exactly human, but they don't know yet what it is. Every time I've tried to explain to them who I am, what I am, there's an attack, or something arises to prevent the conversation. It may well be, when they learn, they will toss me from their ranks and not let the airlock hit my backside on the way out. To coin an indelicate Terran phrase."
The Kree spy fixes his gaze on Carol, an ember of fire in his otherwise glacial stare. "But I am dedicated to keeping the Empire, Kree or Skrull, from grinding this world into an outpost under their heel. Or making it a cinder," he affirms with a quiet tone, a warrior's tone, a tone with underlying steel. "To that end, I will cooperate and act in unision with SHIELD, with Act-F, and with anyone else striving to defend this strange, unique and beautiful planet. I've been to many star systems, seen many worlds, but never have I found one that deserves to develop freely and unhindered more than this one."
*
Carol nods, "Well, I don't think they'll turn you out Mar-Vell, but if they do… well, I'm pretty sure SHIELD could use an infiltration expert." She smiles faintly, "And I daresay I would give you a good recommendation if so. But I'm glad you… opened up to me. I appreciate it." She looks at Mar-Vell, then chuckles, "And I suspect the Act-F people are probably wondering what exactly happened to me there."
*