Second Sphere

Discussion

"Secretary Ross has a congressional Medal of Honor. Which is one more than you have." Rhodey says to Sam.

Sam continues the argument, "so let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?"

"117 counties want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, 'No, that's cool. We got it.'" Rhodey says.

"How long are you going to play both sides?" Sam asks.

Vision interrupts, "I have an equation."

"Oh, well this will clear it up." Sam says sarcastically.

"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announcer himself as iron man the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. During the same period the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate."

"Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve asks Vision.

"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict breeds catastrophe. Oversight. Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."

"Boom." Rhodey says turning to Sam.

Natasha looks to Tony, "Tony. You are being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal."

"It's because he's already made up his mind." Steve interjects.

"Boy, you know me so well." Tony says sarcastically. "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache." He walks to the kitchen to get coffee. "That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort. Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?" He sets his phone down and an image pops up, "Oh, that's Charles Spencer, by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA, had a floor-level gig at Intel planned for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service. Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where. Sokovia. He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. We won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass." He takes a sip of coffee. "There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check. Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less we're no better than the bad guys."

"Tony. Someone dies on your watch you don't give up." Steve says.

"Who said we're giving up?" Tony asks him.

"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame." Steve states.

"I'm sorry, Steve." Rhodey interrupts, "That is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the world security council, it's not SHIELD it's not Hydra."

Steve cuts him off, "No. But it's run by people with agendas and agendas change."

"That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands I shut it down and stopped manufacturing." Tony walks back over to us.

"Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. What if the panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there is somewhere we need to go and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own." Steve makes good points.

"If we don't do this now, it's going to be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty." Tony says.

"You're saying they'll come for me." Wanda states grimly.

Vision is quick to respond "We would protect you."

"Maybe Tony's right. If we have one hand on the wheel we can still steer. If we take it off-" Natasha is cut off.

"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?" Sam asks.

Natasha continues, "I'm just reading the terrain. We have made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back."

"Focus up. I'm sorry. Did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?" Tony says trying to lighten the mood a little.

"I want to take it back now." Natasha sighs.

"No, you can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented. Okay. Case closed. I win." Tony continues.

I finally speak up, "These accords make me hesitant. I do not like the testing terms, I spent too long being a lab rat under Hydra I will not let another government do that to me. I think we deserve a right to choose whether we participate in missions, if we don't agree with the cause we shouldn't have to go. But Natasha is right if we cooperate perhaps we can see to it that our own conditions are met, by being complaint and showing we are willing to work with them-"

Steve cuts me off, "I need to go." He gets up and leaves the rest of us to talk.