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——— FIVE YEARS LATER ———
“YEAH, we boarded that highly suspect warship the Danvers pinged,” Rocket announced through his hologram, his furry face scrunched in frustration. Natasha cut her sandwich diagonally with precise movements, her hair a striking gradient of blonde merging into red. She frowned slightly, bringing the plate to her desk before looking up at the holographic forms in front of her: Nebula, Rocket, Carol, Okoye, and Rhodes.
“It was an infectious garbage scowl,” Nebula added, her tone as blunt as ever. Rocket nodded vigorously in agreement, his eyes wide with annoyance.
Carol, her hair newly chopped into a sharp pixie cut, glanced at the two and quipped, “Well, you were closer.”
Rocket’s fur bristled as he snapped, “Yeah, and now we smell like garbage!”
Natasha’s eyes fluttered closed for a brief moment. The bickering grated on her nerves, and she quickly interjected, “Did you get a reading on those tremors?” She directed her gaze at Okoye, who met her eyes with a calm, steady look.
“It was a mild subduction under the African plate,” Okoye replied evenly.
Natasha nodded slowly, her hair bouncing with the movement. “Do we have a visual? How are we handling it?” she asked, her hands pressing firmly against the table, her stance showing her exhaustion masked by determination.
Rhodey gave her an uneasy look, his face tight with concern.
Okoye blinked once before stating, “Nat, it’s an earthquake under the ocean. We handle it… by not handling it.”
Natasha let out a frustrated sigh, her gaze shifting away from the Wakandan warrior. She focused on Carol instead. “Carol, are we seeing you here next month?”
Carol shook her head. “Not likely.”
Rocket glanced up at the blonde and snorted, “What, you gonna get another haircut?”
Carol turned a glare on him, her tone sharp as a blade. “Listen, furface. I’m covering a lot of territory. What’s happening on Earth is happening everywhere—on thousands of planets.”
Rocket huffed, his ears twitching as he conceded, “That’s a good point…”
Carol turned her attention back to Natasha, her expression softening slightly. “So, you might not see me for a long time.”
Natasha’s shoulders slumped slightly, but she nodded. “All right. Well, this channel is always active.” She looked at each of the heroes in turn, her voice firm despite the weariness creeping into it. “So, if anything goes sideways… if anyone’s making trouble where they shouldn’t… you come through me.”
