Forbidden | Carol Danvers

Chapter 23: Colors

'I know I don't deserve your trust but you were our only lead. We discovered that your energy signature matched Mar-Vell's core. Now, we know why. If only you knew, the importance of it to me. I just need your help decoding the coordinates to Mar-Vell's lab.' Talos started the conversation when everyone was finally inside and seated around the table. 

Nobody had said anything when Carol and I came in late, but my red eyes told them everything they needed to know. The heavy feeling in my chest was still there, but she had taken away a lot of it, making it a little easier to breathe. It was going to be a long time before I had processed what we had discovered today, but it was nice to know I wasn't alone.

Carol listened intently to where Talos was standing across from her, he leaned over the table a bit to come even closer. 'Those weren't coordinates. They're state vectors.' She ignored the whole first part of his speech and got straight to the point.

I nodded my head at her words, earning Talos' attention. 'Orbital positioning and velocity.' I was very familiar with it, we used them all the time on Hala.

'You didn't find her lab on Earth, because it's not on Earth', Maria added, an iced tea in her hand.

'That was the location on the day of the crash six years ago. If we track its course, we'll find it, in orbit, right now.' Carol finished the explanation given by three people. 

Maria couldn't help but make a sarcastic comment towards him, sipping on her iced tea as she did. 'It's just basic physics.'

Talos slowly turned to his minion, causing everyone else to do the same. 'In orbit? Was that so difficult to figure out? I mean, you're my science guy, right?', he said disappointed.

I kind of felt sorry for the Skrull when he shrugged his shoulders and looked down to the floor in shame. 

'Yon-Rogg will catch up to me soon. We've got to get to the core before he does.' Carol's voice was stressed and exhibited that we had already lost too much time. This whole mission had enormous time pressure and the question was if we could get it done in time. I didn't even want to think beyond the mission, everything we had to figure out and face then. Those we all worries for a later time.  

Fury was eating a sandwich again, or still, I don't know, and answered with his mouth full. 'Mmm. You're going to space?', immediately taking a new bite afterwards. I thought I loved my food, but this man was something else. He had been eating and drinking ever since we arrived at Maria's house. I was surprised there was still food left. 

'In what?', Carol asked. We only had two planes around the house that weren't made for space, only for Earth atmosphere. They wouldn't be able to handle the pressure from outer space or even make it that far with those engines.

A voice I hadn't heard before, suddenly spoke up from behind me. 'A few tweaks to your vessel should do it. I can handle the modifications.' Talos' science guy had confidence he could change the simple aircraft into a spaceship, I would have to see that for myself. 

I couldn't help but mock Talos a bit, gesturing to his minion, I said, 'Hmm. Your science guy.' It earned me a snort and a push from Carol next to me and a sarcastic eyeroll from Talos. It felt weird to joke right now, but also right at the same time. We all had had a rough day and needed a little lightness every now and then. Even though I had joked about it, I was very thankful the Skrull wanted to work on the plane and get it ready. Wasting no time, he walked out the house immediately.

It was getting dark out. The sun had disappeared behind the mountains. But that didn't stop the Skrulls from working on the plane. We had to get it ready as soon as possible, so there really was no other option. Fury followed them outside, sandwich still in his hand. This gave Carol, Maria, Monica and I some time to talk.