The crash site had been secured, the remnants of Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S cataloged, and all usable resources transported back to our facilities. Among them, the blueprints for a lightspeed engine—a tantalizing glimpse at interstellar propulsion that, theoretically, could reshape space travel. But as expected, there was a catch: the engine required energy from the Tesseract, which we did not possess.
Julius and I sat in my New York mansion, a rare quiet moment amidst decades of chaos, sipping on aged whiskey and reviewing the autopsy reports of Wendy Lawson. Her blood had been an unnatural shade of blue—a detail that had immediately raised suspicions. Preliminary analyses suggested alien physiology, though the exact species remained unknown.
"Blue blood, humanoid structure… she's definitely not from this world," I murmured, leaning back in my chair, accent shifting slightly as I let my British inflection take over, giving my voice a softer, almost playful lilt. "But without a frame of reference, it's hard to classify her. We've cataloged hundreds of alien species, but she doesn't fit any of the ones we've encountered."
Julius nodded, leaning on his cane with a faint smile. "Her tech was… impressive. Not just the lightspeed engine—it was the control systems, the energy output. Whoever she was, she was leagues ahead of anything humanity has managed. If she wasn't… alien, we'd be questioning the limits of human ingenuity."
I swirled my glass of whiskey, letting the ice clink softly against the glass. "Our priorities remain the same, though. Protect Earth, secure anomalous artifacts, and maintain control over the technologies that could disrupt the natural order. Exploring beyond the Milky Way? That's a luxury, not a necessity. Our Star Destroyers and fleet are more than enough to patrol, contain, and protect the galaxy as it stands."
Julius raised an eyebrow. "And the Tesseract?"
"Still missing," I replied. "No trace in the archives, no leads in her files beyond what we've already collected. Whoever had it before—whether Hydra, the Soviets, or some unknown party—kept it well-hidden. Until we find it, the lightspeed engine remains theoretical."
I paused, letting the thought settle in the air. "But the autopsy… her physiology. It opens possibilities. Not just for propulsion or energy, but for biology, longevity, maybe even new methods of containment and adaptation. We'll file everything under research priorities. Michael can start preliminary studies."
Julius chuckled lightly. "So, we mourn the lost opportunity, examine the alien, and keep the blueprints on ice until the Tesseract shows up. Sounds like a Foundation plan."
I smirked. "Exactly. And until then… we wait, we watch, and we prepare. Because sooner or later, the Tesseract will reveal itself, and when it does, we'll be ready."
Outside, the city moved on obliviously. But inside my mansion, plans for interstellar technology, alien physiology, and anomalous control were quietly unfolding, one measured step at a time. The galaxy could wait—for now.