"I am Thor Odinson!" he declared, his voice booming with a hint of its former thunder, though it lacked the power to back it up. "My presence here is a matter between myself and my father, Odin, the Allfather! It is royal business, and not for mortals to question!"
"That is where you are mistaken," Aryan said. "We are well aware of the ancient accords between Asgard and Midgard. Those accords grant Asgard a protectorate status, a role your kingdom has fulfilled from a distance for millennia. However, they also unequivocally respect the sovereignty of Midgard. This is our world, Prince Thor. Your unannounced, and I must say, rather energetic arrival constitutes a breach of that sovereignty."
"My brother Aryan speaks the truth," T'Challa interjected.
He took a step forward. "Prince Thor, we understand matters of state and the decrees of a father. However, your method of arrival punched a hole through our atmosphere and registered as a significant energy event. As the guardians of this planet, it is our solemn duty to investigate such anomalies. Your presence here, on our soil, is now a matter of planetary security."
"Look, Point Break," Tony said. "We get it. Family drama. Been there, got the t-shirt, it's messy. But when your family drama involves using a rainbow bridge to throw people across the galaxy, it becomes our business. We just need to know what's going on. Are you a refugee? An invader? Should we be expecting more... energetic visitors dropping out of the sky?"
Thor looked at the assembled group. He had no power. He was alone, a stranger in a strange land, and he was being confronted by the unified might of a world he had always considered a primitive backwater.
His shoulders slumped. "I am... I have been exiled," he admitted.
A shared look passed between the council members.
Aryan's expression softened slightly. "We understand. And we welcome you to Earth. You may stay as long as you wish, provided you respect our laws and our peace."
"However," Aryan continued, "there are protocols. You are the first being of your kind to set foot on Earth in modern recorded history. We have no understanding of your biology, your physiology, or what you may have been exposed to in your travels across the cosmos. For the safety of our population and indeed, for your own, as our environment's microorganisms may be hostile to your system… we must insist on a standard quarantine period."
Thor looked at him. "Quarantine? You would make me a prisoner?"
"We would make you a guest," the Leader corrected him, stepping forward. "A well treated guest, who, for the purposes of planetary biosecurity, must remain within the confines of this designated area for a period of seven days. You will be provided with food, shelter, and any reasonable comfort you require. Dr. Foster and her team, who have already been medically cleared, will be allowed to remain with you to continue their studies, under our supervision. It is a necessary and non negotiable precaution."
Thor looked at the faces of the council, at the disciplined soldiers standing by the vehicles, and at the endless desert that surrounded him.
"Fine," he growled. "I will submit to your... quarantine."
"Excellent," Aryan said with a polite nod. "We are glad we could come to an understanding."
He turned to Jane, Erik, and Darcy. "Dr. Foster. Your team's research has just become a matter of global importance. You will have our full cooperation and funding. A representative of the counci will remain here as your official liaison. You will report everything."
With that, the meeting was over.
The council turned and walked back to their vehicles with the same intimidating efficiency with which they had arrived.
They had made first contact, confirmed the subject's status, and established absolute control over the situation without firing a single shot.
Darcy was the first to find her voice.
"Okay," she said. "Holy crap."
She turned to Jane. "Did you see them? The way they just... showed up? "
Jane was speechless. She just nodded numbly, her gaze still fixed on the horizon where the convoy had disappeared.
"Aryan Spencer..." Darcy continued. "Oh my god. Did you see his eyes? He's so cool... and, like, ridiculously handsome. Is it hot in here? I think it's hot in here."