Steve Rogers sat in the briefing room, waiting for the little grey bureaucrats to give him his next assignment. He wasn't bothered by the nature of the assignment, like he would have been in his more callow days.
Those were heady days, he reflected. Fighting first Nazis, then communists, with the odd insane freak that wanted to take over the world (Who'd want that job? Sounds like more fun in the getting than the having.) . He'd had pretty much a free hand, and had done a good enough job - with minimal mess - that he had been loved nation-wide, lauded as a "hero".
Steve laughed to himself. Heroes were for the Sunday funnies. In the real world, he'd came to learn, you got your hands dirty, to get the job done. If the public knew half the things he'd been up to in his very, very long life, they'd burn him at the stake.
Steve didn't resent the public for that. The very fact that they had no idea what went on meant that he was doing his job right. The very fact that they would disapprove of what he did to get the job done meant that the job was worth doing.
The door to the briefing room opened, and the expected bureaucrat came in with a file folder. He really was a little grey man, Steve laughed to himself, feeling a little pity. It was hard to tell where the man's grey suit began, and his sallow skin ended.
"Okay.", the man said, "As always, this is Eyes-Only, and the usual deniability rules apply."
"Yeah, yeah, I understand. Something dirty is about to happen, because you need it to happen, but you can't ever admit it. Same old-same old."
"Very well," the bureaucrat continued, unperturbed, "This village near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border has been a hotbed of insurgent activity. The President has decided that the village needs to be X-ed out. No survivors. A message must be sent."
Steve shrugged, and memorized the maps, the population figures, and picked out a few extraction routes. The location didn't seem like an likely insurgency base, but the message would remain the same.
Then he looked at the agency geek.
"NO survivors? Women, children?"
"Not even a goat."
"Okay," Steve replied, "When do I leave?"
"Tomorrow morning at 0500.", the man said, gathering up the file, "We know you'll do a great job, Captain America. Do us proud."
Oh yeah. Another good one.
If you haven't read the Garth Ennis 4-issue run of Unknown Soldier, you should track it down.
Legally, it's at http://www.amazon.com/Soldier-Garth-Ennis/dp/156389422X. I have seen some torrents floating around, as well.
This reminds me of the Civil War storyline in Marvel comics, Roger. You read it?
The Cap'n takes the opposite stance, there, and gives a great speech to Spidey. Something about sticking to what you know is right despite what the laws or majority say, 'cause that's the spirit of the Revolution.
Which stance would Cptn. America really take? Well, I guess it depends which America is more real: the rebellious, freedom-loving, fed-up colonists, or the grey power-hungry bureaucracy?
I like that you've modernized and realized the character.
The untouchable invisibles, where would we be without them?
Quote from: Epimetheus on January 03, 2011, 06:18:47 PM
This reminds me of the Civil War storyline in Marvel comics, Roger. You read it?
The Cap'n takes the opposite stance, there, and gives a great speech to Spidey. Something about sticking to what you know is right despite what the laws or majority say, 'cause that's the spirit of the Revolution.
Which stance would Cptn. America really take? Well, I guess it depends which America is more real: the rebellious, freedom-loving, fed-up colonists, or the grey power-hungry bureaucracy?
I like that you've modernized and realized the character.
1. Never read it.
2. The Captain would have to change with the times, I think. The values most commonly associated with America have been dead for 30 years. They were never PERFECT, mind you...Far from it. But until 1980, there was a clear upward trend in both quality of life, and quality of freedom. Those trends have reversed. We've traded in principle for expedience, and if Captain America embodies the American spirit, then by now he's a rather nasty character, indeed.
This makes me sad. I like Marvel's Captain America, but I also like what you did here, because you have a point and I think he might be one of the best characters to do it with.
:mittens:
Well done, Roger. Cap's my favorite Marvel character, so this one has some extra zing to it. Really enjoying this series.
:mittens:
Quote from: Epimetheus on January 03, 2011, 06:18:47 PM
This reminds me of the Civil War storyline in Marvel comics, Roger. You read it?
The Cap'n takes the opposite stance, there, and gives a great speech to Spidey. Something about sticking to what you know is right despite what the laws or majority say, 'cause that's the spirit of the Revolution.
Which stance would Cptn. America really take? Well, I guess it depends which America is more real: the rebellious, freedom-loving, fed-up colonists, or the grey power-hungry bureaucracy?
I like that you've modernized and realized the character.
Here it is.
Quote from: Captain AmericaDoesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say.
Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right.
This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand
up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and
the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree
beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world - "No, you move."
Quote from: Captain AmericaDoesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say.
Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right.
This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand
up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and
the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree
beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world - "No, you move."
America's Response:
(http://www.aolcdn.com/red_galleries/captain-america-dead-400ds0.jpg)
Civil War is one of my favorite pieces of comic lore.
Very sad.
:mittens:
:x