Chapter 86: Arc 3: Chapter 3: Mystery Girl Vers

"The war between the Kree and the Skrull has been going on for tens of thousands of years now. Who knows the best about the enemy is most oftentimes their enemy, I've read through the historical records under the Supreme Intelligence, when thousands of years ago, during the start of the war, Kree warlocks had the same idea you have."

Vers sits on the bar and while drinking her glass, she says:

"The warlocks believe that the Skrulls could only shapeshift their appearance and not their soul. So they suggested using 'Soul Detection', which the Supreme Intelligence's approved of; it was when they actually executed the plan, did the warlocks realize in shock, that after scanning the planet where Skrulls were supposedly hiding, they could not find any irregular souls."

The alien lady sighs and says:

"The plan failed."

"And later, after thorough research on the Skrull's shapeshifting ability, our scientists discovered that the Skrull's shapeshifting ability is nearly perfect...their shapeshifting even includes the DNA, which means that once they become someone, then they'll truly become that person! Existentially, there is no difference between the two."

"The physical body is the carrier of the soul. As Kree warlocks understand, the soul exists like water in the beaker known as the body, once the beaker changes, so does the soul...this should explain the Skrull's shapeshifting ability."

Vers shrugs, she finishes her glass and says:

"The failure of the Kree Empire proved this, that when the Skrulls shapeshift their appearance, their soul changes along with it. Do you know what's most terrifying? Merlin."

"Mmm? Let me guess?"

  Merlin asks like a listening student:

"If they can mimic a person down to the DNA, does that mean that if they mimic you, they'll also acquire your ability to shoot light cannons?'

"No, I'm special."

Vers shakes her head, she looks at her fingers and says:

"The Skrull cannot mimic my Photon Cannon ability, no one knows why, but they just can't. It was due to this that I was chosen into Starforce, but the abilities of the others could all be mimicked by the Skrulls, even those mysterious warlocks..."

Vers points at Merlin's chest and tells him:

"If they become you, they'll also be able to cast your magic."

"The only flaw is that they only retain short-term memories upon shapeshifting, and they can't remember the smaller details. The Kree Army used this to slowly flush out Skrull spies in the empire, then gain the upper hand through all-out war."

"But there seems to be something important to the Skrulls on your planet, maybe even something that'll turn the tides of war to their favor."

Merlin's expression changes slightly as he says:

"You're saying, that it's possible that they've already..."

"Yes, Merlin."

Vers continues:

"This is why I'm here. Us Kree are noble warriors, and I will stop their plans no matter what those shapeshifters are planning!"

"Oh? Looks like we'll have to thank you then."

Merlin smiles, reaches out, and takes off his glasses, he rubs them and glances at Vers.

For a moment, his expression changed, but he remained quiet and put his glasses back on; a few minutes later, he tells Vers:

"I have one last question, noble Kree warrior."

"Ask away."

Vers pours another glass of beer for herself, she seems to not mind telling Merlin this info.

Merlin looks at Vers' face and asks:

"What's...Project Pegasus?"

Vers' drinking posture stops, she looks back at Merlin, a hint of guard flashing in her eyes, and asks:

"Where'd you learn that name?'

"In the internet cafe."

Merlin speaks truthfully:

"Maybe you should learn to clear your browsing history the next time you use a computer."

"Mmm?"

Vers frowns and asks confusedly:

"Do the network facilities on planet c-53 not have automatic cleaning and personal privacy protection?"

"Err, about that."

Merlin shrugs, drinks his water, and says:

"We're pretty underdeveloped after all, but now it seems that underdevelopment comes with its pros, right?"

Merlin's words made Vers chuckle, but after laughing, her expression becomes somewhat desolate. She strokes the edge of the glass with her finger and says:

"I don't know what Project Pegasus is either."

"Mmm."

Merlin looks at her with confusion:

"Why search it if you don't know what it is?"

"Because it just appeared in my mind, Merlin."

Vers looks forward with her eyes in a daze, her eyes seemed to have lost focus, she says:

"My arrival on c-53...Earth, was not completely an accident. I was following Starforce to a planet to hunt for a Skrull spy, but I accidentally got captured. On the Skrulls spaceship, they opened up my memories using some sort of technology."

"A lot of flashing images, images I've never experienced, that I never knew of. Those people who were familiar with me in those images, maybe they were my friends, but I can't remember anything. It's like another me, you understand how that feels?"

Vers finishes her glass and says in a low tone:

"It was like looking at another me living here on Earth, experiencing those things, then a disaster struck, an explosion...and I fainted from it."

"My instincts are telling me that they're all fake. I'm Kree, blue blood flows in my veins, I was born in a border town of the Kree Empire, I lost everything from a Skrull attack; I who was near-death was brought to Hala and received aid from the Supreme Intelligence...lastly, I joined Starforce."

Vers clenches her fists and grits her teeth:

"That's me! The noble warrior of Starforce who swore to eliminate all the evil Skrulls, that's me!"

"But those memories, those unfamiliar memories, I cannot ignore them. Project Pegasus, Doctor Wendy Lawson, and a woman whose name I don't remember; I feel like those memories are precious to me...there is a secret amongst those memories."

"I will find them! I'll find those secrets, and then I'll find out...who I truly am."

"Whumpa Whumpa"

As Vers says so, the deep sound of turning propellor blades from a chopper resounds from outside the bar.

Merlin takes a glance outside and tells Vers:

"It's Fury!"

Vers clenches her fists and shakes her head, telling Merlin:

"We don't know that! You have to be extremely careful when facing Skrulls, because everything you see may not be real."

"Alright."

Merlin takes out his wand and points it at the door, while Vers stands beside him with her fists clenched.

So as Fury pushes open the door and walks into the bar, Impedimenta is cast onto him, an invisible barrier binds him on the spot and immobilizes him.

"Merlin! What are you doing?"

Fury looks at Merlin and shouts:

"Release me!"

"Say a life detail that the Skrulls cannot make up, Fury."

Merlin points the wand at Fury and says:

"Let me see whether or not you're the real you!"

"Are you crazy?"

Fury glares at Merlin, and looks at Vers beside him, the latter's attitude was much more direct.

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Her two fists were emitting a red and blue glow and they were pointed at him, Vers had an indifferent expression on her face, if Fury could not answer the question, his head would be blown off.

"Fine then, you're good friends now huh."

Fury snorts, he raises his arms in the barrier and says:

"I don't eat diagonally cut bread!"

"Why?"

A smile flashes on Merlin's face as he asks seriously:

"Why don't you eat them?"

"F**k!"

Fury curses and grits his teeth:

"Because I've had a bomb disguised as triangular bread in the Vietnam War! That enough?"

"Of course."

Merlin moves his wrists and casts a Finite Incantatem which cancels out Impedimenta, Vers puts down her fists and looks at Fury, telling him:

"I'm happy to see that you're still alive, agent Fury."

"I'm not so happy myself."

Fury walks over and sits on the seat, he didn't look at Vers, instead, he looks at merlin, who nods to him signaling that Vers is temporarily harmless.

So Fury turns and looks at the blonde woman, he says:

"Sit down, miss, let's talk about you."

Vers did not sit down immediately, she turns and looks at Merlin, asking:

"You just said that Fury is your superior, right?"

"Mmm."

Merlin sits on the bar seat, and says while holding a glass of water:

"Fury always says that he's the King of Agents!"

"Good."

Vers sits opposite to Fury, she holds her chin with her fist and says:

"Then, Mr. King of Agents, you must have enough security clearance, do you know...about Project Pegasus?"

Hearing the name, Fury abruptly raises his head and looks at Merlin with serious eyes, Merlin shrugs innocently and says:

"Don't look at me, I don't even know what that is. In fact, Miss Vers told me about the name."

Fury looks at Vers and asks with a cautious tone:

"How do you know about that?"

"It's related to the Skrulls, agent Fury."

Vers explains:

"The Skrulls are here in search of it. I'm guessing that it's the war machine the Skrulls built on Earth, if you help me find it, then me and my companions are willing to help you clear up the Skrulls who've infiltrated Earth."

"Your companions?"

Fury squints his eyes and says:

"You're saying that there are other Kree on Earth besides you?"

"Not yet."

Vers replies straightforwardly:

"But if you have the need, I can call them here."

"Fury!"

Fury wanted to ask more, but Merlin interrupts him. The latter winks at Fury, so Fury stands up and walks to the edge of the bar with Merlin.

Merlin waves his hand and cloaks the two in shadow, to hide the two's conversation. In the cover of the shadows, he tells Fury:

"Take her to that Project Pegasus."

"Why?"

Fury asks back:

"DO you have any idea how high of a security level that thing has? I have to go through a complex verification process if I want to go in, let alone bring you two along. I can tell you, Merlin, that project has nothing to do with the Skrulls...it's a plan we initiated in the 80s, then it was shut down in 89."

"No, Fury, listen to me."

Merlin reaches out and grabs Fury's shoulder, then he leans over and whispers in Fury's ear:

"Vers isn't Kree! She's Earthling!"

"What?"

Fury widens his eyes, he looks at Merlin and says:

"But she said so herself that she's a Kree warrior."

"That's the problem."

Merlin explains:

"I've asked her before, she told me that the Kree have no disguising ability, they can't change the form of their soul. And I just took a peek at her soul, the form of her soul was exactly the same as you and I, she doesn't know this herself...she's a real Earthling, just brainwashed by the Kree to become their diehard warrior."

"But Vers just told me that due to an experiment by the Skrulls, memories of her life in Earth began to resurface in her mind; she said that she's seen herself work in the base of Project Pegasus before. This means that the Kree's brainwashing, or memory containment, is breaking apart."

Merlin's words made Fury squint his eyes, he says:

"What you mean is that if we bring her to Project Pegasus, she may fully recover her memories on Earth?"

"Yeah, even if she doesn't, we may acquire some useful information."

Merlin lightly says:

"The Kree brainwashed her, telling her that the Skrulls are all evil warmongers, but is that the truth? The Kree are using Vers as cannon fodder, but she should be on our side. Whatever the Skrulls are looking for on Earth, Vers would be of big help."

"So, my suggestion is to take her in, and look at her, look at exactly what she's looking for."

"It's risky, Merlin."

Fury frowns:

"You've seen her abilities, we'll not be able to stop her if she decides to go amok and run around shooting lasers everywhere."

"Fury, I just conversed with vers, I saw my old self on her."

Merlin looks back at Vers, who was sitting on her seat and drinking by herself, and tells Fury:

"She's puzzled about who she is, she doesn't know what to do, nor does she know if her past life was real, she's depressed and dazed...but she still retains the ability to differentiate right and wrong."

"Fury..."

"We don't need to control her! We just need to help her, help her remember who she was. After that, she'll choose which side to take herself."

Merlin smiles while patting on Fury's shoulder, saying:

"You have a supernatural ability too, Fury..."

"You can always help us find the path forward in the darkness. So go help her find her way home."

"Just like how you helped me find my new life."

 

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