To be precise, it's about half-sealed? It felt like the stone's power was suppressed and sealed to make it easier to use.
The stones had to be collected, at least because of Thanos. A fully-geared Thanos with all the stones should be considered virtually impossible to defeat. Even excluding the Soul Stone, most of the other stones can be seen on Earth, so collecting them should be easy. The Power Stone seems like it'll require a trip to space.
'The most dangerous stone for me is the Time Stone, followed by the Space Stone, right?'
The Time Stone is dangerous because there's no way out if trapped in time, and the Space Stone is dangerous because the area of activity becomes immense. I could always run away, but Earth couldn't.
'I can just take the Mind Stone after Avengers 1 ends, but the Space Stone is the problem...'
In the original, the Space Stone is used to rebuild Asgard's Bifrost, so if I take it and don't hand it over to Asgard, Thor's activities would basically be non-existent. It's not like I can keep going and playing the bus role for him.
'Should I just ask Odin... If that doesn't work, I'll have to steal it with [Stealth] when the Bifrost is completed.'
While thinking about this and that, I realized we had already arrived at the helicarrier. Loki was transferred to a detention cell, and Natasha briefly explained the incident to Nick Fury. The detention cell was about 100 square feet, cylindrical, and all walls were made of glass so it could be constantly monitored. Nick Fury spoke to Loki as he was being imprisoned. We were watching the scene on a monitor in the conference room.
"Just in case, don't think about escaping. Just touching that glass will send you falling 30,000 feet below, trapped inside."
When Nick Fury operated the control panel in front of the detention cell, the passage below the cell opened. Being at high altitude, wind came through the passage with a menacing sound. He warned Loki that if he tried any tricks, the entire cell could be dropped to the ground.
"You're the ant."
He said, pointing at the control panel.
"This is the boot."
Nick Fury operated the control panel again to close the passage, walked slowly towards the detention cell, and spoke.
"You tried to start a war here. And you stole something uncontrollable."
"I came only to gift this place with peace."
"The peace you speak of is becoming your slaves. This incident has made you disappoint me. I'll make you regret it."
Hearing Nick Fury's words, Loki laughed and said.
"Why did you research the Tesseract? Infinite energy? For what? To share warm light with all humanity?"
These words seemed like Loki was talking to Nick Fury, but they were a hint to us. That the Tesseract's power wasn't researched for just the right purposes.
Listening to that conversation in the conference room, Captain said.
"It's a trick to buy time. Thor, do you know anything about Loki's plan?"
"Loki joined hands with the Chitauri. He can mobilize an army too. When preparations are done, he'll invade Earth. The Tesseract is one of those preparations."
"An army..."
Banner, who was listening nearby, said.
"Then he'll try to open a portal. That's why he took Dr. Selvig."
When Dr. Selvig, who helped Thor during the New Mexico incident, was mentioned, he said in surprise.
"Selvig? Selvig is my friend."
Natasha explained the situation.
"Loki brainwashed him. One of our colleagues here too."
Captain, wondering if Loki let himself get caught on purpose, spoke to the others.
"I don't understand, why did Loki get caught? What about the army?"
Banner answered Captain's words.
"You can never tell with guys who smell crazy from the start."
Thor, perhaps unable to listen to bad talk about his brother, warned everyone.
"Watch your words. He may be imprisoned here now, but Loki is a god of Asgard. And he's my brother."
Then Natasha hit Thor with a fact.
"He killed 80 people in two days."
"...He's an adopted brother."
Captain, seeing me quietly just listening to opinions, said to me.
"Jin, why aren't you saying anything? Any good opinions?"
"I do have some, but it makes me hesitant to speak."
"Try saying it. Aren't you one of the smartest people here?"
"My thoughts are this. If he brainwashed Barton, that means he knows our information, which means he's here to preemptively attack or divide us, who are the biggest threat to them."
At my words, everyone's faces became serious. Captain asked me.
"Why do you think that?"
"That's the reason such a cunning guy appeared alone and got caught by us easily when he has Barton and others. I think Loki is currently sending location signals like crazy, and Barton is probably flying here leading enemies to raid this place. What do you think?"
"Isn't that a story with low probability? What can Barton alone do with all of us here?"
"Create a powerful support force inside, that's how."
I pointed at Banner. Banner looked at me with an expression of disbelief.
"I'm not saying this because I dislike Dr. Banner, but I'm talking with all possibilities open. Please understand."
Captain looked at me and said.
"Jin, stories like that cause more discord."
"Right, that's why I was reluctant to say it."
'Even if I spoon-feed them, the reaction isn't very satisfying.'
I saw Tony in a suit and Phil had arrived and were standing at the conference room entrance, listening to my story. Probably, guided by Phil, he took off his Iron Man suit at the designated place and came.
Tony clapped loudly to gather attention.
"Instead of that, let's do what we can."
Tony walked into the conference room and tapped Thor's arm.
"We all know you're buff, so stop posing."
Thor looked at Tony incredulously. Tony pointed at a crew member sitting at the bridge and said.
"That guy's playing Galaga!"
I looked at that crew member too and saw him hurriedly turning off Galaga.
"Anyway, Loki will need to draw a portal large and keep it open for a long time to move an army."
Hearing that, Banner said.
"To activate the cube, you need 100 million degrees of heat. That's the theoretical value."
"At least if someone like Selvig finds a way to create a stable quantum tunnel effect."
"Causing neutron fusion in any reactor on Earth."
Tony, as if meeting a comrade, approached Banner and shook his hand. The others had expressions of not understanding what they were talking about.
"Glad to see someone other than Jin who speaks the same language. Dr. Banner. And I'm your fan. I like that you turn into that... green monster when angry too."
"Thank you."
Banner could have been offended by Tony's words, but he let it slide. Then Nick Fury entered the conference room and said to Tony.
"Dr. Banner is helping to find the cube. Tony, you help the doctor too."
Thus, Banner and Tony moved to the laboratory, and I said I was tired and going to sleep, moved to the room assigned to me, and lay on the bed. After a while, Natasha also came to my room.
"I'm tired too. I need to sleep first. Don't do anything weird since we don't know what might happen."
"Yeah. Got it."
Probably because it's America, there was no hesitation about such things. I moved over a bit on the bed to make space, and Natasha lay there, hugging my waist and getting into a comfortable position. I also gave one arm to Natasha as a pillow and fell asleep together.
The next day, when I woke up, Natasha was already gone, probably having woken up earlier. Checking the clock, it seemed I slept about five hours. I used [Life Magic] to clean my body and clothes, made coffee, drank it, and moved to the conference room. Passing by, I glanced at the laboratory; no one was there. Probably everyone went to rest.
Arriving at the conference room, Maria Hill, Natasha, and Captain were there.
"Everyone's up early. Any results?"
At my question, Maria Hill answered.
"Not yet. And I'm on shift duty, so I need to go sleep once the Director comes back from his break."
"Must be tired. So Captain, did you pull an all-nighter too?"
"No, I'm not. I slept and came. More than that, is Tony originally like that?"
"Yeah, he's a bit over the top. But he gets the job done."
"I see."
Captain seemed displeased with Tony's playful behavior.
"Captain, you suddenly came to the future; are you adapting well? I can't imagine it."
"Honestly, it's still a bit hard. The way people talk is a bit different, so sometimes I don't understand what they're saying. Especially things that require historical background knowledge or jokes."
"I bet. A lot of time has passed."
Then Natasha came over smiling and took the coffee I was drinking.
"Thanks~"
"Geez... Just ask me to make it. Anyone else want coffee?"
"Me!" "I'll have one too."
I made coffee for Maria Hill and Captain, and brought new ones for myself and Natasha. While drinking the coffee I made and talking, Nick Fury came to the conference room after his break, and Maria Hill handed over duties to him and went to rest.
As time passed, the remaining members gathered in the conference room, had a simple breakfast, and then I asked Minerva about the state of my house in New York.
"[Party preparations are proceeding smoothly. Employees' families are also arriving.]"
Since I mentioned and prepared a family party at the house a few days ago, the safety of the employees stationed in New York and their families shouldn't be a problem. I also prepared plenty of food in advance and opened the swimming pool and tennis court for the kids, so they won't be bored. And I also sorted out the shares that would be hit during the New York incident in advance. I planned to buy them back cheaply after the incident ended.
'Preparations are done.'
I tried to pass time by turning on the computer again and playing games, but I was so good that I got reported for hacking and my account was suspended. I contacted the company CEO and said I'd withdraw all my investment money, so they immediately unlocked it. After such an incident, I lost the taste for games and went to talk to Loki instead.
"Loki, was the food to your taste?"
"Yeah, better than the strange phlegm-like porridge the Chitauri gave."
Thanos's family only considered North Korean-style efficiency, so they only had meals like that.
"Then do you also know this? If Earth is occupied by the Chitauri, you'll have to eat that strange porridge every day."
"Ahem... I'll treat chefs well."
"Chefs will surely make delicious food from ashes."
"It might be like that at first, but once I start ruling, recovery will be quick."
"No, even if you win, all that will remain are bones and ashes. You'll be sitting on top of that, eating the phlegm-like porridge you mentioned."
In my opinion, if aliens invaded without the Avengers, the possibility of mutual destruction with nukes was high. Loki doesn't know that humanity's madness is nothing to scoff at.
"How about coming under me? I'll give you one-third of this planet."
"Didn't I refuse last time? I lack nothing even now."
"Let's see if you can still say that when this planet is in my hands."
"I'm your fan. People with such obsession and madness bother those around them, but if they survive, they do achieve something. I'm cheering for you."
With those words, I returned to the conference room. Natasha approached me, who had gone to meet Loki, and asked.
"Gain anything?"
"No, I just went because I was bored?"
I was bored, and I also had fan feelings. Hearing my words, Natasha found it ridiculous, then made a disapproving face and slapped my back with her palm.
Smack!
"Ouch! Why?"
"This is ridiculous. Meeting such a guy because you're bored."
"Wow~ My heart hurts that Natasha is such a violent woman."
Smack!
I got hit once more. Thor and Captain seemed to find this situation amusing, lowering their heads and laughing.