knock, knock, knock…
Daniel, who had been fully immersed in the vibrant, swirling world of magic, was jolted back to reality by a knock at the door. The dazzling magical energy faded around him, and his senses returned to the physical world.
He opened the door to find Maria Hill standing outside his hotel suite—the only Level 9 agent in S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Maria Hill?" Daniel murmured as he raised an eyebrow. He had already seen her through the peephole, but even so, her presence surprised him. He hadn't expected someone of her rank to show up in person.
He had assumed they'd send a low-level S.H.I.E.L.D. agent to handle his arrival. After all, this kind of reception didn't exactly match the status of the highest-ranking agent under Nick Fury.
"I'm part of the negotiation team," she replied calmly, with the usual stoic face. "I just wanted to meet with you ahead of time to make sure we're aligned on a few things."
Daniel shrugged and stepped aside, saying, "Come in. I only have black coffee. I hope that's okay?"
"That's fine," she said without hesitation and entered.
Maria didn't seem like someone who cared much for luxury. She clearly poured all her focus into her work. Showing up early in the morning for an unofficial meeting only confirmed that. Even if she was part of the negotiation team, the formal talks weren't scheduled until S.H.I.E.L.D. resumed operations.
The negotiations in question were about establishing diplomatic relations with Asgard—something President Walker had thrown together last night after Daniel helped stop the Chitauri invasion. If successful, the Earth and Asgard would open embassies, exchange personnel, and work together for mutual development and prosperity.
Daniel understood Walker's urgency. The president was clearly trying to lock in some legacy-defining achievements before the next election cycle.
In truth, this was a smart political move. Earth had just repelled a massive alien invasion, and now Walker was aiming to ink a treaty with another powerful alien force. It would make him look like a master of interstellar diplomacy.
But these moves came with a price. The veil of mystery surrounding the supernatural world had been lifted too quickly. The fear, awe, and even hatred that ordinary people had once felt toward superpowered beings was now turning into envy and obsession.
This shift meant that, at an official level, Earth was beginning to fully accept and support superpowered individuals. Their lives were about to change. They wouldn't need to hide anymore or worry about being hunted and experimented on. Instead, they could step into the light—respected, even admired. Some might even gain privileges others didn't have.
All of this was a ripple effect of the Chitauri invasion.
It was a huge contrast to the future Daniel remembered from other Marvel universes. In those, no matter how many times superpowered people saved the world, the public always ended up fearing and distrusting them. The cycle never really changed.
But in this universe, things were looking different.
And for Daniel, this change was good. He'd already left behind the world where he was hated or feared.
"Simplifying things, the negotiation should go smoothly," Daniel said, handing Maria her coffee. "But there's one issue—ambassadors."
He leaned back, explaining, "It's easy enough for Asgardians to send someone here. If something goes wrong, they just use the Bifrost to head home. But what about Earth's ambassador? How's that person supposed to return if something happens?"
"Use the Bifrost too. Isn't that the obvious answer?" Maria asked, clearly not seeing the problem yet.
Daniel gave her a deadpan look and said, "The Bifrost isn't a public shuttle service. It takes a massive amount of energy to open, and Asgard's the one paying that cost. Why would they let people from Earth use it freely?"
She paused, beginning to get it.
"We'd have to cover the cost ourselves..." she muttered. "That's just… diplomacy, I guess."
Even she knew how weak that sounded.
Yes, Earth and Asgard could sign a treaty, and yes, diplomatic privileges were a thing. But even here on Earth, diplomats buy their own tickets or use government transport. No one expects another country to cover their travel costs. And honestly, they wouldn't want to—it's a security risk to rely on another nation for that.
Earth doesn't have any technology that can reach Asgard on its own. Even if we did, Asgard might not agree to let it land on their territory. That's a whole different level of trust and risk.
"So if we send an ambassador up there and they can't get back… what's the point?" Daniel shook his head, smirking. "This whole thing is symbolic at best. If the president hadn't asked personally, I'd be back in New York already."
Maria didn't react. She'd seen plenty of people try to act above it all. She knew posturing when she saw it. Still, Daniel's point was valid. It was a detail they'd overlooked, and it needed a solution.
The current "Earth-Asgard Diplomatic Relations Committee" only had three official members: Maria Hill, Daniel, and a senior White House representative who served mostly as a figurehead for public appearances. Maria was the one doing the real work.
Her qualifications were solid. Before S.H.I.E.L.D., she had worked in nearly every major government agency—the CIA, FBI, Pentagon, State Department, and even internal affairs and taxation. She was a top-tier professional, supported by an entire team behind the scenes.
Daniel, on the other hand, was mostly a symbolic figure.
Because Asgard was ruled by gods, they needed someone who understood that world deeply. Daniel fit the bill better than any scholar. His magical powers were directly connected to Asgard, which made him the perfect consultant for anything related to their realm.
That said, when talks hit a wall, Daniel's real role was to smooth things over, ease tensions, and help negotiations move forward.
But while this diplomatic setup looked serious on paper, Daniel knew that it meant almost nothing to the Asgardians. The only real issue was the Bifrost—both its energy demands and what it meant for Asgard's security.
Sure, Asgard had been peaceful for years, and its soldiers weren't as alert as they used to be. But when Thanos came knocking, they still put up a fight. Asgard wasn't weak—just complacent.
And Heimdall, the guardian of the Bifrost, saw all of it.
He knew exactly where Asgard was vulnerable. But even with that knowledge, he couldn't change the politics or decisions of the realm. What he could do was guard the Bifrost with absolute focus.
So if someone from Earth wanted to send a message—or return home—they'd have to go through Heimdall. And he wasn't the kind of person to casually grant access. He'd need Odin's direct permission.
Maria sat silently, thinking it all through. She had a few ideas, but none felt right. Finally, she looked over at Daniel.
"Any suggestions?"
"Me?" Daniel raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by her seriousness. She really was beautiful—but her cold, commanding presence made it hard for anyone to get close, let alone stay interested for long. He shook the thought from his head.
He rubbed his chin in thought and said, "Actually, this isn't as hard as it sounds. The key is we don't need constant, real-time contact with Asgard. No back-and-forth trips all the time. We just need to agree on a scheduled exchange—say, a secure device every month. Could be a phone, or a USB stick."
"That would save energy," Maria admitted, "but we still need Bifrost access to make the delivery."
"That's where trade comes in," Daniel replied. "We offer something unique from Earth in exchange for each Bifrost transmission. Treat it like a transaction. And let's be honest—doesn't the U.S. usually mix business with diplomacy anyway?"
He smiled and continued, "As for what Asgard might want from us? That's what the negotiations are for."