The control room of the helicarrier was large and multilayered. A glass window covered one wall and each layer was covered in computers. Men and women of all different ages and colour in navy blue uniforms filled the room, all announcing different protocols and procedures as the ship ascended. Basil whistled as he glanced around, impressed by it all. Fury stood at the centre of it all. On a slightly raised platform with his hands on two metal arm rests, what Basil assumed to be the main control point of the ship. When he noticed that they had entered, he stepped off to meet them.

He greeted Banner first. "Dr, thank you for coming". Banner shook his hand.

"Thanks for asking nicely. So um, how long am I staying?"

"Once we get our hands on the tessaract, you're in the wind".

"Where are you with that?" 

Nick gestured to where Coulson was standing on a slightly lower floor. "We're accessing every wireless net work on the plant, cell phones, laptops. If it's connected to a satellite, it's eyes and ears for us".

"That's still not going to find them in time", Natasha voiced.

"You have to narrow your field", Banner muttered. "How many spectrometers do you have access too?"

Fury shrugged. "How many are there?"

"Call every lab you know. Tell them to put their spectrometer on the roof and calibrate them for gamma rays. I'll rough our a tracking algorithm. Basic cluster regonitiom". Whatever Banner had just said was jibberish to Basil. "Do you have somewhere where I can work?"

"Agent Romanov", Fury called. "Can you show Dr Banner his lab please".

"You're going to love it Doc", She said as she led the man away. "We've got all the toys".

Steve and Basil stayed on the main control deck, watching the shield agents work with careful interest. They were looking for the man called Loki. According to the file they had been give, the man was a alien who had appeared from a portal and stolen the tessract. Coulson came to join them and Basil smirked as the man brought up the trading cards that Natasha had mentioned. "I mean if it's too much trouble", the man said.

"No no", Steve replied. "It's fine".

"I would love too", Basil grinned. "I haven't really seen much memorabilia about me before. I saw my comic character once and that was highly disappointing".

Coulson nodded. "I saw the interview when you chewed the men out. It is rather famous now. Merchandise of the crazy doctor boomed after that and your death. There was a resurgence in their popularity after your brother gave your letters to the Smithsonian, lots of lgbt people buying it up. You're sort of a icon".

"Wow", Basil muttered.

"The cards are a vintage set. It took me a couple of years to collect them all", Coulson added. "Near mint".

"We've got a match. A 67% match", a agent announced. Coulson crossed over to look at computer screen. "Wait cross match, 78%".

"Location?"

"Stuttgart Germany. 28 Konigstrasse. He's not exactly hiding". Basil peered at the image of Loki on the computer screens. The man didn't look very old, and also startlingly human. He half expected some sort of alien features, but no. Loki looked young and human and cold.

"Captain". Both men turned as Fury spoke. The one eyed man nodded at them. "You and your Corporal are up".

"Please no stars or stripes on the uniform", Basil muttered as a agent led them away to get changed. They were led down corridors and to a metal door. The agent nodded at them before leaving. Steve took a deep breath and strode forwards. The doors opening automatically as they entered. The first thing they saw was the familiar blue and red uniform set on display before them. The rounded shield emblazoned with the white star hanging directly above it. The uniform was similar to the old one, except it didn't have all the straps and harnesses. Basil poked it, surprised at how thin the material felt, but also how strong it was.

"I think this is yours", Steve gestured to the display next to his. Basil turned and blinked. His uniform was the same deep blue at Steve's but with no stars or stripes. It was sleek and dark, looking more like a wet suit than a uniform. A helmet just like Steve's sat next to it and Basil wrinkled his nose.

"Not too bad", he muttered. "I assume I'm supposed to be your shadow or something?" The question was rhetorical. "At lest the world will be able to catch and eyeful of my amazing figure. Your arse might be good Steve but at lest mine is cute. Your serum was cheating. All those injections and I still haven't grown taller while you got the perfect triangle". Basil sighed in disappointment.

Steve rolled his eyes. "Just get changed Basil".

——

They arrived in Germany just in time to watch as Loki forced a crowd of people to kneel. They were in some town square. The crashed remains of a upturned police car on the road. Basil peered down at the scene from the window. His helmet on and his new suit clinging to his form. He glanced at Steve, next to him, Basil looked like a college student trying to play dress up. He glanced back at the scene. A dozen Loki's were surrounding the crowd, hemming them in like cattle as the main Loki spoke. It had to be some sort of magic. An illusion? Hologram?

"What's he saying?" Basil asked. Natasha, who was piloting the jet, pressed some buttons and Loki's voice began to play over the speaker.

"You were made to be ruled. In the end you will always kneel". Loki wandered through the kneeling crowd in a gold and green outfit. A helmet rested on his head, two pairs of curved horns rising up like the headpiece of some mythical beast. Basil understood what was so alien now. Loki of asguard didn't look like he came from this realm at all in this moment.

"Has he got some kink that needs sorting out?" Basil thought aloud. "The kneeling is definitely related to some issues going on there". Natasha snorted as Steve sighed.

Down below a old man had gotten to his feet. "Steve, your move", Nat stated. "Lowering bay doors". The wind picked up as the ramp door lowered. The jet was hovering right over the square.

"Not to men like you", the old man said.

"There are no men like me". Basil could hear the ego in Loki's voice.

"There are always men like you".

"Look to your elder people", Loki raised his staff.

"That's our que", Basil announced. Steve promptly jumped from the plane. He landed in a crouch in front of the old man, his shield deflecting the energy beam Loki had blasted, back at him. It knocked the golden man right off his feet.

Basil sighed and jumped after him. As he hit the ground he phased right through it before rising up again at Steve's side and solidifying. "You know, the last time I was in Germany", Steve announced as he walked towards Loki. "And saw a man standing above everyone else. We ended up disagreeing".

"The soldier", Loki smiled with sharp teeth as he rose. "The men out of time".

"I'm not the one who's out of time", Steve smiled. Above them the jet hovered. A massive gun flicked out of a hatch and aimed.

"Loki", Natasha spoke over the PA. "drop the weapon and stand down".

Loki's reply was a blue energy bolt to the sky. As soon as it blasted, Steve threw his shield and Basil was running. The shield passed right through him and hit Loki square in the chest. The impact made the illusion Loki's vanish and the crowd fled. As soon as the shield hit him, Basil turned solid again and caught him with a kick to the jaw. Then he jumped back as Steve was there with his shield. Loki swung his staff and it hit the metal but the second strike managed to avoid the shield and smack Steve in the stomach. Loki must be stronger than humans as the blow sent Steve rolling across the square.

Basil was there as Steve went flying. Loki tried to knock him back with his staff but it passed through Basil's torso like it was nothing but air. Basil punched Loki in the face then kneed him between the legs. The man doubled over and Basil kneed him in the face. "Look who's kneeling now", Basil grinned. Loki tried to swipe at him again but the staff passed right through.

"What can a man constantly outshined say about kneeling?" Loki snarled as he kicked out and swiped Basil's legs from under him. He hit the floor with a thud and a groan as the horned god rose above him. The end of the staff rested heavily on his ribs. "Kneel", Loki snarled. "Like you're supposed too".

"I think that's racist", Basil huffed as Steve's shield flew over his head. Loki knocked it out of the air and it went skittering off over the stones. But Steve was there, kicking the man back. Basil got to his feet as Loki dodged a punch and whammed Steve in the side with his staff. Captain America went rolling with a groan. Basil huffed and charged back in but Loki was ready. They fought hand to hand for a few blows. Each of Loki's blows passing through Basil and each of Basil's blows being blocked by a arm or a staff. "I'm going to need some more material arts lessons after this", Basil huffed down his comm. "I used to think I was good".

"Don't worry Baz", Nat replied. Her voice clear in his ear. "I can give you a few pointers". Suddenly a rock song blared.

"Hi agent Romanov", a male voice greeted down the comms. "You miss me?" The sudden surprise distracted him and Loki landed a kick on Basil's ribs which sent him tumbling. He groaned. He was so going to have bruises later.

The thing that distracted him flew from the sky. A humanoid red metal suit twisted and shot laser beams from it's hands. The beams hit Loki solidly in the chest and knocked him down with a whirl of limbs and a flapping of green fabric. The suit, iron man, landed with a clang on the stone and raised his hands. Every single gun on the thing aimed at Loki. Basil rolled on to his feet as Tony Stark spoke. "Make a move reindeer games". Steve had already grabbed his shield and came to stand above where Loki had fallen. Basil walking up to join him.

Loki held up his hands and his golden and green armour melted into a different outfit. This one was golden and green too but thinner and without the plating of armour. He held out his hands and Tony lowered his guns. "Good move".

"Mr Stark", Steve greeted professionally.

"Captain".

"Mr Stark", Basil repeated in a slightly warmer tone.

"Corporal".

Basil huffed. "I was in the ice for sixty six years. You would think I would have been promoted by now".

Unedited