Hijacking and Retaking of the Lemurian Star

The Hijacking and Retaking of the Lemurian Star was a S.H.I.E.L.D. mission carried out by Captain America and STRIKE to regain control of the Lemurian Star satellite launch platform from armed hijackers led by Georges Batroc, and rescue the hostages on board. Unbeknownst to STRIKE, Batroc and his mercenaries were covertly hired by Nick Fury to hijack the ship to provide cover for Natasha Romanoff so that she could retrieve Project Insight's algorithm from the ship's computers.
The mission resulted in STRIKE successfully retaking the ship and apprehending Batroc into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody, while Romanoff delivered the algorithm to Fury at the Triskelion.
==Background==
The Lemurian Star, as one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mobile satellite launching platforms, was chosen to launch the targeting satellites for the three Project Insight Helicarriers. However, HYDRA had uploaded a copy of Arnim Zola's algorithm to the ship to use Project Insight to enact their new world order. In 2014, HYDRA ordered Jasper Sitwell, who was assisting Phil Coulson and his team with hunting the Clairvoyant, to immediately switch assignments and relocate to the Lemurian Star.Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 1.16: End of the Beginning
==Hijacking==
Nick Fury, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., became suspicious of the algorithm that was to be used to deploy Project Insight. Since Project Insight was a S.H.I.E.L.D. operation approved by Secretary Alexander Pierce and the World Security Council, Fury secretly and anonymously hired Georges Batroc, a former member of the French DGSE Action Division and one of Interpol's most wanted terrorists, to hijack the ship so he could provide a scenario where he could acquire the algorithm for analysis.
Batroc, leading a group of twenty-five pirates, successfully took control of the Lemurian Star and took its passengers hostage, holding them for ransom. Batroc contacted S.H.I.E.L.D. and demanded a billion and a half dollars in exchange for the hostages.
==Retaking==
As a response, S.H.I.E.L.D. sent a STRIKE team, including Captain America and Black Widow, to rescue the hostages, subdue the pirates and regain control of the Lemurian Star. However, Nick Fury informed Romanoff that her mission was to secretly obtain a copy of Project Insight's algorithm from the ship's computer without S.H.I.E.L.D.'s knowledge. Ninety three minutes later, Jasper Sitwell sat among the other hostages as Georges Batroc and Ferdinand Lopez tried to reach their employer about the capture of the ship.
Brock Rumlow briefed the team, and Captain America gave instructions to the rest of the agents, as he would take point and defeat the hostiles in the deck before searching for Batroc; he ordered Black Widow to clear out the engines room and Brock Rumlow and his STRIKE team to liberate the hostages and take them to safety. Rogers then jumped without a parachute from the Quinjet into the ocean. Rising from the water, Rogers used stealth to silently subdue each mercenary he encountered. However, one was aimed to shoot Rogers in the back, but he was saved by the timely arrival of Rumlow, who had just parachuted down. Rumlow rescued Sitwell and the other hostages while Rogers started searching the ship for Batroc. Batroc subsequently ambushed him and partook in a rigorous duel on the launch platform. After challenging Rogers again, Batroc was swiftly knocked out.
Romanoff, upon landing, began her own mission. Though Rogers was relying on her to secure the engine room of the ship, she used the mission as an opportunity to copy the algorithm on a USB drive information. Sitwell was on the ship to protect Project Insight's involvement. Rogers noticed that Romanoff was assigned another task concurrent to the mission. After temporarily subduing Batroc, Rogers confronted Romanoff angrily, claiming she jeopardized the mission. Before they could argue any further, Batroc abandoned the ship and attempted to blow Romanoff and Rogers up with a grenade, but they managed to escape.
==Aftermath==
===Mission Accomplished===
Georges Batroc was captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. at a safe house in Algiers, Algeria, and subsequently interrogated. Captain America was displeased with Natasha Romanoff's performance on the mission and confronted Nick Fury about it. This lead Fury to show him the three Helicarriers under the Triskelion and for Fury to give Rogers an overview of what Project Insight was and its goals.
===Restricted Access===
Nick Fury realized that his access into the Project Insight files Romanoff retrieved were restricted, so he confronted Alexander Pierce about it. Pierce promised to look into it and delay Project Insight; however, he contacted HYDRA agents and had the Winter Soldier tasked with assassinating Fury. After Fury's supposed death, Pierce alerted Captain America that Fury had hired Georges Batroc to steal the intelligence aboard the Lemurian Star. Pierce asked Rogers about Fury's presence in his apartment, to which Rogers responded that Fury told him not to trust anybody. Pierce then proceeded to send the STRIKE team to eliminate Rogers.
==References==
Category:Events