Workaholics Anonymous - SI Chapter

June 15, 2017:

Rusalka Stojespal meets with Tony Stark to discuss the recent events of refugees from another dimension, and gets one hell of a surprise. Pepper and Isa arrive just in time to triple the embarrassment.

Stark Industries - New York City

Rising high into the skyline with the name of it's Lord and Master for all to see, the Stark Industries Tower is the most visible component of the Stark Industries complex centered in Midtown Manhattan. Manufacturing, office space, power generation and even some inventory is housed in the tower and its associated subelevels. It also contains guest housing and, at the top, the penthouse suite that is the domain of the Main Man himself, at least, when he's not at his Malibu home.

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Plot:

Mood Music: None.


Fade In…

Tony's been gone a day or two. Which is not unusual. I mean he's an Avenger. It happens. Have to pack up and leave and so something heroic and then be back by lunch. HOwever, whatever he's been off and up too, now it seems he's back. Back and…well…back in business.

In the labs of course.

At the moment he seems to be preparing things for transport. Possibily to a test zone of some kind. Its hard to tell with Tony, he might just build a plane in here and fly it off the roof to test it out.

…which would not be smart but its something he would do.

However, what he seems to be working on at the moment has little to do with the superplane project. Since he bounces from project to project with all the attention span of a caffinated tornado its not that suprising. This one is an armored limb, smoother, sleeker, smaller than the typical Iron Man armor, and from the way its opened up it doesn't seem to have many of the advanced energy systems that his own suits are known for.

Its also not sized to him at all.

But he's tinkering with it, back to the elevators and once more having worked though lunch and dinner.

It's a day for other projects. Admittedly, much of what she could contribute to the mission Coulson had assigned to Sally Stojespal is done; everything else would just be worrying over slight differences and whether to round up or down performance estimates. Tiny details that can't be locked down, variables she can't isolate and finalize…but none of them matter, in the end. Whether the Tchernobog can travel at 1730 miles per hour or 1732 miles per hour is pointless - and leads only to recursive madness trying to beat one's head about it.

So she'd worked on other things - namely, something she'd been assigned on day one. The 'Knot' that had flummoxed the racing department, the five different designs that never fit each other. And normally she'd be in the same position that the rest of his engineers would be…except for an advantage they hadn't been able to enjoy.

"JARVIS?" The girl's voice echoes into the workshop she was in, the sound of satisfaction apparent. "I'd like to see Mr. Stark, I have something for him. Something I think he'll like. Is he free yet?" He'd been gone for a little while, and had returned - but locked in his lab for a while. Working on more and more, it seems.

Once the AI lets her know it's alright to do so, she'll take the elevator up - and marvel at the rather spacious and comfortable floor he works on. Of course, she's still wearing a suit - it's a business job, and Sally intends to impress as well as absorb the culture. It's also a uniform, in a way, the badge in her purse proof of that.

"Mr. Stark?" She glances around the room, looking at the various bits of technology and unfinished projects - some of them entirely unrecognizable as they are now, though she knows they have meaning for him somehow. A design in the mind, still unrealized in physical form. When bidden, she'll join him, looking over the prosthetic. "Your work, sir?" …Duh. "Is it for anything in particular, if I can ask?"

"Mmmmm," Stark did hear her come in of course. JARVIS told him that she wanted to see him. Which is why the AI let her come up. But he is at a delicate moment of building. Finishing several connections that come together at the base of the hand. He concentrates on that even as the questions come towards him.

"I figured that with everything going on some people I knew needed a little bit more int he way of proper protection, since Spoiler's batdad can't be bothered to give her proper armor. I don't know. Maybe he thinks concussions make people stronger. But I decided to make her some, can't use the Iron Man designs though. Not light or fast enough, so…I'm winging it."

He finishes the delicate work up before nodding once and flipping a swich. The gunmetal gray armature clamshells open to reveal the interior systems as it lies there.

Then he turns to look towards Sally. A thoughtful look. Then back at the arm. Then back to Sally.

"Huh. You're around right. Lemme barrow your arm for a second. Just put it right in there…" He gestures to the armor systems. "…and what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Sally's quiet, at least, when he's really concetrating - and waits quite patiently on an answer. Her time is all his. She nods, then frowns. "Spoiler…another Avenger? Or someone more independent? I am…pretty sure he is wrong, if that is the case. If you're hurt, you're hurt, right?" That makes sense to her…though, 'batdad.' The Bat of Gotham; she'd heard stories. A few, at least - even the engineering student can't help but notice a news channel now and then.

She watches the armor unfold, opening up and showing its sensitive systems. It's a jigsaw puzzle of the gods, and it's fantastically intricate despite being armored on levels tanks would appreciate. It just shows the gulf that separates them - the apprentice and the archmaster.

Maybe when she's his age she'll be at that level of skill…but probably not.

"Sir?" The request catches her by surprise, but she nods. "Yes sir. Uh, one moment." Her tablet gets set aside, along with the suit coat, and she slides her arm into place. "There…I think….hold on a moment…" A little fidgeting to get everything right - finger joints, elbow, it's all a bit stiff but with a bit of effort she slips in cleanly.

"Um…a few things, actually," she answers. Her free hand brushes an errant strand of hair from her face, as she marvels at how surprisingly comfortable the arm piece is. "I…there's a report from the hotel, the ah…the one you purchased the other day? For the refugees? They're settling in alright, and all on one floor. They've been ordering a lot of room service," she adds with a smirk. "And…I thought, perhaps I could help with them, a little bit."

Rusalka squirms slightly, trying to get a comfortable position with her arm in the suit. "I didn't get the chance to tell you at the time, since you were away, but I've made it official with SHIELD. I'm officially an agent, technical specialist now…I thought, perhaps having a couple of SHIELD medical personnel might help to check on them? The refugees, I mean, sir. Where are they from?"

"Alternate dimention earth thats been destroyed as far as I can tell," Tony replies as he lets the arm close up around Sally's and then starts to…well…fiddle with it. "And yeah, Spoiler is in the Avengers. New recruit or something or other. Or maybe Batman just didn't want her underfoot. I don't know, I just know if she's gonna get tanks thrown at her she needs something more than a cape and a domino mask."

A beatpause.

"People can't seriously think that makes them hard to figure out the idenity of do they? I mean its just a little scrap of…whatever. Not my problem, my problem is making sure this thing works without an ARC reactor powering it."

Which must be why most of the energy systems have been stripped out.

"But yeah, sure. Congradulations on the whole SHIELD thing, and I'm sure a few medics won't be too bad. I have to figure out to do about the portal itself, I mean can't just leave those things lying around." A smirk at that before he quirks an eyebrow. "So you'll be going out in the field too eh?"

Alternate earth?! Destroyed? Deep blue eyes go wide at the story, as she holds her place. The armor closes up and Tony begins adjusting it, and she tries to take in that idea. "Just…completely wiped out…and they're the only survivors? That's horrible…" She can't help the shudder of terror that passes through her, though she manages to keep her arm steady at least. It's a little difficult, the fine adjustments and the sensation of the armor closing is almost ticklish.

"That…well, I suppose that would be difficult to truly conceal someone, but maybe with other things…or perhaps people just don't see past the costume." She glances at Tony, her point made. He's more than just the hero Iron Man, and in her mind a different person. Many people see them as the same, but she knows the engineer much more than she does the hero.

She stammers a little as she continues, distracted a bit with the armor fitting. "I mean, ah…t-to say, that, you're…more than just a man in a suit. Taking in these refugees, for example. Or the philanthropic activities, the charities. You're more than just, ah…a warrior." Her mouth quirks as he tightens down one particular part. "A good man, I think."

Oops, Sally used a four letter word.

"No reactor? Then is it just to be regular armor, rather than something powered?" She flexes her fingers, feeling the metal plates slide and shift almost organically. "It feels good, there's practically no weight to it. Maybe…like wearing good leather gloves."

She grins at the congratulations, though. "I don't…know yet. I've been on a trip to D.C., to speak with Senator Wilson about funding. I think that's as far as it'll go for now." She laughs a little nervously. "Even Captain America said my shooting was…in a lot of need." Shrug. She isn't a fan of guns.

"Actually…what I wanted to discuss, if you have time? I've…somewhat untied the Knot. The trip to D.C., ah…" Now she's grinning, the enthusiasm almost palpable. "Agent Coulson drove us. In Lola. And…he's given me schematics on it. I understand the design better…and I think I have a solution to your reactor-powered car question now."

'A good man'

Tony just squints at the russian intern for a moment. "Either you're angling for a raise or you did something that I'm gonna be mad at later, because I have been described as a lot of things but 'good' usually isn't one of them." The mechanic replies with a smirk as he leans back.

"Right, crank your wrist back a bit and lets see how the deployment system works." He adds as he crosses his arm over his chest and fixes his eyes on the armored limb. "And of course its not just regular armor, who do you think I am. It just wan't have full flight capability and it won't be able to house an AI, the batteries in it should function for eight to ten hours though, and a charging system should get it back working again in an hour or two." A nod at the limb. "I'm going for more projectile weapons over energy to conserve power, that limb there should have a rifle that functions in effect like an ICER."

Which is what will deploy once she cranks her wrist back.

There is a quirked eyebrow at the last though. "See, told ya good ol' Agent Phil would forgive you. I'm pretty sure his first name is Agent. Go ahead though, lets hear these ideas."

There's a sputter of protest. "I am no- That- I would not try for a raise! Besides, this is an internship for college. I was told it was unpaid, so." Unless that's not the case, in which point she really needs to talk to someone at Columbia for not paying attention. "And well…you may not believe such things, but. You took in hundreds of people from…" Another universe. She'll need a minute to get used to that. "Somewhere else, and just waved your hand to keep them alive. At…some moderate cost, I'm sure."

How much do hotels go for these days anyway? Even Tony's billions can only stretch so far.

Though, she's still wondering. "You said a portal, ah…was how these people came from their world? What destroyed theirs? …and is there anything I may do to help?" She hadn't expected the last part of her words to slip out, but she realizes she can't just let it be. Even if she's just a junior agent, maybe there's something within her power.

"Yes sir." Bending her wrist back, she feels the metal plates slide again - this time something deploying with a barrel and a clear 'gun' shape. "It folds so flat. I didn't even see it, at first." She nods when he explains the power question. "It makes sense. It's clearly lighter than…" A nod gestures to the suits on the wall. "And it seems more flexible, so repulsors…well, there's no emitter in the palm, at least. So that is not an option. Actually?"

Arm still in the unit, she'll stretch one leg out and hook her foot around the chair she'd left her things on. "I have one with me, an officially-issued one. If it could help, I'm sure that having one to examine would not be frowned upon?" She won't /leave/ it with him, but he can look it over while she's there.

To his offer, there's a grin. "Well…Lola's powerplant is different from a standard reactor. Older design, but a little lower power. This," she adds, her free hand holding up the tablet and letting a small hologram float in midair, "is the design that your father used. I've made a few substitutions, but kept its core." She goes on into further technical details, highlighting power throughput, weight ratios, range estimates, and so on, before giving a proper summary.

"It would work somewhat like an electric car, where the reactor directly drives it as well as electrical booster motors doubling the horsepower. It would be a lot, but there's enough onboard power to take some of that and run a rudimentary AI system. It could be self-driving, if you went that route. Otherwise…"

The girl grins once more, this time almost hopefully dorky in expression. "It would make one hell of a race car, I think." Then her face turns more serious, as she draws a breath - and asks a question she's expecting to get turned down for. "If you permit it…I'd like to have the opportunity to build one myself, as a personal project. For my Master's Thesis that I'm building, that is."

"Mmmm. Unpaid. I love the idea of legal slavery. But don't worry, you get perks with it." Tony replies with a smirk as he glances out of the side of his eyes towards her. "But anyway, they didn't have anywhere else to do and I couldn't just let them stay in the tower. I mean I'm just SHIELD will yoink them eventually. Seems that something that they would do." The inventor nods as the weapon deploys from the lower arm though, seemingly satisifed.

"I'll be adding some non-lethal weapons to this suit, and some defensive systems to the other one I'm working on." He adds as he pushes back from the table, snagging her bag and handing it to her so she can fish out the ICER. "JARVIS scan that, and get her measurements while you're out it." The man calls as he spins once in his spinny chair.

And somehow. When he spins back around. He has a bag of walnuts. Who knows where he had those.

"I can fit her for the new suit too." He adds.

Blue light bathes the poor girl with her arm encased in power armor for a moment. "Done, sir. I can have the plans written up for the new unit within the hour."

"Thanks, buddy!" He calls cheerfully before rolling back over to the arm and the girl stranded in it. "Would be even faster than normal since you wouldn't need any kind of transmission. Could go from zero to really damn fast without pausing at all." He adds as he reaches out to touch a sequence of pannels on the arm that holds her so that it opens once again.

"Don't quite put in the full AI yet, but I think a onboard advanced computer copilot wouldn't be out of order. As for building it, get me plans and about how much the cost will be and I'll talk about it with Pepper."

Sally just gives him the stink-eye when he goes on about her unpaid nature. Hmpf! "I suppose," she eventually agrees, "the building cafeteria is nice. As are the tools," she adds, with a nod towards the tablet his company provided. "And the workshop, and the education, and and and. It adds up. Probably worth more than pay, and it isn't as if I am starving for it." The accent shifts a little as she admits her aristocratic status.

"I have not spoken of the situation to SHIELD yet, to be honest. I wanted to ask you more about it first, so I could judge." She works her fingers in the armature, feeling the way the armored suit responds. It's like a swiss watch, delicate and indestructible at the same time, and so precise it feels like a second skin.

She looks back up at him, blue eyes intent and serious. "If they are from a world that was destroyed…they will need help. They've lost a lot more than I can imagine. SHIELD…" She admits it, despite disliking it. "Is not a day-care, perhaps. They have a focus, and while they can help some…I am not sure it would be the best place. Unless you are sure." There's just something about it that concerns her; Sally can't put her finger on precisely what it is. Perhaps it's just that she's still trying to mentally digest the concept of surviving the loss of the entire world.

'JARVIS, scan that…'

She holds up the pistol, aimed downwards, where the AI can get a good look at it.

'and get her measurements while you're at it'

Wait what?

She's entirely pinned in by the arm system, as the blue light of the scan sweeps over her. It isn't as if she could just pull herself free, and she lacks the strength of a bodybuilder to simply rip the thing out of its frame. Besides, she respects the man's work too much and would not dare risk damaging the arm.

Confusion reigns, even as Tony looks everything over. "Da, yes, that is what I was thinking. I mean, for the car, that is, I…I will do so. I have much done for the Thesis, at least, but." Blink. Wait, did he just greenlight the program? The next step, anyway. "I cannot promise it will be inexpensive, but I will do my best. It will be safe though. And reliable." She has her pride as a designer, after all.

"There is some concept work, at least, on the tablet." Finally he frees her, and she rubs her wrist and hand a moment, just restoring a little blood flow - his words had been more than a bit of a surprise. "For a prototype, that is, I was originally going to build and race a car, as proof of applied learning. A replica, actually, a vintage Ferrari that raced at LeMans." She looks the armor suit over, now, getting a better look at it from the outside.

"I'd like the chance to hybridize it as well, if that's alright with you. As perhaps a proof-of-concept for the Knot, and well." She gives Tony a bit of a grin. "I know you enjoy high performance cars as well. I would be happy to share it, of course."

And then something he said earlier finally connects in her head. Mental static abounds. "Shto-wait wait. My measurements? New unit? Mr. Stark…?"

"Oh they already know, Peggy was there." Tony replies with a smirk as he sits back in the chiar. "She had a great plan, and it could have worked. If the guy wasn't a mind controller." A shrug at that. "There always has to be a wrench in the works doesn't there? I'm just glad my subsonic baffles worked as they were supposed too." He adds.

A glance towards Sally.

"They make everyone who I don't know sound like Charlie Brown's parents." A pause. "God I hope you get that reference or I'm gonna feel really old." Then a grin again as he rolls away once more.

This time to a bench across the way where other systems seem to be lying strewn out, not yet in a housing.

"I'll bring it up to the Avengers, but right now SHIELD kinda has it. Though I still have the portal. I think thats more of an Avenger's type thing."

He pauses though as he glances back towards her, popping a walnut in his mouth and crunching thoughtfully. "I have one of those." A pause. "The Ferrari. Not a replica. Used it when I took Emma out for dinner." A wicked grin again before he nods once. "So I can help with a bit of that, but the rest of it. Go for it. Hybridize the concept, though you'll have to put the gears back on it for the gas engine if thats what you use."

Then a blink again as her suprise gets the better of her and she trails off into questions.

A wave of his hand summons a set of holographic plans for a light-style suit like the arm he has. Fitted armor a small jet pack and yes…bunny ears…

This is her life now.

"This is the HOPPS. Highly Optimized Personal Protection Suit. Because I know you're going to get in trouble. It just happens when you're around me for too long, so I'm building something to make sure you survive it. It'll be a C&C style suit, info gathering and communicaions systems. Come with some spydrones or somesuch I havn't decided yet."

"Peggy…" Pause. "Carter? The woman who helped bandage your ribs, after the Perfume King visited?" You know, that time Tony told her about the god locked up in the basement and the King of Wakanda decided he didn't like that. Tony's right, she is going to have to get used to this. "I don't know who she is, to be honest. I'd only met her the one time. She is with…" Wait. That name is familiar. "She is related to the founder of the agency? A granddaughter?"

Or something.

Meanwhile, mind controllers and sonic baffles. She pauses a moment…then remembers. "Ah yes. The Christmas program, with the dog and the tree and the children. Yes? I saw it this past season, it was some holiday tradition. I liked it," she adds, trying to remember what the parents sounded like. And it isn't as if the Christmas is that old, it only dates (like Tony) to the 1960s.

She follows Tony back to his other supply of technical bits, looking them over - a power source, clearly, as well as other actuators and mechanical components. Half a limb here, a joint there. "This is all to go with the arm unit, then?"

Her eyes narrow, thinking a moment. "Ah. Ten-oh-eight, the lost chassis. Destroyed in the race and partially appropriated for other frames, but…it seemed noone knew where to find the rest of it. Not even Ferrari; I asked them when I was researching. I should have known. You rebuilt it yourself?" The wicked grin gets a deeply interested expression in reply, and a nod. "I was going to use the V12, yes. A race car should sound like a car…even if it is a hybrid. The extra power will be useful, anyway, especially at high output. Save the bottom end and acceleration for the reactor…"

Headshake. Don't get lost now.

She takes it all in. The hologram, the body scan, his words. Trouble? Survive it? Her legs seemingly turn to water, and after a moment she falls to her knees on the workshop floor, standing up halfway. The accent in her voice thickens, but hse manages not to quite lose her cool and drop into bad Ukrainian. "This…this is all a prank, yes? That…you would not build such a thing, this is…for your friend Spoiler, the Avenger." That has to be it, right? She looks straight across from him, sitting practically Japanese-style on the floor simply because she can't believe her own balance right now. "This is not serious! …You are serious. My god."

Her eyes stare at him, but they're only partially registering. "This is what I get for getting you shot by Agent Coulson, is it." The rest of her expression is a hilarious mix of warning lights. TILT, CHECK ENGINE, EJECT, and so on. Her cheeks manage a nice burn, a shade of red that goes well against Tony's own armored suits.

"JARVIS, what time is it?"

"Eight thirty four, Miss Potts." Pepper arches her back and stretches her arms up and behind her, having just finished her tasks for the day.

"Is Tony in his workshop?"

"He is, Miss Potts."

"Let me guess. He hasn't eaten a proper meal in at least six hours." She stands and reaches under her desk for her shoes, padding over to her private washroom and leaving the heels there before returning with a pair of simple flats. "Can you order something in for us please, JARVIS?"

FRIDAY breaks in at this point. "Miss Potts, I have already taken the liberty of ordering for Mr. Stark and Miss Stojespal. The food should be arriving any moment."

Pepper stops, actually a bit surprised. "Oh. Thank you, Friday. Please let me know when the food is on its way up." Hearing that Sally is there as well, she moves to fix some tea, using one of her more thoroughly-seasoned teapots and pulling down a good-sized thermos.

It's almost perfect timing. The food delivery person has just stepped into the lobby downstairs.

"Miss Potts? You may wish to hurry. I believe Miss Stojespal is having a…moment." JARIVS replies slowly into Pepper's earpiece. "He has just suprised her with something and I believe she…" A pause. "…well she has not passed out so I consider that to be a positive sign."

MEANWHILE!! UPSTAIRS!!

"Of course I did. No fun to rebuild something if you don't do it with your hands." The man replies as he leans his spinny chair back against the table and takes in the sight of one russian noblewoman having…well…as JARVIS said.

A Moment.

"This is totally what you get for getting me shot by Agent Agent Phil," The mechanic replies with a wicked grin. "Agent being of course his actual first name. But yes, its not a prank. The one I'm making for Spoiler is more…ninjay…ninja-like…look she's like a ninja so its for a ninja." The man adds as he looks towards the plans. "This one is like I said, more information gathering and defensive. Since you just said it yourself. You don't like guns."

A beatpause. A quirked eyebrow.

"Don't worry. The ears can lay flat." A smirk at that. "They are full of all the sensors and com equipment. You should be able to cordinate a dozen people over a setup of a half-square mile if needed. Hopefully it won't be needed, but you'll have it."

It's a weary one-eyed woman that drags herself through the doorway.

Almost every spare moment of Isa Reichert's time has been spent puzzling apart the sinister aircraft of Icarus Dynamics. Her dedication to the task borders on obsession; working to the exclusion of all else, and forgetting to eat or sleep unless gently prodded.

It's after one of these workadays aboard the Bus that the weary pilot has brought her findings to present to Stark himself, to submit for his and Stojespal's inspection and incorporation. SIRIN has gone through a lot of changes, and there will be a lot more yet until the aircraft is completed.

"Oh—sorry."

"Chto—" What? Isa turns, blinking owlishly, at the deliveryman she just bumped into. "Sorry," she corrects herself in English, nodding at the man in subdued manner.

She's wearing a bomber jacket, but it's not the plain one she'd been sporting, but the one that had belonged to her supposedly late husband; bearing its smattering of active Air Force service patches. It's about three sizes too big for her but she wears it anyway, hands tucked into her pockets. Under that is a white shirt tucked into blue jeans; her combat boots clunk their way across the lobby floor. Her single eye is dull and droops slightly. There's a leather messenger bag over her shoulder, and the corners of a sheaf of papers peek from it.

Part of her strategy is to work herself numb, because her husband is here in New York City and she isn't allowed to see him yet. She understands why, logically, but her heart is a dozen different other emotions. She is angry, frustrated, saddened by the forced separation; she is nervous, scared for her husband, and maybe a little scared for herself, too.

She can't go home. She'll just obsess, and she's already sick with worry.

So she pays the deliveryman (they can thank her later), takes the bags from him, and turns for the elevator. She's moving a bit better, without needing the use of her cane. She doesn't even limp any more, though she moves slowly, stiffly, as though her body were expressing its resentment over so much traumatic injury.

Maybe she's just tired.

Isa Reichert steps into the elevator, pauses, exhales softly through her nose.

"<I'm going to guess that this was supposed to be delivered to Tony Stark. Will you take me there? I may as well bring his food.>" Whoops, that was all spoken in Russian. Isa sighs and switches back to English, holding up the bag. "Was meant for Tony Stark, da? Will you take me? May as well deliver this too."

Tea. Tea would be highly conducive to repairing her mental state, and when Pepper appears with it she will gladly accept. Dinner as well, of course. In the meantime? She's still half-sitting on the floor of the lab, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. No, she hasn't passed out, but when she gets the bill for this lunatic idea she will then.

A cup of Russian Caravan would go over extremely well right now.

"I…agree there. To building with your hands, that's why…ah. Isa has seen it, in its current shape…but it's a very long way from being complete." Think about the car, think about the car. "I've been fabricating what I could, but by myself it is slow going. More like a puzzle, where I am only putting the earliest parts together."

Shudder, sigh. "I am going to be paying that moment off forever. Hah…I do not know. Perhaps Agent, sometimes. It's…U svyatomu imeni Boha i chudovomu khvost samoyi Khoro," she finally settles on, going for a mild recursive blasphemy. Something mumbled about the holy name of God and a local pagan spirit's tail. Forgive me, both of you. She looks up at Tony, nodding slowly and listening to his explanation of the design.

"I…I see." How dramatic a reply, the shocked Sokovian thinks. In her defense, she'd just had Santa Claus give her his entire sleigh. She's thankful, just…not quite running on all cylinders yet.

Meanwhile, visitors appear. They'll find an engineer at the height of his grand gestures and giving nature, and an apprentice barely keeping upright - and her eyes filling with moisture, leaking down across her cheeks. Maybe the distraction will help…or maybe it'll just continue to pile on the embarrassment as her other boss and a very close friend get to watch her sob on Tony's floor.

When FRIDAY tells Pepper that the food is en route to Tony's workshop, she thanks the AI then deftly fills the thermos with the tea (and yes, it's the Russian Caravan) before plucking two of her teacups from the credenza and heading toward the elevators.

She's shifting the thermos in her hands when the elevator opens for her to step in and she does so before blinking in pleased surprise. "Ms. Reichert, hello." Oh, and bags of food. "Are you bringing Tony's dinner up? Thank you so much." The elevator makes the journey seem instantaneous.

"You realise this is gonna be a battery powered suit and not a full ARC reactor one right? It'll be a light suit, but a suit. Because…" Here Tony waves a hand. "…reasons. Mostly having to do with making sure you arn't slammed in the face with an errant thrown tank. And because I like to build things."

Mostly because he likes to build things.

And as Tony is saying this, and Sally is sitting stunned on the floor thats about when the elevator rings.

"And that'll be Pepper and Isa with dinner!" He calls out cherrfully, because warning Sally wouldn't be nearly as fun.

"Also rapier, saber, epee? Give me a fencing weapon." He adds as he grabs the holoplans and starts adding to them at lightning speed.

"That is you right Pepper and not someone here to kill me!" A pause. "Not that you don't /want/ to kill me sometimes…"

Isa stares in bleary-eyed unrecognition as Pepper steps into the elevator. It takes her a second or two before she recognises her, finally dippinig her chin in respectful gesture. "Ms. Potts. But, please. My name is Raisa Ivanovna Yakovleva." She cracks an exhausted smile. "'Isa Reichert' is no more than a nom-de-guerre, one I can now cast off."

"Da. I ran into deliveryman, down in lobby." She hefts the bags a little. "Figure Tony Stark hasn't eaten. Is not good at remembering to."

Pot. Kettle.

They disembark from the elevator, and the sight that greets her is one that draws another blank stare of bland disbelief.

"Tony Stark," Isa states, single eye sliding with slow deliberation over to the inventor, "what did you do to my Sally Petrovna…?"

Tony, proud as a new father, spins the holoplans around and enlarges them to show Isa.

"This!" He calls out. As the plans for a much lighter suit of power armor, much more manuverable but not nearly the armor or weapon strength of an Iron Man suit is revealed.

This suit, sleak, feminine, and without the typical ARC reactor, also seems to have a good foot tall rabbit ears attached to the helment.

"I call it the HOPPS."

Isa takes a slow step back from the holoplans, squinting blearily to try and focus on the stuff that takes shape in front of her. Her eye darts between plans as she does, frowning thoughtfully as she slowly connects the dots on this thing's significance.

The redhead gives a low, appreciative whistle.

At least, until she gets to the bunny ears.

That just earns a snicker.

"How…" Swallow. "How do I return this…" This favor. This boon. This exceptional gift that costs more than every automobile Sally has seen in her life added up. "Even the family estates would not…" She shakes her head in disbelief for a moment, currently simply trying to get her mental passport back from the land of Literally Can't Even.

She's still half on autopilot when he asks her the question, and she mumbles out 'Rapier' before realizing just what it was he'd asked. And before she realizes what it was he'd said before that. "What?!"

Oh look, she has an audience. And as Tony answers for her, the girl can only struggle back to her feet, standing properly - glad for her shoes and the inch-high heels, nothing at all giving her a challenge of balance. There's a long deep breath as she regains her mental composure, and a few hard blinks - and a rubbed cheek - as she does the same for her face. Okay.

"Ms. Potts, aunt Raisa. I had no idea of this. Any of it at all, really." Innocence shines upon her like a halo, or at least it would if she were outside. And then her redheaded friend starts to laugh. There is a cold, hard stare, at least as hard as one she can maintain.

"Not you too. I am surrounded and besieged on all … is that dinner?" There's a faint snarl, the sound of a certain stomach that might have gone unfilled for too long. "I…Is that for all of us?" She's hopeful, because right now she's not sure she'd make it to the cafeteria. Not without some weird combination of crying, laughing, and screaming - or jumping up and down in circles, for that matter.

Hey, she's still a kid.

Stepping in after Isa, her eyes take in the plans, but most of it beyond the aesthetics goes over her head. And maybe that's a good thing. Because she sees Sally sitting on the floor and promptly heads over to her. "Okay, I think it's time for everyone to take a break and eat. Yes, Ms. Yakovleva, you too." She didn't miss how exhausted the Russian woman looks.

Reaching to help Sally to her feet, she offers as a possible incentive, "I've brought tea." Though, clearly, not enough cups. Come on now, everyone pull up a spot at that mostly clear table over there, because it's the closest to being food-safe.

The pilot blinks somewhat owlishly. It takes her a second to recognise the sound of her own name. Addressing her politely in Russian would be a little different, using Raisa Ivanovna instead of Ms. Yakovleva, or more properly Mrs. Makarov; she'd never bothered to have her last name changed.

Is there enough food for Isa to eat here too? Probably. She never seems to eat much even on the best of days, and she's been so cripplingly tired lately that her appetite's been suffering a bit for it.

Her appetite tends to suffer a lot if people don't remind her to eat.

Shockingly, the Russian woman doesn't argue the hospitality. She merely inclines her head with an exhausted smile, silent gratitude; and she'll join them for her much-belated dinner. Since she already has Tony and Sally in the same room, she'll also share the last revisions she's made of the Tchernobog. She's all set to indulge in highly technical engineering well into the wee hours of the morning…

…or until Pepper kicks everyone out to go sleep, anyway.

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