2013-01-14 - Learning New Tricks

Over a week of research, and Stark separates his time between investigating the theft of the power generator and working on the new Iron Man armor that he dropped about half way through when Sawyer was killed. He had some improvements he wanted to do on it after his run-in with Kensington Young and her electrical powers, as well as actually getting the technology to work.

Right now, the screens are lit before Stark revealing programming language, nano-technology design, and the mixture of alloys all on different screens. Music is blaring over the speakers, pounding like Thor's hammer in a temper tantrum! Pepper may swear she could hear it outside the secured front door of his Avengers Lab! He manged to get his last update reported turned in late, but has missed this one of course...because he stopped working on the clean energy project to work on an Iron Man project. Sure, he can multi-task, but to be honest, the Iron Man project involves multi-tasking.

Jarvis has reported that he is eating regularly and taking care of himself however. And right now, Stark is wearing a pair of splattered jeans with some sort of alloy mixture on it, and a white wife beater that has seen better days. He is barefoot, which is a little insane to be in his lab, but hey...Stark does insane things.

Pepper Potts comes down to the lab to see what's going on with Tony. She calls out to him, but her voice is drowned out by the loud music. Again. Still no competition to the blaring of the speakers, Maybe a little sound of her voice? She walks right up to him and says, "TONY?"

Stark must have auto-bots running on the screens as they are working through the systems at a rapid pace, but he is not moving beyond tapping a heeling in irratation or thoughtfulness. Excessive energy he always called it. He one arm crossed over his chest, holding the elbow of his other arm, while his chin rests against his fingers while the curve of his pointer finger brushes over his beard over and over again, staring blankly.

That perhaps makes it all the worse when Pepper sneaks up behind him!

Stark lets out a sound of alarm! "What the...!" He jumps up almost three feet from his stool which sends it flying and crashing, everything on the computer screens stop moving, and Stark spins to stare with wild eyes at Pepper. "Don't /do/ that Pepper!"

Pepper Potts gahs and jumps back almost falling on her butt in the process when Tony jumps. "I'M SORRY! THE MUSIC'S REALLY LOUD! COULD YOU TURN IT DOWN?" She looks around, asking at the top of her voice, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING ANYWAY?" She looks at the screens trying to discern what the heck he's making.

Stark stares, blinks, then realizes what is going on and says, "System, turn music down to Pepper's appreciation level." See, he remembered he had a voice activated system installed this time! "Sorry," he says, sounding a bit sheepishly. He looks at the unmoving screens now, then back at Pepper. "A new Iron Man suit, a liquid smart-armor. Basically, it is held together by magnetism, and can form a harder substance than my other armor. I can still integrate repuslor and other technology into it easily. I'm just working on the part where it goes from liquid to auto-forms so that it auto-forms with the arc reactor and basic repulsor and force field tech, and adding some color."

"Want to see?" Stark tries to sound school-boy happy like he used to, but his heart is only half into it...

Pepper Potts starts with "YES I WAS JUST -" then pauses, and starts talking at a normal level once the music isn't deafening. "Liquid metal? Didn't they have a movie about that?" She peers at the screen. Most of it's way over her head, of course. So she won't even ask how any of it would work. "How would - oh yes, I'd like to see." She pauses then asks, "It's not going to ... you know ... blow up or anything right? I shouldn't get behind a blast shield?"

"It's complete safe!" A pause at that, "For you," Stark amends. He then pads barefoot over toward one of the work tables which as some high tech machinery by it for blending alloys. "Here, watch this." And he sticks his hand in some liquid metal looking stuff, and it starts to adhere to his hand, then climbs up his forearm clinging to him!

Stark pulls his hand out, to reveal how it continues to climb up his limb almost to his shoulder before stopping. "See?" He then grins. "I'm still working on how it handles a lot of the basic interfacing system, sensors, camera, on-board computer, things like that. What I can do with the nano-technology is /amazing/! I was concerned about experimenting with it before to this level...but the varying powers and new alien races that have come to our world, let alone the continued development of mutants demands the need for progress."

Stark's smile slips away a bit and he shakes his head. "Anyway, watch this." He walks over to a panel of metal that is being held by a machine. He makes a fist and punches at it! It actually indents the metal! "The stuff is really strong. What do you think?" Stark then looks over at Pepper, almost seem to search for approval.

Pepper Potts smiles. "It's ... amazing actually. Especially if it's not going to like... become self aware like in that movie." She thinks. "When do you think you'll have it finished by? It's nice to see you back doing this sort of thing."

"Ooooh, I get it now! Terminator! Goodness no. The A.I. is so very basic, I didn't even bother naming it," Stark advises. "Soon, I hope." He nods at Pepper's words. "I am getting the Extremis Armor rebuilt as a back-up, but it's out-of-date. Goodness, been using it about a year now?" Well, that's the first time Pepper likely heard the name of his current armor. "And it isn't going to survive battle with Kensington Young if I have to go toe-to-toe with her." He shakes his arm, and eyes the stuff on it, as if trying to figure out how to remove it.

"It may be a few more days though before it is completed, so I'll likely use my Silver Centurian Armor in the meantime." He shakes his arm again rapidly and then makes a low growling sound from the back of his throat. He's commanding it to come off, but it doesn't want to. He starts to walk back to the computer to tap a few things out to pull the programming back up. "Needless to say, I need to fix some bugs. I haven't even started on the mobile armory I want to build," and he points to the center table where a 3-D holographic image is brought up about the mobile armory. "It makes it easier to convert one suit for many purposes, rather than creating many different types of suits."

Pepper Potts quirks an eyebrow. "Battling Kensington Young?" She watches as he shakes his arm. "Do you... er... do you know how to take it off?" she asks tentatively as she reaches to touch it to see how it feels on his arm, curiously. "Given the number of suits you go through though, it's good to have backups but yeah... I can see what you mean." She then asks again, "Seriously though, do you have any idea how to take it off?"

Stark pauses in his moments when Pepper reaches out to touch the stuff on his arm. It feels cold to the touch, smooth, hard, and flawless. And it was only liquid a few moments ago. He is smiling lopsidedly at you, almost boyishly. "I thought I did?" This must have been what he meant by safe for Pepper at least. He then grins a little wider, "I'll figure it out, I know I have some bugs to work out. It's why it will take me a few more days."

Yet, he pauses in his work to stand up straight. "I got distracted with my own projects, sorry about that. Did you come down here for something Pepper?" Now that's unusual, Stark actually remembering that Pepper might have things more important to do than indulge in his egotism.

Pepper Potts shakes her head a little. "Nothing that important. Jarvis just said you were in the lab and I wanted to check up on you to see how you're doing. Everything's going just fine at Stark - completing that deal in Kazistan and the ocean floor geothermal reactor in the Pacific. And looking at some prospective deals with other companies ... joint ventures. Had a phonecall with Chloe Sullivan about... political stuff." She smiles though, the fact that Tony even bothered to ask. Then asks again, "So.... battling Kensington Young?"

"What was the political stuff? Sorry, kinda dumped that on your lap when I made the inital agreement of funding and sponsorship." Stark then leans against the console, fonding his arms over his chest, the silvery liquid metal stuff still stuck to him. "And that depends on the investigation, to if I need to battle her." He is quiet a moment, before he says, "A security guard is dead because of her actions Pepper. I can't just forget that," his voice a bit tense. "But then I remember that incident with Captain America and HYDRA mind control and...," he shakes his head. He never told anyone how Rogers actually told Viper he was really Iron Man, he hasn't told a living soul knowing that Rogers would be horrified at the guilt of that. He runs metal covered fingers through his hair. "I don't know. I'm just...still angry a lot. It feels like I have no place to really put all that frustration and...all the negativity. I just keep thinking in my head over and over again, I should have designed better security systems, then my people wouldn't have had to die."

Pepper Potts shakes her head. "Just assuring them that the funding pledge from Stark would be continuing, some charity functions. Nothing extravagant." She listens to Tony. "Tony, stop blaming yourself. You're brilliant, but you can't see the future. You can only learn from it and prepare for it next time, which is exactly what you're doing now."

Stark looks far from satisifed. "I need people that really know security systems on the job, how to bypass them, to test them to their limits." He is stubborn about things like this, and far less forgiving on himself. His arms uncross however, "Damn, I hope Ross wins, or at least that democrat, what was his name again?" Even the election has Stark stressed out sadly. His eyes move to look back at Pepper. "You know, I miss seeing you practically everyday." Out of no-where again. But there is a slight smile there.

Pepper Potts grins. "Well you know where I am. Plus you still own the place." She leans against the table. "Any prospects of who you need for that sort of job? Anyone in the Avengers maybe? Or from Xavier's? Or maybe Rhodey knows someone?" She thinks. "Maybe someone from that Justice League thing, if you trust any of them enough?"

"Well, I thought about just asking the Waller chick," oh my f'ing gawd, did he just call Amanda Waller 'chick'?!, "And use the Thunderbolts if possible, for national security and all to test it out. Then I researched the members, realized the sheer amount of property damage and the costs of having them do it, and decided I better trust you to make that decision." He hrms, "Isn't Gambit with the X-Men said to be a thief? I'm not sure if that is a 'has been' or 'currently is' though, now that I think about it."

Pepper Potts rubs her bridge of her nose. "The one who calls people chere all the time? Yeah, I believe he is a thief." With a penchant for womanizing and full of himself. Something epper has in the past been familiar with :). "I can call Xavier's to see if they can help with this security issue if you want."

"If you think that is best." Stark then leans down to kiss Pepper on the forehead. "Who knew you ever had to suffer someone call you chere," he teases you. "I better get back to work otherwise I'm going to bed with this on my arm. And liquid smart-metal or not, it isn't exactly sleep comfortable." He smiles a little lopsidedly once more. "We really should do dinner soon though, we don't get much time to just 'talk' anymore. Or is that me talk your ears off?" His tone is lightly teasing.

Pepper Potts smiles as she's kissed on the forehead. "I'd like that. You figure out how to get your .... er... painted gauntlet off, and I'll work on that." She then turns about and heads out of the lab.