2013-12-04 - The Job Interview

Pepper Potts finished her run around the executive track upstairs with some of the VPs. Usually she's tired afterwards, but since the Extremis Serum.... she found it really hard to get tired. "Never going to get used to this..." she says to herself as she heads to her desk and pushes on the intercom. "Laura, is my 10:30 here yet?"

The intercom voice of Pepper's assistant - yes, PEPPER POTTS, former assitant extraordinaire, has an assistant now - says "Yes, Miss Potts. And he's cute!"

Pepper rubs the bridge of her nose. "That's nice Laura, can you let him-"

Laura says on the intercom, "realy really cute! Do you think you could put in a good wor-"

Pepper's turn to interrupt. "Laura..... work. Not a dating market." She sighs a bit. Like she's one to talk. She presses the intercom button. "Let him in, Laura. Thanks."

She sits down at her desk as the door is buzzed to let Simon Williams come into Pepper Pott's office. She can see the new assistant, Laura, taking a peek at Simon as he walks in. Pepper groans to herself a bit.

Simon Williams was reading a magazine (they still have those?) before he was calle din. He set it aside, gave Laura a winning smile as he strode past. His sunglasses were pressed over his eyes, hiding the unusual nature of them.

Running his fingers through his hair, he stepped into Ms. Pott's office, and stood straight. "Hello, Ms. Potts. Ah, I'm Simon Williams," he said, unsure whether he should approach and shake her hand, or take a seat.

Pepper Potts looks at Simon's dossier on the panel in her desk a bit as Simon comes in. She actually already read and memorized it, but it's good to just have it handy. She smiles, waiting for a few seconds. He's probably new to this job interview stuff, given his background. Avengers have different job interviews than the corporate world. She gets up offers her hand, and comments. "You can't possibly be nervous about a job interview, right?" with a smile.

That's when Simon gave a nervous, but boisterous laugh, approached, and gave her a surprisingly gentle handshake. "Of course I am," he said. "I was a college graduate, a CEO, and then a super villain-turned hero. Now I'm just a hero again, but unemployed. I want to contribute," he said, still with that smile on. "I hope you don't mind the glasses. I think it'd be unnerving if I took them off."

Pepper Potts smiles. "Trust me... I've seen a lot, you can take them off for me if you'd like." She peers at the dossier, then sits down. "So...." she folds her hands on the desk. "Tell me about yourself, Mr. Williams?"

Pepper Potts mentions. "Sit down, sit down." with a smile.

Simon Williams lifted a hand and slid his glasses away, simply to be polite. He folded them and put them in a pocket. When he opened his eyes, they had no whites, no irises, no pupils - they were a solid red color, and glowed faintly. "Well, I got my PhD, graduating magna cum laude at Rutgers University, studying electrical engineering and mechanics," he said, taking a seat at her direction. "I suppose I'll get to brass tacks. I'm a devoted worker, I'd like to put my skills in science to use, and I don't have to eat or sleep, so if you put me on a salary I can work day and night, no problem." He laughed again. "Unless I get pulled away to do Avengers stuff, of course. I know that's a risk, but why flower things up for you, Ms. Pott? I'm just a guy who has a duty, but doesn't yet have a job to do."

Pepper Potts, to her credit, doesnt bat an eye at the unusual eyes. Then again, she's been around a lot of the Avengers becaues of Tony's dealings, not to mention how it felt like she got kidnapped or was in danger of her life every other Tuesday. At some point, you take things in stride. Mostly. She smiles. "Well, I can understand the whole 'Avengers' deal, and I think considering your skillset, I can definitely work with that still. I do notice that you didnt exactly say what type of job you were looking for though. You have both management experience and impressive skill in electrical engineering. Definitely could use someone like you in the Stark Aerospace R&D Department, if that's something you'd be interested in? What sort of position were you looking for though?

"Research and Development is perfect. I'm happy to start out small, and work my way up to a management position, as appropriate." His smile simply broadened. "Studying energy, engineering, and applying it, that's what I want to do. Management or bottom of the ladder, I'm good. And if you need any help with other things, heavy lifting or space construction, that sort of thing, I'm good there, too," he said.

Pepper Potts smiles. "Always a helpful little perk. I hear Reed Richards uses Ben Grimm for that sort of thing when doing his experiments in high energy output research too." She pauses. "So you'll be put on salary, and your contract will have leeway for your Avengers membership as well. We do have a few projects that Dr. Markenson - he's the one who runs the Aerospace R&D section - is working on, and I think he could really benefit from someone like you working on his projects. Also does involve some spaceflight and ... well... definitely better than having to have a lot of spaceflights if we have a genius able to work directly on the satellite relays. He'll fill you in on the details though."

Pepper peers at Simon, "With him, wearing the sunglasses is probably good though. He's... easily startled. Brilliant. But easily startled."

"As long as he doesn't take offense. I wonder if the sunglasses can be put in the contract?" he joked a little. "But thank you, Ms. Potts. I'm sure we'll work out the details and stuff?" He was excited, and it was hard to contain. A job working for the R&D department of Stark Enterprises? Working in space for science, and not punching things? This is so awesome!

Pepper Potts nods sagely. "You can get your punch on in the Avengers, and your science on here." She pauses. "And.... actually probably IS a good idea to put the sunglasses in your contract." She does something on her desk with her finger to make an annotation. Since she knows that Dr. Markenson can be ... persnicketty ... about stuff that's not clearly delinneated. If he wasnt a leader in his field...

Pepper smiles. "Anyway, I'll have my assistant send a contract for you to look over and sign. Welcome to Stark Enterprises, Simon."

Simon stood up, positively beaming. He reached out a hand to shake Pepper's once more. "I look forward to working under your leadership, and Dr. Markenson's, Ms. Potts." At least he tried to be professional, even though he was blunt a few times, earlier.

Pepper Potts smiles and shakes his hand again. "Laura will get your security access for tomorrow when you come in." Well, that makes... how many heroes who also work on their non-heroing hours for Stark Enterprises? Not including the founder, of course.

Nodding, Simon pulled out his glasses to put them on once more. "Thank you once again, Ms. Potts. I really am looking forward to this!" With that, he turned about to head out, perhaps a little skip in his step!