8155/Sentinels: But, Vision...

From United Heroes MUSH
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Sentinels: But, Vision...
Date of Scene: 03 July 2019
Location: Unknown
Synopsis: Pepper braves Pym's lab to ask for a favor.
Cast of Characters: Ant-Man (Pym), Pepper Potts
Tinyplot: Sentinels


Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
    The mobile lab in the back yard is fancy enough to be surprising. A 'mobile lab' usually brings up thoughts of a quick shed thrown together, or perhaps one on wheels, or even a mobile home style.

    This is actually a full building, that took over the entire south lawn, with reinforced metal flooring, as if it were constructed on the spot. The thing is very high tech looking, and while it does have a mass of cables that run to the mansion, it seems to be primarily a standalone structure. The doors are marked with a variety of danger symbols and warnings, and there appear to be no windows. It is just one story, but the ceiling is high, and the front has a handful of stairs, due to the thick base the lab rests on. It looks something like a building something like SHIELD would set up in a facility. 'Mobile' just isn't really the word for what it looks like. It's a PYM version of mobile.

Pepper Potts has posed:
    Pepper has her very best DIPLOMAT face on. Gentle smile, her suit that of a suble, non-offensive blue meant to calm by the color alone with slightly feminine flourishes which are meant to put men off the defensive in the board room. She looks like the sweet faced, strawberry blonde, home town secretary every billionaire dreams of having. It's a far cry from the power suits she wears during business conferences and the like. She's even traded out for some white blocky wedge sandals instead of her spikey Prada heels.

She's got a purse instead of a business case, but there's still several data drives in there just in case she convinces the man to give up the information. She delicately approaches the mobile lab, slightly wincing against the bightness of the sun. The structure is impressive for being mobile. She's not even certain he'll hear her if she knocks. But she has to try... "...Dr. Pym...?"

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
A camera on the exterior of the lab's front moves just a hair: the little recessed black eye at the door tracks the visitor. After a moment, the lab door makes some clunking noises as it very clearly unlocks, granting access.

The inside of the mobile lab is a trove of tech insanity, but it isn't strewn everywhere: No, there are rolling racks of things, and just about everything is in an exact place and order. There's labels. This is a lab for somebody with OCD. It's clean and immaculate, aside from the current project area, which is clearly under use, and some heavy looking machines, bigger than cement mixers, that are humming and grinding away on the immediate right. There are a few rolling chairs, and some long tables with various hookups on ceiling and recessed in the tables for test work, but furniture isn't really the feature of this place; this is a work area, and is mostly composed of computers. The air is cold, from the systems blasting cool air on the server hub zone in the back left.

Hank Pym is present, seated a few yards away. Pepper hasn't seen him in possibly years, but it doesn't take a memory to compare to to recognize that he looks very ill: recovering from an episode that weakened him greatly physically. He's still very underweight. Another stubborn man that left the infirmary too soon.

Hank moves his legs to pull his roller-chair to where he can see her better. He's in a clean labcoat, casual button-up and slacks otherwise. The scientist takes in her appearance in his analytical, sharp way.

"Ms. Potts," he grants, polite but with an edge of being skeptical. "To what do I owe this 'pleasant' surprise?" Somehow, Hank makes 'pleasant' sound neutral instead of positive: like someone forced to be pleasant despite being annoyed with an interruption. "A message that can't wait?" A chuckle follows the perceptive guess. It isn't directly antagonizing, but there's a distinct lack of welcome mat.

Pepper Potts has posed:
A breath of relief crosses her lips as he opens the door for her. She thought she might have to have an argument through a speaker system, if she got the chance to have it at all. She slips into the cool, technology filled room quietly, not daring to make that high heel clip-clop that often marks a power step. No, she's doing her very best to be as unthreatening and unassuming as possible. Once inside, she gives him a smile which is a mix of gentle professionalism and concern, especially as she sees how thin he is still. "Thank you for seeing me, Dr. Pym. I know you're busy..." SHe's used that line so many times. It still sounds earnest.

"...Well...first, I suspect you haven't eaten a thing, so..." She reaches into her bag and pulls out a real, proper, New York bagel with cream cheese and lox, though there is also a croissent if he doesn't like lox. "I...wasn't sure how you took your coffee, but I know when crunch time comes, food is usually forgotten. So... here." She doesn't even mention it as a peace offering. Let him control the territory and the conversation.

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
There's some real reasons why Dr. Pym has the reputation he does, and she doesn't have to wait to get more than one. "You don't need to bring bribes. Maybe Stark works well off bribery, but I don't have a use for dancing around an issue. So, I can't imagine Stark sent you to me, so I'm guessing this is something for you?" Hank asks, adjusting his position in his chair some, turned towards her, one arm resting on the table near him. His tone is clear and tactless, but direct. Some find him harsh.

"I hope you'll forgive my lack of small talk. I'm busy, as you accurately observed," Hank continues, as if he heard himself, and adjusted a little. Even so, he doesn't sound all that worried about if she forgives him or not.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Oh. Well...that works easier then. Still, eat. Eventually." She leaves the bag, the same things she used to do for Tony back in the day in some vain hope that he'd eat later. But then she squares off her shoulders and starts simply, "It's... a bit of both. I'm hoping you'll be willing to give me the original code you built Vision from. Tony is working nearly 24/7 trying to get Vision back but... if he had the original frame work, he'd be able to make so much more progress. I know you won't work WITH him, but you're both doing this for someone you care about, so... Why not give him a fighting chance? Not for me, or for him, but for Vision." Pepper sighs, "He told me not to come. This isn't him. It's me. But...I had to try."

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
Dr. Pym allows the chair to lean back a little, and pulls in his hand, to rest the elbow on the armrest of the chair, two fingers touching his cheek near the square jaw. He has a patience, but it often comes off as an arrogant posture towards a student in his office. Pym never restrains the vibe of superiority, though he doesn't throw it at anyone, either.

"If Vision is improperly restored, we could be dealing with a second Ultron," Hank says, tone serious, as if supplying information he suspects she has not considered. It isn't quite lecturing, he's being his version of helpful. "Obviously that isn't what I'd like." He looks up, towards the ceiling, as if considering her request.

"Simply handing out my research to those that haven't /earned/ it isn't safe either. They lack the respect for the dangers."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"...If anyone has respect for the dangerous of what a second Ultron, or worst, could do... It's Tony Stark. And if you prefer, I will get a promise from him to destroy all the files as soon as Vision is functional again. All the skeleton work, at least. Clearly not Vision himself. I'll even sign an NDA here and now that it's just for the project of Vision... but... He was our friend. IS our friend. This... this fight is keeping a friend dead. It's not worth it. Give Tony a chance." Pepper states flatly, her pale eyes dead serious and honest. If Pym didn't want to beat around the bush, she wouldn't either. But she also doesn't have her bossy tone on. Simple person to person, hopeful, and slightly scared. Worried they won't be able to get Vision back at all.

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
Dr. Hank Pym is a lot of things. A frustrating asshole being one of them. But he's also a hero in his own right, and her appeal is for saving Vision. He grumbles at her a little bit, and uses a hand on the table to force his chair to roll backwards down the row, instead of getting up. It doesn't quite hide that he doesn't have much energy for standing. He has a metal box down at the end of the opposite workbench. He picks it up and then uses his feet to pull his chair back towards her, setting the box on the empty table, and then gives it a push to slide it her way. It's about the size of a shoebox.

Hank then sort of flaps a hand at her in a 'shoo' motion, expression dismayed, and starts to turn back to his work. "I expect follow-through on those promises," he says, without looking at her. "And an apology." Not from her, of course.

Pepper Potts has posed:
After all these years of having to fight, cajole, convince, and more with Tony, just having someone she lays it out flat to and she gets what she wanted? It's strange. Maybe she's just gotten that good at reading people in business, or maybe the men aren't that bad either of them, just really hate each other. Either way, Pepper releases a breath of relief and steps forward, accepting the large box and tucking it beneath her arm as carefully as one would a baby. She then offers Hank her free hand for a simple, respectful shake.

"...I can't promise the apology. I don't control him. But... I'll work on it. The other promises I will absolutely keep. This is for Vision, not for him." Well, it was really for all of them, but she feels like her point is made. "Thank you, Dr. Pym..." And she turns on the ball of her wedge sandal, moving for the door.

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
There's clearly something in this that he expected: that box was prepared and ready. The man had been waiting to be asked for it, would be the obvious read of the situation. He doesn't snub the handshake so much as not see it at first. Belatedly he looks at her hand, and somewhat grudgingly accepts the handshake. She may see the brief little smile that passes over the side of his mouth, though. He approves of her, probably, and gave her what she came for, in part, due to it.

"Yes, work on that control," Dr. Pym recommends dryly. "I know. Go on then."

Pepper Potts has posed:
The handshake, if delayed, actually seems to get a touch of a smile from her too. "Understood, Dr. Pym. Eat something." She offers with the smallest bit of a wink, and then she's fully turned for the door and slipping back out into the summer sun, her task successful for the day.