maskormenacelogs | Make Me An Offer

WHO: Gemini & Tony Stark
WHERE: StarkTech HQ
WHEN: Morning of the 14th.
WHAT: Gemini has a business proposal for Tony.
WARNINGS: There be evil here?

The mail truck doors opened and a harassed looking delivery man swiftly got out and made his way around to unload a series of boxes and other items onto a pallet in the StarkTech delivery bay. Finishing his task, the mailman dragged the wheeled pallet over to a StarkTech employee who emerged from a doorway and handed it over with a brusque nod. The employee wheeled it inside, passing the items through a scanner and waiting for them to clear before he started sorting them to send them off to various departments, some to R&D, some to accounting, and three to the office of the CEO himself and so were labelled priority.

Arriving a few minutes later, an Executive Assistant took delivery. The moment the assistant's back was turned a small section on the side of one box, no bigger than a postage stamp, rapidly peeled away and skittered across the floor a moment later as an ant, the tiny creature's purposeful movement going unnoticed by the assistant now busy with the boxes. Reaching the inner office door the ant didn't so much as pause, but proceeded to squeeze through the minute crack underneath it, skittering across the office floor towards the looming desk. Checking the positioning of any cameras, and knowing that there were likely to be motion sensors (even though they weren't designed to pick up on such tiny movements), the ant took it's time vanishing under the desk, the shadows under it seeming to move for a second before a woman emerged from under it with an exquisite slowness. No-one quite human would be capable of such careful movement, but a woman with no bones or muscles to tire could take her time and avoid triggering into any alarms as she slowly positioned herself.

Lounging in Tony Stark's chair, her Dior-inspired boots upon Tony Stark's desk, Gemini sat perfectly, almost unnaturally still, and waited for the man she'd come here to see to arrive for work.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She didn't have to wait long, actually.

From the tallest part of the tower, the CEO's office was like the gem at the top, but there was a roof above a landing pad where no helicopters or airplanes landed, but instead suits made of metal. They were all the same, the suits he wore -- that familiar red and gold -- because why give it all away that easily? The secret of his extra suit was laden in a location offsite, always available, but not important in this moment.

Instead, he strode into his office -- there were no alarms, but he could pick up that something was wrong, when he stepped in, the pieces of his suit peeling off, gold under-skin melted away from his body, and he paused, before he grinned.

"Well, this is awkward. I didn't know I had a meeting this morning. Would you mind?" he asked, and gestured at his still armored lower body. "I normally change when I get here."

Awkward.

Gemini wasn't the most patient person, so Tony's rapid arrival was probably for the best. As he entered, Gemini cocked her head, watching with curiosity as the metal seemed to melt away from his body. Some kind of nanotechnology perhaps? Even if it wasn't it was a sign that she'd come to the right person for technological help.

"No I don't mind." Gemini answered unhelpfully, her eyes raking over Tony's armoured legs before flicking back up to Tony's face, a coy smile teasing her lips as she gave him a 'I don't see the need to look away' glance.

In truth Gemini didn't particularly care what she saw one way or another, but it might be useful to make Stark think she did.

His lips lifted, and he rolled a shoulder, as if to say 'well alright'. He was Tony Stark, after all. Women enjoying watching him changing? Just another day, another opportunity. No big. He moved over to a desk, and pulled on a pair of pants -- the last of the gold peeled back into his skin after he put the pants on. Sans underwear. Go figure.

"And I don't think I know your name," he said over his shoulder, a curl of his lip, before he slid a shirt on next. "Or what you're here for today."

Gemini watched the process closely, more interested in the way the metal peeled into Stark's skin than in the actual skin itself. But it never hurt to flatter the ego of the rich and powerful, it tended to help make them more pliable in Gemini's experience.

"My name's Gemini." She uncrossed her legs, lifting them gracefully off Tony's desk, leaning forward to rest her elbows on the desk instead. "I'm here to offer you a business proposal."

"Oh yeah?" he asked, and turned all the way, his eyebrow lifted in surprise.

"Now you've caught my attention. I can't resist listening to a good business proposal. Let me hear it."

"Alright then." Gemini smiled, beginning with the most important thing in her mind, namely her own requirements. "I need someone who can provide me with certain technology, various devices that a scientific genius provided me with in my home universe and which are not available on the open market here."

She leaned back, cold blue eyes fixing on Tony's and belying the warmth of her smile. "In return I'd make myself available to provide certain services to your company. As you've already seen I am very good at infiltration, among other things."

There was the bare bones of her proposal, now all that remained to be seen was whether she'd judged Stark correctly.

"That was obvious. You didn't set off my sensors, and my sensors are very, very good. I'm a little surprised, but... if you're as good as you say, I'd be interested in working together," he paused, and moved to sit in one of the chairs opposite of his own desk. Despite the fact that he was out of place, he looked completely at ease, relaxed. He leaned back, and folded his hands over his stomach, curious.

"I think it's something we could work out. What type of tech are you looking for -- and what do you plan to do with it?"

Not that it mattered, but he needed contingencies for bad press, after all.

"I'm better." Gemini answered, tossing her head arrogantly and giving Tony a smug look. Faith in her own abilities was not something she lacked, Gemini's confidence in her own superiority clear as she answered Stark's question.

"Nothing particularly big, I need devices that are small, easily carried and concealed, with a particular focus on bypassing security systems and network security." It was vital hardware that Gemini had been sorely missing, and if she was to function to her full effectiveness it was a hole that needed to be filled.

"Perhaps some miniaturised explosives as well, nothing that can be traced back to you."

"Easy enough," he said, a wave of his hand. "Of course, I'm sure you guessed that they wouldn't work with my properties," he paused, and looked around his office. "Not like it matters, clearly."

As if she could have gotten into the systems in his office -- with the complete lack of actual computer systems, it would have been difficult, thankfully, but he suspected that she had her ways, and he'd want to be wary of them, either way.

"Explosives, hacking tools... Those are easy enough. You came to the best, so this must be some high-profile stuff you're interested in."

"Of course. I have to say you have some impressive security in your systems Mr Stark, breaking into them would be tough." She smiled smugly before adding, "but not impossible."

It would certainly be a challenge, and without Stark's own tech she would probably not succeed, but Gemini wasn't about to tell him that. The broader he thought her capabilities to be the better it would work out for her.

"But the best workman work with the best tools I think you'll agree, that's why I came to you. As for their purpose, I prefer to keep a lower profile; those who need to know my skills do, which now includes you."

"Well then, consider me honored," he waved a hand, dismissive, before he actually considered it. He already knew the answer, of course, but that didn't mean that he wasn't going to take his time, make her wait.

HE suspected that she wouldn't feel the sort of anticipation that he was trying to build, so he stopped the process one minute in.

"Very well. Again, they'll be locked from operating on my things -- that's very important, you understand -- but I can make these happen. I assume you have my email address? Why don't you forward me the specific specs you need?"

Gemini did enjoy drawing things out for suspense when it came to others, but when it came to reversing the situation she wasn't a patient woman and liked to get business done as quickly as possible

"Of course. I didn't anticipate going into business with you only to then betray you Mr Stark, that would be self-defeating." For anyone Gemini considered less than vital she would betray them in an instant, but the technology she needed from him was vital, and from that point of view good insurance.

"I have your email and will send you the specs, but first is there anything I can do for you?" If she could put Stark in her debt early on and impress upon him her usefulness it would make betrayal from his end less likely and seal their pact quickly.

"Then it's settled," he said with a slight smile on his face.

He stood, and shifted, reaching out with a hand. "But no, I think I'm just fine. It's hard for the 'man who has everything' to think of things to get, but if something comes up... I'll certainly let you know."

Make Me An Offer

no subject

no subject

ugh sorry this tag got lost! D:

no worries, I've been up to my eyes in work :(

:') same tbh

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject