(no subject)

[housepartyprotocol]

Who: Tony Stark & OPEN
Broadcast: None
Action: SS Starstruck
When: Now

[Remember your ship mechanic? The one who showed up, complained a little, talked a big game, and them retreated to the engine room for two weeks? Well he's back. Back and full of science.]

Whoever's been leaving food by the door, just know that you deserve a raise.

Comments

[ video ]

[touchofrogue]

Ya sure they're not just little food elves?

video

[resnipstance]

What, like you're paying us?

[housepartyprotocol]

Am I sure? Nope, not really. Hard to prove a negative in space jail.

[touchofrogue]

So how would ya offer a magical elf a raise?

[These are the important questions.]

[housepartyprotocol]

Yikes, no. I said they deserved it. Big difference.

[housepartyprotocol]

Didn't really offer. More of a sentiment. The elves should really know that.

[resnipstance]

Riiiiiight.

... Glad to see you're feeling better.

[touchofrogue]

I think you're givin' a lot of credit ta three inch tall creatures. [Dramatic pause.] 'course, they do make those delicious cookies.

[Because apparently she's now talking about Keebler Elves.]

[housepartyprotocol]

You know, I am feeling better. Little out of the loop, though. What did I miss? Where are we right now?

action »

[mucked]

[ forget the food, peggy's here for one reason only. she hesitates for only a moment outside the engine room before a resounding knock (perhaps a heel instead of a fist) against the doorway thuds out over the engine's purr. ]

-- Stark? [ she asks of the space, hoping to find the engineer in. ]

[housepartyprotocol]

[Suddenly noticing just how lacking he'd been for human interaction. He keeps a straight face.]

Hey, don't underestimate the Keeblers. They are, hands down, the most successful tiny mythical creatures I can think of.

[housepartyprotocol]

[Generally the crew has been leaving him to do his work, so it's a bit jarring when he hears the knock at the door. He moves towards it and cracks it open, though when he sees it's Peggy he swings it wider.]

We need to talk.

[mucked]

That we do. [ and it's exactly why she's sought him out. peggy makes her way into the engine room with something approaching aplomb. ] You've seen him. Spoken to him.

[ it isn't a question. ]

[touchofrogue]

Really? My money would've been on tooth fairy.

[Yes, and this is just the kind of quality interaction you've been missing, isn't it.]

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena raises an eyebrow.]

I was starting to think you weren't going to come back out.

[resnipstance]

At the moment? We're on a fairly large space station called the Starlight. ... It's about the size of a small city.

On the downside... we have no money.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

How about the person who had to do the extra share of dishwashing?

[housepartyprotocol]

[ Tony wastes no time getting to the point. ]

Is that him? Or is he from some alternate timeline? Would you know the difference?

[housepartyprotocol]

Seriously? Their only take home is used teeth.

[housepartyprotocol]

It may not seem like it, but even I get tired of my own company after a few weeks.

[housepartyprotocol]

We docked? Huh. That explains a lot... but not why we don't have any money. What happened to our great and powerful bankers in the sky?

[housepartyprotocol]

Depends, was that person you? Because it kinda sounds like it was you.

[resnipstance]

Short version? Bureaucracy.

The long version is that the Atroma tasked us with transporting some cargo to our next destination. When we docked here at the Starlight, the authorities informed us that our ships are all carrying unauthorized cargo, and our accounts are all frozen until further notice pending investigation.

I don't suppose you were in the habit of withdrawing cash from your account before we left Arslae...?

[mucked]

[ a curt and business-like nod. she appreciates the way he doesn't dither around with his questions. peggy done enough professional dithering for the both of them, and his forthright approach is welcome. ]

I'd know. [ her answer is simple, and it carries the depth of having been a close associate of howard stark for some years now. ] He's him. He's the version of him that I know, and it seems he's lock-step with myself in terms of timelines. A day or two after his treason charges were dropped.

[ she merely assumes tony knows about this moment in his father's history. it made headlines, after all. ]

[touchofrogue]

Right, an' who knows what they use them for? But they only leave a quarter behind, so I figure the exchange rate has gotta be pretty good.