[There's a brief flutter of his eyelashes as he processes what Steve means and the last time they went for a walk without their devices. Then he nods.]
[ Sounds good to him, he'll start ambling on over to the closest (and most crowded) looking establishment in the area that doesn't look like an alien strip club. ]
With giant metal balls instead of earthquakes. [ Well, actually, the metal ball didn't seem as normal to the Selena-folk as much as the attacks from beyond their shields did. No one batted an eyelash at that. Takes a quick look at the skyline. ] They seem to be recovering okay.
[Tony looks in the same direction for a split second before walking in front of Steve (what a gentleman).
As for the ball, he avoided that thing like the plague once he figured out it attracted metals. He preferred not to have his arc reactor ripped out of his chest.]
Something tells me this isn't the first time something happened. Like the fact that it's a CDC colony.
[ He takes his time answering as he leads them to a small, two person table in the corner near the bar - because, honestly, he's got no freaking clue other than what Tony's already saying. ]
Makes a good cover for whatever their side businesses are. [ He leans his arms on the table, clasping one hand over a fist. ] You see anyone you recognized wearing a collar?
[ The recruits. That had been odd too - especially when they all seemed to disappear the other day. ]
[He slides into his seat with his tongue locked in the right corner of his mouth, almost grimacing at Steve's comment about the CDC.]
Out of the new recruits? [Shaking his head.] Haven't spotted any familiar faces, yet. And I haven't gotten any straight answers why the newbies are tagged and collared.
[Or why the collars look suspiciously like something from an S&M dungeon.]
[ He didn't like the look of the collars either. ] Wonder what makes them different.
[ None of the new recruits coming into Ajna had any stories about pitstops - but then again, with the power the CDC has it's just as likely that none of them would remember something like that. He stares down at the table. ] I tried asking around about Lusania. No luck there.
[ It's been months since they last heard from Banner and Natasha. ]
[He pulls a menu out of the napkin holder, opening it up and reading its contents.
Steve's not looking anyway, but the mention of Lusania (and the association with Bruce's reassignment) makes Tony seem like he's deep in thought about the frittatas.]
[ His gaze flickers to the back of the menu. ] No. They're not too interested in talking about anything that doesn't directly affect them - or half the things that do affect them. [ Like the attacks. Getting people to stand still for more than five seconds has been an issue too. ] No one else I've spoken to from the crew has been doing any better either. [ His frown deepens. ]
Thought about trying to get a message out to them, but it's not worth the risk. [ Especially when they're not even sure their friends are even still on Lusania. Going outside CDC channels like that is asking for trouble more than anything else right now.
He doesn't sound defeated, but he's getting close to it on this particular front. ]
[His mouth stretches out into a simulation of a smile and he puts down the menu.] How do you feel about pickle chips?
[There's nothing more to say about Bruce and Natasha without further outlining their hopelessness and how little they could do about it. So he changes the subject.]
[ He orders a beer just to have something in front of him, leaning back in his seat. His shoulders start to relax a bit. ]
Did you get something after your assessment?
[ Or did you ask for something, since he knows a decent amount of people made actual requests that got them here. Between everything else they'd been dealing with the topic never really came up. ]
[He doesn't notice Steve's eye-roll because the waiter returns with their drinks, setting the beers in front of them. Tony takes a sip out of his, and then knits his brows together.]
Something about getting me out of my comfort zone. [ Woops. He cups both hands around his drink. ] Didn't really get much of an answer when I asked about it.
[More drinking. Then he rubs his hand over his mouth to catch droplets of beer leftover in his goatee.] In fact, most of the officers should just get together with Fury and go bowling.
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Got it.
JUST GOING TO SKIP AHEAD IF THAT'S COOL?
We can actually go get some food, if you want. [ He doesn't mind either way. ] What've you been making of this place?
[ As a sponsored port colony of the CDC.
He hasn't found jack shit. ]
NOT COOL AT ALL D8
[Let's go to a bar and split some buffalo wings.
He thins his eyes, making a show of thinking about Steve's question.]
Big cultural-melting-pot with a lot of sunshine, heavy on the capitalism? Kinda like an extraterrestrial LA.
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With giant metal balls instead of earthquakes. [ Well, actually, the metal ball didn't seem as normal to the Selena-folk as much as the attacks from beyond their shields did. No one batted an eyelash at that. Takes a quick look at the skyline. ] They seem to be recovering okay.
[ He opens the door for Tony. Geniuses first. ]
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As for the ball, he avoided that thing like the plague once he figured out it attracted metals. He preferred not to have his arc reactor ripped out of his chest.]
Something tells me this isn't the first time something happened. Like the fact that it's a CDC colony.
[Speaking of which.] So what do you think?
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Makes a good cover for whatever their side businesses are. [ He leans his arms on the table, clasping one hand over a fist. ] You see anyone you recognized wearing a collar?
[ The recruits. That had been odd too - especially when they all seemed to disappear the other day. ]
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Out of the new recruits? [Shaking his head.] Haven't spotted any familiar faces, yet. And I haven't gotten any straight answers why the newbies are tagged and collared.
[Or why the collars look suspiciously like something from an S&M dungeon.]
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[ None of the new recruits coming into Ajna had any stories about pitstops - but then again, with the power the CDC has it's just as likely that none of them would remember something like that. He stares down at the table. ] I tried asking around about Lusania. No luck there.
[ It's been months since they last heard from Banner and Natasha. ]
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Steve's not looking anyway, but the mention of Lusania (and the association with Bruce's reassignment) makes Tony seem like he's deep in thought about the frittatas.]
Have you gotten anything out of the locals?
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Thought about trying to get a message out to them, but it's not worth the risk. [ Especially when they're not even sure their friends are even still on Lusania. Going outside CDC channels like that is asking for trouble more than anything else right now.
He doesn't sound defeated, but he's getting close to it on this particular front. ]
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[His mouth stretches out into a simulation of a smile and he puts down the menu.] How do you feel about pickle chips?
[There's nothing more to say about Bruce and Natasha without further outlining their hopelessness and how little they could do about it. So he changes the subject.]
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I don't think I've ever formed an opinion on pickle chips.
[ But sure, he'll try everything once. ]
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[He flags down the Selenian waiter and orders food (pickle chips included), along with a beer.]
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Did you get something after your assessment?
[ Or did you ask for something, since he knows a decent amount of people made actual requests that got them here. Between everything else they'd been dealing with the topic never really came up. ]
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I got J.A.R.V.I.S. back. [A beat.] My A.I.. You've never met him. Think Google if it talked and was a hundred times better because I programmed him.
I also got put in the penalty box. [Wide smile while he says this.] I'm useful when I'm around, according to Dreadlocks McSerious.
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He's imagining Tony's voice narrating cat memes and... yeah, he'll just stop there. Then a soft snort. ] Well, he's right. You've got your moments.
[ Not going to get down on you for that nap you took at the end of Ajna. ]
Guessing your guy comes with some restrictions? [ Like the inability to hack into anything they want to look at. ]
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Tony squints at Steve's subtle compliment.] ...You're cute when you acknowledge my greatness.
Something like that.
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Armada sending you for training too? [ He's assuming that's part of what penalty box meant. ]
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What? You're going in for training?
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Something about getting me out of my comfort zone. [ Woops. He cups both hands around his drink. ] Didn't really get much of an answer when I asked about it.
[ The training. ]
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[More drinking. Then he rubs his hand over his mouth to catch droplets of beer leftover in his goatee.] In fact, most of the officers should just get together with Fury and go bowling.