11th Command; Video

[aggravating]

[Hey guys. Hey. Guys. Was Tony kickass in that Port or what? Yeah, that's right. He was.

And he is totally lording it over all of your heads for the rest of time.]

So, uh, for the record. We should probably have some sort of actual sane plan for situations like that. Like. The Bargites Guide to Surviving Alien Kidnappings. First chapter: Listen to the Locals and Don't Rush the Aliens.

[And, almost as an afterthought:]

And in case anyone knew her, Pepper Potts went home.

Comments

[love_slave]

[She's death tolling, and she feels horrible, but she'll say this anyway.] I'm sorry, Tony. She was very nice, and she'll be waiting on you.

Could you bring me 790? My robot head? I'm in the infirmary.

It doesn't have to be now. It can be later.

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[thestarspangledman]

[--He actually isn't death-tolling, because his typist is a lamer, but he sounds a little tireder than normal.]

You okay, Tony?

[aggravating]

She's a waiting master, by now. Hired her for that patience.

[Right now? He's too tired to do anything other than give Zev a tight grin, pushing himself up to start moving]

Yeah, sure. Speaking of, what's with the robot head?

[ichoosefight]

That's what I was telling them. Nobody listens to me.

private;

[aggravating]

[Oh how he wants to just flip Steve off and throw his communicator across the room right now. But that would take energy he doesn't really have.]

You know what her deal was?

[What are actual answers]

[love_slave]

He was reprogrammed and thinks he's in love with me. Before that, he only filled basic functions.

[She sounds a little tired, though.] You can take a look at him if you want. I think he's just a copy of my 790.

[sharpsuitfluffytail]

Sane and this place never seem to be good bedfellows. I'm surprised about Pepper, though.

[yeahscience]

So I take it the escape plan didn't, uh, go so well over there, either. [Jesse's death tolling too, but he's already up and about because Jane, so fuck it.]

[Telepathy]

[wedonot]

[Shortly after port ends, while Charles is being treated in the infirmary, he's carefully reaching out to see if everyone else made it back. He's feverish and dehydrated, so his control's a little shaky, but he finds Tony and manages to make contact.]

Are you alright?

[hungryanhorny]

[...You're not getting a drink, Tony. Don't even think about it.]

Don't look at me, T; I got caught sans the rushing.

[doctor_j_crane]

I am aware that you're not being entirely serious in your suggestion, but a manual for dealing with ports and floods would be helpful for new inmates.

Text from the infirmary

[no_fastolfe]

[Look who has a functioning comm and doesn't have to remember ASCII notation. Yay?]

I'm pleased you are back aboard.

However it is a great loss that Madam Potts is gone.

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[notthatfondue]

I'm sorry to hear that.

[And really, she is. She thought Pepper was a pretty alright person, for the little she'd known her.]

[persuadeyou]

[Ahahah sure, an afterthought, she believes that.] Good plan of attack. How'd you come up with it? [She's maybe a little concerned though, so. Slightly less bite than she could put into that sentence.]

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[thestarspangledman]

I never asked, but I'm guessing it had something to do with you.

....I'm sorry she left.

private;

[aggravating]

[Stop. Apologizing. It just makes it real that Pepper's actually gone.

He shouldn't have said anything. Should have just let other people figure it out. He just... doesn't want to deal with this.]

In her version of whatever the hell happened, the portal closed before I fell through. [He's smirking, a horrible, bitter expression.] Her deal was to bring me back.

[aggravating]

I fell overboard.

[Which, in and of itself, is ridiculous. And kind of made his skin itch just thinking about it. The entire past of that guy he'd been was still sitting in his head, memories layering on over his own, being sifted through and put aside, skills a bit muted, now, but still there.]

Which was actually kind of a good thing, considering 90% of the barge got captured.

[aggravating]

[Note to self: make sure the suit and/or JARVIS can't be reprogrammed for that at the earliest possible opportunity.]

Later. He and JARVIS can have a play date. [He grins, though, one that's actually a bit soft. Affectionate. He really does like this crazy alien.] Not hard to see why his reprogramming took, though.

[Because in his experience, gentle flirting is the instant cheer up for women.]

[love_slave]

[It works. She may be hurting all over, but that does get a laugh out of her.] Thank you, Tony. JARVIS probably has better manners than 790. Maybe he can learn some.

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[thestarspangledman]

[He's frowning, then, remembering back -- watching Tony fly up, and up, and then all the Chitauri fell dead, and hoping, waiting, not knowing if Tony had survived or not, and that was when things changed between them, at least in Steve's opinion.]

Good for her. [A beat.] We weren't sure if you were gonna wake up, after that happened. The green guy helped with that, though.

[persuadeyou]

Kind of. [Because seriously dude, she doesn't believe you're handling this well.]

[aggravating]

Well I didn't get myself killed. Which I'm taking as coming out ahead. Given how many people are splitting their heads in the infirmary right now.

[There is no way in hell he's taking this well. But if he doesn't talk about it... he can ignore it. Right?]

[aggravating]

Probably have to disagree with you on that one. JARVIS has a sarcastic side I definitely didn't program.

[He pauses, looking thoughtful] You have a lock on your door, or will I have to break in?

[Because that sounds like a fun challenge.]

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[aggravating]

For her I didn't. [He's rubbing a hand at his face, pinching at the bridge of his nose in agitation] I--I don't... Dimensional and temporal theory really isn't my strong suit, but this-- this is just.

For you, apparently, I woke up. For her? I didn't. So something happens, somewhere. Either she comes back and makes a deal or I... come back, again, and things change.

[Telepathy]

[aggravating]

[There is no way he's going to ever not jump at the sudden echo of a voice in his head. But there's a sense of relief at the now familiar voice of his idealistic warden. Which is why he's really just making a face gathering his thoughts together in order to think back a quick:]

You know, sugarplum, you keep getting inside me like this, people will get jealous.