Summary: Tony and Nick meet to discuss what to do with the revived Captain America
Players: Tony Stark and Nick Fury
Location: Tony's office in Stark Industries.
Rating: PG
It's mid-afternoon in Manhattan, and in the offices of Stark Industries high above Manhattan, Tony Stark himself is getting ready to receive his last planned appointment of the day. He's running a bit late....okay, a *lot* late, but he's been down in the design workshop, planning some new modular expansions for the Iron Man armor. Besides, it's not like Nick Fury, topkick of SHIELD would actually expect Tony to be on time after all these years of knowing and working with him. Settling in behind his desk, Tony pushes the intercom button to his secretary. "Ms. Arbrogast? I'm back in my office and ready to see Col. Fury now."
The smell of the lit stogie presages the arrival of SHIELD's head honcho. Not even Stark's design workshop gets to avoid it, since no one told him about cleanroom work today, but since he's ushered into the office, it doesn't seem to matter quite as much anyway. "My timin's getting better at this," Fury remarks to Tony as he waits for the door to close, offering his hand to shake and then settling into one of the chairs facing Stark's desk. "Or I'm just getting too damned old, one'r the other."
Tony shakes Nick's hand and nods, smiling. "Or I'm getting quicker at getting back after I forget appointments." He gestures to one of the seats in front of the desk. "Can I get you some water, coffee...anything else to drink?"
Fury nods to the suggestion of coffee, knowing enough to at least not ask for booze, although he /really/ wants a stiff drink right now. "Black," he reminds the other. None of this sissy cream and sugar stuff for him. "I would've just come down to your lab anyway, y'might as well put a good cot down there or somethin'. I've got one on the Helicarrier, y'know. Anyway. Times are changin'."
Tony nods and chuckles. "What makes you think I don't have one down there. "He buzzes the intercom again. "Ms. Arbrogast, could you please bring the Colonel some coffee, black?" Turning back to Nick, he leans back in his chair and steeples his fingers under his chin. "So...you and your men found Captain America."
Nick Fury grimaces and chews on his cigar for a few moments, finally nodding. "I had my boys run every test we've got on him to establish his bonafides." He's got this rather curious look on his face finally as he considers the truth of the matter as he knows it. "S'far as we can tell... he's the real deal. How's about /them/ apples?"
"I'm sure it's even more of a surprise for you considering that you knew him in the War." Tony smiles easily. "Must be nice to have one old friend returned to you after all these years. From what Iron Man tells me, most of the League is pretty excited as well."
"If he wasn't legit, I'd've had my people take him down," Nick says after taking a swig of his coffee and making an expression indicating he likes the coffee Stark's giving people. Taking his stogie out, he fishes for an ash tray, but continues speaking. "If only out of respect for one of the most decent men I had the pleasure workin' with back then. Cap's more than a just a guy in a suit with some skills. I've got buckets of 'em on the Helicarrier. He's become a symbol and legend, and I ain't havin' no impostor out there usin' his name and rep. Cap /earned/ his stripes. Someone new can damned well earn their own like the rest of us did." He grumbles vaguely and then adds, "Even if it's almost obscene, him bein' as young as he is..."
Tony nods and pulls out an ashtray from a desk drawer. A small fan in the ashtray silently whirrs and draws the smoke in. "How's he adjusting? The SHIELD report I had access to only said that you found him frozen and revived him. It doesn't give his current location or how he's adjusting to life in the 21st century." Another smile and chuckles. "I'm sure he was expecting some Buck Rodgers jetpacks when he was told what year it was."
Nick Fury nods a thanks to Tony as he grins lopsidedly. "You should just leave that out when you know I'm comin', y'know," he points out. And then he exhales tiredly. "I gave him a crash course in history and made sure he's got a place to stay until he gets on his feet... but iffen ya read the news, you'd know he's already been doin' what he does best without any help from any of us. Y'know, sometimes, /I/ think this world we're in is crazy and one step away from voodoo with all these doodads you like makin' in your basement, but at least I lived through the whole blasted thing. But he's still young and not as set in most of his ways as the rest of us, he'll be fine."
Tony nods and pauses a bit, thinking. "I'm going to be frank with you, Nick....I think Captain America would be a great addition to the League. I'd like to talk to him about joining."
Nick Fury frowns thoughtfully and mulls the notion, smoking in silence for a couple of minutes. Finally, he nods. "That'd actually be a good idea, s'long as the League stays on the side of the angels. Cap needs to spend time with other people i the same business, people who fight against evil, who have abilities and skills above the human normal... people who'd understand him and give him some slack for the fact he's an old time boy scout. He'll need time to adjust, and to learn who to trust... not that he can't figger it out eventually, but I'd rather clue him in ahead of time. I think prolly I'm best able to give him that clue, 'cause he knows me personally... not many can claim that."
Tony nods. "Yes. Pretty much all the League members are agreeable to it. From what Iron Man tells me. The only ones that haven't been polled yet are Superman and Wonder Woman, but I don't think there's going to be a problem. And just as the League would be good for him, he'd be good for the League. There's not very relatable to the common people, and I think having Cap there to show that everything is alright, there's still a place for 'normal' humans in this world will be good."
Nick Fury would roll his eyes if he had two of them, but the mention of Superman causes Fury to be a bit more amused. "Supes and Cap should get on like gangbusters, but yeah... y'know people get a bit /nervous/ because of alla them supertights. At least with my boys, we don't wear masks or capes and we look like normal people. Well, except my meta department, but that's why they're there." He considers a few more things. "I'd like to see if he'd be willin' to help train some of my top people, raise that bar and show 'em how things were back in the day."
"Of course." Tony nods in agreement; Nick and Cap go way back, so of course Nick would want his friend working with him again. "It might even lead to greater co-operation between the League and SHIELD. I'm afraid I'm not very effective as a liaison right now. Too much going on."
"Tell me about it," Nick snorts. "The beancounters keep yammerin' about this fictional 'paperless environment'... an' I've got papers on my desk stacked up to the blasted ceilin'. This is what I get for comin' outta retirement. Maybe we should go fishin' for a new liaison, let you get back to your mad scientist crap down in the basement." He grins crookedly at the imagery.
Tony smiles and taps on his chest. "Better living through technology, my friend." Nick knows about the artificial heart that Tony had to have installed in his chest. "And I think that if he agrees, Cap would make the best liaison between the groups. Of course, he still needs to have the idea pitched to him. If he's free this weekend, I'd like to meet with him if possible."
"I'm all for that..." Fury replies after a few moments of thought. "And I think it'll do him good to have some kinda regular contact who remembers things the way he does, so he's not totally lost and disconnected from his past. Guess this means I've gotta get the catering people to stock milk and soft drinks again," he adds with another smirk.
Tony nods and stands. "Alright, Nick. Thanks for coming in. Call me when you've got things set up with Captain America. I'm really anxious to meet him, and not just about asking him to join the League. Everything else okay at SHIELD? Anything you need restocked or have a complaint about?"
Nick Fury drains his coffee mug. "Send me some more of this stuff," he suggests, holding up the empty mug before putting it back on Tony's desk. "Right now, we're pretty settled... tryin' to get some new recruits in, trained up properly, and out where I need 'em." He gets to his feet and takes a long drag on his cigar. "'course, that's when I expect something to blow up in our faces. I'll be in touch." With a nod, he sees himself out of the office.
Tony nods and walks Fury to the door. "Alright. I'll boost some production on basic supplies for you to cover the recruitment drive. Take care, Nick."
Nick Fury waves over his shoulder as he heads out, back to work, the smell of his cigar drifting along behind him.