2013.04.23 - Interview with the Armorr

Tony Stark is in his office, with Pepper, waiting for the individual she mentioned to come by. He's not very familiar with the fellow, but if Pepper is willing to see that he at least gets an interview that tells him quite a bit. "So what time's this guy suppose to come by?" he asks, answer Stark Expo emails as he waits.
Pepper Potts glances at her wristwatch then goes back to typing on her tablet at a pace many people can't manage with a regular keyboard. "On the hour, but I suspect he might be a bit early." She answering Stark Expo emails as well, and others besides.
Even as Pepper speaks, the receptionist in the building lobby sends up an message to Tony and Pepper both, alerting them to the fact that Val has arrived and was now in the elevator on the way up. Arriving just a few short minutes later thanks to the Stark industries express elevator.. he steps out into the lobby of the office where the two are.
Tony Stark rises when the gentleman enters, "Mr. Armorr, come in, take a seat. Miss Potts here has spoken well of you." he says, cordial smile on his face as he greets the fellow. He motions to one of the empty seats available in front of the desk.
Pepper Potts stands as well when Val arrives, but she lets Tony step forward and greet the man, har hand cutting the power to her tablet's screen in almost the same motion. She nods hello then reclaims her seat in front of Tony's desk as if she's visiting his office as well.
Val Armorr is dressed.. unlike his normal Gi, he is in a monkey suit. A suit and tie and hard soled shoes bought for a whole five dollars at a goodwill in Brooklyn. Only Val's supreme focus and mastery of his own body is preventing the show of pain on his face, the shoes are rubbing his feet the wrong way. But he needs to dress for success. That is the 21st century saying.
He steps forward seats himself rather stiffly in the suit. He may look at ease in his face.. but his body posture betrays him. He's never worn something so tight and restricting as the suit. And it's a three peice. "Thank you for seeing me Mr. Stark." He says, and offers a nod back to Pepper, then takes a seat in front of the desk.
Tony Stark settles into his seat, "So Miss Potts tells me that you're interested in being her personal security, and while I trust her opinion I wanted to personally meet you and get to know you a little bit. However, the background check was a little..sparse. Can you outline your specializations?"
Pepper Potts stays quiet for now, knowing that Tony wouldn't have wanted to talk to this young man if it hadn't been for the incident of the other night. It was just sheer coincidence that had the younger man's application for a position in Stark Industries appear on her desk at exactly the right time.
Val Armorr offers a simple smile. "Unarmed combat. You'll find no one better." He says. A grandiose claim being that Tony personally associates with Captain America, Hawkeye and such hero's.
"Hostage negotiation. Battlefield tactics. I am accustomed to fighting alongside those possessing superhuman abilities, while I have none. You may or may not know my alias. The Karate Kid. Bureau backed hero if you enjoy titles. Personally I have no use for them, it just lets me work without interference. They pay me the stipend, but I need more. The Legion.. the group of superpowered folks I mentioned a moment ago.. we need something better than what we have. And the quickest way there, is through hard work. Something my freinds with powers have trouble understanding."
Tony Stark listens, taking each skill mentioned into consideration. "Fortunately, I understand hard work. I also understand the desire and need for more, for better. For now, the position would be to see to Miss Pott's personal security. However, I may shift your focus towards others at times that I have VIPs in for business purposes. Is that an acceptible proposition?"
Val Armorr nods as best his suit will allow him. "Perfectly. As an employee of Stark Industries.. I'm aware that my services are focused where you need them. However.. I must make a small.. counter proposition. I am seeking employment of my own free will. Offering my skills and services to you. To Ms. Potts." He says, turning his gaze on the thus far silent woman sitting adjacent to him.
"But my while my reasons for doing so are primarily monetary in origin... You and your company are... from everything I've read.. honorable. You fight the good fight as it were. Despite your dubious beginnings in weaponry, your current public agenda is something to be admired." He says and offers a small bow of his head in acknowledgement. The young man has done his homework.
"My proposition is this... If that were to change.. the face of your company, or you as a man. I reserve the right to terminate my own employment at will. Simple cut and dry. I will walk away, though Ms. Pottos or whomever my current charge is at the time will be quite safe before I do. I can and will protect whomever you like otherwise."
Tony Stark steeples his fingers, "Thank you." he says at first, and to the counter proposal says, "I see." before growing silent a moment. "Well, as I don't plan on changing the trajectory of Stark Industries anytime soon, that's an agreement I can feel comfortable making. The same goes for myself." he smiles, and looks to Pepper, "Are you good with Mr. Armorr here working as your personal security? Any thoughts?"
Pepper Potts is half listening, half paying attention to something on her tablet (yes, shame on her but she missed two days of work and that means epic backlog of emails), so she registers what Tony said rather late, the return of her attention prompted by Mr. Armorr's speaking her name. Then, as she mentally rewinds the conversation, she abruptly blurts out, "Wait, what? Personal security? Tony, no, it's not necessary." Yeah, probably too late for her to actually lodge this protest but she's still mentally scrambling to catch up. "I ... um, thank you, Mr. Armorr, but ..." Completely flummoxed.
Val Armorr folds his hands in his lap and stays quiet while his potential employers discuss this. Apparently not having done so already. The only thing he offers is this. "Ms. Potts, working alongside the people that I have.. I have become accustomed to protecting those who cannot protect themselves. While I am sure you are a highly capable woman, Mr. Stark and his company have the international eye. Being close to him.. you do too. I am simply a safeguard against negative action. I will be with you wherever you go, silent unless you ask otherwise. In time you will not even notice me unless I am needed." He explains.
Then turning his gaze to Tony. "Am I right in assuming you would like a demonstration? I doubt a businessman of your stature would hire someone based on some paperwork and a smiling face."
Tony Stark clears his throat, giving Pepper a look as she protests again that she doesn't need any security. He looks back to Val, "I would like to see what you can do, as a matter of fact, but I'm not sure what we could do for a demonstration."
Val Armorr offers a small smile as Tony asks about the demonstration. "Well sir.. you are Iron Man are you not? A suit of armor suitably advanced to protect you in battles with Earths greatest enemies. Fighting alongside gods and inhumanly powerful men. That armor is probably one of the toughest things in the world. Would you hire me, to protect your..." He turns his gaze on Ms. Potts. "To protect Ms. Potts.. if I can dent your armor?" He asks calmly.
Tony Stark thinks about this, then smiles. "Alright, fair enough. Let's see if you can dent my armor. Do you need me in it, or just a part of it present?" he asks, rising from behind his desk.
Pepper Potts looks from Val to Tony and back in clear concern over the request. However, she had expected Tony to not feel the need to see the younger man prove his ability to dent the armor's metal. So, when her boss stands she looks at him in alarm. This is all the Batman's fault!
Val Armorr rises from his chair, deceptively delicate fingers working the buttons on the blazer and he free's himself from it's stiff tryanny. He shrugs it off and deposits it in his char, and slips out of those god aweful shoes at the same time. Barefoot now he steps away from the desk and waits to see if you have it brought up or going to get it. "If it's all the same to you sir.. Just a peice. I'd rather not hurt you in the process of a simple demonsration.
Tony Stark can't help but chuckle. It's not that he doesn't believe the young man can do what he says - it's just the audicity of it! He walks towards the back wall of his office and as he does so, pulls out his phone. Keying something into it, the back wall slides away to reveal a staging area that has a set of armor placed, in case he needs to suit up in a hurry. He takes a couple of steps off to the side, and motions for Val to come over. "Do you mind if I have JARVIS monitor the strike?" he asks.
Pepper Potts watches Val careful remove his suit jacket, and the mental calculations start. She can tell now that she's paying attention that the suit is not truly well fitted and it was restricting the man's movements. The shoes apparently even more so. If Tony insists on this, some concessions will have to be made. As they step over to the just-revealed alcove, she stands and follows, honestly curious despite herself.
Val Armorr moves across the room with all the grace and animal prowess of a hunting cat. Soft precise strides take him across the metallic flooring inside the staging area and he reaches out to touch the chestplate of the armor. "Excellent craftsmanship Mr. Stark. You do good work..." He says. He knows full well that something like this was NOT handmade.. but his designs and the fabrication process have turned out an excellent end product.
"You are free to monitor me howwver you like." He replies absently, his attentions now on the chestpeice. An enemy.. an opponent seeking to harm him. His focus tightens laserlike and he steps in close. Fingers touch and trail down the fire engine red alloy, just to the side of center mass. as if greeting it, or testing it perhaps.
A sharp exhalation and a loud ringing sound can be heard, the armor shaking just slightly on it's mount. But his hands never seemed to move. His fingers trail over two new dings in the otherwise flawless armor, and he steps back, shaking his hands just slightly. 
A highspeed camera if used.. would have caught the motion. From a space less than three inches away, simultanious blows registered to the armor provided the approximate force of a 70 MPH car impacting on the space about two inches wide.
Tony Stark smiles, thanking the man for the compliment on his workmanship. He knows what the man meant. He gives the order to JARVIS to monitor the chestpiece, and the biometrics of the strike. It's over before he really finished giving the order, certainly before the AI had a chance to reply. He steps in to see the impacts himself, his own fingers trailing the contours of the marks left. He looks over at Val and nods. Then he looks over to Pepper and nods, "Get him to HR, and set up. 25 a week." he says, reaching out to take the chestpiece off the staging mount.
Pepper Potts flinches at the sudden noise, mostly because there was no warning of any kind. Then Tony gives his approval and she nods, already starting to tap at her tablet's screen. She even understood the seemingly coded '25 a week' comment. "Mr. Armorr, when would you like me to schedule a fitting for you with our tailor?" Yes, Tony, you can't argue now. She's goign to work with the tailor to make business presentable attire for Val that won't restrict his range of movement. Or maybe it would just be easier to ask Agent Coulson where he gets his suits made.
Val Armorr looks back at Pepper, then at Tony. "I'm sorry.. Perhaps I don't understand. 25 a week? I had hoped a company doing as well as yours is would be able to afford more than $25 dollars a week. Even the Bureau pays better than that..." He says and scratches his head. but he does turn to Ms. Potts. "I uh.. I'm free anytime I suppose. I'm on your schedule. But if I may.. I had a few ideas about my attire. I am aware my normal attire will not serve. Nor will that." He says pointing at the ill fitting jacket and shoes.
Tony Stark looks to Val and blinks, then smiles, "Oh, you misunderstood me. Your salary will be twenty five /thousand/ a week." he then looks between Pepper and Val, "Set him up with whoever he needs set up with regarding attire. I spend a good deal of my time running around in Hot Rod Red and Gold armor. Someone's not going to look twice at Mr. Armorr here."
Pepper Potts looks more surprised by Val's mistaking the 25 a week for 25 dollars instead of Tony's reply of 25 thousand dollars. She then smiles at Val. "I will be happy to work with you on whatever attire will work best." Heck, if she discovers that he knows about some style of garments that are presentable AND comfortable, she might have something made for herself. She's already mentally compiling a list of Asgardian fabrics to ask Thor for import prices. She WILL have at least one dress made from that silk before summer if it kills her. "On last question, Mr. Armorr. How soon can you start?"
Val Armorr is famous.. at least in his own time... for NEVER being off balance. But Tony's price staggers him harder than being punched in the gut. He takes a step back and nods, swallowing a sudden lump. "I see. That is.. more than sufficient. Apologies for the misunderstanding." He says, then turns to Pepper at her questions. "Something similar to my legion uniform if possible. Chinese inspired and western perfected. Isn't that how all the best things are invented?" He says and smiles. "I'm yours as soon as you need me. And if we are starting now.. will I need your schedule? Or simply be here at a certain time when you are scheduled to be somewhere? I'm on your time now."
Tony Stark is still regarding the dented chestplate. He watches a moment before speaking, "Coordinate with Miss Potts on her schedule, with emphasis on any time she may not be with me."
Pepper Potts is still tapping away at her tablet, sending requisitions for a StarkPhone and a tablet computer for Val, knowing that JARVIS will make sure the new devices are configured with all of the necessary apps as well as synchronize the schedule book with Pepper's. "Your tablet and phone should arrive in about two hours, shall we go down to HR and get all of the red tape out of the way?"
Val Armorr nods, hands behind his back. "Will I also be serving as your bodyguard Mr. Stark? Outside of your armor you are rather..." He pauses searching for the right word. "Vulnerable." Then he blinks. He's in Waayyyy over his head. "I'm sorry.. tablet? I know how to use phones just fine. But.. yes.. let's go.. clear the tape." He tells her. He has no clue how to work a tablet.. or a smartphone for that matter. For being from the 31st century.. he's still amazingly 18th century japan.
Tony Stark hmms, "No, I have Happy for that. I'm also planning on making a few advances on the mobile suit which is usually with me." he smiles, "The Tablet is fairly intuitive."
Pepper Potts waits as Val asks about doing guard work for Tony as well, then smiles when Tony mentions Happy. "Shall we, then?" She's a little envious right now, though, 'cause her new bodyguard gets to walk around barefoot. Well, hell, so does she. She steps out of her shoes and promptly loses a good four inches of height, and picks them up in one hand.
Val Armorr turns and looks at Pepper, watches her lose her shoes mirroring him. "Yes Ma'm." He tells her with a smile and moves to follow the woman, always a respectful distance away and slightly behind.
Category:Log