13610/Automated Happiness Making

Automated Happiness Making
Date of Scene:	20 December 2022
Location:	Avengers Mansion - Recreation Room
Synopsis:	Tony recruits Natasha for holiday gift-wrapping.
Cast of Characters:	Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff

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Tony Stark has posed:
How exactly Tony knew Nat was around ... can't be that big of a surprise. He has immediate access to security through JARVIS, and has no shame about tapping onto any asset that's available, when he needs something. Or, rather, wants something.

In this case, hard to tell up front, as all requests tend to be asked the same way, regardless of importance. "Hey Nat," Tony's voice floats smoothly through the Avenger base communications, "Mind lending some expertise in the Rec room? I can't promise danger above the level of a papercut, though -- so keep expectations suitably low...."

--

In the rec room, there's a bunch of activity, in the tone of three small cat-sized robots doing a tense, surgery-like activity with tools on the pool table. Another one is on the floor, trying to do something there. Tony himself is relaxed in one of the big, comfy chairs beyond them ... with a drink. He's clothed very comfortably - t-shirt, sneakers: relaxed fare.

One of the bots looks up forlornly... and the situation will become clear. The bot is COVERED in scotch tape bits, and four holiday bows. The bots are attempting to wrap some gifts.

Results are mixed.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Entering in after having heard the noise, Natasha had come over to the summons. Given whom has made it she's not particularly worried about the danger. Potential for disaster.. Well, as far as she's experienced it would be rather likely. Then as he goes 'as a papercut' she sighs. Why does she have to spend her time wiht this? Ah well, it's this or conduct formal reports for Avengers activity to be passed along to governmental organizations that they cooperate with.
    "And what particular inspiration gave you -this-?" THe Russian woman looks over the attempted wrappings, the bots doing so, and Tony settled over on the couch.

Tony Stark has posed:
Tony's quick: which suggests his drink is minor, and isn't one in a long series of drinks for the day. "Generosity," Tony says, in a deliberately mysterious way that also lacks any shred of humility. Generosity? He won't leave her waiting too long, he does explain.

"I let my competant gift-wrappers go home early for the holidays. Pepper's busy. So, why not solve it myself," Tony says smoothly, with a grand gesture to the robots.

All of the robots turn to peep up at Natasha. They're emotive, for robots: all of it reads 'SAVE US FROM OURSELVES' in tone. Perhaps part of it is one of them has a bow stuck to its face.

"But they lack //finesse//," Tony sighs. "So, you have some reports, yes? Trade you your reports for some..."

Tony gestures at the bots, then. "Guidance?" He did assume she'd be good at this. Then again, Tony generally thinks Nat is good at everything.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would look over at them, "So you can't do such a thing yourself?" She would quip. "Or does Jarvis not deign to handle such a thing?" Amusement over in her voice. "And Pepper of course has better things to do with her time." Amusement dripping from her voice. A rare tease.
    She would look downa t the robots. "Do you even have the correct appendages to do this sort of thing?" Opposable thumbs, manual dexterity..
    "All right. But I want the reporst done coherently and in person, not an automated sendoff. And properly filed as well." SHe drives a hard bargain on this sort of thing. At the very least a lighthearted one.

Tony Stark has posed:
With mock offense, Tony gives Nat an indignant look. "Obviously top quality reports, I would do hardly less, in trade for top quality.... paper-folding," Tony says, glancing then to the robots.

The issue with the robots doesn't seem to be dexterity, but confusion over two of them trying to wrap the same box with two different colors of wrapping paper while the other tries to put tape on, or the ribbon too early. They are making an attempt at it, but are getting in each others' way in their attempt to help speed each other up. Even now, one bot is trying to unroll paper while the other sits on it to try to help it not re-roll while also untangling a ribbon. It's a lot.

"Let AFK-1 start that one," Tony reprimands one of the bots, then, who backs off away from bot AFK-1 with the bows. It pauses, and offers the golden ribbon in other claw to Natasha.

"They excel at spacial awareness for paper cutting," Tony grants. "They were repurposed from floor cleaning, so honestly I'm pleased they've done as well as they have. Credit to their creator for versatility: but with limits."

There are six gifts that are still boxed, and three that have attempts at being wrapped. They just look like a child did it. A child that really likes ribbon.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would glance over at them and sigh, "You know, you can simply get press on ones if it's an issue." She gives him a look. "And are you letting them apply the geometric process on their own without proper programming in to add to thier analysis routines?" That's the sort of thing to her that any sort of manual unit should be able to handle as a default! But still.

"Diodes over on one end. One unit maintains stability and anchors it in place. The other goes to work at engaging it one at a time." she moves to demonstrate over with a set of ribbon in her hands. "Loop it about like shoelace. Presume that if you're taking after Agent Barton that you're knotting someone's shoes together without their knowledge. I'm sure you can find plenty of things of tha tsort in the video archives." She would deadpan over while glancing at Tony in amusement.

Tony Stark has posed:
Tony now drinks his drink and looks with mock innocence at Natasha. He gives a sort of gesture that suggests 'go ahead' to her, instead of supplying the answer about the tech. Yes, Stark can be infuriating sometimes.

And this may suddenly read very strongly that Tony is entirely capable of doing a LOT of this: he just doesn't /want/ to. He'd rather do reports, and it was a fair enough trade to offer that, if Natasha was willing to swap these tasks. All is fair!

"Go on, follow what she wants," Tony finally says to the bots, which take that as an ORDER, and move to do exactly what Natasha orders. She'll discover the actual root of things is they needed one of them to take point, to 'lead', and things get a lot better when they're given jobs and directed. These bots are not strong AI. They clean extreme Avenger carpet messes, sure, but...

"Staying with us here this holiday?" Tony asks conversationally.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Well, this makes a lot of sense. Ah well, she's fallen for it. Time to do her share of things since she agreed. She makes a point of figuring out how to get revenge on Stark later. But for now.. Well, she's been outplayed and she has to at least be amused by that.

She might not even bother to check the reports first. That's just extra work for herself if she has to spend the time to proof them. And if Tony signs off on them, well..

She instructs the robots, "Apply pressure one at a time. One holds in place, the other makes alterations as needed. You can use a standard knot over when tying." That's just the first bit.
    "For covering the package, figure out the amount of coverage needed, then add an extra twenty five percent as a buffer. One again holds in place while the other folds over the package. And no, I'm going to be on assignment."

Tony Stark has posed:
Assuming Tony would do the reports manually is, of course, false. He has his AI assisting him in those. Just as he did with the wrapping situation, really. But then, that's his power - he creates robotic solves and spends WAY too much time inventing those, that he could have originally just spent on the task anyway. Efficiency for going forward, but there's always that R&D time up front.

Tony does, though, pull one of his handheld devices, and start to page through it to look at HIS side of the bargain here, the reports situation. He doesn't complain, though: he doesn't make some big deal out of it, he starts to attend to it. Tony's obnoxious a lot of the time, but he is also reliable. He'll do what he said he would, without being messy.

"Assignment? So your gift needs to be given early. Got it. By the way. Don't open that brown box, just wrap it."

Is Natasha literally wrapping her own gift? Very Stark, isn't it....

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
She'll get even with Stark later. And he could very well be making her do work for herself. Those are the risks of underestimating the man after all. "Lower level Hydra cells tend to have an uptick in activity. As near as we can gather High Command meets sometime after the New Year to give operational goals for the next year. Successful operations are thus fresh in Hydra's leadership and lead to recognition and promotion due to being fresh in the headspace of leadership. Also there's less time for leadership to decide such initiative is a threat and have the operation liquidated as a result." How clinical of her to put things in such a way.

Tony Stark has posed:
"Ah. That Christmas spirit in full display," Tony quips smoothly, with a similarly mock-clinical tone, though his words are far from clinical.

"I don't have much family demands, so if you need any specific gear for an op, let me know." So, while yes, Natasha may be doing a bit of work 'for herself' here because Tony thought it was funny ... it's possible she may end up with specialized Stark tech for something she's doing. And that, perhaps, has it's own high value.

"These reports are lengthy, you've been /busy/," Tony also observes in amusement but not a complaint, settling into doing the reports, now, with his drink. The robots are learning at a great speed, and soon are far more helpful in mimicry of Natasha's lead. By the end, she might just be able to supervise them!