1391/To Embassy and beyond

To Embassy and beyond
Date of Scene:	26 April 2020
Location:	Wakandan Embassy
Synopsis:	Pepper comes by the Wakanda Embassy to speak with Shuri about one of her projects, meets the King. The pair have conversation and snacks. Nobody died. Fin.
Cast of Characters:	T'Challa, Shuri, Pepper Potts

---

T'Challa has posed:
When the King is at the Embassy, it isn't a grand parade, but it's a lot more activity than normal. The Wakandian diplomats spend most of their time dealing with matters of State, but having caught wind of the King's progression arriving shortly, they've moved to the foyer to greet him. "Inform my sister that I will be there shortly." he says into one of the kimoyo beads around his wrist, slipping out of his shoes and replacing them with a thin pair of sandals while still seated in the back seat of the black long cabin sedan carrying him.

Shuri has posed:
For her part, Shuri is where she often is. Her lab. She looks down at her work now, speaking quietly to herself a little as she seems to be working on a pair of wings. She looks at the ends and taps them a little with a small device, causing a ripple to go across their surface and then one simply seems to disintegrate before her. She lets out a huff and then looks down a moment before sucking in a breath and going back to what appears to be a shoulder piece that the wing came out of. She then proceeds to start messing with that right up until she is told that her brother is here. She looks up and nods with a smile before looking back at her work. She gives the piece one last tap and tosses the tool down lightly before turning to head up.

Pepper Potts has posed:
The City is overcast today.. rain, drizzle, rather dreary. The only saving grace is that it's actually a little warmer than it has been, so at least there's that! It is spring, after all..

Pepper is in the back of the dark sedan that she uses to get around the City, driven by an almost dedicated assistant, and she looks out the window to the morning as they move through traffic. She's quiet, contemplative, but as they near the Wakandan Embassy, she's moving around, getting her game face on. She has a small leather bound case for her tablet, an earbud.. and is dressed in one of her usual business suits, her hair up.

"Here it is, Happy.." Pepper leans forward, "Let me out here and I'll call when I need you." Or she'll take a cab directly home.

The car pulls over to the curb, its driver running out to open the door for its lone occupant, closing it behind her. Quiet words are exchanged once more, and the car pulls away slowly, merging back into traffic.

Now, Pepper is many things, but certain where she stands with //real// royalty? Not so much. Her first real meeting with Princess Shuri was a touch on the awkward side for her, but this should be better?

Hopefully?

Shoring herself up, Pepper makes her way towards the door, speaking to any posted guard regarding her business with those within.

T'Challa has posed:
The Black Sedan with the small Wakanda flag pulls up shortly after Pepper's with a pair of bald women in smart business suits that definitely look fit for a singular purpose of movement slip from the back seat with T'Challa slipping out shortly after beneath a wide black umbrella opened above him. Like his Dora Milaje, the King is dressed imaculately. Black slacks, black suit jacket over a black turtleneck, and sandals.

He walks with regal grace towards the entrance, stopping infrequently on his path through the waiting area, and then only to speak with a young man explaining the iteniary for the day. Which the King might absolutely will ignore and do whatever he wishes because that's the benefits of being a King and not an elected official. Beholden to nobody.

Suffice that as soon as word gets to him that Pepper Potts is in the embassy, he'll turn towards her once he's greet his sister. "Shuri, how very good of you to break away from your hobbies to meet me.. Surely I should have this day memorialized with a great festival?"

Shuri has posed:
The ascent from the underground by Shuri is no where near the fan fare of the king. There is a few nods as she approaches where T'Challa is and then she nods her head, "You are very lucky that I am willing to meet with you in such a dire condition." She nods and steps up to him, "After all, you proving time and again that I am the only one with any fashion sense must be hard upon you." She then turns and blinks at their visitor before she nods to Pepper, "Well, we have a guest." She then turns to T'Challa.

"Good thing you dressed up." She then looks back to the woman, "Miss Potts. It is good to see you again."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Procession.. procession! And, like most Americans, how to properly deal with royal processions is //almost// completely beyond her ken. Sure, one knows all about the Queen of England and such, but right here, right now.. it's not just title of a figurehead.

It's the real deal.

It takes a lot to cause Pepper to pinken a little, but she does, and immediately gets out of the way for the arrival. She clutches her tablet as something to hide behind and butterflies well in the pit of her stomach. On the outside, however? Other than the slight tinge, she's doing okay.

Once some of the pagentry has passed, and greetings placed, the Princess has graciously acknowledged her.. and Pepper steps forward, a less politic, more genuine smile on her face. The back and forth was.. warm and affectionate. It's something that can quickly put someone at ease.

"Princess Shuri.." Oh.. duh.. "Your Majesty.." Probably should have greeted him first! There's a touch of a dip before she looks back at Shuri, her tones a touch on the hesitant side, "If you're busy, I can come back later. Or, I can leave some of the information that I have that may help you and Mr. Parker.." Short, sweet and to the point in terms of business.

T'Challa has posed:
"I will have you know, these sandals are high fashion, dear sister." T'Challa says with an easy grin, embracing Shuri with hands on her shoulders rather than a traditional hug, which may be more likely if they weren't so public. Suffice that it's a great deal warmer than what the assistant had received.

"Mm?" Turning on his heels to face the infamous Ms. Pepper Potts, whom he had recognized of course, but as with most things there's a process to his attention and his sister is always chief.

"Ms. Potts." The King says with a flick of his wrist, stepping closer with a glance back at Shuri when the preverbial head of Stark Industries indicates that she is working with someone named Parker? "No, you are not interrupting, please." Waving her forward and towards Shuri.

"I have matters I should attend to, so says my assistant.." Who perks at being mentioned, start to speak, and has a hand stalling his speaking.

Shuri has posed:
A smile as she looks at T'Challa, "High, yes. Very high." She offers him back a touch to his hand and then shakes her head as she smiles at him before ending her oddly phrased response and then blinks over at Pepper. She tilts her head a little, blinking slowly at her words and then she clears her throat, "Oh? To help us both?" She asks and then tilts her head a little, "And perhaps this is something we should discuss." She nods to Pepper and looks to T'Challa, "Well, it is good to see you brother but it appears it is I who has business."

She then gestures to his assistant, "Clearly, your asistant has much to say and it would not be right for some small business by the Princess to interrupt a King's day."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper takes the step forward, and takes a controlling breath, regaining her composure as if crossing a physical line. With business, she's in her element. "Please," she begins, "it may concern you as well, as it has to do with US and international patents, trade and customs clearing." But, even as she says that, she chuckles, "Right.. you have Ministers for that." She'll have her office contact their office, they'll do lunch.. but Pepper is so used to being the mover/shaker. "I know we have offices to deal with it, but from my conversations, time really is of the essence, and you know barriers can form for seemingly no reason.

"And I'd like to be sure that we both have what we needed with as little interference as possible."

T'Challa has posed:
T'Challa snorts, but it seems more for Shuri's benefit than for Pepper's, and he manages to somehow make it sound acceptable in polite company by dent of her presence, "Of course, Your Royal Highness.... Please do not let me interrupt.." Putting on a great show, hand to his heart, then out to Shuri's, he ends with a turn towards Pepper.

"We do." Have ministers for that, but his smile is warm enough, "I will have lunch brought in for the pair of you. Ughala.." Calling over his assistant, speaking in Wakandian for a moment and motioning to Ms. Potts. "Shuri will show you to one of the conference halls.. Ughala will see to it refreshments are brought in."

His eyes linger a bit longer upon Pepper and he breaks away to look on Shuri, "Try not to impress her too much, mm, sister?"

Shuri has posed:
A glance at Pepper again and Shuri makes a bit of a face before she smiles at T'Challa allowing this to play out and she nods to him, "I will do all I can, brother. I cannot help it if my natural greatness shines through in every ocnversation I have." She smirks at him before she turns back to Pepper and nods to her, "I'm sure we can have others work out anything you need though I would like us to perhaps find somewhere to speak on this. My brother is very busy and this is hardly something to worry him about." She nods her head and smiles at T'Challa sweetly before stepping over next to Pepper.

Pepper Potts has posed:
The interchange between siblings is.. light and filled with affectionate humor. There's no doubt in her mind that this is truly a family that happens to be royalty. If it was anyone else, Pepper would make mention of it, wistfully expressing the disappointment that she'd never had siblings, no real family. She can't help but smile in the presence, and when T'Challa addresses her again, offering the setting of refreshments, she dips her head. "Thank you.. but, I don't mean to take her away if there's something..."

When Shuri approachs and takes up the topic, Pepper does, indeed, stop. This is a woman with her own mind, and of no little ability. "I'm hard to impress.. particularly when I go in knowing that the person I'm speaking with is a genius."

T'Challa has posed:
T'Challa waves the thought away as Pepper is speaking it, "It is nothing, I assure you. Perhaps we can speak prior to you leaving, but for now... Sister, Ms. Potts" He dips his head to both Sister and Pepper, takes a few steps backwards and turns with a hand holding his kama down against his chest. Flanked by Dora who fall in step slightly behind him on his way towards the elevators. A single glance back at Pepper, then his attention shifts to someone speaking to him, holding up a screen that is projected out from a long strip of thin cloth like parchment... that is certainly not.

Shuri has posed:
A smile at T'Challa and then she turns her gaze quickly to Pepper and nods, "Well, you heard him, best we move on to get some food and discuss things." SHe nods her head to Pepper and begins to usher her away from her brother.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper smiles and her head bobs once, "I'd like that," is replied quickly. Easy reply, and it's out of her mouth before she can stop it. Too easy. She watches as the impeccably dressed .. monarch excuses himself in order to conduct some affairs of state before returning her attention to the princess.

"Oh.. yes. I did make a promise.." Pepper will follow Shuri's lead; a conference room is infinitely better than the anteroom of the embassy! "I don't think I've ever seen the two of you together before."

Shuri has posed:
"Well, first time for everything." She then smiles a little at Pepper aas they go into the conference room. Soon after they are seated, some finger foods are brought in along with cold water. She sits down near Pepper and smiles at her, "So, what did Peter say and do?" She simply phrases it like that and seems just a tiny bit agitated by the idea of it. After all, she had thought she had made herself pretty clear with him.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper follows Shuri in, and when within, she too takes a seat once the princess is seated.

"I visited my labs," she begins, "and Peter showed me the project that he is working on." Unsaid, of course, is 'using Stark funds'. "I gave him some advice and decided that he could use a little help." Like push through clinical trials. "Everyone needs a little help in navigating US chemical patent laws. And when you have a company like Stark Industries, it is a little easier because we have everyone in place. There's no reinventing the wheel.

"And that his Aunt May is having difficulties with her hip."

Shuri has posed:
A nod and she smiles at Pepper and then tilts her head, "So, what does that have to do with me then?" She nods her head, "I knew he was working on something like that and I did see his work. Brilliant if you ask me." She smiles and nods.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"The polymer." Pepper really doesn't like to beat around the bush, as it were. She respects the Princess' time as well as her own. "He expressed the desire, the need for it to be utilized for humanitarian purposes, and I did mention that it will have to be patented anyway. While philanthropy and altruism are nice things, we can't be too naive to believe that others won't profit from that intellectual property."

Once the business portion of it closes, there is that other question that lingers, and she has to ask, "That polymer that he was talking about using in the joint.." Pepper pauses before, "Is it something that simply allows for the body to naturally attach to, believing it's part of its own body in terms of rejection, or is there something in the chemical that works as a two-way street.. maybe encouraging the connection?" While she's no chemist, and her degree is in Business Management and finance, she certainly does have ideas of practical application... "Nothing on the level of a low level AI, though."

Shuri has posed:
A shake of her head, "It is not about an AI or anything of that nature." Shuri states simply enough, "What Peter is working with is capable of adapting to the body through a series of chemical reactions." She nods her head, "It is something similar, as strange as it might be said, to a virus that tricks the body into believe it is a part of it. The body has no idea what is there is not its own and it will last."

Shuri smiles, "The point of it is to allow someone to enjoy the same mobility and movement they had with their original joint without needing to worry about it being rejected or breaking down over time." She nods her head, "At least not for a very long time." She laughs, "Hopefully longer than needed."

Pepper Potts has posed:
That's what Pepper had considered; the 'smart tech' without nano-tech. Benign, passive, and she nods her understanding. "Right. Passive encouragement." She is actually looking forward to it, and says as much, "There are so many possible uses for it. I understand that it should be available for markets, particularly those that are having difficulty, but it has to be patented." Her brows rise in question, "Okay? We can sponsor it, push it through the channels faster than most here. We'll simply make sure your names are all over it so you can have creative control. For all the finer points, I would think our lawyers can contact yours and we can be sure it's protected from challenge."

Pepper shifts the conversation over to the more 'personal' side of it, and is happy to be there. "Joints.. that hip is important. When Peter's aunt is ready for surgery, I'll be sure we take care of her."

Shuri has posed:
A look at Pepper and she frowns, "I'd prefer it if perhaps a psuedonym was used for myself." She nods her head, "It is not known that Wakanda has such technology and it'd come to question if my name wer eon it." She nods her head, "I'd greatly prefer if my business in this were kept silent." She nods her head, "That is why I allowed Peter to see such a formula. If he could decipher it then he can use it." She nods her head, "And he did."

She shrugs, "We are still secretive about much of our business. While I often cause trouble for my brother, I prefer not to cause this much trouble." She nods her head, "And frankly, if it were possible..." She shifts slightly, "I myself could do the surgery for Aunt May." She nods her head.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Of course," Pepper nods her understanding, her head bobbing lightly. "It wouldn't be the first time something like that was done. We'll add a silent partner until such time as you wish." There's a momentary pause before that business shifts to a more personal level and, "I don't want your name to be lost in this. If not for you, your children, Wakanda's children, the world's children."

A softly uttered laugh rises and Pepper so understands, "From the sounds of it, I'm not sure he could ever be mad, even if you did cause a little stir." It is very kind, the offer, and the other woman finds that smile brightening, "I'm sure regardless, she'll be in very capable hands. I'm not sure she will know that there are people fighting over who will do her surgery to relieve the pain."