2335/Insects and Spiders

Insects and Spiders
Date of Scene:	04 July 2020
Location:	Parker Residence - 20 Ingram Street - Queens
Synopsis:	Peter finds a large Beetle in his house...with a job offer.
Cast of Characters:	Peter Parker, Ted Kord

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Peter Parker has posed:
20 Ingram Street, Forest Hills, in the borough known as Queens. Much of the area has been gentrified, but Ingram Street is a study of the old and the new. Older buildings, many built in the 1930s and 40s, sit behind green lawns, picket fences, and ancient elms and oaks. But many of these same houses have satellite dishes, detectable wireless networks, and newer cars instead of Studebakers and Stutz Bearcats.

The house with the mailbox with "PARKER - 20" in front is a nondescript house that used to belong to a gangster. Two years ago, a criminal broke in searching for the fortune, but found it had been eaten by silverfish.

There is little else that is unique about the house, but the resume that listed this address is much more interesting.

Who would expect a residence of this house to have an IQ of 250?

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord would. The aptitude tests for the Parker kid were awesome. Ted rarely meets people smarter than he is. This will be fun. After a quick stop the Beetle's fabulous Bug finds itself nestled in a crater behind 20 Ingram Street. Ted climbs out and remembers to retract his uniform's hood and remove the goggles. There, a perfectly normal exec... in a dark blu jump suit with glowing blue piping. Ted runs around the yards, leaps one fence and rings the doorbell, big genuine smile in place. One hand behind his back.

Peter Parker has posed:
There is a few seconds of silence, then the floorboards creak as someone approaches the door. There is a beep, and a light above a CCTV camera placed above and to the left of the door turns on.

After a moment, a voice comes from a small intercom speaker to the right of the door. The voice is female, elderly, with just a hint of amusement flavored with concern. "Yes? How may I help you?"

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord looks up into the CCTV. He hesitates a moment, because he usually listens to death threats or plans of world domination over these things. "Hello, this Theodore Steven Kord from Kord Co. I am here to speak to Peter Parker about his job application... to Kord Co? Is this the correct residence in question?" Ted is badly out of practice talking to citizens. He should have brought Steve the Doorman but it was poker night with his pals, Jack and Stan. "Uhm... this is my flying suit. No need for apprehension..." He almost said, 'citizen'.

Peter Parker has posed:
Another short pause, and then the door opens.

The elderly woman may be getting on in years, but she is sharp-eyed and speculative as she looks him over. "Well, you would not be the first one to visit in such a uniform. Well, come on in, and have a seat at the table. Peter's in his basement lab, but I sent a message to him and he should be right up...as long as he doesn't have tunnel vision about some project he's working on."

She opens the door wide, allowing for Ted to step into the house proper.

"What does this Kord Co. of yours make in terms of products?"

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord takes his hand out of his back to show a bouquet of roses. "First for you. I'm sorry I came unanounced. What do we make... good question. Right now our big items are our slim line smart phone-the Kord Less. Then we have Ear Buddies and a headset letting the Kord Less send voice commands to all manner of things. We also do forcefields and antigravity, aerospace designs, drones... You must be Peter's aunt. Please call me Ted. I fall back on Mr. Kord when my employees mess up badly." His ears almost stand up at the mention of 'basement lab.' "Uhm, I'll be happy to meet Peter in his lab. I hate being interrupted when I get that way... I was trying to back engineer an arc reactor one time when the pizza guy showed up and... blooie."

Peter Parker has posed:
Aunt May develops a little blush to her cheeks, but she takes the flowers. "Benjy would have been incensed if a gentleman caller came by like this three years ago, but I think he would understand." She smiles to Ted, then says, "Please sit. I would be a horrible host to make you stand."

She steps into the kitchen to put the roses in a glass vase from one cabinet, filling it with water. "Peter is a very inventive sort. He showed me a drone he uses that helps him take those mad pictures of Spider-Man for the DAILY BUGLE."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord takes a seat with a thank you. He slings his little buckler on his back. Hey it worked! He waits for Peter a little awkwardly. "Time management and prioritizing come with maturity. For my part, I throw my folks out at 5 pm. It's quitting time. They have lives. I don't believe in strip mining my Human Resources." He looks over at the roses very glad he avoided flattening the flower stand.

Outside in the crater a couple of curious teens approach the Bug. The Bug rears up a bit waving its forelegs and emitting a whine. It returns to its landing position as the teens flee.

Peter Parker has posed:
"If I can call you Ted, then you can call me Aunt May. All our friends do..."

Suddenly a rear door bangs open and Peter Parker careens out of the door leading to the basement. He is wearing his usual baggy pants and shirt, but is already wearing a lab coat over this. He skids to a stop in front of Ted, eyes wide.

"Hi! Sorry! Was working on something and...uhm, hello, sir. Parker Peter! No! Peter Parker!"

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord gets up to extend his hand, removing his glove. "PLease call me Ted. It's only Mr. Kord if you f-foul up really badly. 'Sir' makes me feel ancient. What are you working on, if I may ask? Your aunt was telling me about your drone. I do a lot of drones myself. When I was twelve I built one to try to attend classes for me... it didn't go over well with the teachers. It worked great on the bullies though."

Peter Parker has posed:
If he fouls up really badly? Wow, the last time was a month, maybe he can try not to do so as quickly this time?

Peter took a deep breath, then replied, "Well, I am working on collision-avoidance and problem-solving. A drone that works fully-autonomously, to follow certain flight patterns so i can get the best pictures. It will mean I can still take pictures while still being able to avoid becoming part of the action. I was working out some best angles in various geographical obstacles and environments and programming them into the drone. I just got the code compiled."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord looks interested. "Hmmhmm. Can we finish your application process right here? It won't take too long. I would like to speak to you in private. Your aunt looks like a tough customer and I know when I'm outgunned." He taps a button on what looks like a watch and a small holo display comes up, blurred from Petter's angle. He lookd over the files. "I spoke to a couple of staff at your high school you listed as referrals. So... you've been going to school, freelancing for the Bugle... seeking p/t jobs to help with the bill around here a couple years since your uncle passed. Peter, I have to say, that your history speaks higher for you than your grades and obvious intelligence. Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter looks at Mr. Kord for a few moments.

"Hopefully finishing my undergrad work at ESU. I start classes in the fall. Because that's going to be a problem. I can't really work full-time if I'm going to college full-time."

And not the only problem, either, if the chronic tardiness and absenteeism are also going to be factors.

"After that, well, Neuroscience is still a field that needs exploration, development."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord nods. Poker face engaged. "Okay. Let's cut this bovine scatology. Why did you get terminated by Stark?" Most people would not recognize Ted's expression or tone. The happy go lucky belly laughing dumb ass of the JLI is gone. This is Mr. Kord. He has vested interests in hiring the best for his company, for the sake of his employees if nothing else. Well, he likes the money too. It does solve a lot of problems. Ted Likes to solve problems, even other people. He also likes to help them solve problems for themselves. There's limits. He is definitely the teach a man to fish sort. His parents were Randians. He got better after s lot of arguments.

Peter Parker has posed:
For a few seconds, Peter wonders if he should just claim that the NDA keeps him from telling him. But that is a coward's way out.
So, he opens his mouth and the truth falls out.

"I was working on a compound for a hip-replacement design. A completely stable, long-lasting lubricant polymer called GLIDE. Since someone helped me with the design, I promised them I'd file it as an open patent, like what Volvo did with the seat-belt design. Only, I didn't have the authority to do that. So...I tried anyway. In defiance of company policy. In defiance of Mr. Stark. I even got someone in Legal to help."

He is aware that Aunt May is in the kitchen, but that's okay. She already knows this.

"Mr. Stark found out. Fired me for violating company policy, for insubordination. Fired the lawyer helping me, too, and he's left town as a result. He doesn't like me, either."

He sighed as he looked to Mr. Kord. "So...that's how I torpedoed my dream job."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord frowns at that. "I assume you learned your lesson about what is yours to give away. I'd have fired your behind too. On the other hand... I would hope in a situation like this, you would come to me, and make your case why policy should be changed or ignored in this case. Anyway... can you handle working Saturdays and two nights a week?"

Peter Parker has posed:
"I understand your feelings and I don't blame you, and...wait. What?"

Peter had his apology all planned out, decided to take the high road, was already thinking about testing the drone...when he realized he hadn't been dismissed.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord chuckles. "I want to start you in sub basement three, researching artificial muscle fibers with my team. I want to upgrade the Bug's legs. Come in Friday we'll get you processed and issue you a badge and a jump suit. Then show up Saturday... at 9 am sharp! You'll start as an assistant. Let the team get to know you, learn something about artificial polymers and such. Friday we will have a stack of NDAs for you to sign. Thank you for your honesty and I'm Ted until you mess up. We won't let that happen. Right? Oh and I will have a USB with some of the Bug's source code for you. I had problems with obstacle avoidance too. I wound up paying for some buildings I clipped. See what you can use."

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter gulped like a fish. He looked completely gobsmacked.

Aunt May stepped in a minute later, eyeing Ted. She is carrying a large pastry bag, wide and squared. "Forgive my nephew, but I feel it must be asked. How much will Peter be earning? We do not wish to ask for undue compensation, but he *is* the primary source of income..."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord nods. "We pay standard industry rates." He calls up a display on his smart watch, this time un-blurred. "We have medical benefits he can get at a reduced rate as a part time employee. if he winds up say heading a neurology lab for me in five years, he could be making this." Another display. "I also give year end bonuses and incentives for completing projects on time and under budget. He isn't getting more than 165 hours a week while he is in school. Summer months I can use him full time and we're talking this figure."

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter suddenly felt he had to sit down. The chair is too far away, so he plops down on the floor.

Aunt May smiles to Peter, then to Ted, and then hands him the bag. "I was planning on giving you a slice, but after your offer, I do not think one slice is enough."

Looking in the bag treats Ted to the sight and smell of what was the best apple pie in New York of 2016 by the New York City Chamber of Commerce.