5308/And The Award Goes To

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And The Award Goes To
Date of Scene: 22 February 2021
Location: Elis Island
Synopsis: Rhodes and Colt meet up at a USMC awards Ceremony and talk shop.
Cast of Characters: Lester Colt, James Rhodes




Lester Colt has posed:
     It's a lovely day, snow hangs on the trees and over the grass freshly fallen into place in every direction little icicle stalactites hang off of each and every branch a reminder of the cold weather abounding.

     A small section of Ellis Island has been cordoned off for the evening's events. Gathered within the cordoned off area are a sizable group of men and women in their dress uniforms currently applauding as the last of the Marines walk off the stage and into the crowd.

     It was a lovely ceremony if not one that had drug its way on for quite some time, and now most of the crowd were ready for refreshments and libations that awaited each of them.

     A cool breeze blew across the region carrying the american NYC, and USMC flags aflutter against the poles causing some to button up a bit tighter as they engaged in friendly conversation. Most of the people here were in high spirits all things considered with such good company in attendance.

     Master Gunnery Sergeant Lester Colt was one of the last to end his applause for his fellow soldiers dropping his white glove clad hands down to his side as he made for the table spotting a lovely bit of fruit punch with his name on it. Things were looking good and he held a firm yet friendly smile on his face as he grabbed a plastic cup.

James Rhodes has posed:
He is here, dressed in his full formal uniform. Medals hanging from his chest, black top crisp and perfectly tailored. Shoes, neoprene so he doesn't have to actually shine them. As the ceremony ends, he walks up and congratulates one of the Marines who received an award, "Good work, Corporal. You always did an excellent job keeping us flying out there." The Marine grins and replies, "Well, some of y'all were easier than others, Colonel. Suspect it's still that way, though, if Tony Stark needs someone who knows his way around avionics, you let me know?"

"You're first on my list Corporal Hanson." Rhodey replies, shaking the man's hand, before he steps to the side to let him greet his other guests. It's at this moment that Rhodey ducks away to grab something to drink. It seems he's forgotten how hot the uniform can feel in a crowded room.

He slides into line behind the Master Guns, and waits quietly, just another random colonel here at an awards ceremony.

Lester Colt has posed:
     "Colonel Rhodes." Colt offers as he turns back around with a glass of punch. "Out recruiting for Stark Industries or ARMOR this week?" He offers with a bit of a smile and a chuckle. He's got several rows of medals across his chest including the medal of honor and over 50 years of service pins and good conduct as well as service for Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and more. The guy's got enough pins to start his own little museum.

     He gives a big friendly smile of bright white teeth to the retired officer and a light tip of the glass as he moves out of the way so that Colonel Rhodes can get his own from the table.

James Rhodes has posed:
"Master Gunnery Sergeant Colt." Rhodey replies with a nod to the man. That many pins and service awards can really only mean like, two people in the Corps. "Neither, actually. Just here to support a Marine that always put in great service when I was in his squadron. Kept me in the air. Made sure when I landed I was landing on my wheels and not something else. I pinned Corporal on him before we rotated back and I deployed into retirement."

"How are you doing? I didn't know the Corps was so deep into archaeology that they still stood up fossils," Rhodes replies with some gentle ribbing. He then gets himself a glass of beer, and motions over to an open table nearby. "Take a seat?" he asks, as he starts to walk in that direction.

Lester Colt has posed:
     "A cause I can drink to." Colt kicks back a bit of his punch with a light smile just enjoying a sip. "Here for similar myself, there's a staff sergeant who I owe a fair bit to." It's clear he's not drinking in uniform for whatever reason, though there's a glint of respect in his eye as he looks back to the other man, his own voice still rather gruff as he speaks. He falls silent to listen to what comes next.

     A single white gloved hand goes over his heart as the archeology comment hits right home. "You know the knife is almost as old as man himself and still gets his day in the sun because he knows how to stay sharp." He clicks his tongue against his teeth as he moves over to that open seat with a light step, setting himself down with a clattering of the medals against his chest. "Every time they box me up I come back out fresh in a few seasons ready for a new tour."

James Rhodes has posed:
"Paying it forward isn't a bad thing Master Guns." Rhodey replies, and takes a sip of his beer. He then chuckles, "So, they literally box you up? I thought that was just an expression."

Lester Colt has posed:
     Colt looks off to the corner for a moment as he thinks back to the many, many times he'd been literally shoved into a toy box in order to be shipped into an operation in disguise with a rebreather. He takes a long sip from his glass of punch before chuckling and shaking his head from one side to the other. "Only sometimes."

     "I work the S.H.I.E.L.D. circuit when I'm not deployed." He nods his head firmly. "Keeps me out of trouble." He lowers one arm down towards the table. "Word is you're doing the same when Stark doesn't have you careening through the air at a few thousand miles per hour in his latest death-trap."

James Rhodes has posed:
"Yeah, well, I went out on a mission with Ant Man and it really cemented my appreciation for dedicated professionals in the field. And SHIELD could use all the help they can get currently with the interdimensional beings coming and going with them." Rhodey replies. He shrugs a little bit, "They've taken me on as a consultant, so I only have to do half as much paperwork as a the full timers, and don't have to put up with TOO much organizational nonsense."

"And, I would note, it's not a death trap. The WarMachine armor is very well put together. So much so the Corps would never be able to afford it as a general purpose platform. Which is a shame. You could condense a heavy weapons and armor platoon down to a single suit of armor." Rhodey replies, "It also isn't half bad in the air. It's no Super Hornet, but it'll do.

Lester Colt has posed:
     Colt slowly nods his head following along with the conversation as he takes a long sip from his glass of punch. He waits for more of the sherbert to melt inside of the glass before speaking up finally just to say. "Hard to beat the Super Hornet Colonel, even with some fancy suit." He smirks lightly. "Though I'm not much one to talk, I ride around on a jetpack most of the time.. It's good to have you on board Colonel, maybe sometime we'll even get you on board full time."

James Rhodes has posed:
"Doubtful. Very doubtful. There's only so much institutional...nonsense I can deal with anymore. The Corps, loved my time there, sometimes miss it, is the perfect example. You take out all the...nonsense. The Green Weenie as it were. And, it's a pretty decent institution. But, if it's built up over centuries and defended as 'tradition' by old salty Gunny Sargents -- no offense -- it becomes very difficult to root out. And then, you're stuck with eight million different little paper cuts that will slowly drain you of all your blood." Rhodey replies, "Better to just show up when needed, do the work that needs to be done, then fade into the background and let everyone else have the credit."

Lester Colt has posed:
     "World's a better place when the paperwork is small and the work gets done quick." Colt takes another sip from his now partially remelted glass of punch. "Won't get an argument from me." A light toast of the glass. "Though still say problem comes from the officers more than it does the folks who work for a living..no offense." He gives a bit of a smirk towards the colonel before breaking out into a bit of a chuckle at his own joke.

     "May your paperwork always be small piles and your munitions always reach the ceiling colonel." He toasts his glass of punch up towards the sky.

James Rhodes has posed:
The man smiles a bit, and returns the toast before he downs his drink. It's at that moment -- of course -- that his phone buzzes. He swallows, looks at the phone, and then lets out an audible sigh, "And, speak of the devil..." He says quickly, "Nice catching up with you, but I gotta take this. Hopefully I'll see you out at SHIELD sometime."

He flips his phone open, and speaks into it, "Yeah Tony, what's up?" Off he goes to deal with whatever the next issue is for Stark Industries, or Tony, or the Avengers...