74/E Pluribus Unum: The Scoop

E Pluribus Unum: The Scoop
Date of Scene:	23 February 2020
Location:	Stark Tower: Main Lobby
Synopsis:	Lois Lane interviews Tony about his presidential bid.
Cast of Characters:	Tony Stark, Lois Lane

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Tony Stark has posed:
True to his word, Tony hadn't spoken to the press at all since he gave Lois the promise of the first interview. Of course, it had only been a few hours and he'd spent most of that enjoying the party atmosphere outside Federal Hall. Stark 2020-mania had exploded all over social media, and his phone had been ringing incessantly as journalists tried to arrange an interview with him.

Arriving at Stark Tower, Lois is quickly awarded her visitor's pass and show to the express elevator that rockets her all the way to the penthouse. The elevator itself opens into a living room in the modern style, and in the center of the room there stands a suit of Iron Man armor with the eyes aglow. It doesn't move save for it's head turning slowly to regard Lois' every motion.

"Ignore him," comes Tony's voice from behind the bar, and he rises up from looking in the fridge to stand and be visible, "He's just nosy."

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois is more than aware of the magnitude of being able to be the first interview. As she steps into the penthouse, she takes a good look around before she lets her eyes fix on the Iron Man suit. "Kind of seems like he's jealous of you being the one in the media and not him right now." While part of her is clearly pleased to be there, perhaps spiked a bit with nervousness, she seems relatively comfortable all the same. It's probably the years of doing interviews like these.

"I'm pleased to be here, Mr. Stark. I imagine there was quite a clamor to try and get this interview from other interested parties."

Tony Stark has posed:
"If he thought for himself we'd be in trouble," Tony jokes, stepping out from behind the bar with two glasses in one hand and what looks like an ornate bottle of scotch with the glass fashioned into the likeness of a crashing wave in the other, "And please, Tony is fine."

Recessed into the floor is a conversation pit of sorts, lined with dark sofas and sporting a glass square coffee table in the center. Tony steps down into it, depositing the glasses and bottle on the table, and then sinks back onto one of the sofas. He's still in the suit from the rally, though the jacket has been discarded and his tie hangs loose.

"I hope you're okay with keeping things informal? I've got a sneaking suspicion my life is about to become and endless sea of formalities, so I'd like to take it easy for now while I can."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Informal's fine. I happen to prefer it that way, most of the time. I find people are more honest when they're relaxed and tend to phrase things a little more like they mean it and not just how they want it to look," Lois moves to take a seat on the sofa nearby. Close, but giving him space. Informal, but not crowding. It's carefully calculated. Informal doesn't mean unprepared.

"Anything you'd like to get out before I dig down into things? I do promise I'll try and make this feel more like a conversation and less of an interrogation."

Tony Stark has posed:
Tony watches Lois take the seat, leaning forward to fill both glasses with scotch from what looks to be an expensive bottle with Japanese hiragana on the site. Just a splash in each, with the spherical balls of ice keeping it chilled. That done, he leans back on the sofa and folds his hands across his stomach. It's hard to imagine anyone else has ever looked more relaxed.

"Well, I'm Anthony Edward Stark. I'm a Capricorn. I like long walks along the beach provided it's a private one and I own it. I'm also Iron Man - though I think someone might have already scooped you on that last one."

He reaches now to pick up his glass, taking a sip from it and nodding towards Lois: "Shoot. Give me your worst, Lane."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Pretty sure there's already a website detailing /all/ of that. Fans are nosier than reporters, sometimes," Lois says, glancing to the glasses. "Is that one for me, or do you think you're going to need them both?" It's a joke, but one she hopes will ease any underlying tension that might be in the room.

"I don't hate you. You don't get my worst. Be glad of that." She grins. "Alright then, Tony, what brought this on? People don't just roll over in bed and decide they want to be president. What's driving this decision? Did something happen?"

Tony Stark has posed:
"It's all yours," Tony says with a gesture towards the other, untouched glass, "I've got an intravenous supply if things get too rough. Until then, enjoy a few thousand dollars' worth of scotch."

When the first question is asked, he looks thoughtful for a moment, staring off into space for a moment. He takes a sip of the scotch, rinses it around his mouth for a second, and then swallows it down.

"A lots happened," he begins, "We're in a different world now. In my dad's time it was panic that there were Russian spies waiting in the shadows - Reds under the beds. Now we have documented proof of alien species - our first real contact with some of them was an attempt to conquer our planet. The scale of these situations is only increasing, but our government - our way of life - isn't adjusting to compensate for that. We're still acting like the biggest thing we have to fear is an invasion from across the ocean when what we should be worried about is an invasion from up there, or from some other dimension."

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois takes the glass in hand, looking it over for a minute. "Been a rich couple of days," she murmurs before looking back over at Tony. She takes some notes down on her phone, mostly without looking. "I can see how that could spur on some change. Some frustration with the way things are going. What makes you think /president/ is the way to go to help?"

Tony Stark has posed:
"It's the place people look," Tony explains, gesturing grandly ahead of him, "When things are their darkest and people feel like they've lost their way, the presidency is the light on the hill. That's the man or woman who stands you back up, dusts you off, and says 'Follow me. This way.'"

Another sip of his glass, resting it then between his hands on his lap: "I've always been looking forward. The suits? Iron Man? That technology is years beyond anything anyone on this planet is capable of. I can see where we're going, and I can guide us through the rough patches. If I thought I could do it by being an advisor or by being Tony Stark, billionaire industrialist? I would. But that's not how this is going to get done. That's not how we succeed."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Okay, let's take this in another direction then. If you're president, that leaves your heroic allies in a really interesting position. How do they figure into the plan? And do you still plan on fighting on as Iron Man while serving as President?" Lois has spent a bit thinking about this. "It's not unheard of for a country's leader to be their protector. I'm just curious what the presidency looks like for you."

Tony Stark has posed:
Tony reaches up to remove the glasses he wears, folding them over and tucking them into the pocket of the waistcoat he wears: "I've thought about this. Obviously, Iron Man can't exist in the same way if I'm elected. There's laws against that sort of thing, not to mention my focus would need to shift."

He finishes off his glass, leaning forward to refill it and then glancing towards Lois to check on the status of her own drink.

"What we've built with the Avengers? That's got the capacity to be the defense we need in the absence of the Justice League. If I'm spending less time in the suit, it's because I'm spending more time fighting battles that are just as real here at home. If Iron Man has to retire for eight years," his eyebrows raise a little at his own evident optimism, "I'd hope the American people would understand."

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois finishes her own and leans forward to offer the empty glass for a refill. "Interesting." She nods, perhaps in approval. "So from the talk that I've heard from you so far it sounds as if you're wanting to protect the country. That works from a military standpoint, I'm certain you'd know how to shore up defenses, but what about from an interior standpoint. Is there anything you're particularly interested in tackling? Schools, infrastructure, minimum wage, bad coffee?"

She's only half joking about the last one.

Tony Stark has posed:
"You know what Stark Industries has provided since we turned our focus away from weapons manufacture," Tony answers, refilling Lois' glass before settling the bottle down to take a sip from his own, "The Stark Phone is an unmitigated success. Our Long Island facility is run by a wholly renewable energy supply in the form of our arc reactor. We're advancing in leaps and bounds every day, and I'm at the helm of that."

His glass is rested back on the table, and he reaches into his pocket to produce his phone. After looking through it for a moment he sets it down on the table, bringing up a holographic three-dimensional map of the continental United States that hovers in the air above them.

"I want to bring innovation into the homes of all Americans. Whether that be jobs throughout the country, or something as simple as an automated housekeeper. I want people to look at America and see a country on the very precipice of technological innovation."

Lois Lane has posed:
Sipping from her glass, Lois seems thoughtful. "So what I'm hearing is that what you bring to the table is the resources of Stark Industries. Say you become President, how do you balance your own business with running a country? I imagine there are those who would argue that it's just you buying the Presidency if you're just pooling all your resources."

Tony Stark has posed:
"I haven't run my business in years," Tony says with a grin, before pointing towards Lois, "That's a joke, by the way. But honestly, Pepper Potts is as brilliant a managerial talent as it gets. Our plan is for her to take over the day-to-day at Stark Industries during the campaign, and if I'm elected, we're going to see about making that a permanent arrangement."

Another thoughtful look, and another finished glass: "I'm not in the habit of losing. I know what I'm proposing here is the key to a brighter future for this country, and I'd be foolish not to put everything I have into achieving that. All I ask is that you - and everyone else out there - look at what I've done, the shots I've called. Now, I want you to apply that level of forward thinking. That ability to take in the entire scope of the big picture. Apply it to the Presidency and think about just what we could achieve there."

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois looks into her glass, takes a sip, then looks back up. "I have no doubt you'd be able to accomplish something, Tony. I think you could do a lot of good. You've already done more than anyone's fair share so far." She pauses. "I'm going to give a bit of unsolicited advice, if you don't mind. Consider it the view of a voter who has seen a lot of politics but also someone who reads the prices on the menu at a restaurant."

She takes another quick sip. "You're smart, but you don't always look great in the media because you can come off as an arrogant playboy. If you're serious about this, you need to run with someone who's grounded, who can ground you." She pauses. "Anyway, my opinion aside. One other thing... we're living in a world where we have the Avengers, but there are also people making a difference on the street, aside from the police. Vigilantes and the like. As President, how would you handle these situations? Do you try to curb vigilantes, do you try and protect those who may use dangerous abilities but in the defense of others?"

Tony Stark has posed:
Tony raises his eyebrows a little at the advice, appearing thoughtful for a moment: "I'll keep that in mind. We've put feelers out for a few candidates, but if I'm honest we're still searching. If I had to guess, it's because there's more than a few people nominating themselves and nobody wants to hitch their wagon to a falling star. But that opinion will change soon. I promise."

"As for your question," Tony tops up his scotch yet again and leans back in the chair, "The whole idea of 'superheroes' is a complex one. We've spent years trying to legislate in a way that treats these people fairly and shows the appropriate amount of respect for the role they're filing. People like Spider-Man - like it or not, nobody can do that job he's doing. That scales all the way up to the Avengers. These are groups that exist because they have to exist. People who do what they have to because they've got a strong sense of what is right."

"But we're all in this together," he adds, "Part of bringing about meaningful change is making the country safe for everyone."

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois seems thoughtful. "So I'm sure you'll get this one out in your briefing, but I do want to know, what are your campaign promises? What do you vow you'll get done? There are a lot of projects out there and what seems like the biggest draw with your campaign would be access to the Avengers and the resources of Stark Industries. Is there a space-defense campaign promise in the works?"

Tony Stark has posed:
"I'm gonna have to hold onto that one," Tony offers with a thin smile, "If I'm going to make a promise, I want to make sure I can keep it. We all know the axiom about politicians and their promises, after all. But you're onto something there. Extraterrestrial civilizations do exist. We've met them. Some are friendly, some are not. I'm not a warmonger. I'm not proposing untampered aggression against non-humans - but the Dominators caught us completely unprepared, and it was only the Justice League that managed to turn them away. It's important we never be caught out like that again. My promise is we never will be."

Lois Lane has posed:
"I do like it when my politicians actually do something," Lois agrees, the slightest hint of amusement on her lips. "That's a promise I think the American people can get behind. I could keep asking you questions all night, but I think you'd end up bored and miss the chance to party." She stretches a bit.

"So I'll ask you one more thing, and I'll make it tough. What's your weak point? A good leader knows their strengths and weaknesses and knows where they can do better. What is it you recognize you aren't doing well and can work on to improve to be a better President?"

Tony Stark has posed:
"I think you probably already mentioned it," Tony tells her, polishing his - what, third? - glass of scotch and putting the glass down on the table, "I'm a highflyer. Always have been. I move in circles that some people feel so removed from that they feel like they might as well be a different species. I do want to hear what everyone has to say. Every person who has a stake in this country. That's why I wanted to give you the scoop, actually."

There's another gesture, and the holographic image of the United States hovering above them begins to glow with pinpoints of light that rapidly spread across the map.

"The Stark 2020 website is going to redirect to a service that allows anybody with internet access to leave a message. Be it well wishes, thoughts, opinions. Anything they want me to know. A digital intelligence that I designed will then read through those, filter them down to the messages I need to hear, and pass them on to me. This is what's going to inform my policy. This is how I'm going to try and come down from the stratosphere and hear what the people have to say."

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois takes a moment to study the map. "So you basically have a team of people to read your Tweets?" She sounds amused, if nothing else. "Having a pulse on the country via the internet is a good way to do things, but you're going to miss some delicate parts of your population if it's solely internet-bound. The homeless, people in rural areas, there are still Amish, if you believe that. Some people don't have the money for internet enabled devices. So what's the plan there?"

Tony Stark has posed:
When Lois offers her take on his plan, Tony weighs it up in his head and nods: "That's a good point. But it's not all about technology. There's a good portion of the population that lives without modern technology for the most part, like you've said. Those are the people I'm going to have to reach out to person by person. HOMER, demo reel protocol."

As soon as the words leave Tony's mouth, the Iron Man armor standing stoically nearby raises up from the ground on its repulsors. After a moment it ascends towards the high ceiling, hovering there and looking down at the pair of them. It moves in quick point-to-point motions through the air, high enough above so as to not disturb them but showing remarkable agility and speed.

"My suit can do something called a sub-orbital hop, which allows me to go up and then land almost anywhere on the planet. I can be anywhere in the country within three hours. I plan to make the rounds. Get out there. Meet people who want to meet me. Hear their concerns."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Good, that's honestly a good way to meet people who might not be otherwise able to interact," Lois studies the Iron Man suit with interest. "Those are the people you're going to have to try hard to sway, with their lack of technology, you'll have to appeal to what they need directly in their lives instead of thriving on the flash and glamour most new technology."

But there she goes, giving advice again. She steers away from that. "Thank you for the scoop, though. I might have a bit of an opinion, at times, but I print the truth and people trust my word on things. I hope you'll remember that in the future, in case you've got more promises to spill to the American people."

Tony Stark has posed:
"I'll tell you what, Lane," Tony says, rising to his feet and stepping out of the conversation pit, "I was impressed by this interview. I'll admit I half-expected our friend the King of Wakanda was just pointing you at me to hit me with a bunch of hard questions. Tough love or just trying to dissuade me."

As he speaks, the suit ceases to hover in the air and once more lowers down to land on the ground. Tony pays little attention to it, moving past towards a glass desk by one of the high windows and reaching to fetch something from it. Finding it, he tucks it in his palm and moves back over towards Lois.

"But you've obviously got a passion for this. A passion for making sure people have all the information they need to make the right, informed decision. I like that. I don't obfuscate. I don't pretend to be what I'm not. I think you'd be a valuable ally here."

He holds out his hand, offering a business card with his name and cell on it along with the Stark Industries logo.

"I'll give you time to think on it, but if things go well and you think maybe you want to get involved with the campaign? Give me a call. I don't want to start celebrating this early, but if things go right I'm sure you'd make a hell of a press secretary."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Oh is that what happened?" Lois' expression turns to one of amusement. "I'm the one that asked for the interview, I wasn't entirely sure he'd even mention it to you. It's good to know I've got more sway than I thought." Sway she's not sure she was supposed to find out about. She finishes off the rest of her glass, setting it aside before she reaches over to take the business card.

"I can't say you're wrong as to my motivations. Those voters deserve to know and understand what they're getting into. If you're a part of the whole, you should know what cards are on the table." She examines the business card carefully. "I can't make promises as I also don't like to give promises I can't keep, but I will certainly give it thought. At the very least, you know who to call if you need an honest reporter."

Tony Stark has posed:
"That I do," Tony agrees, letting Lois take the card and tucking his hands pack into the pockets of his suit pants, "And now I know who to look for if I wake up tomorrow morning and find my opinion polls have tanked. I gave you the exclusive here, so I'm hoping you'll at least put a thin coat of shiny paint on the story before you roll it out of the shop."

That said, he walks towards the conversation pit again: "Want to stay and finish off the bottle? I can show you my car collection in the basement?"

As though HOMER were listening in on the conversation (and, let's face it, he was), the elevator door 'bings' noticeably and slides open against the wall. The digital assistant saving Tony from himself.

Lois Lane has posed:
The card is safely tucked away. "Don't worry, I'll make sure the article has a nice shine." Lois looks between Tony and the elevator. "You were doing great not looking like an arrogant playboy in front of the media." She winks in his direction. "Better work on that. Get a good running mate." She makes her way to the elevator.

"Besides, I'm pretty sure I've already got a date for tonight."