tushanshu | [Console] Video;

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[Console] Video;

[When the screen comes on there is a face just a little too close to the camera; it’s got freckles and red hair. The figure scoots back a bit, and a young woman in her late teens appears, grinning nervously.]

Uh, hiiii. I’m Pepper. Pepper Potts. I come from a city called New York which some of you have probably heard of and if you haven’t you should because its awesome. Or, it was awesome before a bunch of aliens came and tried to destroy the planet, which they might still do, I got here before we blew up the ship when I got teleported, so it might not be so awesome when you go visit. [She pauses, catching herself.] Er. If, I guess. Sorry, I talk a lot when I’m nervous, apparently, that’s what everyone always tells me. Actually they say I talk too much all the time, not just when I'm nervous. Especially Tony and Rhodey and Gene. Oh! Yeah, I'm from the same place as Tony and Gene. Well, not exactly, we came here from different places, or something, which I don't really understand yet.

[She takes a deep breath and tries to slow down the torrent of words.] Anyway. I hear there’s some big bad running around and since I’m kind of used to fighting supervillains I’m totally there if you need someone to help with butt-kicking. Probably.

[Pepper sags a little bit.]

I could use some help figuring out what to do here. I’m supposed to get a job and all I ever wanted to be is a SHIELD agent. I could help...organize...things? Unless someone needs a personal shopper, in which case I am so there.

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[A majority of her introductory speech sounded fairly routine, as far as Aya was concerned. She did not, in fact, recognize the name of the Earth City, despite it's alleged level of awesome, nor did she seem overly concerned at the though of aliens attempting to destroy the planet. Been there, helped stopped it more than once.]

[It was the names that drew her attention most due to familiar association.]

What is a SHIELD agent?

I do not recall Tony ever speaking of such an organization during our several prior conversations.

[The only person Pepper has seen that's as green as this woman is the Hulk, but she doesn't look like she's going to smash anything.]

Uh, someone who works for SHIELD? It's a global law-enforcement and counter-terrorism agency that deals with things that regular government agencies can't. It stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. They have a helicarrier, it's pretty great.

Aaand Tony probably didn't mention them because they... He's had some pretty big clashes with them in the past. Lot's of frowning and disagreeing and using experimental technology. How do you know Tony?

[Not without prior provocation, no]

Tony and I have been mutual acquaintances ever since his arrival in this world. We share a common interest in technology and a wide range of sciences and mathematical disciplines.

He has also shown great interest in my design and programming.

[Better not make her angry, then, Pepper.]

Well, if you like science and doing math for fun, Tony is definitely your guy.

[Pepper is a little confused about what this woman is saying. And how she's saying it.]

Um. Your design and programming? I...don't get it.

[What you said, Pepper.]

[Not for the first time, Aya found herself mildly surprised at her conversational partner's surprise. Where she originated from, her artificial nature had seemed so obvious to others, that even the Queen of the Star Sapphires had been able to tell a mere glance. It was the primary source of her prejudice, after all.]

I am an artificial intelligence. Alive and organic, but I was technologically programmed by the Science Director of Oa.

[Which, technically, would not make her artificial at all. She had found over time, though, that it was an easier association for many to make, rather than attempt to explain the minute details behind the process of her creation. Particularly when she had no memory of the actual moment she first came into existence.]

Oh. Wow.

[The only encounters Pepper has had with AI thus far have been far from pleasant, but they've also been far from looking even remotely human, much less acting approximately like one. Technovore might have ended up bipedal but that was about where the resemblance stopped. Whoever (whatever? what's the right pronoun here??) she was, she came from a place where technology is waaaaaaaaaay more advanced than what Pepper knows.]

Um. Well, they must have, er, programmed you really well; I wouldn't have guessed that you were, um, programmable. [She's really not sure how she should be talking to this woman. Is it offensive to talk about an AI being an AI?] Uh, what's your name?

[It was also somewhat ironic that many seemed to associate her physical form with bearing a human resemblance when the only Earthling she had ever met was male; her design was actually based off that of a Volkreig female. A memory of a memory.]

Thank you. [No offense detected in either her tone or expression.] And you may call me Aya.

[A.I. Aya. It wasn't just a coincidence.]

[The only non-human sentient species of significant intelligence Pepper has ever met looked more like big rhino lizards than anything else, so she's got nothing else to compare Aya to but humans. Unless the Makluan females are seriously different than the males, but Pepper doesn't want to know.]

You're welcome. [There's a hint of confusion in her tone still.] Aya. That's a nice name. So, uh, what's so interesting about SHIELD to you? Do you have something like them where you come from?

[Pepper could talk the ears off of anyone who would listen when it came to SHIELD.]

Judging from your prior description of their organization, than...yes. There are noticeable parallels to the Green Lantern Corps, though we operate not just on a single planet, but throughout all of Guardian Space.

[It was a similarity that interested her greatly.]

Whoa. SHIELD is pretty great, but even they haven't managed to get out in to space yet, other than satellites and an orbital station. [Beat]. Aaaaaaas far as we know. But they're sorta supposed to be a secret, so it's not like they'd just tell us if they've been to other planets. [She looks very disappointed at this fact.]

So, you're a part of this Green Lantern thing? What's it like? Are there laser guns and hyperdrives? Oh, please tell me there are laser guns!

There are laser guns.

[The corners of Aya's lips twitched upwards in great amusement, though her statement was more than merely humoring the other girl. It rang of truth. There were, in fact, laser guns. Many laser guns. Among other weapons and methods of transport.]

Hyperdrive, or more specifically, the Warp Coils, were one of the reasons I was created in the first place. Such technology is still relatively new, and the calculations are nearly impossible for most organic brains to accurately calculate in the span of time necessary for convenient travel.

[Pepper's mouth drops open. Hyperdrives were real. Laser guns were real.Space is crazy mega extra awesome. Also, well done Aya for shutting Pepper up for a few seconds.]

Oh man. I wanna go to space now. Tony's been to space, did he tell you he's been to space? He's got a special suit for it an everything. Warp coils! Laser guns! Ah!

[She's so excited she could almost cry. Also, breathing is a thing Pepper, remember that if you want to keep talking.]

Wow, so you must be like, super smart. Smarter than Tony, even. I bet he'd be super jealous if he weren't so interested in why you're so smart. Or alive.

Edited 2015-05-24 05:25 (UTC)

[She has been known to have that affect on certain individuals before. It was a Science-given gift.]

Yes, I am aware of Tony's suit and adventure in space. We have shared multiple memories together since the beginning of our relationship.

[In some cases, literally.]

Though he has yet to express any feelings of jealousy I have been able discern, despite being well aware of my IQ.

[Uh-oh, Aya. You dropped the 'R' word. Pepper knows that's probably not the kind of relationship that she occasionally imagines ~~desperately wants~~ with a certain genius, but it gets her hackles up just a little.]

That's an... interesting way to put it. [Shake it off, Pep.] So! Uh, what's it like, living in space?

He probably wouldn't, as long as you don't rub it in his face or try to take over his company or turn the school into a giant death maze. Then he'd get pretty peeved.

[Aya understood the concept of Love quite well. She knew there were many different kinds. The Love you felt for a friend, like Tony was. The Love you felt for someone close enough to be considered family. Like Hal Jordan. And Kyle. And, yes, she also knew--from experience--what it felt like to Love someone.]

[A someone she had not seen for more than an Earth year's time. Who was most definitely not named Tony Stark.]

[Pepper wouldn't have to worry about Competition from her in that area.]

Perhaps. But it is also accurate.

[Again, particularly the part about sharing memories. It was...a thing she was capable of doing, under certain circumstances.]

I have never done any such thing, I can assure you. During his absence from the city, it was Zanru who assumed control of Stark Industries. She is the one I hold an employment contract with, but Tony has also been made aware of this fact from the day it occurred.

[Pepper has yet to learn that chasing after Tony is fruitless anyway, but she can freak out over that later.]

Can't argue with that. I guess Tony has told you a lot, then?

[Given Aya's particular uniqueness, Tony must have been more than willing to share his own experience with her.]

Stark Industries, that's in the Metal Sector, right? [Pepper is still learning the geography of this place.] What do you do there for Zanru?

[Her uniqueness, and yet shocking number of parallels in terms of life experiences.]

He has, yes.

It is...nice...having someone who understands.

[Many things. Her nature. Her technical-driven speech patterns. SCIENCE. Especially the Science.]

Correct. Currently, I employed to continue minimal, supervised research in the area of vast technological advances while also providing regularly scheduled, even more supervised lessons on maximizing the locals' knowledge in said area.

[In short, she was a computer science teacher.]

Is it hard for you here? Not having people who really understand you? Except for Tony, of course.

[Pepper might be able to grasp the idea of an organic AI, but that doesn't mean she understands Aya at all. She might someday, though, given time. It depends on how patient they both can be.]

Oh, so you're like a research professor, right?

[Pepper seems to be meeting a lot of teachers today.]

Not usually. Though we do share many commonalities, he has not been the only individual capable of sympathizing, or even empathizing, with my nature. And it carries great significance that there has been a higher probability of those who make the effort to try here than in all the planets I visited in my universe of origin.

[She was the only one of her kind, but she wasn't alone.]

That's...really comforting actually. I've been pretty worried about meeting new people, to be honest. Not that I'm shy or anything, it's just that there's so many different possibilities about where people come from and what's considered offensive or not and I really don't want to do something that gets me into a duel or have my hands chopped or something. [She realizes she's rambling a bit and gives an apologetic smile.] Sorry.

[Aya was a listener, when not relied upon to relate relevant information no one else could. Rambling didn't bother her in the least.]

You have done nothing that requires an apology.

I can assure you, no such cultural customs have been enacted here from either locals or fellow Foreigners. Your hands are safe.

Edited 2015-05-25 00:46 (UTC)

[It seems Pepper has found someone who can withstand her verbal onslaughts. New best friend? New best friend.]

Oh, um, thanks.

Has anyone ever told you that you are really calming to talk to?

[Hal Jordan was very big on the stories.]

I have been informed that the timbre and pitch of my voice can be considered soothing on occasion, yes.

I didn't just mean your tone. I mean, that's part of it, sure, but it's also just what you're saying. It might seem a little...technical, maybe, but it's.. Oh, what's the word...grounding! Yeah, grounding.

[Basically, Aya would probably make a good therapist, is what Pepper is trying to say.]

I could probably even tackle chemistry if you kept me from throwing the textbook away.

[Grounding. Perhaps an ironic compliment, given that she was highly capable of flight, and--in fact--spent the majority of her first year of life traveling through the deep recesses of space. But a compliment all the same.]

Chemistry is the science of studying the compositions, structures, properties, and constant changes of matter. Why would you require a textbook to learn about such things when it would prove far more beneficial to simply observe them for yourself?

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video; (you've just made Pepper's forever)

video; you're welcome, Pepper's forever

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