[Handset - Video - Encrypted to Foreigners]

[highprofilerichkid]

Weird question, but has anyone else been contacted by any of the kedan out of nowhere? Asking about your work, or anything like that?

[Technically the saying goes 'two is a coincidence, three is a pattern,' but any scientist knows that sample size is dependent on the question being investigated. In this case, Tony thinks that n=2 is significant.]

Comments

video

[looksfine]

Yes.

[Ever succinct with her responses, this one.]

[highprofilerichkid]

Did they ask you about developing tech or working on some sort of engineering project too?

[looksfine]

They inquired about my existence.

[And she was developing tech, so that...sort of counted?]

About my unique abilities, and about my opinions regarding varying matters, ranging from being different to level of contentness with the current situation.

[highprofilerichkid]

...Huh. [If they'd asked him for engineering help, why not Aya? She's certainly as capable, if not more. Though maybe in different specialties.]

Did it sound like they wanted you to... do anything? Help out with a project? Or did they just give you an opinion poll? [What a strange thing to do.]

[looksfine]

[ONE WOULD THINK THAT, YES. Although perhaps they did not initially realize her mind was not only created by SCIENCE, but also well versed in it.]

Interests were primarily in my personal opinions.

At one point, discussion over my existence as a unique individual currently without peers was brought up. For some reason, it was questioned why it did not bother me that others do not necessarily think and process as I do.

[highprofilerichkid]

That bothers some people. [It doesn't bother Tony all that much – but he's not entirely unfamiliar with the feeling. It can be... isolating. He'd been lucky to grow up with a father who could keep up with him and a best friend who could put up with him.]

Maybe they think you're a good test case. If you can integrate with the rest of the Foreigners, the Foreigners should be able to integrate with the kedan, right?

[looksfine]

I...had not considered that possibility.

[Although there was not enough evidence to fully support his theory, there was also little to disprove it. Yet.]

If that is the case, then it is my wish that I provided the most useful answer for the current situation, and that they may see it as evidence of a potential amicable, if not friendly, relationship between those who reside here permanently and those of us who are here for a limited time.

[highprofilerichkid]

I think we've been doing pretty good at "amicable" – it might be good to step things up to "friendly."

[Even when Foreigner-kedan relations are at their best, there's still the sense that the kedan regard the Foreigners as temporary interlopers. If these messages are part of a campaign to shift attitudes towards dealing with the Foreigners as a more permanent fixture, Tony's all for that.]

[looksfine]

Is there any way I may be of further assistance in that?

[highprofilerichkid]

I don't know. How are things going at Stark Industries? I've been... you know. Trying to stay out of their way. I haven't really kept up.

[looksfine]

There have been no recent, significant changes to take note of. To the best of my current knowledge, as I am not 100% to all company intel, the business continues to run at an acceptable rate.

I have certainly not been denied any of my amenities nor resources since the original deal was struck.

[highprofilerichkid]

That's good. Do you think they've gotten any friendlier towards Foreigners since they kicked us all out?

We don't have a whole lot of Foreigners at the College, but nobody's against them. There's just not as many Foreigners into science as there used to be.

I was just thinking, it's been really good for relations with the kedan whenever we've helped them with technological advancement. Maybe it would help to get people involved in SI again.

[looksfine]

I am unable to ascertain the precise degree of change in interpersonal relationships, and can only affirm that the majority of interactions I have witnessed in recent times have outwardly appeared positive.

Are you implying you would like to resume leadership of the company?

[Although "resume" was not the most accurate term here, considering it was an alternate Tony Stark who had begun Stark Industries in Keelai.]

[highprofilerichkid]

[Tony hesitates for a fraction of a second, then shakes his head.]

No. [Regardless of what he would like, that ship has sailed.]

But the Foreigners got kicked out back when there was a lot of bad blood. Things have been better for a while – it would be good to have Foreigners and kedan collaborating there again. SI is still a pretty big deal when it comes to technological development in the city.

[The College doesn't skimp on R&D, but it's still an educational institution at its core, not a business.]

[looksfine]

[Recalling those times, Aya could not argue his point. Even her own relationship with the then-head of the company had been...rather frictious at times.]

Agreed.

Although I would note that their advances still do not yet compare with the most efficient scientific technologies of my universe of origin.

[Just saying.]