2013.09.09 - Drinking with the Enemy

[NYC: Metropolis]-

Stark Tower - CEO's Office To say Tony's office as CEO is opulent is an understatement. To say that there are penthouses that aren't as lavish is a more fair description. This is more of a suite than an actual office: There's a mini conference room, sitting room, full appointed luxury bathroom, a mini bedroom, a        workout room, and then after all that? The actual office itself in which there is only a wall mounted television, an ancient looking wooden desk on   which sits something so sleek that it MIGHT be a computer, or it could be     art. There is also a fully stocked professional grade bar. That's the thing about Tony, right? He always gets the good stuff, and for one of the places where he spends most of his time he provides only the best and beyond.

- Hans (0s) Tony Stark (29s) Mid-day at Stark Industries. There are many labels under the Stark umbrella. Stark Industries. Stark International. Stark Commodities. But at the end of the day, they all have the same thing in common - the Stark name. The current Stark is seated in his office, seeing over his empire. Taking care of issues that move multi-billion dollar conglomorates, shifting the equivalent of corporate tectonic plates, not concerned with what seismic ripples will do. It always shakes out in the end, right?

Right now, Tony Stark is not concerned with business. He's engaging in his first love - research and development. Currently he's standing in his office, manipulating a three dimensional representation of DNA. Examining very specific points, very precise chromosomatic sequences. He speaks aloud, giving notes to his AI, JARVIS.

"Okay, strand 31-Alpha. We want to reconstitute the regenerative technique, and incorporate the atomic-micronanite constructs here. Working on a neucleic bond, we should find that they will fuse and bond into a union at the sub-quark level." he takes a breath, gives a long exhale as he thinks, "Let's try a carbon-bromide base for the bonding agent and go from there."

"Genetics is a difficult thing is it?" A thick german voice calls out just as he was announced and let in, looking to Tony and the DNA model he had. "I never thought you to dabble in this, machinery being your primary specialty?" He asks as he walks toward the man. He didnt seemed to be armed, and he seems to act as if he wasnt on trial half a century ago for crimes against humanity. "Forgive me I do not offer any advice on how to do this, I am no genius, simply a tinkerer at most." He says as he bows his head.

Tony Stark looks up, collapses his hands around the structure and it shrinks. He throws the ball at a target and there's a sound of a carnival like ding. Then silence. "Hans." he says, leaning against his desk. "Looking good for someone who's been shot, blown up, stabbed, laughed through a trial, then hanged, burned up, and scattered across the Teutonic countryside." - he pauses, "Do you moisturize? Because you look great for having gone through all that."

Hans chuckles. "Strict and ravenous diet." Hans says with a sarcastic tone back to him. "I see you saw my past exploits. Personally I still find it funny they could call themselves impartial." He says with a laugh. "I am a fan of your work personally though, Mr. Stark. Your earlier work with weapons was good, but after your capture, with the redesigning of the Arc Reactor and the suit? Genius, true genius. You have single handedly did what I thought wasnt possible without massive war: create a means so even the normal man, can prove a challenge against gods and aliens." He says calmly as he approaches.

Tony Stark shrugs a little, "I figured I had free time, I was in a cave, I might as well do something productive." he shrugs, "You know, I know people that probably wouldn't appreciate your presence here too much." a beat pause, "When I say presence, I mean living, not in the Tower. That said, you have a little bit wrong there. A normal man can't prove a challenge to either even if they could figure out how to work the suit without plastering themself into art against some wall or rock face. It takes a particular keenness of mind, something that not many possess. So..that is to say..that I can prove a challenge against gods and aliens. Which one are you?"

Hans shrugs. "When My gifts first appeared, I was left for dead on a battlefield during your american revolution. The Grave digger had a heart attack when he saw man he was burying come back." Hans says with a bit of a chuckle before then looking about. "It took Herr Fuhrer to discover that I possessed a special gene in my blood which forces my cells to constantly regenerate and reanimate me. Considering I had given him my organs except my brain, as well as an arm and a leg, the least he could do was tell me how I could stay alive when all that I knew and cherished died of age and disease."

Hans then looks back to Tony. "If I have to consider myself anything, Herr Stark, I consider myself a man trying to better the world. I am no god because I can bleed and die, just a nasty habit of coming back. I am no Alien because I was born in Germany. I am merely a man, and for a long while, a mercenary and patriot. If any good came from the Third Reich it was Hitler made me desire to try and better this world. I think the master race he spoke of wasnt Aryans, or nazi, but people who simply refused to back down when all hope is lost. A normal man would have resigned himself to his fate in that cave, but you, you didnt give up. Thus, I consider you a part of that master race."

Tony Stark cocks an eyebrow. He didn't get to where he is by playing it safe. He didn't do it by being conservative. So while others may cringe, or rile at this man, Tony only continues to be himself for good or will. "So tell me then, Herr Gunsche..is that your real secret? You have many names. My personal favorite is The Hessian. I like imagery, and I have a feeling you do too..but really, was it your will - your refusal to accept any of your fates - that has you standing in my office right now and not fertilizing the better parts of Germany?"

"I am afraid not. While I do admire you Herr Stark, Long ago I was wronged by your father, Howard Stark. He insulted and ridiculed me by aiding the one called Captain America. Whats worse is he even didnt face me in battle yet he is claimed to be one of the heroes who helped win the war. I am here, in America because I heard after all these years, Captain America has come back from whatever sabbatical he has been on and I wish to finish what was started: Proof on who is superior, Myself or him. Because you see, I donated my organs and two limbs before the nazi regime was great and before Herr Erskine fled to America. While I dont believe Erskine got to truely study the samples, I like to believe he was inspired by my gift. Those who claimed themselves the ones who defeated the third reich, I want to prove my superiority against, because I do not take to people being superior to me unless they have proven so." Hans says neutrally, as if he was restraining his rage and insult.

"Hence why I say I am no god, for I am vengeful. However, Your father has died long ago, so my revenge against him, was unfulfilled, while he was protected by your government. Now however...here stands his son, unprotected by the government. So, I will have my vengeance against a Stark, even if it isnt the right one." He says calmly. "So I am here to warn you, this way when I do come for my vengeance, you will be prepared. A stupid move, but atleast honorable for nazi scum, no?"

Tony gives a bit of a laugh. "You're not a nazi." he shakes his head, "You fought for the Reich, but you were there long before them and here you stand long after them and if you were truly loyal to Der Fuhrer's ideals you'd still be wearing your uniform and driving skinheads to frothing madness with the old rhetoric." Tony shakes his head. "No, you're not a nazi. But you got a beef with my old man, and fortunately he's not around anymore because something or someone got to him first. So I get it, sins of the father are visited upon the son. Just remember something Hans. Watch what you wish for. You just might get it."

"I still wear my uniform, it is armored and I like the longcoat and hat style, but I do not preach Hitler's ideals, yes you are right. I still got his gold though, and the wealth I have gathered over the years. My old flintlock is even worth alot." Hans says with a laugh and he nods. "If you can truely kill me Mr. Stark, I think it would simply say that much more of your capability. But I do understand your advice. I just hope I dont kill you, because like Erskine, I think you are a benefit to humanity regardless to which faction or belief you follow. I tried to tell Hitler that but he still sent an assassin. I even volunteered for that mission." He says as he looks about the office. "Do you have anything to drink? I am a little parched."

Tony Stark hmms. "I imagine Hitler's gold spends just the same as Russian gold or Italian gold, or any other country's gold." he heads to the bar. Pauses. He looks at Hans and sizes him up. "You like scotch?" he asks. It's rhetorical. He goes under the bar and pulls out an old wooden box. He opens it and pulls out a bottle. "I save this for special occasions." he gets two lead crystal tumblers and pours half a glass a piece and walks back offering one. "It's not as old as you are, I'm guessing, but I think you'll appreciate the vintage." - the label is tattered, but the year is barely legible - 1899. "I don't think you'll kill me." he says, as if they were discussing something more urbane, "But I don't think I'll kill you either." he thinks on it a moment, "I'm hoping for a few skirmishes, a major dust up or two, and then we realize that we're both necessary in this world and agree to respect each other and call it a day." he takes a sip of the scotch and savors it for a moment before continuing to speak, "I am curious though - if you thought Erskine was such a benefit to humanity, why'd you volunteer to go on the mission to take him out?"

"I was hoping to bring him back alive, Maybe convince him to atleast pretend to serve Hitler so he may continue his work." Hans says and nods to the man when he brings the bottle out and smiles, accepting his glass and raises it to Stark before taking a sip himself. "I have already found an old face, and a new one. 'Lucky' James Howlett, a canadian man who killed an entire nazi platoon with just a knife. Except he had these claws now in his knuckles. And a new face, Thor, one of the norse gods of old, or so he believes himself to be. Herr Magneto...Didnt take kindly to finding out I was a Nazi, possibly because he was one of the jews of Auschwits and I gave him nazi gold." He says calmly as he sips his scotch. "I have to admit though, your armor would help me take out Captain America, even you must get annoyed by how he bends to the politicians whims."

Tony Stark shrugs a little, "Well, I don't know the lucky one you're talking about. Sounds like a character, though. Magneto, hmm? I've been getting intel on the whole mutant thing for a little while now. Interesting stuff. Maybe they'll make a cartoon or a movie. Cap and Thor? Well..Thor's the real deal. You may have to find that out the hard way, and as for Cap? He's not what you expect him to be. Again, you might need a bit of a learning curve on that." he takes a deep breath. "But. There are two things I can promise you: One - You approach them both at your own peril and if they call me in make no mistake, I will assist them in every way possible in making sure you do whatever it is you do when you die in order to come back. Two - I've never been good about sharing my toys. Call me a petulant child, call me selfish, but I'm not one who subscribes to sharing is caring."

"I honestly wouldnt expect you to do anything less Herr Stark. You may not like certain people's ideals but when you fought beside them, you become more then simply soldiers. As for your not sharing your toys, I can see your side of it. You were attacked by a terrorist group using Stark weaponry. Seeing the things you were making to fight evil being used against you is a revelation. How can you be sure anyone else will use your...'toys'...properly other then yourself? At the same time however...I wonder how many people would have died in wars if they had been simply given the means to defend themselves? Protecting others prevents them from growing Herr Stark. What motivates them if they think they are safe all the time?"

"That is why I love war. That is why I pursue it, Herr Stark, because war can make even the most ordinary man, into a hero or a monster." He says as he finishes his Scotch. "Thank you for the drink and I will try and keep those I hire to help me in my battles to keep from killing you. Because how else can I become better without a stronger opposition?" He asks with a smile and sets his empty glass down. He does reach into his pocket and pulls out a small gold coin and sets it down next to the glass. "Thank you for your hospitality, Herr Stark." He says as he begins to leave.

Tony Stark is patient enough that he waits until just after The Hessian has cleared his view before picking the coin up, examining it.

The coin is old, infact if Tony researches it is infact a Gulden, age probably made in 1786.