Byrd Man — Roleplayer Guild

Collab by Zach, Ruby, and yours truly

Stark's arrival was heralded by gasps of awe and a number of cheers from those outside the lobby, sitting in the Cuban sun. The M29 set down, falling into the famous Iron Man crouch as it landed, one hand pressed to the ground, before stretching up to its full height. There were a few camera flashes, although they were yet to reach the intensity of a paparazzi frenzy. Tony had given orders that the press largely remain outside the hotel buildings, enough to provide a constant view of the hotel to the outside world, but not to hinder the running of the place in any meaningful way. The suit had already been cleaned of soot and debris from the beach attack and so left no marks as it trudged across the carpeted floor to where Danvers sat at the bar. As the suit moved, the helmet once more folded in on itself, revealing Tony's head as he lent on the bar beside her. One of the few photographers allowed inside then got the money snap, Captain Marvel and Iron Man talking at a bar in Cuba.

"Danvers, you're doing the right thing." It was a far cry from the flippant and flirtatious tone he had used before, this was the Stark of his first press conference after being abducted by terrorist, the serious message he had to give. While he had always been disappointed when people like Rhodes had put the military before him, he nevertheless understood how it could be hard to do so, although it made it easier to remind himself that Danvers wasn't doing it 'for' him, but recent events, less guilt about making her choose that way, even if Stark had an ounce of that in him.

"Today, the US government ordered a drone strike on my home, hoping to catch me there. In the process, I was attacked by a mutant terrorist, but that's irrelevant. The fears that the drone program would turn on metahumans has far been outstripped, after all, you don't get more normal than me." His smirk returned at that, no one, least of all himself, considered Tony Stark 'normal' except maybe Captain America on a bad day.

"This is why the suit was important, every move now is a propaganda war, and if you're here, even diehard patriots are going to wonder if the US government is really standing up for Americans, or trying to control them." He continued, after ordering himself a whiskey, his last drink having largely been 'stolen' by a certain mutant, he took a sip, before grinning, he'd been a little too serious for the beginning of their conversation;

"I like the scorched, ripped look though, really brings out your....eyes." The deliberate pause nearly brought out a laugh in Stark himself, faking intimidation at the risk of expanding on any other detail in the presence of the military woman.

"That said, Avengers get a 100% discount at the various outlets in the hotel, or so I'm told, if you want anything else."

Carol just grunted and took a long swig of her old-fashioned.

"You don't need to keep up the pitch, I'm already buying. You can thank the Air Force for that one. Nothing drives a girl away like a squad of five F/A-18's, all of them with missile lock on your ass."

She chewed ice from her drink and stirred it in moody silence.

"Look," she said with a sigh. "I don't mean to come off as bitchy, it's just the last few hours hasn't put me in the best moods. Things are already so bad out there, and now I'm going to be kicked out the Navy for standing up. You know what they used to do if they caught people like me back in the day? They'd line them up against a wall and shoot them."

Someone at the far end of the lounge began to play the piano in the corner. It was Summer Wind by Sinatra. Carol hummed softly with the music while she and Stark sat in silence. Stark's eyes narrowed slightly as she retorted, taking a gulp of his own drink, deciding his previous pace wasn't quite enough to deal with the current situation. He allowed a few moments of silence as she hummed, before finally decided to take 'the bait.'

"Do you know what they do to people like me 'today?' They attempted to kill them in a fiery inferno via unmanned drone assault, or alternatively, try to drown me, take your pick. Be bitchy all you want, but you can't pull the 'my day was worse' card, not now." Another gulp of his drink, motioning to the bartender to prepare him another, before contemplating his current one, then downing it in another, larger gulp.

"Aren't you missile proof anyway?" He finally added, the slight smirk returning to his features, a normal person may deal it unwise to taunt or tease a pissed off metahuman, but even Stark didn't consider himself wise, at least in that regard. Supremely intelligent maybe, and suave, definitly suave.

"Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt" said Carol. "Physically and emotionally. Your own people opening fire on you like that can hurt you pretty badly."
Carol finished off her old-fashioned and slid the empty glass across the bar to the bartender. She waved him off when he began to refill it, and turned back to Stark.

"So where are the others? I feel like we should be doing more than just drowning our troubles away with booze."

"Eh, I;ve done it for 20 years, worked out for me." Despite what he said, Stark avoided taking another sip, instead turning his head to look out of the lobby, through the glass doors, to the outside world.

"Jean Grey and Domino are already here...although they seem to be working out some issues. They've run...or at least walked, off somewhere. No one else has arrived yet, possibly the US is going to crack down on the Avengers before anyone else, hence the delay." He couldn't bring himself to say Ex-Avengers, in his mind, Fury's pet project was still alive and well, no matter what SHIELD tried to enforce.

"Hopefully everyone who matters should be here soon...I had hoped to reveal my cunning plan over food, rather than have to explain the brilliance of it to individuals, but I'll think I should be able to manage anyway." If only he did have much in a way of a plan, he wouldn't be so tetchy about getting them all in one place, this wasn't an issue for his mind alone.

"I'm glad your confident. I suppose one of us should be. As for the other members, I hope they can make it through to Cuba. I had to push it Mach 5 to get here without having sidewinders shadowing me. Someone like Thor or Banner wouldn't have a problem with that, but Captain America may find it more difficult."

And she hoped like hell Cap would show up. Stark could talk about his brilliant plan until he was blue in the face, but she wouldn't follow him; at least not like she followed Cap. Steve was the one she would follow, he was the one that could look at whatever Stark was planning and make sense of it. Stark was an idea man, but Steve made those ideas practical.

"What do you plan to do if it's just us? You, me, and the two X-Men? If that's all there is, does whatever your planning work? We can do amazing things, but not the same things we can do when we're many. We have superior people, but they have superior numbers."

"Rodgers took down Hydra on his own, with a little help from a Stark, Jean grey singlehandedly saved the world from.. whatever Apocalypse was, You and I probably aren't bad at this whole hero thing ourselves, and Domino, well, I can imagine she's killed a lot of tough things. We may be less than what I'd hoped for, but the Government is kidding itself it isn't still scared." It didn't exactly sound like his 'pitch' from earlier, it was far less idealistic and much more matter of fact, they had achieved these things, a Drone program, as terrifying as it could be to have those you protect turn on you, shouldn't be a problem.

"Firstly, we find Fury, if we have him, we have the greatest weapon there is for taking down SHIELD."

When the orders came, Calvin wasn't what to do with himself. Xavier had recruited him just the same as the original five. At the same time as the original five. But Xavier had others plan for Calvin. Advanced training, covert placements, someone he could deny if they were ever captured or killed. But while most mutants were one trick ponies, Calvin was not. He'd never failed. Never faced being revealed to the wider world, beyond he and Charles and a few people Calvin called friends.

Then came the pre-recorded message from Xavier that automatically got sent in the event of the X man's death. I'm sorry, the man said. Then he made a very strong case for getting out of his deep cover at the next possible opporunity. Calvin didn't hear anything else after that. So he waited, found an opportunity, and 'died.' So went Senator Mark DeRozen (Republican, New Mexico) into the afterlife. Senator Kelly would lose an ally, and Xavier a mole, but those had been his orders.

So it's what he did. Then else came from the X-Men, from that Mansion. Like that, he was an outsider. And then Jean Grey returned from the grave, and called him. She'd found out during a psychic link with Xavier, and Xavier told her. Death prevented her from contacting him earlier. It was a good excuse, even Calvin had to admit. So out of a vagabond lifestyle came Calvin Rankin, an old white teeshirt and knee length khaki cargo shorts. Blonde hair short cropped, skin tanned. Brown eyes that looked relaxed.
It didn't seem promising to present himself to two Avengers...but it wouldn't have been much different if he went up to two mutants right now. So he approached the pair at the bar until both of the super people looked his way, "Calvin. One of the X-Men. Do we each get a suite, or is it booked up?"

Tony raised an eyebrow as the man approached, his helmet momentarily clicking back into place, before sliding away once more, afterwards, Stark turned back to the bar.

"No information on you, so we'll have to wait 'till Jean can confirm that, but if so, I don't see why not, I own the place." Now he took another sip from his drink, it was...disconcerting, when he didn't have information, especially on his allies. Afterall, it wasn't your enemies who backstabbed you.

He's real, Stark.

Welcome to my mind, Miss Grey, enjoy the scenery.

I can pick and choose. Sorry, Tony.

Well, wouldn't want my brilliant plan to not be a suprise. This has been fun, lets do it again sometime

Shut up. They're looking at you.

I never shut up, and people are always looking at me

She was right though, turning pack from the bar, which he had apparently been staring at intently, Stark found two pairs of eyes rather firmly staring at him, to which he shrugged;

"What, neither of you ever had a telepathic conversation? I think I like them, get with the times I say." That said, having shared a few words with one of, if not the, most powerful mutant on Earth, in your brain, certainly required at least a sip from his drink.

"It would appear you are a real X-men Calvin, welcome to our little terrorist cell, you'll find the vests and holy books out back. Failing that, you are....now booked in to Suite 12." Stark paused, momentarily, as a holographic screen projected from his gauntlet, booking the mutant into the mentioned accommodation, thankfully this one hadn't required him to boot out a foreign dictator or anything, although, he would get round to that. Then, allowed, he continued to speak.

"JARVIS, create new file, directory Mutant-X-men, Calvin." Still looking at the screen, Tony turned his head up to face the 'new recruit,' the same sort of face as if he'd just paid him a particularly nice compliment.

"Dinner is in a few hours, wander around if you want, but don't be late, I hear the Avengers are going to be there."

"Avengers?" Carol asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'll be sure to bring my autograph book. But for now, I need to find some clothes that aren't so brightly colored, or shredded in the back, or.... you know, still smoldering. Let me know when it's time for the meeting and I'll be there."

Carol waved at the bartender to get his attention. The man raised his eyebrows curiously while she pointed towards Stark. "He's picking up my tab, so talk to him about my bill."

She hopped off the stool and nodded at Calvin before wordlessly walking out of the lounge to find her room.

Okay, here's the "Presidential CS" fill it out when you can. And remember to answer each question as well-thought out as you can, no simple yes or nos. It's not important that you answer how you as a person would answer. This is how the president you want to play would answer.

Foreign Affairs

Is China an economic or military threat to the US?
Should there be an independent Palestinian state?
What is your stance on the War on Terror? Are you in favor of endorsing the Bush Doctrine (pursuing nations that harbor or sponsor terrorism) or are you in favor of a more pragmatic approach to terrorist organizations and the countries in which they operate?
Are covert drone strikes on terrorist and suspected terrorist locations a policy you would endorse?
Is the authorized arresting and indefinite detaining of suspected terrorists, including US citizens, without charge good for America?

Domestic Affairs

Should nonviolent drug users be jailed?
Should the federal government increase direct financial aid (loans/grants/debt relief) for college students?
Are more federal regulations on guns and ammunition needed?
Should gay marriage be legal?
Should the US Constitution and Bill of Rights be amended or updated in any way?
Should drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) be allowed?
Are federal health care reform laws good for America?

Economy/Taxes/Entitlement

Is outsourcing jobs to other countries good for America?
Should the federal deficit be reduced without raising any taxes?
Does the US need welfare and food stamp reform or abolishment?
Are illegal immigrants a net gain to the US economy?
Do lower taxes provide incentive for employers to hire more workers?
Should Social Security be privatized?

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