mandalus :: the city of fates.

[Hello, Mandalus. Here's Tony looking uncharacteristically serious today. He hasn't even bothered to encrypt the video feed in any way.]

We need to find that bomb and find it fast. Like Dr. Bashir said, we're running out of time. I'm narrowing down possible locations as we speak, and I need to know who's willing to go and dismantle it, destroy it, whatever it takes.

Not that I can't handle it by myself. [He cracks a bit of a smirk there, still his usual cocky self.] But power in numbers and all that. We don't know what kind of security this thing'll have. If any of our pals from the future have information they've withheld, now would be the time to share it. [Before they all start dropping dead.]

No matter what happens, you're not going to win this. [No need to address them specifically. You know who you are.] I'll make sure of it.

We get rid of one enormous pain in the ass only to have a new one show up, huh? That sounds just like our luck. I hope everyone's using the downtime to party it up, because I'm sure shit'll hit the fan again soon enough. [And he seems to be taking his own advice to heart, since he's got a bottle of beer in one hand.]

But more to the point. It's about time we took ourselves off this network completely, don't you think? Bangles are gone, thanks to yours truly - [And right on cue Tony sneezes twice, making a rather unattractive face in the process.] - and is anyone working on this whole being sick thing? Ugh. I'll give you the notes I took on the bangles if you need them.

[He clears his throat before he continues.] Anyway, it's no good if the Cult or this new government or whoever can go poking through our transmissions. Anyone who's got a good handle on encrypted communications and wants to help, let me know.

And Spine, Kirk, give me a ring when you can. I'm volunteering the both of you for this project.

[Hey kids, guess who's back from the dead? That's right, this guy. And boy does he looks upset and...confused?]

Okay, what the hell is going on here? I just woke up in the middle of a goddamn forest surrounded by strangers in robes, who then dumped me on the side of a road and walked away. Where the hell am I?

[He frowns, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth as he looks around at the otherwise empty forest.]

More importantly, uh, who am I? I don't - I don't remember what... [He runs a hand back through his hair, making it stick up even more. He doesn't remember a lot of things, really. Where he is, what happened, what his name is. It's a lot to take in.] Christ, I hope somebody can hear this.

[There's a moment of scratchy-sounding heavy breathing as Tony musters up the energy to speak once his encrypted call to the network goes through. JARVIS had tactfully kept it audio-only; Tony wasn't sure how bad he looked right now, but if he looked as bad as he felt it was probably for the best.]

This is a little sooner than I'd like, but extenuating circumstances [He coughs, hard.] compel me to move things ahead of schedule. As of two minutes ago, JARVIS began completing the program that will take everyone's Bangles offline. You'll all be free in exactly... [He trails off, letting JARVIS relay the exact time.]

Three minutes and twenty-seven seconds, sir.

Et voilà. It won't physically remove the thing from your wrist, but you're gonna have to see Clara Oswald about that, considering I probably won't last much longer than this message. [He lets out a shaky laugh, grinning weakly though no one can see him.] Those fucking Cult bastards think they got one over on me. Incompetent assholes. Don't let them win, you hear me? Or I'll be pissed.

(private to Pepper Potts)
Pep, I'm trying to head back to the tower, but if I don't make it, don't let them get the suit. And ch-check in on Maria. Please.

Steve stormed out of the dinner, his head bursting with frustration, anger and confusion. Why would Tony keep something so important from him? Surely it would be good to know that he, along with other special individuals, saved New York from almost certain and complete deduction because an army reform another dimension came to visit? Why couldn't he be told that he'd grow to be this 'Captain America' guy? How was none of that important?

Stark Tower let him in as usual (despite almost braking down the door in his keenness to get inside). He called out to the artificial intelligence that seemed to control the functions of the house - yet another thing that Steve didn't understand. "Jarvis. Where's Stark?"

(message status: locked and encrypted: accessible only to Honored Guests)

[Tony's expression is particularly serious for once when the video starts up. This is purely business, not a social call.] I'm guessing everyone saw the news yesterday. Not too keen on the curfew - even less so on the beheading. We'll have to assume it's only going to get worse from here on out, so listen up.

I've managed to access the network our Bangles are on. Still don't know how to remove them, but I can track people the same way the System does. Honored Guest GPS, so to speak. So if anyone...gets lost, ring me up. [Hopefully so they can avoid a situation like he had with Pepper going missing last time Mes'Klou was in town.]

Calls to my personal phone are now automatically rerouted to a private line so don't worry about that. [He pauses, looking like he's just going to end it there, then changes his mind.] Oh, and Stark Tower will double as a safe house again if it comes to that. Watch your asses, kids, looks like Big Brother's back in charge.

[Okay, so Tony was good at denial. Very good. But even he was having a hard time denying these facts: first, that he hadn't seen Pepper in nearly two days, nor was she answering her phone; second, that bad things were happening around town and despite Pepper's Extremis upgrade, she could still theoretically be killed; and third, that it was way too early in the day to be drinking.

He was currently ignoring all of these things anyway in favor of wallowing in his denial at Jo's place. JARVIS, cheeky AI that he was, had kicked Tony out of the lab after he'd lost his temper over how fast JARVIS was scanning the city for Pepper's possible whereabouts. Unable to sit still, he'd dragged himself to the Roadhouse, looking so dejected that Jo'd probably let him have some booze out of pity even though it wasn't even noon yet.

So yeah, Pepper was probably dead and God knew where the body was. Tony wasn't going to admit it until he saw her with his own two eyes (and maybe like, five of JARVIS's scanners just to make sure it was legit). Until then, he wasn't going to give up on her so easily. His table in the corner of the bar covered in scattered bottles already, he fishes out his phone to keep up the search.]

(text to all)
If you've seen Pepper in the last two days, text me.

Been a bit of radio silence on my end, sorry about that. But this expedition? Way more useful than I expected. There's something we found that'll definitely be of interest to some of you. [He sets the phone down on a table and props it up, adjusting the angle so that when he brings up a 3D hologram of a crystal obelisk it's clearly visible.]

This? This, from what I can tell, is an old computer archive that contains information about Mandalus from before the Serpent. Among other things - I'm pretty sure it's powering the barrier around the city too. And turns out the System was researching weapons using it without telling us. Is anyone surprised? I'm not.

[He tosses up the holographic obelisk in his hand like one would a baseball, catching it with his other hand when it comes back down.]

I've been extracting what information I can, but it's slow going. So for once I'm swallowing my pride and asking for anyone who's good with computers - I mean good with computers, not like you know a little CSS and can run a virus checker - to have a look. There's also medical records and weapon prototype data that I was able to scavenge from the site, if anyone wants a go at those.

[He stops spinning the obelisk and vanishes the hologram with a flick of his wrist.] I don't do paperwork, so hit up Kirk for the rest of the mission details. Stark out.

[Tony is back and he is angry. It's been a terrible last couple of days at home and now, when it's finally all over, he's back in Mandalus, tired and hurt and most importantly, without Pepper. When he can't find her anywhere in the address book on his phone (this damn crappy phone again), he doesn't hesitate to start up a video feed to give the System a piece of his mind. His face is bleeding and his hoodie's all torn up and he's positively furious right now.]

Okay, you little shits, listen up. Entity or Praenuntius or whoever's not dead since I was last here. This is probably all a big joke to you, haha real funny, I know. I don't even care that I'm back, because honestly, I'm surprised I even got out in the first place. But not now, Jesus, not right now, I need to go back and -

[He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and it obviously doesn't work.] Just send me back long enough to fix Pepper and we'll be good, I'll owe you a solid or whatever. I'll fight in your stupid war without complaining. [Any more than he usually does.

Another inhale as he rubs a hand over his face and accidentally smears blood along his forehead.] I know you can hear me, you bastards, so just - just do it, okay. You know where to find me.


(ooc; Tony's been canon updated to the end of IM3 and boy is he unhappy. Let me know if you want me to avoid major spoilers in our threads.)

[At first it looks like the video hasn't turned on because the screen's completely black. But the audio is working perfectly, the sounds of rustling papers and clanking metal easily heard for a moment before Tony speaks.]

JARVIS, hey, where's my phone? I swear I put it down on this table -

Sir, you have been awake for nearly 72 hours. Might I suggest waiting until you have properly rested to send your message?

I didn't ask your advice, Dr. Phil, just where my phone - Aha! [Tony finally finds his phone, pulling it out from under a pile of scrap parts. Mandalus has seen him looking worse for the wear more than once, but the stress of the past few days is very clearly showing on his face this time. He doesn't seem to realize the phone's already on until he tries to start texting someone.] Shit, not again - JARVIS, mental note, new line of StarkPhones. Sorry folks, nothing exciting to see here. [And the video cuts off there without another word.]


( [ private text to Thor, Selina Kyle, and Peter Parker ] )

Whole fucking spacedock and The Avenger still isn't there. [He glares, pointing dramatically at the screen.] When are you bastards going to hand it over? This Tower's nice and all, but I'd really appreciate my ship back. Microwaves are the worst way to make food and whoever thought elevators were a viable replacement for transporters was sorely mistaken.

[Sighing, he leans back and puts his feet up on the table, legs crossed at the ankle.] I will say this, you can't get decent Thai food up in space. Time for a roll call, Avengers. What do you kids say to take out tonight? We'll make a party of it. If I try to work more today without my interface I'm going to scream.

[The video's unsteady when the feed turns on, but it focuses on Tony's face after a moment and he grins half-heartedly, the expression seemingly strained. He doesn't sound disgruntled, however, more like slightly tired and a little relieved.]

Hey kids, guess who's back. Anybody want to catch me up to speed? Or just want to drink? I could really use a drink right now.

[The shaking intensifies, and Tony's smile disappears, lines creasing his brow as he glances down with a frown.] On a more serious note, if I'm working on a project for you it's going to be put on hold for a short while. Sorry.

[The phone falls with a crash from his grip, landing facedown on the floor. A steady stream of Tony's cursing can be heard until he picks it back up and cuts off the video.]

[Alarms are blaring in the background when the video starts, JARVIS's calm voice relaying words of warning instead of his usual chatter. Tony looks dead tired, hair sticking up and dark circles under his eyes, but the panic in his tone is obvious.]

Everybody out of the Tower now, there's been a breach — something happened to the shield, I don't, I don't know what. This isn't a drill, people, this is a mandatory evacuation! I'm initiating shutdown protocols —

( oh it's a reasonable sacrifice ; non-graphic character death )


ooc; Stark Tower's now basically defenseless and will be until Tony returns from the dead. Anyone in or around the Tower feel free to tag around/thread anything in this post if needed.