video | un: iron.man

[buildsomething]

[The video flicks on to Tony's tired face, though he actually looks pretty good, considering that he's still mildly sick. He grins at the camera, though, the pleased look of someone who's managed something.]

Hey, so. For anyone still caught with this plague thing, I've got a...well, not a fix. A work around, maybe. A focused EMP seems to deactivate the nanities long enough for some of the symptoms to fade, at least for a little while. It doesn't get rid of the things entirely, but it should give you a nice break from feeling like shit.

I'd like to thank my lovely assistants for working with me on this.

[The camera pans across the workroom to focus on the couch, and the two bodies sprawled on it. The eagle-eyed might recognize one (or both) of them as Bucky Barnes, but the way they're both just kind of slumped in a heap makes it kind of hard to tell. It's not that large a couch.

One of them twitches slightly, and there's a snort as Tony turns the camera back on himself.]

That's it for now. I'm still working on a more permanent solution, but magic is really not my thing. Someone else wants to have a crack at that part, be my guest.

[A sudden crash comes from what seems like the vicinity of that couch, and Tony gives the screen a sardonic look before the feed cuts.]

Comments

[buildsomething]

[Tony just shrugs and runs a hand over his face.]

Like I've got a low grade flu while everyone else has pneumonia? Not great, but I'll live.

[buildsomething]

On the nanities? Not that I can tell. There's no makers mark or anything and it's not a design I recognize.

[buildsomething]

Would a nanite sample work?

[livingsymbol]

What can I do?

[Because he really needs something. Not having any outlet is killing him.]

[nobasisinfact]

Possibly. Organic would be better in this case.

she's fine! someone has to be

[seeingscarlet]

[She blinks. Wait, what?]

Was that all?

[She'd expected something a little more involved.]

[11calls]

Is that unusual? For them not to me marked or something in some way?

[buildsomething]

Not that hard to scan for nanotech.

[His smile widens a little as he turns to glance through the image. It's almost visible as a human form, her's presumably.]

Looks like you're all clear, lucky you.

[buildsomething]

It means that whoever they belong to doesn't care about patent infringement.

[His voice is more than a little dry.]

Not unusual, exactly, if it's someone's private project that got away or something.

[buildsomething]

[He lets out a slow breath.]

Keep an eye on people? It's hard to tell just how fast this thing can go bad.

[buildsomething]

Hard to have an organic sample with the nanite infection that isn't attached to a person.

[11calls]

I highly doubt this got away from someone on accident, though.

[nobasisinfact]

I'll see what I can do with just the nanites.

[seeingscarlet]

For now.

[Hopefully this little house call won't change that.]

Do you know how it spreads?

[buildsomething]

[He lets out a breath and closes the window with a flick of his hand.]

I thought it was contact, but it seems to be spreading too fast for that. I can scan you again before you leave, just in case.

[buildsomething]

Doesn't seem like it, no. I wouldn't say the lack of any markings is a sign on it's own, but taken in context...well.

[buildsomething]

I mean, what's the worry about trying it on a person?

[livingsymbol]

All right. If you notice a chance then let me know, Tony.

I can come back if you need help.

[nobasisinfact]

I would prefer not to experament on human subjects.

[seeingscarlet]

I will try to be careful.

[She survived an Infinity Stone; she is not letting herself get taken out by nanotech if she can help it.

One scan deserves another, and Wanda's eyes become unsettlingly neither focused nor unfocused, like she's very intently staring through him at nothing.]

You feel a little strange... [A beat. There's the source of the confusion - they're not working as a unit. They're working independently, a thousand pinpricks of otherness in Tony's aura.] There's so many.

[11calls]

Yep, still working on the investigation with the idea that the person is someone who works with both magic and nanites and has a grudge then.

[buildsomething]

[It should maybe be a little uncomfortable having Wanda go anywhere near his head again, but honestly Tony has too many things to worry about to get too wrapped up in it. And if she wanted to do damage, there were easier ways.

He tips his head to give her a curious look, instead.]

The nanites?

[buildsomething]

Sounds like as good a theory as any. Good luck.

[buildsomething]

My point here is that I'm offering. I'm infected. Unless we're talking like, possible loss of life and limb.

[nobasisinfact]

There shouldn't be, but there's always a risk.