Chapter 111: The Standard for Secretaries
"So where will I be staying for the next while?"
Seeing that Harvey didn't want to discuss the woman, Tony dropped the subject and changed the topic.
"There are four villas on the island. Besides this one, you can choose any other to stay in temporarily."
"More important than where I stay is deciding what kind of lab I want to build," Tony said, moving straight to business. "The speed of constructing a lab on Xandar is quite fast."
Harvey relieved that Tony didn't press further, sat down at a large table and continued, "Take your time to decide. You have three days. Once you've set up JARVIS and gotten acquainted with Xandar, you'll be clear on how you want to make money."
Tony also took a seat next to Harvey and immediately started outlining his plan. He knew Harvey didn't just bring him here to meet other members of the Void Sect; Harvey was counting on Tony to develop new technologies that could be lucrative. It was a win-win situation: Tony got to explore alien tech, and Harvey could gain more wealth to fuel his operations.
At that moment, Sonia entered with drinks.
"Mr. Kassadin, here are your beverages."
"This is for you, sir," Sonia said respectfully, addressing Tony as if he were on equal footing with Mr. Kassadin.
"No need for formalities. I'm Tony Stark—just call me Tony," Tony said, revealing his face by lifting his helmet. His friendly demeanor was clear. He had three main goals in the universe: make money to buy a lot of goods for Earth, research new technology to enhance his Iron Man suit and forge strong connections with members of the Void Sect for potential alliances.
"Hello, Mr. Stark. I'm Sonia, Mr. Kassadin's housekeeper," Sonia introduced herself. Seeing the language settings match Mr. Kassadin's, her eyes flickered before she smiled.
Tony was somewhat baffled by Harvey's choice of housekeeper. "Sonia, Tony is very intelligent and has made significant contributions in technology," Harvey said, ignoring Tony's curiosity. "He wants to set up a lab on the island. Please help him coordinate and get it built."
"Of course, Mr. Kassadin," Sonia replied. Though she was surprised by the arrival of such a talented inventor, she nodded without further inquiry.
"Mr. Kassadin, before we discuss the lab, could you provide me with a new communications device? I need to contact Pepper to reassure her."
Tony, seeing the business-like demeanor between Harvey and Sonia, pushed aside his curiosity. He almost let Harvey's name slip but quickly corrected himself.
"Sonia, get him a communications device," Harvey instructed.
"Certainly."
Sonia, though surprised by Mr. Stark's familiarity with Mr. Kassadin, nodded and quickly went downstairs to fetch a new communications device.
Communication devices from Xandar and the Kree were generally inexpensive due to their wide adaptability, though some specific private brands might cost more.
Tony took the device, moved to the bed, and swiftly made a call. Despite the vast distance, the communication device's range was impressive. Within a minute, he connected with Pepper.
After reassuring Pepper and calming her worries, the conversation shifted to her usual reminders about not causing trouble for Mr. Kassadin. Tony didn't see himself causing any issues; he was here to help, after all. But faced with Pepper's earnest concern, he could only agree.
After a few minutes, Tony ended the call to avoid further nagging from Pepper.
"This communications device is fantastic. Even over such a distance, it connected in just over a minute," Tony remarked, genuinely impressed. He finished off the drink Sonia had brought.
"I'm going out to check out potential locations. I'll let you know once I've made a decision," Tony said, making an excuse and activating his suit's thrusters to fly out the window.
After Tony left, Sonia commented, "Mr. Kassadin brought an interesting person."
"He's not just interesting; his technological talents are unmatched," Harvey replied. "His presence means the Void Sect won't have to worry about money anymore."
"Does Mr. Kassadin plan to stay here for long?" Sonia asked, curious about the extended stay, though her interest was more professional than personal.
"For now, he'll be observing and evaluating potential new members," Harvey said after some thought.
"Got it," Sonia said, her eyes showing a clear sense of relief.
"Tony's talents are genuine, but capable people often have some quirks in daily life," Harvey added. "Sonia, prepare a list of potential secretaries for Tony to review. Make sure they meet his standards."
"What are the standards for appearance?" Sonia asked, her mind already racing. "The woman who just spoke with Mr. Stark—was she his wife or something?"
"Money isn't an issue. The main thing is that they shouldn't be too beautiful—just someone pleasant to look at," Harvey said, clarifying his expectations. He wouldn't mind if Tony chose someone attractive if he hadn't already confirmed his relationship with Pepper. Since Tony was officially involved with Pepper, Harvey wanted to avoid any potential issues.
"Understood. I'll prepare the list and present it to Mr. Stark later," Sonia said, noting down the standards.