When a spaceship landed on top of the tower, Tony couldn't exactly say that he was surprised. He merely suited up, and watched the strange procession of creatures that exited from the ship.

A man stepped out, wearing red leathers and carrying technology JARVIS couldn't identify, baring his 90's era Zune.

"Aw man, we have robots now? Awesome!" the man said when he caught sight of Tony. Tony arched a hidden brow.

Following the man was an extraordinarily attractive woman. She also happened to be bright green, and held herself in such a way that Tony suspected she and Natasha would have a lot in common.

"Move!" someone hissed, shoving past the first man, and a walking, talking, leather pants wearing racoon sauntered onto the landing pad. On his shoulder was a disproportionately large gun of some kind. "Huh. So this is Terra? Don't look like shit."

"I, too, see no excrement," boomed the fourth member of their merry band. The alien was broad and bulky, his grey skin covered in red whorls of tribal tattoos. On his shoulder sat what Tony could only describe as a baby ent. It stared about with wide, guileless eyes, wiggling with excitement.

Tony cleared his throat. "Not a robot," he said, flipping his visor up. All eyes settled upon him.

"Woah!" the man said. "Alright, that's cool." He smirked. "We come in peace. Take us to your leader," he intoned, then began to chuckle.

Tony eyed him suspiciously. What were the chances that a humanoid alien would say those words without any knowledge of Earth's pop culture? Little to none.

"J, run facial recognition against missing persons cases in the last thirty years, starting with those affiliated with alien abduction," Tony said quietly.

"Peter," the green lady snapped. "What did we say about first impressions?"

"Peter Quill, also known as Starlord, at your service," Quill said, stepping forward and offering a hand.

"Tony Stark," Tony said, landing the suit and stepping out of it. "Sentry mode, JARVIS."

He shook Quill's hand.

"Stark, like Howard Stark?"

"I'm his son. This is Stark Tower, my home."

Tony's wrist watch beeped, and he took a moment to put on his glasses. Immediately JARVIS began projecting text onto the lenses, detailing Quill's past.

"Yeah, well, this is my ship," Quill gestured, then grimaced. "Why don't we have a tower?" he complained to his companions.

"Mr Stark, my name is Gamora," the green lady introduced herself. "This is Rocket, Drax-"

"The Destroyer!" Drax interrupted with a grin. Gamora glared at him.

"And Groot."

"I am Groot," the ent said, in the most adorable manner possible, blinking up at Tony.

"Welcome," Tony said warily. "And welcome back, Mr Quill."

Quill jumped. "What? How did you know?

"Oh, quit yer harping," Rocket, the racoon, snarled. "He's spent the last minute running a background check on you, ya pillock."

Rocket was fingering his guns in what seemed to be a subconscious, comforting mannerism. Tony met his gaze and noted the intelligence he'd missed on his first brief assessment.

"Oh, I like you," Tony said with a grin. "Let's be friends."

Rocket narrowed his eyes, then huffed. "Alright," he said. "Got anything to drink in this over-compensatory excuse of a tower?"

Tony smirked back. "Sure thing, Trash Panda."

Quill hooted in delight. "I told you coming back to Terra would be awesome!"