Chapitre 51: Chapter 51
Chapter 51
The Fastest Man Alive
Are you my daddy?
Malibu, California
Benjamin Blake, Jason Todd, aka Red Hood.
King, Father, Brother, Survivor
After my little revelation to him, Peter had gotten silent, but I allowed him the chance to think. I had my chance to think, hell, I had one hundred years to think. Things were going to change, and that would start here with Peter and Tony.
One hundred years of running to save my life and during that time, I got a better understanding of myself. I was neither Xavier nor Magneto. While I had compassion for my fellow man, I was not above bringing untold death and destruction or schemes to bare to ensure my plans succeeded. I was neither weak of will nor was I an overbearing tyrant.
I was, but a soul lost, yet I found meaning within my new life.
Putting my thoughts aside, it was best I interrupted Peter. I could see the thoughts spin in that head of his.
"Alright, talk to me, Pete," I spoke up, dismissing the holo-screens. The grunt from the front passenger seat had me shoot Logan and Salt a look, telling them to stay out of it. Logan paid me no mind with his seat laid back while drinking one of the craft beers we were starting to produce on the island. Looking to the side, I pressed the control activating the divider shield blocking out the two in the front.
Peter released a sigh, then looked at me with red-rimmed eyes.
"Why is he dying? Who is he, and how long have you known?"
Peter had that determined look on his face; I flicked a finger in the air to reveal the image of Tony Stark. Next to the image of Tony Stark was a DNA sample from the night I had helped him. Then the image next to that showed the DNA sample from Peter's last check-up last year.
"You have known for eight months!" Peter asked me, anger bleeding into his voice.
"Technically, it's been one hundred years, nine days four hours and thirty seconds," I answered with a shrug. "Do you want me to break it down to the nano-second?"
Peter glowered at me, but I paid no mind to his anger. This was something that was always going to happen and the sooner he got that, the better. Hell, we had already reached the surrounding air space of California.
"The reactor in his chest is slowly poisoning him," I said with a shrug as I changed the holo-images to the tack lines on Tony's neck. Fury had sent me the images with his smart band asking for any way to deal with the situation.
"So Tony Stark is my biological father." Peter slowly intoned as he looked everything over.
"Yeah, and we are coming up on the mansion right now," I answered as I noticed the little smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. I knew that he was happy deep down, but Peter was Peter and was as bullheaded as they come. There was a ding overhead alerting us that we were on the final approach to Stark's mansion.
The view out the side of the flying sky car was amazing, but the mansion was totally underwhelming. The glass all over the mansion was broken while part of the roof was nothing but rubble. Hell, even the garden surrounding the driveway was also messed up. Just looking at it all made me want to smack Tony upside the back of his head. I know I had told him to give me a call, but then he had to be his party boy overdramatic asshole self.
Once the sky car touched down, Peter was the first one out, but I noticed the nervousness of his walking gait. Getting out of the sky car, I turned around and waited for the VTOL to touch down in Tony's parking lot. The Astartes were taking the job of guarding extremely seriously. Then again, as praetorian guards, that was their job. Hell, with some of the training Natasha and I had put them through, there was no way in hell they were going to just become figureheads like all of the rest throughout history.
The way the guards came marching out of the Halo styled Pelican had the hairs on the back of my neck tingling. I didn't have to wait more than a few seconds before I watched as my girls trooped out with their brother in the back. The triplets were wearing some sort of color-coordinated flight suit while Maya was in a flaming onesie. On the other hand, Alfred only had his mega blaster set in camouflage mode on his wrist.
The look I shot the spartan in charge had him jumping to attention.
"They snuck on board and stowed away your majesty."
I looked at them and I noticed that Maya and the triplets did not have a care in the world. They walked up to me and placed their hands on their hips, classic Wonder Woman pose.
"Daddy, you said we would go out and play hero!" Maya said with a cute little scowl on her face.
"You then."
"Went missing."
"For a week."
The girls said, cutting in and out of each other's sentences.
"Damn cute kids," Tony said at my side. I could only glare at him and I shot Peter a look, but he had that intense concentration face on. I knew that face, it was the face he made when he was trying to solve some complex equation.
Turning to Tony, I gave him an evil smile before pushing my tablet into his chest with the DNA test on the front. Tony's face went stark white as he looked over the information. I then turned to my kids; running a hand through my low buzz, I knelt down in front of them.
"Daddy is a hero, but he is off the clock right now," I said with the most sincerity I could put into my voice. "But…. You can still help daddy be a hero and save Mr. Stark."
My kids looked at me, then looked at Tony before getting into a huddle amongst themselves. The kids then looked at Tony before turning back to speak amongst themselves. Phoebe came out of the little group and did a little finger motion asking me to come near.
Bending down, I received a kiss on the cheek before Alfred opened a portal back to the island.
"Love you, daddy."
Maya said before also giving me a kiss on the cheek before dashing through the portal made of golden sparks.
"What the what!" Tony spluttered, but the spartans had set up a perimeter allowing the girls to give me a kiss before leaving. Alfred tried to dash through after his sisters, but I was faster. Pulling Alfred back with a little bit of force applied power. I gave him a kiss on the forehead before ruffling his hair and letting him join his sisters.
"Was that a portal? How can you just make a portal? That's impossible! What's the power source? Where did they even go?" Tony started to fire out question after question, but I was more focused on the relaxed platinum blonde head of hair holding my hand.
Phoebe had decided to stay while her sisters and brother had gone back to the island. Shaking my head at it all, I swung her up and let her latch onto my back like a koala bear. Phoebe had her arms wrapped around my neck while she clung to my back. Turning around, we both looked at Tony who was now looking at Peter. On the other hand, Peter had his head held high, even though I could tell that his clear and confident look was a bluff. I have known him long enough to pick up on the bluff and his underlying nervousness.
"Sooo…. I umm…. I guess you know." Tony muttered, stunning me and causing Peter to frown, trying to understand. His reaction said it all and I had the gut feeling that I already knew where this was heading. Tony sighed before asking us to follow him into his rubbled mansion. Peter looked at me before following behind Tony.
Turning around, I gave Roslow the command to set up a perimeter around the mansion. From the blacked-out vehicles around, I knew SHIELD had already set up their own. But, I was not going to rely on them knowing that HYDRA was amongst their ranks. My three hundred spartans spread out and started to take up positions. The Pelican VTOL took to the skies only to vanish under its camouflage.
Phoebe poked my cheek before pointing towards the mansion, with a sigh, I followed behind Peter and Tony.
It was time for family drama.
The inside of Tony's million-dollar mansion was trashed beyond recognition. Most of the glass to the house, if not all, were broken and needed replacements. The educated guess was that the cause of such a thing was due to the combined clash of repulsor beams. I kept Peter and Tony walking through the destroyed house in my peripheral vision as I slowly made my way around the wreck. Phoebe poked me in my cheek again and pointed in the direction of some sound.
Checking the living room found Coulson standing by the balcony while SuperNanny played on the big screen. Agent Coulson projected a calm demeanor as he turned around, he then gave us a smile before walking over.
"Mr. Todd, SHIELD appreciate you coming over so swiftly." The agent said smoothly with refined control as he walked over. Shaking Coulson's hand, I introduced him to Phoebe who was hanging over my shoulder like a koala bear.
"Thank you for calling, but I would think all the paperwork would be keeping someone like yourself busy," I said, smiling as I released Coulson's hand.
"Ahh, yes, I had to pass along all of that paperwork," Coulson replied with a small smile. "So, are you here to help Mr. Stark?"
"Maybe, I have to scan him first before seeing what my people can do for his condition," I answered before turning around. "Talk with you later, Coulson."
Walking over the broken glass, I went down the stairwell and found Peter and Tony. Tony was sitting at an L shaped desk while Peter was standing at the side, reading a hologram. The hologram that Tony had on display was of a letter from one, Mary Fitzpatrick Parker.
Well, shit, I was expecting something, but I was not expecting that.
The letter went on to tell Tony about her finding out about her pregnancy and how she would like him not to claim the child. In her letter, she stated that Tony was not in a place in his life where he was ready for children, but he would be welcomed once he grew as a person. Enclosed with the letter was a form for Tony to sign over his rights to the child. On the form, it was clear that Tony had signed the thing, but the rest of the folder had so much information in it. That I knew, he had followed Peter's life progress.
I had to tear my eyes from the holoprojections and folder to listen to what Tony was telling Peter.
"Mary... saw right through me, man," Tony sighed as he leaned back in his chair. The palladium poison was clear on his neck for all to see. "We met back at MIT during a conference, hell, I remember being drunk off my ass, right. And here comes this little thing walking up to me, right. At the time, I thought she wanted to get down, but instead of bringing me back to her room. She brought me to the girl's locker room and dumped me in the shower.
Tony gave a sad chuckle as he retold his first meeting with Peter's mother.
"So here I am cold and sober with a showerer pouring down on me. And you know what she said next?." Tony let out another self-deprecating laugh. "You can now finish your speech sober since that's what I paid for with my tuition and I was not going to short change her. She didn't care who I was, and she didn't care what I did. All Mary cared about was getting her degree and refusing to be given anything less than she knew she was worth. She was a spitfire, and I fell in love instantly. I chased her for four years before she gave me a chance, and I messed it all up."
Tony released a sigh before speaking up again. "You see Peter, back then I did know what love really was and when I had gotten all that I wanted, I self-destructed... Slept with her roommate on a dare."
"And you're telling me because why?" Peter growled, and I noticed the red at the corners of his eye.
"No point in taking it to my grave; besides Pepper, Mary was the best thing that has ever happened to me," Tony replied, then let out a huff of air. "Am going to die, and I never had the balls to be a father to my son. I should have been in your life, yes, was I? No, do I regret that? Yes, with every fiber of my being. I should have been there for you and am eternally sorry that I never got to meet you until today."
Tuning him out again, I noticed the video reel of Howard Stark on the back wall and I finally understood. He had watched the video of Howard and got to the end. I remember that at the end of the tape, Howard had left a message telling Tony that he was the greatest thing that he has ever made in his life.
Tony had finally understood that and was trying to set his regrets straight. Phoebe poked me in the cheek before trueing my head to show me something. What I found was Peter and Tony sharing a man's hug. I guess I missed something there, ohh well.
"So, what's the plan to give up and die or solve the problem?" I asked, interrupting the two. Peter and Tony did their little awkward untangling of limbs before turning to outlook at me.
"Yeah, what Ben said," Peter spoke up, brushing away a tear. I facepalmed, and Phoebe did the same.
"Your childhood friend, he isn't here, wait…" Tony's eyes started to dart back and forth as he put the puzzle pieces together. "Your, your, your."
Sighing, I pressed the side of my neck and deactivated the holo-mask of Jason Todd.
"Tony," I said while giving Peter the evil eye. "Benjamin Blake, also known in some circles as Jason Todd."
"Sumbitch!"
"Aye! Language man, my daughter is right here." I growled at him with a frown.
"Kid, how can you have a kid when you're a kid?" Tony said aloud, shocked. "No, no, you can't be him."
"Responsibility doesn't have an age and I haven't been the same age as Peter for like the last one hundred plus years." I replied with a shrug.
"What! How?" Tony breathed, looking at me from head to toe.
"Got caught up in a situation that caused me to activate the paradoxically fluid time neutral subset of my powers. Trust me when I say I was not happy about any of it because I'm an avid hater of time travel." I replied with a sigh of my own, almost laughing at the shocked face of Tony.
"Daddy, look," Phoebe said. I turned to see her pointing at the Stark expo behind Howard Stark.
"Yes, pumpkin?"
"The thing he is sitting on, doesn't it look familiar?" Phoebe asked, with her eyes squinting at the paused frame of Howard Stark.
"What do you think, Pete?" I asked my brother.
"There is something there, but we would have to see the whole thing" Peter muttered as he walked closer.
"I know, right? Wanna help me solve it?" Tony asked Peter with some hope in his eyes.
"Why? What's it for?" Peter turned and asked Tony.
"I don't know, but the video said it was unfinished. I think, well, I think that's going to solve my arc reactor problem." Tony said with clear excitement.
"Okay, but how is that going to solve the palladium poisoning in your blood?" I returned with a question. The look on Tony's face was a clear indication of just how far the MCU movies were with solving this issue. Even Tony knew that just punching in a new reactor in his chest wasn't going to magically clean his blood.
Lucky for him, I actually came prepared.
Pulling a medical arm bracer out of my pocket, I then threw it over to Tony. Peter looked at me with clear surprise because it was something that he had a major role in creating.
Yeah, I know: how Slytherin of me.
Having my brother create the one tool that was going to save his father's life without him even knowing about it.
"That's, isn't that the advanced dialysis machine for sickle cell treatment and for those with iron deficiency?" Peter asked clearly, not putting the two together. Tony had caught the device and had a look of a man who just found water in the desert.
"Yeah, I had you create this for them, but I had someone else in mind first," I replied, then looked towards Tony. Peter followed the direction I was looking at and then started to put the parts of the puzzle together.
"How long did you know?"
With a shrug that caused Phoebe to giggle, I answered.
"Since I first met him, I had an idea but didn't get the confirmation until the Monaco races," I said, stunning them both. "My smart band at the time had picked up the irradiated blood within my proximity when I first met Tony in the cafe."
"So, tell me, what will this do?" Tony asked while looking at me, but before I could answer him. Phoebe activated her flight belt before flying over to Peter, becoming a koala bear once more and latching onto his back. The look of shock on Tony's face quickly changed to one of concentration as he zeroed in on the anti-gravity belt that Phoebe wore.
"Peter?" I prompted him.
"Ohh, it's a medical scrubber, kinda like a dialysis machine. Basically, you connect it to your arm, then it links into your brachial artery. The scrubber is compact enough to allow those with sickle cell anemia freedom while it's doing its job. The mark two that I am working on would be able to administer chemotherapy and some of the cures we discovered." Peter said, firing off lines after lines at Tony. "Let me see that I can set it to target blood poisoning while also giving you a little nx5 booster for the immune system."
Tony had the exasperated smile on his face like he didn't know if he wanted to laugh or cry as he looked at Peter. My brother was completely oblivious to Tony's reaction as he looked on as Peter did his thing. He rolled up his sleeve and allowed Peter to connect the device. The slight hum in the air and the relieved expression on Tony's face spoke volumes.
"So, are we going to work on the thingy?" Phoebe asked from Peter's shoulder.
"Ohh, yes, yes, of course," Tony answered with some shock as he realized what she was asking. "Hmm, Peter would you…. Would you like to stay?"
Phoebe gave Tony the look of, 'are you stupid' then she opened her mouth.
"Of course he wants to stay; we came all this way. What kind of question is that?" Phoebe said, then put on the cutest pout, rivaling even her sisters.
"Be nice, you rugrat." I snarked, trying not to laugh at the gobsmacked look on Tony's face. Taking her off my brothers back, I retreated to the side and allowed them to hash it out.
O.O.O.O
Tony and Peter had made up while the medical scrubber did its work on his blood toxicity levels. During their little discussion, I had taken Phoebe with me back upstairs to watch SuperNanny with Coulson. Somehow during it all, Phoebe had talked him into showing a little magic and I found out that Coulson could now use his magical gloves without incantations.
While that was going on, Tony used me as a distraction while he and Peter ran off to the Stark Industries building. Tony looked a little down, but I said nothing as Peter came walking in with the Howard Expo display. I knew why Tony was looking a little down, but I paid him no mind as Coulson picked up the phone.
"Yes sir, he is right here sir, I will ask him sir," Coulson spoke into the phone. He then went silent for some time before I watched him hang up the line. Coulson then turned towards me as I looked at him. "Would you happen to know of any storms of an anomalous nature within New Mexico's vicinity?
"I might have an idea or two, but I would suggest following protocol," I answered back seriously. "I would also recommend that you wait and watch, then when it goes south, call Ororo for backup."
"Why not yourself?" Coulson asked.
"Because, if this is who I think it is, then I don't want to be on their radar just yet," I answered back. Coulson had that thoughtful look on his face but millions of ideas and plans ran through my own. We spoke for a little longer before I got up ready to head back home. I had procrastinated enough, it was time for the Savage lands.
Phoebe squealed in joy as I rushed us both out of Tony's mansion and over the ocean.
"Faster, daddy! Faster!" Phoebe squealed out as she watched from over my back as I ran across the ocean. With a hard step on the ocean's surface, lightning arced across us both as I poured on the speed.
O.O.O.O
Jean Grey AKA Phoenix
Queen, Avatar, Explorer, Lover
Location: Space Station Titian
Her hands flew across her control panel as the ship rotated in its docking procedure. At first, she was excited that they had found a derelict ship just floating out here in space. Yet, she had to temper her excitement as her hubby came screaming across her comms unit; clearly panicked.
Granted: once he told her what he was panicking about, Jean couldn't help, but agreeing with his worries. So now here she was one week later looking through a viewing panel as she waited on one of the leading scientists to give her the all-clear. It didn't take that long to secure the derelict ship, but it did take a week to create a secure docking area for the ship.
Jean turned around from the viewing window to take a seat in her command chair when the bell chimed at her desk. Checking the ID on the call, she noticed that it was from down in the shuttle bay of the space station.
Pressing the answer key, Jean spoke, "Yes, Jean Grey here."
"My queen, the engineers are here. Also, medical officer Watson said the air filters have been cleared of particulates, but strongly recommends full quarantine protocols stay in effect.
"Okay," Jean replied as she changed the channel to another. "Team one, prepare for boarding actions, full quarantine protocols."
Closing down the communications unit, Jean turned and looked at her quarantine suit that hung up in her armory. With an outstretched hand, Jean summoned over her suit with some minor use of her telekinesis. The quarantine suit was fully rated not only for space but also for full underwater submersion and could withstand forces of gravity multiplied by one thousand.
Urgh, she just wished that they could have come up with something far better than the standard emergency orange with yellow lines. Once she had gotten dressed, Jean walked up to the armory to get her utility belt before leaving her office. Flexing all ten of her fingers, Jean found she had no issues with her dexterity before looking herself over in the mirror once more.
A small burst of telekinesis took her beautifully flaming red hair out of her eyes and into a braid that fell down into her suit. Giving a smile and a wink to her beautiful self in the mirror. Jean grabbed her helm and headed out her office door.
Ignoring the artificial gravity, she flew down the hallway before taking a right into the flight shaft. Jean couldn't help but muse to herself about it all. Ben had first told her about such things, Jean had shrugged it off and chalked it up to the needs of the few over the many. Yet, when he pointed out that everyone's base suit unit could fly, she still dismissed the shaft as just lazy. That was until the emergency power outage a few nights ago.
One of the main capacitors blew due to power fluctuations since the space station was still being built. Turned out the flight harness and a cleared ten by ten shaft was actually needed in space. She had thought that Ben was far too paranoid about trapped elevators; but yet again, he turned out to be correct. The capacitor that they needed to replace the one in the power room was stuck in shuttle bay six when the power went out and closed the elevators down. All it took to fix the situation was for someone to fly it down to the power room.
She was never going to tell him that his paranoia saved the day, though.
Humming a small tune to herself, Jean placed her hand to the F20 on the wall. There was a ding signaling the recognition of her clearance before the doors opened for her. Checking her left and right, she then flew to the observation deck to wait on her team.
Within moments of her arrival, Jean smiled as she heard the sound of her ten-man team trooping in. Lowering herself back down to the ground, Jean then looked her team over as they stood at attention.
"Fall in," Jean commanded before doing an about-face and walked out from the observation deck. Walking in the front, Jean led her team down the hall, across the gangplanks, and into the air dock that separated Space Station Titian from the derelict ship.
On the other side of the airlock, the derelict ship floated there five hundred meters away in an enclosed white dome.
"Helmets," Jean commanded as she stopped before the airlock leading out into the open vacuum. There were ten clicks, and her team inspected her seals before checking their own.
There was a series of clicks before.
"All helmets, all clear, ma'am."
Jean couldn't help the smile that spread across her lips as she heard the helmets behind her lock into place before securing. She wanted to do a little dance inside, but this was no time to be frivolous and let the power go to her head. Removing the smile she then turned and gave her team a nod after everyone's confirmation before stepping into the large airlock. Giving the command, Jean waited for the door to close, they then checked their gear one last time. With another all clear, Jean pressed the button to open the airlock leading to open space.
Jean waited for her team to activate the flight functions to their suits before leading them in a flight wing towards the dome. Jean flew the five hundred meters with her team towards the entrance on the north side. Lightly touching down, she held her hand up to the scanner and breathed a sigh of relief as the tracking weapons powered down.
Knowing better, she hurried her team along before the thirty seconds were up and the weapons started to shoot. Jean would say something about all the paranoia, but safety came first in the face of alien encounters.
Walking through the second airlock, Jean and her team walked past the interior crew quarters. On the other side of the crew, quarters were another lab, a cafeteria, and a gym. Walking past all of that, they finally came to the interior airlock that would lead into the domed off area.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the airlock and walked in with her team.
"Rose, Dillian and Mathew, I want you guys to head to engineering first and report back all findings," Jean said as her hand hovered over the control panel to the interior domed area. "The rest of you will be with me as we search for the bridge."
"Yes, ma'am." The team spoke as one.
As she flew, Jean could help but take in the giant donut-like superstructure of the spaceship. There was a set of double boosters on both sides of the structure that Jean couldn't help but label as the rocket engines.
Gliding past the rocket pods, Jean and her team searched the outside of the ship. What they did find though on the outside were scorch marks and blast creators along the hull. Jean couldn't help feeling stunned at the battle damage before her as she flew over the donut ring-shaped ship.
"Ma'am, we have found the airlock."
Jean's head snapped around towards the southwest direction and her eyes instantly locked onto the bright green dot on her HUD with Fuller's name clearly written underneath it.
"Team, regroup on Fuller's position," Jean spoke into her comms. Flying low, she listened to a smattering of confirmations as she sped over to the airlock. Landing softly beside Fuller, Jean took in the sight of the airlock. Just from a glance, she could tell that the airlock had at least a radius of twenty feet. Jean waited on the side for Dillian to do what he could with the device that looked like a control panel.
Lights started to flicker on the device before she heard a low hum from the doors.
"Talk to me Dillian, what do we have?" Jean asked her technical officer.
"Low power, failing auxiliary and backups, ma'am," Dillian responded as she took a step towards the gap the airlock offered. Then with a mighty heave, she wrenched the airlock the rest of the way open.
The first thought that crossed Jean's mind was dust. The light on the top of her helm activated with the rest of her teams. Pulling an Omni-scanner from her utility belt, she outstretched her arm as it activated. The scanner picked up particulates in the air, then beeped to let them know that it was safe to proceed.
Putting out an arm to stop her team from proceeding, Jean handed over the scanner. She then gathered psionic energy within both of her hands. The red glow of power reflected off the hull of the ship; then without warning, Jean slammed both of her palms together. This caused the forces that she had gathered in her hands to blast out in a wave of telepathic and telekinetic force.
Jean and her team waited and watched as the red force of power flew through the nooks and crannies of the ship. She could feel the astonishment of her team as her powers searched every corner and section of the derelict ship.
"Initial psionic testing shows no sign of…. life?" Jean was interrupted as a flare of red deep within the ship sparked a trace of interest. A tap on her utility belt brought out a sphere controlled by her onboard computer systems. The sphere didn't have any name, but Jean had heard Ben calling them, Ghosts.
"How may I be of service? The little sphere asked.
"I want you to scan the ship. Then make a 3D map for examination." Jean answered as she pulled out ten more scanner spheres. The font of the sphere lit up with a smiling face hologram, then they split into teams of two before vanishing into the depths of the ship.
"Rockwood, Allen head to the bridge. Rose, Dillian, and Mathew, you have your jobs already. The rest of you are with me, let's go check out that sign of life."
Her team broke up into their groups and started towards their task. Pulling up the scanner once more, Jean checked her corners as she walked down the ship's hallway. In one hand, she had the scanner and before her, Jean had a psionic tether directing her towards the one life available.
Jean lined up her HUD and the map that was being scanned and uploaded with the psionic line and proceeded forthwith. Ignoring the beep from the hovering sphere, Jean followed the red line down a hallway until she came to a closed bolt hatch. Instead of asking one of her spartans to try and override the locking mechanism, she flared a small percent of her power. The hatch that blocked the passage glowed red and groaned from the amount of force she was applying.
The hatched groaned and groaned before buckling and giving way as she moved her hand to the side. With the motion, Jean watched as the pathway opened up before her and her team. Hiding the smile on her face, Jean gave her team a follow motion before heading past her handiwork.
"Ma'am, we have reached the engine room. From our brief search, only two of their power cores are viable, but they seem to be in use for something already." Mathew spoke over the communications line.
"Yes, I believe I might know what those last two cores are powering," Jean answered back over the comms. "Make sure to scan everything."
Cutting out the communications, Jean and her team walked further into the derelict ship. From the look of an internal map that one of her teammates had copied off the wall. Jean knew that they were getting closer and closer to the med-bay. They couldn't read the writing, but it was only common sense to have the med-bay in the most secure sections of a ship. This might be another moment when Ben might be right about not placing human norms on an alien species. Pushing that thought to the side, Jean persisted forward with her team.
After going down a set of oddly shaped stairs, Jeans HUD showed the outline of a room. A quick signal to her team had them posted up on the sides of the door. Ignoring them, Jean kept following along her psionic tether deeper into the ship. Jean was certain that she was getting closer to amid-ship from her own scans paired with those hover spheres.
"Ma'am, we have found the bridge."
Jean listened to Rockwood's report as she walked. Once he was finished, she answered him.
"Scan everything, also look for a port, and try one of the universal jacks. I want the AI collective to gather as much data as they can." Jean replied as she came up to the room she was looking for. Jean could see the red psionic line leading inside clear as day. Holding up her scanner to the door, Jean watched as the readings gave her the all-clear.
Once her team took a step back, she flexed her powers once more and the door opened like a can of sardines. A flick of Jean's wrist sent the doors flying past her and her team as she strode forward with confidence. Following her psionic tether, Jean found a pod with frosted glass resting at a forty-five-degree angle.
This was the mind she felt calling out for help. Putting her gloved hand to the glass, Jean wiped away some frost. This allowed her to get a better look at the sleeping occupant inside. The first thing she noticed besides the oriental features was the markings along the person's brow and unique clothing. Sending a mental command to her suit, an image was snapshotted and sent to Ben for his input on what she was seeing.
"Medic, get me a scan of her vitals," Jean spoke while also taking a step back from the cryo-pod. As one of her team members walked forward, Jean opened up communications back to the space station. "Titian, this is Phoenix,
"Command Station Titian here, go ahead, Phoenix."
"I am gonna need an engineering team to retrieve a cryo-pod. Also activate environmental controls in the dome, we have a lot of work to do." Jean commanded.
"We understand, team inbound. Command Station, out."
O.O.O.O
Peter Parker AKA Spider-Man
Prince, Brother, Boyfriend, Hero, Son
"Why is he so intense? Is that like his default setting? And I thought your friend was younger? I should know: I have had Jarvis hack everything, and he has kept me updated." Tony rambled as he sat at his computer table. "Ohh, ohh, let me show you something."
Peter couldn't help but look at the man who was his father as he gushed over some photos that he had saved on his database.
"Look, look, this one was when you were five. I got Happy to purchase your school photos for me," Tony gushed as he showed Peter the photos within his lullaby folder. "Your hair was curly like mines when I was younger. Hell, you even had that cute little dimple when you smile."
Peter was so stunned he didn't know what to say as Tony brought up his test results. He said nothing and looked on as Tony brought up images of his science fair projects with Ben.
"I, I, I had no right to be in your life, but I tried to follow it as best I could, you know?" Tony spoke a little softly as he sat back in his desk chair. Looking at him, Peter could feel the sincerity in those words. Hell, he could even feel the palpable relief that wafted out of the man, his father.
Taking a moment to look everything over, Peter gave Tony a smile as he pulled up a chair.
"It's okay, I'm here now and so are you," Peter replied as he pulled up a seat. "Now, let's take a look at that expo diagram that we brought back."
Tony gave him a smile before calling out to his AI buddy Jarvis.
"Alright, Jarvis, gimme a scan of the diagram," Tony said as he pushed his chair away from the computer desk.
"Of course, sir."
"So Jarvis is your AI, huh?" Peter asked as he watched the hologram come to life. It was a little blurry to his eyes, but he understood that even though Tony's system was advanced. He didn't have access to the same tech that he had on a regular basis.
"Jarvis, remove the shrubs and miscellaneous goods," Tony muttered while flicking away smaller outlines on the holo-map.
"What are you doing?" Peter asked as he looked over the map.
"Rediscovering something, my old man... your grandpa left for us," Tony replied with a smile. "Peter, is that an atom nucleus in the middle?"
"Yeah, it looks a little like one," Peter replied as he got closer to the hologram. "Jarvis, structure the protons and neurons using the pavilions as a framework, please."
"What do you have, buddy?" Tony asked excitedly.
"It's too well thought out, look he laid out the elements blueprint in the expos diagram," Peter answered with clear astonishment in his voice.
Falling back in his chair, Tony couldn't do anything but to take it all in. He was happy, yes happy, that his father had left him a hidden gem. But it was the clear genius in his son that marveled Tony.
"The proposed element should be a viable replacement for palladium, but unfortunately, it's impossible to synthesize," Jarvis spoke over the intercoms.
"That's what you think, but I say we are going into reconstruction mode," Tony said as he looked at the new element hover over his head. "Come on Peter, let's build a particle collider."
Peter could only look at his father as if he was crazy.
"We could use the one in my lab," Peter spoke with some hope reflecting in his eyes.
"New York, huh," Tony answered as he rubbed his chin. The blood scrubber on his forearm beep for a second alerting Tony to its presence.
"Yeah, that's not where I have the collider," Peter answered with some mischief.
"Ohh, really?" Tony answered.
Peter looked around for a moment before pointing his Omni-tool at a clear section of the wall.
"Don't tell anyone, okay," Peter said, pinning Tony with a stare.
"Promise."
With a smile, Peter activated the portal function of his Omni-tool. There was a flash of blue and golden light as a portal opened. The blue and golden portal opened on the far wall showing the inside of his personal labs.
"What the, What?" Tony asked, stunned. "Jarvis!"
"Scans are inconclusive, sir," Jarvis answered.
Tony didn't know where to even begin, but he had an inkling of an idea.
"Hey, Pete can I see your wrist thingy?" Tony asked as he walked to the front of the portal. It was obviously a different location, and he could feel the air conditioning from the other side.
"Ahh, you mean my Omni-tool?" Peter asked as he showed his wrist. On Peter's wrist was a small red and blue band with a Spiderman logo. Tony's eyes then widened as he watched the band morph into a larger gauntlet to cover Peter's forearm.
"Nanotech? No, not just that, hmm," Tony muttered as he looked over Peter's Omni-tool with a critical eye.
"Combination of nano and shrinking tech," Peter answered as he flexed his hand. As Peter did that, Tony watched as the Omni-tool shifted in size over and over before stopping in the form of a sleek wrist computer. Tony looked on in wonder as his mind started to run through calculations, permutations, and different physics, yet his mind for once didn't give him the answer. "Now, shall we?"
"Yes, yes, of course," Tony spoke before he excitedly jumped through the portal. "Don't wait up, Jarvis."
"Of course, sir."
O.O.O.O
With a curious look and grin on his face, Tony stepped right through the portal. He couldn't help marvel at the slight ripple that went across his body before he took in the lab he was now standing in. One of the first things Tony noticed was that he was on a second level; and down below was the same red sleek flying supercar that Jason had rescued him with.
One of the second things Tony noticed was how large the garage slash lab was. There were at least ten cars below and he couldn't tell what they were. He could easily understand the one used to rescue him and the other one shaped like a tank, but the other eight Tony had no clue. The next thing that drew his attention was the signs hanging over some tables with creations sitting on top. He also noticed a broken down treadmill in a corner.
"What do you think?" Peter asked, which drew Tony's attention back to him as he had his arms out wide.
"Cool cars," Tony remarked as he walked up to one of the tables. "Titanium-A, Titanium-V, and Proto-Alloy, what no tungsten?"
"No, Ben and I have been working on space-age metals and next-generation metals," Peter answered before sticking his hand into the hologram. With the holo-table under his control, molecular structures and tensile strength popped up before them both.
"Pete, this is some deep-six Ahab stuff, wait vibranium? How did you even get enough to experiment with?" Tony asked, shocked as he looked over the holograms.
"We have a space station mining the stuff out on the asteroid belt," Peter answered with a shrug. Tony couldn't stop the gobsmacked look on his face.
"Peter, that information is classified. Mr. Stark also does not have the authorization required to be in this lab."
"It's okay Athena, I invited him," Peter answered. The person he was talking to was the hologram that changed into a lady made up of running code.
"I will have to inform Benjamin about this, I hope you understand." Athena, the AI, answered.
"Aww, come on Athena, don't be like that." Peter pouted at the AI standing before him.
"You have a caller," Athena replied with a raised eyebrow. Then before Peter could reply, she vanished.
The hologram of Athena changed to that of his brother Benjamin.
"Peter, why am I looking at Tony freaking Stark inside my house and labs right now?" Ben asked him as he looked between the two.
"Wait, Pete, I thought this was your lab?" Tony asked, cutting across them both.
"The house is multi-layered with a lot of rooms, but the question still stands. Why are you on my island?" Ben asked once more, this time with a little more steel in his voice.
"Aye, what do you have against me man? I just wanna do some science with my kid!" Tony replied with a huff.
"Peter?"
"He didn't have a particle collider available and wanted to break down his mansion walls to build one. Come on... talk about unsafe, think about the unstable quantum particles he would release into the environment. And since this lab is half mine anyway, I have exercised my right to bring people over." Peter answered with his arms waving around in the air.
"Wow, you have actually gotten better at talking out of your ass," Ben replied with a raised eyebrow. "Yet you brought him here and not back to New York why?"
"Well, he is still a business competitor, so I didn't want him in our other labs," Peter answered a little sheepishly.
"Ohh, come on that's not fair.," Tony replied as he looked around the lab.
"Peter, I just can't with you right now. Look, just keep your dad out of the things that will blow up my nation." Ben said while glaring at them both.
"Aww, come on, I'm not that bad," Tony said with fake innocence.
"Athena, please lock down all experiments and programs currently running within the lab," Ben answered while rolling his eyes.
"Of course, sir."
"Later, Pete, and remember, don't let him blow up my island."
And with that, Peter watched as the communications cut out and his brother's face vanished.
"So, that particle collider?" Tony asked.
"In the basement behind some shielding," Peter answered while pointing to a hidden panel. The panel moved to reveal an elevator that had so many functions Tony became giddy with excitement. Anyone could tell that the elevator was made to go from side to side while also going up and down. What amazed Tony was the optional teleportation selections.
Tony pressed a few buttons, but the only thing that happened was some flashing red lights. Frowning, Tony turned to his son Peter with a quizzical look.
"You don't have citizenship, so nothing will work for you," Peter answered to the look he was getting. "I'll get you an Omni-tool and talk to Ben about easing up on some of his restrictions."
"So you guys built a nation?" Tony asked as he leaned on the wall of the elevator.
"No, Ben built the nation, I am just me, I guess," Peter answered.
"Incorrect, Ben has made it very clear that he made this nation to protect his family first and foremost. Then extended that same protection to the rest of the meta-human kind." Athena interjected over the intercoms.
"I guess there is something more there than you just following along?" Tony asked with a raised eyebrow.
Peter tilted his head to the side for a moment as he thought about it, the elevator pinged as the door opened. "Yea, I guess you might be right."
"Of course I am, so tell me more about this Athena, is she like my Jarvis?" Tony asked as he put a hand around Peter's shoulder. They then exited the elevator into a large chamber-like room with a ring-like device. This was the particle collider and it was suspended in the air above their heads in an anti-gravitational field.
"Not exactly, Athena runs the AI collective on the island," Peter answered as he stood at the control unit.
"Ohh, I know one already, named Alfred, right? He was on overwatch that night Ben, Jason, your friend, came to rescue me." Tony spoke excitedly.
"Yeah, he was removed from the server a long time ago," Peter answered as he started to input commands into the computer. He paused before a hologram of a molecular structure came up. "Didn't you already meet him at the race?"
"Wait, you mean to tell me that you have digital to organic mind transfer solved?" Tony asked with clear excitement. "Could we do the same with Jarvis?"
"Ahh no, Jarvis has a limitation where any of the AI's here do not," Peter answered, deflating Tony's excitement.
"Snort, Jarvis is one of the most adaptive and advanced learning UI's known to man," Tony said a little too smugly for Peter's liking.
"But he is just that, a learning UI. Jarvis is not actually an artificial intelligence with feelings, thoughts, or awareness. The AI collective on the island is that and more. We are on the cutting edge of the cutting edge with self-healing metals capable of replicating nerve clusters and bundles, allowing the transfer of touch and taste. Jarvis can't process any of that." Peter spoke up as his Omni-tool came alive with data points. "Just to bring Jarvis up to our standards, he would need a total overhaul from top to bottom. Jarvis will definitely need a mark four crystalline synaptic brain, a quantum communications outlet for universal connectivity, and a series three dynamic parallel supercomputer."
Tony had a pout on his face, but Peter could see the twinkle in his eyes.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Peter couldn't help but ask.
"I just…. You're just so much like her, you know. A little shy, but unafraid to speak your mind." Tony said as he took the available chair. Looking down, he couldn't help but look up and ask. "Where did this chair come from?"
"Hard light holograms," Peter answered with a shrug. "Now, I have the collider warmed up. Let's input the molecular structure of that new core you want. See that control panel over there, that's the synthesizer."
Tony pointed at a control unit a few feet away from Peter and got a nod in return.
"Yeah, put in the dimensions of the core you're looking for and have it print out three." Peter reapplied as his hands glided across his controls.
Overhead, Athena watched and listened to the two as they got to work. Even though she was not going to interfere, she did have an emergency team on standby. Athena was in total agreement with her creator, geniuses without supervision were nothing but trouble.
O.O.O.O
Pietro AKA QuickSliver
Trainee Guardian
Checking his corners, Pietro found no cameras, nor did he locate a shimmer of air giving away someone hiding under stealth tech. Quickly running down the beach, Pietro cut across before diving into the clear water underneath a bridge.
After swimming for a bit, Pietro came to an air pocket not too far from his original location. He had just gotten back from the teleportation center. He didn't know what message his father wanted to pass along. He wasn't too happy being a messenger boy, but it was that or go for another one of those painfully stupid classes he thought to himself.
Getting up out of the water, Pietro looked around at the new interior. He was inside of some dome that contained air with natural light pouring in through the top. All around him were blue-skinned people of different types, but he paid them no mind. They just reminded him of the mutants at his father's place. Looking around, Pietro noticed that up above rained down a light misting of water. There wasn't enough to cause a fog, but there was enough that it was noticeable.
Instead of waiting, he took off running and found the room he was looking for within moments. A quick thought had him put on the brakes as the door to the room didn't open for him. That was another thing that he hated about this fucking island. Unless you were in the sections indicated for speedsters, everything operated so slowly.
He really hated the island, but Pietro had to remind himself that he had to wait. He had learned the hard way that he didn't have the power to do shit, so here he was trying to help his father's plan succeed. It wouldn't have been so hard if only his sister helped him instead of studying those damn books of hers.
Huffing lightly to himself, Pietro pushed open the door to the room. Inside he found three others: sitting in a chair with his feet up was Gambit. At the head of the table sat Namor and at his right stood a tall amazonian type with blue skin that Pietro instantly thought was hot hot hot.
"Sup," Pietro said, ignoring the twitching jaw of Namor.
"Were you not supposed to be here ten minutes ago?" Namor growled out from across the table.
"Had to lose my tails. Some losers from school are trying to be all buddy-buddy with me." Pietro replied with a huff. Reaching into his pants pocket, he took out a waterproof casing and slid it across the table.
"Isn't that the point? To be undercover, you must make friends." Gambit inserted while shuffling his deck. "Don't tell me you don't want this all to succeed boy' O."
Instead of answering, Pietro rolled his eyes towards Gambit.
"Namor, my father said to make sure your armies are in place when he breaches the perimeter," Pietro spoke, ignoring the Cajun.
"Gambit, what defenses have you been able to uncover," Namor asked before putting the waterproof case away.
"Lots of fancy toys: but all made of metal so no problems there. And I found out that he recently split his troops between the Savage lands and his other safe houses around the world." Gambit answered while flipping a card.
"Good! Dismissed boy. I'll have more words with Gambit." Namor said, dismissing him outright.
Glaring at the person sitting at the far end of the table, Pietro got up and made his exit.
"Wait for me kid." Pietro heard Gambit call out from behind him as the door closed. Ignoring all of that, Pietro made his way back through the water tunnel. After checking once more to make sure no one had spotted him, Pietro hopped out of the water and started running. He didn't know where he wanted to go, but he knew where he wanted to be. Without even thinking about it, his feet took him to the eastern city and down into one of the island's largest speedster tracks.
Instead of joining the obstacle course like everyone else, Pietro spotted the open sign for track room two. The door shimmered closed as he jumped onto the forest track set up in room two. Taking a moment to look at the miles of forest before him, Pietro took a breath before putting on his headset.
Music started to play as he jumped over the first fallen log, losing himself in the song. Pietro ignored the rest of the world around him as he ran.
1 Hour Later….
There was a flash of purple and a spark of pain as Pietro was blasted off his feet. Righting himself instead of allowing gravity and the shock of being attacked mess him up. Pietro took off running once more, but this time towards his assailant. As he got to the shadow of the tree in which the first attacks came from, another set ambushed him from up above.
Rolling away and getting back up to his feet, an ace of spades was placed under his neck as something clamped around his ankle and wrist.
"Listen here, infant! If you want to live, then you best stop messing with the plan." Gambit said in his cajun accent.
"You can't do this to me," Pietro growled back at him. "My father will have your head for this."
"True, but he isn't here now, is he?" Gambit asked. "Here is another message for you to deliver off the island to the drop point. Don't fuck this up."
"I don't take orders from you," Pietro said as he was released. He then turned in an attempt to throw a punch, but his legs were swept out from underneath him. Before he could get up and take another look at Gambit. Another card exploded off of his chest, sending him crashing into another nearby tree.
"Remember this; you can always vanish before dear ol dah comes." Gambit's voice sounded out from the shadows of the trees.
O.O.O.O
New Mexico
Ororo Munroe AKA STORM
Mother, Queen, Lover, Educator, Hero
Ororo stood with poise and grace as the back ramp of her royal shuttle lowered. She had been in her study combing Maya's hair when she received a notification. The call had come from Coulson asking for some assistance on one of his assignments. For some reason, Ben had said she might be a great asset, so he had asked and she was available, so she decided to say hello. This call had come at the right time since she was no longer on the rotation list for the humanitarian work around the Asian Pacific Islands.
The school was running so smoothly that she was now looking for a little something exciting. For herself, as there was no greater joy than teaching the younger generation, but as Jessica likes to crudely put it. Sometimes she just wanted to punch someone in the face.
When the call had come in, she had placed Raven in charge of the island as she took her guards and her royal shuttle out for the day. Now, here she was, and the person that had called for her help was here. The sun was up high in the air and Ororo could feel the magical charge as it flowed around the area. Ooh now she understood, Ororo thought as she felt the magic run across her skin.
Down at the end of the ramp to her shuttle stood Phil Coulson, a dear family friend. Two other agents stood a ways off from the shuttle. She could also spy a few techs trying to take a peek inside the shuttle. Ignoring them, Ororo walked down the ramp with regal grace. Today she wasn't wearing her usual headdress, but she did wear those custom lightning rod hair sticks that Natasha had gotten her.
Her hair was not only done up stylishly, but the curls that hung to the sides of her face framed her beauty for all to see. On her feet were stylized and comfortable heels matching her all-white business attire. On her shoulders was an all white jacket that covered her shoulders as her shirt held up her girls while also forming an X across her stomach. The jacket was a matching pair to her pants, but Ororo was fine with how comfy they were. All in all, she looked amazing and stunning as usual.
"Phil," Ororo said with a smile on her lips as the agent came over. He had been allowed through the surrounding guards. When Ben had told them that they were going to get guards she wanted to oppose, but she thought better of it. Well, that was after Ben had explained about most of their enemies laying in wait, but also it was better to travel with back up and not need them than to need the help and not have it.
"Your Grace." Phil Coulson said with a small smile tugging on the corners of his lips
"As a friend of the family, you should know that it's Ororo to you." Ororo spoke as she swept them both out of the hangar bay to the royal shuttle. "So you called and said you found an ancient artifact from the Norse pantheon?"
"Ahh, yes, I was informed that you would be the best to gather insight from it to assist with our situation," Coulson answered as he held the door open to the habitat. This was one of SHIELD's forward observation posts within the field. The quick set up walls were made of an insulating plastic wrap that kept the habitat cool within the deserts while also keeping in the warmth in a colder climate. "This appeared during a cosmological storm and it has been producing strange energy waves ever since."
The room Coulson had brought her to had a rock formation within the center. Ororo looked up and around, but couldn't shake the feeling of someone, or something watching her. On that rock formation sat something Nat would use to crush some poor unsuspecting criminal's head.
Ororo had noticed that as much as Natasha loved her blades, she had a surprising sadistic side that loved blunt instruments even more. That was another reason why she had gotten the forge to create some kali sticks for training.
Ororo looked down at the hammer sitting on the rock formation, but she ignored the sight as she felt the ozone within the air. Power trimmed all around her as she looked down with sight beyond sight the same way Gaea taught her. Magic like nothing she knew bled from the hammer in excess.
With swift, steady movements, a spell circle was formed scanning over the hammer. From the magical signature and turbulence, Ororo learned that the hammer was recently enchanted by another force that bound it to words of power.
Whosoever holds this hammer, if they be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.
Ororo looked down on cosmic power bound to a corporeal form, but that wasn't what drew her attention. No, it was the spark of sentience speaking from the hammer.
Please lift me.
Help me.
The voice was so innocent that Ororo couldn't help herself as she reached out to comfort the being. Coulson had to take a step back as he watched arcs of electricity come off the hammer. He stood stunned as he looked on and watched Ororo do something none of his best agents had been able to do.
The touch of warm leather within her grasp.
The feel of ancient steel pressing into her palm.
The zing of power running through her veins.
The flash of pleasure that ran up her arm sang with a sad song about a love lost. A flash of blonde hair and the smug smile of a young man, the smell of musk and iron flashed across her mind's eye as she held up Mjölnir.
So he is your user.
End Chapter…
A/N: The thing the comics and movies always forget to answer is…. What is worthy?
No one saw that coming and I am glad I can keep you all on your toes.
I got some weird comments so I guess I will say it here. This is clearly a fanfiction, which means that reality can be stretched as far as the author wants to stretch it.
Let's take a step back and take a look, Pandora is a nation of super-genius meta-humans run by Benjamin Blake, same with his company. The same company that houses an active supernova in the basement to power it's infrastructure.
This means that some engineers and programmers work for Benjamin so he can perform other duties. So if I feature new and cool tech, that just means someone made it for the King or Boss. Yes, Benjamin can build his own tech, but I don't plan to feature that unless it's something I feel impacts the story.
Example: Bruce's company makes all of his gear, but then he then takes that gear and repurposes it for his Batman activities.
Everyone forgets that Tony never cured himself, Yeah he stuck a new arc reactor in his chest. But that's not a magical solution to cure the palladium poisoning in his blood.
Yes, this chapter is making progress with the storyline and progressing the plot and no that doesn't mean that it always has to be Ben doing the heavy lifting.
Welp see you guys in 2 weeks, I have life and adult things to do.
L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS 
BigToFu
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