Chương 76: Project VIPPS: A Leap in Protection -74
Tony's eyebrows lifted slightly in recognition. "SHIELD, huh? Didn't expect you guys to come knocking for a robot." His tone was a mix of surprise and intrigue. Tony knew about SHIELD thanks to his talk with Ricci and his own research afterward.
He wasn't particularly thrilled about them. His search had shown him plenty of shady shit they were doing, least of all was stealing tech from both him and his father. He was still planning on paying them a proper visit soon, his new jet had taken a while to build, but it was ready soon.
He had even ended up with a new repulsor technology, which he was currently using to make a new type of missile, something Obi had been particularly happy about, though once Tony let him know of his secret jet, he was sure the man would forget about the missile real quick.
Perhaps he was able to feel that Tony wasn't keen on his position in SHIELD the man, Jonathan Graves quickly moved along to the entire point of their meeting. "Mr. Stark, the robot, you found could I see and confirm if it is indeed the one I'm looking for?"
Tony, wanting to make things a little difficult for SHIELD decided to ask a question of his own. "Now, wait just a minute here. This robot is some pretty advanced stuff, I wouldn't want to give it to someone who isn't the proper owner; show me some proof it's yours, or get lost."
Thankfully, Jonathan wasn't a real Shield agent, and since the object in question SCP-1370 was something they had contained for a while, he did have a photo of it in its normal glass cage. "I do hope this is enough Mr. Stark, as you can see, we are the rightful owner of the object."
Tony looked at the picture and indeed, it was the same robot he had tinkered with the for past few days. "Fine, come along then." He finally said, after all, he was better than SHIELD and would go around stealing the legacy and work of others.
Upon entering the lab, Tony led Graves straight to where Doombot 2000 was kept. The robot, for its part, seemed unaware of the significance of the moment, continuing its endless threats against humanity with a comical seriousness.
"There you have it," Tony said, gesturing toward the robot. "Your 'advanced' piece of tech."
Graves observed the robot closely, his expression unreadable. "Thank you, Mr. Stark. Your cooperation is appreciated. We at the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. Has the utmost respect for you."
Tony for one just rolled his eyes. "I was promised some answers, and trust me I have plenty of questions about this frankly impossible piece of tech."
To his question, the agent gave a nervous chuckle. "Afraid I'm not the right person to ask about that, not a scientist myself. All I know is that some kid, Fitz Simmons, I believe it was, used some experimental tech and programs to make it. Apparently, it's some real up-and-coming name at the academy."
Tony, for one, had to suppress a groan because they had sent a mindless grunt to him. Knowing he had questions, to prevent him from getting any answers, they just sent someone who damn well couldn't give them.
This meant he would have to do the work himself and look for answers on his own. Thankfully, he had a name, and the last time around, he had been able to hack into the SHIELD academy easily enough, so he wasn't worried.
"Well, thank you so much for your help; now get lost; I gotta hack into your secure database, and there is nothing you can do about it." Tony said as he practically pushed the man, robot in arms, out the front door.
After ensuring Graves and Doombot 2000 were well on their way, Tony returned to his lab, a place where he felt most at home and where his curiosity could roam free. Jarvis, initiate a deep dive into SHIELD's academy records. Look for anything on a kid named Fitz Simmons, specifically related to robotics and AI technology."
"Understood, sir. Initiating search protocols now," Jarvis responded, the screens flickering as streams of data began to flow.
Tony couldn't help but be fascinated by the idea of some young brilliant mind working on groundbreaking technology yet unable to fully express himself due to being surrounded by idiots. It reminded him of himself.
He had also been the type of ignore others and just make it happen, even as others said it was impossible, he had just ignored them and made it happen. However at the same time he was fascinated by what this kid had made. Something even he, the great Tony Stark hadn't been able to understand.
As Jarvis sifted through encrypted databases and classified files, Tony's mind wandered to the bigger picture. SHIELD, with all its secrets and questionable ethics, was a problem, but the idea of inhibitor technology – a fail-safe to prevent AI from causing harm – was something Tony couldn't ignore. The potential to incorporate such technology into his own projects was too significant to pass up.
Finally, Jarvis broke the silence. "Sir, I have been unable to locate any single person with the name of Fitz Simmons."
"Fuck!" Tony exclaimed loudly. "Trying to make a fool of me they are, Jarvis make it a priority to get back a SHIELD sooner than later."
Tony, left feeling frustrated couldn't summon up the will to do more work for now, annoyed he decided it was time for a break. Perhaps a relaxing long weekend with a new girl in his bed every night? Or better yet, a new girl joining the others in bed every night.
As he prepared for his weekend escapade, Tony's thoughts drifted back to Doombot 2000 and the mysterious non-existence of Fitz Simmons. It irked him, the idea that SHIELD or whoever was behind this was playing games with him. He was Tony Stark, after all. No one made a fool of Tony Stark.
Tony swore that once he had successfully demonstrated his new toy to the military and had them eating out the palm of his hand, he would pressure them into cutting the budget for SHIELD by a few tens of billions. That would teach them.
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Outside, Agent Jonathan Graves carefully placed SCP-1370 into a secure steel box before getting into the driver's seat, throwing the Shield badge into the glove compartment, where a pile of random government documentation was gathering dust.
Picking up his phone, he quickly made a call. "This is Agent Graves; I have successfully secured the Object. Requesting further direction."
"Good work, Agent, take the object to SITE-19." A nondescript voice answered back; Graves used to such, merely ended the call and set off towards SITE-19 while silently complaining about the long, long drive ahead for him.
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As the car slowly came to a stop, Jonathan couldn't help but let out a sigh. He reached over into the glove compartment and pulled out some ID of high enough rank, and waited until the officer who pulled him over came up to the side of the window.
"Good evening, officer," Graves greeted, rolling down his window with a calm demeanour, fully aware of the protocol for such situations. His hand casually flashed the ID, ensuring the officer could clearly see the high rank and the insignia associated with it.
The officer, momentarily taken aback by the credentials presented to him, leaned in slightly, his expression shifting from authoritative to one of recognition and caution. "I apologize for the stop, sir. We're just conducting routine checks in the area. May I ask where you're headed this evening?"
Graves, maintaining his composed façade, replied smoothly, "That's a matter of national security. I assure you, officer, I'm here on official business for the Bureau of Homeland Security."
The officer, upon hearing the mention of national security, nodded understandingly, a clear sign of deference to the gravity of Graves' implied assignment. "Understood, sir. My apologies for the inconvenience. Please, proceed with your duties."
Graves offered a polite nod, his expression unchanging. "Thank you, officer. Your diligence is appreciated." As the officer stepped away, allowing the car to continue, Graves couldn't help but be thankful for the many tools given to Foundation agents, allowing them to deal with these small issues easily and quickly.
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Alex was on his way down to SITE-311 to pick up the finished product of Project VIPPS when he received the news that of all people in the world, SCP-1370 had decided to show up in front of Tony Stark. Someone who would very easily notice the strangeness of the object.
While he had plans for Tony as Ironman to join one of the Foundation parts of the world, he wished to be in control of that. Not to have Tony out there and look into the anomalous on his own.
After all, as someone who owned an advanced AI, even the Foundation had to be wary of being hacked by him. Which wasn't something he wanted, he needed Tony to trust the Foundation. Cause if he knew the dark stuff they did from time to time then it was entirely possible he would think of them as enemies.
With these thoughts racing through his mind, Alex arrived at SITE-311. The massive facility was abuzz with activity. Yet the area around his landing space was quite devoid of people, save the small group there to welcome him.
The group consisted of some of the Foundation's top scientists and a couple of security personnel, all of whom stood at attention as Alex made his way towards them. Despite the formality of their greeting, there was an undercurrent of nervousness; after all, Alex's threat of demotion should they fail to deliver within his deadline wasn't forgotten by these people.
The SITE director, who wasn't a scientist and was indeed a rare breed to hold this kind of position, was the first person to step forward and greet him. "Welcome to SITE-311 Overseer. Project VIPPS is ready for your inspection."
"Thank you, Colonel Carter. I've been looking forward to seeing the results firsthand. Shall we?" Alex replied, nodding towards the entrance of the facility. The group moved inside, heading towards the high-security area housing the project.
They moved through the large compound mostly in silence; since Alex was here in his true role as a member of O5, people didn't dare open a conversation with him. Even SITE director Samantha Carter, someone who had achieved the rank of colonel, was nervous next to such a big shot.
As they approached the high-security lab, Carter initiated a security protocol that required both biometric verification and a series of coded clearances. The doors slid open with a hiss, revealing a state-of-the-art laboratory space that buzzed with the quiet intensity of cutting-edge research.
Inside, the team of scientists was already assembled, each member standing by their respective workstations, ready to present their contributions to Project VIPPS. The centerpiece of the room was a large containment unit, its contents secured by a reinforced glass exterior designed to protect sensitive observations.
Under the direction of the few Scientists who had been there when he landed and followed them all inside here, the others quickly moved around, and Alex, with Director Carter at his side, was guided up to the containment unit.
Inside, Alex beheld a mannequin covered in the darkest tight suit he had ever seen in his life. It appeared as if it sucked in the light like a black hole. Even in this well-lit lab, the suit made the area around it seem dim.
On the suit, there were a few things that stood out other than the sheer blackness of it. One was the symbol of the O5 council on the chest, with his own designation of O5-1 displayed alongside.
There were also eyes and mouth on the face of the suit. All of which stood out against the blackness by being pure white, looking more kind to light itself due to the darkness of the suit. The suit itself looked like a black silhouette. This was it, the very image of the mysterious O5 council.
Molded after notes from Alex, his memories of how the O5 council was often described or depicted back in his old universe. Now, it was made real, and it was his.
"Project VIPPS, or Very Important Person Protective Suit Represents a significant leap forward in personal defensive capabilities." Dr. Henson, the project's lead developer, began the briefing. "The suit's material is a revolutionary blend of adaptive nano-fibers made from Vibranium and telekil alloy."
Dr. Henson gestured towards the suit as he continued, "One of its key features is its ability to negate almost any force exerted onto its exterior. As well as the special dark paint provided, which gives it the ability to blend light and become nearly invisible in low-light conditions."
Alex stepped closer, intrigued by the suit's design and capabilities. "And the symbols?" he asked, pointing towards the O5 insignia and his designation.
"The lightning in the symbols doesn't turn off, no, so it doesn't allow for stealth; the lighting does add to the mysterious factor, something you did request, sir." Dr. Henson explained.
Alex nodded, impressed by the thought and detail put into the suit's design. "And the white eyes and mouth on the face of the suit?" he inquired further.
"These serve both the same purpose as the insignia while also serving to allow the wearer to have light to see with, the dark paint and the anomalous properties would make it near impossible to see without a light source." Dr. Yamada interjected, another leading scientist on the project.
Alex circled the mannequin, absorbing the information the team of scientists continued to give. Soon enough, the entire team eagerly started talking about the abilities of the suit and the achievements they had achieved in making it.
"And what about the special feature I requested?" Alex incurred after inspecting the suit for a while. To which the surrounding scientist seemed to grow a tad more nervous.
Dr. Yamada stepped forward, a hint of hesitation in her voice, which was uncharacteristic given her usually confident demeanor. "Ah, yes, the... special feature," she began, clearing her throat slightly. "We've implemented the capability you specified, but it wasn't without some major costs."
She motioned for one of her colleagues, who used some controls that lowered robotic arms to click on the Foundation symbol on the chest. As soon as the click happened, the entire suit started to contract, disappearing from the mannequin and leaving it naked except for a small Foundation pin on the chest.
Dr. Yamada continued, her tone a blend of excitement and caution. "As you've just witnessed, the suit can compress into a compact form, specifically into this pin, making it easily portable and rapidly deployable. The wearer can activate the suit with a simple press, and it will instantly expand and envelop them."
Alex picked up the pin, examining the intricate design and the minuscule technology that allowed such a remarkable transformation. "Impressive," he remarked, "But you mentioned 'major costs.' What are we talking about here?"
The room fell silent for a moment before Dr. Henson answered. "This suit and the entirety of Project VIPPS have pushed the field of nanotechnology decades ahead. Yet the costs of doing this weren't minor; in particular, a sizeable amount of the extremely rare material Vibranium was lost doing the project."
Alex could almost feel his heart bleed once he heard the amount of Vibranium ruined doing the rush to finish the project. The metal was so very useful and valuable that losing any was a great shame, much less so much.
Yet he didn't blame the team. After all, he knew that they had done an incredible job just getting this done. And he knew that it was only thanks to the Vibranium that they had achieved that. Even in Wakanda, they still didn't have this time of nano black panther suit.
The costs hadn't been low, but neither were the rewards. This suit would ensure that something like his assassination wouldn't happen again. Few things would be able to harm a member of the O5 command with a suit like this.
"I wish to see the suit in action for a few small tests. Should it pass those tests I will be taking it, and the others as well. I will have those placed at SITE-001 for the others to pick up at their leisure." Alex said after his reflection on the project.
Dr. Yamada nodded, her eyes brightening with a mixture of pride and anticipation. "Of course, Overseer. We've prepared a series of tests to demonstrate the suit's capabilities, including its defensive properties, adaptability to extreme conditions, and the rapid deployment feature."
The scientists led Alex to a testing chamber, a controlled environment where the suit's features could be demonstrated under safe, yet challenging, conditions. Dr. Henson explained each test as they proceeded, starting with the suit's defense against various types of weaponry, from conventional firearms to energy-based weapons. The suit absorbed and dissipated the energy of each attack, leaving the mannequin unscathed.
Next, they simulated extreme environmental conditions, ranging from intense heat to sub-zero temperatures, and even vacuum conditions akin to space. The suit's adaptive nano-fibers adjusted accordingly, maintaining a stable internal environment that would keep the wearer safe and comfortable.
The final test showcased the rapid deployment feature. While the scientists wished to showcase it doing another mannequin Alex commanded that live tests be carried out. Ordering people at random to try the suit on. Including most of the senior scientists themselves, the SITE director, and members of Alpha-1.
Not everyone was equally eager to be the text subject but Alex wouldn't hear any excuses and knowing well the folly of denying him they all complied. Allowing Alex to know that the suit was safe to use, as well as seeing it adapt to different body types.
Once he was satisfied Alex once more congratulated everyone on their hard work and success before taking his leave. Though not before giving the order of everyone save the SITE director herself be given a dose of amnestics so to ensure they forgot his face.
A/N
If you want to read 5 chapters ahead or support me, visit my p.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m / SCPsystem
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