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Chapter 42 -

Karen and Samuel transported to the Doctor's ship, and made their way to the hanger together. Samuel led her to the ship and followed her up the gang plank.

"Are we all here, then?" Samuel called.

Genie walked around the corner. She looked lovely with her hair in a long braid. She wore a pair of tan trousers and a purple sweatshirt with a hood. As soon as she saw Karen, she embraced her and smiled. "Oh! I'm so glad you came!"

Karen giggled, "I've never seen you wear pants before."

Samuel laughed as he closed the gang plank. "Trousers, Karen-"

Genie complained to Samuel. "I speak American. You might want to learn how to."

Samuel kissed Genie's cheek and then looked around. "Who is all here?"

"Legate is in the control room. Mari didn't want to come. Her and Peter Parker were doing something with Chiron. Did you know that Tony gave him a suit?"

Samuel nodded. "Yeah. He's like a spider and can climb on walls. It's bloody brilliant!" He mocked shooting a web from his wrists.

Genie shook her head in surprise. "Legate knew about it, too. He says he has a tower in the workout room-"

"And he can run up it like it's nothing. Brilliant, Genie. Tony only will let him have the suit as long as he's at the school."

Genie nodded. "Well, I'm the last one to know about everything."

"Arles?" Karen asked.

Samuel grinned, "Oh, he's on a non-date with his non-girlfriend. $1,000 they marry before he admits it's a relationship."

Genie rolled her eyes. "He's on a roll tonight, isn't he?"

Karen crossed her arms. "He says they are just friends-"

Genie grinned and shook her head. "Phhh….yeah, right."

Samuel bounced on his feet. "And you don't even know the best part, Gene. Guess what Kelly is going to school to be?"

Karen laughed, "Oh, he's so happy about this."

Genie grinned. "What?"

"A psychologist."

Genie covered her mouth and laughed. "And he doesn't know-"

"Nope! And don't you dare tell him!" Samuel insisted.

Genie shrugged her shoulders. "Perhaps they are having….sessions."

Samuel shook his head. "That just….sounds….terrible."

Legate walked around the corner. "So, I'm taking her out but, Karen…."

She pointed at herself.

He motioned for him to join her.

They all went into the control room. Legate sat Karen next to him. Genie and Samuel sat behind them. Karen shook her head. "Okay, I have no idea about anything."

Legate smiled warmly at her. "It's alright. I've taught many how to fly. First lesson." He spread his hands out. "This is a ship. This control room is only one of four places where it is controlled."

"One of four?" Karen asked in disbelief.

"Yes. But, this is the one most people think of. So, she's already warm and we can't walk through the doors. I have to ask someone to turn it off. I'll handle this bit. Alright?"

"I'm fine if you want to handle it all."

"You never learn anything that way." He pressed the button. "Hey, this is the Caelvus. Can someone open this dock door down here on 11?"

A voice spoke in the cabin. "Hey, Legate! Taking her out, huh?"

"Yeah, we won't be long, Adriano."

"Hell, I don't blame you. I'm opening the doors. Lance is putting together card game if you're up for it when you return."

Legate glanced back at Samuel. "Cards?"

Samuel grinned, "I really doubt I have the time."

Legate groaned. "Ugh." He pressed the button, "Adriano, I'm a firm maybe."

Adriano came back, "Copy that."

The door in front of them rolled open and Karen could see the bottom of the Earth along with the blackness of space. She gasped. "That is so beautiful."

Legate smiled. "Okay. I'll help you with this because Earth will try to pull us into her. We don't want that."

Karen grit her teeth. "Legate. This is nerve racking."

"I'm right here and I'll walk you through it."

Karen followed Legate's instructions and couldn't believe it when the ship actually lifted and moved out of the dock.

Samuel was beaming at how proud he was of her, and so pleased to see her smile again.

Legate looked up. "And I think, just a quick spin around…what do you think, Karen? Where shall we go?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Jupiter?"

"Oh, hell. Let's go further than that." Legate insisted, and pressed a button on the panel. The stars disappeared in streaks of light.

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The bearded Tony Tyler woke up with a dull ache in his shoulder.

He heard the Doctor's voice. "And my brother is waking up."

Tony groaned. His mouth was so dry. "Is there water?"

The Doctor brought him a glass of water and pressed a button to raise the back of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"My shoulder has an ache." He told him as he sipped his water.

"It was in bad shape. What happened to it? Looks like blaster fire."

Tony sipped the water and sighed. "It was. I was in a fire fight."

The Doctor nodded. "Explains a lot. Where?"

Tony held up his hand, "I don't really remember."

"Interesting. Well, you made it home."

"I was going to come and get you to look at it. I had, bandaged it up."

The Doctor nodded. "And then you had a fight with Tony. Do you remember that?"

"Oh, he was pissed."

The Doctor laughed and pat him on the leg. "He's had a lot going on. So, do you want to talk about it?"

"About what?"

"Where you've been? Why you left?"

Tony sighed. "Not really."

"Okay. Where did you go?"

"Just….out."

The Doctor nodded. "Well, rest. When you feel like talking about it, I'd like to know. And umm… Jackie Tyler is next door. I've told her you are asleep, so she won't bother you-"

"What's wrong with Mum?" He asked quickly.

"She had a run in with a bounty hunter. Bassiano put her in the safe, there at the mansion. Took a few hits-"

"But she's alright?"

"She's fine. In fact, she can go back to her suite anytime. She just keeps getting so many visitors that she hasn't left." He grinned, "I think she's enjoying the attention."

Tony nodded and looked relieved. "Okay."

"Bassiano is going to be alright, too. The bounty hunter managed to get away, but….he was looking for Tony and Soli anyway."

"Then why was he at the mansion?"

"Tony is an odd name."

"He was looking for me. Or the younger version of me."

"We think so. We're not completely sure."

Tony groaned and rubbed his shoulder. "Damn, this."

"Lartius wants updates to your status."

"Why does he want me to come see him? Do you know?"

The Doctor walked back into the room and sat on the side of the bed. "I think he sees potential."

"Potential?"

"You could learn a lot about how to keep yourself safe, keep others safe, all of that sort of thing….by going to the academy. He's told me he wants to fast track you through it, put you in the Quauhtin."

"I'm not telepathic."

"Neither is Logan."

"I can't phase."

"Neither can I. But, you do that certain attributes that would be beneficial. You can pilot a ship. Even to the point of stealing one. Keep from being caught. You know your way around the galaxy. And, it's something to think about. You could help a lot of people."

Tony nodded. "I'll think about it, John."

The Doctor pat him on the leg. "Rest while you're thinking, brother. I'll be back later to check on you."

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Pepper ended a phone call and shouted, "Tony?"

She didn't hear a reply. She groaned as she sat in her office on the island. She rubbed her face. "Oh, this could be a problem."

She got up, still wearing her black dress that she had worn to the funeral, and walked down the steps in her bare feet. The lights were out downstairs. She shook her head. "Jarvis. Where is Tony?"

Jarvis spoke. "He's in the shop, Mrs. Stark."

Why hadn't she thought of that? She smiled as she realized that Tony had asked Jarvis to call her by the updated name. She walked down the steps to the shop and saw Tony sitting at the desk with Soli next to him. They seemed involved in doing something.

She typed in the code and the door opened. Soli looked up at her. "Pepper!"

Tony looked up at her and smiled. "And there she is!"

She couldn't help but smile at their greeting. "Hi guys. What are you doing?"

She walked around to where they sat and saw that Soli was using crayons to draw pictures on some paper. Tony, sitting next to him, was looking over some code on a screen. "Pick your favorite one and show her."

Soli looked through his drawings. "Pepper. Tony made the neatest thing!"

Tony didn't look back as he read over the code. "That's what I do."

Pepper put her hands on Tony's shoulders and watched as Soli excitedly picked a drawing he had done. "See, look!"

Pepper smiled encouragingly. "This is….interesting."

The drawing was of a bear like creature. One of his eyes was dramatically smaller than the other one.

Tony leaned over and whispered. "No. You're supposed to say, 'Tell me about it'. He knows it's interesting."

Pepper laughed at getting advice from Tony about how to talk to a child. "Right. Tell me about it, Soli."

Soli pointed at it. "This is a lion. Like they have here. See, his purple hair on his neck…."

"His mane?" Pepper helped, looking at the picture again.

"Yes! But, his claws are what is the best! Look! They are really sharp!"

Pepper looked over the drawing and nodded.

Tony didn't take his eyes off of the code he read through. "Show her the best part."

Soli spun around in the chair and lay the drawing on the edge of the desk. "Jarvis. Do it!"

The drawing appeared, drawn in lights, on the floor in front of them. It looked exactly like Soli's drawing. It was the actual size of an adult lion. Pepper had to admit, it was rather cool to see it so big.

Soli took her hand and laughed. "But that's not even the best part. Look at this. Jarvis. Make it real!"

Jarvis spoke, "Of course, Master Soli."

The drawing of the lion became lifelike, but with Soli's alterations. The dramatically smaller eye, the purple fur for his mane. Then it stood up and roared.

Pepper's mouth gaped open. "Okay. That is amazing!"

Tony chuckled behind her. "That's Soli's work. Not bad, huh?"

Soli smiled at her proudly. "What do you think?"

Pepper wasn't sure what to say. "I'm rather, speechless. Wow, Soli."

Tony told Soli quietly, "Whenever a lady tells you that you have made them speechless, it's a good thing. Unless they hit you shortly afterwards."

Pepper closed her eyes and shook her head in disbelief at his words. "I don't want to know why you say that."

Soli laughed.

Pepper smiled at him. "You need to get ready for bed. It's getting late."

The little boy nodded. "Okay. Story? Please?"

Pepper knelt down and smiled at him. "I'll be up in a bit to read to you."

He smiled, "Okay, thanks Pepper. Night, Tony."

Tony leaned over and grabbed Soli's shirt. Soli playfully shouted as Tony pulled him into his arms. "What is this 'good night' stuff?"

Soli laughed as Tony tickled him. Tony finally kissed the little boy's head and pat him on the back. "Bed. I'll be up later, too."

Soli ran out of the workshop and up the steps. Tony watched him, "Jarvis, remind him to be careful on the steps."

"Yes, sir." Jarvis told him.

Pepper sat down on the chair Soli had been in and looked at the drawings. "He's been busy."

Tony turned to her and put his hands on the top of his head. "We've been talking."

"About what?"

"His Dad. The Quauhtin. Things he wants to do."

"Like what?"

"I told him that he should be extremely proud to be the son of a man, who would give up his life to save an entire planet. He feels that he was saved for a reason, and wants to do something important with his life."

"This is big for such a young kid."

Tony pointed at the steps where Soli just had disappeared. "That kid, is more important than we could even imagine. Samuel and I had a long talk on the way back from Plentitude. Soli, goes to the Academy to be a Quauthin Warrior."

"You finally agree to this?"

He held up his finger. "Hang on. Jarvis, did Soli make it up the steps without killing himself?"

Jarvis spoke. "Master Soli is currently brushing his teeth in his bathroom, sir."

Pepper grinned, "Worried?"

He sighed and took her hand. "He's older when I finally agree. Then Samuel said he becomes interested in the Khrele. When Sam left, our Soli was also about to leave to go search for more of the Khrele. Bring them out of hiding."

Pepper looked amazed. "Our Soli?"

"Our Soli." He nodded. "That kid is determined. He had already found a place where they could colonize. Rebuild themselves. He worked with Lartius and he's….helping him with what he needs."

Pepper covered her mouth. "Unbelievable."

"And then he told me that's all he would say about our future, and I shouldn't ask him anything else."

"Well, that's hardly us-"

He laughed, "That's what I told him. But, now I find I'm anxious."

"Worried about him on this adventure?"

"Yeah. He's a kid. How the hell can he possibility do that?"

She pat his hand. "He's not a kid, forever."

Tony nodded, "Yeah."

"And you didn't tell Soli this-"

"No way. Sam said it wasn't a good idea to. Hell, I wish I didn't know. I might have John suck it out of my damn head."

"Well, that's great. Thanks for telling me."

He grinned, "We can suffer together in the knowledge."

She groaned. "How was Rhodey's Mom?"

He went back to looking at the code on the screen, "She was fine."

"I'm glad you went to see her. Does she need anything?"

He shook his head. "She knows to call us if she does."

Pepper nodded. "What are you doing?"

He looked back at her. "This…program that Legate gave me. It's trying to find where my ship has been."

"Oh, just let it go. He's back. You have the ship back-"

"He's injured and not telling us where he's been. I feel like we need to know."

"Well, you hitting him didn't help-"

"What would you have me do? Shake his hand and thank him-"

"You know what I mean." She glared.

He sighed, "I didn't know he was that hurt."

She crossed her arms. "Would you still have hit him?"

He sat back and rubbed his chin. "Jury's out."

"Oh, you would have. Anyway, I just found out some interesting news."

He groaned and looked back at her. "Usually when you say it that way-"

"I know. The press has found out about Soli."

He looked surprised. "How?"

She tossed her hand up, "I have no idea. They are saying that's the reason you and John opened the school. So, he would have a place to go."

Tony groaned and sat back. "Someone from the school said something. That's how it happened. Damn."

"It could have been someone from the Tower. Everyone in that restaurant knew there was a little boy with us, upstairs."

Tony rubbed is lip with his finger. "Ah. It was going to happen. How do you want to handle it?"

"The truth. That you were off someplace with John, found him, and brought him home."

"Like a stray dog?"

"I'll write a press release."

"We could do a press conference-"

She pointed at him, "No."

"I'm great at that-"

"No, you're not! Absolutely, not."

"Why is it any of their business?"

"It's not. But, you know as well as I, that if you fight them with this they will only get more outlandish with their claims."

He groaned. "Stocks."

"It's a problem. Not to mention this $48 billion dollar deal with the Department of Defense. Public relations go a long way, Tony."

He groaned and ran his hand though his hair. "Damn it."

"We still owe CNN an interview. Want to do it that way?"

"I'd rather eat glass. Damn bloodsuckers."

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