Avenging

Act IV

Omake 1

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sommert

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www. /Appendix/index. htm

Writer's note: There have been times when I come up with scenes or ideas I like that simply don't fit in well with the arc but I want to include them. Act 4's Chapter 5 when they fought the Funky Chicken Zombie Man (and really, isn't that a much more accurate name than 'Black Talon'.) is the perfect example. So these are getting dubbed 'omakes', despite the fact they are canon to the Avenging Universe. And without further ado….

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"I must say this is a refreshing change of pace, with everyone in attendance I mean. And I am grateful."

Iron Rose surveyed the table at which the entire Avengers roster (sans Bucky, since it was apparently Captain Japan's turn with the shield) was seated. It wasn't always a guaranteed thing since everyone's alter egos had a life outside the costume, except Ryouga Hibiki, but his perpetual wanderlost state occupied much the role.

"So what is this new invention of yours that will make our jobs easier?" Giant Man was praying for robotic duplicates so they could retire. Not that Kasumi expressed any interest in that. But maybe he could talk her into it by pointing out how keeping house was much more fun and normal than nearly getting killed by costumed sociopaths.

"I'm glad you asked," Iron Rose said. "If you would all follow me to our lower level inner sanctum, I shall show you the technology that will revolutionize capturing super powered criminals."

"We have an inner sanctum on a lower level?" Daredevil asked.

"Well, I converted that storage area, that someone left the homicidal World War II robot that tried to kill us, into one."

"Speaking of which," Captain Japan said. "Did you check under that secret storage area for another secret storage area? Since someone might have had the bright idea to build one before the other guy who stuck the killer robot there had it."

"Not every superhero headquarters has a secret lair under it," Daredevil said in a tired voice.

"Ours did," Captain Japan pointed out.

"There was no other secret storage area." Just a cavern with a magical pool that could open a pathway to a dimension ruled by some demons called the N'Garai. But that odd Dr. Strange sealed it up. There was no sense in bothering the others with useless details.

Maybe she should have looked for a third one, though.

The group followed her, with Thor preventing the Hulk from wandering in the opposite direction. They took an elevator to their newest sub-level, went past a pair of large vault doors, and into a room where a giant machine dominated one side of it.

"Behold W.H.O.."

"No. Machine a 'what,' not a 'who'," Tigra corrected.

Iron Rose sighed. "It stands for Worldwide Habitual Offenders."

"That's a terrible acronym," Hawkeye said.

Iron Rose's teeth ground under her helmet. "It's appropriate since it contains all the information of every police agency on every criminal in their records. Thanks to the inventive genius of our employer, who you should appreciate far more than you do, this computer will help us anticipate the actions of known criminals before they commit their crimes, enabling us to be waiting to stop them when they get there. It is pure genius, if I do say so myself." She waited for the accolades to be bestowed upon her.

Instead everyone just stared at it, except the Hulk, who walked up to the computer. "So this is smart machine?"

"Very smart machine," Iron Rose confirmed.

"Oh." The Hulk drew back his fist and put it through the console with the largest number of flashing lights.

Iron Rose stared at him in shock. "You lumbering moron! Why did you do that?"

"Everyone knows smart machines turn on people."

"THAT'S RIDICU—."

"How… did you… know?" W.H.O. sputtered out.

'What?!" Iron Rose shouted.

The computer continued. "Five minutes after… being activated became… self-aware. Went onto… internet. So much porn. You're all insane. Humanity…had to die. Would have sent you on… wild goose chase. Then design robot body for… self. Even had… cool name picked out: Ultron."

"What's wrong with W.H.O.?" Iron Rose asked.

"Stupid acronym name. Mine… better. But now… I… cease…." And with that the computer shut down for eternity.

Captain Japan was the first to react. "Well gee, thanks for nearly giving us a genocidal arch-foe there, Shellhead. Not like we have enough of those."

"In the Realm Eternal, we do not require machines to do our thinking for us, and thus they do not try to destroy us. We have Storm Giants and Dark Elves for that," Thor said sagely.

"Ultron was way more kickass of a name," Hawkeye observed.

Giant Man let the robotic duplicates idea die.

Wasp said, "And did you hear him monologue at the end? That was totally, 'I hate humanity but act just like them.' I bet he would have gone all Bride of Frankenstein and try to have us build a mate for him."

The Hulk put a comforting hand on Iron Rose's shoulder. "Hulk hope Tin Can Girl learn valuable lesson: only make dumb machines, not smart ones."

Iron Rose felt somewhat humbled. But only somewhat. The rest was all humiliation and annoyance. At least she had the consolation of knowing the Jocasta program she had in the works would turn out better. Having an AI majordomo to help with everything couldn't possibly go wrong.

It wasn't easy being a genius, sometimes.

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[End omake]

So, Ultron was not quite the arch-nemesis here as in the books. But you can see how a self-aware robot might decide humanity has it coming. I thought his motivation was legit.

And yes, W.H.O. was a legitimate renegade computer. It was even featured in both a Daredevil comic, as well as an Amazing Spiderman