"Is there a reason that aliens are suddenly so interested in the earth?" T'Challa asked, frowning at Tony's image in the conference call.
"We're an interesting planet," Tony replied with a shrug. "What do you say? Can we borrow your sister and her technology chops?"
"Of course. Even if we were not allies, it would be foolish of me to deny you anything needed to battle this Titan. A battle lost in your country will only lead to the war moving to my country, eventually. Better that we stop him the first try."
"I definitely agree."
"Are you sure you would not rather have Peter come to Wakanda? And Pepper, as well?"
Tony shook his head.
"I appreciate the sentiment, T'Challa, but if we fall no place on earth will be safe for them. I'd rather have them both here."
Besides, there was no way he was going to be able to convince Pepper to hide under shield in Wakanda if he and Peter were both in New York."
"I will inform Shuri," the Wakandan king told him. "It will not be immediate, however. She will be the first to tell me that not all technology is mobile."
"Or plug and play," Tony said, nodding. "I know. When she's ready, call. I'll have one of the magicians open a portal into her workshop – or wherever works best for her."
"I will. If there is anything you need, let me know."
"Thanks."
The call ended without any more conversation, and Tony turned to Peter and Pepper.
"You're going to work with Shuri," he told the boy. "She understands the shields better than anyone, and I'm going to interface Karen with Friday's systems and give you access to everything in the compound. When she calls to see what we need, tell her I want offensive capabilities as well as defensive shields."
Peter nodded.
"We'll take care of it."
Tony's expression softened.
"I know you will. But keep Friday apprised so she can tell me what you're up to. And make sure you tell Shuri that she isn't to share what is going on with anyone."
"Okay."
"What are you going to be doing?" Pepper asked.
"I need to call Vision and Wanda and let them know what's going on." He frowned. "I hate the idea of bringing another stone here, but I'd rather have them under the protection of the shield with a lot of firepower around that Mind stone – unless Vision thinks it's a bad idea. Wanda and Vision could probably hold their own against almost anything, but it's the Mind stone, and we might need it here. I also need to talk to Thor."
"What can I do?" she asked. "You need to put me to work or I'm going to go crazy with worry."
"I know, honey." He hesitated, because there were plenty of things that she could do, but he was worried about her being vulnerable if the worst happened and the compound was breached. "I have something I'd like you to consider…"
"What?" He looked fairly uncertain, which told her that he whatever it was, it was almost a guarantee that she wasn't going to like it. "I'm not leaving you guys…"
His smile was a little tight, but genuine. "No. I know." He shrugged. "Come with me. You, too, Peter."
He turned and led the way out of their quarters, walking toward Peter's rooms, but then making a sharp turn and Peter realized that Tony was leading them to his main workroom. Not the smaller one that was connected to their quarters, but the full on R&D lab that was the manufacturing workshop for anything that Tony thought up and wanted to build.
Peter felt a little bit of a chill when he walked into the room, but he knew it was mostly because of the potential in the technology that was developed there – and all of the Ironman suits in their displays staring at them didn't help.
"What are we doing here?" Pepper asked, curiously, also looking around.
"Friday," Tony said, ignoring the question for just a moment. "We're going to initiate the Rescue Protocol."
"Confirmed."
Pepper wasn't the only one to look at him, questioningly. Peter hadn't heard the phrase, either.
"Oh. Very good…" Alec was close enough to Tony to get into his mind, and apparently he liked what he was seeing. "He's covering all his bases, as you'd say."
The ancient wizard didn't tell Peter what he meant, but Tony didn't make them wait. He took Pepper's hand and gently guided her to a spot that was marked with a simple 'x' on the floor made of duct tape.
"Stand there for a minute, Pep."
He moved away, and she frowned as a red beam was suddenly scanning her from every angle.
"What-?"
"Scan complete," Friday announced. "Manufacturing will commence in thirty seconds."
"ETA?"
"Forty-seven hours."
"Fully integrated?"
"Do you want flight capabilities?"
"Yes. With dampeners, auto controls and full weaponry – all safety protocols to be engaged."
"Confirmed. ETA five days, six hours and thirty minutes."
"Good enough."
Pepper wasn't an idiot, and even as it dawned on Peter what he was discussing with his AI, his mother figured it out, as well.
"You're building a new suit?"
"Building you a suit," Tony corrected. "I planned to, eventually – just in case – but never got around to it, since you were pretty anti suit for a while, and I didn't want to dredge up old memories. But the protocol has been established and the template has been laid on for years, now. If something happens…" he waved his hands, helplessly. "If something happens and I go down, you're going to need to be able to protect yourself."
"But-"
"Not that anything is going to," he said, firmly. "But I'd feel a lot better if you were encased in a suit of armor if this army shows up on our doorsteps some morning. Peter has the suit Shuri made – which he will keep the housing on at all times, now – so he's protected. But you aren't, and that's not okay."
"I can't learn to use an Ironman suit in a few days," she protested.
"You already know a lot of it," he reminded her. "I don't have time to develop you your own AI, but Friday can multi-task, if needed. The weapons systems will be manual – and you're a good shot. I'd prefer you didn't try flying, but while Friday's building the thing, you can start going through the user manual."
Peter felt a surge of relief. Pepper was the weak link, really, and Tony had just negated that. If she was in armor – protected by a high tech weapons system and a sensor array driven by Friday, she was going to be a lot safer. A bit of a target, yes, but really, it was worth it.
"That's brilliant…" he said, drawing both of their attention to him. He shrugged. "You'll be safe. No matter what happens."
Pepper had clearly been planning to refuse, or argue about it, anyway. Instead, she looked at Peter, and then back at Tony, and nodded.
"Fine. But not red and gold."
"Fair." He smiled. "You've always looked good in blue…"
The moment was a personal one between the two of them, and Peter was silent while he watched them, but it only lasted that moment.
"I'm not going to start looking through the instruction manual tonight," she told him. "If it's going to take a week to build, then it can wait until tomorrow."
"Yeah." He looked at Peter. "Can Alec buffer you from the Mind stone if I call Vision and ask him to come for a conference?"
"Yes."
OOOOOOO
The lounge was almost empty of avengers when Tony walked in with Peter and Pepper. The exception being Natasha and Clint, who were sitting at the table with the guardians, looking at a display. Even Groot had put away his video game to join them. Romanoff looked up when they approached – as did Gamora.
"What are we learning?" the billionaire asked, walking over and holding a chair for Pepper.
"I've never seen anything like it," Natasha answered, her beautiful face expressionless – which told Tony much more than was apparent. "Its destructive capabilities are incredible."
"It can take out an entire planet," Quill told them. "Without any problem."
"The good news is, Thanos isn't coming to take out your planet," Gamora told them. "Which doesn't mean that he won't – once he gets what he wants. If he knows about Peter, then he'll be after Peter, and will have to be careful not to destroy anyplace where he might be for fear of hurting or damaging him. If he's after the stones, he'll need to make sure not to cause a debris field where he might lose one."
"But I wouldn't trust him not to do something," Rocket added.
That was a warning that wasn't needed.
Tony nodded.
"Yeah. Thanks." He looked at Clint and Natasha. "Have you heard from Steve?"
"He's talking to Fury – who is on his way back."
"Good. Stephen and Wong?"
"Left for the sanctum but Stephen said to call when – if – you need a portal for Wakanda or Asgard."
"He can make a portal anywhere?" Gamora asked, curiously.
Tony hesitated. Not because he didn't trust her to give her the answer, but because he didn't know for certain what the limits were – or if there were any.
"Yes," Alec told Peter, aware of the reason for Tony's hesitation. "Anywhere. And to other dimensions."
"Yes," Peter echoed. "But he has to have been there – or needs to see where he's going."
"That might come in handy," Quill said.
Tony nodded.
"It's a useful ability, definitely."
"I am groot?"
Stark looked at Peter, who shrugged.
"I've never tried."
"And you're not going to," Tony told him, putting his hand on his shoulder, and smiling, slightly, despite the seriousness of the situation. "I happen to know that you have no sense of direction, and we wouldn't want an attempt to Asgard to end up opening on Mars, or something."
"It's not that bad…" Peter said, automatically defending himself. "I'm-"
"You got lost trying to find the river…" Clint reminded him.
Peter rolled his eyes.
"It was foggy. And it was just that once."
Pepper made an amused noise, as well – the first she'd made in far too long.
"Let's take a break," she suggested. "We should all eat something."
Quill being the exception, since he was probably still engulfed in the sugar rush from all f the junk food that he'd eaten.
No one argued with her, though, and the display was set aside, for the time being. They had time.
Probably.