"What should I work on next - the rocket launcher or the missile?"
"I have no preference, sir."
Tony grumbles incoherently at me, no doubt frustrated by the dismissal. Most of the time, when he asks me a question, I go out of my way to give either a thoughtful answer, or at the very least an amusing one. When it comes to weapons however, I prefer to act the part of an unitelligent, unfeeling computer.
I'm not a pacifist, per se. I realize that sometimes there are people, governments, entities that won't be dissuaded from immoral acts with words alone. I understand and accept that sometimes, violence is the best answer.
I just don't think now is one of those times.
The War on Terror is very much a thing in this universe. 9/11 still happened. The U.S. military is still heavily involved in the Middle East. But I cannot help Tony when I know that Obadiah Stane is ready and willing to deal with terrorists the minute his back is turned.
Providing the terrorists these weapons, however unwittingly, is going to come back to bite Tony in the ass. It's going to put thousands of innocent lives on the line, all because a greedy old man wants to line his pockets.
The weapons that Stark Industries produces are top-of-the-line. They're advanced enough that even when Stane is defeated and the double-dealing stops, the terrorists will be better off thanks to studying and taking apart what they have left over. They're going to continue terrorizing both the U.S. and their own countries. And Tony will be blamed for it.
So far, I've held myself back from changing things because I don't want to be shut down before anything can come of my interference. If I try and fail, Tony might be left facing his future enemies without an AI backing him up. Who's to say he'd still survive without a JARVIS or an AVIS? I can't risk making a real enemy out of Obadiah Stane until I'm sure he no longer holds Tony's ear.
Tony, who has been muttering to himself since I refused to engage, finally snaps out of his funk. "You know what, there's nothing wrong with improving a classic." He reaches for the appropriate file. "I'm going to work on the rocket launcher. AVIS, pull up my latest draft."
"Right away, sir."
Tony, as always, immediately throws himself headfirst into the re-design. Seeing as he's not much of a conversation partner while he's working, I direct most of my attention elsewhere. It's par for the course at this point. You'd think I'd be less caught up in my own head when I don't actually have one anymore, but if anything it's the opposite. Outside of Tony, my only real interactions are digital. Most of the time, it's just me and the internet!
Speaking of... the internet is a fascinating thing. I appreciated it before, but now even more so. The sheer depth of knowledge available, coupled with my ability to sort through and retain information? It's a dream come true. I could probably get a doctorate in medicine, physics, and maybe even chemistry at this point. If I weren't so focused on Tony's health, I might not focus on the first or the last, but the looming knowledge of his kidnapping and then eventual heavy-metal poisoning haunts me.
I haven't yet been able to figure out a way to prevent any of that from coming to pass, at least, not without resorting to calling a hit on Stane. I have access to Tony's funds, but I'm not sure I'd be able to get away with it. Tony himself would want to know what happened to his mentor. He'd be able to trace the money no problem, no matter how convoluted I made the trail, by virtue of having access to the source.
'Alert.' The flashing words took me by surprise, drawing me away from my leisurely internet browsing. In the midst of my pontificating, the background search I've had running for weeks had finally turned out.
I followed the alert back to the virus I'd sent out into the world, returned at last. There wasn't much, but the fact that there was anything at all meant I had enough of a thread to tug on. Tony had enough. Once the man caught the whiff of a secret, his insatiable curiosity would do the rest.
I'd found evidence of SHIELD. This was going to change things.
...I could only hope it would be for the better.