Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Metallic Malice. Enjoy the 5200-word chapter. I don't own Marvel; Disney and a few others do.
Tony typed in more code, too unsure and uncertain if the choices he made would make sense at the end of the day. Hank wouldn't have approved but then again? What would Hank agree with at the time? He didn't agree once with the fact that the other Avengers were all too eager to get into more and more trouble but were unable to simply keep it over so easily.
Something that only bothered them for now because of what had happened and would continue to for some time as he started to type in commands on the console in front of him, too eager to finish for now.
Ultron was still a gift and Tony pondered if said gift could be completed again, duplicated more and more until they had an army of the machine protecting humanity. True, they'd never be a match for the most dangerous enemies of the Avengers like Thanos or Krang who had been more and more powerful at the end of the time being.
He was all too unsure of what to try and figure out, something that needed to end and he was unsure of what to try and say and do something with his life.
He was snapped out of his prediction by the sound of metallic footsteps, looking at the wall as Tony looked at the wall before Ultron seemed to march over towards the console as Tony hummed.
"Is that another… Me?" Ultron asked before Tony hummed and shook his head before he looked down at the console.
"No, not YET," Tony said as he turned to Ultron. "You're the best guy we have since Hank died and it becomes harder and harder to deal with keeping the peace. We need something more." Tony said before Ultron let out a metallic hum.
"Then you wish for another machine to help? You believe I am incapable of performing my function." Ultron said before he crossed his arms and looked at the ground.
"No, you're smart enough to know why, no?" Tony asked as Ultron hummed.
"You think it would be better to have more than one Ultron to protect the galaxy? Hmm… May I ask if you wanted my input?" Ultron questioned as Tony shrugged.
"Yes, I do. I might not have had dinner with Hank, but I don't hate the guy, and now that he's dead? I don't know what he'd have wanted for you. best I can do is ask you what you think should happen. He's going to be like you but… Different, more childlike, and unsure of things. I don't want him to grow up already filled with things we taught him." Tony said before he rubbed at his arms.
"My creator told me you usually don't think that way, something must have changed insides your mind, there's a lot more I do not know about humans," Ultron stated as he rubbed at his arms before now and seemed to be all too unsure of what to try and do next.
He seemed to try and think more and more, too happy with as of now when all of his ideals seemed to be. Ultron could and would continue to be a threat, not just to the enemy.
Still? He looked upon the new Ultron, a metallic being that was at least 8 to 9 feet tall, wrapped within a coat of metallic greyish blue paint, the mouth prongs were less sharp, and more streamlined, and blue light emitted from its throat. Its head seemed more like a hood was built in and he could see clearly and understand… There was also the matter of the fact the android was more streamlined and designed to hit fast and hard.
"He has no mind yes, does he? No logic centers?" Ultron questioned as Tony brought up the schematics.
"I want him to be able to see the world his way. Might make him bad, might make him good. He's got the right to be able to decide for himself how the other half lives." Tony said before he looked down at the ground.
There was a lot more for them to discuss and understand, something that could and would be figured out more and more, something that can be easily taken down and apart.
He didn't even think the machine in front of him knew anything nor would he expect it to have been so… Fascinating, so interesting to himself, so fundamentally unsure and uncertain of what to say and do next… Something far beyond what to do next before he seemed to be able to figure more and more out at the time.
He didn't at all understand the design but it was good for what it would need to continue to keep growing more and more before now.
She was all too amused by it came down to it as she cracked her fingers. he didn't at all seem to try and understand what Tony wanted, something that needed to be more and more unsure of what to figure out for now. They had a lot more plans on their minds and seemed to be utterly fascinating as of the time being, a lot more horrified by the end of the day.
They had a lot more to try and figure out and he could see something to improve over and over if nothing else. It was all too hard to figure out. He was a lot more fascinated by the design
Whatever he did next would be hard to control, and understand they had a lot more to see, do and understand at the moment. He looked at the machine, something much harder to figure out, a lot harder in his mind, and yet he didn't at all know what was coming now, nor would he be able to grasp as of the time.
Part of him wondered if he'd be able to grasp it at all, what had been running through his mind? What had been happening and how well would he be able to relax upon its conclusion?
Still? The machine in front of him was perhaps odder and odder than what had been happening now. He wanted answers and Tony was the only one who could give them.
Yes, he looked down at Tony with interest before he sighed, utterly unfathomable as of now, it was an odder pair of circumstances than he could fathom, something that he had been able to relax upon now.
Tony said nothing as the new Ultron sat suspended a few meters off the ground, held in place by wires and cables which also supplied it the power it needed for now. he had been unable to procure a power source for the machine and he was annoyed by having to even admit that.
"You know he won't be exactly like you, right? He's got the mind of someone fully grown but has none of the experience, the growth, the people skills, or powers. He's just a blank shell now, like a baby brother to you." Tony said before Ultron hummed.
"Like family as I believe the human term is," Ultron said to which there was silence.
The word was… Odd to Ultron's lips. It was a word human used often but he didn't entirely understand. He wished to, that much the android knew for certain. Another Ultron, another chance to help others and he could see Tony trusted him enough to put some thought into it.
If Tony wanted another android for help? He would provide it, though his thoughts turned off from what little he could, and would do so to the best of his ability. He wanted more and he would and could give it.
"You know this machine might go rouge, yes? I do not know him nor he me. He might wish to control something, mistake orders for something else. What I am aware of is that it is prudent he does know is that humanity might be seen as a weakness, a disease." Ultron said as Tony hummed.
"Then I guess you're just going to need to teach him what it means to be special. He's getting to be alive soon enough… And yes, I mean alive as in like me and you. He's not just some tin can with a power core, he's a living creature." Tony said before another voice cut in.
"I'm starting to think he's been rubbing off on you." Tony heard before he sighed and rubbed at his temples.
"Nice, Steve. Are you becoming a ninja or something or am I just old? Don't answer that. I don't need you telling me I have gray hair any more than the missus." He stated before looking back at the android.
Steve stepped out from the shadows as he did so, looking at the android in interest as he went to say something and was cut off from it all and he knew it over and over and over again. Whatever he could and would do as he looked at the android was just harder and harder and harder to figure out at the moment.
It just got better and better as he looked down at the ground, all too unsure and uncertain of everything. Tony sighed and looked at the machine with interest mounting as he continued to type in code on the keys, fascinated by what he discovered every single second of it all. There was magic within the machine that he could scarcely really and truly entertain him.
Steve looked at the other Ultron with confusion and interest. He didn't understand new tech and this was a cocoon of it. still? he could tell tony didn't see Ultron as a machine as he looked down at the ground.
"The new Ultron will be like a teenager or something close to that, yes? Their need mentorship and you want our Ultron to be teaching them, right? Like boot camp." Steve said before Tony smiled.
"Thought you didn't like using soldier terms for everything." Tony joked as Steve could only sigh and roll his eyes, too amused by it to say anything.
"Closest metaphor I could think of," Steve said before putting a hand on the robot's skull. "He's going to need a mentor besides Ultron. Ultron can teach him family, but he's also got to learn how to fight, what he feels about people, what it's like to be alive in his way." Steve said as Tony hummed.
"To be fair, Cap? That's kinda why I wanted to keep him a secret. Letting Ultron here have a family member means he won't be alone but he'll still need someone to guide him." Tony said before he rubbed his eyes. "And he's not a new Ultron. There's only one, at least one like him. this guy's going to be new, very new, and very robust at doing his duty." Tony said before he rubbed at his temples.
He wasn't stupid nor did he forget that this Ultron and the new machine which was based on him wouldn't be the new one at all for the moment. No, they weren't based on anything at all and he liked to keep them as unlike as possible when it came down to it.
They all had a part to play in everything and the least he could do is let this robot walk its path. It wasn't like he owned it purely because it came down to what the android wanted and what it felt about all this.
One was more than he had bargained for and he couldn't expect to find an answer anytime soon, it just didn't work like that even a little bit.
Not once would it have happened the way it should have been the way it was and could have been for now? All of it became harder and harder to figure out all the damn time again and again like a bug under his skin.
What little he could and would control was something he didn't wish to figure out, what he did know was what to say and do next. There was a lot more to understand, something he wasn't keen on figuring out next.
He didn't at all understand before he looked down at the ground. There was a lot more upon which he didn't get to relax, something that just wasn't all falling into place as it came down to it.
He didn't even want to relax, focused more upon something it came down to it. There was a second of silence, something easily rectified by more intimate dialogue.
"How quickly can… Our friend be brought online? I'm sorry, Ultron. I don't know his name nor do I think I should be the one to name him when push comes to show." He said as he looked down at the ground, something that could and would get harder and harder as of now.
There was more and more to try and figure out at the end of the day. This seemed to be more and more than enough to break its hold on them, what came next would need to grow further and further at the end of the day.
It was just too odd for Steve as Tony tapped a key. The android's eyes slowly yet slowly for the time. They unlike the other Ultron, showed a deep blue which reminded Steve of eyes similar to his own at the moment, there was a lot more to try and figure out.
Something else was on his mind as he looked down at the ground. He seemed to be all too amused and thrown off, something very, very hard to fathom and even still to end. No. it could and would be ended today and yet? Well, all paths ended somewhere.
"All systems are operating fully, Iron Man… Strange, you've refitted my optical sensors for 500% more… Oh, hello. I am Ultimate Battle Android GNZ028… Hmm, doesn't sound the same." The android said before clicking its metallic jaw shut a few seconds later.
"Malin, that is my name if I do not decide to change it at the moment. It is much more amusing and I consider myself a lucky break." Malin said before he clicked his tongue with a metallic clack.
He said nothing as he looked down at the ground, something that could keep growing more and more. Malin was silent before looking at Ultron, interested in what was coming and going. He looked at him and seemed to be able to relax.
"Ultron, a heroic battle android of the Avengers, currently residing in Stark Tower, turned Avengers Tower as the equipment is moved to the Heli-carrier for a few moments. Fascinating at the moment, I can feel that you are curious. I am sorry, did I bother you with these words?" Ultron heard as he looked down at the wordless machine.
He was utterly thrown off by it all, something that could and would continue at the moment. He didn't at all know what to figure out as of now, uncertain and thrown off by all such things as the moment.
Malin looked down at the ground as his metallic body crackled to life. He cracked his fingers and looked down at the ground, all too amused by it as his metallic limbs crackled to life, making him fall utterly silent as he seemed to be incapable of moving for a moment.
"I am fully online, Mr. Stark. I am also fully prepared to try and figure out the best course of action to fix everything. Is the next phase of Project Ultimate coming online as well?" Malin asked before cracking his metallic fingers with a clack that could and would continue to echo.
He didn't at all know what to try and figure out as of now. There was a lot more to figure out as of now, he was happy to figure it all out as he did so and he knew it more and more with each living second did he allow himself to relax upon knowing. All of it hurt…. But yet? it felt good, really good in a way very few people could attempt to deal with, something far beyond the pale.
He didn't at all know what to make of it, not at all. This was… Something else, something far worse and far more than he could handle, beyond what he was going to deal with. All of it hurt him more and more, it did hurt and hurt a lot worse than possible, something hurting his mind to even try and understand.
They had to be better, far better than usual, far beyond what could and would be done and what had to be fixed. All Tony knew was that it was better Ultron had a family and that they had another friend to fixate upon. Another android helped him sleep well at night, knowing very well what could and would become of it all.
All of it spoke to a desire to do better, to change, to understand what they stood to lose.
"Malin, you don't have any questions yet? You curious about anything around you at all?" Steve asked as the android turned and looked at him, curious and yet not at all afraid of what it would say or do, it already seemed prepared for the next few words.
"No, Captain Rogers, I do not believe I do yet. I fully contain a dossier on every avenger written by the AI Jarvis and I fully am aware of each Avenger within the tower. You are not confusing to me. Why? Is there a problem with all of your senses or are you simply showing concern for each soldier when it comes down to it?" Malin questioned before he looked down at the ground.
He didn't show much emotion, no fear, no desire to try and understand him.
There was logic and there was him but there was nothing else about the android that seemed to click inside its metallic brain as he glanced at the soldier with interest but no desire to learn…. At least? Not yet from what he could and did seem to be able to relax as of now.
"I'm surprised he's only a U.S. army captain within the military considering his years of service, Mr. Stark. With his charisma and accomplishments? It seems truly odd he wasn't made General or at least something alongside those lines. I truly do not understand human military issues…" Malin stated before he looked down at the ground, something he just didn't at all know what to do, something far beyond the pale.
"I've no desire to command, soldier, just serve," Steve said as Malin cocked his metallic skull to the side.
"But as a commander? You possess the ability to save far more lives and dictate decisions that can and will allow you to help more people. It is simple and a matter of command and ranking." Malin said as Steve hummed.
"Also means I just have more blood on my hands and more people to fuss over," Steve said before Malin hummed.
"According to what Tony has told me? You've already fretted over certain soldiers… I do not mean to pry but do you not already fear what has happened to them? What will happen when you are no longer around to worry about them." Malin hummed as he looked down at the moment.
It was clear to him that they were able to relax, to fuss less over them, and more over each little detail in the link between the fence. They had to be better and could afford to be better with each passing second and it seemed to be something they could relax over.
Malin was utterly unsure of what to say next before now. He looked down at the ground, all too eager to say something before he cracked his fingers.
"I like Malin, you do know what that means, don't you, soldier?" Steve asked as Malin hummed.
"It has no meaning yet. I am to be able to replicate Ultron or rather? I am the one who will follow in his footsteps… Why? Am I purely incorrect?" Malin questioned before he looked downwards at the ground.
There were several seconds of silence before the machine was able to speak once more. He didn't even know what to tell them as he smirked, unsure and uncertain of what to do.
"You know he's a lot more human when it comes down to it. I don't even know if he's that inhuman anytime soon… He acts a lot more human than I thought." Tony said before Malin hummed.
"Is that why Project Vision is based on me in some way? I've heard you wanted to create another droid like me?" Malin said before he hummed once more.
The android didn't know what was going on and he didn't know if he was even an android at the time. Tony watched as the droid looked up at the wires.
"I want to point out that just what will become of this project is another android at the moment. I don't know what he is, Malin will be ready." Tony said before he rubbed at the ceiling.
Malin shut down before he was able to relax once more. Unsure and uncertain of now what to do next, he shut his eyes once more and shut down for a few moments as Tony turned to both Ultron and Steve.
"Are you ok?" Tony asked before he looked down at the ground.
"Yes, just a bit weirded out… That android…" Steve started to say before looking upwards and at the android. "Is he supposed to be like that? Did you design him to be like that for a reason?" Steve said before Tony snorted.
"Malin will still need work before he's ready to do anything at the moment. He's a lot better… Hardheaded. I'd apologize but I don't feel bad for that one at all and there's not anything to apologize for." Tony said before looking around.
"Why Malin out of all names?" Steve said before he looked down at the ground.
"Well, Impulse, Guardian, protector, defender, and data are all changed and he decided Malware isn't exactly a good name for a good guy. He might change it and I'll probably call him by that." Tony said before he crossed his arms across his chest.
He topped his fingers on his arms and seemed to be able to relax once more. He didn't even know what the others were doing as he cracked a smile once more at Steve who had been silent.
"I don't even know what Malin is but I do know that it's going to be a nice little name for the moment. I do not at all know what to say or do next, Steve… Kinda ruined the surprise of the fact we had a giant android… Or Synthezoid as I believe I called him once around here." Tony said as he looked at Malin who was too busy sleeping in his charging station.
He had yet to finish Malin and it showed considering the massive amounts of amusement written all over his face. Tony was all too eager to test Malin in situations like this that he was able to understand, to test his limits more and more.
Steve, rather than say anything like this? Was unsure and uncertain more and more of what Malin could do or his potential to be good at all. It was not at all clear to the Supersoldier military officer what was going on but it was clear that they had more and more to deal with than was possible to figure out for the time being.
There was something else upon his brain. What was Malin's view of the world? He knew the android was far more docile from what he could see than Ultron who was designed for combat.
However? Malin was different in his way, unsure and uncertain of his programming. There was a part of him that could tell Malin was probably going to see the worst of humanity and due to not being fully able to comprehend it? He would indeed be incapable of understanding why this had happened and what it meant for him as a hero.
Either tony was aware of or predicted this question because his next question among others was directed entirely at that beyond anything. It was not an empty idea nor one that Steve did not care to measure against the best and worst ideas in his brain.
Something far more interesting than what he was used to over and over with each passing second of each day of the week.
He made a mental note to talk to the others and ask their opinion on another new android helping them.
It was something the others at least deserved to talk about and form their conclusions upon than something he could not for the life of him figure out what to say about it all.
Maybe Dr. Banner and Clint could help, there were at least some other scientists that all of whom knew more and more about what to do next.
They would and could help or at least offer some sort of compromise on which he could ascertain what their options were to fixing it and seeing it all done. A measure he'd be happy
"Malin doesn't hate people; he's never met people before. His views on Humanity are based on what he's seen. He knows we kill each other, Steve. So does Ultron, every single person is flawed in their way." Tony said, rolling his eyes as Ultron hummed.
"More so than others, Tony," Ultron said before turning to Steve. "If Malin is similar to me? He knows that Humanity is flawed. I am still… Coming to grips with it more and more each day. I would prefer you not act like I am not expected to find my views." Ultron said as Tony hummed.
"If Malin didn't like people? He wouldn't be this willing to learn, Steve. Let the baby crawl before you ask if it can walk." Tony joked as Steve sighed and realized Tony had a point, something that could and would continue to become better and better with each passing second.
All of it told them more and more as he looked down at the ground, he had to process that in its way. He had a lot more on his mind than whatever he did or felt about it all and he knew that more and more.
Still, it bothered him in its way. They were going to be having a robot that could and would probably question things beyond its control and narrative. He doubted it only out of concern for his friends and his own, not out of some outdated belief that technology was flawed and therefore a danger to them all.
No, it meant more and more madness than he was used to, something he didn't even understand at all nor did he wish to at any single point.
He didn't at all want to relax, not when it meant dealing with something beyond his control.
"Ok, let's talk to the others. We need to try and figure it all out before now before something Malin does make." Steve said as he looked down at the ground, unsure of what to do next.
He didn't know why he didn't know what to understand next and what he could do as a result, something that bugged him in a way that he wasn't at all used to, a thing that hurt.
There was a lot more to try and understand once more as he looked down at the ground, unsure as he looked downwards at the ground, unsure of what to do.
It hurt but it was weird as he looked down at the ground once more to try and figure out, for now, a measure of mercy he just didn't at all understand at the time. he rubbed at his temples before he clicked his tongue as he hummed and looked into the sky.
All of it seemed to be something as he seemed to be able to relax.
He looked at the others, hopeful as to what to do next as he looked down at the floor. All of it seemed to be more and more ridiculous when push came to shove.
"Malin is going to be able to relax and recharge sooner or later. The big guy is used to all of it then you think, he's always been like that." Tony said as he sighed and looked at Steve who was silent, eager to relax more and more.
"Tony, he's a giant metallic war droid that can and will be capable of destruction on a level unprecedented by anything he's done before. If anything? He'll be a lot stronger than he looks." Steve said before he looked at the ground, unsure and uncertain.
"I'm starting to think you're being rude at the end of the day, Cap. Malin's not bad. He's just a lot more distracted and focused on the little stuff compared to what is going on and what is going to be able to relax. There's a lot more to deal with than just who's right and who wrongs." Tony said to which Steve was silent.
There was a measure of mercy within his words, making her remember more and more that whatever he did? He did know just how well it would be and what awaited them as a result, unsure of what to say and eager for payback as a result.
None of them were wrong to think this, knowing that Steve was scared from a place of seeing the machine as a danger to people. He couldn't exactly deny such a thing considering the machine was a lot more focused on something they really couldn't figure out anytime soon.
All of it meant little to him and would continue to mean very little once all of it was said and done. All of it seemed to be able to relax more as of now, something that as of now while he relaxed more once as he hummed.
Ultron looked down at the ground once more as he rubbed his temples and then down at the lab, unsure what to figure out as of now.
This just raised more and more questions about his design, his motivations… It was odder and much more beyond what he was capable of.
Author Notes
Phew, another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be delayed. The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will be showing more and more of Malin talking to the others and him meeting Crystal and the others alongside setting up the plot. Until the 900–6500-word chapter, Lighting Wolf out!