Disclaimer: I do not own any movies set up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Star Wars movies, cartoons, games, books, or comics. They belong to their respective copyright owners. This story is not created with a commercial aim. It is not for sale or rent.
Phase 14:Disclosure
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Part 1
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Tony Stark will appear in front of the United Nations General Assembly tonight to answer questions about SWORD and First Contact.
USA Today
Millions in the Vatican watched in person a historic address by Pope Joakim. The Catholic Church's official position affirmed by the Pope is that aliens are as much God's creatures as we are and can be baptized. From a theological view, nothing has fundamentally changed. Who are we to claim that God created only Earth, or life in general and intelligent life, in particular, could exist only here?
Euronews
A variety of Protestant denominations grudgingly agreed with the Pope's stance on the matter of alien life. In contrast, some more conservative or radical ones have different answers.
CNN
Unsurprisingly, Baptists in the United States are divided by the Disclosure. We are seeing everything from congregations welcoming our new brothers and sisters under Christ to a condemnation of demons in disguise walking among us.
Washington Post
The confirmed existence of aliens sends shockwaves through historians and archaeologists. An off-hand comment by President Obama that the aliens we are in contact with have visited Earth at least once before, three hundred years ago, is sparking controversy.
CNN
The Ancient Aliens guy will be on the Late Show tonight!CBSRiots are breaking through many Islamic countries, stoked by radical Imams preaching against the existence of aliens or declaring Jihad against them or those who believe in them.
The situation in certain provinces in Indonesia is terrible, with military forces in a stand-off against furious mobs.
CNN
North Korea condemns Chinese betrayal and swears vengeance after a Chinese armored corps deployed across the border with the Hermit Kingdom. Despite the danger of millions of refugees flooding the border, China has taken a surprising hardline stance against the Kim regime.
Associated Press
Disclosure divides megachurches in America across denomination lines. Evangelicals face the revelation with a great deal of distrust, disbelief, and anger. Many others offer way acceptance and hope…
CNN
The Talmud says God spends his nights visiting over 18 000 worlds. The belief that we are alone in the universe and that God would be incapable or unwilling to create other intelligent life is sheer arrogance speaking!Rabbi Joseph Franklin
Conservatives are divided between applauding friendly First Contact and expressing concern about literal aliens' effect on our society.
CBS
Anti-military protests peter-off across Germany after Disclosure. They are often replaced by demonstrations and rallies demanding peace.EuronewsTony Stark's alien connection? We are hearing rumors expected to be put to rest tonight that the reason why Tony Stark was present during First Contact was 'unique qualifications he had'…
CNN
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United Nations building
New York
It was almost back to business as usual over here, or so Pamela claimed as we neared the General Assembly's main chamber.
"Don't tell me you have stage fright, Tony." Hawley looked at me.
"I've faced worse, trust me. It's just not something I've ever enjoyed, and I have much of this to look forward to. Thank you very much."
"You're welcome. We wouldn't put you in the spotlight if we thought you weren't up to the job."
"We both know that some of the people who put me here did it hoping I would publicly destroy myself."
"That's their problem now. You have my utmost confidence and support, Tony. Go help us change the world even more!" Hawley stopped and nodded at a side entrance close to the speaker's rostrum.
"It's time to face the music. Again," I reined in my sarcasm and temper with that statement. It was time to make yet another performance.
The hall was packed with diplomats, journalists, and security, including Marine squads lining the walls. Compared to what I would be facing later, both in the UN and with the US government, this would be a circus for anyone watching.
"It is good you could make it here tonight, Dr. Stark," The President of the General Assembly, Robert Gates from New Zealand, spoke first as I approached the speaker's podium. His words got the bubbling noise of conversations to halt, and everyone in the hall focused on me.
"It's an honor to be here, Mr. President. I understand that you all have questions. I am at liberty to answer as long as the answers do not compromise world security, that of the United States or our allies," I spoke with a practiced ease born of one too many times dealing with large bodies of politicians. This might be almost like facing the Senate, except the Senate used to have teeth.
"Our member states will have the opportunity to ask you questions tonight, Dr. Stark. Please be brief and to the point in your answers."
"Understood. Brazil first?"
"Good evening, Dr. Stark. My government would like to know what makes you qualified to represent humanity during a monumental event like First Contact. We have heard many rumors and would like the truth from your mouth," The Brazilian representative inquired.
"You are all aware of my misspent youth. It would and should raise questions about my qualifications on the diplomatic front. During my captivity in Afghanistan, I encountered an alien device holding an engram of a long-dead person meant to educate successors. The device malfunctioned, granting me over a hundred years of memories and knowledge. The memories of a person who lived and operated on the highest echelons of power of galaxy-spanning nations make me qualified to participate and lead a First Contact scenario."
A rumble of surprise, discontent, interest, and many other emotions erupted alongside loud muttering from diplomats and journalists alike.
The Assembly's President took my answer in stride and went down a presumed list of representatives with pointed questions.
"What can you tell us about the current state of the galaxy? What are we dealing with?" South Korea's ambassador asked.
"Only the little we learned during first contact. My memories, as far as galactic events are concerned, are both out of date and from a different galaxy. Let me make something clear, the people we made contact with consider us a primitive backwater; they have a hands-off approach until we can sufficiently develop. They last visited three hundred years ago, and they experienced a very different world. Our First Contact was with an exiled royalty sent to Earth to rethink his life choices and ideally find himself worthy or earn back the title of a crown prince. That implies that the nation in question is, at best constitutional monarchy with all that might entail if not an absolute one. Our discussion was disrupted by the arrival of a combat robot tasked with assassinating the foreign Royalty we made contact with…." I proceeded to elaborate on what we knew of the galaxy at large, which was the Thor situation and our hopes and fears around it.
It quickly became evident that this differed from what most people hoped to hear.
The next question came from Costa Rica, making me wonder what went behind the scenes to determine who would ask what and in what order.
"Mr. Start, do you intend to take over the world as its alien overlord?"
I chuckled at that. I was waiting for such a question, though I expected it from a journalist.
"First, I am not benevolent enough to bother taking over the world and putting all the work needed in running it. Second, despite my new memories, I am human. If I went insane and intended to take over, I wouldn't be aiming to be Earth's alien overlord."
That lightened the mood. Perhaps that was why the President went for Costa Rica's ambassador now.
"SWORD, Dr. Stark. What gave that initiative the jurisdiction or right to speak for all of humanity?" That question came from Saudi Arabia.
"I can give you a diplomatic answer that is technically true. The actual answer? The answer that matters to people from interstellar nations will be different. The SWORD Initiative and the countries supporting it have the lion's share of military and economic power on Earth. That is the hard truth of interstellar relationships," I paused. Telling certain truths rarely uttered in these chambers made people grumble aloud. "Not so long ago, people were naive to think we were at history's end with the fall of the Soviet Union. They were painfully wrong. Two days ago, the world changed forever. There is no turning back the clock no. Humanity's childhood is at its end. The only question now is if we get to grow up as a species and find our place in the wider galaxy?"
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Part 2
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Dalai Lama stays the course and supports previous statements on the possibility of alien life. In a statement, he pushes for acceptance and understanding, claiming that differences in shape, color, or religion don't make a being any less human or worthy of respect.
Associated Press
Many parts of India accepted the news of the Disclosure with calm interest. Many regular citizens we talked with point out that the idea of aliens, or beings that can be considered such, is nothing new. Like one of the people we interviewed in Delhi said:
"Until yesterday, we had to take our epics and holy books on faith. It was a matter of personal belief. Now, we know, and from a religious perspective, it should change nothing. You Christians, Muslims, and Jews might be so unlucky…. Jests aside, we have our crazies here, but even they shouldn't have a problem with the idea of aliens and their existence."
BBC World News
Hammer Industries filed to challenge recent patents filed by Tony Stark and Stark Industries, citing that their source is alien knowledge and know-how, not something discovered or created by Tony Stark. Legal experts expect the courts will throw away the case because entertaining it could make several disastrous precedents.
Forbes Magazine
Caroline Freeman, one of SI's top layers, confirmed in a statement that she filed a motion to dismiss the case filed against Dr. Stark and Stark Industries. She cited as a primary argument that if this goes to trial, it will create a dangerous precedent. The immediate danger is the logical conclusion following Hammer's layer's arguments – no invention or patent will be safe. If Tony Stark didn't develop and design the challenged patents, then who did? Are they properties of MIT? After all, Tony Stark studied and graduated from there. That institution taught him much and allowed him to utilize his talents better. Do they legally belong to the institution of higher education the person whose memories Dr. Stark inherited studied at? Do they belong to that long-dead person? It wasn't someone long dead who developed the patents, so we can practically build all those devices and materials, including fusion. It was Dr. Stark.
Times Magazine
Two separate cults proclaimed that the end of days is night and that Tony Stark is the Antichrist. FBI and Homeland Security are moving against them, fearing mass suicide attempts.
CNN
FBI representatives confirmed that after his Q&A session in front of the UN, Tony Stark had received dozens of credible threats to his life. The cited reasons vary from treason to these United States to being the vanguard of the New Order coming to put us all in FEMA camps…
The Late Show
Citizens began to return to the decimated town of Puente Antiguo after the US military Corps of Engineers declared it safe from contamination after the battle. News crews and reporters from all over the world descended upon the town, eager to interview its inhabitants and glean anything new about First Contact.
UFO enthusiasts and alien believers are also streaming into the town, coming on a pilgrimage of sorts. Sadly, the locals who were present during First Contact – the owner and staff of the local establishment Issabelle's Diner haven't returned yet.
CNN
Tony Stark's unprecedented revelations and insight in front of the UN's General Assembly are sending shock waves across the diplomatic and business world. SI's shares took a slight dip as people divested of them, often loudly claiming that they would not profit from aliens.
CNN
Mr. Stark's statements and answers in front of the UN weren't the call for unity and progress many expected because of his attempts to revolutionize Earth. Instead, we received a hard, cold lesson on interstellar politics no one should forget anytime soon. Consequently, Tony Stark is either being proclaimed a visionary and herald of a new age or accused of being a closet authoritarian, a wanna-be dictator who just came out of the closet.
New York Times
On the one hand, we have a bright future due to all the inventions Tony Stark and SI are introducing. On the other hand, politically speaking, his words are dashing hopes for further liberalism, peace, and prosperity through equal cooperation. Mr. Stark paints a picture of the future that holds much of the world we hoped to leave behind, a world where might make right and where naked power is a viable tool to resolve problems.
Unfortunately, until we meet more alien civilizations and can directly talk with alien representatives, we have no shred of proof that Mr. Stark is wrong in his beliefs.
Washington Post
Sources within the US State Department confirmed we have an alien representative in protective custody currently undergoing treatment for a broken jaw and shattered teeth. The foreign Prince suffered those injuries during an assassination attempt on his person during what is widely believed to be a coup attempt within his nation.
This led to a darkly humorous event. Treating the Prince began much later than it should have due to the need to successfully persuade him that our doctors wanted to help him and not torture him after they explained the procedures involved in fixing a broken jaw and replacing damaged teeth...
USA Today
=SI=
Stark Manor
New York
Even as a billionaire, it wasn't often that I got back home riding a helicopter. The reason was even rarer, which was a bit odd considering my reputation as a Merchant of Death. There were protesters and countless curious people near my home who wanted to get a glimpse of me or worse.
Fully a third of New York's riot police was camped at my front door alongside a company of the National Guard. SHIELD people were likely crawling around as well, not to mention my security and a SWORD Strike Team that I would be housing permanently for the foreseeable future. The way things were going, I might need a bigger manor or a super-villain base with all the stereotypical traps to keep crazies at bay. Perhaps sharks with laser eyes if we were to go on with the classics?
By the time we landed and I managed to disembark, I had a whole five minutes of peace and quiet without anyone bugging me. That was a new record since my appearance in front of the UN.
As soon as I got away from the chopper, Hannah dashed away from her bodyguard and threw herself at me like a guided missile.
"DAD! You said you were all right!"
"I am all right?!" I pointed out as I hugged her. Hannah was apprehensive.
"They said you were wounded on the news!"
"I got sunburns, nasty ones on my hands. You know how reporters are; they tend to make things look worse than they are to get more viewers," I pried Hannah gently from my side and showed her my hands. They were a bit moist from a cream against burns, but otherwise, all right. The burn was more of an unpleasant irritation than anything else, and telekinesis ensured that, under most circumstances, I didn't have to use my hands until they healed.
Hannah naturally poked the back of my hand with an index finger.
"Ew, that's gross!"
"One troublemaker delivered safe and sound, boss," Happy made his way to us.
I nodded at him in gratitude and looked questioningly at Hannah. "Causing trouble, are we?"
She gave me her best innocent look. It was about seven out of ten, and that was without her emotions betraying her. Well, the feelings and biting her lower lips.
"We are out of drones and a set of fine china," Happy reported, earning himself a pout.
"Are the two items related?" I could imagine Hannah getting too excited and crashing a drone into one of the cupboards holding China. There were at least two rooms where it was displayed behind glass.
"It was an accident!" Hannah protested.
"No flying inside until we are reasonably sure you are good enough not to crash into easy things to break."
"That's not fair! It was the stupid drone's fault!"
"Did you program it with an AI?"
"No?"
"Did you fly it?"
"Yes?"
"There you go. Now let us get inside. I'm feeling peckish and want to hear what you were up to as of late, daughter mine."
=SI=
We were in the kitchen, getting a quick snack, when my phone rang again.
"Where is Pepper? I expected her to meet us," I asked Happy while levitating a toast and buttering it with my mind.
"She is, and I quote, 'dealing with the fallout of Tony's latest…'" He trailed off and glanced at Hannah, who was devouring chocolate chip cookies. "You get my drift, boss."
"I can see how my latest actions might have caused her more work," I noted, focusing on my new phone, levitating it out of my pocket and unlocking it.
"Stark. This better be important."
"It's Dr. Wagner, Dr. Stark. It's that hammer. We can't move the damn thing, no matter what! We tried everything possible, and now I'm calling you!"
"Do you expect me to fly there and pick it up?" I asked.
"If that is what it takes! Call it like a puppy if you want; just get it moving, please!"
I didn't feel like flying back to New Mexico, especially when I had to prepare for meetings with the Senate and Congress in a few days. Why wouldn't the damn thing move?!
I hear a loud noise and a curse in German from the other side of the call.
"I don't know what you do if you did anything, Dr. Stark, but the hammer just rose and flew away!"
"What?" Did Thor recover his powers?"
I felt a tingle of frustration at the back of my head. After focusing on it, I could now vaguely sense smug satisfaction and irritation at being left behind.
"We've got incoming," I grimaced. I wasn't sure if the damn hammer would stop no matter what I ordered in my head until it got to me.
"Boss?"
"We've got an unruly Norse artifact flying this way. I'll be waiting for it in the garden before it decides to fly through a wall."
"Is daddy all right?" Hannah asked and looked worriedly at me.
Sure enough, it took over an hour and a few conversations that I rather wouldn't
have. However, everyone relevant knew we had a rogue hammer flying through US airspace and likely not caring about air traffic. I managed to finish my toast and a glass of juice while explaining that I didn't suddenly go insane, damn it.
Thunder rumbled over New York, and a gray blur fell from the sky to land lightly in the garden besides me.
Now that it was here, I could feel a sense of smug satisfaction and pride coming from the hammer.
"That's a hammer," Happy pointed out while more than a few people among my security detail exchanged money.
"Mjolnir, the real deal, to be precise. Right now, it likes me more than Thor, who is in the doghouse for the time being." I raised my hand, and the hammer jumped in like an eager puppy. Even if I wasn't a perfect user, not even close, it didn't appreciate being left behind in the desert.