Ultimate Iron Man

The crowd quieted. Holographic panels flickered above the stage, showing scenes from the Starfire mission: the robotic landing on the Moon, the orbit pass near Mars, and the final, burning path close to Mercury's blazing edge.

The screen zoomed out to Earth. Then it faded.

Tony stepped onto the stage and walked straight to the podium, eyes scanning the crowd like he was reading a battlefield. He looked up.

"When I was a kid, I had a dream. But technology wasn't that advanced back then, and there were countless limitations. So, I started following NASA and other space programs. They said the Moon was enough, Mars was for another generation, and Mercury... Mercury was a suicide. So, I thought if they can't do it, I will. How hard can it be? Well, here we are."

The room stayed silent.

"A few months ago, we sent our first fully autonomous team to the Moon. They successfully landed, mined, walked, and returned, all without any human involvement. It was a successful mission, but we wanted more. Therefore, we conducted a human trial with Johnny Storm and me. We took the risk of flying to Mars' orbit, where we scanned the surroundings and gathered data. We survived the journey and returned safely."

He paused for a moment and took a deep breath before continuing.

"The Starfire trial run was successful. Now it was time for our main mission. How close to the sun can we humans get? Well, as you can see. We are still very much alive and kicking. Now, without further delay with my boring speech, let me introduce my team who believed in my vision and took part in that suicide mission..." 

The spotlight shifted to the side of the stage, and a quiet hum rolled through the crowd as three figures stepped into view: Susan, Johnny, and Ben. The audience watched in silence as they moved to the long desk at the front of the stage, each taking a seat behind a microphone.

Johnny leaned back first and quickly surveyed the room, his gaze scanning the reporters, the cameras, and the screens floating above. He remained silent for the moment. 

Ben rested both arms on the table, his hands still for now, with his fingers curled slightly inward. 

Susan kept her eyes forward, calm and focused. She glanced once at Tony before looking out at the audience.

A moment passed.

The screens behind them showed clips of the Starfire ship. Data streams. Orbit paths. Telemetry. A countdown to re-entry. Then, a wide shot of the Starfire Base, shining under the desert sun, as the Starfire landed.

Tony waited a beat, then turned toward the team.

"Susan Storm. Johnny Storm. Ben Grimm."

Their names hung in the air.

"They were part of the crew that went further than any human team before them. Past Mars. Past the belt. Into a solar storm we couldn't predict, and through fire we weren't supposed to survive."

He turned back to the audience.

"But we did. We came back. And we created history. Now, without further delay. Let's begin the Q&A session."

The hands shot up instantly.

Every major outlet had sent a representative. CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, Wired, Popular Science, and even a few influencers from science-focused media platforms. Micro-drones buzzed above, live-streaming every angle.

Tony nodded toward a woman in the front row.

She stood. "Dr. Evans, Scientific American. What exactly happened during the solar event you encountered? Can you elaborate on how the ship survived that kind of proximity to the sun?"

Sue leaned forward slightly. "We hit unexpected turbulence. The solar winds spiked way past predicted levels. But Starfire's shielding held. We used a layered nanite system that adapted in real time to radiation exposure. It was built for extremes."

The woman pressed further. "You're saying no exposure breached the hull?"

Johnny smiled faintly. "The shields flexed a little, but they didn't crack. Honestly, it was like riding a hurricane made of heat and magnetism. The ship rode the edge and pulled us through."

Tony added, "We prepared for the worst-case scenarios: auto-sealing armor, biological damping systems, and smart oxygenation. Starfire's design held up better than we expected; I guess I overengineered it a little."

Soft laughter rippled through the crowd.

Another hand went up.

"James Lee, New York Times. What was it like… seeing the sun up close? Was it what you imagined?"

Ben leaned toward the mic. "Bigger, brighter, beautiful and deadly."

Laughter again.

He continued, "You don't just see the sun up close; you feel it in your bones. It's as if the entire universe is screaming, humming, and breathing all at once. You see solar flares larger than Earth erupting like sparks. Still, even now it feels like a dream."

Sue nodded. "It's alive, in a way."

A younger man raised a hand. "Jackson Cortez, SciWire. Was there a moment when you thought you weren't coming back?"

Johnny cracked his neck before speaking. "Yeah, when we hit the storm front, everything shook. I couldn't even hear my own breathing. The ship tilted, then corrected itself. The lights flickered for a second, but we stayed focused. We trusted the system; we knew what we were flying."

Ben glanced sideways at him. "You were swearing your head off."

"Motivational swearing," Johnny replied deadpan.

That got a laugh from the audience.

Next, an older man stood up slowly and said, "I'm Robert Lang, retired. I'm just watching now, but I've followed Stark Tech for quite some time. We all know your contribution to our society. My question is simple: what's next?"

Tony looked at his team.

Sue met his eyes. Ben folded his hands. Johnny leaned forward slightly and gave him a nod.

Tony turned back to the audience.

"Starfire was proof of concept. Space isn't the limit. It's just a road. Now that we've touched the edge of a star and walked away, we're building the next steps. Earth's first space station, followed by expansion to the Moon, and then on to Mars. My vision for the coming years is to colonize Mars. Impossible, some might say, but I say, wanna make a bet?" Tony said with one of his classic and confident smirks.

The next question hit fast.

"Dr. Han from the European Space Agency. The world wants to know if you're open to sharing the technology behind the Starfire. The shielding, propulsion systems, radiation-damping modules—will this be available to partner agencies or remain exclusive to Stark Tech?"

Tony gave her a nod.

"Great question. Short answer? Depends on who's asking and why."

A ripple of murmurs stirred in the crowd. He let it hang a beat.

"We didn't build Starfire to hoard knowledge or to play god with gravity. But let's be real... This wasn't your average shuttle launch. The systems we used are twenty to thirty years ahead of what NASA or any other space facilities have. Some of it, if misused, could vaporize a city."

That got the room's attention.

"So, we're not closing the door. We're building a corridor. And we'll decide who gets to walk through based on transparency, collaboration, and intent."

He raised his hand slightly.

"I'm already working with select engineers from NASA, ESA, and a few other programs under NDA. That's the start."

Another reporter jumped in.

"Jonathan Sima, BBC Future. Are we talking exclusive partnerships? Or global access?"

Tony's smile turned razor-sharp.

"Global access isn't the same as global readiness."

Gasps. A few nervous chuckles.

"Look. I'm all for peace. But space is now a frontier of survival. Resources. Migration. Defense. The wrong hands in the wrong orbit? That's not a risk I'm throwing dice on."

A younger woman near the front raised her voice, standing without waiting for a nod.

"Emily Chen, Vox. Are you saying you're privatizing space? Are you the gatekeeper now?"

Tony didn't blink.

"I'm saying the gate's already been busted wide open. I just built the lock. You want my technology? You need to follow my protocols."

A pause. Then murmurs again, this time louder.

Another question followed fast.

"Derek Morrow, Wired. With all due respect... What gives you the right to lead this?"

Tony didn't smile this time. He stepped closer to the mic. His voice stayed even. "Speaking of right... I put myself on the line." His eyes scanned the crowd, voice rising just enough. "I launched myself into space, past every safety net Earth ever built. No government contract. No national backup. Just me, and the people behind me."

He motioned to Sue, Ben, and Johnny without breaking eye contact with the crowd.

"We built the ship. We braved the storm. We survived because we planned for failure and prepared for pain."

Another pause.

"Since landing, I've had every major agency and political board clawing at my tech. Demanding blueprints. Sending letters marked 'urgent collaboration.' I've read the words, but none of them offered risk. None of them offered people. They want results they didn't earn."

He let that sink in.

"I didn't do this for permission. I did it because someone had to. Because the world won't move forward on paperwork and debate. We crossed a boundary. Now everybody wants the view. That's fine. But you don't get to show up after the race and claim the trophy."

He leaned into the mic.

"You want access? Bring commitment. Bring your own skin to the table and, as I said before, follow my protocol."

Silence gripped the room.

Tony stepped back.

One last thing hung in the air, and he wasn't done.

But he didn't need to raise his voice.

"We're not gatekeepers. We're pathfinders. We walk the path of science, and we'll continue to do so regardless of what anyone might think. And please, don't bring politics into this matter. So far, I've already received multiple political threats, like the President's order, NASA's order, military order. It doesn't matter who you are. You want what's ours? You can't have it. You want to force us with threats? You can try. You want to walk together? We welcome you with open arms."

The event went on for another fifteen minutes...

After that...

The team collapsed into the cushioned private lounge, the distant roar of the press still echoing faintly through the walls. Johnny kicked off his shoes and stretched like a cat. Sue flopped onto the couch, rubbing her temples with both hands. Ben, already in a chair, leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling like it had all the answers. Tony stood, sleeves rolled, pacing near the window with a glass of water in one hand.

Yelena's voice buzzed softly in his ear.

"Scanners picked up six Skrulls. They are wearing a SHIELD badge. The other one just walked in with the VIPs. He's using the face of Nick Fury. Permission to neutralize?"

Tony tapped his bracelet, and a holographic screen appeared on his arm. His eyes flicked to the hidden feed Yelena sent him. 'Yep! Skrulls.'

He took a slow sip, never looking toward the others.

"Secure the exit routes and have the drones ready, just in case. I'll deal with it."

Yelena responded. "Copy."

"Skrulls?" Sue asked.

"Yup! Just pretend to be normal for the moment. If things go wrong, use your forcefield to trap him," Tony said to Sue.

"Trap him? I mean, like I've never done it before. I can just raise a wall and..." Sue stuttered, but Tony walked toward her and grabbed her shoulders. He looked into her eyes.

"You can do this. I trust you. Just visualize and control your power like an extension of your body."

Then came the knock. 

Tony looked at Ben and Johnny, giving them a nod. 

"C'mon, in."

The door to the lounge opened.

Howard walked in first, followed by Nick Fury. He wore a long coat, had an eye patch, and his familiar scowl was unmistakable. Everything was in place.

Fury walked and stopped before Tony, extending his hand, "Nick Fury."

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