[3 Months Later]
The space program was progressing faster than Tony had initially anticipated.
The Orbital Stations that had been his obsession for months now... Two had been completed, fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including advanced weapon systems for both defense and research. They orbited Earth, silently maintaining a shield around the planet, monitoring threats both terrestrial and extraterrestrial. A third station was almost complete, and the fourth and fifth were well into construction. Even the lunar base, the first true step in Tony's vision for humanity beyond Earth, had been completed.
Now, all that was left was Mars.
Tony had made significant progress in the past few months.
The design of the Mars base was a marvel of modern engineering, a self-sustaining habitat capable of supporting human life in the most hostile environment known to man. He had to recalibrate and remodel certain parts of the blueprint to make it perfect.
The construction had already begun, with the first few drones already making the long trek across the expanse of space to the red planet. Tony had a team of AI-controlled robots working around the clock, each of them following a meticulously planned construction schedule that was impossible to meet with human hands alone. The time it would take to complete Mars' first colonization phase had decreased drastically, thanks to Elena taking control of the project and focusing only on Mars.
[New Stark Tower] [New York]
The tower was fully operational now. Tony shifted some of his operations from Horizon Island to NY. And this tower acts as the main base for the Ultimates.
Tony stood before a large holographic display in his private workshop. The three-dimensional image of Mars floated in front of him, complete with detailed renderings of the new base that would eventually house hundreds, maybe thousands, of people. The plans included living quarters, research facilities, greenhouses for food, and even a recreation area for the colonists. A complete system of energy production and waste recycling would allow it to function without constant resupply from Earth. If all went according to plan, this would be humanity's first true step toward becoming a multi-planetary species.
"All systems are go," Tony muttered to himself, tapping his finger on the hologram. The base was laid out in rings, a series of interconnected modules that would grow over time. A sleek design, but one that could withstand Mars' brutal conditions—extreme cold, dust storms, and low gravity.
"You look like you're going to burst into song," Natasha's voice broke his concentration. She leaned against the doorframe, watching him with a smirk.
"Maybe," Tony said, raising an eyebrow. "The idea of being the first person to colonize Mars? Kind of a big deal."
"You've been working on this for months," she said, stepping closer. "It's more than just a big deal. It's history."
"I just want to make sure I don't mess it up," Tony said, his voice quieter. "The stakes are higher than anything we've ever done before. A mistake on Mars… that's not something we can just fix."
Natasha crossed her arms. "The only person who dreamed of the impossible and took a step forward to fulfill that dream is you. And when chasing such an impossible dream, the stakes are always higher. As for mistakes, you and the team have gone through the plans for months. And I'm pretty sure you know that the plans are perfect."
Tony gave her a half-smile. "The plans are perfect. The execution, not so much."
Natasha's eyes softened. "You've already made the impossible possible. What's one more giant leap?"
Tony gave a brief chuckle. "One more giant leap for humanity, right?"
"Exactly," she said. "You've been planning this for a long time now. Now, it's happening. Let yourself enjoy it."
Tony sighed and turned back to the hologram, his fingers running through his hair. "I just… I don't know if it's sunk in yet. All the work, the people, the technology. It's all finally here."
Natasha stepped up beside him and rested a hand on his shoulder. "It's more than here. It's your legacy."
Tony didn't respond immediately. His gaze lingered on the image of Mars, the distant red planet that had once seemed so unreachable. The first base was already being built, and the second one was about to follow. Soon enough, there would be human footprints on that barren surface.
...
[Back at the Lunar Base]
The lunar base had already become a center of activity. The scientists and engineers on the moon had been working with a steady hand, helping to refine the technology that would make Mars colonization possible. Tony had installed his best systems there as well—robust AI, defensive weapons systems, and communication relays—everything was set up to ensure humanity's survival beyond Earth.
It was a crucial step in his plan. The lunar base would serve as the primary supply hub for Mars, and once the Mars base was operational, the Moon would be the key to maintaining constant communication and resupply routes. There were even plans to create a second base on the Moon, expanding their reach across the solar system.
He looked at the reports daily, double-checking everything. He still couldn't shake his nagging sense of needing to be everywhere, overseeing every detail.
...
[Present time] [Somewhere in NY] [Location: Classified]
The room was thick with tension and smoke; the remaining mafia families gathered under one roof. There were no longer the days of scattered power and petty feuds—those were long gone. Now, the remnants of the fallen empires were united, bound by fear and desperation, as they faced a common enemy. The Punisher had wiped out so many of their families, and the last few remnants of power had been forced to come together, or else face annihilation.
At the head of the table sat Ma Gnucci, a fearsome matriarch now reduced to a shattered shell of her former self. Her face was a grotesque patchwork of skin grafts and surgical repairs after her brutal encounter with the Punisher, who had thrown her into a cage with a ravenous polar bear. She had survived, but the cost was steep—her legs and arms were gone, replaced with crude prosthetics, and a portion of her skull had been shattered in the attack. She couldn't even go to Hospitals to get the nanite treatment since the Stark bots would shoot her on the spot, given her reputation. Yet, despite her mutilated appearance, there was a fire in her eyes, a hunger for revenge. Two burly guards stood behind her, ever vigilant.
Sitting next to her, Hammerhead adjusted his tie with a grimace, his massive head resembling a battering ram, eyes darting to the other figures around the table.
Mister Negative sat with his hands steepled, his face calm but eyes betraying a simmering rage, his split personality threatening to surge at any moment.
Madame Masque, her face half-covered in an elegant silver mask, shot the occasional glance of distaste at the others, her scarred history with each of them clear.
And Silvio Manfredi, known as Silvermane, sat silently, his once-powerful frame now stiff and frail from age, but his mind as sharp as ever, even if his hands weren't what they used to be. The man who had once been one of Kingpin's biggest rivals had reluctantly joined forces with him, recognizing the growing threat of the Punisher.
They were all that was left broken, haunted, and desperate.
"Fisk's gonna pay for this," Hammerhead muttered, tapping his fist against the table. "The Punisher, that psycho, he's taken everything from us. If only Fisk had killed him in prison when he had the chance."
"He's not the only one we need to worry about," Mister Negative's voice was a low growl, his expression a hard mask of frustration. "There's also her. Emma Frost. She's the wild card. I can deal with the Punisher, but a telepath? We haven't faced anything like that before. Her power's like a goddamn minefield in our heads."
Ma Gnucci snarled through gritted teeth, the disfigurement of her face only adding to the viciousness of the gesture. "She and the Punisher are the reason we're here. We should've dealt with them both when we had the chance. Now, we're sitting ducks while they take what's left."
Before anyone could respond, the doors to the room opened, and a shadow fell over the table. Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of crime, entered with his imposing presence. His silhouette blocked out the light, and his sheer size seemed to suck the air out of the room. He was flanked by his trusted enforcers: Tombstone, the hulking, stone-faced bruiser with skin harder than granite, and James Wesley, Fisk's right-hand man and the calculating strategist.
Fisk paused just inside the room, allowing his weight to settle in. His voice was deep and cold. "I trust you've all been... productive."
There was a palpable shift in the room. Despite the disarray of the mafia families, Fisk was a force of nature and his mere presence demanded respect. And right now, he has the most power.
"Don't look at me like that," Hammerhead grunted, leaning forward. "You should've stepped in sooner. We're all on the chopping block, and the Punisher's already got our families on his list. His list."
Fisk's eyes narrowed, but his calm demeanor didn't falter. "I've been dealing with the bigger problem. The Punisher is just a man, after all. And the truth is, we've underestimated him. I should've known better." His gaze flicked to Mister Negative, Madame Masque, and then Ma Gnucci. "The Punisher will be dealt with. But it's not just him we need to worry about. The real danger is Emma Frost."
"Don't get me started on her," Tombstone said with a low growl, his voice grating against the air like grinding stone. "We can't even touch her. Not without her knowing every move we make. She's too powerful."
Fisk nodded slowly, his mind already several steps ahead. "Exactly. Her telepathy makes her a threat far greater than any muscle we can throw at her. But what if we send someone who isn't a human?" His eyes went to Silvio Manfredi. "How about I fund your cyborg project? Do you think you can take her down?"
Silvio Manfredi's hands trembled slightly as Fisk's words lingered in the heavy air. His mind churned, weighing the options. Cyborgs. It had been a while since he'd entertained the idea seriously. The market crash had devastated his wealth, forcing him to halt his ambitious cybernetics projects, projects he had poured billions into. But Fisk's offer felt like the bait of a venomous snake, tempting yet dangerous.
His lips parted slowly as he spoke, the old man's voice still carrying weight despite his frail body. "A cyborg to take down Emma Frost?" Silvio chuckled darkly, but there was a fire in his eyes now, the same fire that had driven him to develop some of the most cutting-edge medical and military technology before the market crash decimated his empire. "It's possible. It would be costly, of course, but I could make it work."
Fisk's gaze never left him. He was watching Silvio closely, studying the man who had once been one of his biggest rivals. "Money is no object," Fisk said, his voice low, almost hypnotic. "We need something that will get past her telepathy, something she can't predict. We need an edge. I trust you know what's at stake."
Silvio's mind raced. The pieces were slowly falling into place. If he could pull this off and create a cyborg with an artificial brain, he would have a weapon like no other. And, more importantly, he would regain his relevance in the criminal world. This was his chance to claw back some of the fortune he'd lost.
"I'll need time, of course," Silvio said carefully, his fingers steepling in front of him as he thought aloud. "But I can rework some of the designs I had for my previous projects. Perhaps even enhance them with some of Stark's tech. After all, the man's made some strides in artificial intelligence and nanotechnology, hasn't he?"
A few of the others around the table stiffened at the mention of Tony Stark's name, but Silvio didn't seem to notice. His hatred for Stark had burned deeply ever since the man had wiped out nearly half of his wealth with his innovations. Stark's arc reactor and nanites had revolutionized energy and medicine, but they had also completely destroyed Silvio's investments in both sectors.
Hammerhead leaned forward, his face tightening at the mention of Stark. "You're telling me we'll get a cyborg that can beat a telepath, and Stark's tech won't get in the way?"
Silvio waved a hand dismissively. "I'll incorporate whatever is necessary, Hammerhead. But if I can just reverse engineer Stark tech and replicate or surpass it, I'll have more than just a cyborg... I'll have a weapon that can stand against anyone. Stark included."
Fisk nodded, his expression unreadable. "Fine. But time is not on our side. The Punisher, Emma Frost, they're already a problem. And we've lost too many families already. I want results, Manfredi. And I want them fast."
"Of course," Silvio replied. "I'll begin work immediately."
--
...[POWERSTONES AND REVIEWS]...
If you like my work, you can support me on>: www.patr eon.com/XcaliburXc
[Read 17 advance chapters]
---