Part 3 - Chp 3
The Tesseract is a great number of things, but perhaps most importantly it is an universal intercise: a physical manifestation of a point that touches all space. Second most importantly, it is a group intelligence with zero concept of ‘mistake’ that has a penchant for subsuming intelligences for reasons entirely its own--though Tony suspects that’s because it’s a great coercive tactic.
At least part of the reason, at any rate.
Interfacing with it--that’s all Tony can think of, interfacing, because there’s nothing human about it--is like having ice slid straight down his spinal cord, his sense of self disoriented so that he immediately knows where north is--or where the Tesseract wants him to think it is. There’s a rush of voices around him, all of them exact and familiar and Tony’s heard them before, hasn’t he? Not through Loki, it’s not that kind of recognition--
(truth-truth-truth)
The room is the same except he can’t see Loki, he has the unnerving sensation the only thing between him and the rest of the universe is his skin, and there’s a…
He blinks.
There’s a woman made of light standing in front of him.
“Loki didn’t say you were a chick,” is the first thing out of his mouth, which as far as diplomatic openers go is probably not the best start.
Would you prefer otherwise? it asks him--at least that’s the top coat, all the background susurrant chatter is still going.
Categorizing, Tony thinks. Categorizing, chanting, prayer or something like it; a host of intelligences all bent towards—
order.
Everything in its place.
“Nope, this is good. Say, so you had something to get out of your bargain with Loki.”
He cannot be trusted.
“He totally can,” which is almost a lie, so Tony loads it full of belief. Loki can be trusted, Tony absolutely trusts him.
(To do what’s best for Loki.)
“Besides, you want Thanos off the table too, don’t you?”
Loki wouldn’t see it, Tony thinks. Loki’s so geared towards tearing down and chaos. The Tesseract seems like exactly the sort to try and present whatever image someone would want to further its own desires. The Tesseract offered Loki a meal that would possibly sate his hunger for a while--clever. Loki would be looking for traps, but that big of a prize means he’d charge right on in despite the risks.
There are voices hissing what sounds suspiciously like don’t change, voices that want stay the same, and Tony is remembering a dream where a not-muzzle was bound and couldn’t destroy the world before it was sufficiently understood.
We cannot do so without the one you call Loki. He has broken the agreement. We cannot trust him the outward facing voice says.
(Do not tell them you caused me to break the agreement.)
“Did you need to be in control for him to consume Thanos? Or were you planning on breaking the agreement yourselves when the time came--two for one deal.” Tony smiles. “See, here’s what I think--I think you don’t care about controlling Loki so much as you cared about having a good seat when Loki went for Thanos’ throat.”
We are everywhere the Tesseract says.
“But everywhere isn’t a good seat, is it? Not if Thanos kills everyone before you can categorize them, and not if Loki exists to keep changing where things are.”
What do you propose? Tony almost wants to say the borganism sounds stiff.
“You help us without piggybacking on either of our consciousnesses, we help you get somewhere people appreciate spatial order.”
Insufficient.
“And,” Tony says, holding up a finger, “we trade you a Thanos equivalent conscience that’s gumming up your plans. Not Loki, but he suggested there’s a planet eater that you mentioned when helping him decide who to eat.”
The woman doesn’t say anything, but the tenor of the whispers around him changes; group vote, Tony thinks. What’s best for the spatial hive?
Agreed, the Tesseract says.
There’s another sensation of ice (this time being pulled out), then Tony’s hitting the ground, blinking and shaking his head as he breathes through the sudden press of gravity, mind no longer in the weird internal space of the Tesseract.
“Tony,” Loki says, spear at ready.
Tony throws him a thumbs up.
“I”m good. We’re good. It agreed.”
Loki grabs him by the chin, forcing his head up. Tony looks at him, lets Loki take as long as he needs. A few moments later, the tension eases and a wicked grin splits Loki’s face.
“When do we start?”