What Happens When You Eat Too Many Blueberries
They ended up on the edge of a small cliff in the middle of nowhere.
Peta was leaning against the ridiculously big backpack she insisted on bringing everywhere she went with Toni (Toni had stopped trying to find out what was in it after Peta had told her Pepper had helped her pack it). Toni’s young intern had taken her hoverboard (the bulky one that could carry other objects as well as one body, like the briefcase/satchel Peta insisted on in addition to the backpack) instead of being carried. (Toni pretended to take offence to that).
Toni had been somewhat surprised that Peta had taken on the project of hoverboards, especially after the fiasco a year and a half ago with the Green Goblin, who happened to be Peta’s childhood best friend, Harry Osborn, and Gwen Stacy. That poor girl’s death had really hurt Peta. But Toni knew that nowadays Peta rarely went anywhere without one, with a silver circular pendant, slightly smaller than Toni’s palm, always hanging around her neck that, due to Toni’s breakthrough in nanotech a few months ago, could expand into a board in a moment’s notice. Despite Toni’s reservations of what the boards might remind Peta of, Toni would be lying if she claimed the extra security didn’t make her feel better.
They snacked on some coffee and jam biscuits (which Peta had pulled from the backpack), laughing as they complained light heartedly to each other about the bots’ latest antics, when Toni heard a beep in her ear.
“Miss, SI satellites have detected an anomaly in the Earth’s outer atmosphere consistent with the intrusion of a ship,” Jarvis’ voice buzzed through her phone that lay between the two women.
Instantly, they were on their feet. “Details Jarvis.”
“The ship seemed to disappear instantly from our radar, but it was moving faster than any plane recorded and whilst large, does not match any previous scans of Chitauri or Asgardian designs or energy signatures.”
Toni nodded, her mind racing to categorise the information.
“Has Honeybear been informed?”
“The Avengers are just getting UN confirmation to engage when the ship reappears.”
Toni was about to reply but was cut off by Peta grabbing her arm.
“Toni,” the girl started frantically, staring wildly at a spot to their left.
Before she could go on, a ship materialised in front of them. Jarvis was right. The ship was large. Big enough to house a small crew for long journeys. Toni narrowed her eyes.
The thing appeared out of nowhere. It got around her tech.
“Jarvis make a note – we have some serious upgrading to do.”
“Please focus on the alien threat at hand, Miss,” her baby boy replied, his voice slightly strained with worry.
There was a quiet whirring and Toni instantly summoned the suit as the door opened and a person – man? – strolled out.
Toni’s mouth dropped open.
The guy’s clothes looked like something out of Mad Max. The fin on his head was definitely not natural. And was that an arrow in the holster at his hip?
Oh, yeah, and he was blue.
“Hey there Papa Smurf,” Toni greeted, keeping her voice light.
“Colonel Rhodes is fifteen minutes out with the Vision not far behind,” Jarvis intoned in her ear.
Karen must have given Peta a similar message because Peta murmured, “We don’t have that long.”
Toni frowned and muttered, just loud enough for the alien to hear, “Yeah, I feel like Blue Man Group over there has a specific goal in mind.”
The Man in question laughed. “You’d be right girlie. I’m here to pick you up.”
Peta clenched her fists, but Toni caught her eye and gave a discreet shake of the head. There was no use revealing her powers when she didn’t need to.
“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint, Blue Wonder, but I’m kind of booked. Don’t worry, I’m sure there are some blueberries or cosplayers around here somewhere you can commiserate with.”
The guy laughed. “You’re perfect. Even better than I imagined. The furball’s gonna owe me units after this.”
Toni frowned, not even trying to unpack that statement.
“You have a name Mr Attempted Kidnapper?” Peta asked, her voice friendly and innocent, just like it always was when she wanted something from someone. Although, she couldn’t keep the slight edge out of it.
“Yondu,” the blue man answered, looking between them. “Yondu Undonta. Ravager.”
“Toni Stark,” she replied. “Iron Queen.”
Yondu chuckled. “Oh, I know. I’ve done heard all about you. Wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t. But I do not know about the lovely lady beside you.”
“Peta,” was the clipped answer he received. “Her lab assistant and intern.”
“How’d you hear about me?” Toni both genuinely wanted an answer and was trying to draw Yondu’s attention away from her mentee.
“The whole galaxy’s chatting about you, Girlie,” Yondu replied with a predatory grin. “Figured what I heard would make you perfect for what I got in mind.”
“And what exactly is that,” she asked carefully, priming the repulsors, ready to shoot. “A new hairstyle?”
Yondu shook his head exasperatedly.
“I didn’t think I’d ever look for another of you mouthy Terrans,” he muttered. “But, you see, my boy seems a bit lonely of late. And, I’m willing to admit I wasn’t the best to him, but I’m damned if I don’t do right by him now. And he deserves the best – I mean, even the names are perfect, an Iron Queen for a Star Lord.”
“Aww, how sweet,” Toni cooed in a sickly tone. “There’s only one problem with your little plan.” The repulsors wined as they powered up. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Before Toni could do anything, she heard a sharp whistle. Then, Peta gave a small, surprised yelp and all Toni could focus on was the arrow pointed right between her Peta’s eyes.
Yondu chuckled. “You see, that’s where your wrong girlie.”
A rattling came from the ship moments before a surprisingly human-looking man stumbled out, holding a large, white, donut-shaped thing.
“I found it Cap’n.”
The man was acknowledged by a nod and then, Yondu’s attention was back on her.
“Stand down, girlie. You know there’s no other way.”
Toni hesitated, running the possibilities in her head of hitting both of them before the arrow, which was apparently controlled by whistle of all things, moved. She could probably do it, but she couldn’t risk it. Not when the price was Peta.
She powered down her repulsors with a dying whir and allowed the suit to melt back into her skin, the nanite technology in the Extremis allowing her body to blend with any nano-tech.
To her dismay, but not surprise, the arrow didn’t move.
“Now, your going to let Kraglin here put that collar on you, nice and easy with no funny business. Then, I’ll be taking you to my boy.”
The other man – Kraglin – walked slowly towards her.
“What – What about me?” Toni squeezed her eyes together as she tried to reassure herself the quivering hesitation was just Peta acting. She hoped it was.
Yondu focused on Peta, the arrow still hovering threateningly between her eyes, barely a centimetre away from killing her.
“I’ll have to be restraining ya now, Missy. But don’t ya worry, you’ll be staying here.”
Toni turned her head slightly angling her body just in time to see Peta’s eyes widen, her eyes shiny.
“No!” the girl exclaimed. Toni shook her head. What are you doing? Don’t do this Peta!
“Miss,” Jarvis voice intoned quietly in her ear. “It appears inevitable that you will be going off world, despite Miss Parker’s stalling. And that means I won’t be able to access you from the tower or the compound.”
Toni’s heart twisted at that and the reminder of Jarvis’ earlier words. You promised never to go where I cannot follow.
Toni tried to keep her breathing steady.
“I know, J. I’m so sorry,” she whispered as Kraglin reached her.
“I think I have a solution. I may not be able to upload into your suit while it’s within you and I suspect Extremis will not be able to reach out once that collar is on you, but I believe I will be able to upload into your mind.”
Relief flooded Toni. It made sense. The new Extremis had enough tech aspect through the nanites to turn Toni technopathic, so she was basically a computer now. And Jarvis lived in computers.
“But Ma’am I suspect it will be… painful.”
Toni didn’t care. Follow me, Jarvis, she begged in her head desperately. Soon, he would be able to answer.
She nodded slightly and breathed, as quietly as possible, “Do it.”
And, oh, did it hurt. Toni locked her knees and gritted her teeth as her head exploded. As he uploaded, code streaming into Toni’s head, Jarvis whispered apologies and assurances to her, through the earpiece he would no longer need in a few moments.
“Please don’t be alarmed if you hear a change in Miss Parker, I indicated to Karen my plan and she has told me that Miss Parker had somehow signalled her acquiescence.”
Karen, who had initially been small enough to just live in Peta’s suit, had been added to and expanded by Peta and Toni until she was just as advanced as Fri of J. And now, whilst still not as large as them, needed to keep her main code in a large desktop and an array of assorted appliances located at the tower.
A sob ripped Toni’s eyes open.
Peta’s lips trembled as she stared at Yondu.
“Please, Mr Udonta,” she begged, not stuttering on his name, despite her state. Peta eyes were glassy – were those tears? – and she was aiming the most pitiful, most upset, most all-out puppy stare Toni had ever seen her pull straight at Yondu. The only indication of her experiencing the same ordeal as Toni was the way her fists were clenched tightly in front of her and that just added to the kicked-puppy effect.
“I’m not supposed to leave Dr Stark. Miss Potts said so herself. I’m her personal intern. That means I go with her everywhere,” the girl babbled in the adorable way that she did. “And I really need this job cos it pays really well and Dr Stark has been so nice to me and I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
Peta sniffled. “And – and – and –”
“Oh, alright. I’ll take ya. Just stop. Please!” Yondu practically begged.
Peta sniffled again but stopped stuttering, her shoulders sagging.
The collar clicked into place and Kraglin shifted away behind her.
Yondu sighed, looking more relieved than Peta. Then, he glanced at Kraglin. “Take em’ in.”
There was a quiet whirring and suddenly, Toni’s body crumpled.
The last thing she registered before her mind went blank was an echoing voice through her head.
Upload complete.